The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-07-06

WAGON MANUFAcToRY.--We find the follow
ing description of Messrs. D. G. Wilson, ],
Chids & Co.'S mandatory, Philadelphia, in
work lately published, Untitled philadelphia
and its Manufactures" David G. Wilson has
repository in New Orleans, at Nos 68, 70
and 72 Carondelet street, where full assort-
ment of wagons, timber and OK wheels, carts,
drays, &c, is constantly kept on hand.
The largest wagon making establishment in
Philadelphia, and perhaps in the country, is
that of D. G. Wilson, J. Chds d. Co., whose
Office is at the corner of St. John and Button
wood streets. Messrs. Wilson and Child form
ed col partnership in 1929, and commenced
business on the premises now occupied by them,
which fronts on three streets-Third, Button
wood and ST. demonstrating $50 feet on But
tonwood, and 113 on St. John. A four-story
brick building, 86 by As feet, has recently been
erected on the St. John street front. Their in
creased business requiring more room, they
purchased, in 1850, mandatory erected by
Mr. Simons. also the adjoining property-com-
prlslng in all square on Second streetAnd Lee
high Avenue; the whole containing 260, 500
square feet, or over 16 acres. The square on
the east side of Second street is 500 by 248 feet,
and is used as lumber yard, in which are piled
plank and boards of various thicknesses, from
one to five inches; also spokes and hubs
These are left to season from one to five years,
one year being required for every inch in thick
ness. Spokes in the rough are also piled and
and seasoned. Timber for hubs is made chiefly
from black locust trees Of different sizes, sawed
into suitable lengths, and before being slowed
away to season, have the bark removed and
hole bored in the centre, to facilitate the sea-
soning process. On the western side of Second
street.-the lot being 500 feet by 273, and con-
tanning over three acres--thc various workshops
are situated. The principal buildings are one
brick wheel and body shop, 100 by As feet, and
three stories high; one brick blacksmith shop,
200 by 35 feet; the saw mill, engine house and
machine shop, 80 by 45 feet, and three stories
high; running gear shops, 100 by 45 feet; paint
shop Office, stables, sheds, &c. the boiler
house is a separate building.
The variety and extent of the busincs may
be learned by an inspection of the different sue
cessve operations required to make a wagon.
Plank of three or four inches in thickness, for
fellows and shafts, hubs of proper sizes-all
sufficiently seasoned-are selected from the
lumber yard and removed into the saw mill.
i, Here there are two upright and six circular
saws; machine for boring holes in the centre
of the hub; another for boriug holes for the
spokes; four drills selffeeding for drilling iron.
In other shops there are planning machine,
mortisng machine, two machines for turning
: Spokes, machines for driving in the spokes and
for shaping the fellows, and finishing them COM
pete, and machine for boring hubs SO as to
put the boxes in properly, and to ensure ac-
curacy and solid bearing. The planks, after
= L., 4
( fellows. Hubs are turned in lathe, and both
ends sawed at once by circular saws. They
are then conveyed to other shops, where the
, wheels and running gears are completed. The
? bodies are made by number of men, each
having his particular work assigned him; and,
, by such subdivision of labor, greater excellence
? and celebrity is attained. In the engine and
Il machine shop the iron axles are turned, screws
. cut, and a.number OF other operations performed.
: The blacksmith S shop, new brick building, is
, one of the best arranged have ever seem 1t
J is very high and thoroughly ventilated, the gas
Il being carried off, rendering it healthy and plea
. SAINT for the men, it has twenty four fires, a ma
J chine for punching, for making bolts, rivets, DC.
i OF course, all the hoops or bands, tires, straps,
Il bolts, riyets, stapIes-n short, all the iron work
e for the wagon is made mere. The upper story
,
h are used paint shops. Previous to the fin
8 ishing operation, however, and when every de
feet can easily be discovered the wagons for
: the government are minutely examined by an
inspector, whose keen eyes are not easily blind
ed: and when passed by him, their excellence
q and durability may be relied on.
To give an idea OF the extent Of business car
n ried on in one of these great establishments,
If and the large capital required, the stock on
If hand few months since may be stated, viz
: 1,5O0, 600 feet of hard wood plank and boards,
: $4,000 hubs, $4,000 spokes, and 15o tons Of
If iron. AT the period of my visit, the second
5, story of a building 273 by % feet, except
Y 90 feet at one end, was filled with wheels
IS there must have been several thousands The
1t lower floor of the same building was filled with
it cart and wagon bodies, The number of hands
e employed average l73.
e The old establishment on St. John, Button
e wood and Third streets, is still used by thi,
= firm, but it is eclpsed by the larger one above
l. described. They also own the warehouse. 7C
n Carondelet street, New Orleans; and have ar
W agency in Mobile.
is ~~~~--~~-~~->~~~
d ARE THE WATERS OF THE GLOBE DECREASING
n Nj. Vincent claims that the waters of the globe
IA are gradually decreasing, founding his opinion
on the fact that vast deserts OF sand, mixed W