Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-04-11
THE CITY.
Establls hment of New pr dus.rles.
Bome.., pnre & co.,. car wsrI...


THE BUILD1Sas, WORK ON HAND AND FORCE EN-
PI.nYED.
All Wilmingtonians a becoming pride and
interest in Wilmington emterpio,s. Having
presumed so much, we shall nov proceed to
description of the new car works OF Bowers,
Dure Il Co., lately erected, and now In full oper-
alton.
These works are located on the Brandywne,
short distance above its junction with the Chris
tiana, and Immediately along the line of the p,
W. g. b. r. II. They thus have approaches by
both water and rail - most valuable auxiliaries
in the receipt of material for the manufacture OF
cars and their shipment when completed.
The buildings are four in number with an
other large one in course of construction. Thee
are the Finishing, or Paint Shop, the Mill,
the Smith shop and the Dry House. The Setting
up Shop is now in process OF erection. The
first of these is frame building, 200x64 feet,
well lighted, and with capacity for ten cars.
Each car has Its own separate apartment in this
shop, and may be removed without interference
with those next it. The Mill is 100x50 feet, and
two stories high. Below, the heavy machinery
is located, while the cabinet chop and light ma
chnery occupy the second floor. All this ma
chinery is of the most approved kind In the
rear of this building is the Smith Shop and En-
gine House, 70x40 feet, and built of brick The
dry house is 1Sx30 feet, and is situated in close
proximity to the engine room. The Sitting.up
Shop will be 215x70 feet, and arranged on plan
similar to the Finishing Shop 1t has capacity
of eleven cars.
The first and laet of these buildings are from
60 to 100 feet apart and are built parallel
with each other, with the ends towards the rail
road. Between the two a transfer table will be
built with its top even with the surface OF the
ground upon which the cars will be run endways,
and in this manner transferred from shop to
shop. or conveyed to a switch connecting with
the railroad. This is an arrangement possessed
by but few car shops in this country, and is
most valuable ecenomizer of time and labor.
Although only seasoned lumber is employed
in their cars, this firm always subjects the ma
terial to drying process in their splendidly ar
ranged Dry House, thus making assurance
doubly sure The heat il furnished by means
of long steam pipes, aud the room is decidedly
uncomfortable except in the eoldest weather.
On the top of this drying house is large water
tank of 10000 gallons capacity, which supplies
the entire works with waier, and may be used in
case of fire. The water 10 forced into this tank
from the Brandywine by the eugine-a magnih-
cent one of 80-horse power, and built by Pusey,
Jones 4 Co.
These works are yet in their infancy, 1t was
only on the LIST of November last that their con-
straction was begun, and on the lat OF the succeed
ing February the manufacture of cars was first
undertaken But although in their infancy, the
employment of skilled labor, coupled with the
practical knowledge of the business pursued by
the proprietprs, will soon introduce them to
fame and render tho enterprise one of the first
in Wilmington.
They have now twenty passenger cars under
way, some of them being palace cars for the
Pullnan Company, and the remainder for roads
in Pennsylvania Rhode Island Connecticut, al d
Massachusetts. They have at present a force of
about 100 men employed in the erection Of these
cars, and are making daily additions to the force
Their first car will be ready for shipment about