Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-08-09
THE BUSY SAWS IN MOTION.
The FURNITURE FACTORY COMMENCED
TURNING OUT SETS.

The FURNITURE FACTORY COMMENCED
TURNING OUT SETS.
IF the five OF six men who YEARLY legged
it around Staunton soliciting subscriptions
to the first popular scheme for a manufac
tory in Staunton, could have been at the
Staunton Furniture Factory Saturday af-
ternoon, just before paying off time, they
would have felt well rewarded for their
labor. Though the factory has just started
up and is by no means running full, the
scene was busy one. On that afternoon
a representative of the VINDICATOR visit
ed the factory in company with the Gener-
al Manager and Secretary and followed the
manufacturing process from the beginning
to the end.
THE WORKING FORCE.
There are at present about thirty men on
the pay roll. They are John Luppert, the
Superintendent, and H. Welker, Geo.
Koontz, w. Kriger and J. Bader, (all these
are experts from Pennsylvania and are
breaking in the new hands who are from
Staunton), Lee Smith 1.-THE engineer), w.
Britt 1.-THE watchman), A. Hughes, Geo. E.
Mari, W. H. Dawkins, Martin Weago, J.
F. Stafford, Jno. d. Hounihan, w. N.
Cline, Geo. Silver, J. Argenbright, Chas. E.
Stuart, W. Kennedy, A. Peace and j. B.
Amiss. Besides these, there are four OF five
boy helpers and four Oh five beEch-men, the
latter working by the piece, whose names
are not on the regular pay roll. The
coming week Mr.. Kallenbach, who has
contracted to do all the finishing, and who
will work twelve hands additional and some
more boys, will start his force to work.
The pay roll Saturday was 1925, the next
one will be 5000, and when the factory is
run at it's full capacity with from seventy
to eighty men the pay roll will be about
$500.
THE BUILDINGS.
There are two factory buildings of frame
rooted with tin, one where the furni ture
is made, two stories high, and the other
where it is finished and where the Office is
located, three stories high-both are 96X4S
feet.
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE.
The visitor who wishes to see the whole
process from the beginning, goes in on the
ground floor of the factory where he sees
what appears to be an immense network Of
betting going at high rate of speed the ends
of the belts being in the room above where
fba cbaft ic AccanIinC 70 tho Cponn1
floor he passes out to a large platform ira
yersed by little railroads on which tram
cars are running. When wood not sutfic
iently seasoned is brought, it is put on these
tram-cars and run into the drying house.
If it is ready for manufacture it is run
straight into the factory. A plank is run
to a bench where a cutoff saw cuts it i'll
stantly into proper lengths is to say
good deal quicker than slice of bread
could be cut off loaf. Then it goes to rip
saw which cuts it into sizes to suit. Then
to glue-joiner which planes it to make a
perfect fit-the plane being driven back and
forth by large wheel. Then it goes to the
dresser which dresses it. Next it is sent to
asticker which dresses all four sides at once.
Next to the tenOner which cuts it off and
cuts ten0n in it. Then band saw cuts the
ornamental scollops and frills in it. Then a
borer cuts the holes through it. Then q
dove-tailing machine, one of the most re-
markable in the factory, makes the dove
failing ready. Then it passes to a man
who is standing at carving machine, and
who in few seconds has carved the board,
If it be head OF foot board with all sorts
of graceful figures, flowers, fruits and SO
forth, which he has already drawn on it to
cut by. When one hears Of carving he
thinks of the use of knife like sculptor,
but this is all done by little circular saw
about the size of a half dollar and which
appears to he making hundred revolutions
second. Then a machine cuts holes for
the bed catches. There isa Dado machine
with nine SAWS and fifteen chisels all going
at once in fitting bureaus with the slos into
which the drawers 60. Then there is a
growing machine, and dOuble-headed
shaper which gives beautiful finish, One
of the most remarkable of the machines is
the polisher which has two different mo-
tiOnS, vertical and horizontal at the same
time. Besides this there is sand papering
machine and three Oh four other machines
that one could watch by the hour for their
beauty and precision of work. During all
these manifold operations on wood the Wis
itOr is puzzled at seeing no shavings any
where on the floor. 1t is explained by the
fact that under all the machines that pro
duce them there is suction pipe worked
by the engine which sucks all the shayings
into big drum over the engine house.
Through this drum is blown a stream OF
air that drives away all the dust from the
slavings and lets them drop into a recepta
Gle to be used for fuel for the engine.
In the lower story of this building art
benches where men are engaged in fitting
the pieces together. The learners have {
bureau, OF washstand, Or bedstead before
them ready-ftted as pattern. Near then
is steam gluing machine.
THE FINISHING HOUSE.
Walking along a little railroad TRACK
running from the factory building yor
enter the finishing house. Running from
the engine house to it is a narrow eleyat
ed, covered way enclosing a steam pipe which
furnishes the required heat-a good dea
to the scores Of radiating heaters which
are all over the various foors of thai
building. On the lower floor of the finish
ing house is an elevator of four tons capac
ity and run by an S-horse-poWer engine
On the little road the furniture manufae
tured in the factory is run to the finishing
house and there hoisted to the third story
The walls of this third floor are sealed will
alaner So as to prevent ANY dust antepino