The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1897-07-25
SIXTY YEARS PROGRESS IN Engineering
G. r. FLEMING REVIEWS THE WONDERS WHICH
HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED DURING
THIS PERIOD

I of the possibilities of the future to say
| that, owing to imperfect combustion of
| fuel In these, nearly 1000, 900 tons of coal
| are wasted every year in that smoke
which. while proclaiming the glory of
manufactures, greatly Injuries health
| What a magnificent idea it would be to
celebate this queens year by saving
this coal and many weak lungs.
| The utilization of this steam power is
almost without limit in its variety and
possibilities. Nature and the human
anatomy have afforded many examples
the universal joint of the armpit, the
| reciprocal action of elbow and knee-but
there is no need to elaborate-every
movement and joint is reproduced in
mechanics. 1t would be impossible even
to indicate the methods; results of them
selves are significant enough. Even
here it must be remembered that we are
only at the beginning OF a new develop
ment, for the "fluidity" of electricity
the ease with which it may be distrib-
uted, suggests higher economy, espe-
cially for portable machines. Thus an
electric drill for boring holes in steel
plates has reduced the cost of a given
amount of work from 10 shillings to three
of six men in given time.
In making steel rails or plates five men
now do the work formerly requiring sew
enteen. The wages of the twelve arc
saved, for the plant soon pays for itself
Nail production has increased twenty
fold. Each worker makes TWO tons Of
steel rivets in a day at about one-fifth
the cost of twenty years ago.
Tol-
pointing OF it is not too insignificant
for mechanical genius. Adam Smith re-
garded the making of 4S,0 600 per day by
ten men a S a triumph, now 800 600 are
made per worker per day-the man
starts the machinery, 1t does the rest
Then there is the pins cousin, the nee
die. Sixteen machines are used to make
a sewing machine needle, but they pro-
duce 100000 per week. The sewing ma
chine itself Is the product of nearly 200
separate machine tools. Again, in the
making of the lock of gun there are 131
different machine operations, and in the
| making of balance wheel Of a watch
weighing only seven grains there are
| eighty separate machines. One of the
machines makes each day 1900 wheels,
having $4,000 teeth; another 1900 screws,
| so fine that 100000 weigh only a pound.
In fact the screw is made in much less
| time than a man would pick up the ma
terial to make it. In each case a man,
| boy or girl is only needed TO act the part
of a policeman to the ma chinery
Art even has been mimicked; the prln-
ter's machinery has helped to improve
placards, and wood carving machines
/ are now largely utilized A model is
| necessary at first; but after that, pre-
sentable medallions, say of Shakespeare,
may be made in oak in an hour and a
| half, while by hand even a mercenary
| artist would take sixty hours. To satisfy
artistic taste, however, the machine
work is usually supplemented by eight or
rine hours retouching; but withal there
is gain, and thus in our ships and the
/ like, one finds in unexpected places clus-
| ter of grapes or flowers, or figure studies
| which please the eye and are yet mex
pensve. This also suggests the great
progress made in wood working plants
A tHenty-foot plank may be beautiful
| ly planned in one and half minutes while
in the long go men would slave for eight
hours and yet not work so accurately to
gauge
OF course all this means that fewer
men are needed With modern machin-
cry a man may do in three hours the
work which occupied his forefathers ten
or twelve. and that too without the same
physical exertion. Competition has ne
cessitated the tools, but the capital in
vested in them has failed to reap the
same reward. Three per cent is oftener
the rate returned than the seven or fif-