The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-05
How Wall Paper Is Made.

. a quarter of century ago plain white
walls and ceilings were dc rigcur il
America, except in the homes of tho
wealthy, where the hand of the frescc
painter took something of tho coldness
from the walls. In looking back it seems
strange that the ancestors Of the present
generation were SO devoted to tue cod and
chccrlcss white color, and this can only be
explained by regarding it as due to Purl
tanic plainncss. When wall paper began
to be used the ceiling was still left white,
but change has come, and now both wal
,, and ceiling arc made to harmonizo with
the surroundings. The better to under.
stand the subject of wall paper, Il reporter
recently visited an establishment where
he article Is manufactured, and saw tic
entire process. The paper is received
from the mandatory in suitable lengths
and proper width, and of pure white
color. 10 DO this the paper is put through
machine constructed sor this purpose.
Tho color IS applied first with large brush,
and then the paper is carried on TO q series
OF stiff brushes, which movo diagonally to
and fro across the surface, to give smooth
ness and equality to the ground and leave
1t devoid OF shade or unevenncss of color.
After being properly dried tho paper is
ready to receive further decoration. One
end OF the long roll, which has received n
ground" is placed in a pair of nippcrs
attached to large printing machine, and
inc work OF adonmcnt goes on. The
pruning machine has large cylinder,
arouno when The paper is carried to tho
printing cylinders. These are made of
wood, with raised patterns of brass, whose
lntersticcs arc filed with flock or felt, The
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pattern, for each color in the paper requires
Il separate impression; hence it follows
that each cylinder bears only portion of
a pattern, Tho printing machines of the
day are capable of printing as many as
twelve distinct colors, and carry thirteen
rollers, the extra one being used to apply
the varnish. 1t seems amazing to thc
spectator to stand by and sec a roll of dark
brown paper 80 i'll ut one end of the ma
chine and come out Mt the other end
elegantly adorned with cololcd figures.
Having thus received the pattern, if rilt
Is desired in the figures, the roll is placed
IN another machine and bronzcd or pildci.
The bronze Is contained in Il large box and
the paper passcs over cylinder over
which Is large brush filed with bronze
powder. This is passed rapidly over the
surface, and tho portions OF the pattern
intended to receive it retain the Gilt.
lhen The roll OF paper is drawn over an-
other cylinder, surrounded with stiff brush,
cs, which clear away all supcrlluous pow
der. There arc two varieties of bronze
paper--thc single print bronze, which
contains only one color and gilt, and the
colored bronze, which has q number of
colors. ~. I.r0
Inc latest Improvement is the embossed
or pressed paper. Formerly all patterns
were perfectly Hat, but by u now process,
portions OF this pattern are raised or en-
bosscd. This is done by a machine con-
structcd for the purpose, and consists in
forcing the paper down Oh duplicate of
the original pattern. thus clevating the
desired portions. Velvet paper (so-callcd,
but known technically as ''llock" popcr),
which is 30 often used in panelng, has
long bothered the brains OF the usual house
holder, yet Its manufacture Is exceedingly
simple. The paper first goes through the
''grounding' machine, and then receives a
SIZING, after which it is placed in lonr
box about two feet wide, two feet dccp
and twcnty-four feet long, with a canvas
bottom. Underneath this bottom are a
number of wooden arms which, by the aid
of cranks, beat tattoo on it. The paper
thus placed, quantity Of flock is thrown
omit, tho arms beat tho canvas, and in a
short time it energies seemingly roll Of
soft velvet. A New York man has recently
patented an Improvement on all previous
efforts, known as "mica," or "Oricntal
SATIN paper. by secret process mica Is
applied to the surface, giving the paper a
gllttcrng appearance. The rolls arc then
run through machine which cmbosscs
the paper, giving it a ribbed" appearance,
The rolls of fanciful wall paper are retailed
at prices ranging from two dollars to five
dollars oach, and when properly laid upon
walls and ceilings give an apartment q rich
appearance, fully equal to the handwork
| OF an expert frcsco painter and at one. fifth
| the cost.
Unfortunately for good taste many per-
sons orc ''all at sea" as regards the propcr
arrangement of the room. They decorate
| their walls with beautiful paper and then
hide the beauty behind rows of pictures
In papcrng the walls of an apartment some
| definite arrangement should be decided
upon before the paper is placed. Another
outrage on good taste is in selecting wall
paper to match in color the furniture of a
room. This ls said to be all wrong, as wall
paper should oppose in color the furniture
OF room Contrast in this respect gives
cntire harmony.
| "Wood paper" IS the name Of new
idea. In this the paper ls given thin
veneer of the wood desired, and can be
rolled up like ordinary papor. This paper,
properly applied, gives the walls of q room
all the appearance OF being worked In hard
wood. by means of machinery the manu-
facturc of wall paper ls materially fastened.
An ordinary machine will print from 1900
to 5000 rolls per day of cight-colored
paper, while fifty rolls is a good days
work by hand. The latter process, how
ever, is used on the very finest paper. The
paper after having gone through the vari-
GUS processes described, Is run on long
spindlcs and cut lAto rolls of eight yards
each, packed in, bundles of twenty-five rolls
and is then ready for shipment.
--Buenos Ayres has 5l 900, 900 sheep.
'-Lerkin j. Meade, the sculptor, has
an ltallan'wife. .S'H q
The salary cfthe emperor of Russia
Is, $10,000,000. - ..', ',' '..s' f''.