Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-05-11
FREMONT HUB AND SPOKE FACTORY.

FREMONT HUB AND SPOKE FACTORY.
Among the most interesting and valuable
sources Of prosperity in Fremont may doubt
less be mentioned the Hub and Spoke Factory
of Messrs. F. l. NORTON d SoN. A good deal of
new machinery has lately been added to the
works, including a new 40 horse engine, and it
is now manufacturing much more largely than
at any time before. Indeed, the establishment
has steadily grown and developed since IFS first
beginning, about two years ago. The first year
the manufacture was confined to Spokes, and
these in limited quantity Last year the man
ufacture of Hubs, Felloes and NeckyoIes was
commenced. Now it extends to Forward and
Back Hounds, Tongue Hounds, Reaches DC,
which are turned out in great quantities. Du-
ring the summer it is intended to put up bend
ing works and make other additions and i'm
provements. Among the latter is the removal
of the warehouse, now on Garrison street. and
its connection with the main building on Arch
street. Although machinery is to marvellous
extent made to do the work, still some 25 or 30
men are kept constantly employed at the shop
besides the labor of getting out and hauling the
timber.
The processes through which the manufacture
ed articles are required to pass were to us quite
interesting. Take, for example, the article of
Spokes. In the rough, they are wheeled up
from the yard into the shop, and dumped off
beside ripping-saw, which takes off the sap
and shapes the stick for the lathes. Of these
there are four for as many different sized spokes
from q TO 81 inches.) Each lathe will turn
out from 600 to 800 spokes per day. Next, the
spoke is passed to the tenanting machine, by
which a single hand can tenant from 1000 to
5000 per day. 1t then goes up stairs to the
finishing room. Here its first process is "belt-
ing" on the "large belt, which takes off con-
siderable of the roughness left by the lathe
Next it is passed to the shaping machine, which
cuts the shoulder to the exact size required
Gnd shapes the tenant; thence to the Jointer
which joints both edges and cuts the bevel on
the tenant. The work is completed by three
finishing belts, which leave the spoke as smooth
as it could be made by the most careful sand
papering. The machinery is all 80 complete that
it is hardly possible for single piece of work
to come out otherwise than perfect. When fin
ished, the spokes are passed into the packing
room, where after having been subjected to
rigid inspection, one by one, they are put up in
bundles of one set TO each bundle, and are then
ready for shipment.
The processes through which the Hub passes
are equally interesting. The logs are carted in,
a buzz-saw cuts them 10 the required length
they are then put through the boring and rim
ming machine, from which they are handed to
the rough lathe, to be rounded and docked to
the proper size; aud then to another lathe
where the exact shape is given them. They are
then bored and mortised by one machine which
turns out three or four hundred hubs per day
They are next placed in the steam-box, where
they are well seasoned in "a hours and khan
lied to prevent checking and rotting. Finally,
they are taken from the steam-box to the ware
house to be painted and strung upon sticks in
sets, ready for market.
Buggy hubs are made only of gum and rock
elm, and wagon hubs altogether of oak. Spokes
are made exclusively of white oak and hickory.
The latter is always thoroughly dried before
turning, either in dry houses or by the natural
influence of time and shelter
Besides that mentioned above is still another
machine for the manufacture of felloes, forward
and back hounds, tongue hounds, sticks to string
hubs upon, DC, dc.
The amount of stock on hand for manufac-
ture is immense, and is constantly being added
to as we'll as diminished The spokes in the
rough number hundreds of thousands to each
of several kinds, with hub and other stuff in
proportion.
Messrs. Norton receive orders from all parts
of the country, east and west, great is the de-
mand for their work. Although their machi-
merry is run to its full capacity, they are far be-
hind their orders, and have recently been fill
ing those of from four to six months old from
Chicago and New York.
We congratulate our townsmen upon the sue
cess of their establishment and trust they will
find it advisable to continue 10 extend their
business indefinitely ; because there can be no
doubt that such manufactures are the life of
any city or town. They finnish its citizen with
employment, bring money in from abroad, and
tend to make it plentier to every man in the
community.