We have seen pictures of a World War I era lathe with a plaque that identifies the date of manufacture as July 1916, the supplier as "J. G. White Eng. Co." and the manufacturer as Meyer Tool Co. A search on that manufacturer's name produced no solid matches from the correct era. The supplier was a Connecticut-incorporated consulting engineering firm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of J. G. White Co., Inc.

During World War I, numerous manufacturers of metal-working lathes sprang up to produce machinery for manufacturing weapons, munitions, vehicles, and aircraft. Most of them manufactured to existing lathe designs that were supplied to them by the U. S. Government. After the war end, virtually all of these companies disappeared.

Information Sources

• 1917 Moody's Manual of Investments, American and Foreign.

  J. G. White & Company, Inc.
  History: Incorporated in March 1903, in Connecticut; succeeding to the business of a small corporation of the same name. The company acts as consulting and construction engineers and also finances electric railways, electric light and power, water power, gas and other public utility properties, and mages and operates such properties. On January 1, 1913, the engineering and construction departments were taken over by a new company, known as the J. G. White Engineering Corporation, all of the common stock of which is owned by J. G. White & Co., Inc. The operating and management departments were also taken over as of January 1, 1913, by a company known as the J. G. White Management Corporation, all of the common stock of which is owned by J. G. White & Co., Inc.