3: Bessemer Process

The Bessemer Process is a technique in which pig iron is converted into steel.  Its inventor, Henry Bessemer, originally sought to create a process to create a stronger metal for artillery.  Research and evidence suggests another inventor, William Kelly of Kentucky, originally produced the steel-making process.  However, when complications with the patents were resolved, Henry Bessemer gained all of the fortune and fame from “creating” the process.

The Bessemer Process involves pouring molten pig iron into a large steel container lined with clay or dolomite.  The vat became known as the Bessemer Converter and held 8-30 tons of molten iron.  Air was pumped in from the bottom of the container thus oxidizing the iron and removing its impurities. The end result is the mixed compound known as steel, a much stronger and superior metal than iron or bronze.

By 1871, steel production increased by 45,000 net tons. Between 1870-1910 the process was used to create a majority of the world's steel supply and remained the heart of steel production for a century to come.  The production of steel allowed for other industries to flourish, such as railroad and construction.  Steel was essential to the construction of skyscrapers. It provided a stronger, yet lighter, material to construct buildings several stories higher than had ever been seen during this period.  The high skylines of New York and Chicago can be attributed to the success of the Bessemer Process.