Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-01-14


pitcher. Some persons may think it is
J made in one solid piece but on the con-
trary it is made in three parts the body
of the pitcher is made in two equal parts,
J aud the handle is made separately. The
pressor, as he is called, bats out a piece
of clay according to the size Of the mold
!. he is going to use {; when both halves of
the mold are filled he puts them together
and straps them tight; he then finishes
the inside with the application of sponge
to make it smooth and close up the seams
! After doing this the straps are taken off
aud the mold with its contents is placed
in round that is well heated and filled
with shelves 1t remains here until the
clay becomes hard and white, when it is
taken out. The pitcher being thus mold
} ed and flushed, the next process is put
ting the handle on, which is done by the
means of liquid slip. The same kind Of
process is gone through in making dishes,
plates, cups, and saucers, and all other
kinds of articles called carthenware. The
ware IS now ready to take its first fre, in
what are called biscuit ovens or kiins.
These ovens are built of brick of conf
cal shape--something in the shape Of a
sugar-loaf After the ware comes from
the biscuit oven and has been exposed to
a severe heat for forty.eight hours, the
fires are allowed to 60 down and the ware
becomes somewhat cooler. The oven is
still very warm, and all the available
places where air can get to the ware, af-
ter the mouth or door of the ovea has
been opened, are blocked up; for a sud-
, den change Of the temperature would
cause the ware to crack or split. After
: all these precautions have been taken the
7 ware is drawn from the oven by men
, wearing hapnel gloves, anl their bodies
) are naked to the waist Eech man can
stay near the oven only ten or fifteen min
, utes at time, for the heat is very op-
? pressivc. The ware is then carried to
D what is called the biscuit oven and sorted
D over by women and girls. The ware in
B, this state is what they call biscuit, and Of
D a porous nature. The position of frcmen
5 in this department is OF very important
nature, and it requires a man Of great ex.
;. periepce aud skill, as If it is rot fred OF
baked upto a certaia point it is very ap,
to craze-w words used by the manufactu
/. ers but in other words, it is liable tt
have those small cracks upon it which yov
. often see upon crockery. After being
sorted over in the warehouse it is ther
y prepared fer what is called the CLOSING
y y oven, to go through the process OF sec
= ond firing.
u A few years ago the style of ware was
very different from what it is now. Tber
: most Of the ware was colored in different
y colors and printed in different styles and
! designs. This process caused much more
u The old blue willow pattern was favor
: ite design and will be remembered by
many persons. But this class of bes
: ware has been suspended by the granite
It or white iron-stone CHINA purely white
: color. 1t is beautiful substitute, and
looks much cleaner than the printed goods
and can be much easier matched ."
But to return to the ware in the biscuit
state. 1t is then taken to the dipping
. shop. The process here is gone througk
by men who are paid very good wages
since it is not a healthy occupation owing
. to the lead that is used in the glaze. The
> glaze is a mixture composed Of borax
= lead, flint, soda, and other materials which
. . are ground together into liquid state
y This glaze is used to give the ware it,
smooth, glossy appearance. L.
8 The glaze is then taken to the dipping
/ house and rut in large tubs, into which
q each piece OF ware is plunged, and after
g wards put on racks to dry. After this
. process the ware is ready for the second
O firing the CLOSED oven, to put the finish
f ing touch to it and harden the glaze The
{. ware is at last placed in cases called sag
a gars, vessels made of common clay, some
# round, some oval in shape, used according
v to the description and size of the ware
e Betwlxt each fiat piece Of ware is place.
n what is called cock-spur, small, three
pointed little article made of clay; these
!. are used to prevent the wares from stick
! ing to each other. You will see tn,
st marks of these cock-spurs on the back 0
i plates, dishes, saucers, etc. The ware i
"a kept in the CLOSED oven for twenty-fou
;. hours at great heat, just half the TIM
q that is required in the biscuit oven, AT
\. ter this process is gone through the war
k is taken to the CLOSED warehouse wher
10 it is sorted over by women and girls, an
e all tho cracked, chipped or damaged i
,r put on one side. The good ware is nov
"a ready to fill up any orders that may b
70 waiting for it, and is packed in crates O
d casks by experienced packers and shippe'
,s to its destination, .5H4 Yu
n All the cracked and second-cass goo
re- are sold at discount, but many hav
< found their way to this market and hav
|. been sold for frst-class ware.
70 The Importation of earthenware to tn
70 United States has been gradually increas
D. ing for many years. There are few
t. manufactures established in the Unite,
is States, before tho war at different points
:" but since the war many more have bee
t. erected and are doing large business.
ID The duty on earthenware from England
s, or any other foreign place is very high
rs being 40 per cent. ad calorem. Th
N freights also are very high, and durin
" the past year the price Of earthenwar
y has increased some 25 per cent, owing t
III rise in coal, materials and labor There