The Agricultural Works

As the visitor at Ann Arbor alights at Michigan Central depot, and saunI ers up the State-st grade or glides up Jletroit-st on the swift-moving eleotrio I jjTB, little does he realize that he is I [urning his back upon one of the most I famous manufacturing institutions of I this city; that just across the river, I alonfc' the northern banks of the Huron, I s situated one of the oldest established I industries of the city, whose producís I (gny the name of Ann Arbor throughI out the length and breadth of the I l'nited States, and penétrate many I loreign lands. Yet such is the case, and I f he vrill but glance across the river he lill behold the extensiva plant of the Ann Arbor Agricultural Company. This industry was established in 1866, by Lewis Moore & Son. They originally operated at Lancaster, Pa., and were at ïpsilanti twelve years before locating in Ain Arbor. The business and plant now occupied was then established, but have been enlarged from time to time as the increase of business demanded. The business was continued by this firm until 1872, when the junior member of the firm, Eli W. Moore, became associated with Messrs. Finnegan and Howardi under the firm name of "Finnegan, Hownrd & Moore," who were incorporated in 1878. This company operated very successfully for ten years, when, owing to the increase in the business, the organization of A STOCK COMPANY was deemed advisable. A company was therefore organized. Officers are electod annually; those holding office at the present time are: Evart H. Scott, president; Frederick Schmid, vice-president, and John Finnegan, secretary and treasurer. The present board of directora are: Prederick Schmid, Moses Seabolt, Evart H. Scott, John Finnegan, Prof. Dennis, Eli W. Moore, and J. M. Wheeler. ïhe stockholders represent some of Ann Arbor's most substantial business men. Eli W. Moore is general manager of the business, and has had the general management of the affairs of the concern ever since it was established. The business of the company is the manufacture of all kinds of AGRICULTURA!, IMPLEMENTS, such as plows, mowers, hay-tedders, feed-cutters, hay presses, etc" Among the more celebrated and best selling implements of their manufacture are: the " Advance Chilled Plow," the " Advance Iron Mower," the "Ideal Sulky Rake," the " Advance Hay Tedder," the "Cummings and Clipper Feed Cutters," and the "New Advance Hay Press." Most of these devices are the company's own patents. The "Advance Hay Tedder" is one of their best selling implements, and is a model of simplicity and durability. It can be easily operated by a boy, who can do the work of ten men in a day. Many new improvements have been made which makes it the most complete implement of the kind on the market. During the past year the company sold 3,(XX) of these hay tedders, of which two carloads were shipped directly to London, and one carload to Germany, from whenee they were taken into other portions of Europe. At this time of year there is a great uemand for their feed and ensilage cutters, which they make in all styles and prices, ranging from 83 to $150. They make a specialty of the "Improved Cummings Cutter," which is made in severa] styles, either hand, steam, or other power. This cutter has been on the market for thirty years, during which time many improvements have teen made which have added to its Kreat reputation. The most complete improvement of the kind is the " Improved Cummings Cutter No. 4," which ñas a crusher attachment. and has a capacity of about five tons per hour. fliey are now tilling orders for 125 of tneir feed and ensilage cutters. The "Advance Chilled Plow," and the Ideal Balance Dump Rake," are two of we company's standard implements, which they have made improvements n rom time to time, and now sell in every 6tate in the Union, and in Canada and her foreign countries. The " Advance Jron Mower " is another of their specialwes whieh they have manufacturad for Lears, and which they claim experience Aas shown to be the simplest and most "urable mower made, as it has fewer Wechanical parts to get out of order 'han any other machine of its kind. But one of the latest and most wonjwrful inventions of the company is tfteir " Kew Advance Steam or Power i which is perfectly adapted for Pressing hay, straw, wool, cotton, moss, or anything of the kind. It is a handsome and substantial looking I ent, and supplied with all the modern evices for rapid work and preventing pfeakage. It will turn out a bale 17 x 20 [ ches every minute; 150 to 175 pounds, 'r less, can be put into a three-foot ïïle at the option of the operator. inese are a few of the company's "Pecialties which have given their estabshtnent the reputation it has. THE BUILDINGS fcupied by the company are brick and I fme structures, upon which ments have been made from time to time, making them perfectly adapted for the business. The plant is now worth about $75,000, and large expenditures are made yearly in enlarging and adding new machinery for the purpose of affording facilities for the increasing business. Mr. Moore, who has general control of the business, is a practical machinist who has made the business a life study. The business of the company is all conducted through the office, no travelling salesmen being employed. They advertise considerably in certain classes of journals, and thereby secure their POREIGN TRADE. But the principal part of their trade in this country is securedby personal solicitation. Mr. Moore tnakes two trips annually - one through the east and one through the west- for the purpose of securing customers. He has just returned from his eastern trip, during which Pittsburg, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston and other large cities were visited. The western trip, which will be taken last this year, contrary to his usual custom, will be made during October. Some of the more distant cities visited will be St. Paul, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Omaha, which is as far west as the trip xtends. The extreme west and south are not canvaesed, but sales are made by advertising. Shipments are made to every state in the Union, the trade being almost exclusively with jobbers and wholesalers. Large shipments arealso made annually direct to England, Germany, Russin and Finland, and from thence their products are sold into other parts of the continent. The entire shipments aggregate from 8100,000 to 8160,000 annually. By the courtesy of .Mr. Moore, a representativo of The Register was shown about the manufactory. The observing visitor will notice at once the convenience in the arrangement of the buildings. Every room is large and commodious, and well adapted to the use to which it is put. Both water and steam power are used tq run the machinery. The first point visited was the foundry, where the pig-iron, purchased from Cleveland and Pittsburg, is made into red hot metal and moulded into shapes to suit the will of the grimy workmen. Here twenty-two men are employed in making the company's castings, when running with full force. The noisy machine shop was next visited. Here was a scène of bustle and aotivity. Twenty-five skilied workmen here have charge of various ponderous and odd-looking machines, each having its own peculiar function, with which the castings are ground and smoothed, bolted and fastened, riveted and fltted, and made ready for the various uses to which they are to be put. A scène of no less activity, although not quite so noisy, is the carpenter shop, where about the sarao number of men are employed in preparing the wooden parts of the different implements. Here the busy lathes and wood-workinfj machinery of all kinds transform the lumber, brought from the forests of Northern Michigan, into timbers, sticks, blocks, moldings, etc, of many shapes and sizes, to suit the various purposes for which they are intended. In a large store-room on the second floor of one of the buildings, a great number of implements of all kinds were seen ready to be painted, packed and shipped as the orders come in. From tvvelve to sixteen mea are given employment in the paint shop, and several more are kept busy in the workroom, putting implements together, packing and shipping. The facilities for shipping have been greatly increased by a sidetrack, which has been run along the side of the storeroom, making the loading of ca.rs far more convenient by dispensing with extra handling of the goods.