The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-25

trip on the electric car line west
ward, covering as it does distance of
three miles, brings one to nest of
manufacturing industries Passing up
Campbell and turning sharply to the
left into Riverside boulevard we come
to tho 800 foot bridge over the
Roanoke river, and from this Loint in
perspective can be seen in the valley
which skirts the river to the west. a
great volume Of smoke rising TO tho
clouds from the many smokestacks of
manufact tories.
All OF these factories are within tho
magic circle or tho belt line, as it is
called.
at the far end on the south bank of
the river, near the now bridge which
connects the Roanoke boulevard with
the Salem boulevard, is situated the
West End planning mill. E. e. Buck is
owner and proprietor. The building is
As by IS feet. 1t is within few feet of
the belt line, and is consequently easy
OF access to and from the city contrac-
tors who largely encourage it.
This mill is doing brisk business,
manufacturing mouldings, brackets,
turned work OF all kinds, doors, sash,
blinds and everything in the home build
ing line.
Just east Of the planning mill stands
the largo buildings of the Duval Engine
Company. The front OF tho structure,
two and half stories high, is so feet
and the south wing, which contains the
boiler shop and blacksmith shop, is so
by 100 feot The north wing, so by 100
ieet, contains the foundry Inc spe-
cialties Of this company are engines,
boilers and sawmills, but they turn out
castings OF every descrip tiun ana DO re-
pair work of all kinds. 1t has "a Capacity
of 300 workmen. For u young Industry
started last summer it is doing great
deal of work ard are filing orders from
tho Southern States as we'll as having q
large local trade.
Passing noIthward we come to q cable
suspension bridge over the river, which
sways and vibrates under tho feet of tho
passenger, and on tho north bank is To-
Gated tho 200 ton furnace and rol ing
mills OF the Roanoke Iron Company.
| The Kissing of steam and tho rattle OF
the elevators carrying coke, lin estone
and orc to the shaft, the roar of the
| ponderous machinery and the fiery
stream of melted iron streaming from
the furnace, proves to tie visitor that
this great industry is in full blast. Still
The superintendent, d. Ii. Lentz, was,
when visited by TINES reporter, up to
his eyes in business, The twelve fur
naces are in full working order, con-
stantly opening their red and fiery
mouths from which crude balls of the
melted pig are taken by huge grapplerS
and conveyed on small track on which
runs trolly to tho sQLeezer. Like the
"Mills of the Gods" the ssuceZer grinds
| @ -na, nt l,.,
shape, while incessant reports like
bursting Of shells, fills tho air, caused
by tho drippings from tho water pipes
coming in contact with the heated
metal.
Mr.. Lent is the inventor OF very
| unique continuance in tho shape Of ar,
automatic switch, which acts 81 o safe
guard between the furnace and the
squeezer; it rises and falls on the rail
as the trolly passes. With this con-
trivance 1t Is impossible FOR any acci-
dent to occur on the rail line.
! The Bridgewater Carriage Factory is
across the river. j. | Hines took the
reporter through the building, which is
| 220x60 feet, and tho blacksmiihing de-
partment S0xl20 feet. Dir lines was
| busy finishing some orders from North
| Carolina, Georgia, Florda and Alabama.
This factory does some very fine work,
consisting Of passengeT carriages, ex-
tension top carriage, cut under and
straight surreys, ladies phmtons, open.
and top buggios and curtain landaus.
Next comes the Norwich Lock Manu-
featuring Company This is one OF the
largest industries III the South and is
! III fsct the only lock factory in the
| South. The buildings are o; brick, two
stories high, covering thrco sides Of q
square with frontage Of goo feet and
| II wing distance of AGO fct, This COM
! pany manufactures Everything, from the
smallest key TO the most formidable
! lock. They also manufacture q COM
plcte line OF builders hardware. They
employ $50 men. with q capacity Of 100.
Almost in the shadow OF this large
structure Is one OF Roanokcs most solid
manufactures, tho Cushman Iron Com
pany. II is brick building, rs by so
feet, with an engine house SIS feet
square, and pattern shop and iron
storage house 25 by so feet. They man
ntacture fancy and plain ratings and
fencings, window guards and grills.,
plain and fancy; wrought iron stair
ways, cast iron stairs, spiral and
straight, fire escapes, bridge ratings,
roof trusses, truss rods, anchors and
general building work. They have the
largest punch and shears in Virginia,
punching Il inch holes through inch.
cold iron and cutting by inches
square cold iron. They nave orders
from all over the United States
and have furnished the iron trimmings,
starways and fire escapes for the fol-
lowing edifices: The Richmond cham
Der OF commerce., Stanton market,
Bank of Durham, FIRST National Bank
OF Bluefield, Salem overhead bridge,