The Iron Age 1925-05-21: Vol 115 Iss 21

THE IRON AGE New York, May 21, 1925 ' ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 115, No. 21 Shoemaking for 5,000,000 Horses Keeps a Dozen Plants Busy—Gives Em- ployment to 175,000 Blacksmiths— Requires About 100,000 Tons of epitaph; that in a few years the only specimens of Equus Caballus would be stuffed in museums But it isn’t true, after all. As Mark Twain remarked when shown the newspaper report of his demise, the | statement was a Hit exaggerated. When the American Steel & Wire Co. announced in February that the manufacture of horseshoes was to be abandoned at the Shoenberger Works in Pittsburgh, newspaper paragraphers seized the occasion to mourn the passing of the good old days when Dobbin drew the shay. They intimated that the horseshoe business was headed for that limbo which long since swallowed the spinning-wheel, the pewter mug and the stage coach. They wept metaphorical tears over the grave of the village blacksmith. But it isn’t true, after all! There are still five mi! lion horses which need shoes in the United States. A dozen plants still make horseshoes and horseshoe bars And if the spreading chestnut tree no longer casts its shade upon the rustic smithy, still—there are thou sands of larger shops each of which can shoe more mares this week than the sinewy arms could compass in a month. The horseshoe business has been in existence some 2500 years and it is not likely to disappear overnight. Times have changed considerably since the Greeks made leather socks for their steeds and the Romans nailed horseshoes above their doors to keep away the plague, but the making and selling of equine footwear is still a thriving business. Even today, when the Chinese use silken sandals to protect the feet of the Mandarin’s horse and cattle hide shoes are in vogue in Asia, the volume of business done by the manufac- turers of iron and steel shoes is very respectable. The advent of the automobile has affected the horse, naturally. That famous pair of spanking blacks has given way to the smart speedster—and few there are who would care to return to the barouche or the carry- "[‘cvite said the old gray mare was ready for a Iron and Steel Annually BY PRENTICE WINCHELL all. The driving horse is a thing of the past: today our equine population consists chiefly of draft horses, with a few racing thoroughbreds, hunters and polo ponies still upholding the prestige of the “gentleman's horse.” But the draft horse has ever been the main- stay of the horseshoe maker and stout Clydesdales and powerful Percherons still carry a fair share of the white man’s burden. Most of the losses suffered by the equine ranks in the retreat from the motor have taken place in the larger towns and cities, however. It is estimated that the number of horses and mules, used for other than farm purposes, declined from about 3,000,000 in 1910 to approximately 2,000,000 in 1920. There has probably been a slight decrease since that time, but it has not been so rapid as that which took place during the war, when feed was high, labor scarce and motor trucks new. The horse has held his own very well on the farm against the invasion of tractor and touring car. Ther« are today some 17,000,000 mules and horses engaged in agricultural work. No great proportion of these are shod, however. On the typical Iowa or Illinois farm, for example, not more than one pair out of every four pair of horses is likely to be shod—and then for a few months in winter. More shoeing is done in the north- eastern States on account of the rocky nature of the ground, but the bulk of the horseshoe business comes from the draft and general purpose horses plus about 500,000 saddle horses, which require careful shoeing. Practically all of the horseshoes used in this coun- try are machine made. In Europe the local blacksmith still forges most of the shoes from bar iron, although American machine-made shoes are being exported in larger quantities each year. The farrier has lost most of his importance, even on the Continent, for today he forms but an insignificant portion of the iron industry. Time was when the craftsman in iron, able to make swords and armor and shoes, ranked next to the King’s 1477 Sens rr eee a bre chase Soe Ssetheay MOT ny AREER by 1 ODI aie Se Nr jt at eRe We: 1478 THE IRON AGE May 21, 1995 | LS & fj : 0 % Qa 0 : ) 0 A) ° 0 ' | Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 BEFORE HORSESHOES WERE MACHINE-MADE (1) Probably made by the Celts prior to the Roman invasion of England. Found with Roman coins of the first century. (2) Light-weight iron shoe of the second century found in Moorish farrier’s tent after the battle of Isly, i (3) Thin iron shoe found in France, with a bronze coin of Faustina, A. D. 175. (4) Age uncertain, but prob. § ably the third or fourth century. Remarkable in its resemblance to the modern horseshoe. Notice the toe-calk © —Courtesy Phoenix Horseshoe (o + MI chamberlain and was given the rank of “mareschal.” ercise of individual skill. These workers in iron gen- There are tales of royal attempts at forging silver erally did all sorts of odd jobs, such as making and shoes and lavish honors showered upon the successful repairing wagon tires and repairing machinery and smiths who enabled an army to march to victory on consequently were, even with machine-made shoes, shoes of wrought iron. persons of considerable importance in the community. But with the invention of a machine capable of Then came the automobile. Little by little, roadsters turning out shoes by the thousand, the prestige of the and touring cars drove driving horses from the high farrier began to wane. Individual skill in the design roads and struggled for supremacy in the field of heavy of shoes was discounted. And today the maker of steel transportation. The old custom shoeing shops here guns and shells, of armor plate and battleships holds and there put up new signs bearing the words “Service the confidence of nations which once belonged to the Station” or “Automobile Repairs.” Others, unable to blacksmith. find enough business, went the way of all flesh. The manufacture of shoes by machinery in the Some idea of the change which has been wrought United States dates