The Republican journal., 1903-04-09
A NEW INDUSTRY FOR BELFAST,
And an Old One to be Increased.

And an Old One to be Increased
The Duplex Roller Bushing Co. is rapidly
pushing the work of moving lts plaht IToih
Camden to Belfast The transfer OF the
real estate, machinery, franchises, etc.,
from the Belfast Machine & FOUNDRY 20.
to the Duplex Roller Bushing Co. was made
in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 1st,
and as all the interested parties were very
busy The journal was able to give out a
brief mention of the deal. The writings
were made Wednesday and the new cor
poration began work the next morning.
The Duplex Roller Bushing Co. was Or
ganized in 1890, with a capital stock OF
100000, to manufacture and sell a roller
bushing for vessels blocks invented by
Willard F. Wellman, formerly OF Belfast,
now of Belmont. This bushing has two
rows of balls, instead of one as IN the
common "patent blocks" in general use
on merchant vessels, and has proved much
easier to operate, as well as more durable,
than any former invention. Mr. FRANK T..
Pitcher has been president and general
manager of the company from its organiza-
tion and has worked industrously and sue
cessfully in introducing the buShlng to the
best customers, namely, the governments OF
the United States and other nations pos
sessed of war ships, revenue vessels, etc.
The Wellman duplex roller bushing is
patented in twenty-One foreign countries,
and is in use in the nav ies OF a number OF
them. The U. S. government uses it on all
its war vessels, revenue cutters and light
house steamers. The contract for the navy
vessels has been running seven years. This
bushng was adopted by the Navy Depart
ment after rigid competitive examination
in which all the blocks used we're run until
completely ruined. The Wellman bushing
stood the test and did good service long
after all competitors were rendered useless.
Many of the larger companies in the mer-
chant marine business have adopted the
Wellman bushing The large vessels of the
Crowley fleet are equipped with it through
out
The bushing has been made under con-
tract by knowlton Bros. of Camden, but
the company recently decided to equip
plant and do it's own work. The plant of
the Belfast Machine & Foundry Co. was
bought, together with its patent rights, pat
terms and franchises. The latter company
manufactured the Hegge rotary saw mill,
the Holmes stave jointer, the Hall granite
polishing machine, and number of i'm
provements for plows, ship and quarry
machinery, etc. There is a well-equipped
machine shop and iron foundry for general
job work, and patterns for great variety
of castings. The Duplex Roller Bushing
Co. will continue these lines of business as
well as the manufacture of the bushings.
In addition to the Wellman bushng the
company also hasa patent on bushng de-
signed to meet the popular demand for use
in the merchant marine, a bushing that can
be sold at as low figure as any in the mar
ket, and one that is perfectly reliable, easy
working and very durable.
The steam boiler and engine were taken
out last week and the space formerly occupi-
ed by them was taken into the machine
room. This gives a machine shop floor
40xS0 feet. Above this is a room formerly
used as a pattern room and as carpenter
shop for making the wood work of the saw
mills. This will be used as block shop, as
the company intend to make blocks COM
plete for merchant vessels, or make the
bushingS separate as desired. The boiler
and engine have not been used for some
time, the machinery being driven by a 10
horse power electric motor. A larger motor
will be put in.
The company has also bought the O'Con-
nell place across Federal street from the
foundry, and has begun on a new building
for various uses. The building will be of
wood, 75x40 feet on the floor, and but one
story high, as some of the lines of manufac-
ture emit fumes that make rooms above
them very unwholesOme. 1t will be used for
the blacksmith shop, galvanzng, brass
foundry, case hardening and core ovens
IS Dr