South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Saturday 18 July 1868, page 4


AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT & GENERAL MACHINE MANUFACTORIES. Kapunda.

Mr. Robert Cameron's, Main-street.— This establishment is situated on the south-east side of the Main-street, where Mr. Cameron has carried on business ever since he came to Kapunda

now about nine years ago. The site is a very good one for such a business, and Mr. Cameron informs us that although he started on a somewhat small scale at first, his business has ateadily increased, and now in a good season he does a very large trade, but at present things are not quite so bright as he could wish. The number of hands employed in this factory in tbe busy season of the year is 18, but at present the staff is only 12. On entering the gate from the Main-street the visitor will observe to the right the smiths' shop, in whicli are to be seen six separate forges, only four of these being at work at the present time. This Bhop in a very commodious one, measuring 50 feet by 25 in the clear. The roof is lofty, and the room is in every way adapted for the comfort of the workmen. We were shown in this part of the establishme. t various pieces of mechanism in process of construction, and amqngst them a large number of combs for reaping-machines to supply next season's demands. Of these machines Mr. Cameron states that he sells about 20 every year besides having a lot always on hand which he lets out on hire. These reapers are held in high reputation in the North. Still further on on the same side is the wheelwrights' department: this also is a large shop, and measures §0 feet by 20; there are eight carpenters' benches in it. Here w observed spring-cariu, wagons, &c., in various stages of progress, u also wheels of nearly every description. At the back of these workshops there is a large yard in which are kept all sorts of spare implements. We were likewise shown here the harrows which procured the first prize at the last Kapunda Show, and they are certainly a wellmade and most beautifully-finished article. There are many very useful machines for the trade, including two small ones worked by hand, of American invention— one for tenoring the spokes of the wheels, and the other for cutting out the nave for receiving ths axle-box. Both these save a very considerable amount of hand-labour. On the left hand of tbe entrance before described is the showroom— without exception the best in Kapunda— and painting-shop. In the showroom tut are various kinds of light vehicles, menu are now in ok. Just bj the aide of this k the ateretwm, fill** to owwftniag with att mt| of

bolt*, screws, mountings, and other articles used in the trade. We also law at work a very powerful shearing and punching machine, which cuts tough iron bars as if they were of wood, and pierces iron plates I of an inch in thickness with the greatest ease, making either square or round holes as required. A very important branch of Mr. Cameron's establishment is that of the manufacture of iron harrows, in which he does a considerable business. We noticed several sets equally as good as any imported articles uf this discretion, which it is baid are scld at imported rates. The proprietor states that he can produce horse-rakes, scarifiers, -Sx., -iuiie as gocd and cheaper than the imported ones, to that he seeks no protective duty. There wure to be Been , moreover, a large number of iron gates for theo Roseworthy and Forresters Railway. They are exceedingly strong and of good workmanship. A large quantity uf timber, spokes, and felloes are always kept on hand in order that none of his articles shall be made of unseasoucd wood. The . ground upon which these works ore ca-ried un nieu*ures SCO feet by 52J. Adamson Brothers.-This establishment— which was originally a branch of the Adelaide business, conducted under the same name— was first opened in 1859 by the present pro-prietor, Mr. J. B. Adamson, whose property it his now been for the last four or five years. Although at present, owing to the severe depres-sion of the agricultural interest, on which the busi-ness is mainly dependent, the trade done is much smaller than could be desired, yet the present number of hands employed is only 14, viz., 11 men and three boys. In busy seasons upwards of 40 pairs of hands are engaged. The premises, which have frontages to Whittaker. Smedley, and White streets, are divided into two portions by the street first named. The western portion is used princi-pally for the storage of timber and machines during the busy season. It is with the eastern portion that we have mainly to do. Entering the spacious gateway, the visitor will observe on the left hand the office, storeroom (replete with ready-made smith-work, &c), and blacksmiths' shop; while in front and to tbe right are seen the machinery and wheelwrights' department, forming two sides of a square. About two years ago the proprietor intro- duced the use of steam into his operations. He has a compact double-cylinder engine, of 10 horsepower, which gives motion to turning-lathes, planing-machines, circular-saws, drilling, punch-ing, and shearing machines, grindstones, &c. The engine is supplied with water from a 40,000 gallon rainwater tank, the communication being by underground pipes; and as the extent of ground roofed ia is between 7,000 and 8,000 square teet, the water supply ensured from this source is generally suffi-cient for all the purposes of the works. On the premises may be seen wagons, drays, spring carts, reaping, winnowing, and other agricultural machines and implements finished, or in various stages of forwardness, and it is the aim nf the pro-prietor to maintain his reputation for superiority of quality rather than cheapness. The stock of seasoned materials is necessarily considerable. The reputation of the establishment has not been confined to the district, or even to our own province, for the proprietor informs us that in addition to orders from Mount Gambier he has also had considerable orders from New South Wales for agricultural machinery. Mr. Joseph Mellor's. In the year 1863, Mr. Joseph Mellor purchased a fine block of land on the south side of the railway-road, where he erected his present factory, which has been carried on under the Immediate supervision of Mr. J. F. Mellor up to the present time; and although his trade is rather slack just nuw, for reasons above stated, yet the proprietor has done a good business since he first started. The factory consists of one shop HI) feet long by 30 feet wide, .which ia built entirely of galvanlidd iron, in which there are four forget also a lathe-diill, grindstone, circular saw, &a, all worked by horse-power. At the end of this Bhop there i» an office built of iron; also in the yard thcra is a tire furnace, platform, tire-bender, as likewUe all sorts of implements, such as ploughs, harrows, winnowers, reaper*, &c Of the latter article the proprietor states that he has a great number for repair. He has been very successful In the manufacture of wheat-screens, aud has Bold a large number thU season, which have given general satisfaction. The number of baudi at preneut on the works are nine; but in an ordinary season 15 or 16 are kept busily engaged. There is very little, if any, of the wheelwright business done in thia factory, this work being perforrao.l in the Adelaide establishment, of which thia a a branch, and then sent on by raiL Mr. James Roberts's is, we believe, the oldest-established business in Knpunda, and is worthy of notice. The business was commenced in 1857, and was formerly carried on just off Hill-street, near to the Baptist OhapeL It is now conducted in Victoriastreet, on the vest side of the main street. The hind occupied is about a quarter of a acre. It is a narrow Urip, and runs across from the street b:f ore-mentioned to Kapunda street, having a frontage at both ends. The factory is not large. It consists of a blacksmith's shop, wheelwright's shop, and a shoeing shed. In the first of these erections there are four forges, in which 'our smiths are engaged. The number of hands employed altocellier at present are six men and a boy ; but in a busy seawn the proprietor requires more a wistancu. Ihe principal articles manufactured and repaired are reapers, wagons, drays, spring-carts, pagnells, &c, as also masons', mining, road contractors', quarry, and a variety of other tools. The work is chiefly done by hand, the only machine we noticed on the premises being a email lathe. Strathalbyn. Mr. Wm. Rowe's Machine and Implement Manufactory is situated just on the outskirts of the township, and covers in goods and workshops an acre of jjround. Hera the following articles are made:-Iron ploutba, harrows, horse, rakes, chaffcuttera, winnowing and reaping machines, wagons, horse drays, spring ? carU, pagnells, buggies, &.S., Stfi. The show-yard covers abjut three-fourths of an acre, where may be fuund diBDlayed an assortment of the heaviest of the above articles. Then thete are two workshop*, each 60 feet by 16 feet, in which stand two forges. At the end of the shops is Mr. Howe's office. Only six hands are at present employed in thii establishment, owing to the prevalence of dull times.