New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-03-30
SOUTHERN ENTERPRISE,


Not the least among the local enterprises which
claim our attention, is the foundry and ornamental
iron works of Mr.. Luther Homes. Eighteen years
ago, Mr.. Homes began small business on ST. Charles
street, where his Office now is. He continued to do
all his work there, until its increase compelled him to
seek a more roomy place. Heopened workshop on
Grard street. where his business prospered till he was
again compelled to move This lust time he located
at the corner of Benton and Euphrosine streets For
time he did his work in an unpretending wooden
building but within the last four years he has been
steadily improving the place, and now he has large
and handsome foundry, covering the greater part of
the square, and forming very conspicuous feature of
that part of the city.
We took round through it few days since, and
found it teeming with life and alacrity. The main
building OF the foundry is perfectly fire.proo there
not being splinter of wood in the roof-everythng
root supports girders and ALL being iron and having
remarkably light and airy appearance. In part
OF the establishment we found the molders busy at
work, preparing the molds for square door-posts,
fancy columns ratings and the numerous other plain
and fancy articles OF iron that are used in modern
house-building In another part, found the smiths
at their orges, working the different kinds of wrought
IRON that have to be hlent with the castings in order
to impart the requisite strength and beauty In an.
other place we found the inishers, putting the last
touch upon verandah and balcony works, window and
door frames pillars, etc Taken all through we found
it hard to understand how so large foundry and
smithing establishment shonld confne itself excu-
sively to the manufacture of housebuildng articles
1t gives very forcible idea of the extent to which
iron is used in architecture nova days.
Among the jobs on hand and being finished we
noticed number of large and very handsome door
and window frames intended for the New Bank of
Orleans, now building at the of st. Charles and
Union streets also, great quantity of other iron.
work, for the vaults, ETC., of the same institution
Many of the most elegant verandahs and other orna
mental works to be encountered in rambling about
the city, are from this establishment Mr. Homes in
formed us of something that was new to us-that
Mobile patronizes New Orleans considerably in regard
to ironworks. Last year he alone did SIS 900 worth
OF work for the Mobans and this year he has large
orders on hand. The Mobile men, it seems, have
calculated the difference between New York and
New Orleans, and finding that the difference in price
does not amount to ten per cent they overlook that
in consideration Of New Orleans being SO much the
nearest and furnishing work quite as fine as any to
be had in any other part of the country. Mr.. Homes
business is steadily, though not rapidly, on the in
crease, and large his present establishment is he
begins to feel that it is too small.
We perceived an improvement in the machinery
department in progress One of Fowler's large-sized
upright boilers had been erected and masons were at
work building brick furnace around it. When ready
for operation, the boiler having fire encompassing
on every side and passing through its flue will be
filled with steam in very short space of time The
engine used in the foundry is fine piece of Southern
work, having been built by Bennett in Algiers.
We commend the establishment of Mr. Homes to
all who wish to post themselves up to the progress
siveness of iron manufactures or to procure the ee.
ments of strength and beauty for any buildings they