St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-05
WHEELS SET GOING.
The Big Cordage Plant Is
Now in Satisfactory
Operation.
A Distinguished Gathering
Witnesses the Turning
en- Process.
How Irvine and Rope Are
Made Of Manila and
SiSal.
The Works Will Keep Over
Three Hundred Men
Employed.

st. Paul's newest industry is that just
established by the Northwestern Cord
age company at Lake Como. And it is
truly an institution of considerable
magnitude.
Yesterday afternoon the citizens of
st. Paul, to the number of 200 or more,
inspected the cordage works. 1t was
the occasion of setting the machinery in
motion for the first time to begin the
career of the industry. 1t was Just $50
o'clock when Mrs. Charles s. Rogers
opened the engine valve and started the
ponderOuS wheel in motion. The ELI
CINE is 350-hOrSe power, and second
engine Of 100-horse power was directly
after started. The tlyWheel for the
power is a gigantic affair. 1t is over
sixty feet in circumference. and it car
reS a belt IS inches wide and $50 feet
long.
There were some ceremonies connect
ed with the starting of the factory.
Charles S. Rogers, the president of the
institution, delivered a felicitous adj
dress, and he was followed by Louis NJ.
Allison, the secretary Of the company.
Mr. Rogers said:
E1r. Rogers Address.
six months ago this entire plant only
existed in thought-an idea in the minds
Of few individuals who had conceived
it. and VINO had met to discuss it, said
President Rogers. "a lady of the party
was asked to suggest name, and from
this came the title, The Northwestern
Cordage company Two months later
the stock was subscribed and the land
was selected. At that time the spot
where these extensive buildings now
Of IN,Ai-
in hill and swamp. The metal entering
into the construction Of the boilers, this
huge engine, and the hundreds of ma
chimes distributed through this great
factory, all this metal was in the bowels
of the earth. The millions of brick in
these walls were in their native bed of
clay. The stone of these foundations
was yet unQuarrled, and of the raw and
manufactured material which you will
see i'll our warehouses all was growing
upon the native stock, some in the island
of New Zealand in the Southern Pacific.
in the Philippine islands off the coast OF
far Japan, or uncut In the tropics OF Yu
catan.
Il conld cite to you the days and
weeks Of diScouragement. | could tell
you of unaccountable delays that de-
ferred the breaking ground for these
structures until far beyond the
danger point in this climate. On
Nthe other hand, ! could name a
noble list of our citizens who
came to our aid when our need was
the greatest. And now, ladies ana gen
tlemen, to this group of factories and
warehouses where hundreds will find
employment, which for completeness of
construction and general adaptability to
their various uses have been pronounced
by experts from Eastern factories to be
the finest in America, now welcome
you"
The Plant
is excellently equipped, and cordage of
every sort will be the product. The
factory is connected with the Great
Northern railroad, and the Northern
Pacific and 800" lines will soon put in
side tracks.
Everything worked admirably. All
the machinery was designed by Jacob
Baldner, the superintendent, and he
keeps a close eye to the operations of
the plant. When it is explained that
the machinery has cost $4,000, one can
have some conception of the magnitude
Of the industry.
The machinery is operated, as a rule,
by boys and girls. The process of
cordage manufacture held the large
gathering nearly all the afternoon.
There are three materials used. the
MANILA being really the best. This is
brought from the Philippine islands
Then comes the siSal and it surely
makes an eXcellent-appearing cOrdage.
This is brought from Mexico. and what
is called New Zealand. from the fact
that the fiber Is brought from New
Zealand, is still cOarser grade. 1t is a
species OF MANILA, and is only used in
the cheaper grades of Irvine and rope.
The product of yesterdays work was
binding Irvine. 1t was made from
MANILA. The material passes through
several stages from the time it is
brought up in bales to the rooms OH the
colossal elevator to the time il goes out
in balls
Ready for the Farmer.
First comes the cleaning process.
Huge wheels go revolving in boxes with
an aperture of about foot square at one
side. The operator SeiZeS a handful of
the MANILA or SiSal, and throws first one
end and then the OTHER into the opening
mentioned, and the revolving wheel
cleans off all foreign substances. Then
it is given scratching" process, as it
is called, and then follow the spreading
processes from one machine to another
spinning 1t is wound off upon SpoOlS.
and then these loaded spoolS are carted
off to an adjacent room, where the spo0lS
are unWound with lightning rapidity
and the Irvine takes the form of Il ball.
and is now ready for packing. Each
ball weighs one pound, and fifty of
them are placed in sack for shipment.
Mr.. Baldner states that the cap acity
of the factory will be upwards of 10000
pounds day, and that force of from
| 800 to 500 employees will be given steady
employment. There are 500 machines
purchased, although not all have ar
rived yet. Binding Irvine is the princi-
pal product of the cordage works, but
! rope, fodder Irvine, lath yarn and paper
mill Irvine will also form all important
| part of the business.
The structure is no insignificant af-
| fair. 1t is huge brick building, TWO
stories high. The main part is 30S by 60
feet, and then there are two ellis so by 20
feet, also two stories in height. the
engine room, etc. 1t is built of brick
and is modern in every way. The heat
ing is done by the fan process. Auto
matte sprlnkiers are located every
| where in the factory for fire protection.
| These are fed from pump having the
capacity Of 1920 gallons a minute, run
| by either machine. The boiler room
presents a spectacle worth seeing. The
boilers are next to the engine room, and
| they are pOnderouS affairs.
1t is stated that the first years pro-
! duet has already been sold at advantage
GUS prices, and the plant will run night
and day.
Clerks Entertainment
The retail clerks union will give
another Of their series OF winter enter