Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-09-27

ECONOMY OF MECHANICAL CoMBrNArIoSs-A
day or two sgo we visited the Pioneer sawmili
and Firewood Factory on the south side Of the
canal adjoi ming Seventh street on the west. and
were astonished at the economy of human labor
required for converting the monarchs Of the forest
trunks and branch into the smallest dimens ons
required for parlor or kitchen use, by a combina-
| ton Of powerful machinery and ingenuity. The
inventor Of the plan, and agent Of the establish
ment, Is our well-known townsman, George Page,
| Egg
To give in detail all the appliances involved in
| the operation IL beyond our present limits Of
space. but we append few Of the most promi-
nent features Of the operation. The supply Of con-
vertible material comes from % miles above
Washington, on the line Of the canal. The trees
and branches are cut into 14-foot lene this, and
!oaded on board the propeller by means Of a sta.
Itself. Arriving here, the boat 10 unloaded by
the same process into the extensive Enclosure.
There railway 500 feet long carries the heaviest
a. well the smallest pieces from any part of the
yard to the mill, where, by means Of a rotating
platform on the car, they can be turned In any
direction, and rolled upon the feeding platform.
They are then adjusted to the required length by
a very ingenious and simple appliance, worked
by single hand. The logs, of any diameter or
shape, cut into sections or blocks from inches
upward
These blocks are then placed upon large re-
volving platform encirclng the splitting machine,
| and brought close to the knives, two in number.
few strokes converts the block into fire or kind
ling wood Of the size required. single motion
Of the operators hand throws them Into con-
tiguous reservoir, from whence they are taken up
by an endless elevator and dropped into dump
Ing car almost In the extreme top Of the building
The dumping car stands a railway extending
the whole length Of the building, and the wood
| Is dropped down iuto the division or the carts
which may be awaiting to receive IT,
The building Is divided into thirteen transverse
sections, each section being appropriated for some
particula size quality Of wood, except three.
which are reserved for the carts to be filed from
above .'. .'."
Attached to the establishment are a blacksmith
and wheelrighps shop for repairs manufactures,
a turning lathe circular saw for converting Sc
lee, log. into timber or Planks for carpenters,
able engine to supply auxiliary power IL required.
The principal engine for moving all the
| chinery Is OF lS-horse power, and the furnace Is
supplied with fuel from the sawpit 6y means of
horizontal screw In conjunction with an elevator,
which conveys the sawdust into a reservoir i'm
mediately over the furnace. As fuel 10 required,
a sliding valve or shutter Is withdrawn and the
dust Is discharged into the furnace
A visit to this establishment by the curious In
these matters will well repay them for the time
and trouble, and perhaps teach them how, by
proper application Of ingenuity, the prices Of the
necessities Of life can be reduced and economy
| secured to the needv In hard times We refer
| our readers to Mr. Pages advertisement In an
other column.
CORPORATION ADvKRrIsEMEsrs-Por the bene-
nj OF the thousands Of readers In the CITY, who
necessarily limited city circulation in which the
municipal powers that be, at, in their patri-
otic wisdom to do, and 10 hare done the corpora
ton advertising, we insert the following adver-
tisements gratis:
Proposals will be received at the MAYORS office
| by the undersigned until October 1st at l2 m for
grading and travelling Third street east, from C
street north to the centre of avenue
the gravel to be nine inches deep in the centre off
to four inches deep at the gutter line to be raked
OF all stones OF improper size and well rolled with
completing the above in lump to the satisfaction
Of the Commissioner and ssi slant Comm ssi ers
to be appointed by the Mayor
STEPHEN CosrxR. Sr,
Com Improvements 5th and 9th Wards
Proposals will be received by the undersig ned
| at the Mayors office until Thursday, October 4,
at ~ O'Clock, m e., for trimming aud travelling N
street north, from side of Connecticut avenue
to the west side Of 18th street west the gravel to
be nine inches deep in the center, off to four
inches deep at the gutter line, to be raked Of all
stones tf improper size and well rolled with
heavy roller. The trimming to be done to the
| satisfaction Of the Commissioner and Assistant
Commissioners before the work of gravellng
| commences. Proposals will state the price in
lump for completing the above the sarisfactio on
| Of the Commissioner and Assistant Commission
Jos T. RAWLINGS,
Commissioner Of the LIST and ID Wards.
TIE WASHINGTON METHODIST CHuncHxs AND
THE NEW CHAPTER ON SLAvKRY.-Mr. Editor
Il v
paper for three absent members Of our late Quar-
terly Conference, Affirming that they would have
voted with the MINORITY, and thereby defeated a
resolution expressing our disaPProyal Of the call
| for q convention Of laymen Of the nj. T.. Church
to meet In Baltimore next December. This de-
mands a line from me. Soon after our q uarterly
Conference session one Of the three who were
absent voluntarily told me he would have voted
with the majority have seen the other two this
| morning, and am authorized to speak for them
| While they mig ht have voted with the minority
to lay on the table, they wish 1t understood that
| they are opposed to the Baltimore Convention
i and IL the sense Of full meeting had been tai en-
on the subject the vote would have been eight to
tAyee disaPProving Of any convention before the
Il assembling OF our Conference In Stanton Va .
next March. i hope this will be satisfactory to
IN inority." Ii is well to have fair understand
(! ing OF things JOHN X. EFTiAGgR.
/ The REvIvAL.-The series Of meetings progress
ing at the various Methodist churches appear to
cations are much larger than a week ago and the
number Of penitents at the affairs il also nightly
| increased. At the Methodist Church South, Rev
) Z. Granbery preached very appropriate dis
course, to large and attentive Congregation; after
| which the services at the altar were resumed At
Wesley Chapel, Rev Dr. Sunderland (Presbyte-
rian) preached with his usual ability to an atten-
tive and Intelligent audience; the remainder of
the evening was spent In prayer and praise at the
| altar. At the Methodist Protestant Church. Ninth
St, Rev. p. Light Wilson preached after which
toe AZ tne aitdr was resumed, ana occu pied
/ the evening till 10 O'Clock. At each Of these
churches there 10 evidently much interest," and the
| members think the series Of meetings will extend
\ into the winter.
l GENITAL GuARD-HoUsE CAsKs-wm Sulli.
i van, VIM. Luckett, Barney Trunnell and w
H. Moore, were arrested upon charge Of firing
q meeting house on Seventh street, In the North.
ern Liberties, belonging to congregation called
by the witnesses Vegetarian" which was en-
urely consumed, about one O'Clock this morning
IL was a wooden building, and the loss La not
very great The testimony, though circumstan-
tal is very strong against Sullivan and Tunnel.
| who were both committed by Justice Dom TO
Jail, for trial at the next term Of the Criminal
1 Court Luckett and Moore were dismissed Jno.
/ bfadiy ana Jere Quick, vagrants were sent to
the workhOuse for % days each
PUSHING AHkAD The work on the Orange and
| Alexandria railroad from the poll to where the
cars now run (about a mile above this city) to the
Il site of the Intended dennt is heinz nnaRad q,