from "Manufacturer and Builder" April 1870
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Title: Manufacturer and builder / Volume 2, Issue 1
Publisher: Western and Company Publication Date: January 1870 City: New York Pages: 386

The Continental Works, Greenpoint, Long Island - A Model Foundry.
NEW-YORK is not only the commercial emporium and chief seaport of the western hemisphere, but also, with its surroundings, one of the chief manufacturing localities in this country. In the course of years it bids fair to surpass all others in this line, as it does now in ocean and in inland commerce.

Among the many iron-works and machine-shops we have often occasion to visit, we never saw so neat and perfect an establishment as Mr. T. P. Rowland's Continental Works, at Greenpoint. They have lately been much improved by the erection of a new foundry building, which is represented in our engravings in groundplan and exterior appearance. The dimensions of this foundry are 125 feet by 75; the building is well ventilated, as shown in the accompanying view. The roof ventilators are 55 feet long by 14 feet wide, and have each 18 sashes on each side; while the ground ventilators, one under each window, are 20 inches in diameter, and arranged with registers, so that they may carry off the heavy, dusty vapors when the sand is "cut up," and at the same time fully prevent communication with the outside. There are two cupolas, as shown in the ground-plan at K, with their spouts at P; one is 5 feet 6 inches, and the other 4 feet in diameter, and both are 48 feet high. The iron and coal required to feed them are carried to the platform by a steam elevator, L. The blower connected by the blast-pipe, I, with the cupolas is represented at H, and is driven by a vertical engine, U, which is supplied with steam from the boiler, F. This boiler supplies also the heat for the core-ovens, D, which, being thus heated with steam, possess a more equal and moderated temperature than those heated in the old style by a fire, often overheating and cracking one side of the core, while the other is still moist. The size of these ovens is respectively 12 by 25 by 12 feet, 6 by 12 by 8 feet, and 12 by 12 by 16 feet. There are three cranes represented in cur engraving at A, able to lift over 20 tons each, which can be swung around to reach every spot in the foundry. There are two pits, B, one of 12 and the other of 20 feet in diameter, lined with boiler-plate curbs. At C are represented the core-room and brass foundry, at 0 the furnaces of the latter, while M represents the large doors, all of which are made in two sections, balanced by weights and sliding upward. The articles made at this foundry are the following: housework, pipes, bench castings, condensers, mains, purifiers, and all iron apparatus used in gas-works. 1~uring the war, the firm built several iron ships and monitors; in fact the first Monitor, the cheese-box which in a providential manner was just in time to oppose the famous rebel iron-clad Merrimac, was constructed in the ship-yard connected with this establishment. Since the war, the firm has been eminently successful in erecting gas-manufacturing establishments, and only lately they have put up the largest gas-holder in this country, for the New-York Gas-Works of New-York. This holder has a diameter of 168 feet, and a height of 70 feet, and its capacity is 1,500,000 cubic feet. The facilities of the works are extended, and the perfection of their tools for the above kind of work is especially admirable.

Manufacturer and builder / Volume 4, Issue 12
Western and Company Publication Date: December 1872

Two iron ferry-beats, the Fulton and the Farragut, have lately been constructed and launched at the Continental Iron-Works, Green Point, Long Island These vessels being made of iron, possess great advantage over the old wooden boats now in use, as by being built with bulkheads and water-tight compartments, comparative safety against the consequences of accidents and collisions is insured.

The launch of the Farragut took place a short time since, and was accomplished, under the supervision of Mr. T. F. Rowland, in the most creditable manner. The boat glided down the ways in beautiful style, without the slightest obstruction, amid the loud applause of all present. The dimensions of the Farragut are the same as those of the Fulton-length, 166 feet; breadth of beam, 58 feet; depth of hold, 13 feet-and the cabins are to be elegantly and tastefully fitted up. Other boats of similar build will soon be constructed.

The Continental Works employ some five hundred hands, and are at present engaged on two large telescopic gas-holders-the columns and girder frames being of wrought-iron for the Brooklyn Gas Company.