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Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



January 25, 1918 



A Modem Machinery Plant 



A nmchliioi-y plant. iiunU'Mi iu every liulail, whcro every consideration 

 Is given to the comfort ami convenience of tiio men, is tliat of tlic I'liila- 

 (Icipliia Textile Machinery I'ompany, manufacturer of the well-known 

 Proctor dryers, used in the veneer industry. The plant Is located on 

 high ground at Sixtli and Tahor road, Philadelphia, where the worknu'ii 

 are surrounded by fresh air, light and sunshine, and the most healthful 

 conditions. This requisite has really been foremost in the minds of the 

 executives, as they contend a satisfied, healthy employe is always a payiiit; 

 asset In maintaining production upon a proper scale and of the highesi 

 grade work. 



The buildings are rather of a colonial type, brick and concrete. -V 

 large and si)acious building of two stories is devoted to the offices of the 

 firm, with private reception rooms, conference rooms, etc., on the first 

 floor. On the second floor is a large, well-lighted drafting room, with 

 windows on ail four sides, and drafting tables placed at the windows. 

 Venetian blinds are used which, while shutting out the glare of the sun, 

 will admit perfect light for the men's work. This department also includes 

 a dark room with every facility for photographic work and a blueprint 

 room with an electric blueprinting machine. In the basement of this 

 building is a large vault iu whicli are preserved the important papers, 

 contracts and records, and also the various supplies for the offices. Tlie 



work is pi'ogressitiK. wbili- it also facilitntes pnnliietion by providing each 

 man with specially assigned work. 



.\mong the features of this modern and eoinpli'te shop is an enclosed 

 room for the emery grinding machinery, equipped witli sucti(tn tubes to 

 remove the dust as It flies from tile wheels; another is the installation in 

 varbms parts of the floor of filtered drinking fountains. Three service 

 rooms are placed at convenient spots in the shop, while in one corner of 

 the basement is a locker room, with wash room, and also sliower rooms; 

 a lunchroom, where meals are provided at a low price. A large bulletin 

 board is installed for important announcements for help. 



.\n experimental department is also a feature of the shop, where the 

 company is ever trying to improve its equipment. Tests are being con- 

 ducted of tile various types of dryers built l)y them, and the effects secured 

 under varying conditions, with every facility for recording the most deli- 

 cate changes of temperature or atmospheric conditions. .\ systematic 

 metliod of storing materials and parts until required is adopted, which 

 prevents any lost time because of delay through depletion of needed sup- 

 plies. The plant is operated by electric power, leased from a public utility 

 com|)any. However, a small power plant Is Installed for heating and steam 

 for experimental work. This is equipped with a 2.50-h. p. Badenhausen 

 boiler. 



MODEP>N PLANT fil' n 1 II.Al iKl.l'll I.V TKXTILE MACHINERY COMPANY. 



Taylor system is used here for keeping track of these various stocks In a 

 systematic manner, preventing confusion or uncertaint.v as to supplies. 



The manufacturing plant proper is a building 270x280 feet. Located 

 upon the Philadelphia & Reading railroad there are excellent shipping 

 facilities. A sibling 280 feet long runs into the plant for its full lengtli 

 and thus permits the loading and unloading of machinery indoors. A track 

 scale of 100-ton capacity is installed for weighing shipments, while a two- 

 ton traveling crane is placed over the siding to handle the heaviest loads 

 with the greatest ease. 



The floor of the shop is laid with hexagonal wooden blocks treated with 

 creosote ; one side of the block Is shorter than the others, which Is de- 

 signed to preserve an even pressure and to prevent the blocks from being 

 forced upward and presenting an uneven surface. Tills type of floor has 

 been found to be very easy on the feet of the men. The building is one 

 story in height with a saw-tooth roof with skylights. The glass sides of 

 the building, in conjunction with this skylight, insure plenty of good, 

 natural daylight distributed in such a way there are no shadows In any 

 part of the building. The roof is without horizontal cross beams in the 

 clear, which also insures perfect lighting and no interference from abovi' 

 with handling heavy materials. 



Everything in the manufacturing operations of the plant is planned in 

 a most systematic manner. As the materials are unloaded on the receiving 

 platform at the one end of the plant they are stacked in the proper bins 

 at that end; from these points they are routed down the floor of the shop 

 on one side through the various stages and brought hack along the other 

 side where the various finished parts are assembled and the machinery put 

 together for testing before being taken apart for shipping. The equipment 

 of the shop is of the latest improved types, of the most complete character 

 for handling the varied operations entering into the construction of the 

 machinery. In the center of the shop there is what is known as the plan- 

 ning room, where the various jobs are routed as they come in and are 

 listed under the name of the man in charge of tliat particular work until 

 it is completed, when another job is assigned to him. This method enables 

 the men in charge of the various departments to know exactly how the 



The efforts of the company to provide for the convenience and comfort 

 of its men have thus Iieen rewarded ; it is confident tliat this new and 

 modern plant, with Its skilled and satisfied labor, must needs be reflected 

 in its product, which must necessarily secure a still greater efficiency for 

 its customers. 



Philippine Mahogany 



Woods are being marketed in the United States under the name 

 Pbilippine mahogany. Though no true mahogany has yet been found In 

 file islands, those bought and sold as such are both lieautifui and useful. 

 The boundary line between certain trees tliat are mahogany and certain 

 otliers which are not. Is so uncertain that abundant ground for contro- 

 versy exists. 



The two Philippine woods wliicb most frequently sell as mahogany In 

 the United States are red lanan and tangnile. both belonging to the 

 shorea genus. These names mean little to the people of this country. 

 In the Philippines red lauan is chiefly used for light and temporary con- 

 struction, concrete forms, dugout and otlier light boats, interior finish, 

 flooring, dry measures, and cigar boxes. It is not durable when exposed 

 to decay, and in the Philippines is liable to attack by boring insects. In 

 color it is pale red to dull reddisli brown. In weight it ranges from light 

 to modiTately heavy, soft, coarse, st.-aight grained, and easy to work. 

 Trees attain large size. 



Tangnile has practically the same uses in the Philippines as red lauan, 

 and is similar in durability, luit its grain is firmer. It is easy to work. 

 In some regions it is abundant. At home it sells at from .$30 to ?40 a 

 thousand. 



.•\s far as reports have been made, these woods have given general 

 satisfaction where they have been used in this country. The colors of the 

 wood of tangnile differ among themselves In a remarkable degree. In differ- 

 ent parts of the islands. .Vpparently local soil and climate control the 

 color. Some is bright clear red, other pinkish brown. 



