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-. former standard paddle. wheel. AMERICAN BLOWER CO. AND SIROCCO ENGINEERING CO. CONSOLIDATED. The American. Blower Co., of De- troit, and the Sirocco Engineering Co., of New York, have consolidated. "Sirocco," in the ordinary applica- tion of the word, is the name of the hot and frequently scorching winds which blow over and from the sun- baked deserts of northern Africa and India. Mr. S. C. 'Davidson, "of the Sirocco Engineering Co., Belfast; Ire- land, after spending many years in India as a teagrower, devoted his en- -ergies to the invention of improved sanitary methods of mantpulating and drying of tea, having designed and in- troduced a drying apparatus which operated by a naturally induced draft of pure, hot air passing through the leaves, As the inventor had personally experienced the "Sirocco" winds dur- ing 'his life in India, the similarity of the thot air blast which he was em- ploying for drying the tea with that of 'the "Sirocco" winds led to the adoption of the name "Sirocco." Mr. Davidson soon found that each new apparatus from his works was being defined as a "Sirocco" invention; thus the application of the term as a trade mark name for all 'his. specialties evolved itself ias a natural consequence. Albout 1897 S. C. Davidson, Esq., in- vented this radically new type of cen- trifugal fan. The "Sirocco" fans were patented in England in 1898, and in the United States in 1900, and in 1903 they were introduced on the Ameri- can market by the Sirocco Engineer- ing Co. of New York. Briefly, the distinguishing features of the "Sirocco" fan reside in its blast wheel or runner. This is oF drum form with a large inlet chamber en- closed by numerous blades which are very long, but narrow, and are curved forwardly. Instead of having eight to 16 blades, it usually has 64. Instead of these blades being about the same length and width, they are usually six to nine times as long as they are wide. Instead of being flat or backwardly curved, they are forwardly curved. The results of these changes are radical. For a size of wheel at equal speeds, the Sirocco" dis- charges about four times the volume as former standard types of given ce of air steel plate fans. the "Sirocco" turbine wheel is only about one-half the diameter of the : The "Sirocco" fan occupies only half the 'space, saves one-third the weight, and one-fifth the power, and does its work silently. 'completion For' a. given duty, .- "THE Marine REVIEW .In public buildings having low ceil- ing basements or sub-basements, in tunnels where the space for fans must ibe excavated for, in crowded boiler rooms, and particularly for marine ap- plications, nothing in the same line heretofore produced will meet to a nicety such complicated conditions. By this consolidation, therefore, the American Blower Co. strengthens the enviable position they already enjoy, as their engine, heater and steam trap departments will receive an inestima- ble impetus by the increased demand for "Sirocco" blowers, that the Sirocco Engineering Co. did not . manufacture engines, theaters, steam 'traps, etc., so universally used jn connection with fans and blowers. Phe joining of these engineering forces will provide a fulcrum, so to speak, by the use of which those inter- ested can pry out of the mass of con- flicting and confusing technicalities, unbiased and authentic data reduced to a common working footing, Engineers can specify with absolute surety and without hesitancy from ta- bles and data now available at the hands of representatives of or direct from the combined companies. | In 'anticipation of ma general provement in business, also the neces- sity for increased foundry facilities, and the consumption 'of the "ABC'- "Sirocco" consolidation, the American Blower Co. purchased 'outright during 1908 the complete foundry and plant fo-merly operated by the Northwest- ern Foundry & Supply Co., Detroit. The large, triangular-shaped property owned and occupied by the American Blower Co. since about 1881, being entirely covered 'by buildings by the in 1907. and 1908 of a large steel plate fan shop and office addition, the company recently pur- chased a large tract of land across the' street, upon which it is expected new buildings, covering approximately 175 x 300. ft., will be erected. - All business will thereafter be tran- sacted under the style and name of American Blower Co., with main of- fices at Detroit, Mich. The personnel of the management of the new com- pany is indicative of its foremost po- James Inglis, the presi- has been at the thead of the , Mr. William C. im- sition. dent, American Blower Co.; Redfield, the vice president, was presi- dent of the Sirocco Engineering Co.; Mr. Charles H. Gifford, the treasurer, was until about a year ago general manager of the B. F. Sturtevant Co., ' and thas had, perhaps, the longest ex- perience of any official at present en- gaged in this line; Mr. Still, the secre- due to the fact -- tary, is well known, especially among engineers, as chief engineer of the American Blower Co. eo PLAN TO CREATE PORT OF . SE. ATTUE, Preliminary steps were taken 'recently by the special harbor commision of Washington, appointed by Governor Mead, to create a port of Seattle which shall be similar to the Port of Portland. The Port of Portland is an incorporated body embracing certain territory in the city of Portland and Multonomah county, Oregon, vested with powers of taxation and with authority to improve the harbor facilities of Portland. The members of the commission have ap- pointed a committee, consisting of Scott Calhoun, C. E. Fowler and Capt. Ae ©; Powell, to draft a bill, which will be | presented to the legislature, providing for the appointment of port commis- sioners and the establishment of port districts by all the seaport towns in the state of Washington. The proposed bill will be drafted at once and submitted to the legislature for action without delay. There is every prospect of the satisfactory passage of the measure. OSAKA SHOSEN IS BUILDING : FLEET. Plans for the operation of through trans-oceanic service in connection with © 'the new Pacific coast extension of the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound rail- way to Tacoma and Seattle, Washing- ton, were announced Jan. 12. Coincident with the completion. of this - line, which will probably be by May or "June, through service, with semi-monthly sailings, will 'be inaugurated by that line in connection with the Osaka Shosen Kaisha, an established Japanese steam- ship line, for the transportation of freight between the United States, Can- ada and Europe and Asia. At the present time the Osaka Shosen Kaisha has a fleet of 106 vessels with a total tonnage of 110,000 tons, and maintains a network of regular service along the Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Siberian coasts. For the new line six modern steamships, of 6,000 gross tons each, are at present under construction in Japan. Advice has been received that the first of these six steamships will be launched at Kobe probably during the current month and will be known as the Tacoma Maru. -- Representative Theodore E, | Burton, chairman of the rivers and harbors. com- mittee, has given it as his opinion that there will be no appropriation for this work by the present congress.