from about the year 1861. There in this regard may be gathered from the fact that were companies which made horseshoes in quantity fifteen years ago there were some 232,000 blacksmiths long before this—the original plant of the Phoenix plying their trade in the United States: five years ago Horse Shoe Co. was built in Hartford, Conn., in 1800. the number had dwindled to 195,000 and today there are But until the Burden Iron Co. of Troy, N. Y., procured probably not more than 175,000.8 But the decline seems letters patent on a machine for the manufacture of to have stopped. Probably the figure will be much ey horseshoes and contracted in 1861 to supply the Federal the same ten years from today. ea government with large quantities during the Civil War, The new type of blacksmith shop handles consider- there had been no actual machine production. Produc- able automobile business in addition to its regular line tion by machine was started in England about the same of work. In the large cities many companies which time, but acceptance of the new shoes did not come so employ thirty horses or more (such as those engaged in fast on the other side of the Atlantic. As late as 1873 contracting, baking, milk distribution, express service William Douglas wrote that “A strong objection exists and the like) have their own shops. In the rural dis- among farriers to put on machine-made shoes, but at tricts the old order is with us yet. There the black- the same time I feel confident that these shoes must smith does manage to make a living at his trade of ere long come into general use.” By this time there farrier, though he may take on a little repair work to were half a dozen plants making horseshoes in the : s help out. United States and blacksmiths accepted the new idea Machine-made shoes were for some time manufac- very readily. ! tured only from wrought iron, muck bars being the raw _ It was still necessary for the blacksmith to know material. But since the steel horseshoe was developed his trade thoroughly, for the preparation of the hoof, some years ago, it has increased rapidly in favor until the treatment of peculiarities in the horse’s foot and today about 60 per cent of all shoes sold in this country the need for good judgment as to the particular type or are steel and 40 per cent iron. Number 1 railroad weight of shoe required left plenty of room for the ex- wrought scrap is the material ordinarily selected for ier ; eee UUCUUULCUCEON PLEO TETUNELEO EEE EREEUEEOOREOTRAUEDEOREEENEEDEOREAELEEUEEEOREDEEETEEO ELIHU Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 (5) Thought to be a pathological shoe made to protect an injured foot Found i i ‘ ¢ : . t -Roman habitation in France. (6) A Japanese sandal made of rice straw for Piet a ms ee +o - 2 cotton for horses of the grandees. (7) The modern horseshoe — * : is made in dozens of stand 3 in weights ranging from five ounces for racing to as heavy as two pounds a Seon and g —Courtesy Phoenix Horseshoe Co. Rd vv venuenvenenvenceneneenennusnennensenenenenannenennennqnnnenny erent)’ \! DMay 21, 1925 Mmrst-grade horseshoes. The use of steel shoes has own more rapidly in the South than in the North. jehey cannot be broken so easily in the fitting as the Miron shoes, and since many of the mechanics in the _ South are negroes with little skill in metal working, Meetney are greatly favored there. The Northern smiths still prefer the iron shoes in many cases. In the search for the most suitable material for horseshoe manufacture, the farrier has had recourse at Various periods to such widely different materials as leather, horn, vulcanite, papier-mache, rope, rubber, bronze and straw. But iron and steel still. hold su- premacy, though some of the other materials, notably rubber and rope, are used occasionally in connection with iron or steel in the construction of special shoes for protection against slipping on wet or icy pavements. The advantages of machine-made shoes are uni formity of weight and material, while the only possible WemeenenNIEeesed Meats | HA sDenanens semnenenEneneeenss ibe vey seens aa A ; J } ~~ Pom yO i <i oa wae 1 a , | | om“ he aed Pat ase $< THE IRON AGE 1479 horseshoe company in the eighties states that: “It appears by the census of 1860 that the daily consump- tion of horseshoe iron for this purpose is 397 tons, 354 tons of which were hand-made and 43 tons machine made.” Assuming that this census was based on a 300- day working year, the consumption at that time must have been in the neighborhood of 120,000 tons a year. The census lists the value of horseshoes produced in that year at about $100,000—thirty years later it had reached $1,000,000. By 1910, rolling mills and individ- ual plants manufacturing horseshoes were turning out some 2,000,000 100-Ib. kegs a year. Just before the war the industry’s product was valued at nearly $9,- 000,000. Great quantities of shoes were shipped over seas during the conflict and by the close of the war the total output had climbed to a $12,000,000 annual valuation. By 1921 the output had dropped materially, however, and the valuation declined to about $8,000,000. ~ Courtesy Phoents Horseshoe [ One of the Steps in the Manufacture of Horseshoes disadvantage lies in rigidity of design, which—consid- ering the dozens of designs available—does not con- stitute much of a disadvantage. Styles in footwear for our four footed beasts of burden have not changed so rapidly as those which are displayed in store win- dows for milady’s use. Aside from the introduction of the adjustable calks and the use of rubber and leather pads, which began about 1901, hoofware is much the same as it was fifty years ago. Nor have there been any fundamental changes in manufacturing methods, with the possible exception of the development of some new dieing processes. In view of the fact that demand can hardly be expected to increase from now on, it does not seem likely that im- provements in manufacturing methods would be worth while, so long as they would involve scrapping of equip- ment thoroughly adequate for the time being. The prospectus issued prior to the formation of a Philadelphia Foundrymen Hear Talk About Westinghouse Foundry Howard Evans, secretary Philadelphia _Roundry- men’s’ Association, proved himself to be a good pub- licity man when he drew forth, Tuesday evening, May 12, the largest crowd that has attended one of the association’s meetings in many months. Mr. Evans’ publicity stunt was to announce an airplane trip to the Essington plant of the Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. at South Philadelphia. The airplane trip was by pictures and not by actual propulsion through the am- bient ether. William Kuebler, chief chemist of the Westinghouse foundry, showed the pictures and gave a running de- scription of the many features of the foundry. He was For the last five years production has shown no great change one way or the other. It is variously estimated that total output now runs from 1,350,000 to 1,500,000 100-Ib. kegs. It requires approximately a ton of iron or steel to make 1600 Ib. of finished product, so that the current consumption of iron or steel for this purpose is close to 100,000 tons a year. The product of the dozen companies now engaged in the manufacture of shoes is marketed through the heavy hardware jobbers, who in turn sell to the black- smiths. While the sale of shoes dropped off materially in the 1910-1920 period (about one-third), it has re- mained fairly steady since that time. The horseshoe industry is apparently settling down to a long period of stabilized demand. Unless there is a sudden and unexpected shortage of gasoline, or a nation-wide epi- demic of horseshoe pitching, there seems to be no mate- rial change in prospect for several years to come. preceded by another Westinghouse man, R. H. Wright, who showed pictures by stereopticon of some of the steel mill drives which have recently been installed by his company. Views showing installations at the plant of the Phoenix Iron Co., Phoenixville, Pa., were fea- tured and there were also pictures of the new, large motors which have been built for the Homestead works of the Carnegie Steel Co. and the mills of the Wiscon- sin Steel Co., Milwaukee. The usual dinner preceded the meeting and the at- tendance, both at the dinner and at the meeting, was large. Plans are being made by the Philadelphia foun- drymen to go to the annual convention of the American Foundrymen’s Association at Syracuse, N. Y., in Octo- ber in special cars, and reservations are now being made for this trip by Secretary Evans. 1480 THE IRON AGE POWER OPERATED CHUCK Simplicity of Design and Operation Features Intended to Reduce Idle Time On chucked work the time required to chuck the piece in either standard chucks or fixtures is not directly productive and any decrease in this idle time means, of course, an increase in the time available for directly productive machining operations. On single- spindle machine tools, chucking time is a definite fac- tor in the process, no matter what portion of the pro- ductive time it comprises. In the case of multiple- spindle machines, where loading is done simultaneously with machining, this factor becomes important only claimed when the rate of machining crowds the operator be- yond his capacity to chuck. As a step in the reduction of time out for chucking, and therefore increasing machine output, power chucks of various designs have come into use. One of the more recent of such chucks is that developed by the Bullard Machine Tool Co., Bridgeport, and applied to various models of that company’s machine tools. In developing this chuck, several requirements were kept in view. It was aimed to provide for only a simple motion by the operator. It was considered essential that its action be positive and dependable, while its mechanism should remain simple and of ample strength. Insofar as possible, its complete function should be self-contained with power derived from the same source as the machining function, rather than dependent upon accessory or external power, which may be subject to fluctuation and interruption separate from the primary machine operation. It was also thought that the power chuck should permit of definite control of the gripping power exerted on the work; for proper chucking re- Warehouse Prices of Cold Rolled Strips Cut $11 Per Ton Edgar T. Ward’s Sons Co., which recently an- nounced an abandonment of quantity differentials on cold-finished steel bars from warehouse, under date of May 11, has announced an average reduction in the A Vertical Screw, Nut and Three Bell Crank Levers Serve Clamp Work This Power - Op- erated Chuck. Excessive jaw pressure or loose clamping of work are avoided, it is to in May 21, 1925 quires simply the holding of a piece against the pros. sure of the cut, and both accuracy and efficiency of the job may be as adversely affected by over-chucking as by insufficient support against the cutting operation. The primary actuating motion of the mechanism of the Bullard power chuck, the arrangement of which may be noted from the accompanying illustrations, js a vertical pull exerted by a screw and nut. This motion transferred to the three jaws of a standard chuck by bell crank lever may also be adapted to the operation of special fixtures designed to be used with it. When the pressure is set by power it cannot be released except by reversing the motion. Its operation is controlled by a double clutch with angular teeth and compound gears which provide power in either AUPUDROONEDOEREE DONE EHAHERUEETO NEL enn DpOODONE CrHrnDOEE® direction from a common source. The driven member of the clutch is brought in contact with either forward or reverse drive by connection with a hand lever oper- ating through dart and spring tension so calibrated as to actually measure the load of pressure on the jaws. The chuck as shown has been applied to the company’s four-spindle and six-spindle Contin-U-Matics for the operation for both standard chucks and special fix- tures and is an essential feature of the new Vert-Au- Matic, recently described in these columns. It is also incorporated in Mult-Au-Matic design as a_ special feature, furnished only when specified for machines under construction, not having been developed as yet for application to machines already in use. The chuck is operated by throwing the engagement lever for either forward or reverse movement. It is disengaged automatically when the movement has been