Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-24

visit TO the plant of the Edge Moor
branch OF the American Bridge Co., Thurs
day. revealed many Improvements and n
great volume OF business Since the Ameri-
can Bridge Co. has acquired the plant OF
the Edge Moor Bridge Go. the new owners
have started 10 improve the plant by putting
In, first, a new air plant, then new battery
OF radial drill reamers, and are at present
Engaged in installing a modern plate plnner.
This Is simply preliminary step they have
taken towards making this branch one Of
the best equipped OF the American Bridge
Already the establishment Is overcrowded
with work In all departments, being sImply
Hooded with orders, large tonnage OF
which Is for export. including work for the
Cuban Central railway. Costa Rica. japan,
Mexico, and a great deal of other foreign
worK. The company has just erected at
their plant, for photogtaphing, one large
200-foot highway span for Hokkaido Cho,
japan, the contract for which calls for
erection complete for photographing before
shipment. This span Is 20 feet wide, 80 feet
high, with an iron floor.
Several months ago the company in
augurated double turn and Is daily adding
10 the number OF employees. Their payroll
Is nov larger than II ever has teen, having
over 900 men on the roll, with every pros
pect OF increasing this number rapidly.
What has apparently proved quite boon
"
ing hours. on January LIST, from 60 to 81 per
week, with equivalent pay. This Is virtually
an Increase of ii per cent In the wages of
oil their shop employees. These shorter hours
are much Appreciated by the men, and are
so arranged that the employees have a huff
holiday on, Saturday the year round.
On making inquiry as to the principal
officers of the American Bridge Co., one
finds strong organization. Percival
Roberts, j., president. Is recognized as
king OF bridge builders having established
at his Pencoyd plant the finest eoulpped
bridge plant in the country. Vice. Presidents
McCord, Jarvis, ConRer Macdonald, Christie
and Schneider are all exceptionally bril-,
liant. each strong in his particular field.
Under Vice President Jurvis comes the
general management of all the bridge plants
Of the American Bridge Co., as well as all
operations In the field. Andrew M. Nor
rison, manager at Edge Moor, believes his
plant will rapidly improve and e.pacts 10
double the present capacity in the near
future. The location is certainly a fine one,
being on the Delaware River, giving coed
water facilities, and Wilmington close at
hand, from which help Is drawn. "a
IheiI facilities for handling material are
exceptionally good as all the loading and
unloading Is done by a huge traveli
crane, which, by the way, was originally
built for use In Machinery Hall at the
World g Fair, but was afterwards dismantled
and erected at their works. This travelling
crane runs on a runway which Is rs feet
wide and over 800 feet long, with capacity
for lifting 40 tons. Under this crane thou
sands of tons of material is stored as it
comes into the yard for shop requirements.
The main bridge and construction shop Is
~ feet wide by 420 feet long. making nearly
100000 square feet of space 10 this building
alone. This shop Is well equipped with
heavy tools for doing all kinds Of bridge
and structural work. Most of the riyetinR,
as well as handling In this shop, is done by
hydraulic power which power Is also used for
the heavy forging In their main hydraulic
shop
One needs only to visit this plant to be
impressed with Its magnitude and the
volums of business they are handling. Their,
shops are reached by the Pennsylvania rail.
road, as well as connection with the Will
mington a. Northern, which gives good
shipping facilities.