Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1882-04-08
A HALF DAY IN THE EXCEL IRON
WORKS.
A Busy Scene.

| One of the largest industries OF Lexington. and
one that has grown up In a quiet and unosten-
| tstious way, and one of which she may we'll be
proud is that OF Charles a. Morrison's Excel
Iron Works. manufacturer of boilers. engines,
mill and farming machinery. store fronts. cape,
and stills. fencing. and in fact anything of iron
| or wood from window weight to y
two hundred horse power engine, who
also repairs, buys aud sells all kinds of
new and second hand machinery, as we'll as
being manufacturers' agent for the sale Of pipe,
betting, wire rope. steam pumps, and all ma
chinery supplies, which he sells at St. LOUIS
prices.
Until November 'sl. he confined his attention
to stoves. machinery and repair work, but since
that time began 10 make new. and buy, sell and
rebuild second hand machinery exclusively. He
has lately doubled his number of machinps in
his shop by adding some OF the latest improve
ments until it is second to none, capacity consid-
cred. His trade extends between Wisconsin
and the Gulf. north and south. and the Mlssis-
sippi river and the Pacific ocean. east and west.
Mr.. Morrison gives his whole undivided atten-
tion to the work, in addition to having the best
workmen at best wages. Everything is done In
the best possible manner. only best materials
used by skilled workmen, each q master of his
| trade. and last but not least, that all work Is
done at prices that astonish competitors. Mr..
Morrison at one time employed nearly fifty men
ON stoves, hemp brakes, sugar mills. &c. But
ss the first named is to him no longer profitable,
and no demand for the latter, he has ceased
making them, and hopes to soon have the old
number of men on again at present business.
He claims to have the best lighted and ventla ted
shop, it having 81 windows with "a lights lOxl2
glass, or total Of 2,424 glass, or 2O2 dozen.
Best arranged, he being uble 10 see nine-tenths
of his workmen he. standing in one place. Most
substantial. being all OF brick. with tin and
slate roofs. Best arranged and with the best
workmen, 1t is the most economical shop in the
west.
| The building Is q most imposing one. all brick
with metal roof, fronting on the Missouri River
and Mo. Pacific 4. X. tracks. As we approach
from the south we first several hundred
Flasks, from one foot square up to ten feet
square. and four feet wide and twenty feet
long. Entering by the south door we find our
selfin the moulding room, q large, well lighted
| and ventilated room, having % windows with
"a 10 by 12 lights. and here we see at least one
hundred more TASKS, some OF which are nodded
up. others are being nodded and still others to
be nodded up. These TASKS costs from one
dollar to one hundred dollars each. We here
found our old friend Adam Walk, molder, who
has worked in this shop for q years. This
room is 80 by loo. with self-supporting roof
without post or other obstruction; II feet in
| the clear under girders. 80 feet under comb, tin
roof cupola 4sinches in diameter, II feet high.
| with brick stack. supported on iron COL
umns, capacity tons ut rate of 100 pounds per
minute, with 100 pounds coke 10 900 pounds
iron. The iron and iuel is thrown in from the
stock house. 20 by &c feet. brick. slate roof.
| from whence it is delivered when received with
out IhOisting or re-handling. the ground ut the
rear being level with the cupOla platform. A
large crane, capacity tons. for handling large
TASKS and castings; ladies' for hand Use 10 and
zoo pounds. ana for crane use 500, l,2JO. ! $40
and 2. 500 pounds capacity. The brass furnace
| capacity ia 81 pounds per hour, and is in this
room, ~ is also The entrance to the dry kiln, for
| seasoning lumber. This is entirely OF brick
with air tight floor, under which is 4, 900 feet of
one inch pipe, through which exhaust steam
| from the engine passes. A 30 inch exhaust
| fan, running 2,5OO revolutions per minute. is
used to circulat the air by blowing under the
hoor between the pipes. and exhausting above
| and returning same air and Leakage again and
again through the pipes. Highest temperature
| $50 degrees. Mr.. Morrison claims to season
H. coo feet Of hard wood equal to one years sun
l
90 by % feet, slate roof. Passing into the ma
chine shop We lind things humming. This is
the lower floor Of the two and a-half story build
ing. and 20 by 100 feet. II feet ceiling, has IL
windows with Fl rights 10 by IL each, COM
mencing at the rear. At the left is q recess Ii
by 20 feet, wherein is situated cast iron cyl lin
der 3 feet in diameter and feet long, III which
all csstings mot too lishD, together with gstes
and scraps are cleaned. Adjoining this, and
| run by same belt is the facing mill Of iron 80
inches in diameter and Is inches wide.
