The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-11-27
Advantages Of Uniformity In Manufac.

The saving in time and expense
brought about by the uniformity in
manufactured articles is 80 obvious that
it is hard to understand why it was
never made a practice in manufacture
until comparatively recent times. A
short time ago discussion arose as to
whom the credit was due for the intro
duction of this method into the manu-
facture of arms for our Government,
and though we do not know that this
particular dispute has been satisfactorily
eettled, the upquestioned fact remains
that for many YES .sf. si!sr us "a G0,s1n ofhn-
iai.'f naas "a sssl~s' sas ~s ]! %sds sss ss@s ss
exact pattern, and hence the breakage
of any part could only be remedied by
having an entirely new piece specially
constructed to take the place of the old
one. What was true of the Government
system was also true of the plan used
for making articles for household and
business purposes. By degrees q great
change has taken place, and though in
houshehold affairs the idea of uniformity
has been carried at times to an uncom-
Portable extent, so that thousands sit in
absolutely the same kind of chairs, eat
from the same kind of tables and sleep
upon the same kind of beds, the gain,
when judged as a whole, has been a
great one. In business the advantage
seems to have had no attendant draw
backs. Perhaps the most marked, in
stance of its utility is to be found in the
railroad service. Take, for example, the
matter of gauge At the outset there
was great difference of opinion as to
what this should be, but now for all
practical purposes it has been found that
one uniform gauge, no matter what, is
necessary, and companies that made the
mistake Of departing, in their construc-
tion, from the accepted type, have now,
with few exceptions, been forced into
conformity. Even what is known rs the
narrow-gauge system is of questionable
utility, and those lines that are now laid
in this manner, if they are ever to be
more than branch or solitary roads, will
in time have to conform to the general
! plan An atteahptis row being made to
h6we- <his system ScafFiedss yet farther
upon the railroads of this country. In
consequence of the through-freight ar
rangements of the different roads, the
freight cars of the various companies are
scattered pretty thoroughly over the
country. The cars of the New York
Central Road may be found in Texas
and those of the Central Pacific in
HsipeT Npws NihiI< post companie,
have aunifprh 1sttesn for their freigh,
eaf9 almost every b&d has type of iti
6wn; but "a the c1r& ardmore likely thar
not TO meet with mishaps while, off the
road to which they belong, this similarity
in construction does not count for mncf
in cutting down the cost of repairiDg
it is now proposed that freight cars al
over the United States shall be bull
upon the same pattern, having inter
changeable parts. If this be done, tn,
master mechanic of the Erie will abl,
to tell at glance whether the charge
for repairs upon freight cars in the bill
sent to him by the Kansas Pacific Rail
road Company are reasonable or extor
tionary, an amount of knowledge whicl
/ IA at present denied to him.. This reform
has been earnestly pressed. and in al
probability will soon be carried out.