Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-07-20

r
are accustomed when passing large bro~n
wooden baildinz 10 hear the successive
blows Of the active trip hammers and TO
note the sound Of escaping steam, the smell
Of the forge and the many characteristics
of an iron working establishment. res
comparatively few people realized the
amount of work being done there at II. H.
Harvey Sons granite tool manufaetprs
This spring interest in tins industry saz
anickened by right Of an asidition going Hp
south Of and joined TO the oh mannfactofy :
I This addition il two stories in height ami
the floor dimnsensions are 40xiaf feet.
When fully occupied II will GREATLY increase
the capacity Of the plant, nearly doubling 1t.
/ Already the company employees z" hands
and on. os the hottest days this summer a
JonssaL reporter f0and them hard at work
/ by furnace and forge while the Thermometer
was making an almost successful biaa al
I 100 degrees IN the .hsle.
! While this addition is wooden building
( IL Is very firmly constructed being thor
ou1hly braeed with iron rods and is yery
high posted
The lower floor 4. where the company
nos has stored about $50 tons Of steel, in
bars from three sixteeBths to i've inches in
thickness, Of all the different shapes used
In the manufacture Of these stone tool.
This steel is arranged according TO .ize on
large racks, and il taken directly from there
to the forge.
The upper part Of the new building il
connected with the Old. # viii he used Tor
the wood working machines etc. The built
ing is arranged very conveniently.
1t is worth ones time, If permitted 10 sec
! the work going on in the old mandatory
/ Il is quite hot there on suitry summer day
! and the noise Of the trip hammers viii At
I first annoy the stranger, but the men who
( have worked there years don't mind the
I din in the least. Here YOU will see Il man
tsking from the glowing fire a
( long rectangular bar of steel and
run it through a Beau'iry press which
cuts oa pieces of the desired length. The bar
I i. at dark beat. II is not allowed to be-
come red hot rs the best results anil even
| eating ran only be obtained when the bar
is at the exact temperature. Then the ma
when it is done the accompanying noise II
| ike that Of a monster crunchiug iron
I Now that the bar is cut into the desired
lengths each of these pieces goes 10 Other
| processes. one man holds an rn'l of The
! piece under a trip hammer and a chisel in
! the rough Is formed. Then there are the
finishing processes to 90 through
with. Then there are the big
! punching machines that put holes
| through the big bars of steel that yon will
| soon see Ms large stone RUNNERS. These
hammers vary in size from two to thirty
! pounds
| A number of skilled workmen are en-
gagged in the manufacture of brush ham-
mers Several thousand of these are made
annually These hammers have to be made
very carefully and retail for about six dol
| lars each.
/ This firm also manufactures derrick
wnches and carries a large stock of goods
at it, Boston warehouse.
/ 1t Is very desirable TO have such indus
/ tries as this take firm root in Augusta soil
/ and increase from year to year.
| The members of kennebec branch of the
| Merchant Retail Commercial Agency
contemplate an excursion to Portland har-
Dor and islands on August ID. if pleasant
, if not, on August tth. 1t is desired that all
business men in Augusta and vicinity join
in this excursion and for the merchants on
the street to close their places of business
for the ay ami take their families AMI
clerks on this excursion. II this plan can he
carried out, and il seems feasible, it viii
afford a day of rare enjoyment to a class Of
men who never heretofore have felt like
leaving their business for an entire day and
giving themselves up 10 recreation.