The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-13
Why Foreign Companies Are Willing to Pay
High Prices for Our Railroad and
lramway Carriages.
WORK AT WATERVLlET ARSENAL.
Government Shops Not Behind
Private Factories.
WEST Troy, N. Y, May Q, 1878

hours day to complete the orders from all parts OF
the world; not only Tor steam cars. but also aud
principally Tor horse cars II is tho latter class In
which America has outstrppcd all competitors in
places where, II they could they would have
given the English made the preference.
made 1t point TO converse with member
OF one Of the prominent nrms whose superior
workmanshi Up secured Tor West Troy the repula-
ton OF making the best tramway vehicle. The 1rm
has made horse only most OF the Eastern
States and Tor New York, but also tor Berlin, tor Rio
Janciro, Para, Pcrnambuco. Jamaica (West Indies)
and Tor Bombay In India at certainly
was not out OF love for for this country" said
the car builder, "that the Bombay Tramway Company
have been sending US stca!iy their orders since
1872 Tor they tried very hard havo them made In
Birkonhead, England. They wrote to tho leading
shops in this country at that time, sketch
OF the they required, ADD nually gavo
Tor twelve and also order for the same num-
Der to the English shop At Brkenhead. Tho ngIish
and American cars placed the road at aboul
the Same time. When, At tho end Of Six months, We
received an order for moro cars. We MADE pre-
tensions 10 compete with England the price, for
We knew that they could make them there
cheaper thar we Gun here, and yet the bombay Com
pany has ever used cars, and ind their
advantage 10 do So"
WHY AMERICA MAKES A BxrTgR CAR.
one.fourtn more than the American car, ana ultl.
matoly gives way In the JOINTS, while those made IN
this country light and strong, the same princi
pie that American made carriage, though lighter,
stand moro wear than English carriage, which
Is altogether too heavy and apt TO break, owing 10 lis
weight 1 asked him why English manufacturers,
having learned OF the success OF American cars did
not imitaso them, and he readily replied, sBecause
they have not the confidence IN themselves A man
using In tho streets OF London such light wagon
American ingenuity now Produces say one Weighing
not over l25 pounds, would be at arrested.
The idca Of making anything light, neat and
yet strong, IL charAoerstically American. and that
Same principle holds good In the manufacture OF
horse cars, and they appreciate II There
shops 10 Europe and large ones, too At BrKonhead,
Brussels and Hamburg, and they have begun TO make
them in PARIS, as tho duty on imported into
France 10 very heavy; but In Germany II Is only six
per cent, and every whore American horse car Is
preferred. Nothing made oil wood iron requires
much and labor these very cars, and think
that In their manufacture this country has really
reached perfection" II thon explained to that
while an ordinary buggy or carriage, though very
light Is seldom II rcqu rod carry than
twice tho amount OF its own weight horse car Is
always constructed to carry four times It's own
weight Tho record was shown me OF a Brook
lyn Myrtle avenue) open Car Weighing $500
pounds and seating sixty passengers. having
carried one AFTERNOON tho enormous load
OF 100 passengers, without q single person being
seated the top and without In the ieast eroakng
tho joints OF the vehicle. Tho manufacturer, how
ever, did not possess a record to the condition oil
tho ut the end OF ho trip did he make any
inquiries to tho WHEREABOUTS OF Mr.. Bcrgb that
identical afternoon. An Ordinary New York horse
weighs IRON 200 TO 4, 400; the boD-ta cars,
however, do not weigh moro than 20Q 1 NIGH
L MOI
building iorty I'VE one-horso Tor tho Seventh
Avenae COMPANY owing TO lns rapid transit JdM &C
the LIST OF May ther orders Tor nov wero far Ia
OF the number Of orders at the corresponding
date oil previous years. though ne also ackno ~cd2od
| prices since 1878 having been reduced from III
