216 ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1910. 



elevators, shop equipment, cars, locomotives, etc., and for them spe- 

 cial inspectors have been appointed, who make a weekly report on 

 a printed form. At present we have nine such forms in use. The 

 important parts are all specified and each part is checked off on the 

 form as the inspector goes over the cranes. One of the headings 

 requires the man who is operating the machine to state his opinion 

 as to its -safety, and there is a provision for stopping it at once if any 

 serious defects are found. There are at present 28 men engaged in 

 such official inspection in the Amalgamated Steel & Wire Co.'s plants, 

 aside from the local committees. In the larger works this takes all 

 of one man's time, while in smaller ones two or three days or a week 

 may be sufficient, the inspector working as a machinist, electrician, 

 etc., the rest of the time. 



The reports of foremen's committees, workmen's committees, and 

 safety inspectors are compiled once a month and copies sent to the 

 general offices of the company. These statements include all new 

 items, and at the end of each report show the " Recommendations com- 

 pleted during current month," " Previous recommendations incom- 

 plete," " Recommendations objected to," if any, with reasons for 

 objection. This gives a monthly survey, from which a good idea 

 may be obtained of the general condition and progress at each plant, 

 and additional pressure may be brought to bear where the progress 

 is not satisfactory. 



Aside from the practical value of the recommendations secured, 

 there is a moral effect in this varied inspection which must not be 

 overlooked. The foremen, millwrights, and repairmen — all who are 

 in any way responsible for the condition of the machinery — are stimu- 

 lated to greater care and attention in keeping everything in good 

 shape. The knowledge that any defects will be mentioned on an in- 

 spection report (sometimes on two or three) each week until the 

 defect has been remedied or the delay investigated, undoubtedly does 

 much to prevent tardiness in carrying out this work. During the 

 month of January, 1910, there were approximately 1,500 specific rec- 

 ommendations made by these different inspectors and inspection com- 

 mittees in the American Steel & Wire Co.'s plants. Of these over 

 500 had been entirely completed before the end of the month, with 

 material ordered and work under way on a great many more. 



BOILER PLANTS. 



In mills driven by steam engines the boiler plant is the primary 

 source of power. It generates steam which is piped to the engines, 

 and is a storehouse of energy so great that when any mischance re- 

 leases this energy in the form of an explosion buildings are demol- 

 ished and lives endangered. The possibility of such catastrophes 

 has been so emphasized by repeated boiler explosions that most States 



