The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-31
A PROSPEROUS INDUSTRY.
The Business of the West Faim outh
Manufacturing Company.

In these times of general business depression
it is really refreshing to see an establishment
driven with work which is paying good hand
some profit. A visit to the mill of the West
Falmouth Manufacturing Company on Satur'
day revealed such state of affairs. This mill
as the name indicates is situated in the -four
| ishing town of Falmouth about six miles from
1 this city, and is on the Piscataqua River, which
has its head in Goose Pond in Gray and emp
1 ties into the Presnmpscot. This is an old mill
| site, the old mill having been burned SO ne two
1 years ago. The present company, which is
| composed of Alfred Merrill, General Superiu-
1 tendent; D. f. Small Treasurer and Business
| Manager, and j. S. Hobbs and W. P. Newman,
| was organized in August, 1876. Work was at
once began on buildings for the manufacture OF
carriage stock. When it is remembered thatIthere
IS on an average carriage used by every fami-
ly in the United States it will be seen that the
work of manufacturing the stock is of no small
Importance. The mill proper is thare stories
nigh and 3ox60 feet. The store-houss is 25x40
feet and two stories high, the rim bending shop
I Is 2Ox40 feet, while the lighthouse Is Is feet
I square. The buildings vera erected by L. G.
| Norcross and are substantial attractive and
| convenient. The company have been at
large outlay for the best and most important
machinery, and they claim to tutn out better
quality of work than is done elsewhere. Mr.
Merrill, the Superintendent, has had twenty
years experience in the business, and his asso-
ciates are by no means noyices. They give
their individual attention to the business and
are willing to put their products sgainst those
made anywhere. Their stock is largely grown.
in Maine, as they claim that red oak is much
| better than white oak which grows in the
West. The lumber is sawed in the first story
of the mill and piled up to season thoroughly
before being used.
To anyone who has seen carriage spoke
made By hand it is very interesting to notice
the process here. A square piece Of rough
white oak of the desired length is put into a
lathe which turns it out in its peculiar shape
very rapidly. Either one of the two lathes en-
ployed here will turn out 20 spokes an hour.
The tenor is then made as quickly, whenit is
passed to the throating machine, which was in
vented by Mr. Merrill. There are other ma
chimes which throat a spoke on one side at
time but no other which does both sides at the
same time. The throat is the lower part of a
spoke and unless it is of good form the spoke is
almost worthless. The spoke is now taken to
the securing room where it is held over emery
belts until as smooth as glass. In ordinary es-
adjustments of this kind the spoke would now
be completed, but here they go one step fur
Their and fit it to drive into the hub by taking
off grain of one side of the tongue. This is
usually done in the carriage Shops but there is
great danger of taking off too much and thus
making it loose in the hub. This machine ia so
gagged that only SO much can be removed. The
machine is capable of making 1000 spokes per
day.
The machinery just described is on the second
floor, which also contains lathes for the manu-
featuring of hubs, and saws for job work. One
of the greatest labor savers, however, is the
mortising machine The hubs, which are
made of the best quality of elm, are sawed off
the requisite length and then placed in vice
in the mortiser. An anger bores the holes at
any required distance apart, and chisel, run
by power, cats out the chips in an almost in
credibly short space of time. They ara then
painted and are ready for market In the
third story of this building is stored the stock
for their retail trade, which is very extensive.
lin the bailding devoted to rim bending and
steam work generally, will be found large
furnace and steam boxes. The wood for car
riage rims, runners and shafts is put into these
boxes, and when thoroughly steamed is wrap
ped around model of the article desired
and retained by large iron band which is
passed around outside of all. Hickory and red
ash are used for rims. They claim the best
nf ota hi; -
the kind throughout New England.
The storehouse is where large orders are fill
ed and has every facility for storing such
goods. Tho dry house is only used when the
seasoned STOCK becomes exhausteu, wnen dry
ing by artificial heat is resorted to- Besides the
machinery referred to the IS inch Chase water
wheel runs a small grist mill for grinding corn.
This is source Of profit for tie owners who
keep large store which is supplied with meal
and is also great convenience to the neighbor-
hood as there is large amount of corn raised
and used ia Falmouth and vicinity. Mr..
Hobbs, one of the partners, is the inventor and
manufacturer of the Hobbs brick machines,
which are so we'll known to all brick makers ia
New England. He has the best of facilities for
doing his work as well as getting his stock for
the machines at this mill.
When this company commenced business.
year ago, they, like other new beginners, had
no customers, but being confident that good
work would not fail to find buyers, they began
to send small orders to different parts, on trial,
and the result was very satisfactory, and their
market now extends throughout New Eng
land. They supply the large dealers in this
city and several of the manufacturers Not
long ago they sent one hundred spokes to
Boston firm on trial and the other day received
an order from this firm for $3.50 of the same
kind. They are now working the mill to its
full capacity to fill orders already on hand, and
the outlook is promising for busy winters
work. They deliver all goods to any railroad
or steamboat running out of Portland, free of
expense.
They are ready at all times to show their
| work to any and all who call, and carriage max.
ers in particular are invited to inspect the mill,
whether they wish to purchase or not.
HE FRATERNITY SUPPER.-The annual
supper given to the pupils of the Portland Fra
| ternity occurred Saturday evening and was