The Washington critic., 1886-05-26
A MODEL ESTABLISHMENT.
A Tour Through the Iron Works o
Mcssrs, Il. N, Gray a. Co.

A Tour Through the Iron Works of
Mcssrs. T.. N. Gray g. Co.
In going along Pennsylvania avenue on
Saturday last the attention of representa-
tive of The CRITIC was attracted by an
odd-lookiDg iron cart, upon which were
seated number of men, gazing curlously
at the contents Of the vehicle. The unusual
appearance Of this object, but more espe-
cially the look of intense interest depicted
on the faces Of the men seated with appar-
emily little comfort on the cart, caused The
Critics representative to hasten to satisfy
his curiosity. Looking into the cart he
found 1t to contain a carefully-cxecuted
machine in motion, and being permitted to
take seat ON the cart the reporter saw
with delight how the intricate mechanism
automatically measured and registered
with pencil upon paper and with the great
est exactness the variable power exerted by
the horses in moving the vehicle over the
different varieties of good and bad pave
ments, up and down HILL registering at the
same time the distance Travelled by the ma
chine. The trip ended at the well.known
iron works Of Messrs. L. n. Gray & Co.,
who constructed this beautiful piece OF
mechanism according to design of Cap
tain +. V. Green, L. S. A., for the Barber
Asphalt Paving Company of this city.
After close inspection of the cart, which
is called dynamometer, the reporter was
kindly shown through the extensive works
of Messrs Il. n. Gray IL Co., comprising
machine, boiler and pattern shop connect
ed with an extensive foundry, III which the
heaviest castings Of every description in
brass and iron can. be made and easily
handled with powerful cranes and machn-
cry. The machine shop of the establish
ment presented busy aspect; the modern
tools, heavy and light, were all running,
cutting to size q variety Of complicated
castings, iron and steel forgings strictly in
accordance to well executed drawings.
Measurements are taken with great accuracy
and the utmost exactness, for experience
has taught Mr.. Gray, over and over again,
that the more he compels his mechanics to
adhere to this rule, the easier it Is to erect
and the cheaper 1t is to construct machin-
cry, in fact, iron work Of any description.
This statement was fully borne out by an
inspection OF a large and powerful brick
machine, weighing nearly ten tons, which
is at present in course OF erection at the
works for the well-known firm OF Richards
y Son and which gave proof of
the highly scientific and practical
manner In which the firm conducts It's bust
ness. Mr. Gray has secured the contract
for furnishing all the iron work required for
the Medical Museum; his great experience
has caused him to construct successfully
labor-saving machinery, and his thorough
knowledge of that which is going on In the
District, coupled with his we'll known bust
ness tact, have secured for him enough work
during the past winter to give employment
constantly to more than sixty men. Much of
the ornamental and constructive iron work
In the various public and private buildings
erected In the past years was made by Il. n.
Gray Il Co., and naturally visit to the
pattern lofts and storage rooms of the es-
tablishmeIt disclosed an enormous accumu-
lation of patterns for all classes and styles
of work