Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-11-27

it only the pure kaolin not indeed as
solution, but in an intimate mixture.
The muddy water is conducted from the
washer through wooden troughs to the
watts, which are at some distance from
the wheel. These are pits, some Is or
Is feet long, by s or 10 wide, and or 8
deep, paved with stone and sided with
plank. The troughs carrying the mix
ture run near the top of each of these,
and doors are so arranged as to allow
| the foreman to let on or shut off from
each at his pleasure. Up to this time.
the effort has been to keep the mixture
in sufficient motion to prevent the kaolin
from precipitating, but when it gets
into the vat, the effort is to induce that
result. The chalky-looking water is
carefully let in at the one side, and after
the tank is full stream of clear water
is allowed to run from the other end
In other words, the deposit settles SO
fast that the mixture flows into the
tank, circulates for a moment, unbur-
deus itself of its white deposit, and
passes off at the other end of the tank
in purity and peace. But it must not
be thought that the process of filling the
tanks is a rapid one. So little kaolin is
held by the water, that days and even
weeks are required to fill one tank
When this is done, however. the water
is drawn off as far as possible, and the
result is white mud, about the con-
sistency of hasty pudding. The work
ers then fill their baTrows from this pit,
and trIlndle them off to the drying
sheds. These are about 80 feet long
and l6 feet wide, having no sides what
ever. In the middle is passage about
four feet in width, and on each side five
shelves. On these the kaolin is placed
in thin layers, and left to dry as il
chooses. After it has become so far dry
as to stand alone, it is cut into pieces
and turned on edge, which hasiens the
process somewhat When thoroughly
dry the kaolin is packed in 800 pound
casks and shipped OF the sheds used
in drying there are some 700 feet, giving
about AZ, 900 feet of surface room. The
watts number about 20, and the business
gives employment during the summer 10
twenty to twenty-five men. The power
used is derived from the water of a
small stream, which rises within mile
of the site. a 20 foot oversbot wheel
gives the power To pack The large
production takes something like 5000
casks per year, and these are made on
the premises, in a large cooper shop,
which stands near the other buildings.
These, with the houses for the men,
comprise all the buildings in use.
The kaOlin is nothing more than de-
composed feldspar, the biologists tell
us. and as a matter of course they also
tell MS more about the formation, and
the strata, and the ike, than will inter
est the general reader. In appearance
it is almost perfectly white, snd when
dry. crumbleS in the hand, having no
perceptible grit. 1t is found in va
rious parts of this state. The raw
material worked here IS dug about 3
mile south of the works and drawn
mostly in winter The quantity pro-
duced is about ], 200 to 100 tons in an
average season, and since only from 90
to 80 per cent of the raw material IS
saved, in the washing it becomes neces-
sary to store 4, 600 or 5000 tons in the
winter for the next years cOnsnmp-
ton.
II is a curious point in the manufac-
ture that no artificial heat can be used
in drying nor has any one been able 10
devise method of pressing or straining
the water out so as 10 hasten the pro-
duction. Since all the drying must be
done in the open air, il follows Of
course that rainy and damp seasons les
sen the amount marketed while dry
summer assists greatly.
The works here are owned by Alessrs
Goss, Talbot & Co.. and were originally
carried on by the American Kaolin CO.,
and several other firms and persons. Mr.
B. T. Goss. the senior partner. took the
business in 1854, and was the first OF
a long line to make it pay. 1t has been
under his management ever since. The
production is nearly all shipped by wa
ter from NeTgennes, and commands in
Troy about $40 per ton.
1t would perhaps have been more
proper, when speaking of an article not
in general knowledge, 10 have first men
toned its uses, but such readers as know
all about il can skip this. The primary
and legitimate use Is in the manufacture
of paper. 1t gives to the pulp a white
ness and body which can be gained hy
no other substance so cheaply. All
kinds of paper have il, and the very
sheet which the reader holds in his hand
is partly made of clay, or decompOsed
stone. Less commonly it is used az an
adulterant in many things. The inn
preston that il is found in the white
lead of commerce is not correct. simply
because it is not heavy enough. II Is
claimed 10 be used in flour, and certainly
is so consumed very often. Ii is moi.
however, pleasant thought that The
bread the reader has Just eaten is part
dirt and part wheat The children con
sumo great quantities in candy, where Il
is almost certain TO he found. But they
are no better off than their mothers.
who often pay high prices for this same
dirt, when il is scented and called violet
powder for the face. Nearly all The
BLOOMS of Youth, and other cosmetics
are largely made up of it. 1t would.
however, be tedious to enumerate the
ways in which it can be, and is, used 10
represent something else. There is one
consolation in its use-that il is harm
less, or nearly so.
The kaOlin produced in Vermont is
said by paper makers TO be of very good
quality. though many prefer the Inn
ported English article. The principal
competition in this country comes from
Georgia. where the article is found in 80
pure state that il needs no washing, OF
al least receives none.