The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-11-04
OUR GREAT GUN FACTORY.
The Washington Foundry, Where
Heavy Ordnance Is Made.


Heavy Ordnance Is Made.
The Washington gun foundry Is one
of the landmarks Of the national cap
ltal. lnasmuch as 1t Is there that all
the high-powered guns and their
mounts for the equipment of our mod
ern ships of war are manufactured it
is a place of special interest to visitors
i'll these days of wars and rumors of
war. Originally established as navy
yard for the construction and repair Of
warships, it was long since abandoned
as such, and is now devoted almost ex-
ciusiyely to the manufacture Of guns
and ordnaoe materials. The entire gun
plant ana appurtenances have cost
about $1,000, 900 and are believed to be
fully equal to the demand of the times
In supplying the new navy with guns
equal in power and efficiency to those
supplied to the leading navies of for
| eign powers.
The gun shop is filled with the most
| powerful and approved machinery for
turning, boring, rifling, jacketlng and
otherwise finishing the immense rifles
required for modern battleships. as
we'll as the smaller rapid-fire guns,
which form such an important part of
the secondary batteries Of the cruiser
gunboats, and. in fact, all vessels of
war. The largest lathe in the shop,
commonly called the sixteen lathe
was built for turning out gun six
teen inches In diameter of barrel, forty.
eight feet seven inches long, and weigh
ing 10 ions. This size has been found
too large for practical use. however
and the largest guns made for the navy
are Of but thirteen-inch caliber.
The lathe which is used for boring
the interior of these guns is about III
feet long and cost nearly 100000
Smaller lathes are used in the case OF
the smaller guns. Travelling over thes,
lathes, farty feet from the ground, il
an immense crane. capable of raisin!
and carrying from one lathe to anothe
a dead weight of l25 tons. In the cen
ter of this building Is the shrinking pit
in which are located furnaces for heat
ing the jackets and hoops for use Il
shrinking the gun tubes. These fun
: naces are heated to between 600 an
700 degrees, the heating power bein
naphtha oil with an air blast.
A separate building Is devoted to til
manufacture Of gun mounts and cal
riages and Is provided with the lates
, and most approved machinery, as
also the projectile shop nearby, /
which shells are made aud finished
There are many historic relics in til
museum and other buildings at til
yard which the Waterman in charg
will show with an ill-concealed displa
| of pride and patriotism. The two oil,
| fashioned cannon mounted on eth,
! side of the avenue near the entran,
were captured from the Tripolltans |
Capt Stephen Decatur In 1904.
Near the east door of the gunshop
the original Long Tom," used vii
such success by Capt. Samuel c. Re
= on the brig Gen. Armstrong in his ne
!, er to be forgotten engagement with Il
: British fleet at Fayal on Sept. %, 1Sl
This gun was presented to the Unit,
States by the Portuguese Governme
a few years ago, and formed part
:, the naval exhibit at the Worlds Colul
bian Exposition. In the rear of d
commandments office Is gun par
where are displayed trophies captur
during the war of the revolution, t
war of 1912, the Mexican war, and W
- of the rebellion.-New York Comm,
:, cial Advertiser.