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The six hot blast stoves. Air from turbo-blowers, electric blowing engines, passed through these providing oxygen to burn blast furnace gas, CO, a by-product of the ironmaking process. An interior brick latticework, called "checkers", was heated in the process. Once hot, the air was sent to the blast furnace to melt the ore. The stoves operated in cycles, at any time two where "on blast" sending air to the furnace, and four were "on gas", in the process of reheating.

All images copyright © 2014 F.W. Vollmer and may not be used without permission.