The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-03
The Fire Clay Business OF the Upper
Panhandle.

Panhandle.
From the WellSburg Hearld.
II Is well known that the section OF
country lying on both sides Of the Ohio In
Hancock county, West Va, as well as In
Ohio, Is underlaid by one or more valua.
bic veins Of fire clay and coal and as an
account oil the developement Of our nat,
ural sources Of, wealth cannot fail 70 be OF
interest, wegtye q short history OF the
process Of manufacture OF fire clay into
water and aspipe, chimney tops, window,
door caps, 30 q ssiJl.gl rs
The manulaGtory ofFreeman Brothers,
near McCoys Station, Jefferson county,
Ohio, Opposite New Cumberland, Jon tie
Cleveland Il Pittsburg Railroad, wReret the
clay is made into every variety Of shape,
illustrates the process as well as any thai
can lie selected. II Is substantially the
same in the extensive brick works on he
opposite side the river, but In these lat.
ter the clay is modified by certain ad.
mixture OF sandstone burned and finely
pulvcriscd. There Is said TO be per.
ceptible difference In the quality of the
clay also, in favor Of that on the West
Virginia side.
The clay occurs in q regular horizon.
tal stratum, some ieet In thickness In the
face Of the river hill atan elevation
of SAY 100 feet and Is mined like coal,
When first exposed It Is quito hard but I'm.
der the influence OF air and frost, II rapid.
ly crumbles into squareish pieces and
finally into light blue, clAyey mass that
rapidly absorbs moisture and Is readily
manipulated into very smooth mud
destitute Of grit, 1t possesses to a
greater extent than any other known
material the valuable property oil resis.
ting the destructive effects of intense heat
and for this purpose, Is in large and steady
demand for lining iron furnaces, and many
other similar uses. The business NAV
yet be said TO be in Its infancy although Il
has attained considerable magnitude.
Thomas Freeman, the father of the pres.
ent firm ofbrothers, was PIONEER in the
iire'clay business q quarter Of century
ago, ut what Is known as Freemans
Landing as well as a leader amoung the
much reviled "abolitionists" of that day
The business continues and has prospered
in the family. The Anderson's, Porter's,
Atkinson's, Smiths, Campbell's, Many.
pany's and others have also figured In the
business, the tendency Of which, now Is
rather to get into the hands of a few.
The fire clay after mining, Is first pass.
ed through between two solid iror rollers,
about twenty inches In diameter, placed
one-iOurth Of. an inch apart. After pass.
ing through the first time, the rollers arc
placed closer together, and the clay isrun1
through n second time, The clay now
thoroughly pulverized, u carried by ele-
vators to the "pug mill" whereof Is made
into plastic state.
From there 1t goes TO the moulding
press. In this; it Is placed in an upright
cylindrically formed recess, and q piston
rod fitting tightly to the sides OF the
cylinder, descends, forcing the clay into
a die, where 1t is subject TO pressure oil
forty tons, whereby the pipe or chimney
top receives It's shape. The pipes are now
placed in the lighthouse and kept at a gen.
tie heat until sufficiently dried, when
they are placed in the kilns. The kilns
arc dome shaped turning the ascending
heat and smoke back again through pipes
TO the stacks. The pipes, while in the
kiln, are subjected 10 white heat for
from 80 to 40 hours. While here they are
glazed by simply throwing in common
salt, which renders them impervious to
acids or gases. The pipes when taken
out, are ready for shipment. The greater
portion arc disposed Of in Pittsburgh and
Altegany for sewcrs-These pipes have
withstood a pressure Of over 200 pounds
to the inch, and are said to be far superior
to iron for conducting either gas or wa.
ter. The window caps, &C., undergo the
same process as the pipes. with the ex-
.eeptlon Of the glazing.
The vein Of clay from which this
company make their articles is about six
feet thick Immediately underlying a vein
of coal and admirably located for doing a
large and lucrative business.