accomplished, and it is claimed that it is impossible to build up an excessive jaw pressure by holding the clutch lever in the engaged position. The time re- quired for operating the chuck is 2 sec. 40c. for lots of 1000 to 1999 Ib.; 55c. for lots of 500 to 999 Ib., 75c. for 100 to 499 Ib. and $1.50 for lots of less than 100 lb. The new schedule calls for the base price for lots of 2000 Ib. or more 1b5c. per 100 lb., for lots of — to 1999 lb., 30c. for lots of 500 to 999 Ib., $1 for ots of 300 to 499 Ib., $2 for lots of 100 to 299 Ib. and > $3 for lots of less than 100 lb. It will be observed ere larger lots, the quantity differential is re- of th ae ton, but it is given a stiff boost in the case a e smaller lots. It is explained that the old small “ ie extra was too small and necessitated a h ~ Asay on the larger lots than otherwise would ave been necessary. The change is made to relieve the larger buyer from i i a ai carrying the b nse entailed in the small lot saleap a warehouse base prices of cold-rolled strips of $ll a ton in Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago, and at the same time has revised the quantity differentials, cutting them materially on lots of 500 Ib. or more, but raising them on lots of less than 500 Ib. The new base prices are 6.20c. per lb., Cleveland, 6.30c., Detroit, and 6.35c., Chicago. The former quantity differentials called for a charge of 25c. per 100 Ib. for lots of 2000 lb. or more; Distribution Forges to the Front Scientific Management Diverting Attention from Production to Merchandising—Psychology and Personnel Discussed at Taylor Society Meeting duction, finds itself today with too much capacity. \ duction, industry, having concentrated on pro- The time is at hand to utilize those scientific methods, which have been so successful in the manufac- turing department, to work out the problems of distri- bution, elimination of waste, management of clerical forces and other divisions of business which heretofore have been neglected. This was the trend of thought voiced at the spring meeting of the Taylor Society, held under the auspices of the University of Michigan at the Michigan Union, Ann Arbor, Mich., May 14 to 16. The registration exceeded 200 and the discussion was spirited throughout all of the sessions. During the past five years there have been 9,500,000 buyers of new automobiles, said James H. Collins, mer- chandising director Chilton Class Journal Co., Philadel- phia, in discussing “Tendencies Affecting Methods of Management in the Automobile Industry.” This rate of growth, in his opinion, cannot continue. In 1923 the output of motor car plants was better than 90 per cent of capacity. The heavy demand of that year, how- ever, stimulated further expansion, with the result that productive capacity is now in advance of consumption. Costs of Production and of Distribution For the past four or five years automobile makers have devoted their attention to getting production costs down to a “dead rock” basis. During the next five years they will concentrate on reducing the cost of distribution. That automobile manufacturers are al- ready taking steps in this direction was indicated in remarks by H. M. Jewett, president Paige-Detroit Motor Car Co., Detroit. He told how auditing com- panies have conducted thorough investigations of the business of dealers and have developed systems of ac counting to suit the needs of distributors of all classes, from the largest to the smallest. Standards of costs have been developed for all departments of the dealer’s business on the basis of the experience of distributors throughout the country. This has resulted in the intro- duction of sound business methods where they did not exist before and has been conducive to more intelligent selling. Will the automobile industry maintain its position? Mr. Jewett’s answer is emphatically, yes. When the motor car was first put on the market it was mis- takenly called a pleasure car. The crying need of the country, with its magnificent distances, was transpor- tation. The advent of the automobile supplied that want. Quantity production with progressive assembly and other economical methods of manufacture made it possible to supply cars at prices within the reach of all. Today the automobile is an economic necessity. The American automobile industry controls the motor car business of the world. The enormous home consumption has put American manufacturers beyond reach of foreign competition. Exports are growing; those for the first half of this year will be double the total of any entire year previous. That there is an engineering and a scientific ap- proach to the problem of distribution was the burden of comment by the president of the Taylor Society, Percy S. Brown, Corona Typewriter Co., Inc., Groton, N. Y. It is imperative that executives of American industries ascertain what can be done to bring the brains of pro- duction management to bear upon the scientific solution of the distribution problem. Proper distribution is not synonymous with over-intensive merchandising. In fact, excessive stimulation of sales often has the bad effect of encouraging plant expansion beyond the actual needs of the country. Distribution should be studied dispassionately and scientifically, to the end that the manufacturer may have at his command all essential facts regarding the market for his products. Elimination of Many Kinds of Waste That bankers and investors already are taking keen interest in industrial management in its broadest in terpretation was brought out in a paper by H. I. Shepherd, vice-president Guardian Trust Co., Cleve land. It is only from a full recognition of the funda- mental principles of business and their application to the case at hand that the credit of banks can be in- telligently extended or supervised, he said. . The laws of business operation are as stable and immutable as those of any other line of activity. There is not one view of business for the manufacturer, another for the engineer and another for the investor and banker. Net profit is the magnet that directs the interest of all. Any condition, whether imposed by capital, by labor or by bad laws, that makes profits impossible is un- sound, whether caused by waste of