Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-12-07
OUR HOME INTERESTS.
business Of the East Tennessee. Virginia
and GeOrcia Railroad.

thing of the industries Of Knoxville and East
Tennessee, (of which we must confess that we
are moro ignorant than We should be- wo took
occasion, yesterday, 10 visit the machine shops
oithe Eost Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
Railroad Company. Mr.. Eli Hixon, the Master
Mechanic for the Company, kindly accompanied
Us through the various departments, which we
found to be a scene of hustle.
Previous 10 the war; the shops Of the Com
pany were west ofSecond Creek, in what's now
known a. Hochancsyille. Daring the war at
the time this place was besieged by Gen Long
street, they shared the same fate Of all other
buildings in that locality, and were burned to
the ground They were not rebuilt until after
the war closed
WHEN REVIVED
u Il 1855, the shops were put in operation where
they now stand, and have since been increasing
in Importance. As stated above, Mr.. Eli Hixon
Is the Master Mechanic. He has been in the
employ Of the roads about eighteen years, and
thoroughly his business. Las. year
the increasing business Of the Company made it
necessary to erect. on the grounds adjoining the
shops, commodious round house in which en-
clnes could be kept whiJs they are being cleaned
and repaired.
THE INTERIOR
o. the main shop contains nine furnaces, for
heatingiron for forging. Hereis the large steam
hammer, weighing about one thousand pounds,
TIE immense power of which is used for forging
heavy irons used for pieoing worn axles, by
which process they are rendered as good as new.
Il Rccomplishes more st one stroke than can be
done with hesvy sledge-hanmer welded by
the strongest man. in dozen. This has been
up and in use about one year. Another Of these
furnaces is devoted to the forging OF car springs
which are tempered in oil and prove TO be of a
superior quality. The remaining furnaces are
used for sundry purposes in making the necss-
sary repairs on worn out cars. In the same
building there ia number Of turning-lathes and
planners, the principle one Of which il the large
dopbe-head wheel lathe, which cost in the
neighborhood Of 5000 and is used for polish
ing the outside Of car wheels, preparatory to
placing on the tires. Another lathe Of beaut-
fal construction is used for turning piston-rods
for steam engines, which are finished of and
polished with emery paper. Still another is
used for turning brass fixtures shout cars; and
still another, called q compound plsner, used
for dressing down wedges for driving boxes to
taeir proper size. Then there is tie bolt-cutting
machine, and by the side Of It, IL. machine for
apartment Of the establishment, and employs
more men than any other, requiring also more
of skill in their line. A.. this machinery Is
driven by q hfy-two horsepower engine, which
is always kept in fine order
THE CARPENTERS DEPARTMENT.
is under the immediate control Of the Master
Carpenter, Mr.. Joseph Ambrister, who has
been in the employ Of the Road ever since the
war and by his skill as o workman, and strict
attention to business, has won the confidence
and esteem Of his employers. Here cars are
bltlg Of the most superb quality. During the
past year, about sovouty-fve box cars have been
built by the Company. Il they had been pur-
chased from the Eastern car factories, they
would probably have cost the Road about SD
O0p They have been built for much less
money, We presume, besides furnishing employ
meut for q large number Of carpenters, and
using portion Of our Eo-. Tennessee lumber in
their construction The principle machinery in
this department IS the ploner7 one Of which is
the Daniels patent. for dressing the heavy bols-
tiers, or cross beams, used il the construction Of
freight cars. The business lu this department
Is On the inc-ea7e. and viii eventually become q
most important item In our domestic industries
NE EoUSD HOUSE
4 used a5 We before stated, for cleaning and
repairing cars Tho Company mas about forty
e,gines in constant use. Cleaning and repair
ing III these is 10 SNAIL matter. The whole
COS, VI machinery used in the various shops viii
nc: fall far short Of $4,000 In the shops
round house, engine rooms, &c. there are aboUl
40 hands employed. Their wages viii proba-
tly average abont g per day, some receiving
more and sone-comrnonla borers-less There
Is 10 telling how much the prosperity Of the
c.ty depends upon these shops. If by any mis-
fortune, they we're 70 cease operations for only a
few months, the damaging effects Of such sus-
pension would be felJ by business men Of every
class.
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
The business Of the Road has been unusually
heavy this season. The amount Of merchau-
disc received and sent out from Knoxville has
been much larger than 20 any former time in
the history Of the Road. Tie amount Of pro-
dlce T. not SO large on account u the market
not having fairly opened got s great many
hogs however have been shipped and some
b-lz meats f7r the Southern m.rEo.=. Nr IT,
Moore, the gel.a. and polite Depa, A-au.
'a-a, inform. us that the utmost eaerg.e- of the
Road have been taxed r1 .a.. the public de-
.-nl for transportation. NJ. Jas. X. ogden g.