Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
SHOT TOWER: Difference between revisions
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When first put into production, the shot tower was capable of manufacturing between one and two tons of shot daily. When completed, the tower was producing from six to eight tons daily. | When first put into production, the shot tower was capable of manufacturing between one and two tons of shot daily. When completed, the tower was producing from six to eight tons daily. | ||
Lead was heated until molten and then dropped through a copper sieve high in the tower. The liquid lead solidified as it fell and by surface tension formed tiny spheres. The partially cooled balls were caught at the floor of the tower in a water-filled basin. The fully cooled balls were checked for roundness and sorted by size; those that are "out of round" were remelted. A slightly inclined table was used for checking roundness. To make larger shot sizes, a copper sieve with larger holes was used. The maximum size was limited by the height of the tower; larger shot sizes must fall farther to cool. | |||
In response to the tower, the St. Louis firm cut its prices below the cost of production to destroy their Dubuque competitor. Despite lease of the tower to the Peli- Tallman Company in 1859 and new management by Langworthy and Cook, discouraged stockholders sold their shares to [[GRAVES, Julius K.|Julius K. GRAVES]] for as little as five cents on the dollar. Graves threatened to resume shot production and then sold his shares to Chadburne and Forster for fifty cents on the dollar. | In response to the tower, the St. Louis firm cut its prices below the cost of production to destroy their Dubuque competitor. Despite lease of the tower to the Peli- Tallman Company in 1859 and new management by Langworthy and Cook, discouraged stockholders sold their shares to [[GRAVES, Julius K.|Julius K. GRAVES]] for as little as five cents on the dollar. Graves threatened to resume shot production and then sold his shares to Chadburne and Forster for fifty cents on the dollar. | ||
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Pratt, LeRoy G. ''Discovering Historic Iowa'', Iowa Department of Public Instruction, 1975 | Pratt, LeRoy G. ''Discovering Historic Iowa'', Iowa Department of Public Instruction, 1975 | ||
"Shot Making"--Wikipedia | |||
[[Category: Tourism]] | [[Category: Tourism]] | ||
[[Category: Landmarks]] | [[Category: Landmarks]] | ||
[[Category: Postcards]] | [[Category: Postcards]] | ||
Revision as of 01:03, 17 September 2011
SHOT TOWER. Prominent riverfront structure built to manufacture SHOT for civilian and military use and only one of five believed to still exist in the United States. Constructed in 1856, the tower was built and operated by the Rogers Company for Dubuque businessmen intent on ending the monopoly in shot production enjoyed by Chadburne and Forster of St. Louis, Missouri.
When first put into production, the shot tower was capable of manufacturing between one and two tons of shot daily. When completed, the tower was producing from six to eight tons daily.
Lead was heated until molten and then dropped through a copper sieve high in the tower. The liquid lead solidified as it fell and by surface tension formed tiny spheres. The partially cooled balls were caught at the floor of the tower in a water-filled basin. The fully cooled balls were checked for roundness and sorted by size; those that are "out of round" were remelted. A slightly inclined table was used for checking roundness. To make larger shot sizes, a copper sieve with larger holes was used. The maximum size was limited by the height of the tower; larger shot sizes must fall farther to cool.
In response to the tower, the St. Louis firm cut its prices below the cost of production to destroy their Dubuque competitor. Despite lease of the tower to the Peli- Tallman Company in 1859 and new management by Langworthy and Cook, discouraged stockholders sold their shares to Julius K. GRAVES for as little as five cents on the dollar. Graves threatened to resume shot production and then sold his shares to Chadburne and Forster for fifty cents on the dollar.
Graves resumed the production of shot after finding a deep mine shaft into which the molten lead could be poured. He was sued by Chadburne and Forster for breaking a contract that he would not manufacture shot within one hundred miles of Dubuque. Graves, however, was found innocent because he had not used a shot tower in the process. The St. Louis firm then abandoned the tower and their attempts to silence their Dubuque competitors.
A statue of Andrew Jackson was placed on the tower by John Deery in 1874 and was not removed until 1881. The STANDARD LUMBER COMPANY used the tower, with a glass-enclosed shelter on the top, to safeguard up to seven blocks of lumber.
Disastrous fires set by arsonists in 1911 ruined the company and destroyed the inner wooden framework of the tower.
Abandoned to the elements, the tower deteriorated. In 1959 concerned citizens rallied behind an S.O.S. (Save Our Shot Tower) campaign. Canisters were placed in restaurants and stores asking for money. When the drive ended in February 1960, $6,700 had been contributed including $25 from U. S. Grant III, the grandson of the CIVIL WAR general. The Dubuque City Council appropriated $5,000. Repairs, including tuck pointing both the interior and exterior and repairing the windows, were estimated to cost $11,000.
Source:
Pratt, LeRoy G. Discovering Historic Iowa, Iowa Department of Public Instruction, 1975
"Shot Making"--Wikipedia