material, of energy or of time. The difference between business methods of the last ten years and of the coming ten years is going to be measured largely by the elimination of waste. This means not only the elimination of waste of time, or the waste that comes from obsolete or inadequate ma- chinery, but the waste that comes from failure to utilize by-products. The second outstanding feature of the next ten years of manufacturing operation is the absorption of the surplus of buildings and equip ment left since the war, and which today confronts our manufacturers in the form of non-productive burden. The problem of today is not one of expansion, but of economy—economy of overhead, economy against waste and that economy which comes from a rapid turnover of capital—the speeding up of machinery, the efficient use of labor. There must yet be added to all good management the ability to create a spirit of co- operation in the accomplishment of the thing at hand. The inability of America to produce in proportion to its capacity to consume has led to a constant demand and an attendant profit that has made attention to the small details in operation unnecessary, but those days are past. In extemperaneous remarks, Mr. Shepherd de- scribed how banks engage experts in organization and management to examine their clients from the point of view of their soundness as operating enterprises. Con- ventional balance sheets and income-expense state ments are no longer regarded as adequate basis for judgment concerning new loans or the continuance of old loans. Automobile Model Changes Decried The product of the automobile industry has been changing and is still changing and, until a stage of relative stability is reached, no satisfactory or depend- able analysis of the business can be made. This opinion was voiced by O. E. Hunt, chief engineer Chevrolet Motor Co, Detroit, in discussing the addresses of Messrs. Collins and Jewett. The same point was brought out in a session devoted to a consideration of the automobile distribution problem in relation to fre- quency of change of model. It has long been the practice in America to stim- ulate sales by changing styles, said T. J. Litle, Jr., chief, engineering department, Lincoln Division, Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., in reading a paper en- titled “Frequency in Change of Model.” In his opinion, the policy of changing automobile models every 12 months is a bad one. Frequently last minute changes are made in new models, with the result that the en- 1481 1482 THE IRON AGE gineering and tool department must work day and night. As a result, the plant often must be shut down for new tooling, entailing the loss of good mechanics. The aftermath is to be found in heavy losses to dealers in unsold cars of previous models and in a flood of complaints from buyers of the new models. This means that service men must be sent to all parts of the country and that structural defects found must be im- mediately corrected in the factory. Frequent changes in models prevent the perfection of production methods. In Mr. Litle’s opinion, no really good automobile can be produced in less than three years. Moreover, frequent model changes place a heavy burden upon the dealer, by forcing him to carry a tremendous stock of parts, and are unfair to the owners of previous models, because they unduly de- preciate their investments. Minor changes in a car should not be made simply for the sake of the change. There is nothing to be gained by increasing the di- ameter of a cylinder a fraction of an inch to bring about a slight increase in power. There is no justifica- tion in small changes in shackle bolts, for example. Improvements, so far as possible, should be made to fit the old car. The body may be beautified and changed in its lines and still fit an old chassis. Such a policy will enable a service station to increase its business greatly, by enabling automobile owners to bring their cars up to date. In commenting on Mr. Litle’s paper, H. H. Rice, assistant to the president General Motors Corporation, Detroit, asserted that the great advance in the automo- bile industry is directly due to the fact that the en- gineers have developed so many improvements that owners of old cars became dissatisfied and bought new ones. The replacement of the old with the new is not necessarily an economic loss. He cited an example of one of the General Motors Corporation’s shops replac- ing a bank of gear cutters with new machines of greatly increased capacity. He agreed with Mr. Litle, however, that no changes in models should be made without good logical reasons. Economic Waste Stimulation of demand by changes in models was discussed in relation to the used car problem by Prof. C. E. Griffin, University of Michigan. He voiced the opinion that the saturation point in production is drawing nearer, despite the fact that the replacement demand for cars has increased. In 1917, 17 per cent of the production of automobiles was offset by the nuanber scrapped. Last year it was 48 per cent. The replacement rate has a direct relation to the life of cars. The average life of an automobile is not depen- dent merely upon mechanical considerations. Cars are discarded because they are out of style and the number of cars dumped into the used car market is increased proportionately with the frequency of the changes in models. This policy is economically wasteful and socially bad, he said. Qn this point Mr. Rice remarked that there is no economic loss when cars merely change ownership and are not actually scrapped. In replying, Prof. Griffin pointed out that the depreciation in the value of old cars through model changes brings the car owner closer to the point where the cost of repairs is greater than what he can recover, either through a sale in the used car market or to the scrap dealer, E. J. Poag, Buick Motor Co., Flint, Mich., called attention to the fact that certain car manufacturers have successfully followed Mr. Litle’s policy, but that others find it necessary to follow a radically different plan. Up. to 1915 both the Buick and Ford companies increased their business at the rate of approximately 60 per cent a year. From 1916 to 1924 the progression was at the reduced