The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-28
RICHMOND HUSTLE
AND HOW IT Tells
Richmond Electric Com
pany hatStarted Small
and Grew Great.
JUST A SAMPLE OF
WHAT CAN BE DONE
Only Big Establishment of It's
Kind in the South Has It's
H Q m e in Richnlond-Big
Plant That Is Making
Ric h ond Famous
Throughout Country.
BY FRANC S. wooDsoN.

FRANK S. WOODSON.
Richmond may not be ahead IF all
the southern cities combined in the
matter OF variety OF industries as has
peen claimed. but It Is safe TO say that
In this respect II is ahead of any one
or any two or three or four combined
YEARLY everything in the way Of ma
chinery and implements is made in this
CITY; everything from locomotive en-
gines and automobiles down TO plow
points and garden rakes may be found
In the process of manufacture in some
OF the Iron works or other shops of
this city and Richmond makes and
sells many things that no other South
ern city makes and sells. .
1t is likely that compa ra lively few
readers OF The Dispatch arc
aware OF the fact that the only fac
tory in the South devoted exclusively
to the manufacture of electrical ma
chinery Ia located in Greater Rich
mona. happened to know there was
such shop here. but I did not know
until few days ago that Richmond
enjoys the distinction of having the
only one OF its kind in the South. and
X did not know until investiga ton
brought out the facts that It Is q
tremendous establishment employing
very many expert workmen and selling
It's products all over the United States.
especially In the North. and enjoying
splendid local trude, but not as well
patroni5ed in Virginia, outside OF
Richmond. and in some sections OF the
South as such Southern enterprise
ought to be. Southern people Will some
day get wise and give home enterprise
the preference when they go out to BUY
goods OF any kind n
From Small beginning.
The Richmond Electric Company
started business in Richmond ten years
ago under the management OF the
~ NJ II ala 81 a
an expert electrical engineer and, like
most OF the great enterprises OF this
city. It's beginning was on the small
order, but In 4 "whieNlt COM
menced TO grow with marvellous strides,
and now the plant is one OF the iarg-
est OF the many Industrial shops In
South Richmond occupying an entire
block. @l~a5,s I3s5i}
On invitation of this managers
visited this plant few days ago. and
IT was an eye opener. for there l saw
line OF business In the Industrial and
manufacturing line that was new 10
me, and that did not think was be-
ing engaged in so extensively in this
city. the prevalent Idea being that an
electrical machinery plant here was
not much more than a brokers Office for
the sale OF machinery made elsewh here
Therefore the abundance OF foundry
4 apparatus. molding facilities and fac
tory fixtures generally that found
was surprising. e
The writer was also struck with the
large number OF motors and dynamos
on the floors of the shipping room
ready for shipment to various sections
and with the larger numbers in the
course of construction to I'LL hurry
orders. The machines ranged in size
from one-Quarter- horsepower motors,
little things that man could carry in
his coat pocket, up to gigantic machines
of 1oo-horsepower. Dig enough and
strong enough to run any kind OF an
T Industrial plant.
H Electric Power Reduced to Small Com
aA Mr.. Brice, one of the engineers. told
me that while the company makes d.
rect current motors and generators. at
least 20 per cent. OF the output of the
factory consists of two and three phase
alternating current motors and dyna-
mos. these machines having been found
20 meet the demand for electric power
more efficiently. BY tile way, this
Richmond company was the first OF
the independent electric machinery fac
tories TO have the hardinood TO take
up the manufacture Of the alternating
y current motors at the expiration of
\ the term of the famous Tesla patents
and therefore IL is but natural that
their business in this line should have
grown with prodigious rapidity.
Among their customers for this class
OF electrical apparatus they have
large number OF machinery manufac-
turers, who require but limited power,
such as pump makers ventilating fan
makers builders OF machine tools,
elevator manufacturers, dough mixers,
bottlinG works operators, organ blow
ers, ETC., who use these Richmond
made motors exclusively for direct
connection to their factory or any
kind OF apparatus.
The Individual Motor.
One notable feature of the plant,
one that at least struck me Is being
little curious. was the entire alb
sence of shaftlng and betting. for
none was seen in any OF the various
4 departments visited. Every tool in the
entire plant from the small chill
ginders using only one-eighth of one
horsepower to the large planners and
boring mills was equipped with its
own individual motor, so to speak.
4 Thus by the simple movement of a
lever at the side OF the operator these
machines could be set to running at
any speed desired. and, when neces-
sary stopped or reversed in jiffy.
said this struck me as being q
little curious. for all OF the factories
had previously visited that used
much electric power had the one big
motor and. all OF the Skating and
betting required to operate machines
here. there and everywhere. Hence
q j sought an explanation was as
oured that experience had demon
Etrated that while the cost OF the
large number OF small motors mounted
on machinery in this factory was nec-
ossarily greater In the first Instance
Il than that Of one large motor with
4 belts and shafting, the fact remained
SAasss-,yzy