New-York tribune., 1900-06-19
MA. IINERY AT PARIS.
AMERICA EXCELs IN QUANTITY AND
QUALITY.
a STRONG FEATURE OF THE ExPOsITIoN-THF
AMERICAN ANNEX AT VINCENNEs.


Paris June IL
The machinery shown at Paris this year is widely
scattered. one large subdivision OF the Champs de
Mars building is nominally devoted to this class
Of exhibits; but the visitor finds machinery
outside than inside its limits. There are steam
engines and dynamos in the department of elec-
tricity. automobiles and railway rolling stock in
that OF transportation machinery for sewing spin
ming and weaving in textile fabrics, papermaking
apparatus in chemical industries. complicated i'm
plenlents n agriculture printing presses in liberal
arts. marine boilers and engines in the collection
OF war paraphernalia, and machines for making
pottery and jewelry. in decorative arts, TO say
nothing Of the power house that operates the cleo
tric railroad and moving sidewalk, and the pump
ing station which draws water from the Seine for
in the Exposition grounds. Finally, there is
big and handsome building for the exclusive use of
American exhibitors out at Vinceanes, six miles
from the main show
Owing to this comparative Isolation and unsatis-
factory facilities for getting 10 the annex fewer
persons VIII examine the American machinery than
will that with which it competes The needs
and special tastes Of those who inspect it, how
ever. count for than mere numbers Most Of
the exhibits Vincennes machine tools for
working metals. which find their chief in
shops where automobiles. railway cars, locomo-
tiYes and bicycles are made. Now, by accident or
design, the great displays of those articles at
Vincennes, within a stones throw Of the American
machinery building. Manufacturers who go there
10 see one will see the other. The exhibitors from
the United States are themselves satisfied with the
situation having recognized the advantage just
mentioned. and also realizing that much moro
space is thus obtained than was possible on the
Champs dc Mars
When Mr. Drake. who has had charge OF the ma
cfinery interests Of the United States here found
how inadequate was the allowance Of space in the
main show he secured The concession for Vim
cennes, raised the necessary money, hastened con
struction with commendable energy, equipped he
building with steam plant and an electric crane
TO assist in placing the heavy machines to be set
Up. and had the whole thing in shape long before
his neighbors were ready. II should be remarked
however thar while the greater part Of the Ameri-
machinery IL shown at Nincennes, Mr.. Drake
parceled out his dimlnutiye space the Champs
de Mars so that every exhibitor might have at
least room enough 10 put uD sign. and if pos
slble, exhibit a little machinery there, too
IN point Of numbers America has imposing
representation in the department of machinery at
Paris As might be expected, France leads in this
respect her exhibitors reaching total Of 154 But
the United States comes close behind. with 1874
while England is said have only thirty-five and
Germany still fewer. Still the last two nations
show good deal of machinery in other depart
men-s. for which reason these figures must not
Dc interpreted TOO strictly.
WHY YANKEE MACHINE TOOLS ARE SU-
PERIOR.
But it IS in efficiency and novelty that the su-
perlority Of American machinery here is most
manifest. There IS a magnificent array of lathes
planers. drilling slotting grinding, bending and
mining machines and other mechanism intended
for special work These differ among themselves in
details and degrees Of excellence in the objects
which they seek 10 accomplish and in the material
and workmanship put into them. Those famous
old houses. Pratt q Whitney, Of Hartford, and
brown d Sharpe. Of Providence. which long stood
al the head Of the mechanical engineering profes-
sion IN America and which have taught other
manufacturers in America and Europe many Yalua-
Die lessons both here in force. But it is inter
esting 70 observe how closely they are approached
py several other makers Of machine tools not
only in New-England, but also in the West in
originality. ingenuity, progressive spirit ambition
70 excel in the quality Of output and other traits
mat mark the leading American producers.
one feature Of many American machine tools
which makes them practically unique is their
adaptation kinds Of work that are re-
quired from time 10 time. The sewing machine in
austry, the production Of agricultural implements
and firearms, the bicycle business and now the
automobile craze only a few IN point
The Yankee makes q machine 70 do what other
nations DO By hand much more laboriously. slowly
and sXpensiVeIy- He devises entirely apparatus
and methods, and finds fresh for old ideas
For intance, for more than twenty-five years
iathes have been made with a hollow headstock.
through which could be fed continuously rod or
par thus making IL possible fashion and detach
one piece after another without interruption. But
most or new applications of the system hava
been mace Of late. Then. again. there's the 'tur-
Fet or lathe. a rotating holder for cutting TOOLS
by means Of which a succession Of operations may
De performed on each bat Of metal worked without
fresh setting Of the tools. The germ Of this idea
dates back half 4 century. perhaps but within the
last few years numerous new uses of the principle
have been developed
mus one may see at Vincennes a machine which
makes five different cuts on a brass blank for a gas
COCK without stopping Another finishes sewing