Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

Two months later, the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company and its subsidiary, the Axelsen & Nielsen Union Switch & Signal Company continued flourishing. With the fifteen million dollar investment from Caroline Dupont, Poul, and Jonathan started seeking opportunities to expand abroad.

Their main target countries are the British Empire, the German Empire, and the Republic of France. With a total steam locomotive of four hundred thousand, the prospect of high revenue is making them excited.

However, before jumping into that, Poul and Jonathan were settling matters in their headquarters. Particularly, the construction of the new office building.

In the main office, Jonathan was seated across from Charles McKim, one of the founders of the famous architectural firm in the United States of Avalonia, the Mckim Mead and White.

Charles Mckim was looking at the schematics and layouts of the building Jonathan wanted his company to build. There was a frown on his face, his eyes widening as he scanned every detail on the blueprint.

"I have never seen such a design like this before," Charles said. "In my ten years in the industry, this is the first time seeing this design. Most often, our clients would want us to build a museum, two to four-story buildings, but you, you want us to build you an eight-story building? This has never been done in this world."

"I know, that's why I'm giving you the honor to build it first," Jonathan said. "The building you are seeing right now will not be built with stones, but with high-strength steel. As an architect, I'm sure you know that building a skyscraper made of stones would not be cost-efficient, practical, and faces structural challenges."

"Of course, I knew. If this building were to be built with stones, the foundation must be thick to support its enormous weight. Otherwise, the building won't pass three floors. Though I must ask, there are materials here and there that I haven't seen before…"

"Yeah about that, we will be the ones making it," Jonathan said.

"About these wall windows? They are so thin. I don't understand. If the building were to be exposed to the sun during summer, you would get all the heat inside, making it uncomfortable for those who are staying in. And in the winter, you will lose all the heat. Glass is a great conductor of heat and cold."

"I understand your point, Mr. Mckim, and you are correct about the glass is a great conductor. However, my partner and I want to see the view of the factory from afar. Only thin glass could do that. And it's not just a thin glass, it's an insulated glass."

"Insulated glass?" Charles repeated, clearly surprised by the term he had not heard before.

"Yes, it's a new technology we are developing," Jonathan explained. "It has two panes of glass with a vacuum or gas-filled space in between, which helps to reduce the transfer of heat or cold. This makes the building more energy-efficient and helps to maintain a comfortable temperature. Speaking of temperature, have you heard of HVAC before?" Jonathan asked.

"HVAC?" Charles raised a brow, another term that he hadn't heard before. "No, I haven't."

"It stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning," Jonathan said. "With that system, we can control the temperature, humidity, and air quality levels inside the building. Think of it this way, in cold weather, an HVAC system uses a furnace or heat pump to heat the air, which is then distributed through the building using ductwork and vents. The furnace or heat pump may be fueled by natural gas, electricity, or other sources."

Charles looked intrigued. "What about in warm weather?"

"In warm weather, an HVAC system uses an air conditioner or heat pump to cool the air. The air is passed over an evaporator coil, which absorbs heat from the air, and then is circulated back into the building. The heat is released outside through the condenser coil. The HVAC system also provides ventilation, which is the process of bringing in the fresh air and removing stale air. This is important for maintaining good air quality, and it also helps to regulate temperature and humidity levels. Ventilation may be achieved through natural ventilation like opening windows or doors or through mechanical ventilation using fans or air handlers."

Charles nodded thoughtfully, impressed by the complexity of the HVAC system. "That's interesting. Although I still can't quite grasp how it all works together, I'm beginning to understand the concept. Where did you learn all this, Mr. Axelsen?"

"You could say I'm a self-taught civil engineer," Jonathan replied with a confident smile. "I never attended university, but I can assure you that I'm just as skilled as anyone who has. Or perhaps even better."

Charles's eyebrows furrowed at Jonathan's bold claim. A man who had never attended university, yet claimed to be better than those who had? It seemed far-fetched. But the designs Jonathan had drawn himself spoke volumes. He and his partner, Poul, were mysterious individuals who had emerged seemingly out of nowhere, producing revolutionary inventions in the railroad industry.

