The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-06
THE BALDWINS.


W. f. 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 corporations, bonded
mortgages and other modern forms of
industrial organization, and still re-
mains what is was whom it was first
started-an fashioned firm with
four partners. They have never been
tempted to water stock, and 1t has
never been necessary for them to is
sue bonds, although they employ 1850
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. Dur
ign the last year their locomotives
went to seventeen different foreign
countries and were sold to twelve diff
fcrent national governments-in Eu-
rope. Asia, Africa, Australasia and in
the West India islands.
The Baldwins have a peculiar way of
managing their great factory and SELL
ing their products. Every one of the
1000 mechanics and machinsts in their
employ is engaged in piece work and
their bookkeepers, clerks, foremen and
other employees of that class receive
monthly wages. Nor will the company
bid for contracts. They sell their loco
motives for what they actually cost,
plus a five percentage to cover inter
est on the investment, insurance and
other expenses that cannot be item
lied, together with a reasonable ~S,ro-
by the same men, and of the same ma
terial may differ in cost, and the pur-
chaser will have to pay accordingly.
AS rule, locomotives of similar weight
and pattern can be "osJructed for ap-
proximately the same amount of
money but sometimes accidents and
delays occur which increase the .ex-
pense. 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
thousands that have le"t their shop.
Locomotives are staple goods, just rs
much as sugar or sheetngs. Railways
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, but rolling stock
2
motives are growing bigger and heavier
and simpler every year. None but a
"jay" railway company nowadays OIL
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 90, 100 and 120
tons, according as they are required for
low or high grades, light or heavy
trains. slow or fast running, but as a
rule the modern engines, with all their
! increased weight and improvements, do
not cost much more than the old fash
! iOned light ones, because the improved
! machinery and methods have enabled
| the machnists to do more work and
| better work in the same time. The in
| PRODUCTION of electricity has re luced
| the cost of manufacture more than all
! the rest of the causes combined. The
! invention of electric lathes ami other
| tools has revolutionized some of the
| departments of the shops, ami two
electric cranes in the erecting shop at
| Baldwins' are now doing the work that
! formerly 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 meth
! ods and machinery.