The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-04
THE MAKING
OF ENGINES J \ |.
Facilities Already Increased
E Fifty Per Cent.
AMERICAN oMoTlvE co.
4 (, VA,
5AMls.statement egardlng II Corrected
Ii an interesting Interview with
Superintendent \. a.
ellis. 4
AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE co

The attention OF Mr.. H. "A. ellis. gsne-
raj superintendent Of the Richmond L 1t'-
connective Works, was called to an article
taken from the Baltimore News, announc-
Ing that there was some scheme ON foot
for starting locomotive plant In Balt-
mora, because the existing companies
were unable to meet the demands for To-
comotives, and stating especially that
1.-THE American Locomotive Company,
which absorbed eight leading manufao-
tories Of locomotives. has not done much
sin the way Of increasing the facilities OF
these plants, compared With the actual
increase in the demands for their pro-
ducts Mr.. ellis said that he happened
to know that this statement about the
American Locomotive Company was very
erroneous. III II Vi 3lfs g5
a. INCREASED FIFTY PER CENT.
He said, as matter OF fact, that the
American Locomotive Company had al
ready increased its output fifty per cent.
at It's several plants since the formation
OF the new company and that the I'M
proYements which were under way
would, when completed, carry that In
| crease OF output from seventy-fve to one
| hundred per cent. over the output Of the
several plants when they were taken over
| by the American Locomotive Company
He said that the Richmond plant was
now In a position to put o locomotive q
day Of the heaviest type. and could do
even better II the supply OF material
were at hand and there was mo extra
ordinary novelty in construction. He said:
EFF we were building the kind Of en-
gines that we built ten years ago, or. In
deed, four years ago, we could turn
| out fifty per cent. more than we are:
but tho character Of engines has almost
completely changed In their increase Of
size and lntricacy OF construction. so that
on some engines there Is actually double
the labor and almost double the material
that there was on the average engine OF
ten years ago. S3 "a #
93s$s d "a sHERcULBANS TASK.
THE IS establ ishinent Of q locom:ive
plant continued Mr. ellis, Fat this time
would be extremely difficult. even II all
the millions OF capital required was sub
scribed and all the plans were , made o1ayt It.
would, at least B, be two or three years
before an engine could be turned out
| unless the promo tiers were willing to pay.
very heavy 4 bonuses, both for the con-
structlon OF the plant and its equipment
Mr.. ellis added THE building and
| equipment Of a new plant Is the least
part OF the undertaking AS every large
manufacturer knows, the principal fac
tor would be the organization Of an eff
Gent laboring force. This problem, diff
cult at any time would lin a new con-
Germ, be almost Impossible now under the
present condition OF Dor iS i do not be-
ieye that a locomotive works can be
started. put in operation and earn a doll
lar under5flve or six years In the present
condition OF the labor market. A ~
PRESENT DEMAND GREAT.
Referring to the Baltimore News arti-
Gle. he said : 4 5,s$ 81
II note that the Bal fillmore and Ohio
has engines which have been In service
flfty-five years, and while this Of COURSE,
Is an exceptional case. 1t is q fact that
the present demand Is excessive be-
lieve that the normal demand can be
more than kept UP Will by the present
works. It must not be y forgotten that
one new large engine takes the place of
two OF the old types. ~" IA
Mr.. ellis said: You may be sure that
the American Locomotive COMPANY. the
Baldwin Locomotive Works and others
now In the business, have made a very
complete survey Of the future. and are
certainly making all necessary enlarge
ments Of these plants which the outlook 4
justlfes. certainly would not advise
a friend OF mine to put a dollar IN any
new locomotive enterprise with the hope
that he would soon see It again, II ever.
There is no better place, i believe, In
this country for locomotive plant than
right here In Richmond. and the capacity
OF the plant here Will probably be doubled
in the next eighteen months.