As Charles mulled over Jonathan's identity, Jonathan continued. "The HVAC system was actually designed by my partner. If you want more information about it, it's best that you consult him. Anyway, our company is willing to offer you the contract to build our office building. As you can see, we can't stay in this house forever," he said, looking around the room.

"I'll have to discuss this with my partners first, Mr. Axelsen," Charles said thoughtfully. "This is an entirely new concept, and we haven't had any experience building this kind of structure. But I'm sure they'd be up for the challenge. And just to clarify, this building will be electrified, correct?"

Jonathan nodded. "That's right. And if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask."

"One last question," Charles said, "I noticed that the elevators that will be used in this building are not steam-powered. Have you discovered an alternative means of powering them?"

Jonathan hummed in confirmation. "Yes, we'll be using electricity to power the elevators. It's a new technology, but we're confident it will work well."

Charles, intrigued by the new technology, inquired, "Could you enlighten me on how these electric elevators operate?"

"Of course," Jonathan replied. "Electric elevators utilize an electric motor to power a complex network of cables and pulleys that enable the elevator car to move up and down. The motor is integrated with a control system that regulates the elevator's velocity and direction of movement. This control system ensures that the elevator halts at the proper floor, and the doors open and close at the correct time."

"Overall, this building will contain a plethora of new technologies. I must say, this is becoming more exciting." Charles remarked, expressing his excitement about the innovative features of the building

"I am pleased to hear that," Jonathan responded, grinning. "I suppose I will hear from you next week regarding your decision?"

"Absolutely," Charles confirmed.

Jonathan rose to his feet, extending his hand to Charles, stating, "Then, Mr. Mckim, it has been a pleasure to have this meeting with you."

Charles reciprocated the handshake, saying, "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Axelsen. We will give you a call next week."

As the meeting concluded, Jonathan escorted Charles outside the office, leading him to his awaiting carriage. After Charles boarded, Jonathan waved farewell.

Returning to the office, Jonathan resumed his duties as the company's Chief Operations Officer for an hour. During that time, Poul arrived with Amelia in tow.

"So, Jonathan? How did the meeting go? Was the proposal well-received?" Poul inquired.

Jonathan shook his head. "He showed interest, but he has yet to make a decision. He said he will discuss the proposal with his partners and give us their answer next week."

"And what are the chances of success?" Poul pressed further.

"I'm not entirely certain. It's a challenging undertaking to construct a skyscraper, especially for a company that hasn't previously built one," Jonathan responded with uncertainty. "I would give it a forty percent chance of being accepted."

"In the event of rejection, what is the plan?" Poul asked.

"It's simple, I will undertake the project myself," Jonathan replied with confidence.

"I figured," Poul chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement, as he turned to Amelia, "Miss Weiss, have you already informed Miss Dupont about the upcoming firearms demonstration on Friday?"

"Indeed, Mr. Nielsen, Lady Dupont is eagerly anticipating the display of the new rifle," Amelia responded in a respectful tone.

"Her formula has been pivotal in the creation of the high-quality smokeless gunpowder," Jonathan said, acknowledging Caroline's crucial contribution.

Poul raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "How many rifles have you been able to produce, Jonathan? I recall you previously estimated that it would take just a month."

Jonathan's expression turned serious as he replied, "My initial calculations were flawed, I must admit. However, we have managed to produce fifteen of them thus far."

"Fifteen? That's a start, but it's not enough," Poul commented.

"I had to work within a limited budget of fifty thousand dollars, which is barely enough to produce ten rifles. Fortunately, I was able to produce fifteen of them. However, without the necessary factories and technologies, the production process would be expensive. If the military takes a liking to the rifle, we may receive a seven-million-dollar contract. This could help us build the necessary infrastructure and produce the rifle at a cheaper cost. However, even with the contract, we'll still need additional funds. According to my calculations, we would require ten million dollars to build the factories and technologies necessary to mass-produce the rifle."

"We can worry about that on Friday," Poul said.