St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-05-14

connected with him, to advance the
cause OF material progress among men.
Perhaps with other slight surroundings,
and the least change of certain ipflu-
ences-no one may exactly say how or
what, the whole course of his life would
have been changed but we now trace
a certain mental genius on the bread
highway of human life, with the ambi-
tion and the inspiration of youth urp.
ing him to do and dare, commencing at
the little saw mill upon Sleeper's river.
from there to the wagon shop, and then
to the hemp factory, where the idea
was born that was to revolutionize one
of the great world of me-
chanics.
Mr.. Fairbanks giving his attention to
the subject, built platform scale that
proved satisfactory. From this time
the company determined to engage in
the manufacture of scales. About this
time, also, Mr.. Fairbanks "devised the
arrangement and combination of levers
supporting the platform scale as it has
continued to the present day. For this
he received patent June 81, 1881"
Engaging in this manufacture, Erastus
managed the mercantile and financial
departments, and Thaddeus the me-
chanical and manufacturing branches
of the industry. In 1884 Joseph p, an
other brother, Joined the company, and
took charge of introducing their scales
into general use. And now the work
had begun in good earnest; and who
could see, that as the wheel of fortune
should slowly turn, each successive
revolution would bring this industry
into greater prominence before the
world 2 To see and to make our first
inquiries, we now enter
TIE PATTERN SHOP,
which is the first practical department
of the work. One naturally queries, as
the writer has many times, what in the
world is the occasion for making so ma
ny patterns? What can six or eight
men find to do here day after day, any
more than to keep up general repairs
1t must be, we say, that some of these
men have soft jobs, while the real work
is done elsewhese. Let us investigate.
The scale industry has greatly increas-
ed for the past few years. 1t now
ranks in Importance with the largest
concerns of the country. OF course
there must be starting point with all
of them. Aside from the idea conceiv-
ed, the first practical work must come
from the draughtsman's office, which is
located in this department., and is in
charge of Mr.. L. G.. Spencer, who has
been here 20 years in all-the first two
working at the bench, and since then
drafting plans of scales and machinery.
Here, then, is the starting point and
to show the reader how steadily this
work has gone along so many years,
and whose hand has so firmly and SO
constantly held the helm of this indus
trial ship, we quote the words of Mr..
Spencer who says: "The fact is not to
be ignored or forgotten, that a large
share of the special machinery for the
works, was invented by, and built un-
der the personal uperintendence of Sir
Thaddeus Fairbanks; and it was only
as advancing years withdrew bim from
the active supervision of this part OF
the work, that it in any manner has
fallen upon others to dor Col. Frank
lin Fairbanks, who has received pa,
tents for several inventions, now sue.
ceeds his uncle as the general director
of all mechanical affairs.
Everything in this department is re.
duced to perfect system, and nothing
can be allowed to leave it on uncertain.
ties. We will soon see where the labor
comes in. Though neither Mr.. Spencer
nor his workmen have to use the sledgt
hammer, crowbar, or broadaxe, yet the
drafting of plans, and the making o
patterns, involves much study, care
skill, and anxiety. There is constan
} change going on in scale making. Ev
cry mail is liable to bring orders requir
ing some change of pattern, that ne
cessitates new study and new drafts
Not only are patterns changed, som'
more and some less, but there is wea
: and tear of those in constant use, ne
cessitating the making of new and th,
f repairing of the old. The bottom pin
ciple of scale making is mathematics
r and as figures can neither be stretche,
nor sllrunken, but must be as fixed a
, Eternal Truth itself, just so true mus
: be the weighing machine, in order t.
have it meet the demands either of sci
l ence or the commercial world.
r If u change of pattern is to be made
figures have to determine where th
bearings must be placed, what the pro
portions must be, and the proper me
, chanical relations existing between al
, the parts. 1t is Mr.. Spencer's duty t
: understand all of these things, and t
! prepare drawings adapted to ever.
e want. The time has been, when scale
/. of a certain standard make would b
: ordered altogether, and parties woul
t make the most of them but now thes
f parties can order just what they want
; and the order will be readily filled
, For instance, a company in Pennsylva