rate of 12 per cent a year. A still slower rate of increase is expected in the next few years. The battleground in the automobile industry is among the moderate priced cars, which account for 23 per cent of the sales. Competition is so keen that manufacturers resort to every possible method of main- taining sales. Mr. Poag estimates that, in 1927, there will be only 20 manufacturers left, producing 97 per cent of the automobile output. It is because automobile manufacturers wish to be among the 20 survivors that May 21, 1925 they find it necessary to pay so much attention to mode} changes. Yearly models are frequently yearly muddles, saiq John Younger, editor Automotive Abstracts, in com. menting on the subject. The public has adopted the habit of judging cars by certain standards. A standard car implies that the manufacturer has had time to develop standardization in its construction. In closing the discussion, Mr. Litle said that he was not arguing against real improvements, but he did claim that, through the custom of bringing out new models annually, manufacturers have artifically stim- ulated depreciation. Furthermore, the yearly model holds back sales because it makes buyers afraid to buy a model in its first year. As to the hypothetical 20 survivors in 1927, he said that he was trying to figure out a profit for those companies. One reason automo- bile manufacturers have been dropping out of the race is because frequent changes in models have eaten up their profits. Some producers have actually increased the volume of output and decreased their profits. It is possible for a car manufacturer to produce an automo- bile cheaper in the second year that in the first and cheaper in the third than the second. Decreased costs enable him to lower prices and thereby to stimulate sales. “Should Automobile Manufacturers Make Their Own Accessories?” was the subject of a paper by J. H. Marks, purchasing agent Packard Motor Car Co., Detroit. The answer, in his opinion, is dictated entirely by competition. The determining consideration is whether it is more economical to make or to buy the accessories. In discussing Mr. Marks’ paper, F. C. Shafer, Pemberthy Injector Co., Detroit, contended that manufacturers specializing in accessories which vitally affect the mechanical part of an automobile are able to produce them more economically than the auto- mobile maker himself. Need for Capable Office Management Office management is a field which is just commenc- ing to command the attention it deserves, according to a paper read by W. H. Leffingwell, president Leffing- well-Ream Co., New York. In 1880 there were 172,000 office workers. Today there are 3,000,000, although the population of the country is only a little more than double what it was in 1880. Out of every ten wage earners today, one is a clerical worker. This rapid growth is particularly dangerous, because of the general apathy of business men toward clerical work. A large, inefficient group has come into existence which is steadily eating up the profits of business. The 3,000,- 000 clerks earn $12,000,000 a day or an average of $4. The average efficiency in the office is only 50 per cent. If, by application of the same methods which have proved successful in the factory, one-half of the loss can be recovered, it would mean a saving of $3,- 000,000 a day in salaries alone. Mr. Leffingwell de- scribed in detail a system for classifying office work and standardizing operations. In discussing Mr. Leffingwell’s paper, F. B. Ham- mond, secretary of the American Association of Office Managers, pointed out that the office manager is handi- capped by lack of knowledge as to how to handle his position. It is essential that he exercise care, par- ticularly because he frequently must encounter an- tagonism on the part of managers of departments whose clerical forces he controls. F. L. Rowland, Lincoln National Life Insurance Co., Fort Wayne, Ind., said that the time is not yet ripe to transplant the present state of factory manage- ment to the office field. In the factory, machinery and materials are the main factors. The machine sets the pace. This is not true in the office. Operations are rane mental or mental-mechanical and psychological actors are exceedingly important. The greatest prog- ress In office management has been where office aP- pliances are used largely. He who attempts to apply principles of scientific management beyond that par- ticular field gets into a maze of variables. He recom- mended that, for the time being, no attempt be made : ascertain the cost of each particular office operation. © recommended, however, a plan tried in his own company, under which the operating costs of each RE tN a sro cores fay 21, 1925 office department are measured against the outputs. C. F. Yoakum, professor of personnel management, | University of Michigan, described the office as the digestive organ of business. The place to begin in “analyzing the office problem, he said, is with the person who does the original work. From there the study should extend up through the office, to see what steps really facilitate the original worker in the performance of his task. Frequently some steps can be left out. This is particularly true when an executive fails to make full use of his assistants. Psychology and the Personnel Problem “Experimental Psychology in Personnel Problems” was the subject of a paper by Professor Yoakum. He said, in part: “The continuous struggle with spoiled work, ab- senteeism, turnover, unemployment, wages, etc. are in the forefront of things we seem always to have with us. My contention is that, with a better appreciation of the human factor, these, together with accidents, selection, promotion and the understanding of each other, are open to solution. This better appreciation necessarily results in recording an entirely different series of data than is now customary. It also involves an agreed willingness to experiment.” Attention was called to the fact that, in 1781, Kant excluded psychology and chemistry from natural sciences because they did not permit the employment of mathematics. Chemistry has long since taken its place amowg the natural sciences. It is therefore reasonable to look forward to the time