Working of Key-Slotting Machine
and Turning Lathe.
|
A Glimpse Through the Smoke of
the Blacksmith Shop.
|
J.W. Jolly, Machinists
It is more than ordinarily interesting series of illustrations that are shown on this page. The public never tire of watching mechanics at their work — like to "boss" them, as it were -- and pictures the more intelligent sons of toil at their tasks have more or less of the same charm to the uninitiated.
The Messrs. Jolly, whose main works show on this page, are expert jobbers, machinists, and manufacturers of paper-making and other machinery at Holyoke. They established this business in 1881, and have brought it to great proportions, employing at times nearly 200 workmen. Being experienced and practical mechanics themselves, everything goes through their works under their own personal supervision, and they thus insure the setting up only of such machines as will stand the most critical tests.
W. Jolly’s Shops on First Level Canal.
|
The premises occupied include not only the building shown in the center of this page, but a foundry in the eastern part of the city, which the brothers purchased a few years since the later firm of Munn & Baush. This step has proved of great advantage to the brothers, as they are now enabled to make not only their own castings, but to do also a vast amount of business in this line for others. The making of heavy castings for store fronts is a large part of the work, and the foundry turns out about seven tons of cast iron a day.
The building, pictured on this page, is on the first level canal, between Appleton and Cabot streets, and is a two-story brick building 25 x 120 feet in dimensions, fully supplied with all the modern tools and machinery known to the trade. This is in decided contrast to the small one-story wooden affair in which they began business, considerably smaller than their present blacksmith shop. In January, 1881, the Messrs. Jolly bought out the firm of Roby & Saunders, who were running a small repair shop employing five men.
From the earliest commencement of their enterprise, the growth of its various departments has been constant and healthy, and yet it is crowded to such an extent to-day that for two-thirds of the time the foundry and machine shop have been obliged to run sixteen hours a day.
The machinery is operated by water power, and among the specialties manufactured are Manning’s patent combination winder, screens and vats for paper machines, Ferry’s patent star duster, etc. The firm also promptly refill Jordan engines and engine rolls and make elevators, power boiler pumps, paper calender rolls, stuff pumps, pulleys, shafting, hangers and gearing. Iron and steel forging, model and pattern making are also attended to promptly.
But the msot important of the specialties manufactured by the Messrs. Jolly is the McCormick Holyoke Turbine Wheel, a machine which has revolutionized the use of water power, and to which the city of Holyoke is indebted for no small share of its prosperity. The wheel is manufactured by the Messrs. Jolly under a limited right, and Mr. McCormick, the inventor, has quarters on their premises. When it is considered that 17,000 horse power in the mills of Holyoke are dependent upon this turbine wheel, the value of Mr. McCormick’s invention may be partly estimated.
From all the publishers of this work can learn, the productions of the Jolly Brothers are unsurpassed for quality of materials and workmanship, and for durability and excellence they seem to be undisputedly inferior to none.
Turning and Boring a Large Pulley.
|
Finishing a Turbine Wheel.
|
© Laurel O’Donnell 1996 - 2006, all rights reserved
This document may be downloaded for personal non-commercial use only
and may not be reproduced or distributed without permission in any format.
This is an edited adaptation from the original publication.
|
