Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-04-28

the other articles. No man finishes {
vessel himself complete. Spoons art
not cast as some suppose but are shaped
and wrought with a hammer. Before
chasing or engraving a vessel the work
man fills it with a resinous substance
resem mbling pitch, he then coats it thick
ly upon the outside, and throws the
flame of gas burner upon it, which
gives it the appearance of Il huge black
ball; after cooling the resin Is cut away,
and the design traced and engraved.
This is done to make the vessel solid SO
that it may not become indented by the
graver's tool. We now ascend four
flight of stairs to the diamond-sstters
and gold-workers,r room, here We find 80
hands steadily employed; are diamond
settlers, making various styles OF
gold chains, polishers, 9gold spectacle
makers, and others employed OIL rings,
bracelets, pins, sleeve buttons, chasing,
engraving and designing. We found
here young girls working upon chains,
the links of which were so delicate
that it required thousands of them to
constitute single chain. The wire OF
which the links are formed is almost as
fine as a human hair, and so tedious is
the labor that men refuse to be employed
in their construction. Here we find
heaps OF gold and diamonds and precious
stones from every quarter of the globe,
and all scattered about The room i'll an
abandon which is delightful TO witness.
Beautiful little clusters of diamonds set
in gold were placed in the palm of my
hand, and while holding the sparkling
dew-drops grasped the value of thou-
sands of broad acres of fertile land. No
wonder the ladies love diamonds! The
little beauties actually winked at ME as
much as to say Now hadn't you better
slip us into your pocket and be OFF,"
and was prompt to relinquish the gilt
tering gems, lest he tempted to thrust
them into my pocket and walk through
the fifth story window to the pavement.
When in future man tells me he has
"a Jewel of wife" l shall understand
him. In this room is a small lathe used
for turning and banding gold which
cost 81 900. Here we saw the most del
icate designing and chasing executed
with rapidity and precision that was
astonishing. The bold relief, the tracery
of delicate fuschia and snow drop, and
every design known to refined art.
The golden chips from the gravers tools
fly quickly i'll all directions, and are
caught on large tables and brushed into
uld"clo. Hc ulII :" epG AiOih thio IiOci
sells for from two to four thousand dol
lars annually. Near the door of this
room is tank of water in which each
workman is required to wash his hands
carefully; this water passes into 4 sand
filter and the small particles of gold are
retained. After handling diamonds,
gold, silver, precious stones &C.; until
our curiosity is satisfied, we are invited
to descend again to the basement. Be-
fore leaving we turn to take q farewell
look at the heap of glittering beauties
upon the table. when they all at once
give another wink as much as to say,
Don't go yet" Ii man wishes to
form an idea of the beauty of diamonds,
let him buy his wife new silk dress
get Off of his best jokes while making
the presentation speech, and then look
in her eyes. Of he has no wife let him
try "some other girl.n On reaching the
basement we found the gold polishers,
each seated before rapidly revolving
brush wheel loaded with emery and
rouze, against which they held the gold
until tie desired polish was obtained.
1t was then sent to the man beneath the
pavement at hom, by special faver,
we We're permitted TO "take peep"
He is the colorer of the establishment
and from his hands the gold must re-
ceive the final touch before being placed
on sale. A vault is eXcayated under the
pavement, about five feet square. There,
upon low stool, before plain table
loaded with gold aud diamonds, his
light q single jet of gass he sits from
year to year, conversing with no one,
hearing not the footsteps of the thou
sands who daily pass above his head,
-, |, fo TO
and render pleasurable the lives of his
fellow men. In the morning he deror-
ates diamond set; at night the fair
wearer trips above his head OH her way
to the theatre ignorant of his existence,
or little dreaming as she stands upon
the pave that right beneath her feet in
the cold damp ground was that look of
beauty given to the darling little cluster
which she wears upon her bosom. We
will not attempt to describe the sales
room. tits pleasure to ue REMEMBERED
for lifetime to stand upon the pave
ment and gaze in the window. In this
room we find all that heart could desire.
Orders for three or four Thousand dollars
worth OF diamonds are received across
their counter in the most quiet way.
Messrs. Duhme & Co. do not work
grain OF base metal in this factory"
yet they have another house where
they get up a full line of plated ware to
suit all tastes, and the purses of their
various customers. IF our friends who
have been looking eastward will visit
this firm, [ feel assumed that in future
all purchases viii be made of them.
Their orders by mail will be promptly
and honestly attended to. We we;e
impressed with the skill and courtesy of
the workmen and have written it down
as one of our most pleasurable days in
the city. Descending to the pavement
we felt as if we were possessed of the
wonderful lamp ofailaddin but we were
speedily disenchanted by the pertinent
question Of little boot black" Shine
sir?" and we "shinedn H.