Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-04-10
The GRAND RAPIDS FOUNDRY.
Its Equipment Of the Best and Work Always
up to The Standard.

ticance. has became leader among
our industries. The foundry was first
established by Ben W. King and
Julian King who manufactured mainly
saw mill machinery. In 1896 E.
| RoeniuS arrived from Hanson. Wis,
where he had been engaged in the
slaves and heading business. and
aided in the organization of the
present Grand Rapids Foundry Co.
| Two and half years later z. ROepiuS
had purchased the stock held by the
King brothers. This left Mr. ROeniuS
in d hard position as he was not a
mechanic by trade, but he soon
gathered around himself skilled and
experienced workmen and then
gradually began the manufacture of
machinery for pulp, paper and sui
phite mills. This kind of machinery.
together with other moulding and
mechanical work, is today the prin-
cipal industry of the company
Since Mr.. ROeniuS became the head
Of the company it has been on a pay
ing basis. Believing firmly in the
future Of Grand Rapids, he has always
sought to use the greater part Of the
cOmpany'S earnings for the equip
ment and enlargement Of the factory.
The company enjoys a large local
business, and also does extensive work
for parties throughout Wisconsin and
Minnesota. The company has all the
work it can do: their factory is fre-
lQuently run nights and Sundays that
the large number of orders may be
| filled. The pay roll has often been as
high as $3.50 per month.
| The secretary and treasurer of the
| Il
the employ Of his father in 1885, after
| first graduating from the Howe High
school. He has worked his way up
through the different departments Of
| the factory, and he is now not only a
| skilled mechanic but thorough and
| reliable business man.
| The first floor Of the factory con-
tains main machine shop, 75x30 feet;
a foundry, 70X30 feet; a blacksmith
| shop, coal and coke room. The second
floor contains a wood working and
pa tern room, a special machine shop,
and storage room. The boiler room
is in the basement of the building. A
power elevator Is used to convey
heavy castings and machinery from
one floor to the other. The factory is
| run by water power, heated by steam
and lighted by electricity. The pig
| iron the company uses comes from the
| large charcoal blast furnace at Ash
| land, Wis.
| The general machine shop is super
INTENDED by Otto Roenius. The
manufacture and repairing of screen
| plates for the paper mills is in charge
of John MrOSe and Fred KarnatZ. 1t
is equipped with two large engine
| latheS, one medium and one small
| lathe, one large planer, two drill
/ presses, one sseay5 aunch and forms
| ing press, one special screen plate
| machine, one power hack saw, two
grinding deviSes, one key setter, one
travelling hosting crane for the hand
ling of heavy work.
The foundry is we'll equipped to do
light and heavy work. The castings
are generally made Tuesdays. Thurs
days and Saturdays, from 4:30 to 6
| IO'clOck in the afternoon. This depart
ment is in charge of James Hanna.
| In the foundry is found a large cupOla
| for melting iron, one natural draft
| brass furnace. one large jib crane for
| handling and pouring heavy castings.
| 1t is supplied with the best grade of
| moulding sands. up-tO-date TASKS for
! making mOuldingS A track is built
| through the foundry to the tumbling
| barrels for the easy handling and
transportation Of light and heavy cast
| ingS.
The blacksmith shop is supplied
| with large fOrgeS, tools, power
punches and shears.
The special machine shop, in charge
inf George Krieger, contains a great
| number of delicate tools and machin-
ary. Some of the pieces of machinery
are: one engine lathe, four special tool
| makes latheS, one Shaper. one
| milling machine, one automatic screw
lathe, two drill presses, one punch and
| forming press, together with other
| tools and dies.
| Nearly all the pattern making and
| laying out OF special work is done by
| e. ROenluS A ban saw, power planer.
| up saw, cut off saw, boring machine.
| special pattern makers tools, are
among the important pieces of
machinery found in the pattern max
| ing room.
| One of the most interesting and
| important things that the company
| manufactures is wage COmputer.
| devise for tie rapid and accurate COM
| putatiOn of wages, invented by E
ROenius and Jean Duncan. The
machine was patented Jan. 10, 1899.
and since then new patents have been
granted Mr.. ROenius. The invention
met with success from the very
beginning and has found many pur-
chasers throughout the United
States. On account of the irregularity
of time and wages in different sections
of the country it has been found
necessary to equip the machine with
! special rating sheets in order to meet
| the demands and make it a complete
commercial success. AS it takes n long
time to print the rating sheet. each of
which contains 800, 900 figures, the
manufacture of the mechanical parts
has been temporarily suspended. The
capacity of the factory is twenty-five
machines per day. the construction Of
which is under the supervisor of
George Krieger. The retail price of
each machine is $50.
The Grand Rapids Foundry Co.
extend a special invitation to ali to
visit their factory. We can assure
our readers that they will find the
foundry one of the most interesting
places IN the city TO visit.
"otheiIo"
The William Owen CO,nnanV in