The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-26
4 GREAT WORK.
What Energy and Perseverance will
ccomplish-AV Visit to Russell's Manu-
factory.

has not been one since the war, or a private
character, that will be OF more benefit to tht
city, than the steam sash. blind and door manu-
factory recently completed BY Mr.. ". P. Russell
on Hasel, near East Bay street.
Nineteen years ago Mr. Russell commenced the
business he is now engaged In, on the same spot
Ten years later, the fire which swept from river
to river, known as "the great fire Of 1S61,n origi
mated by an accident In his shop, and destroyed
all Of his tools, materials, &C. Nothing daunted,
however he resumed work shortly afterward, In
q room in the Phoenix Iron Works building.
Since the war, Mr.. Russell determined to rebuild,
the result of which determination is large man
ufactory, supplied with the best machinery now
in use, and all driven BY steam.
THE FIRST STORY.
On the first floor OF the main building, which Is
three stories high and forty feet wide by eighty
feet long, are the ofce Of the proprietor, several
pieces of machinery, OF which more hereafter, and
O thirty.horSe power engine manufactured at the
Phoenix Iron Works. This engine driving nine
teen pieces Of machinery, is model OF simplicity.
strength and beauty. The boiler Is out In the
yard, enclosed within brick walls, With tile roof
and no windows. 1t is fed by machinery which
draws cold water from an artcsian well and
| sends 1t hoS into the boiler. BY the simple turn
| ing of q crank water can also be drawn from
| the cistern. The most noticeable piece OF ma
chinery vn this floor Is the Russ Monitor Mould
ing Machine for cornices, &c, only four OF which
are in use In the United States. rough plank
Will be nut in the machine and whea 1t comes out
is moulded to sult-eIther OF the largest pattern,
medium or the smallest size, the latter being no
| oil
| one hundred and fourteen patterns Of moulding,
all OF which are made in this shop. Near the
moulding machine are two lathes (made In the
shop,) large and small size, by which anything OF
wood, from small banister rail to column two
feet in diameter and twenty feet long, can be
turned. A circular saw for ripping out planks
for the moulding machine completes the machi-
merry on this floor.
THE SECOND FLOOR
is devoted to machinery especially adapted to
the making OF blinds, doors and sashes. The
first piece the visitor comes to is for making blind
Stats A rough piece OF wood Is inserted, and, in
moment, comes out planed smoothly On both
sides, and the edges beaded. The piece is now
long enough for four Stats. 1t is taken to an ad-
jacent machine, and, at one stroke, the Stats are
cut the required length, and the pivot also cut
on both ends. Now the Stats are ready for the
blind.
1t Is generally known that the stats In the up.
per portion OF blind ore inserted In grooves and
are stationary, while those in the lower part are
on pivots, and can be turned at will. Here there
Is O machine for cutting the grooves for the Sta
tionary Stats, and another cuts the holes for the
pivot Stats. Still another machine mortises to
any desired depth, width or length. Another
machine does the tenoniRg, i.e, cuts the tongue
Of any size desired to fit In the mortises. A small
scroll saw, under the hands OF a skilful work
man, such as Mr.. Russell employs, is well worthy
OF noting. Scrolls Of any design can be sawed
cut in moment. During our visit, Mr. Russell
amused himself and the visitors by cutting wood
into all sorts OF fantastcal shapes There are one
or two circular saws for ripping out ood for the
frames OF DOORS sashes and blinds. When 1t is
known that fifty pair Of blinds can be turned out
in one day, that most Of the machinery can cut
out one hundred Stats, or cut one hundred ten.
mons or rnortices while one was being done in
the old way by hand, the advantage OF this ma
chInery, and the benefits Of such an establish
nlcnt, may be readily conceived.
THE THIRD STORY
Is used as q Storo-roen,, which ts stored Tic
work Of the establishment. All descriptions OF
moulding, scroll, sash, blind and door work are
10 be found here, and will compare favoraby
with any work OF the kind made elsewhere. Our
citizens need no assurance OF the truth OF this as
sertIon, for everywhere throughout the city ore
to be seen specimens OF Mr.. Russell's manufac-
ture. Mr. Russell also receives large orders from
the Interior OF this and the adjoining States.
THE OTHER BUILDING.
Having finished an inspection OF the main
building, we will so to the other and lesser one.
1t is Que story In height, thirty feet wide and
sixty feet long. In 1t IL q tongueing and growing
machine, one Of the largest in use In the United
States. 1t cuts rapidly, and at the same time
tongue on one edge, groove on the other and
planes both sides. This tongued and grooyed plank
Is used for flooring and ceiling. Planks Of all
widths, from thirty to one and half inches can
be tongued and grooved Another planning ma
chine smoothly and truly planes any sized tim.
ber from twenty-four inches to threeefglths OF an
inch IN thickness. Still another machine, known
as the sclfIeedlng reslittins saw, the only one in
use In South Carolina Is here. It's chief use is for
making weather. boarding. The usual way to
weather board Is to take panks Of an inch in thick
ness anu lap one over the other, but this method
did not make the covering rs close and solid as
was desired. BY this machine, O board OF the
usual thickness is slit into two pieces, In such a
way that when they are placed on a house, over
tapping one another. they lay very close, and
make by far, much better Misunderstanding
This machine also cuts out backs for picture
frames, OF any size and thickness, from one
eighth OF On inch thick and twcnty.eight inches
wide
PROTECTION FROM FIRE.
What danger there must be from fire, is most
natural thought Of all who visit this mandatory
before they become aware of the precautions
which have been taken to prevent such calam-
ity. we doubt If any other building In the city
is as well protected against fire. The first things
the visitor notices are huge placards, warning
him that '.smoking Is prohiblted.h Everywhere
throughout the buildings are stands on which are
several large buckets always filed with salt
water. Underneath the first floor Is cistern
twenty feet wide by eighty feet long, capable OF
containing twenty-five thousand gallons OF water,
and now has twenty-five thousand gallons in it,
from which In case Of 1re water can be gotten by
mean sor the pumps In SUFFICIENT quantities to pre-
vent the spreading OF flames. All around the
factory are the docks convenient fer use OF the
engines. The only fire used anywhere near The
r,o,rc,ctory ia that which makes the steam and