The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-19
THE MACHINE SHOPS OF CHARLESTON.
INTRODUCTION.


shop-nothing to attract tho writer or tho roador |
Of light literature. In fact The two things are con-
Trajectory light literature is o synonym Of idlo-
ness; machine shop is synonym Of industry. |
There is one characteristic of tho workshop, how
ever, that gives it interest, ut least, to tho
writer's Of light iterature-thoso fellows always so
hard up that it requires the highest flights of their
genius to mako two ends meet-and that is, that
they arc monoy-maling Institutions. It is this
quality that recommends them to our attention at
present, for all tho world. e., tho world within
tho horizon OF our circuation-s 80 hard up that
it's cars aro only opon to tho magic rustic OF
greenbacks Or tho talismanic chink Of coin. Poo
pie speak with horror Of the great highway rob-
berry Of passenger train in Kentucky, but every
body onvies tho man who poclioted the most booty;
and you might writo n book about the mammoth
charities of Mr.. PEABODY, and your readers would
close it and, with one consent, exclaim: IF he
wonld only take fancy To me and leave me just ono
litte fortunel" II is because machine shops mako
money, therefore, that wo bavo chosen them for
tho subject Of this article, and it is on that
ground that we depend for tho interested attention
OF our readers. Charleston has the reputation
abroad Of being o city of old fogies, whero mo-
Chanics have not half chance and somo of our
own citizens are inclined to indulge in tho same
belief; but we intend to state few facts ip the
course Of this article, which we hope will seryo to
abrogate any such notion from the minds Of our
readers. We shall montion the various machine
shops geographically, commencing at Line-street
as if we had just popped in from tho country and
wero bent on finding some nondesoript engine,
which, after all, was not to be found. The first
establishment that we strike on this route is, OF
course, the
SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD CAR SHOPS /
I'll IL IL r
the most extonsivo works OF tho kind in tho city
Here freight, mail and second and first class pas
senger cara are made out and out. There are seve.
raj cars now on tho stocks, among which are q
mal car, to run on the through route from Augusta
to Kingvile, and commissary car, built expressly
for tho commissary OF this department. to trans
port provisions to the troops in the interior. We
saw horo two tools that wo did not SEQ in any OF
the other shops. One was @ trip-hammer, worked
by machinery that could be SO regulated as to
strike blow heayie- than that Of q giant Or rs
light as that of an infant. The other was an in
strument for pulling Of car wheels from the axlos
1t is 80 powerful that it sometimes snaps in two
one of its iron parts that is six inches wido and
six inches thick. The South Carolina Railroad
Company now mako al their own cars and thero
are different departments in tho shops for iron
work, carrenters work, painting, seating and till
ning so that whom tho car is turned out it is in
running order and docs not need any additional
work whatever. Among tho curiostios of the
place is q made entirely of iron. 1t was for
merly tho headquarters car of Major-General
THOMAS, and was bought by superintendent PrAKE
at Government salo in Nashville. It is divided
into threo compartments-one is kitchen, an-
other dining room, and the third is furnished
with seats that may be changed into comfortable
had On 10 nfoJ 1o,,
partment Of the Cumberland" We suppose that
the General must have had this car manufactured
to order to enable him to travel in the style suited
to his position without fear Of guerilla rifo balls
On tho south side OF Line street, just opposite tho
South Carolina Railroad Car Shops, nre tho
WORKSHOPS OF MEssRs WHARTON pETscH.
The work dono hero is exclusively wood work,
suoh as building cars planning boards, growing
and tonguoing, rabiting, &c., &c. Tho principal
jobs now On hand a5e somo freight cars for tho
Northeastern Railroad and the Cheraw md Dar-
Gngton Railroad, and tho shaping of the stringors
for the City Railroad. Tho shaping of stringer,
which is the stick oflumber on which the iron is
laid, is performed in single operation, and docs
not take more than half minute. Messrs. WnAR-
TON PETsoH contracted to shape eleven miles of
strngers, aud the JOB is now completed or nearly
30. Like all the machine chops established be-
fore the war, this has suffered greatly at the
hands Of tho enemy, but It is now in fair way to
recuperate. Mesars. WHARTON &c PETson deserve
great credit for their enterprise and industry, and
VIC hope that they have taken tho first stops on the
road to wealth and afluenoo. Not far from hore,
on the east side Of Meeting street. and just below
Line street, are tho
FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOPS OF HON, W. 9. HEN.
BREY.
Mr. HENEREY's speciality is tho manufacture of
the MCCARTHY Gin for long cotton, which is o.
|well-knoWn machine and much used by Sea Island
plnntorse -Four Of thoso gins manufactured by
Alr. liENEnEY are now in successful operation at
the Wost Point Mills. But Of course, in place
like Charleston, the operations Of q largo machine
shop cannot bo confined to tho manufacture of n |
single article, and accordingly boilers, saw mills,
cano mills, cast-iron columns and store fronts, |
&c., orc horo constantly ina 10 and repaired Tho
foundry, forges and finishing room are Ill on an |
extensive soalo md tho collection Of patterns en-
braces the acculnulatons Of twenty years. At tho
last State election Mr. HENEREY's felow-oitizons
expressed their appreciation Of his abilities and
SERVICES by Getting him to represent them in the
State Senate.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD MACHINE SHOPS
Occupy the entire square formed by Iine-street, |
Meeting. street, SpriDg-stroot and the Railroad |
The finishing .oom occupies tho greater portion of
largo brick building, extending tho whole length
Of the square on Meeting-streot. Tho remainder |
a. - H H = 10