The San Francisco call., 1909-08-18

city. In its mechanism 1t departs from
the old methods of steam generation.
The water is fed into the upper part
OF the boiler and circulates downward,
the steam being discharged from the
lower tubes.
AT SOUTHERN PACIFIC HOSPITAL
The installation at the Southern Pa
cifie hospital is said to be the most
elaborate in its appointments on the
coast. The machinery is set in white
enameIed brick in the power station.
All the structural material is white.
The boilers take on the appearance or
two large clocks, so perfect and uni-
form are the faces the doors. the tubes
and the pendulum gauge chains.
This is one of number of large
contracts which have come TO local
manufacturers. The George L. Dow
pumping engine company has been
called upon to equip boat of the As
sociated oil company, now being con-
structed by the Newport News ship
building company in Virginia. The
Dow people>~were not selected to do
this work for reasons of sentiment.
They were chosen in preference to the
many eastern firms that bid because 1t
was found that the Dow product was
IL per cent better in durability and
efficiency than that of the eastern con-
Germs The conclusion was reached
after a series of tests. AS a result the
Dow company will install 15 steam
pumps of various types in the vessel
and $50. 600 will come to San Francisco
as the price of the contract.
EXCEL IN DURABILITY
This case illustrates what is rapidly
coming to be ,recognized-that the San
Francisco product excels in durability
because of the skill of the manufac-
4 f7ao hi char standard of work
manship on this coast. In the bidding
for the Associated oil company con-
tract it happened that the figure of
the Dow company was by no means
the lowest After the tests had been
made. however, it was found that the
superiority of its product far more
than offset the difference in price.
The Dow company has also closed
contract for &c steam pumps Of various
types TO be installed in the boats of
the san Francisco and Portland steam
shin company. The vertical simplex
long stroke feed pumps for these boats
are something new and are being re-
ceived with favor by all marine en-
gineers.
This same concern will also Install
- compound steam ends for the oil
pumps used on the lines of the Asso-
ciated transportation company between
Coalinga and Monterey. They are to
replace the single cylinders now in
use on these pumps. In connection
with this the Dow company will supply
and install II complete condensing
plants and cooling towers for the sta
tions on the Bakersfield-Port Costa
line.
Locally the Dow company win in
stall eight pumps for the salt water
baths of the new Olympic club and
three large horizontal compound duplex
pumps for the National ice and cold
storage company. The several contracts
enumerated call for an outlay of $780,
600. all of which will be spent about
the bay.
REvoLUTIONIzED, PIE DRIVING
That the local manufacturers are
able to surpass their eastern COM
petitors is shown in the work accom-
plished by Murray Brothers Pioneer
machine works. This concern, through
patents and improved devices, has
revolutionized piles driving. 1t was,
Furthermore, the first company to in
stall steam logging machinery in the
forests. It's improvements in other
contrixances have increased. the dis
kcharging capacity of ships and cars
50 per cent.
The Newport News shipbui1ding
company has been quick to take ad-
vantage Of the improved machinery.
1t has placed with Murray Brothers an
order for eight quick hoisting cargo
winches. It will eventually avail itself
of Sc of these winches The local firm
was given the preference over the east
ern shops because of the superiority
Of it's machinery.
1t is not commonly known that 30
engines supplied by Murray Brothers
from their San Francisco factory were
used by the Southern Pacific in the
big Fill" across Great Salt Lake to
construct the Lucin cutoff. The great
discharging facilities of these engines
saved nearly half the time consumed
by engines of rival pattern. The local
engines have proved their value also
in their durability. Three of them are
now being used by the Southern Pa
cific at Dumbarton point.
WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION
These local engines have already
gained worldwide recognition They
are in use in Cape Town, Africa: South
America, Russia. Alaska, British Co
lumbia. woodstock N B.; Galveston
fnhere they were employed in build
ing the big seawail). Scotland. Philip
pines Hawaii, Texas, and all points
on the Atlantic sesboard
A sea captain recently returned from
the far Pacific said that out of curi-
osity he examined one of the engines
in use on the shore at VladiVostok and
found the mark, Murray Bros. Machine
Works. San Francisco"
The largest rawhide spur gear ever
made on this coast has just been COM
pleted by the Pacific gear and tool
works of this city for use in one Of the
mines of Nevada. It has % teeth, one
fourth diameter pitch and IS inches
face. The outside diameter is 90