The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-05-07
Cur 0liu.
How Wall Paper is Made,

How Wall Paper is Made,
\ quarter of a century ago plain white
walls aud ceilings were de rigeur in Amer
| lea. except in the homes of the wealthy
where the hand of the fresco painter took
something of the GOODNESS from the walls
Ia looking back it seems strange that the
ancestors of the present generation were sc
devoted to the cold aud cherries white
color, and this can only be explained by
regarding it as due to Puritanic plainness
v hen wall paper began to be used the
ceiling was still left white, but a change
has come, and now both wall and ceiling
are made to harmonic with the sarround.
inrs. The better to understand the sub
ject of wall paper, n reporter recently Wis
tied an establishment where the article is
manufactured, and saw the entire process.
The paper is received from the manufac-
tory in suitable lengths aud proper width,
aud of pure white color To do this the
paper is put through machine construct
ed for this purpose. The color is applied
FIRST with large brush, aud then the pa
per is carried on to series of stiff brushes,
which move diagonally to and fro across
the surface, to give a smoothness aud
equality to the ground and leave it devoid
of shade or uneyenness of color. After
being properly dried the paper is ready to
receive further decoration. One end Of
the long roll which has received ground, '
is placed in pair Of nippers attached to
large printing machine, and the work of
adornmeut goes on. The printing ma
chine has large cylinder, around which
the paper is carried to the printing cylin-
ders. These are made Of wood, with
raised patterns Of brass, whose interstiees
are filed with flock or felt The cylin-
ders, however, do not contain an entire
pattern, for each color in the paper re
quires separate impression hence it
follows that each cylinder bears only
portion Of n pattern. The printing ma
chimes Of the day are capable of printing
as many as twelve distinct colers, aud carry
thirleen rollers, the extra one being used
To apply the yarnish. IL seems amazing
to the spectator to stand By and see a roll
Of dark brown paper 90 in at one end OF
the machine aud come out at the other
end elegantly adorned with colOred figures.
Having thus received the pattern, is
gilt is desired in the figures, the roll If
placed 10 another machine aud bronEed or
gildcd The bronze is contained in a
large box aud the paper passes over cyl
indcr, over which IS a large brush filed
with brenEe powder. This is passed rap
idly over the surface, aud the portions Of
the pattern intended to receive it retain
The gils. Then the roll Of paper is drawn
over another cylinder, surrounded with
stiff brushes, which clear away all super
auous powder. There are two varieties
Of bronze PaPcr-she single Priu. bronze,
whieh contains only one color aud gili,
aud the eolorcd brouEc, which has mum
Der OF eolors-
The latest improvement is the embossed
or pressed paper. Formerly all patterns
were perfectly Fat, bu, BY new process,
portions Of this pattern are raised or em.
bossed This is done by machine eon-
stFueted for the purpose, and consists 10
forcing the paper down on a duplicate Of
the original pattern, thus elevsting the
desired portions Velvet paper $50 called,
but known technically as flock papcr,)
which is 50 often used in paneling. has
loug bothered the brains Of the usual house
holder, yet is manufacture IS exceedingly
simple The paper first goes through the
grounding machine, aud then receives 4
siEing, after which il is placed in long
box about two feet vide, tWo feet deep aud
tWen,y-f0ur feet long, with casvas bot
tom. Underneath this bottom are a num-
Der Of wooden arms which, BY the aid Of
cracks, beat tattoo on il. The paper
thus placed, quantity Of aoCk IS thrown
on it, the arms beat the canvas, aud 10 a
short time it emerses seeEiagly roll Of
soft velvet. A New York man has re-
Gently patented an Improvement on all
previous efforts, known as mica, or
~Oriental satin paper BY secret pro
cess mica IS applied TO the surface, giving
tsc paper glltsering appearance The
rolls are theu run through a machine which
smboSses the paper, giving il ribbed
appearance. The rolls Of faneiful wall
paper are retailed at prices ranging from
two dollars to Eve dollars each, aud when
properly laid upon walls aud ceilings give
an apartment rich appearance, fully equal
to the handiwork Of an expert freseo pain
ter aud at one-ffth the cost;
Unfortunately for good taste many per-
sous are AL at sea as regards the proper
arrangement Of the room. They decorate
their walls with beautiful paper aud then
hide the beauty behind rows Of pictures,
In papering the walls of an apartment
some definite arrangement. should be deeid
ed upon before the paper is placed. Anoth-
er outrage on good taste is selecting wall
paper to match in color the furniture of q
room. Contrast 10 this respect gives en-
tire harmony.
"WOod paper" is the name Of a new
idea. In this the paper is given a thin
veneer Of the wood desired, aud can be
rolled up like ordinary paper. This pa
per, properly applied, gives the walls OF a
room all the appearance of being worked
in hard wood By means of machinery
the manufacture of wall paper is materially
FASTENED. An ordinary machine will print
from $500 to 5000 rolls per day Of eight
colored paper, while City rolls is good
days work by hand The latter process,
however, is used on the very finest paper
The paper after having gone through the
various processes described, is run on long
spindles and cut into rolls Of eight yards
each, packed in bundles of twenty-five rolls
aud is then ready for shipment.
Power of the Plug Hat.