The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-04
BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS.


W. E. Curtis. in Chicago Record.
The Baldwin locomotive concern, which
is one OF the largest and most important
manufacturing institutions in the world,
has resisted the craze for trusts, stock cor
porations, bonded mortgages and other
modern forms of industrial organization,
and still remains what il was when it was
first started-an old-fashioned firm with
four partners. They have never been
tempted TO water stock, and il has never
been necessary for them to Issue bonds,
although they employ $3.50 men in The very
heart of Philadelphia. not more than five
minutes walk from the City Hall, and are
turning out an average of ten locomotives
a day. During the last year their locomo-
tives went TO seventeen different foreign
countries, and were sold to twelve different
national governments-in Europe, Asia,
Africa, Australia and in North and South
America and the West India islands.
The Baldwins have a peculiar way of
managing their great factory and selling
their products Every one of the 1000 me-
chanics and machinists in their employ is
engaged in piece work and is paid for what
he produces. Only their bookkeepers,
clerks, foremen and other employees of that
class receive monthly wages. Nor will the
company bid for contracts. They sell their
locomotives for what they actually cost,
plus a fixed percentage to cover interest on
the investment, insurance and other ex-
penses that cannot be itemiZed, together
with a reasonable profit. Two engines made
exactly alike, by the same men, and of the
same material may differ in cost, and the
purchaser will have TO pay accordingly.
As a rule locomotives of similar weight
and pattern can be constructed for approx
imately the same amount of money, but
sometimes accidents and delays occur
which increase the expense. An account is
opened on the books with every locomotive
as soon as it is begun, and the firm have a
record of the cost of each one of the thou
sands that have left their shop.
Locomotives are staple goods, 'Ist as
much as sugar or sheetings. Railwass must
have them. They can use their old ones
just as men can wear their old clothes and
can economize in the consumption of sugar,
out rolling stock must be renewed sooner
or later. Locomotives are growing bigger
and heavier and simpler every year. None
but a Jay railway company nowadays or
ders forty or fifty ton engines, such as were
in common use on the great trunk lines
twelve and fifteen years ago. The standard
sizes now are 30, 100 and 100 tons, according
as they are required for low or high grades,
but as a rule the modern engines. with all
their increased weight and improvements,
do not cost much more than the old-fash-
toned light ones, because the improved ma
ohinery and methods have enabled the ma
chinists to do more work and better work
in the same time. The introduction Of
electricity has reduced the cost of manu-
facture more than all the rest of the causes
combined. The invention of electric lathes
the departments of the shops. and two
electric cranes i'm the erecting shop at Bald
wins are now doing the work that former
~ required 800 men. But no one has been
thrown out of employment. The pay roll
grows longer every year. and the men do
better work and get bigger pay because of
the new methods and machinery.