The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-26
THE GREAT ATLAS WORKS
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL ALMOST
DOUBLE PRESENT CAPACITY.
With Completiop OF New Buildings
ployed-FOr WorkmeE's Comfort.

tween honeyed words OF affection. has lorg
been a favorite theme of poets and roman
GERS of all nations and climes. To no poet
or romancer, however but 10 the mind OF
practical business man occurred the idea
that behind lattices of natural green might
be conducted a great industry the busy
hum of whose wheels could mingle as har-
moniously with the cooling of doves as
sentiments of affection musically intoned.
The realization of this idea is found in the
great plant of the Atlas engine works at
Nineteenth street and Martindale avenue.
This interesting industry. with its pic
turesque environments has apparently be-
come so familiar to inhabitants of the
neighborhood that they do not notice its in
congruity with all the cherished traditions
of poesy and romance. The making of en-
gines and Dcnderous machinery OF ell kinds
within buildings whose walls are festooned
thickly with clambering vines is doubtless
something that would give a rude shock TO
a poets heart. but one who sees the happy
faces of the work-people glancing through
the veil of greenery that protects them
from the torrid heat outside cannot help
thinking the idea happy one and one that
should be widely adopted. The doves" to
be found at the Atlas works are really
pigeons and they have evidently become
entirely accustomed TO their noisy sur
rounding5 for some Of them have built
nests and set up housekeeping right in the
very tower in which hangs the factory
bell
When one of the officials of the company
was asked to discuss the origin OF the idea
of covering the bare walls OF the factory
buildings with trailing vines he very mod
estly replied, Oh, we just thought it would
make the buildings a little cooler TO have
the vines over the brick walls.
ALMOST DOUBLE CAPACITY.
Interesting and picturesque as is this
feature of the remarkable industry owned
and directed by Mr.. Hugh II. Hanna, there
are other things equally as absorbing and
appealing with greater force TO men whose
thoughts are chiefly of prosaic business.
For instance, it is known to very few resi-
dents even of indianapolis that this city is
soon to have what is practically new in
dustrial enterprise a result OF certain
extensive improvements and additions to
the Atlas engine works. which are about
completed The older buildings were al
most numerous and large enough to fill the
twenty acres Of land belonging TO the COM
pany. yet the work of new construction
that has been going on this year has been
so extensive as to leave small space that
is not occupied by merchandise or railroad
tracks
The Atlas engine works has long been one
of the largest plants in the United States
devoted TO the exclusive manufacture OF
engines and boilers. At present LOO men
are provided with employment in its var
ious departments. When the new buildings
are finished and the machinery has been in
stalled the working force will be increased
to 800 A better idea of the meaning of
this large number of workmen can be
gained by adopting the method Of calcula-
ton used by compilers of city directories.
This method presupposes that for each able
bodied man in a city there are four and
one-half or five persons dependent upon
him directly or Indirectly. Taking the
former figures as the basis of calculation.
and using them as a multiplier Tor lSOO 1t
will be seen that the increased working
force of the Atlas plant will be equivalent
to a town of s,1oo inhabitants.
A GREAT BOILER SHOP.
A new boiler shop. with one wing running
from the northeast corner Of the grounds
a distance of 500 feet TO the south, and an
other wing 400 feet long in westward
direction is the largest of the buildings
that have been added to the original plant.
Each of these wings is seventy feet wide,
and in the a. formed by their junction
has been erected separate power house,
with a complete complement of dynamos.
engines boilers and air compressers. This
building has been of necessity made mass
i've, because in il is TO be placed machin-
cry of the heaviest kind. The work of six
large cranes travelling the full length OF
the building will be aided by an equal
number of cranes running in cross direc-
ton. These carriers" will be set in mo-
ton by compressed air. Two spacing,
punching and ShearinS tables, each able
to accommodate twelve boilers of Us horse
power per day. will be a part of the equip
ment of this shop. Each of the tables
will be operated by a separate engine. Ac-
companying these tables and operating in
connection with them will be six hydraulic
riveting machines, each capable of rivet-
ing four boilers day. The idea is TO
turn out every day twenty-four complete
boilers of 125 horse power each Boiler
making in these modern times Is done BIZ
the aid Of unusually massive machinery.
and the equipment Of the extended Altar
plant will be found, il is said, the most
complete and practical TO be obtained at
the present time.
Another of the new buildings is a foun-
dry, in which nothing but boiler castings
will be made. The dimensions of this
structure 600 by 20 feet, and it provides
an Enclosure for eight big pneumatic mold
ing machines, furnished by the indianapolis
Pneumatic Company. The new foundry is
equipped with two cupolas, with a capacity
of 10000 pounds each. Coal and coke are
conveyed 10 the floor of the cupolas by an
elevated railroad.
The construction of the buildings already
enumerated made necessary the erection
of a forge shop, fitted with furnaces, cranes
and massive machinery. This structure
is 20S feet long and 30 feet in width. The
transfer OF the boiler making from the old
shop to the new has made possible the en-
largement of the machine shops, thus equal
izing the increase in other departments.
Since the Atlas works will be able to
turn out twice much finished product
with its vastly augmented facilities Ii has
been found necessary to add new ware
houses packing rooms and loading sheds
in order to furnish means for shipping the
engines and boilers fast they are
manufactured
FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
The Atlas engine works has never adj
vertised TO the world that ii has conducted
a department of philanthropy for the pur-
pose of looking to the comfort and con-
venience OF its men, nevertheless it has
long been known as a desirable place for
men whose lives are devoted TO toll. The
men who have carried this great enter
prise believed that beautiful surroundings
promote the performance of good work.
Acting on this principle, they have given as
much care and attention TO the splendid
lawn, the woodbine that Grapes the walls
OF the factory buildings and the shrubbery
that dots the grounds they have to the
most dencate piece OF machinery anywhere
in the vast plant. The Atlas lawn rivals
In charm the hands0mest private lawn in
Indianapolis. In remodeling and charging
his immense factory, Mr. Hanna has taken
further heed TO the comfort OF the men he
employs, and one of the most prominent of
the new buildings will be the large struc-
ture intended solely for recreation. A
commodlous and pleasant dining hall
equipped with tables and chairs. viii oc-
Cuss amid friendly converse ton the lun-
cheOn they have brought with them from