Document R2Yb7rE2opOd8gnxRboBwxrRX

spring . POWERFAX 19 3 4 a THE ENGINE BUILDERS' ASSOCIATION OF A GENERATION AGO ANY who indulge in As alizing these benefits through for M sociation meetings spon sored by the N.R.A. are mal organization. After several in formal meetings, these people ex under the impression that tethndeeyd to all guilders of high 1. The advancement of engi neering knowledge and practice. 2. Cultivating a mutual respect and acquaintance, and the main are participating in the very latest speed engines an' invitation to tenance of a high professional of business economic fashions. Ac meet with them at the Hotel Marl standard among members. tually our predecessors on the bus borough in New York on Dec. 7, 3. Cooperation in matters of iness scene were not unaware of 1899. At this meeting the Engine mutual interest. the need for rectifying trade prac Builders'Association of the United 4. The correcting of abuses. tice evils, and there was hardly an States came into existence. It is 5. Comparing and standardiz industry in which individual mem interesting to note some of the ing methods. bers did not at one time or another men and companies represented. 6. Promoting economy in op try to organize an association to There were John E. Sweet, of the eration. set down rules and regulations Straight Line Engine Co. of Syra 7. Giving a better opportunity whereby the individual members cuse, W. M. Taylor of Chandler & for work to employees. could compete with one another Taylor Co., Indianapolis, .W. R. 8. Improved service to the pub in an ethical manner. Fleming of the Harrisburg Found lic. Usually, though, after several ry 8s Machine Co. of Harrisburg, They were apparently able great meetings of a newly formed As F. P. Idc of A. L. Ide & Son, ly to increase the size of the mem sociation, some rugged individual Springfield, 111., and many other bership, although they were un ist would pull an ace out of his pioneers of the engine business. able to get all engine builders to boot and when called by the As The committees which were join. No wonder. There were more sociation for his shortcomings, formed give a very good idea of than thirty concerns in the busi would start shooting up the place. the purposes of the organization. ness, as the pamphlet says, en The war would then be on again There were committees on Fi gaging six millions of capital, em more bitter than ever before. Slow nance, Printing and Publication, ploying five thousand men, and ing that to make business men Entertainment, Credits, Stand producing an output of ten million act toward one another as human ardization and Organic Union.' dollars. beings the mailed fist must be The names of the various commit Mr. Sweet, as President, was ready to strike. The heavy penal tees are self-explanatory except the guiding spirit of the Associa ties for violations of the present the latter one, which was for the tion. A paper on Standardization Codes of fair competition should purpose apparently of trying to which he read before the Associa overcome the weaknesses of former bring in the outside members of tion in April, 1900, presents in a trade Associations and make it the industry and to maintain cor very clear and concise manner the possible for business to be con dial relations between individuals. troubles encountered by the lack ducted on a plane earnestly de Besides the usual officers, there of standards. He speaks of the sired by our predecessors. were elected seven members of a difficulties experienced in obtain And now a little history, and a Council, which it is presumed was ing shaft standards for pulleys, ' case in point. to be what we would now call the which apparently at that time Thirty-five years ago a number Code authority. were made of merchant's round of steam engine builders, im A pamphlet was issued contain bar iron, and the difficulties of pressed with the advantages that ing data to be used as arguments machining a Hs m- from a bar. He might come from a closer ac to impress prospective members states that only those who had the quaintance, and a .comparison of with the desirability of joining. best facilities could make a 23-fg-in. ideas and methods, met together This pamphlet states a3 the ob shaft out ofa 2j^-in. bar, and men to consider the possibility of re ject of the Association: tions the lack of standards in 28 * * * CRIMDEBN00000222