National Republican., 1888-05-06
\ PERFECT FACTORY,
where They Manufacture the Greatest
cycling novelty Ever Invented.

Without thc knowledge Of great ma
iorlty of the people Of this city an industry
Is being built up that will, in the near
future, he credit the District. Away
down on Water street, near the Ninth street
wharf is a large two.story brick building
that has not even a sign ON It's exterior To
denote the business that Is being carried on
inside. \ RErrBI1CNN reporter was down
In that nciglborhOud Yesterday and, catch
ing glimpse Of Il familiar face ut one OF
the windows, he went In, to find himself,
after passing through little office, in the
Smith National Cycle Manufacturing Com.
pany. The scene that presented itself was
most interesting one. The great room,
occupying nearly all of the first
floor, was filed with men, machinery, aud
bicycles. Everything was bustliug aud the
machinery was hardly nOiselcss, but there
was no confusion, and the work moved for
ward with an extraordinary smOOtlncss.
Iathcs whircd, and presses and shapers
nodded things To suit the master hands
that controlled them, while milling machines
and tire Blenders had but few opportunities
for rest \ huge tuuct.lathc was notable
feature, for II turned out, automatically,
steel bearings Of all kinds from two and n
quarter inch lar Of steel, cutting its way as
though the material was no harder than
within few days. Under n shed on the
north end of the building is powerful
Bradley steam hammer, with which the
heavy forging is done.
In the rear of the Office is stock room,
and in IL are stored the smaller parts in the
rough and finished, for the machines Sad
dies, Cranks, pedals, and the many other
minutia necessary loaded down the shelves,
while in a closet was set of special tools,
for making parts interchangeable, that had
Just been received from New York at q cost
of $1,000.
In the basement Is the blacksmiths'
forge and the brazing, grinding, and polish
ing machinery. The cnameing oven stands
IN one corner, ard here the machines are
baked. A large quantity of imported steel,
thousands of dollars worth, is stored here
ready TO be worked up into those combina
tions Of mechanical ingenuity now rapidly
becoming famOus-the ladies' bicycle One
of the most striking features of the entire
establishment Is its cleanliness, everything
being as neat as a new pin.
The larger portion of the area of the
upper floor Is used at present as riding
school, principally by ladies, and the re
mainder of the room is partitioned off for q
store room and an experiment room. The
management Contemplates, in little while,
using the entire upper floor Us an assembly
room, where the various parts of the wheel,
will be put together.
The entire force is busy, night and day,
trying TO fiji the orders that crowd in for the
ladies' bicycle. Work ON the other Smith
machines has almost entirely suspended, but
still the novelty cannot be turned out fast
enough. Additional machinery is filling up
every foot of room that can I've utilized, and
yet the supply falls short of the demand.
III any enthusiast on mechanics wants to
see the most perfect machine shop in the
south, let him call on President \. f. Child,
or one Of the Smith Brothers, and secure
permission to inspect the factory Of tho
Smith Cycle Company.