The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-26
THE ERA OF BIG THINGS.
In These Times size Il an Importan
Factor I'm Achieving saccess.

The multitud!nous chsages Of far
reaching Importance which are now o.
earring In the industrial and commercial
worlds demonstrates that we are entering
on an era of "big things" Whether we
look at the merchant. the manufacturer,
or the discoverer OF new processes and
new Inventions. we perceive that success
comes to the man Of large ideas. Indeed,
some Of the most remarkable achieve
ments Of rcsent times have been due en-
tirely to enlarged methods OF transacting
business
In the lsst week Of October, for sx-
ample, there were recorded the largest
orders for steel rails, locomotives, and
cars ever known In similar period.
One million and half tons Of steel rails,
90, 1O0 care, and 500 locomotives were &C.
tually ordered within six days. In the
same week there was published descrip-
ton of the most powerful locomotive
eveS constructed, built by the Brooks To-
connective works, for the Illinois Central
Rsilroad company. The tstal weight OF
this en- zine. without the tender, Is 22, 800
pounds, ard the weight Of the engine aud
tender, loaded, Is $500 pounds. The
locomotive Is designed to haul trains oar
ryirg 1900 tonA
A few weeks ago the largest steamship
in the W ,rli arrived In New York after a
success full ma iden voyage. and 1t 10 now
stated that the Great Northern railway
has already contracted In England fer
two steel steamships which will BIO six
teen feet longer than the new 90 anio OF
the White STIR line. 1t Is furts.rmors
reported that these two srJ hut the fers-
r lnn. r. If q Ia rye feet Of equally giean-
clio steel STEAMSHIPS fer the lrahs-faoino
trade between Seattle md Jaran.
When the BALD win locomotive works
Installed two giant elte RIO travelling
,r.res, having u lift'ng capacity OF 100
tons eaoh, In the rletiug shops q few
ysrri ago, these lab, saving appliances
WI r. the cause of much wondering DOM.
usDt among enaine' rs and otha I'd; but
mtr5 reosntly the u rlegie steel CON-
papy caused to be buils for It's Homestead
d ant an electric travelling crane hav-
ina a lifting capatity of 100 tons, and it
10 said that no nsCrs difficulty 10 expert
enced in the OPP i5ion Of this monsir5us
mechanism than IN the case Of the small
CT trines. The Railway Weird mentions
casually In its notes Of the week the fol-
lowing.
THAT was q rsmf rg bile demonstration
of what q mogul oan do, which occOrr5d
on the New York Central the Other day,
when engine NO. 94s. one OF tho rsw
mcguls, hauled out rain No. IL. the
South westeI Ltmited, made up OF two
nail osrl five passenger coaches, and
nine Wagner re-, sixteen In all. The
total weight of the train was i,s32, 0c0
pounds, or ol6 tons. and the length Of
the rain, including the engine, was !, si2
fset, or merry IA qua TT r OF mile. This
engine. IL IL said, made the RAINING
time of tho train between New YORK
and ALBANY, 143 miles, In hours and Is
minutes
Whether we consider the actual accom-
plishments OF the present day CT thote
undi contemplation for the near tuturs,
We cannot fail to be i,nI rsssed by the fact
that "bignsss" is the KEYNOTE OF evry
impc rant undertaking. Indeed, many
OF the great trade combinations which
have been fer ned withia the past year
or so are merely necessary preliminArles
toward the reorganization OF manuiac-
turing industries In accordance with the
enlarged methods of conducting business
which are demanded In these times OF In
dustrial expansion. There Is q wide diff
ference between the utilization OF modern
methods for ecoDoniziug the mighty
foross brought into play, whether of ma
ture or of human effort, fer the purpose
of enIaraing production, and the forma-
ton of illegal combinations Of powerful
interests for the purpose of enhancing
prices. The one is the natural evolution
Of the science OF Industrial economies;
the other Is simply a species Of Wholesale
robbery. fer tbs punishment of which
both Federal and state laws have been en-
acted.
The special genius for organization Is
coming to be regarded as an American
trait, TO which much of the success OF
modern industry Is indebted. Instances
could be named where the simple touch
of this genius Of organization has con-
vartsd unprotitabls. because disjointed or
disupited, efforts into highly successful
achievements, without resort TO the ne
farions methods of the promoters Of co.
allied trusts. Large ideals may not al
ways be capable of full and compiets
realization, but the practical man soon
learns to sagregate or separate the attain
sble from the unattainAble, and it Is this
power to seize that which IL valuable
and appropriate 1t to his needs which dis
tin yuishes the man of affairs from the
dreamer or the dilsttante. -Philadelphie