The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-12-19
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ECONOMY IN THE SHOP.
Even if a Profit Can be Figured Out, it is
= ! Not So Clear Where Pro- I
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: = ! Not So Clear Where Pro- I
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One hears good deal nowadays about
how money is saved in different manu-
featuring processes by improved machine
cry and methods. That such savings
are altogether real need not be doubted;
but they suggest several very practical
questions which probably in many eases
are not thought of and remain unan-
swered. What, for example, becomes of
those savings? Where are they when
the year is up? What has one got to
show for them? Apropos of this, w.
from the Oil Country" contributes to
the American Machinist every week a
letter full OF interest and good sense, in a
recent issue Of that journal told little
story which is we'll worth repeating. It
appears that firm, situated in the heart
OF a busy city, wars crowded for room,
and had done quite little experimenting
+ in efforts to improve on their power
plant. For years they had used steam,
and the engine and boiler were located
underneath the shop, which was a COM
bination of machine shop, blacksmith
shop and wood working shop. AS things
became more crowded the cellar became
a place difficult to get to. 1t was hard
to get coal down and Just as hard. or
harder, to get ashes out. Besides that,
it was a dark, poorly ventilated place to
ask man to stay in. and it was hard
work to climb up a little winding stair
way between frings to get fresh air.
AS a means to save room, expense and
trouble an electric motor was tried. This
did not prove altogether what was de-
sired, and finally gas engine was put
in. This, after they had become little
acquainted with it, seemed to fill the long
felt want in fine shape. AS the gas
engine was not then nearly so common
used to be at some pains TO explain its
workings and virtues to visitors. On
one occasion he had been entertaining q
missionary society that was connected
with the church he attended. After din
ner the party was taken through the
shops. Coming to the gas engine, their
host explained its workings at some
length, winding up with the statement:
Using it instead Of steam saves us
$500 year."
"!And what do you do with it," asked
a bright young lady of the party.
I'VE run the shop with it. 1t furnishes
the power for everything upstairs. The
wind in the blacksmith shop is made by
it. Everything you saw turning around
in the works is turned By it. You see we
save room. We save in attendance and
fuel in and the dirt out. 1t is great
thing for us in our business. You can
see that for it saves us $1,000 a year"
And he bowed cheerfully to his fair Ques-
toner.
''Now that is very nice.' she replied.
II am glad to hear it. And what do you
do with it?'
Thinking he had not made his meaning
clear to one not likely to be at all ia
miliar with shops and shop ways, the
shop owner very patiently went over the
ground again, telling how it was neces-
sary to have some means of getting mo-
ton, telling Of their use Of the various
advantages of each, and, after having
done his best, he wound up with the
strong point of the saving caused by his
last method.
That is very interesting, very inter-
esting indeed; and what do you do with
it!'' asked the young lady once more.
With strong effort to think OF way
to put the matter in a simpler form, he
began again: "You know, it is neces-
sary for us to have something to run our
shop to make the wheels 90 round-''
Yes, yes, l see all that: but what do
you do with the $1,000 you save every
year" And the young lady looked
AROUND III au lntlulrlnS way as though
expecting tC see it slowed away some
where. Mr.. Osborne says that lie is not
sure how the owner of the shop ex-
plaired that part to her, but when he
told it to him, they had good laugh to-
gethcr.
1T seemed very real. that $1,000. the
way she spoke of it, said he; ''but. real
ly, while can figure that we have had
that much less to pay for fuel, wages,
etc. still it seems just as hard to be
ready for pay day and to find money
to pay the bills as ever it did. Perhaps
YOU have had experience enough to be
able to tell me how to get my hands OIL
it,
Mr.. Osbornc's experience had not been
varied enough to he of much use. With
ALI his efforts in the way of shop ccono-
mics. he had never lain awake at night
thinking how to best take care of the
money that they saved.
II told him concluded Mr. Osborne,
II would willingly pay the freight on
any surplus he might be troubled in find
ing room for, and l am willing to hold
that offer open against all corners. II
anyone with experience in changing such
things from figures to facts with reason
able certainty will kindly send me the
rule. will do my best to commit it to
memory, and will gladly send vote of
thonES' in rat,,rn n-Coee;or'e Nforo,;,o