The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-09-24
An Anomaly in Manufacturing 49,
Private Enterprise 0utstripping
the Government

The Government.
On Saturday the frst instalmcnt of
thousand muskets, fac SMILES Of the
Springfield pattern the national arm Of
this country, was delivered from the
Bridcsburg Armory Of Alfred jerks &
Son. The vast establishment Of this
firm, employing 200 men, with a series Of
buildings covering four acres of ground,
from this time forth will be devoted TO
the manufacture of Springfield muskets
for The Government as long as the Gov
eminent requires them, while the surplus |
will he open 70 purchase from other /
countries The Springfield musket is 10 /
the United States what the Enfield rife /
is 70 the British army--its national arm /
The armory at Springfield is foslered by /
the Government and hitherto no private |.
company have been able 10 produce them /
IL is to the credit Of Philadelphia that, in |
the face OF all competition, including that
Of the famous Colt, she has delivered the
first thousand Springfield guns ever yet
produced by private enterprise.
That the Springfield gun could ever be
made outside OF the Springfield Armory
was something that the ordnance officers
were slow 70 believe. They rubbed their
eyes al the sight, but the thing was no
delusion. The magDilicently rilled mus
ket with sights and allfils appurtenAnces
in exact fac smile of the Government
pattern was there before them, and the
Government could do nothing else than
acknowledge that seeing was believ-
ing.n
Previous 10 1861 the armory was
mandatory of cotton aud wooden ma
chinery. This business is still largely
carried on, bul the manufacture uf Spring
field muskets has lately transcribed il
in Importance. For one whole year the
firm HAYS laborcd in perfecting the ma
chinery, and have only just reached the
climacteric that has stimulated. for so
many months, and nj so enormous cosi,
their ambition and pecuniary outlay OF
S53O,OOO invested in the machinery and
buildings.
The great difficulty of producing the
United States Springfield rilled musket
arises, first from the very perfect work
manship and material required, and, Sec
ondly, from the fact that all the parts
| are required TO be absolutely interchange
able. The object of this last require
ment is that any part, from the smallest
screw up to the lock, barrel or bayonel,
can be taken from any one Ihusket and
applied, instantly, by any private soldier,
on the field of battle, 10 any other mus
| ket without the aid of tools. The ex-
actness Of workmanship and Of mechan-
ical construction which this requirement
demands can hardly be conceived Of by
those not familiar with the work. A de-
parture even of the four hundreth part of
an inch in the depth of a cut will con-
denim piece of work.
The perfection of the machinery in this
armory is such that not more than one
gun in ten is rejected though this reject
ed gun is in every whit as valuable as the
rest and can be sold to other parties for
more money than the government pays
for the guns that pass the inspection.
Than Mr.. jerks there is probably no bet
ter machinist now in existence. lie has
simpllied many Of the processes of the
Springfield armory in his own shops.
The FORCES and rip-hammers are newly
constructed, and are exact cOunterparis
of those at the Springfield armory. The
drOp-hammers are an improvement over
the Springfield drops They are The Mile
Peck New Haven drop.
The lorgcs and furnaces and tempering
yats are newly constructed, and are coun-
tcTparts of those used at the Springfield
armory. Ten men are employed.
The stock making machinery is an cX-
act counterpart of the Springfield ma.
chincry anu embraces twUntT. lhrcs ma
| chimes.
The raw material used by MeSsrs. A.
jerks & Son consists of the best Norway
iron for making locks, mountings &C.,
costing $40 per tln The John Mar
shall iron and the Cooper & Hewett iron
are used for makisg barrels The gun
stocks are made of the best American
walnut, well seasoned. The blacksmith
ing department has been in operation for
several months past, aud has produced
10000 sets of all the iron pieces COM
posing the gun, many Of which parts are
now being purchased by the United States
armory at Springfield. Ninety mon are
employed here. They now arc turning
out every day OF ten hours 200 complete
sets Of all The forged pieces composing
the musket
The contract was closed with this firm
in July, 1861, for the manufacture of
10000 United States Springfield riiled
muskets, at the rate Of $50 n piece. Ii
was obtained by the firm Of Alfred jerks
4 Son, without the agency or inicrycn.
ton of any third parties whatever. The
Board Of Ordnance Commissioners, com.
posed Of Hon. Joseph Holt, Robert Dale
Owen and Major Hagner appointed by
the Secretary Of War 10 investigate and
report on arms contracts after a full cx.
animation OF this contract, reported in
favor of the fairness and honesty of IN,
] contract, and Of the ability of Alfred
jerks Il Son TO carry il out The con.
tract was fully confirmed and extended
by Gen. Ripley, under the present Score.
, tary of War, on the recommendation o
this Board.
The delivery of the first lhousanl
; muskets on Saturday was made the 0c
casion Of little celebration by the Oper
: ativcs at the works. Brigleld's banO
was sent out from the city in a big ON
! nibus, and a number of carriages con
veyed invited guests 20 the spot, wher
: the entire resources of the establishment
! were thrown open TO their inspection
A flag was afterwards raised in the Opei
> square of the grounds, salules were fired
, and Messrs. jerks & Mitchell, of ia
firm, made appropriate little speeches
A glee club, got up among the men, SUM
patriotic airs and then several Of th
operatives made speeches. The afternoon
was finished by O collation., at the hos
pitable mansion Of Mr. jerks, a shor
. distance from the works,
The Bridesburg armory is q credit e
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