Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-06-26
oARD1rER 1nDusr ans
P. c. Holmes q Co.

! One Of the oldest firms in this CITY il tina
OF r. {. Holmes { Co., machinists AMI
manufacturers of mill gear, which date.
from the year 1881, and which has been il
uninterrupted occupation Of their present
site from that time to the present. At fra
the firm engaged in general foundry bust
ness, and in the manufacture of the old Pitts
horse powers and threshing machines which
were made for Mr.. r. B. Dunn. now al
"aterville As the business of foundry and
mill work increased the making of agricul.
| tural implements was discontinued, and fol-
the past thirty years the firm has given its
whole attention to mill gearing and general
| foundry and iron machine business, in the
| former line of which, that of the manufac-
ture of water wheels. wheel pits and shaft
| ing, it has attained reputation second To no
establishment of the kind in the country.
The Holmes works are complete in every
respect and form one of the most systematic
and well equipped establishments of its kind in
the State. The several departments are draft
ing pattern-making, brass and iron foundry.
machine shop and blacksmith's shop-so that
every part of mill work from the planning of
the building to putting in place every piece
of machinery can be done at this establish
ment AT present the works are largely en-
gagged in the manufacture of the Holmes
water wheel, wheel invented by Mr.. Phillip
IL. Holmes, which, according to the testi-
mony OF the best hydraulic engineers, is the
most perfect and complete wheel for water
mills ever made. Mr.. Holmes is natural
inventor and spent much time and money upon
this wheel before it was perfected, and which
is now protected by letters patent covering as
many as seventeen separate and distinct
claims, each one of which is an improvement
over any other turbine wheel made. year
ago last March the first Holmes wheel was
placed in the works of the Great Falls Mfg
Co., N. H., and the Messrs. Holmes have
Just made contract with the same company
for second 33-inch wheel which is to sup
plant 36-inch Swain wheel, and which has
capacity for more work than the Swain
wheel although of less size. This wheel has
proved so satisfactory that the company have
boon driven with orders, and have now on
hand more work than can possibly be done
by the largest force of hands the works can
profitably employ till next January.
Holmes wheels, have, during the past year
a nd half hoo nile in, tba H.
following, companies aside from those men-
| tioned)
Westbrook Mfg Co., Sacarappa; DENIM
son Paper and Tag CO., Brunswick; Kenne-
bee Fibre CO., Benton; Lewiston & Auburn
Electric Light Co., Lewiston; Joshua Gray
Sons, lumber, Oakland Mfg. Co. w. ii.
Moore, furniture, and Richards Paper Co.,
Gardiner. But the largest order which the
Messrs. Holmes have undertaken is that of
furnishing a set of seven magnificent AZ
inch wheels for the new mill of the Edwards
Mfg Co., on the east side of Kennebec
Dam, Augusta. One of these is for the
machinery of Bangs Brothers, one is for the
plant of the Augusta Light & Heat Co,
and five are for the works of the Augusta
Pulp Co., all of which are being made and
put in place as fast as possible. Each one
of these wheels, with the head of water at
| Augusta DAM II feet, have capacity of
200 horse power, aud weigh about nine tons
each. They are made of the best iron,
steel and phosphor bronze, and form the
best, first class, high price wheel in the
world. This phospsor bronze, by the way
| is one of the most valuable metals now used
in mill machinery, being especially valuable
where great strength is required as it has
a strength sufficient to sustain pressure of
of from 80 900 to 100 900 lbs, per square
inch of surface-or where iron or steel would
be liable to rust.
Aside from the manufacture of this wheel
the Messrs. Holmes have a considerable force
of hands at work on mill shafting, and gen
orally have orders ahead for this class of
work Many of the large cotton factories OF
the country make it rule to have spare
sets of shafting on hand, in case of any ac-
cdent, and there are now being made at this
establishment large shafts and gears for the
Hamilton Manufacturing CO., Lowell, Mass,
and the Boston Manufacturing Co., Waltham,
Mass.
While inspecting work in the different de
partments of the Messrs. Holmes, we were
exceedingly interesting in the several plans
for mill work executed by Mr.. Geo. II.
Mari, young man in charge of the drafting
department. Mr.. MARI graduated from the
Gardiner High school only a few years ago
seems vet but boy in appearance, although
he is thorough master of his busisess, and
Capt. Holmes informed us, is qualified tc
draw plans and superiniend the construction
of the largest cotton mill, as well as every
part of the machinery needed for its com
pleted eqpment. The works of the Messrs
Holmes give employment to about forty first
class workmen, and are among the leading
substantial manufacturing establishment OF
our busy, thriving city.