production had not materially decreased. In act tho
ash, oak anu white used In construction OF
these cars, and which comes principally IRON OHIO
ana indiana, Is becoming yoar after year,
which necessates tho occasional OF lower grades
than in 1879 bat suIi TOO high though il vas
tant u rstain at oil hazards the skilled hands accus
toned TO This particular WORK hachnery, however,
Here 10 tho variety shaping machine, which works
| around irregular curves and shapes with wonderful
accuracy anu neatness and performs In QUO day
u much work IA skilled workman do Ia
months Whom 1t is remembered That the pressure
| of orders nocessitAtes tue utmost despatch
the vaiuo Of this extraordinary labor saw
| ing machine will DO readily understood Insn
ali performing the work OF man quicker au1
| better and still leaving room Ia u leading cur
chop Tor the employ ut oil several hundred skilled
| mechanics Those who. amid tho commercial aud
Industrial ordeal through snch this country Is now
passing are apt 10 become ieSpondcnt, would do well
to pay VISIT TO Wost Troy Anu not only but study
the work IN progress thore Superior quaty ouiy Of
the article has secured tor universal applause Tho
American dearer than than trose made IN
Europe aud still pre- ferred and IL 10 simply
owing to tho work nansnip that ~ In thom. aud yet
the That comes IRON the West, 20 the wheels
that are made New York and Baltimore, every item
material and labor expended the same purely
| IN q horse car, and not single Dh Of ma
| cninery USED la these shop, y constructed any
where tut IN New England asa, Europe aud America
buy them NJ high anu rcinunorativo prices, SIMPLY
because We have attained extraordinary super iorny In
their CONSTRUCTION. And u "a not onIy 50 with ,hc
shops have VISITED In West Troy; there equally
| good snops iu Pbiiadcpbi aud In New York ono
IN tho latter cay especially making excellent Tor
foreign countries, anu steam cars Tor Australia, New
| Zcaiand aud south America frequently cent IRON
tbis place Wy u Arm which supplied the late Henry
Megs with Tor his numerous railway enterprises.
IL 10 cr~dtsble American Industry that this trado
s, however not conn1cd To day 10 this locality. The
West has OF late b. gun 10 max. IT'S own horse cars
anu Chicago especisiiy can boast OF shops wnorS
as good work Is produced as ~ West Troy.
| GOVERNMENTAL INDUSTRY.
| ON my return from West Troy passed tho bcauti-
Iui grounds o tho Watervnct Arsenal and could not
resist the temptation TO inquire whether the govern
dustros OF the nation, 1no question naturally arose
la my mind, ''Arc wo mskisg 10 times OF peace any
progress IN the manufacture Of Tue various ecu y
ments required IN tmo OF warr' Having received
PERMISSION from tho armed sentinel nj the gate ~
enter me groundsl mnde the obJect o my vst know
to the commanding officer, General Hagner, Who
ranks as colonel VI orasahce, sud that ofhcla On.
ablea mo 10 Jncgc Tor sell whetbor, not~tnstand.
ing the parsmonous manner IN wuion the
army Is treated by Congress, any time had
been lost IN taking advantage Of Tue expo
Renee gained during tho war oil Tho rebellion
or In ovsrlooking the numerous Inventions Of IN,
day. IL certainly must be great satisfaction
people nj large TO be informed that after having dag
alter day Witnessed during tae past lev weeks III,
marvcis OF Amercan inventive genus vas agrcesbi
surprised Ia nndine The numerous iounuries an,
MI he nj nj lv nm IN
OF tho times. should unfortunately, domcsti,
trouble or foreign war compel the speedy Transports
ton oil material TO the seaDoard or inland ms
the railroad In the Immediate vicinity OF I've arsena
can 10 relied upon 10 convey excellent ecu pmen
ns ever wcro prsvidcd tor an army IN the nsip. an
not speaking OF the shot, shell and other am
munition, which OF course arc Always TO b
found In abundance In any arsenal, but
particularly aliude TO those equipments held "
charge ny tho Qusrtermaster's Department. IL vii
then be found tbat there have been numerous i'm