The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-03
a VISIT TO THE TABLE FACTORY
Where Ten Thousand Tables Are
Made Annually.

Speaking of engines and the work they
can do" said an experienced engineer to the
PRESS reporter. "leads me to say that prob
ably no engine of its horse power in this
vicinity does anywhere near the amount of
work done by the fifty horse power engine
at the table factory on Union street. IN
venture to say that 1t turns half thousand
feet OF shafting and dozens of machines are
moved by its power" s
III that's so guess I'll go to see that en-
CINE" said the reporter, and he did. In the
basement OF the three story brick factory
he found the machine referred to. 1t was
running at its usual speed with a good mo-
ton and little noise. But there was hum
and whir of shafting, belts and machines
in other parts of the buildings. "Yes 1t Is
good machine" said Mr.. Widber, agent at
the factory, and besides running the
machines in our own factory 1t runs shaft
extending east as far as the store Of Charles
Mclaughlin & Co., operating ten elevators.
1t also furnishes power for r. o. Commits
machine shop, Stevens & Smart's britannia
works, NJ. A. Jewell & Co.'s store. and the
machine shop Of the Sewall Car Heating
Company that is located In the upper story of
our own factory. We have three fifty horse
power boilers but we use but two of them
now, the other being a reserve boiler. Be-
sides furnishing steam for our own engine
they supply 1.-THE steam used to run the
machines at Jones & Hitching,s machine
shops, Barker Manufacturing Company,
Orrin Dunlap, A. +. Cox s. Sons shoe shop,
the Stickney Machine Shop, and VIM. H.
Chapman's machine shop. So you see we
use our boilers and engine for about all they
| are worth" "a
Mr.. Widber then led the way through the
| factory. Five years ago the building was
erected and since that time the amount Of
| business done has increased three fold. IT
| Is now one of the busiest spots in the city.
| Blackwalnut and ash extension tables are
manufactured at the rate of three an hour
or about 10000 per year. Twenty-Five men
! are employed, and with the machinery used
they are able to make an average
little over one eomplete table to each man
per day. There are two dry rooms in the
building in which the lumber is seasoned.
In the basement the manufacturing of the
different parts Of the table is carried on. On
the floor above the pieces are put together,
making the tables perfect in form; and in
the second story the finishing touches are
given, while the third story is used partly as
store house and in part by the Sewall Car
Heating Company. The building is lighted
by electricity and heated by steam. Ali the
dust made by the machines is carried by
means Of large pipe through which a
strong current OF air is forced by means of
rapidly revolving fan, to bin In front Of
the boilers The dust consists of sawdust and
wood shavings and it is burned with the
coal. Tables are shipped from this factory
all over New England and even to New
York, and before long the establishment
will probably be enlarged to accommodate
the increasing business. This industry, al
ready quite prominent among the others of
Portland, promises to be one of first i'm