New-York tribune., 1897-01-30
UACHINERY MANUFACTURERS.

rh, hoe been aptlv termed the age OF ma
.,,,or, Sinavs ~ stc,l are employed to accom-
nljsh feats which Nould defy the coinpiiieo
efforts of a multitude of men, ana metainc hh-
gers are made to perform the most ueHca'e
tasks such as the exactness OF human htSeIS
,s NOT eoual TO- Beyond all that machinery is
r,ode IN do many things impossible to the un-
aided hands 1t is made 20 plane surfaces OF the
hardest steel as easily as a carpenter WIFI d
hand plane smooths the surface OF spruce
nlank: TO bore through HarveyiZed armor pia'e'
10 hand and shane according to requirements
hinge masses of metal that unassisted human
strength is utterly inadequate even to HI Ana
,bere not only power but nicely OF detail Is also
reouired machinery is called into play to con-
wort stubborn materials into elaborate orna-
mentation and exquisite scrollwork In snort
machinery embodies to an indefinite extent the
control Of mind over matter. Machinery manu-
facture has developed into two broadly as
tinguished yet Independent branches-metal-
working and wood working machinery. Whlle
carried on independently as a rule, each hranch
ministers to the other. for scarcely any ma
chine shop or extensive manufacturing plant
can be made complete without levying contri-
buttons on both.
The manufa cture Of machinery on large
scale was begun IN this country about half a
century ago by William Sellers and Bement
& Dougherty. Of Philadelphia. The ideas en-
p,oyed were derived from England, principally
from Whtworth, who, about the time OF the
Civil War In this country, became celebrated
as a maker of heavy guns But American me-
charioal genius has materially improved on the
irnpOrted ideas, and while manufactures nave
multiplied and sprung up in widely distant parts
Of the country. American machinery. both metal
kinlr &c QGkn
day to be the finest and most effective in the
world Especially is this true Of Woodworking
machinery in which adaptation Of means 10
ends is not equalled anywhere else. Not even
the great machine shops Of Birmingham En-
gland can compete in the open market with
American establishments. Many of these are
capable Of turning out at comparatively short
notice complete equipments for extensive ma
chine shops. RAILROAD shops, rolling mills, ship
Yards and manufacturing plants of almost any
deecriI ton. AS natural result or the lecOg-
njzed superior quality of American machinery
there has grown UP large export demand. ana
this owing to the revival OF trade in Europe, is
exceptionally brisk at the present time Many
English mills are ovcrcrowded with orders. and.
as a rule. the surplus has been turned over to
the mills of this country. Ordinarily the export
demand amounts to about one-fourth Of the
total sales but just now it is In excess or that
ratio because of the exceptional conditions just
referred TO- In both metal and WOOD working
lines eleven leading concerns are represented
in Greater New-York. Specifically, there are
six OF the former and five Of the latter; one
of the largest metal working concerns has its
factory in this city and of the largest
wood working establishments Is situated In
BROOKLYN These concerns have an aggre-
gate capital Of about S6.O00O0O. and their an
nual sales rAlch in fairly good year. fully
81 600 900 Trade however. has been dull for
the last three years and prices have dropped
10 the lowest point ever known in the history Of
the business better feeling however. has been
produced by the result OF the election, and
many manufacturers are looking forward 10 a
substantial revival Of trade during the current