Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-11-23
,Meerssknum and Anbee.

former wears pipes and smokers articles
comprised the sole entries of meer-
schaum and amber at the New York
Custom House. The Government levies
duty of $50 per gross and % per
cent ad valorem on the manufactured
article while the raw material is adj
mitted free Vienna is the headquarters
Of the mecrschaum industry. Five years
ago q Chambers street firm brought
or, Is an experiment, Austrian arti-
sans to fashion the crude meerschaum
blocks into pipes. The experiment
proved success. and now there are tive
or six New York factories, employing
about 200 wOrkmen that turn out first
class meerschaum work.
The crude meerschaum comes from
Kiltschik and Esk- Schehr in Anatobia,
in Asia Minor, where it is found loose
or embodied in chalky, serpentine rocks.
In size il varies from the dimensions of
walnut to that of a mans head.
When it is first mined it is soft. but it
becomes hard when exposed to the air.
In its virgin state il cracks very easily.
The business of mining and marketing
meerschaum is entirely under the con-
troll of Armenians. They are shrewd
traders, and can discount vender of
wooden hams and nutmegs at his own
trade For self-protection buyers have
insisted on the putting of the raw prod
uct into marketable shape, so that some
idea of the value of the goods can be
ascertained on SIGHT. The crude blocks
of meerschaum are, therefore, slight
lv waxed and polished SO that
the grain can be readily seen.
The market is at Vienna, where
the Armenian producers have estab-
lished agencies, and where the whole
world goes to buy. In marketable
shape, meerschaum is assorted in four
sizes. The largest size has aboat thir-
ty-fve pie es to the case, the second
averages seventy-five pieces, third about
one hundred and seventy-five pieces,
and the fourth from three hundred to
five hundred pieces. Each size again
is graded in eight or nine qualities. A
popular notion is that meerschaum is
sold by weight. Ii such were the case
the Eight pounds would be in great
demand. Connoisseurs prefer block
neither too light nor too heavy. If too
light, the meerschaum is porous and
will absorb too much nicotine. If too
heavy, it will not color well. American
workmen have not yet been found to
successfully manipulate the raw mate
rial All the workmen employed in the
industry have been brought over from
Austria. They earn big wages and are
secretive with their handicrait.
The process of manufacturing meer-
schaum pipes requires both skill and
practice. The blocks are first roughly
cut into the shape of pipe. They are
.hen dipped into water, and while wet
are turned on lathe. The eye is the
| only guide TO produce evennesS and
symmetry. After the lather has COM
J pleted his work the pipes are rubbed
smooth, reed found in the marshes of
! uOboken. with fine velyety surface.
oeing used as n file. When all the
scratches are removed and perfectly
smooth surface is presented, the article
is dipped into hot wax. left few min
ntes there, and then polished with a rag.
| Right here is point for smokers.
When purchasing meerschaum article
always select one having yellow
tinge- A yellow shade shows that the
mcerschaum is sufficiently porous to
absorb wax. and therefore it will read
/ ily color from nicotine. A white meer-
schaum pipe or cigar-holder shows den
sity sufficient to resist absorption. The
best article is not too yellow. but what
may be termed Just yellow enough.
If the Government imposed duty on
amber in its crude state. the Custom
House receipts would be considerably
increased. The authorities. however.
class amber as chemical and admit it
free of duty under the heading of gum.
For the fiscal year ended June so, last.
So, 400 worth of amber was brought
! into the mort of New York The hest