The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-17
In 6 P0ttery.

Passing TO and fro are number OF
jaunty young fellows carrying trays and
boards full of ware to the kiln-roolns,
where groups of men are arranging
them in curious clay boxes, called seq
CARS" They are charging the kiln, that
is to say, packing it with ware for burn
ing. The cup seggar5 are shallow, hold
ing but one row of cups, which must
stand each on its bottom, or foot. for
burning; the plate seggars are deep
enough to hold a dozen or more, every
plate being supported from underneath
its rim by three clay pins projecting
from the sides of the scggar.
Look inside the great kiln that towers
fifty feet into the air; it is almost
"charged." One above another, reach
ing nearly to the inner roof, the seggarS
are piled in slender columns. with small
spaces between each column for the
passage of flame and smoke.
| The creyices of the clay boxes are
carefully sealed with bands of iire-clav
! for the niereSt tor \ 90 =t.'"s-"oUS ~as
or smoke would taruisn the bright
whiteware.
The last column is now piled within
| the kiln, the great iron door closed and
/ luted round with clay and every crew
ice stopped. 1t is already evening, with
| shadows deepening into night; the fires
are started in the surrounding furnaces;
they crackle and roar, the smoke of then
burning issuing in volumes from the top.
One by one the lights that have been
fitting to and fro are eXtinguished, the
workmen are all leaving save two, who
from time to time during the night will
feed the fiery furnace mouths that al
ready begin to cast their glare across
the darkness.
/ We have followed the crude material
to its first burning, one of the most I'M
portant stages of the manufacture, for
on its success largely depends the after
character of the ware. The biscuit must
be fired Just SO as to obtain its full con-
traction, else the glaze, however per
feet in proportion, will inevitably crack
or 'scraZe."
The preparation of the glaze is quite
as important, for it is composed of ma
terials subject to great contraction,
namely, quartz-feldspar, Paris white,
borax, and little lead.
These, with the exception of the latter
article, are O. frittedn or melted in an
oven till they run like molasses; they
then harden, and are crushed and
ground in water. Having lost much OF
their contractility, they are now ready
to coat the ware, and will fuse and
harden on the biscuit without 6 Graz
ing"
Once more it is morning, and we visit
another pottery, arriving in time to
witness one of the most stirring events
of the day, 1.-THE drawing of the kiln -
Fifty hours the great dragon mouths
of the furnaces at its base have been
belching flames and heated gases into
its sealed interior: forty hours ago they
ceased, the fires lying out in ashes. The
massive door is.opefl; mounted on lad
ders within are several young men hand
ing down seggars to their companions
below, who pass them outside to the
men On the platform near the kiln
steps. The ware is turned out, ex,
quisitely white and brilliantly polished
Piles and piles of dishes and strings
of cups are delivered to little company
, of lads, who hustle off with them to the
group of girls standing in the doorway
of the room yonder, from which there
soon proceeds a musical click click
! click click, for the ware rings like the
; bells on the tower of Nankin.
The ware is now ready for enamelline
| or painting oyerglaze.- Miss z. Il
/. F'rydtt, IN Harper S MGgaziae.