Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-12-14

A few weeks ago we had the
pleasure of visit to the sewing ma-
chine works of the Singer Manu-
featuring Company, at Elizabeth
port, New jersey, and spent the e
nearly a whole day. We doubt if
there is any mandatory in Ire
world where there is a more CO. i
plete application of the principles f
labor, and of substitution of NJ l.
chinery for hand labor, to the chea >
ening of the cost of production.
These with the system of assembling
or making the component pal $
of each machine in distinct pieces 20
pattern, SO as to be interchangeable,
and then putting them together
have economical time and materiIl
as well as improved the quality Of
the product. A vast number Of
special tools aud machines are used
in shaping the various pieces that
go to make up the sewing machine,
so that it is stated that there is more
actual invention in the special ma
chimes for making sewing machines
than in the machines themselves.
By such means only would it be pos
sible to reach a capacity, these
works have of 5000 finished ma
chimes per week, and to turn out
as they do more than two machines
per week for each man erl-
ployed in their manufacture.
The management of the works,
the system which prevails IN the
management of every department,
the multitude of ways in which IN
Dor, materials and running expenses
are economized, are well worthy of
study. Many of the features seen
in these works might be applied in
the manufacture of other articles
than sewing machines, and it is 10
these features which are of general
interestthat we would direct your
attention, rather than to the particu-
lar method by which the single
product of sewing machines is
manufactured.
One of the favorable conditions
which contribute to the success of
this great concern, is It's ample capi-
tai. 1t is entirely out of debt, and
has not single dollar Of interest TO
pay'to any one. All of its bills are
settled monthly, in cash, and, there
is not a single note or bond Out
standing. By this means the low
est prices are always secured for ina
terialS purchased, and they are not
troubled with the cancer which ea IS
up so many companies, an interest
account.
The principal works of the COM
pany are at Glasgow, Scotland,
where 1900 men are employed,
turning out 5000 to 1000 machines
per week, and one at South Bend,
Indiana, where all the cabinet work
for the machines made both in Eliz-
abethport and Scotland.
The works at Elizabethport oce-1-
py thirty two acres of groun9, /,
bounded on one side by the navis :
bic waters of the Staten IsIal d
Sound, and another by the tracks Of
the Central railroad of New Jerse =.
Tracks are laid within the yard CO J.
Meeting the various buildings, cod
bins, ETC., having a length of FIVE
miles. The company own Iocomo-
tive which Is constantly employed
within the yard, and a steamboat
which continually carries freight Of
all kinds belonging to the company
to and from various points in New
York and vicinity.
The main building is I,IOO feet
long, and so feet wide, and is four
stories high. Besides this there is
the forging shop, 700 feet long ard
20 feet wide. The foundry is 400
feet long and 100 feet wide, and a
cabinet shop and packing box shop
each 200 feet long by soft. wide,
and three stories high.
The works are divided into sever
al departments, each under re-
sponsible head.
We will enumerate the various
departments which came under our
notice, in their proper order, that
some idea may be given of the sys-
tenn of the works.
We begin with the receiving de-
partment, which includes the dock
and railroad depot. Here all the
materials used in the works enter,
and it is noticeable that they are
nearly all raw ma,erlals. Hundreds
of tons of pig iron, millions of feet
OF pine lumber, and vast quantities
of wrought iron, steel, brass, ahd
other metals, oils, paints, varnishes,
decorating materials, as gold leaf,
mother of pearl, ETC., are included.
The next department is the foundry,
where are seen hundreds of TASKS