Part 7/10:
The Bethlehem Steel plant was an engineering marvel in its time, anchored by five massive blast furnaces labeled A through E. These furnaces utilized iron ore, coke, and limestone delivered via a mile-long system of race tracks and cars known as the Hoover-Mason Trestle. High-pressure air was introduced into the furnaces to ignite the coke, and the resulting pig iron was collected and sent to the foundry. There, oxygen was infused into the molten iron to create steel. The finished products ranged from naval artillery to structural beams, showcasing the versatility and significance of steel in the American industrial landscape.