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Kiio (if till' best and most iiioilerii vciK-or iiiaiiiifactiiring jilaiits in 

 flu- loiintry is that of Nickcy Bros. & Bass of Mi-ni|)liis, Tciin., whicli 

 was ret'iMitly put in o|>oratioii. Walt G. Bass, a vpneer maiiufacturor 

 of wide experieiiee, is iu active charge of the business. The mill 

 was largely his own design, and the credit for its up-todatc features 

 rests largely with him. 



Nickey Brothers have been prominent in the manufacture of hard- 

 wood lumber at Memphis for many years, and the new veneer mill 

 is being operated in connection with a lumber manufacturing propo- 

 sition. Xickey Bros. & Bass arc, therefore, in a position to supply 

 tlie wants of the consumer for hardwoods in any thickness, from 

 standaril lumber thicknesses down to the thinnest of veneers. 



The new plant is manufacturing both sawed and sliced stock, having 

 installed a 16-foot sheer and four veneer saws, all of this equipment 

 being of the manufacture of the Capital Machine Company. The 

 size of the slicer is unusual, and indicates that the company is able 

 to take care of or<lers that would prove troublesome to the concern 

 whose ei|uipment was not so large as that indicated. 



One of the most interesting features connected with the plant is 

 the fact that it is entirely fireproof. This is unusual enough to 

 warrant emphasis, and it is also worth noting that while the cost of 

 the building was somewhat greater than if ordinary mill construction 

 standards had prevailed, the increased expenditure will prove a good 

 investment, inasmuch as the company has been assured that it has a 

 fireproof risk, and consequently has indicated that it will carry no 



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The company carries no stock in the mill building, each day 's cu 

 being moved through the dryer to the warehouse, so that there is lit 

 erally nothing to bum. If a fire comes along it will have so little t( 

 feed on, as far as the veneer mill is concerned, that the loss will h 

 inconsequential. Thus the plan of the company, to save fire insur 

 ance premiums by not insuring the mill building, seems to be logical 



Reinforced concrete and steel have been used in the constnntion of 

 the |ilant. The foundations and lloors arc of reinforced concrete, the 

 foundations for the machines being especially heavily reinforced at 

 the corners, though the walls of the foundations are sufficiently thick 

 to enable solid concrete masonry to serve the purpose. Absolute 

 absence of vibration and consequent accuracy in sawing and cutting 

 is assured by the concrete floors and foundations. 



The walls are 8upi)orted by structural steel beams, while the roof 

 trusses are also steel. The walls proper are made of concrete, held 

 on with Highrib reinforcing. The roof is of the same material, 

 with the exception that the saw-tooth plan has been used to secure 

 a maximum of light. The glass is wired and factory ribbed, furnish- 

 ing additional light and protection against fire. 



The matter of light in a manufacturing plant is an important prop- 

 osition, but unfortunately little attention is paid tn it in the average 

 plant. The result is that the work is not so well done as it would 

 be if there were an abundance of natural light, and the concern is 

 put to the expense of furnishing more artificial light than would be 

 needed under better conditions. It is also well known that accidents 

 happen in many cases because of poor lighting. The Nickey Bros. 

 & Bass plant is beyond criticism in this connection. 



The dryer is likewise a concrete structure, the type being practically 

 the same as the mill building itself. The Philadelphia Textile Ma- 

 chinery Company installed the dryer. Great care has been given to 

 the construction of the building containing this equipment. An 

 auxiliary engine furnishes power for the operation of the drying 

 apparatus and drives the generator for lighting the plant. 



The use of electricity in the mill is an interesting feature of its 

 design and operation. The Allis-Chalmers Company provided the 

 generator ami motors, while the two boilers and two engines which 

 were installed because of the additional power requirements of the 

 veneer mill were put in by Chandler & Taylor Co., of Indianapolis. 



THi: CUMPANVS ll.nril III 



