The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-10-31
A VISIT 10 THE POTTERY.
Some Interesting Observations Q { the
4AnnfAetuEa % White stone ware.


Solomon said; There Is nothing new I'M
der the SUM- We do not wish to dispute
the remarks Of the holy sage, but while all
wisdom was given TO him to know the why's
and wheretores Of everything, yet We, the
people Of Wheeling, OF the Nineteenth cen.
tury, are still learning continually, new
things. Among the numerous manufactures
in our midst one Of the newest and most in
teresting Is the manner OF making our house
hold dishes and other articles OF stoneware
in use in daily life, This institution is
known as the Wheeling Pottery Company,
and bids TAR to be Is prosperous and make as
national a name for Wheeling as its nail
mills have done,
On Saturday W. boarded street car and
in short time found ourselves at our pros
pectlve point. In the office OF the establish
meRt We found our friend, Mr.. viii Isett,
who, on knowing our wishes to see the pro-
cess OF pottery making quickly dispatched
messenger To show US the various stages OF
this novel art We had scarcely entered up
on the alphabet OF our study when Mr. Chas.
FranLheim kindly offered to conduct us fur
Their. Descending to the basement Of the
building We found ourselves in large room
filled with various watts, etc, One imagines
himself in wash house, as the various clothes
hung up to dry might indicate, but We soon
discovered our mistake The Aforesaid
articles were large pieces Of muslin used in
the preparation OF the clay. In one corner
of the room were two stalls in which were
contained two varieties OF the clay, one from
the New jersey, the other from the England
mines, 1t seGms these two Clays are mixed
with certain chemicals and placed in vat
where they are agitated. From here they
are pumped into large receiver, The large
squares OF muslin before mentioned are laid
upon immense drains, when the contents OF
the vat are pumped in and allowed to remain
until all the water is out, much after the
style OF cheese making, The cloth is then
untOlded and We find large layer OF clay,
which is dry enough To roll up ike wafer
This is put into pug machine, ground up,
and finally squeezed out through large cyl.
Under, about nine inches in diameter, and
something the color OF molaSSes candy-it is
grayer in hue, This machine reminded one
OF sausage grinder. These logs OF clay are
cut Oft into pieces about two feet long, lac I'd
on wheelbarrOws and conveyed TO M Dpper
story by means OF an elevator, of which there
are two In the building, ltisin this story that
the clay Is put on the moulds, and in the
hands of the porter 1t begins to take shape
To attempt to give the whole process in
minutial Is beyond our power. We would
recommend our readers to see the process for
themselves There arc three people, man
and two boys generally, at every mould, and
beside them, conveniently placed, is one OF
the clay logs A boy takes big lump In his
hand lays 1t on q slab in front of him, and
with some kind Of q maui like q fiat potato
masher, gives 1t one slap, Then the man
takes It, throws II on the mould with marvel.
Gus aim, and 1t Is whirled around some time,
the man meanwhile trimming 1t to fit; then
the other boy carries II off and places II on
the shelf to dry for several hours. On this
floor are made cups, SlucerS, plates and
plain dishes. In the next department the
moulding Is all done by hand lIcre we find
beautiful dishes In great variety handsome
chamber sets, pitchers In every style, chill.
dren's tea sets, &c. 1t takes longer time to
complete the work doing It by hand,
but the workmen have attained great
proficiency, as they can make three
dozen In a day. After certain
degree OF hardness is obtained all the in.
equalites of surface are Spopged of.
II we remember Alright, the next process is
that Of stamping. The trade mark Is very
suggestive and quite unique, 1t represents
the Western Hemisphere with the outline Of
North America traced upon It. At the bot.
tom OF this Is the American eagle with out.
spread wings. A monogram with the letters
w p. c. and the name Of the material,
Iron Stone China completes the trade
mark, Every piece isstamped with indelible
From this section OF the building we
were taken to the glazing room. Here aman
stands before two or three large tubs full OF a
pure white flint liquid, about The consistency
OF fine starch before II Is thiCkened He has
q hook made Of wire adjusted on bis hand by
which he has firm hold on the dish. lie
dips It in, places It on tray In front Of him,
and so on he goes with amazing rapidity.
After the articles are dry they are ready for
the furnace. Following our intelligent con.
duCtor, we found ourselves In warmer eli
mate than Shadrach, Meshaoh and Abedne go,
as the farnacC was heated eight times instead
OF seven times.
An immense furnace faced It's, in which
the dishes are hardened by FIRE, We saw,
what at first glance, looked like immense
band boxes, and So they were, only made out
Of clay and called "saggers.' As one plate
is spoiled II Il touches another, there were
three row; OF little holes at equal spaces, We
found In these were placed what are called
plates are hung on these, so that each Is sepa.
rated from the other. II the dishes are
exposed 10 the fire, they are spoiled, 80 these
boxes are almost Theoretically sealed by one
being placed on top OF the other, small lay
er OF soft clay between them. The furnace
for the burning OF fine decorated china Is
now complete and any lady, who has any
china to be burned will moi bs at.the neceS.
sity OF sending II out OF town. The hot air
| which would escape from the furnaces II Il
was allowed, Is economical and brought back
by immense pipes and the whole establish.
tnent Is heated by II. 1t also furnishes the
hot air for the drying rooms, which look like
good-Sized closets, with immense shelves Of
slate, on which the ware Is placed todry. An
entirely new feature OF this pottery Is the cool.
ing room. twas found that sometimes the
ware dried too rapidly before the Irregularities
could be smoothed down, and they had there.
fore to be ground up and made over again,
To counteract this. Mr.. Pierson, who has
national reputation as pottery man, con.
trived this Ingenious method Of slowly cool.
ing and drying the ware, 50 that II may be
kept OF q certain degree OF SoftneSs for weeks.
The room Is like acupboard, three sides lined
with asbestos, and the floor Is Of slate with an
inch or so Of water on 1t.
IN AuulIlOn 10 the making OF the various
kinds OF ware, there Is also room In which
all the mouldS are designed and made. The
man In charge, q native EngllShman, has
been for many yeaEs mouldef. lie showed
us some beautiful designs on which he was
at work.
As china painting Is now 50 popular, four
reporter took great interest in the decorating
room. We have often gazed at the beautiful
floral designs on vases and placques and
wondered how II was DONE but when we
watched the competent English decorator at
his work. we were astonished al the apparent
simplicity, and felt y strong desire 10 see Il
We could not do likewise. II seemed 50 easy
for him to draw his brush, dipped In oil,
straight around pitcher and form narrow
band. This he set aside to dry, OF to become
nearly 50, when, with little sponge, dipped
in the powdered paint Of the color he desired,
he rubbed II lightly over the design he had
oiled, set II to one side. and In little while
1t was ready for the furnace. Among the
different articles waiting to be burned were
one or two teapots, which in shape were
NabttSv nl1