MESSRS. OKEY & ROLLO'S FOUNDRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 190, 13 June 1903, Page 2

MESSRS. OKEY & ROLLO'S FOUNDRY

Many of tho>e who hive noticsd, while, traversing Powd rhum-stree', a ringet of buildings in a hollow opposite the Fiie Brigade Sta'io , hive mt given a second thought to the imp rimt industry which has for many yea 8 bean carried on ther,\ Y*t, yeor by year, there his been growing a business in connection wish ironwork 'hat has b:en surprising, though indicative of the progress of the dis'rict aud if ihe advance of the iron aga. Maoyimp rtant osnngs hive eranttei from this establishment, while the mormous expansion of the trade in rep ka to machinery his at length compel d the firm to quit its cm fined, and s mewhit primit ve quarters for a building suit--jb'e to the r qiiraineo's not on'y of the day, but fur years to c me. With conm'ndbb'.e julgmen'i Mess'B Okey and Roll) sel c ed a most excel ent site, coi.t.iuing hilf an acre of ground in Mo'esamrth g r,:et, not far from ih-3 Ssh acd Do r 0 .mpany's yards At present the road is iu p oojss of forma'ion, and when metalled will firm one of the best s'reets in the town. Tae ne v building has a long fron'age to t he stree", and at the iastern eud has a road ■> ay into the sp cious yard at the .ear. Oa out ring, one is impressed with (hi exceptionally amp'e proporti ns of thi building and the excel'euoa of tha lighting arr,»ngemeit«. The Foundry occupi s the western porlion t the stiucture, and h*»s b<en disignad as to insure thetest con Htiots for the impor aut work oarriel on there. it is 32 feat by 58 and 30 fart high. Here is to be found a powerful bias* furnace and spacious ovans for drying coe?,, while outside is (rac'el 'he cupola for fluxing the meraiV Needless to siy this latter is qui'e upto-lata in every r speot, and will tmble the fii - m to make cistinss for any woik they are hkily to undertake for eomi timi to come. Fiom the floor of this room is a flight of a eps leiding to the pa ternroom, a inspection of which is very interesting* Here, as tva> ywhere elee in ..he works, order is paramount tin patterns being oitegoricilly arranged, and fr mtha large* t to this nallest ar» «aiy to hand wtan icquired. Faw people can rial'se the t.umwr and diversity of patterns r quired a", a firstclass fouidry, and Messrs Oiey and Rollo evi lently lay first claim to in that category. Re'.ucniog to the ground floor we cone to the bl cksmitL's shop, which occupies a space of 40 by 32 feat. Toere a-e two smi'.h's fires, to each of which is fisted a tlast worked by michiory,tha mo'ive pow r being supplied by an engine, which also 'he blast for tne cupola and supp'i?s the powir fi.-rall the machin ry in the buil ling. The blast for the fires can ba reguhted ly the h ;nd or kept at a certain velcc.ty by means of a counterpoise, thus securing that even glow which for some purposes is highly desirable. The engineers' room has amp'e spac, being 50 by 30 feet. Hare are to be found drilling, milling, crewing, and shaping machines of great power, size, and accuracy. There are also two of the latest kinds of lathes, one of which has an 11 i ,ch eantre wi h 18 feet threid, and the other a i) by 12. The fitter's sh>p is arranged in a most workmuilike way, haviog abundmce of light and beiog equipped wi'h all up-to-date appliances, thus ensuring that, under the skilful manipulation of the expert mechin oi employed by thi firm, all work will be turaed outss near perfect as possible. In no business is this result of more importance, aud the high reputation obtained by Messrs ind Rollo, together with the enormous increase in their business, plainly demonstrates that their work h'os given the desired satisfaction to their numerous clients. A very commodious room has baen provuiid for holding the 1 irge stock of fittings med in • ha business. There is also a roomy effiaa. The yard at the rear affords ample space f-. r engines, maohinery, etc., uadergoing repiir, and for the large amount of irou, new and old, that is always to ba found at such a |>U-oj. Altogether, Messrs Okay and Rollo are to. be warmly congratulat d on tbe enterprise they have shown, and the d ; strict miy flatter itsalf that it possessas a foundry in keeping with tbe expinsion and progress that has for tome tima been evident, and the future prospects of which are illimitable.