The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-03
IMPROVEMENT IN MACHiNhhh
MIST GO On.

II Is roported from Pocahontas that
there is a bitter feeling among the miners
against the Introduction of electrical
mining machinery. 1t seems that hve OF
the mines have introduced electrical ma
cbinery in mining their coal, and TINS
mo doubt. greatly reduces the cost OF
mining. II does not necessarily mean
smaller wages 20 those who are employed
hut it means the employment OF fewer
hands The saving is in the NUMBER oil
workmen employed. and not in the rate
Of wages. There are millions Of persons
who want the Pocahontas coal ana they
want il at the very lowest price for when
coal can be sold All these Millions theIe-
fore. are glad TO see the owners OF the
mines using electrical machinery IN min
ing because il reduces the cost OF MN
ing the coal, ana. therefore reduces the
price at which it is soil TO them But
on the other hand, the miners oppose the
use of machinery in mining. because II
dispenses with the services of some oil
them. who are thus required 10 change
their employment. Now, when it comes
to a question between the interests OF
comparatively few persons on one SIDE
and of many millions on another the
few must yield to the many. Those who
cannot retain employment with the cleo
trical machinery must seek otfer en-
ployment.
In illustration of the constant progress
of labor-saving machinery. we learn that
until late years the tool with Which the
metal fed to special turnins-lathe Is
cut had TO be held in the hands Of
workman. Now. however. it is held by
the machine automatically. Under the
old order Of things. it took one man to
tend one such lathe while one can now
tend six Of them. This. of course, greatly
reduces tho cost OF the product of the
lathe Is all mankind that has need for
the product of the lathe TO continue TO
pay old prices for its project in order
that the same number of men engaged
in tending lathes may always continue
to receive old-time prices for the work?
That is certainly most unreasonable.
We quote. in this connection. the fol-
lowing most interesting article from the
New York journal of Commerce of day
or two back:
The average number OF looms tended
by one operator I'm "a Gotten mill In this
country is six. although eight is not UNI
common. and ten is occasional In Eu-
rope the number varies from one. two.
or three on the Continent. TO four. and
occasionally six. in England. A repre-
sentative OF the American Cotton and
Wool Reporter" has visited a weave-room
where eighty looms were in full opera
ton under the care Of five persons. This
loom is a new device just coming on the
market Its principal feature is that IL
feeds bobbins into the shuttle automat-
ically. This has been a very large part
Of the work of a weaver. The machine
carries a magazine CT fourteen bObbins.
ard fast the shuttle becomes empty
the bobbin is dropped out and a new one
Is dropped In, the shuttle IL threaded by
the machine. and the work goes on with
out interruption. Not only is the work OF
the weaver in keeping the machine sup
piled with Dol bins greatly reduced. bat
the unhealthy act Of sucking the yarn
through the eye of the shuttle is OBJ
Waited The machine stops automatically
when the magazine becomes empty, or
when the shuttle eye is clogged so that
IL won't thread. or when warp thread
breaks. These Icons will run an hour
or two at night after the help has gone
home; they VIII keep at work while tho
mill hands are out at lunch. and indeed.
this has actually been done Four hun
dred OF these looms have been put into
one mill. and as many more arc going
into the same mill. and they are bein,.
introduced into many other mills. Saw
ing half the labor cost In weaving means
saving about one-fourth the whole labor
cost. and the Importance OF this is OBJ
vious without argument. The ingenious
mechanic who invented this machine is
hired by firm OF loom manufacturers.
The device may make other people rich.
but Il will probably not make the Ia
ventor rich. He is said TO have prollnc
mind and 70 be capabls OF ore invention
per diem. when necessary.
II this Improvement In the loom turns
out 10 he ALL that-is claimed for II here.