when the problems of se- lecting, working with and influencing men are no longer merely intuitive arts but are skilfully done, because of successfully combined art and science. We are slowly beginning to realize that triviality and im- portance of events are not measured by one absolute magnitude of the events, but by the more specific re- lationships they bear to our appreciation of them. He referred to the characteristics of the “learning curve”—its early steepness, its flatter portion, and the later steep portion where skill becomes expertness. An increase in wages at the plateau stage, theoretically at least, is more likely to fixate the sensations of fa- tigue, or habits of lack of attention, and to stimulate toward an elimination or shortening of the plateau. The wage phase of the incentive (for the worker in this stage) should be applied to those in the depart- ment who are most skilled. The beginners who are in the plateau stage should then be furnished with data showing how profitable it is to reach high skill. Thus the wage paid to others, not the direct wage, is the incentive. Wages and Incentives Incentives frequently have no direct bearing on wages. In one instance the management found that its product was losing in consumer demand. It laid off one-half its force. Production remained the same or better. Again it laid off men. Still the production Technical Program for Steel Treaters Spring Sectional Meeting Nine technical papers are scheduled for the various sessions of the spring sectional meeting of the Ameri- can Society 4or Steel Treating at Schenectady, May 28 and 29. They are as follows: “Some New Developments in Stainless Steel,” by P. A. E. Armstrong, vice-president Ludlum Steel Co “The Relation of Crystal Orientation to Magnetic Properties of Silicon Steel,” by W. E. Ruder, metal- lurgist research laboratory, General Electric Co. “Case Carburizing,.” by B. F. Shepherd, metallurgist Ingersoll-Rand Co., Easton, Pa. “Results of Examination of Metals with the X-ray,” by Col. T. C. Dickson, commanding officer, Watertown Arsenal. “Manufacture of Guns by the Cold Working Proc- ess,” by Dr. F. C. Langenberg, director of laboratories, Watertown Arsenal. “The High Points in the Manufacture and Work- ing of Steel,” by L. F. Johnson, United Alloy Steel Corporation, Canton, Ohio. “On the Nature of Austenite and Martensite,” by THE IRON AGE 1483 failed to fall. This illustration seriously modifies the learning curve, if production be the measure, said Professor Yoakum. The change in the curve is not produced by task or bonus, or premium, or piece rate, or any other method of payment. The theoretical learning curve must be built with those persons and those incentives which operate con- tinuously at their highest efficiency. At the opposite extreme is that learning curve which is made up from an average of observed practices influenced in usual but analyzable ways. Between these somewhere lies that standard practice curve. The average and stand- ard curves are variables conditioned by various factors present in differing degrees in a given plant or de- partment. Without a deeper insight into the meaning of the learning curve than we have at present, it is impossible to reach standards of capacity for a posi- tion, for cost of training, for cost of turnover, for methods of training and for efficiency of supervision. Observations by Professor Yoakum led him to con clude that at least four important elements cause the shifting of individuals from one occupation to another. They are (1) adolescent restlessness, (2) differences in individual capacity, (3) social status, (4) individual interests. The greatest turnover occurs during the period just after leaving school. In a certain company the turnover in individuals from 16 to 20 years of age is about 400 per cent; among those a at age the turnover drops to 40 per cent and . However, 75 per cent of the employees remain with the company less than five years. This fact alone might simply mean that the age factor is the essential feature, but a follow-up among those who are older shows that relatively few, some 15. per cent of these, will be found in the same employ three or four years later. Con- tinuity of service is not present. This raises the thought that much of our painstaking mathematics of wage payments is wasted effort. A general psychological and sociological investiga- tion of the reasons for any particular task obtaining a definite social status is imperative. It is also inrport- ant to attempt to distinguish between an employee's real interests and those dependent upon temporary circumstance. Within the college group of engineers there are many who are more closely related to the salesmen in their interests than they are to practising engineers. From 60 to 65 per cent of the graduates of the larger engineering colleges are in occupations other than engineering five years after graduation An increase of our knowledge concerning human capacity will demonstrate, more forcibly than argu- ment, the importance of allowing employees to know the lines of promotion available and the character of jobs which are open to each individual worker. Much of the effort we have expended in wage payment plans, said Professor Yoakum, is of no avail because of the non-observance of scientific caution. Attempts to solve the questions by cost-accounting methods without the collection of all pertinent statistics are direct wastes that go into overhead. E. C. Bain, metallurgist Union Carbide & Carbon Co., Long Island City, N. Y¥ “Manufacture and Heat Treatment of Large Fors- ings,’ by A. O. Schaefer, Midvale Co., Nicetown, Phila- de!phia. “Determination of Heat Treatment Costs and Fur- nace Efficiencies,” by C. L. Ipeen, industrial heating department, Genera] Electric Co. The sessions will be held at the Hotel Van Curler. At the banquet, Friday evening, May 28, an address of welcome will be delivered by William Dalton, presi- dent of the Schenectady Chamber of Commerce, with a response by W. S. Bidle, president of the A. 8. 