Merry-Go-Round Co. Doing Defense Work

An article from the Sunday, August 26, 1951 edition of the San Jose Mercury-News gives some interesting insight into Arrow's pre-Disney years.  Authored by Central Coast Staff writer Dwight Mitchell, it declared; Merry-Go-Round Co. Doing Defense Work.

At this stage Arrow had only built three carousels and was building industrial production equipment for local companies like Hewlett Packard, McCormack, and Wells Goodenough. What they were doing for the DoD wasn't mentioned.

The reference to the use of magnesium in the horses has a connection to the story Karl and Ed told about the fire, as told in Rob Reynold's book;  Roller Coasters, Fumes and Flying Saucers.

One year later, in 1952, Arrow would exhibit for the first time at the NAAPPB Show in Chicago, the same show where Disney would visit Arrow's booth, which lead to the inquiry about the Lil' Belle riverboat and Arrow's reply letter from Bill Hardiman to Dick Irvine, on January 6, 1953.

PRECISION MACHINE - Precision coil-winding machine made by Arrow Development Co., Mountain View, for Hewlett Packard Co., Palo Alto radio engineering form, is demonstrated by Karl W. Bacon, treasurer of Arrow firm. Machine's job is winding induction coils of fine wire, varying tension on wire with each revolution.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Aug 25. - Under construction by Arrow Development Co., 243 Moffett Blvd., is an addition 50 by 48 feet, which will nearly double the square footage of the manufacturing firm's plant.

The firm, established by four men on Jan. 1, 1946, manufactures a wide assortment of metal products, including merry-go-rounds that have won wide acceptance for their sturdiness and serviceability.

"We will be able to assemble our merry-go-rounds under a roof after this addition is completed," said W. J. Hardiman, one of the four partners. The other three partners are Karl. W. Bacon, Angus Anderson and Edgar A. Morgan.

Merry-go-round production has slackened considerably this year because of shortage of materials. The firm is now doing subcontract work for the Federal Government and private industry. One of its products is a grid tamper for tamping concrete floors, produced for Wells P. Goodenough, Inc. a Palo Alto contracting firm.

Even as the new addition is under construction, it is being used for manufacture of an assembly line for loading pallets being produced by McCormack & Co., 680 Martin Ave. Santa Clara. It was designed by Morgan to speed production. Arrow Development men will also supervise its installation in the Santa Clara Plant.

Under Bacon's supervision is the manufacture of four coil winding machines for winding inductance coils produced by Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto radio engineers.

Catalog page for the 1951 HP 524A Frequency Counter

As an example of problems manufacturers face when materials are restricted, Hardiman cited the last three merry-go-rounds the company made. There was no aluminum available, so the horses were made of magnesium.

Although magnesium is lighter and stronger than aluminum, it is liable to crack when welded. Workers solved this problem by heating the horses to 500 degrees before welding.

MANUFACTURER EXPANDS - New section of Arrow Development Co., Mountain View manufacturing firm, is put to full use even before it is roofed. William J. Hardiman, secretary of form, lends a hand in building assembly line for pallet division of McCormack & Co., Santa Clara. Assembly line was designed by Edgar Morgan, partner in Arrow firm. He will also supervise its installation in Santa Clara plant.