The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24
GREAT GUN MACHINERY
Wonderful Work Performed at TIE
Washington Navy Yard.
Ordnance of Heavy Cnlibre Manufnc-
tured in Shops Equipped as Well
If Not Better Than Any Other Place
in the Univcrse-The Forces En-
Ploycd aud the Duties Performed.

, American machinery is undoubtedly the
best in the world, and the best American
machinery can be seen at the great CUR
factory in the Navy Yard. Huge cranes
capable Of lifting hundred tons and over
moving along tracks nearly as many feet
above the visitors heads as their OWE
height rows of immense lathes lining the
floor area of the shop, with yet unfinished
engines of destruction as their vis-a-vis;
continual din of Changing metal, steel
arms which rise open-handed from come
where and. laying hold of an active piece
of mechanism, close over 1t and stop its
motion. exhibit remarkable picture of
how far human ingenuity can transcend
the limitations of human muscles. and
withai Import something very near intel
ligence to huge monsters of steel and iron.
The factory consists of the north and
south gun shops, and the breech mech
| anls:l Shop and are all located in one
building. forming consecutively the long
est shop in the world. its total length be-
| ing 9S7 feet. Although situated under one
roof, they are distinct in their operations
! and class Of manufactures.
The heaviest calibre ordnance, embrac
| guns is manufactured in the north gun
shop. The lathes used in this shop are
the largest in the world and the process
used in turning the great guns is said to
| be the quickest, as we'll as the most ac-
| curate in the world.
| Guns OF as large a calfbre as 16-inch
| can be manufactured here although such
heavy ordnance Is seldom called for. At
present 13-inch guns principally are being
l frr ~ 0V.f
long Is part OF the equipment OF this shop.
There Is also shrinking pit for heating
hoops and Jackets used In the manufacture
OF the great guns. The mammoth no. ton
crane. the largest In existence, travels by
| steam along the top OF the shop, lifting
and dropping great ton weights az though
they were straws. A cab. like that Of a
locomotive. in this crane. enables its driver
to manipulate the huge machine with as
delicate precision as fine Instrument. A
gallery traversing either side OF the shop
Is fitted with small machine tools. consist
Ing OF lathes, shapers. boring mills milling
machines. drill presses, etc, which are
used in the manufacture of finch and 81
inch breech mechanism. There are en-
pioyed in the north guHshop fourteen
skilled and ten unskilled workmen.
The south gunshop manufactures finch.
5-inch 6-inch. and S-inch guns, and hoops
fitted out with lathes. rifling machines,
and numerous small machine tools 1t has
two overhead electric cranes of 40 and Is
tons capacity, which run the length of
the three shops. There are in this shop
ffty-ive skilled and forty-eight unskiled
employees.
The breech mechanism shop manufac-
lures breech machalisms of all sizes, 4
inch. 5-inch. 6-inch. S-inch 10-irch, r.
inch. and 13-inch; also sights for all siz5s
of guns. 1t is equipped with lathes. boring
mills. shapers, drill presses. milling ma
chimes. planners. and number Of miscel
laneous machine tools. which are nee5ed
in the manufacture Of this class of work.
The north and south shops are under
the direct supervision of Joseph Lawrence |
master machinist: Charles Robinson. mas
ter machinist: Thomas Hayes. quarter:na n,
and c. e Byrnes. George Cunningham. and |
John Rinehart. l.. N.
The breech mechanism shop is under the |
supervision of w ]. Hough, master ma
chinist, and A. a. Gossuch. John VAN !
horn. T. B. Lear, J. N. Padgett, and jos
eph Webb. L. M
There are employed in the latter 1s6 |
skilled and forty-three unskilled workmen.
The Gun-Cnrrfnge Building.
The east gun carriage. west gun car
rage and erecting shops are situated in a
quadrangular building. occupying an entire
shops and the south gun shop employ two
shifts of men. and are in operation day
and night, owing to the immense drain
upon their resources occasionei By the
rapid increase Of navy and the necessity
of completing the armament Of vessels as
fast as built.
The east gun carriage shop is equipped
with two overhead electric cranes, boring
mills horizontal and verticaD. planners,
slotters, lathes. and shapeTs. Of size and
capacity best adapted to the class of work
performed in this shop. The large detail
parts of finch, 6-incb, S-inch, 10-inch, r.
inch, and l3-inch gun mounts are finished
in this shop under the supervision OF
Charles 81. Smithson. master machirist,
and George NJ. Guffy. quarterman; NJ.
Crowther. Byron Christman, and a. Brum-
NIT, l.. NJ. There are employed here 157
skilled and eighty unskilled wo:kmen.
The west gun carriage shop is furnished
with one lotion and one 25-ton electric
cranes. together with the necessary ma
chine tools. One portion Of the shop Is
devoted to the detail work of large gun
mounts. while in the portion traversed by
its length. the small detail parts are COM
pleted. Miscellaneous work in large guam
titles, repair work. etc, are also done in
this shop. 1t is under the direct superyis-
ion of s. B. Bates. master mechanic: a.
B. Suit, quarterman, and John ingalls,,
and Frank Bassett. landsmen. There are in
the shop 223 skilled and thirty-four un- =,
skilled employees.
The erecting shop occupies the northern |
end of the quadrangle on beth the main |
floor and gallery. On the lower floor are
the slotters, drill presses. riling machines.
AR compFessors' hydraulic pumps. and
l.
located among other machine tools. the
enormous lathes. The class of work done
in this shop embraces principally the cree
lion and testing of S-inch 10-inch. T.
nch and 13-inch mounts. This shop is un-
Ter the direction of George w. Dunn, quar-
erman. There are fifty-two skilled and !
fifteen unskiiled employees.
Secondary Battcry-Mnking
The secondary mount shop has just re-
emily been completed. and was DESIGNED
or the manufacture Of the class of work ! {
indicated by its name. Its machinery is
'perated entirely by four electric motors.
ggregating seventy horsepower. Its
equipment 0: machinery is Of the latest ;
lesgn and it is. perhaps. the most inn
proved plant of its kind in the world The
mounts of machine guns and secondary
arteries arc here manufactured, including :
FOUNDER and G-pounder mounts of Max
IN and other designs; torpedo tubes. To-
either with the manufacture OF the MANY !
mailer detail parts: shields. and miscel- l
aneous work of all kinds. 1t has also l
ufIing room operated by electric mo-
or.
This Shop is under the direction OF Hon
y Wilson. NJ NJ. and W. W Chase. l., NJ
here are ninety skilled and forty -one I'm
killed employees.
a-a in addition n fba |