Our common coal Lshigh coal fire clay ,old fire
brick, &C., each separately, with 20 IL pound
cannon balls, are placed together in this mill
and revolve until they are ground to flour: this
| is used in the moulding shops. Here also Is the
81 inch exhals: fan. running 2,6Oc revolutions
per minute, used as before m entionsd in circu-
lating air in the dry kiln, and heating the shoE
| in winter. and for cooling in summer; also Ion
bushels of coal in front OF the boiler. Overhead
Is u tank holding 200 gallons Of water for boilel
and shop use, supplied as hereafter explained
The boiler is an upright 30 horse power, A
inches in diameter by 10 feet high. with 80 two
and one half inch hues. 25 horse power engine
10 by II. running LIS per minute. Has centel
crank, locomotive style, Collet automatic stol
governor.
As follows: Boring mill swings, up to 10 feet II
diameter. ls inches in face; one lathe swings 81
inches by l6 ieet; lathe swings p inches by II
feet .Planer for iron "a by e4inches by sfeet. Boil
cutter cuts trem to ~ inch pipe. and 4 to s
inch bolts and nuts. blacksmith fan, large drill
press, small drill press, stove drill. large emery
wheel for grinding, one for polishing, grind.
stone fer tools. 50 feet Of bench with s vises
and drawers filed with hammers chlsels, ant
other hand tools. Here We also find q larg,
stock Of iron pipe and fittings, from u to
inches. bolts OF all kinds and sizes. Coal bugg,
wheels, axes. boxes. cistern curbs, and al
kinds ol machinery repairs. ready for delivery.
Workmen are engaged in boring engine cylin
ders turning packing rings, planning valve seats
drilling, cutting bolts and pipe. grinding tool:
and castings. chipping and filing. ETC., etc
We pass to the blacksmith shop adjoining Oh
the north. and find q brick shop, tin roof 30 b,
10, with forges, supplied with blast from 2
inch blower, run ming 2,O0s revolutions per min
ute. A small cupola to melt from so to 30
pounds OF iron. for hurry jobs, also a larg
: stock OF bar iron. steel. nuts. &c. Returning, W
! take the left side, where we lind an old styl
fan. 4S inches in diameter. (which by the way
Mr.. NJ. would not exchange for any new on
, nade.) running 900 revolutions per minute fo
| HleitihR iron III cupOla Endless bed wood DlnNer
running 4 500 planes, g inches thick and 80 inche
wide. Cross cut saw, rip saw, tenon machine
jig saw. boring machine. buzz plancr. emer
ssw-gummer. grindstone and grinder fo
+. pIaner bits exclusively. sand paper drum, al
of which are IN active use. On shelves alop.
the wall are thousands OF stove castings for new
1 stoves and repairs. Pinions. &c, &c. 81, Tor re-
puirs of nll kinds. home and foreign mad
ihreshers, horse powers. reaprrs. mowers, &c,
&C., anu in fact uil mill and farming maaLiner
OF every kind and make. Also new stoves JUS
completed and ready for orders Following IN
. wood and iron work we passing US, as W
: pass up stalrs and lind the setting up and pat
D tern making shop, to be duplicate Of the lowe
r story. viz 40 by 100, with IA windows having q
i, lights 10 by l2 glass each. The only machiner
, on this door are the wood lathe, Dowell pin ma
chine, wire cloth stretcher and grndstone. Al
machine work. ,th wood and iron ia positlvel
completed below. and put together here. Thi
: shop has six benches. with vises to each In III
left hand front corner is the oce and store rOol
9 In which may be found the following, all {
. which are used. Flour. bran, beer, soap, nc
}. lasaes, beeswax, tallow, hemp, cotton, borux
d sal amonac, coperas, rosin, shelac alcohol
coal and anchor ellis, all kinds ofOils, varnishe,
and paints. This is not all by any means, an
are given to show what are required in th
b large establishment. Here also is Mr. Morr
sons private desk and fire proof safe He Day