S. Morgan Smith

S. Morgan Smith

Company type	Private
Industry	Turbine manufacturing, Hydroelectric power, Wind power
Predecessor	York Manufacturing Company (partial ownership by founder)
Founded	January 1, 1877 (1877-01-01) in York, Pennsylvania, United States
Founder	Stephen Morgan Smith
Fate	Acquired by Allis Chalmers; later integrated into Voith Hydro
Successor	Allis Chalmers (later Voith Hydro)
Headquarters	York , United States
Area served	United States and overseas
Key people	Stephen Morgan Smith (founder), Beauchamp Smith (president)
Products	Hydroelectric turbines, wind turbines, military manufacturing equipment during World Wars I and II
Number of employees	750 (1920)

S. Morgan Smith was an American manufacturer specializing in turbines, founded in 1877 by Stephen Morgan Smith in York, Pennsylvania. After obtaining a patent for an enhanced turbine design, the firm expanded to become the foremost US producer of hydroelectric turbines. During World War I, it applied its large-scale manufacturing capabilities to produce equipment for artillery gun fabrication. Subsequent corporate developments included acquisitions by Allis Chalmers and later integration into Voith Hydro.

History

Stephen Morgan Smith originally held a patent related to washing machines, which he traded in 1874 for partial ownership in the York Manufacturing Company. When his associate Oliver J. Bollinger departed to pursue independent turbine development, Smith refined an 1870 turbine model and secured US patent 185788 in 1876 for what was called the "Success" turbine. He maintained ownership rights and contracted York Manufacturing for its production.

The company S. Morgan Smith was formed in 1877, with its inaugural turbine sold to a mill located in Paradise Township, York County, Pennsylvania. Initially relying on external manufacturers, the business incorporated in 1886 and constructed its first factory by 1890, employing 20 workers. By 1899, workforce numbers had grown to 166, establishing it as one of the largest industrial employers within the county.

By 1908, their product range encompassed the McCormick turbine, New Success turbine, and the Smith Turbine. These turbines powered various sectors throughout the United States and overseas—serving mills, steel furnaces, irrigation systems, and hydroelectric plants. By 1920, S. Morgan Smith’s York facility employed approximately 750 individuals, making it the nation’s leading turbine manufacturer.

World War I

In the course of World War I, S. Morgan Smith redirected its operations toward military production by fabricating substantial gun boring lathes for Bethlehem Steel. This included two massive machines measuring 50 inches and weighing 500,000 pounds each, along with other large boring mills. Demand surged as Bethlehem Steel ordered equipment capable of boring guns up to 20 inches in diameter, while US Steel requested even larger machinery for a new gun manufacturing plant on Neville Island. Although some of these enormous machines—exceeding 1.5 million pounds—were not completed before the war concluded, contracts related to wartime production represented 90% of the company’s output during this era.

World War II

Throughout World War II, S. Morgan Smith produced turbines and various components essential to war efforts. These included hydropneumatic catapults used on aircraft carriers, gun mounts for the 8-inch gun M1 and 240 mm howitzer M1, parts for ship engines, armor plates, turret rings, as well as components for tanks.

Wind

By the late 1930s, with hydroelectric prospects limited, company president Beauchamp Smith sought to diversify into wind energy technology. Collaborating with engineer Palmer Putnam, they developed the pioneering Smith-Putnam wind turbine which became operational in August 1941. This two-bladed machine delivered 1.25 MW power from a rotor spanning 53 meters coupled with a 600rpm General Electric generator—the world’s largest at that time—installed near Rutland, Vermont.

The location was selected due to its closeness to client Central Vermont Public Service, advantageous wind patterns, and historical evidence of strong wind impact.

Despite encountering operational difficulties such as blade cracking and a failure of the main bearing, the turbine functioned for over a thousand hours before a blade broke in 1945, ending the experiment. This groundbreaking project demonstrated that megawatt-scale wind power could be integrated into electrical grids but was discontinued because it was not cost-competitive. It remained unmatched as the largest wind turbine until 1979.

Further reading

• Re-Inventing the Wheel: The Remarkable Journey of S. Morgan Smith, Minister, Inventor, Industrialist authored by Stephen Nicholas and Terrence Downs (2016)
• S. Morgan Smith and the Development of the Hydro-Electric Sector