The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-12-03
sIEG & WALPoLE FACTORY.
What our Man Saw in a Short Trip
Through the Shop.

/ On0 Oh the mOSG UOuflSQl1g factories
of which Kenosha is so Justly proud, is
the Sieg & Walpole bicycle factory
The NEWS man called there last
Wednesday, and the first thing that
met his gaze was pile of turkeys,
which the company was distributing to
the men for Thanksgiving.
We enquired for Supt. Week. Il
took some time to locate him, as the
factory covers over $4,000 square feet
of floor surface, and Mr.. Week is some
times in one department. and some
times in another. He was finally COR
rallied in his office, however, and con-
sented to show us through the plant in
person, explaining the different opera
tions as we passed along. We took
that good, old advice and began at
the bottom and worked up" first see
ing the bar steel as it comes to the shop
in the rough and is finally transformed
into cups, cones and hubs. All cups
and cones are made of the best tool
steel obtainable. We had everything ex-
| planned tous sail about the cold drawn
Shelby steel tubing and drop forging,
and about a hundred other things
too many things for an outsider to
remember, much less write about; but
| to show the immense amount of work
and waste of material in getting up a
first class bicycle, we will take the
crank hanger or bracket for example.
1t is made from piece Of steel, drop
| forged, weighing in the rough three
pounds. It is bored out, and
turned, passing through ten or
twelve different hands until it comes
out finished, weighing only six ounces.
This is a fair example of how all the
different parts of their wheel are
worked down to perfect piece. Every
piece and part is tested when finished,
and if perfect is sent to the finished
stock room anc every piece is checked
up and accounted for through each
department from the time it comes
into the shop in the rough until it is
turned into the finished stock room,
from which the different parts are
taken to the assembly room and put
together into wheel ready to ship.
City gas is used for fuel in the braz-
ing department. In tempering they
are very particular, using oil and spe-
cial furnaces built by themselves.
All the bright parts of the machine
are first put in perfect condition for
plating, then appropriated and buffed,
then nickel plated on top of that and
buffed,. making a finish that will not
tarnish. All parts not nickeled are
given three coats of japan, secured
rubbed and baked, after each coat,
making a perfect finish which does
not chip:4g
TO run this immense plant there is a
150 horse power engine with battery
of four large boilers. They have an
electric plant of their own, an arc light
system. The buildings are also lighted
by the city company with 25O incan
descent lamps. There is also power
air pump for testing tires, which has a
connection at the door Of the shop for
convenience of those who ride wheels to
blow up their tires.
In making things convenient about
the shop the company has not forgot
ten to provide against the enemy of all
plants, fire. There is a city hydrant
within LOO feet of the Office and water
main running through the building.
Each room has seventy five feet of two
inch hose except the japanning room
which has $50 feet. While there is an
Iron door between each of the rooms
and buckets in each room.
The firm has already sold and con-
traeted for over 10000 wheels for 1897
and has begun to ship this week. 1t is
possible the company will reach the
10000 mark before the 1897 season
closes. TO do this it will require the
help of very nearly 400 men, or quite a
number of men more than last year.
Last year they paid to the men in
wages outside the Office $4,000, and
the pay roll will be much larger this
year, all of which is brought from
out of town.
Just think of the amount ofgood that
will do the city of Kenosha, especially
the merchants and laboring men.
These bicycle factories coming to Ke-
nosha have had a. tendency to raise the
wages all over the city. There are
several, men, friends OF ours, who have
worked for the last ten years for from
So to $12 per week, are now earning
from $12 to $18 every week at the bicy-
Gle factories. 1t is hoped that the city
will have the good luck to add more
| factories which will be as successful as
the bicycle factories, before the year
| 1897 closes.
HoW's Thisl
We offer One Hundred Dollars Re-
ward for any case of Catarrh that can