[PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

This is a very astute summary Mr.Brannon.  I knew something in steel remained in the area but not to this extent.


Phil



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On Mon, 10/21/13, Herb Brannon <hrbran at cavtel.net> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
 To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" <pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org>
 Date: Monday, October 21, 2013, 7:41 PM
 
 Bob R,

 It still had that "orange glow" when I first moved here in 1972. Plus, when atmospheric conditions were right, it smelled like fire & brimstone, everywhere. Even today, on  humid days, I still smell the "fire & brimstone" coming from the Irvin Works just over the hill (on Camp Hollow Rd) to the south-east of my place.
 
 Contrary to popular opinion steel is not dead in Pittsburgh. The Clairton Works still produces coke as it always did, the Edgar Thompson Works makes primary steel, the Irvin Works produces rolled steel and the relatively new Mckeesport Tubular Works (old National Works, now reopened) makes tubular products for the Marcellus Shale drilling industry. So the sulphur and fire & brimstone can still be smelled on humid days and the orange glow is still available in Braddock and Clairton.