Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-06-04
MEMPHIS wOOD WORKS.
A Comprehensive Glance ut the Extern
siye Establishment ON Georgia
Street.
A Great InstitufiOn for Mempbis-HOPe
fuI Beginning I'm Manufactures.

The large concern of the Memphis
Wood Works Company, on Georgia
street, is at length in a prosperous way
of working. The original company hav-
ing put up a building, and furnished ii
with an engine of forty-fiveh horsepower,
built by Messrs. Cubbins & Gum, ceased
to operate any further, and the work of
progress stopped short. A new company
was formed with a more comprehensive
charter, which got possession of the
works, and last January put in about
twenty different sorts of woodworking
machines, and also two or three million
feet of the best lumber, which they had
piled up in their extensive yard to sea-
son. About two months ago the works
went into active operation, and have
been since doing splendid jobs. The
woodwork of the Peabody school was
done at this establishment.
Yesterdayan election Of Directors took
place, and there was a small show-OH at
the works in consequence. The stock
holders were invited out, and several
men of eminence in the world of me-
/ chanics and capital. An invitation was
also extended to our man of science, to
be present with the other gentlemen n
witness the very effective working OF
the machinery and of the engine. Prom
inent among the visitors We noticed Dr.
Philips, of the Southern Farmer, VIM.
Farris, Councilman Reder, Egbert Wool
ridge, H. B. Howell, Newton Ford,
Colonel Ensley, Mr.. Eader, Mr.. Hoff-
man, of Messrs. Randall 4 Heath, MIR.
Jacob Weller, w. A. Goodman, Judge
Edwards, Mr.. Fox, II. B. Martin, and
the gentlemen Of the
NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
as follows: d. T. Porter, H. E. Garth,
n. S. Bruce, ]. B. Robinson and n. R.
Sledge. T.. Latham was reelected Pres
ident Of the company. Mr.. G. b. Moore
was reelected Superintendent. The COM
pany were shown through the building,
by the President, who explained the
workings of all the machines with great
clearness and precision. There are
about twenty of them on the premises
for saving, planning, shaving, carving,
mortising and cutting wood into every
conceivable shape in less than no time.
The arrangements are so complete and
systematic that not a particle Of wood
can go to loss. insignificant little pieces
are worked into material for window
blinds, and what is too small for any
practical purpose in building or making,
is used in generating heat under the
boiler, and in that way "pays for itself"
There is a machine there for turning out
ceiling stuff, which planes, tongues and
groves and beads a board on both
sides and edges at n opera
ton. There is another n for
saving such boards in two, so that a
thousand feet of lumber may bemade to
do the work of two thousand. The
machine department is very complete;
and one would imagine by looking at it
that the establishment could build a
whole house in a day. The glass is put
into the sashes before they are sent out.
The engine is a fOrty-ive horse low
pressure, made by Messrs. Cubbins &
Gum, two years ago. The boiler is also
comparatively new. In fact, the whole
establishment is new, from beginning to
end, from top to bottom, and promises
to become an institution of the city In a
short time. 1t is in contemplation to
make the works quite extensive. The
manufacture of furniture will be COM
menced as soon as things get into work
ing grooves. Wheels, farming imple-
ments, and all that sort of work, will
also be done. At present there are fifty
three hands employed in the shops, not
to mention "yard men," These work
ers can turn out an astonishing amount
of material in a day. The company
have orders for building houses in va
riOus parts of the State. A very COM
Portable villa can be erected in the Oun
try by the company in fifteen days.
This is what may be regarded as rapid
hOuse-raising. The wages of each Ofthe
fifty operatives averages from three to
four dollars per day. Afew factories like
this would make South Memphis an i'm
mense place in a short time.
1t may be remarked, also, that the
material turned out here is as good and
as cheap as similar work done anywhere
North. This statement is the simple
truth.
The gentlemen visitors having in
the premises all over, cOngre-
gated in the Office and participated in a
few measures of iced champagne, wish
ing prosperity TO the new company.
Mr.. William FaTris was forced to give
his views in words. After much per-
suasion he spoke with his usual earnest
about manufactures. He never tires
of his theme. He is an apostle of that
theory-manufacturing industry. Mel
phis needs at least a dozen such men.
The President, Mr.. Latham, replied in a
sensible speech, after which the COM
pany once more drank to the prosperity
Of the works, and retired.