LEYLAND AND O'BRIEN'S SAWMILLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9489, 19 April 1894, Page 6

LEYLAND AND O'BRIEN'S SAWMILLS.

ELECTRIC LIGHT INSTALLATION ; Messrs. Leyland and O'Brien, steam saw' mill;proprietors, whose premises are in CuT ; tom-streefc, "adjacent to the' Kauri Timb " Company's works, have now added to their splendid plant a complete electric light in ; stallation, and | this was put y into operation for the first time last i S JSS installation has been fitted| up;by;.Messrs. A and O Price, engineers, a special engine having been provided v-to- drive the powerful dynamo which for the present supplies twentv V candle power lamps, a' number that can & added to at any time; but in the meantime Price Brothers have made such arrangement that the lights are most judiciously arrant Every table, planing and saw-oench "are thoroughly lighted and in this respect nothing could exceed the completeness of th* plant. \ A Herald reporter, visiting the nre mises last evening, after the electric light, were in operation, was courteously shown ; through the factory by the proprietors and it certainly presented the appearance 'of a busy hive of 3 industry, and everything wen? ; on as if: it were broad daylight. | Thin firm;' 1 since starting some five or six I years; ago,'; has : never known what slackness means,', and for a long time orders have been so pressing that when not working two shifts of men the day shift has had to work overtime, and as the electric light has for sawmill work •{ several f advantages over gas, a good installation was deoided upon. The light is not' only; brighter, but steadier than gas which on windy nights proved to be not only unsatisfactory, V but dangerous, . owing to strong currents ' of, air blowing the li«hts about. 'i The electric light, not being affected by wind, enables the i men to work with the same degree of safety that is afforded by daylight The electric light will also enable the firm to run their moulding and planing machines all night, a class of work that requires a good light, and this is an advantage that the firm are fully prepared to reap as they hold large stocks not only of seasoned but of specially selected timber suitable for joinery, mouldings, etc. .and are able at short notice to augment their stocks from several sources. '; The cost of the light, after install*. tion, is practically nil, where fuel (sawdust and: shavings) is not a consideration. The risk of fire is also lessened, and this is a contingency Leyland, O'Brien and Co. have tak -a every precaution to provide against. In addition to two watchmen and their tell-taleclocks A special connection with the water main for fire purposes has been granted by the City Council, and' hoses 'are fixed in places that can be got at in the event of fire, and are so arranged that a strong force of water can be brought to play upon any given point. But not satisfied with these precautions, 70 automatic sprinklers of the latest design have been .. fitted, up, and nowhere are they more than 1.2 feet apart.: With a pressure of only 71b, they will spread 12 feet, and the pressure of. the city water in Customs-street is 1001b. Automatic. saw-sharpening and knife-grind-ing I machines, and the very best tools of every kind are provided, in order to ensure . the best finish ! both < in sawn and manufactured goods. A supply of the best kauri, ritnu, to tar a, and kahikatea has been secured that 'will last % for many years. We also noticed two large cedar logs from Northern Queensland. The probability is that the worku will be kept working : steadily night and day for a long time.