8. T. Addresses will also be delivered by Dr. W. R. Whitney, director research laboratory, General Electric Co., and R. B. MeColl, manager American Locomotive Works. A visit of inspection at the Ludlum Steel Co., Water- vliet, N. Y., is scheduled for the af of the first day and a similar trip through the planta of the Gen- eral Electric Co. and the American Locomotive Co. the following day, with an automobile trip to Lake George on Decoration Day, Saturday, May 30. 1484 . THE IRON AGE May 21, 199 Improved Pipe Threading and Cutting Machine Compactness is a feature of the motor-driven pipe threading and cutting machine illustrated, which has been placed on the market by D. Saunders’ Sons, Inc., Yonkers, N. Y. The machine is designated as the 4-B and its capacity is for pipe from % to 4 in. inclusive. The machine is driven by a 3-hp. constant-speed induction motor mounted underneath the bed, as shown, with a drum-type controller for forward and reverse speeds. The motor is geared directly to the driving shaft of the machine and speed changes are obtained by means of change gears. The cutting-off head is arranged with a tool slide and self-centering V-jaws Pipe Threading and Cutting Machine with Ca- pacity for % to 4 In. Inclusive to steady the pipe during the cutting-off operation. The carriage with cutting-off head and die-head is moved by means of rack and pinion. It is arranged with the die-head at the front, sliding in ways, which permits of bringing the die-head close to the gripping chuck. When pipe has been threaded the die-head may be moved to one side, providing ample room for the pipe to pass through the cutting head without passing through the die-head. This is stressed as eliminating injury to the chasers. The gripping chuck for holding the pipe is of standard universal type. A two-jawed self-centering chuck for centering the pipe is located at the rear of the spindle. An oil pump is provided for supplying a constant flow of oil to the chasers and cutting-off tool. The machine is equipped with two adjustable ex- panding die-heads with interchangeable chasers. One die-head threads from % to 2 in. and the other from 2% to 4 in., inclusive, right-hand. These die-heads are of the company’s new type, that for the larger diam- eters being operated by worm movement, and that for the smaller diameters by lever and toggle joint move- ment. The floor space occupied by the machine is 2 ft. 2 in. x 4 ft. 8% in. The weight of the machine com- plete is 1850 lb. In the course of an address recently before the Chamber of Commerce of Beaver Falls, Pa., A. E. Adams, of Youngstown, president of the First National Bank and a director of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co., stated the company’s freight bill last year amounted to $30,000,000. Mr. Adams spoke on the benefits which would accrue to manufacturing plants through con- struction of the proposed Lake Erie-Ohio River canal, principally in the way of securing lower freight rates. la Large Riveter for Boiler and Stil] Fabrication What is thought to be the largest hydraulic rivete, of its class is the 200-ton machine here illustrated which was built by the Southwark Foundry & Machine Co., Philadelphia, for the Casey Hedges Co., Chatta. nooga, Tenn. The machine is especially adapted fo; use in the fabrication of high pressure superheat steam boilers and for the high pressure stills used jy the manufacture of crude oil by-products. The maximum pressure exerted on the rivet is 209 tons and the minimum pressure is 42 tons. Pressures of 65, 112, 185 and 177 tons are also available, varia. tion in pressure being ‘obtained by means of a six. power valve arrangement. The riveter stake, which carries the 200-ton cy). inder, is of cast steel. The cylinder is attached to the stake casting by means of four 3-in. bolts, which are located near the front of the riveter cylinder, so as to take care of the vertical stresses at that point. The die stake is a forging of special steel calculated to give the minimum deflection under full load and is 40 in. in diameter at the bottom of the gap. The reach of the machine is 18 ft. 8 in. measured from the center of the die to the bottom of the gap. The forged steel stake is bolted securely to the cast steel stake Hydraulic Riveter With Forged Steel Stake and Designed to Exert Pressure of 200 Tons. The diagram shows the use of the special horn in riveting boiler heads through a central manhole by means of two steel bolts 13% in. in diameter. The top of the forged steel stake is provided with a horn of special alloy steel, which will make it possible to drive rivets through a manhole in the boiler head, as shown in the small diagram in the illustration. The stroke of the riveting die is 12 in. The weight of the raw material entering the machine totals 230,000 |b. x The Austin Co., engineer and builder, Cleveland, a moved its New York office to larger quarters in the quitable Building, 120 Broadway. J. K. Gannett is qu New York district manager and A. D. Engle and . C. Raymond are his assistants. tie Ne Satie ‘May 21, 1925 FOUNDRY CONVENTION Technical Program for Syracuse Meeting in October Fourteen technical sessions have been planned for | the 1925 meeting of the American Foundrymen’s Association at Syracuse, Oct. 5 to 9. The program committee has arranged the meetings so that those who plan to stay only a couple of days can choose a time when technical sessions in which they are most interested are grouped. Because of the extent of interest in the cast iron field, a general session on this subject will also be held the first day of the convention to provide a discussion session for those who cannot be present during the latter part of the week. The schedule of the meetings is as follows: Oct. 5, afternoon sessions: 1. Joint opening session, non-ferrous metals; 2. gray iron foundry practice. Oct. 6, morning sessions: 3. Steel foundry practice; 4. aluminum alloys; luncheon round table discussion, 5. brass foundry topics; afternoon session: 6. appren- tice training; 7. refractories. Oct. 7, morning sessions: 8. Steel foundry metal- lurgy; 9. general committee reports; afternoon ses- sions: 10. business session; 11. sand control and re- search. Oct. 8, morning sessions: 12. Malleable cast iron; 13. metallurgy of cast iron; afternoon session: 14. sand control. Oct. 9, morning session: 15. practice. The report of the work of the foundry sand in- vestigation committee will be