The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-09-22
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not we'll posted in practical mechanics gene
rally. we confess to strange fancy, which has
stuck to us from childhood, for the evolution
of wheels. and the clashing of machinery
Having entered the establishment, we were
induced, step by step, to go all over il, and to
make inquiries as we went along, the result of
which we now give TO the public, in as few
words As the nature of the case and the ex-
tent of information acquired, will admit.
We learned that these works had been In
operation for about twenty years. Like near
,v all men who have made fortunes in this
country. the proprietors started with stout
hearts. strong hopes, a great deal of energy,
and but little capital. Industry, perseverance,
and integrity. supplied all that was wanting
in the beginning: success followed In their
train. and capital came upon the heels of suc-
cess Twenty years ago, the Messrs. TALBOT
began with fifteen or twenty hands: now they
employ from lbs to $50. Perhaps in the course
of time, even this large number may be great
" enlarged, for the demand for the description
Of articles which they manufacture Is increas
ing at rapid rate, and will only decline when
men cease to chew and smoke tobacco, or re-
jcct the use of cotton in favor of some yet I'M
discoy cred fabric or discard the circular saw
and turn backward to the old up and down
saw-mll. In this large and well arranged es-
tabIishment are TO be found at all times,
steam engines, portable and stationary. circu-
lar saw mills railroad work Of every descrIp-
ton, grist-mills, mill gearing Of all kinds,
fixtures for manufacturers OF TOBACCO, snait-
| ing pullies, &c. for cotton gins, Ct ceterG, Ct
| c,.frd It eefern; in fine, implements Tor
| carving on almost every species OF manufac-
| ture connected with private industry. We do
| not profess to be judges of machinery but we
| learn from other sources that the very best is
| employed and none other, in the operations
| by which these productions are created In
| addition to large quantities of other works,
| coming under the above heads, we were told
| that the establishment could turn ont one
| hundred steam engines annually.
Within the last three or four years. the bust
| ness of the Messrs. TALBoTT has received a
| prodgious impulse from the popularity
which their portable engines have acquired in
| the sugar and cotton countries. The demand
| for them in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi
| and Texas especially, has increased TO such a
| degree that they have found it necessary to
| establish an agency in the city of New Orleans.
| This agency we learned, always keeps a large
number of them on hand, as it does likewise
Of circular w-mills, grist-mills, &c.
Before going to the establishment of Messrs.
| TALBOT. we had learned that they We're the
agents for making and selling in this city, and
| probably elsewhere. the new Hydraulic To-
bacco Press which was invented and "a short
time since) patented by Mr. WIN. CAMERON, an
| ingenious and enterprisins manufacturer OF to-
! baccc in Petersburg. 1t is styled 1--WE believe)
| "CAmERoN's Improved Hydraulic and Retain
| ing Press and has made considerable STR
| among the manufacturers. Having heard
much of it, we had a great desire to see 1t and
| to have the principle explained, with the
| thing before our eyes. We wished, partcu-
| IorIv to know what part of it had been pat
ented, since it appears to be an improvement
on an invention already in use, and not an
| entirely new invention throughout Uhfor-
tunateIy. there were none in the shop al
tbougt, We were told that possibly one would
| ho gotten ready for exhibition at The Fair
We think. however, we can give such gem
| oral dpscription as Will enable our readers to
form some idea of its results at least
| The hydraulic press has been TOO long known
| IA tbc world 10 require any description. 1t
furnishes the sim plest and best method of OBJ
| tanning an extraordinary pressure. The re-
tanning press we understand to be the inYen-
ton of EIr CAMERON. and it is combined with
The hydraulic press. and the two together are
believed to possess extraordinary powers
The combination Is adapted to the pressure OF
all elastic substances, tobacco being only one
of them. 1t is calculated To do away en- tirely
the old iron lever worked by the hand, which
required great an exertlon of strength 10
work il, rendered the manufacture of tobacco
so expensive, and so often proved injurious to
those employed in pulling it. The head and
bottom of the CAMERON press are made of
cast iron sufficiently strong to stand pres
sure of from three TO six hundred tons, ac-
cording TO the size and pressure required. II
has n cylinder from ten to fifteen inches in
diameter, according to tho size of the press,
which is fastened TO the bottom of the press
by four heavy bolts A piston, ram, As ii is
called, with n follower attached. is fitted to the
cylinder, and is so contriNed as to move upand
down BY the force of the water A simple
forcing pump is attached to water-bOX
placed alongside, and is SO arranged that in
five minutes one man can make a set of eight
inches with a pressure of 300 TONS on 2lG
pounds of tobacco. This description mpcr-
feet as it is, from want of mechanical
knowledge, will afford some idea Of what The
press can do.
Upon the whole we profess 10 have been
considerably edited by our visit to the estab-
lishment of Messrs. TALBOT. People are apt
to think that while all the rest of the world is
progressing old Virginia is fast asleep We
are convinced that such is not the fact This
city affords ample proof thar she is not so far
behind her contemporaries is generally
imagined. We shall have more to say here
after, upon subjects akin TO this