The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-30
THE VIRGINIAN
a SUPERIOR CAR
An Old Time Richmond Factory
Gets Right in the Lirnelight
by Building Superior
Car That Attracts At
tention Of Ex-
perts.
ny FRANK s. wooDsO1, /
Industrial Editor.

never been time when this city did
not have iron works Of some kind or
another. and from those early dates It
has been known to all the Southland.
that when anything In tho irbn-nak-
ing line was wanted 1t might be found
IN the city on the James.
Tho Richmond Iron Works Corpora.
ton Is an establishment that Richmond
is Justly proud OF. for It Is one OF those
establishments OF home kind that
commenced away back yonder In =
small way. and has grown along with
other great enterprises OF this great
city to mammoth prop ortions. Just
when the mammoth works now known
as the Richmond Iron Works actually
commenced business 1t would be hard
to tell. because the plant OF to-day is
the result ot several small beginnings.
and Just which is the real daddy is q
question.
or course. the history could be hunt
cd up. and doubtless It would make q
very romantic story. but there Is but
littlo time for historical research. and
In this fast and furious business age
and romance cut but poor ngure.
Some Ancient History.
What tho people or to-day want to
know Is. what Is going on in this day:
not last year or last century How
ever. there is evidence that away back
yonder IN another century some ener.
gctic folks started little iron-work-
ing shop on the banks OF the James
that in time became the larger con-
Germ OF Joseph II. Hall q Co., makers
Of architectural castings ana almost
anything else that could In those days
be made out OF iron.
Then came along the Tanner-peIaney
Engine Company. builders OF station
airy engines. boilers and such thingA
This concern made the name OF Rich
mond famous In several States, and Its
good work attracted q great deal OF
trade OF one kind and another to this
city. Later still. say about 1853, the
Richmond Iron Works Company was
organized and went into the general
thing and everything IN the iron line,
from plow point to a stationary en-
CINE. All OF these concerns built UP
big business in their respective lines,
working hard In hand. one supplying
what the other did not make, and all
joining In TO make the name or Rich
mond famous In the trade centres Of
the South.
Got Closer Together.
BY and by these three concerns con-
Bolidated under the name OF the Rich
mond Iron Works Corporation. and
while mono OF the old-ttme stockhold-
ers are now on the list the most OF
them having passed over tho river. and
the others having made enough money
to retire. the establishment is under
the management OF wide-awake twend-
eth century young men and is doing
the best work OF Its long and eventful
career. keeping up with twentieth CEN
fury Ideas and modern development.
An illustration OF this fact Is notice.
able on the streets OF Richmond every
day. for one OF the handsomest auto
mobiles that skips8 over the pavements
OF this city Is one that has Just been
turned out by this company in their
y mammoth works out on the North
Boulevard. and the building OF auto
mobiles OF a superior quality in Rich
mond is = new industry for Virginia.
But or that, more later on In this col
I umn.
The onlcers OF the Richmond Iron
Works Corporation are: NJ. "A. Finn
president: II. A. McCurdy. vice-presi-5
dent; NJ. j.. francis. treasurer; p
De- Saussure. secretary; r Massiei
Z Noting, assistant secretary and treas
urer; w. H. Woody, general manager;;
I II. G.. Wagner, automoblle sales man
n hger.
s3 Widespread Business. y
The company has business In all OF
the Southern and Northern States. They
even invade Pennsylvania, here 1t Ia
supposed that everything in the iron-i
n making and building line 1t right at
the front door OF every house. and In.
this broad territory the corporation has
contracts for special machinery. such
as Individual gas machines. tobacco
machinery. special bag
gtng machinory. heavy castings OF all
kinds, and all kinds OF specialties.
The corporation has had g number
81 OF large contracts with the United
! states government for various kinds
of work It Is now WORKING on a
! big contract with the, War. Depart
ment for ten-inch shell 9. This cons.
i'm fact that a government Inspector
lis stationed here and has an office at
the company's plant, here he looks
after.the government work according 1ll
IA Costly Plant.
\ The corporations plant Is an estab-
4lishment that all Richmond Is proud
OF. It covers four and o halt acres
out on the North Boulevard, n ear the
Richmond. Fred eric ksburg and Poto,
with that line BY sidetracks that go
y all over the grounds and up to the
load ana unload Sair vast shipments
right at the shop door. The buildings
on the grounds are, of the most mod u
85ern build, being OF brick and steel
and they are; .e!quipped with all OF,
the mo- ern mach tnery req red for the
busl mess, III O. com pa Y m lnta1ns 81
own electric pow err 81 ut, and "a com--s
plete one tits. iS g ~. "
The plant from an outsiders View
/. Is alread VI large.;e ugh for an y. con &,
Y tlngenoy,s but The growing bus iness
has suggested to 4 he 1na1ag emhllt that
furth her enlargement to acc oInmo date
this business la Y necessary,S and the
plans have been drawn ana ooItrac-a
Continued on Fifth IPaEe.)