Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-08-14
THE EVOLUTION OF
A MACHINE SHOP

A MACHINE SHOP
The growth and development of a
great industrial plant is strangely
similar to the growth and develop
ment of man. Perhaps this is the case
so frequently mighty industrial COM
pany's growth depends upon the eff
forts and genius of one man, as has
largely been the case of the D. J.
Murray Manufacturing Co., of Wau-
sau, Wis.
On bright and sunny day in the
summer of 1878, man of sturdy and
determined appearance drove into the
village of Wausau and, stopping be-
fore the door of the leading hotel, ap-
piled for lodging for himself and his
trusty horse, after a long and tire
some journey through the wilds of
northern Wisconsin. At his entry in
to the village, located on the beautiful
banks of the roaring Wisconsin river,
he did not dream that fate would
cause him to locate there and be-
come one of the factors in the up
building of the city of Wausau.
The man, Donald ]. Murray, had
already q reputation as a mechanic
and leader of men. He undertook
this journey for the purpose of find
ing location where he might estab-
lish himself and build up business
After carefully looking over Wausau
its possibilities and surrounding coun-
try, he decided to cast his lot with the
sturdy pioneers, who had come from
the East and from lands across the
seas, and that he would do his share
in the upbuilding of the promising
community. He made his start by
taking an interest in and assuming the
management of the small machine
shop, known as the Wausau Iron
Works. Gradually under Mr.. Murray s
management this company prospered
and soon gave promise of growing in
to an important factor in the manu-
featuring district of Wausau.
In the spring of 1884 the entire
plant was destroyed by fire, a stagger-
ing blow to young enterprise that
had just begun to show results. Dis,
heartening as this was, Mr. Murray's
persistence and faith in the future
was so strong that he Immediately
started arrangements for the rebuild
ing of the plant and, Phoenix like, out
| of the ashes rose the new works re.
built and ready for business in three
| weeks from the time of the fire.
stock company was formed under the
name of the d. j. Murray Manufactur.
ing Co., that has prospered in the
face of all obstacles met in the up
building of large inoustry from {
small beginning, and stands today {
monument to the able management
and business acumen of the founder
The plant today consists of a ma
! chine shop, 120 feet wide by $50 fee
long, of brick, steel and concrete con
struction, and equipped throughou
with the latest improved machine tool
for the manufacture of sawmiIl ma
chinery and wood room equipment fo
pulp and paper mills. The foundr,
1 connected with the machine shop il
so feet wide and 200 feet long, il
i equipped with 15-ton electric crane
has two large cupolas and all neces
sary equipment of the very latest de
sign, driven by electrical power, gen
Grated in the company's power plant
There are also two fireproof patterl
buildings, three stories high, as tn
company does not believe in takinl
any risk with its many valuable pat
terms. One of these buildings is 5
feet wide by $50 feet long, and tn
other is 80 feet wide by so feet long
The entire plant is equipped through
out with all the modern convenience
and labor saving devices that assis
so materially in turning out the high
est grade of sawmill equipment,
Il From the, building of small auiliar
parts for sawmills, this plant ha
gradually been adapted to buildin
complete sawmill equipment, and it
records show that in its shop hav
been designed and built some OF tn
largest and most complete orders G
sawmill equipment ever let in thi
country. The machinery manufaC
tured by the company is know
throughout the nation. and will b
j found in operation in all parts of tn
United States.
A most important Development i
the growth of the firm was the recen
purchase of the entire sawmill ma
chinery manufacturing eauiDnnent r