The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-19
RICHMOND MANUFACTURES
RIachinery-TaIbott & Sons.

duced by ton Of coal, converting water
into steam and applying its force to the
great mechanical powers-the wheel, the
screw, the axle and the pulley-is easily
susceptible Of admeasurement. Measured
by the force of human muscle, the mechan-
ical power which one ton of coal will evolve
in steam engine, is equal to that exerted
by an ordinary man, working eight hours
a day for five years. 1t is estimated that
Great Britain consumes annually fifty mill
lion tons of coal in the production Of this
artificial lahor-power, which would give
her an annual labor-lorce equivalent to that
of two hundred and fifty millions of able
bodied men, applied to her mechanical,
commercial, and manufacturing industries
every year. This is an amount of labor
force nearly equal to that of all the able
bodied men, between the ages of fifteen and
sixty, on the face of the habitable globe.
Her ability to harness this vast amount of
labor-force into her service, is what has
constituted her material strength and
grandeur as a nation. 1t has
made Aladdin's lamp seem but
an insignificant wonder by the side of what
science and mechanical skill have accom-
plished for her in the use of this stupendous
artificial force. 81
At the SHoCKoE MACHINE WORKS,
in this city, Messrs. Talbot & Sons are
doing in part for the South what science and
the mechanic arts have so wonderfully &C
complished for Great Britain, as well as for
some of the Northern States of the Union.
They are furnishing machinery for multi
plying labor-force through the instrument
tality of coal (and wood where it is ayaila-
bic as cheap fueD applied to the mechanical
powers, and they are doing this to an ex-
tent that few persons, even in Richmond,
are fully aware of. Their immense ma
chine shop on the corner of Cary and Seven
tenth streets (soon to have front of $50
feet on Cary street, is scene Of industrial
enterprise and activity that puts all the fc-
tons of magic, in the old story-books, en-
tirely into the shade. Here are manufac-
tured portable and stationary steam-en-
gines, of from six to forty horsepower,
with cylinder, fue, and tubular boilers
circular saw mills grist, sumac, bark and
plaster mills; shafting, hangers, and pulleys.;
mill gearing Of all kinds; spur and beyel
wheels tobacco factory machinery of all
descriptions hydraulic pumps, hand and
steam; hydraulic shape, finishing, and
screw presses; lump, casing, and stem
machines boilers and piping for heating
factories, drying-rooms, sweat-houses, ETC..
wrought iron work, brass and iron castings
and great variety Of other work and ma
chinery. 1890.
The number Of men required to produce
this amount of work is necessarily large
and now varies from one hundred and thir
T ty to one hundred and fifty hands, con
stantly employed. The firm consists o
Mr.. Charles Talbot and his two sons, G
II. and A. Talbot. Mr.. Talbot, tn
senior, has prosecuted the same bushes
in the same locality for period of NOR
than thirty-two years, aud may fairly b
considered the champion worker of iron II
this city. Premiums have been awarded t,
their engines, over all others, at ever,
State exhibition held in Virginia for tn
, last eighteen years. Their engines alst
took the first premium at the great Cottol
State Fair, held at Augusta, Ca, in Octo
Der, 1870, the committee taking into con
sideration tho construction, simplicity
economy, durability and workmanship o
the machines. E
Their boilers are built on the most az
proved plan, and Of the best materia
and workmanship. The long experience
of the senior partner in the business, arr
his practical knowledge of engines of differ
ent sizes and different horsepower, ha
enabled him to adjust the proper lengtl
and diameter of hues, in order to get tn
best draft and greatest economy of fuel
to reach the true maximum number @
feet of heating surface per horsepower
upon which so much depends in tho sue
cessful working Of engines; to adjust tn
size of the drums to the necessary accu
mutation of steam; to surmount the sam
with the proper doines, so as to work onl..
dry steam, and prevent the passage Q
water into the cylinders !; to so connee
the boiler and cylinder as to prevent tn
smallest surface for condensation, and
generally, to provide for all the contingen
cies to be met in the proper construction
of boilers, to secure their durability
economy, successful working and safety G
attendance.
They have had the same experience ais
in the constructions of their engines, whicl
have been built with the greatest possibl
care, regard being had to the proper princi
Piles of construction, as well as to work
manship and materials. Their plantation
engines for ginning, threshing, grinding
saving, and all other purposes to whicl
steam power may be economically ant
successfully applied, have always beel
very popular in the South, and the humble
of sales made by them has consequently
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