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

them. This kind of work is of every
day occurrence. None know one day,
what may have to be done the next
but as we have said, it is something
OF this varied kind.
The original drawings are kept in the
office, dated, numbered, and recorded
In a book for future reference, and du-
picates are sent to parties ordering the
scales, for agents or workmen to set
them up by, as also are printed instruc-
tlons regarding bills of timber and 9TH
er necessary materials. Ten years AGO
put few duplicates were made in COM
parison to what there are now. Last
year loOO of. these were furnished, and
1nere have been 90 made since the first
oi April. Mr.. Spencer now has a sys-
tenn OF photographing the original draw
ings' which in every way is complete
operation, enabling him to furnish du-
pllcates in any number and at very
short notice. The patterns of all the
weights are alse drawn here and adapt-
ed to foreign standards, which labor
requires much skill and care. We are
taken to building where hundreds of
patterns are kept by themselves, and
are shown a multitude of weights
adapted to the various nations of the
world. These are comprised of nests
of various shapes, and are marked with
the proper foreign character. The
shape of the French weight has to be
ix-sided by laU. In the weighing of
coal at the mines, and for some other
uses, there are two sets of weights
adapted to the different standards OF
the bushel. These scales are now made
to the standard of about Is different
nations; and record of them is kept,
so the company can know at any time
all the details of this branch of the in
dustry. All the patterns are made of
either pine or mahogany wood, as these
kinds will keep their places better than
any other that can be used.
No stranger can have any idea of the
variety of this work, or of the vast mum
Der of patterns it takes to carry on this
industry. The making of patterns re-
quires workman of more than ordi-
nary mechanical ability. Many men
can make an OK sled, a good wheelbar-
row, or finish house respectfully; but
the very moment they take pattern
to work by, consisting of every shape,
of all sorts of lines and angles, from the
heavy to the delicate, and make them
so the mOulder can use them and not
spoil the impression, they undertake nc
fool of a job, and very likely the major
ity of mechanics would fail in the un-
dertaking. Now in frames where there
are half dozen pivots to be set, they
must be just so every time, or they will
not answer. Things mnst be plumb,
level, parallel, even, at right angles, or
at equal distances, all of these together,
whatever the rule may be, or they will
not do. We now take occasion to say
if we may be allowed to judge, that Mr.
Spencer's drawings look very workman.
like. A draft of the new testing ma.
chine which he made is indeed merito
riOus. From what we have written
the reader will see that this department
requires not only continuous labor, bu
alse care, great and constant. 1t weult
take il volume to do justice to it, ant
we stop right here. The following arr
the names of the workmen, and th,
length of time they have been in thi
department:
R. II. Eastman commenced in 1853 and has beel
in continuous service excepting FIVE six years.
L. G. Spencer commenced in 1860.
VIM. s. Hill in 1864
A. Blanchard in 1871.
N. H. Renfrew in 1869 with only short absence
Charles Howard who recently died has been her
: eight years.
r A. e. Albee commenced in 1872
d. V. Burbank in 1876.
A. D. Dimick in 1879, and was also employed il
1873 part of the year.
2 w. S. EOss, new hand this year.