The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-30

on real rails by real electricity. But here
are half dozen and one bright school
boys, none Of them beips over u years
Of age. who own a practical dynamo and
a real steam engine and boiler.
Think OF it, boys! A six horse power
boiler which furnishes steam for com
pound vertical engine which in turn runs
a forty light dynamo Isn't that 1ttiR :?
The owner OF this complete plant 10
Edward Field Goltra of No. Sss2 Delmar
boulevard, St. Louis. He is the son and
only child of Edward Field GoItra, vice
president and general manager Of the
American Steel Foundry Company and
the business partner of Mayor RoIla
Wells of ST. Louis. Mr.. Goltra Is himself
a practical electrician, capable of taking
the place of any one of his thirty five
hundred employees and filling 1t satisfac-
torily He is also a crack amateur ath-
lete, and ii was to foster his sons inter-
est in gymnastics that he got the eiec-
trio plant.
Mr.. Goltra was watching his SON per-
form on a horizontal bar which he had
just had erected in the back yard The
boy was new at the game and 1t was all
the little fellow could do to get his chin
over the pole. AS the father watched his
boy thought struck him.
MY son." he said, you have always
begged me for an electric plant. Now.
when you learn to chin yourself six
times without touching the ground with
your feet will buy the plant"
In one months time Field began to
poke his head above the bar not only six
times, but seven and eight. Then he an
nounced that he was able to do the trick,
and invited his father into the back yard
to act as referee. Mr.. Goftra gravely.
took a seat on the kitchen stoop and babe
Field go ahead. Field started, and be-
fore he had stopped had chinned the pole
nine times
"You have not only won the electric
machine and engine" said his father.
but you have done more than / asked
you to do. and for that will give you a
fine box OF tools and everything else that
is necessary"
The next day a load of bricks was
dumped into the alley back of the house
and workmen began the erection of the
machine shop. In short time 1t was I'm
ished, and then the brand new machinery.
boiler, engine and dynamo. were installed
and connected. Then the plaEt, equipped
as well as the great concern of which
MIR. Goltra is manager was turned over
to the lad with the advice to get num-
Der of his playmates together and form
a company. This was done, and the COM
pauy is now as follows: Edward Field
Goltra, president and general manager;
Bob McCalpin, chief engineer; Louis In
man. assistant engineer Charley Inman.
fireman; John Taussig. carpenter, and
George MeCalpin, tool keeper.
Being organized. the next thing to do
was to go after business. The members
Of the company said that as long as Field
was general manager it was his business
to get business. Accordingly he APP
preached his father with a proposition
to light the Goltra home. The house was
already wired and used the haruessed
lighting of several million dollar COM
pany, but this enormous opposition didn't
hinder Field one bit In his venture, and,
as tho boy had quite a pull" with his
father, he got the contract, and now the
house is lighted exclusively with the
American Electric Power Companys
brand of Juice. OF course, Mr.. Goltra,
being a business man. did not desire to
antaeonize the powerful rival OF the new
concern, and hence he has not discon-
nected their wires; but he doesn't use
their power, and that Is most gratifying
to the new company
The engine room is a model OF cleanli-
ness. Every tool is in Its place on the
walls or in the tool box; every bit OF
waste used in keeping the machinery
bright IS carefully packed away In box
especially for that purpose, and the whole
concern looks as spick and span as the
engine room OF a gentleman's yacht Once
the carpenter heard a steam fire engine
plowing down the street and dropped a
saw where he was using II to see the fire.
When he came back the general manager
Informed him that as a fine for his care
lessness he would be kept out OF the en-
CINE room for a day. Needless to say,
there has been no more carelessness
The theoretical. as well as the practical
side of electrical engineering is being
looked into by these young experimenters
and well stocked library stands in one
corner of the shop Whenever a question
arises with regard 10 wiring, repairing
the dynamo or engine no guess work is
INDUCED in, but the books are consulted
and the work is executed along approved
lines Everything is done in practical
manner.
The installation of this company has
caused talk of others being formed, and
II was for this reason that the plant In
the Goltra yard is called No. /, for II ia
the intention OF these boys to form a
trust for the lighting of st. Louis FASH
ionabIe West End.
w. III. Durham.