The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-05-01


commentator, the manufacturing of scales
takes "A specially prominent place from the
fact that we have monopolzcd this branch
of manufacture and made il a Vermont
Institution, and on account of the excel
lcncc and accuracy of the articles manufac-
turcd and the zeal and energy shown in
their introduction. Vermont is noted alike
throughout the world for her marble and
scales, and Rutland County bids fair to be-
NE the headquarters of both
Among the manufacturers of scales the
Brandon Manufacturing Company stands
prc-cmncnt Organized in 1868, it has in
the short spach Of five years built up n
large business and added greatly to the
wealth and importance of Brandon.
The works of this Company are situated
near the centre of that busy little town
and have the central of all the water of
Brandon river; they are spread over eleven
and half acres of land. The shops, foun-
dcrics, etc. have at present an area of 1872
5Gl fee, of flooring to which large additions
will have To he made the coming season.
We can form Il more correct idea of the
magnitude of the works by tracing the
growth of the scale and noting its different
stages than by any other means. Suppose
we begin here with this heap of iron. Here
we arc told are American and Scotch pig
iron, car wheel and scrap iron, each kind of
,,.l,;nl, b,,e al; I,,t,, %,
The Scotch iron is the finest of foreign
iron. while the car wheel and scrap is used
for the strength it gives. Now we come to
the foundry which, when Mr.. Spraguc
took charge Of the Company, was small
concern. occupying only n corner of the
large building now required. Even this has
proved inadequate and an addition of {. $50
square feet will be built this year. On
your left hand is the brass foundry. where
10000 pounds of brass are used each year
in the manufacture of scale beams and
weights alone. Opposite the brass foundry
is the chilled iron foundry. where a num-
Der of men are engaged in making those
chilled iron bales that fill so important II
part in the economy of the ''Powe Scale"
Of which anon. Looking down the long
iron foundry you see all the scales in the
rough, from the small Post Office scale
that marks the weight in ounces of ladies
letter to the gigantic railroad scale that
weighs your marble.
The next step is the machine shop, but
on our way there we will stop for few
minutes TO examine the lumber yards, dry
houses, tin Shops, etc. The lumber yards
are piled high up with the finest of hard
wood lumber, and the dry-housc is filled
with 1926 cords of wood in process of sea-
soning All the wood used in the manu-
facture of the scales has to undergo sea
soning of twelve months.
The tin shop is driven to its utmost ca
pacity in endcavoring to supply the scale
pans, scraps, etc, that are Il part of each
grocers scale. Now we begin to hear the
whirl and jar of the machinery and find our
selves in large building every inch of
which is utilized. A net work of belts is
over our heads, and laths planners, etc, are
all about us, so that you have to walk cir
unexpectedly or you will catch your head
by the one and be turned out in scale
beam by the other. There is our scale, ~
ing among hundred others, that those
workmen are turning over. They will all
be adjusted, cleaned, etc, and then taken
to the wood shop, where the scales will re-
cciye It's platform and IL pillar, made from
the seasoned wood we have mentioned. In
this shop are the celebrated machines, that
the Brandon Manufacturing Company have
manufactured for their own use, for max
ing scale beams. They are perfect in their
way and display great ingenuity.
The sealing, painting and packing rooms
come next in order. Here we find men
testing and sealing each scale that goes out
OF the factory, giving it his careful atten-
ton, so that there is not variation of a
hair in its accuracy. The paint shop and
| japanning rooms are filled with scales UNI
dergoing their finishing touches. That
scale is being painted in gay colors and
ornamcnted with bronze, to meet the taste
and fancy of the cratic Frcnchman
while this one is destined to register the
weight of tea to an Acknowledged Celestial.
The packing room will have to complete
our tour of observation for the present, nj
though much remains to be noticed. Here
we see the last of our scale, and bid il
good bye as workman packs il, with It's
high polished brass beam and all its Other
parts and consigns ii to the freight house
Time and space are wanting Ia speak OF
the store house, where tons of screws
nails and washers, paints, paper, &C., &c.
are stored or of the pattern shop, with il
quarter of million dollars worth of pat
terms, ms we must hasten on TO notice the
enterprise and work the company has ac
complshed.
In 1868, when Mr. Sprague assumed
the presidency of the company, they en-
ployed only twcnty-scven men, and occu
pied only part of the works now used
Now they are increasing their works every
day, and are driven TO their utmost capacity
and have working force of three hun
dred men. Their scales are sold in every
country under the sun, BY all railroad
and steamboat lines they are used as
standard authority wherever heavy weigh