St. Landry democrat., 1882-11-25
Meerscha.Im and Amber.

80
.comprised the sole entries of meer-
schaum and amber at the New York
Custom House. The Government levies
a duty of S1.5O per gross and 70 per
cent. ad valorem on the manufactured
article, while the raw material is adj
,nitted free Vienna is the headquarters
of the meerschaum industry. Five years
ago a Chambers street firm brought
over, as an experiment. Austrian arti-
sans to fashion the crude meerschaum
blocks into pipes. The experiment
nroyed q success, and now there are five
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 it 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 it's virgin state it 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 a yender OF
wooden hams and nutmegs at his own
trade. For self-protection buyers have
insisted oh 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
" 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 about thif-
ty-five pieces to the case, the second
averages seventy five pieces, third about
one hundred and seventy-fiye 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. If 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. 1t 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 handicraft
The process of manufacturing meer-
schaum pipes requires both skill and
practice. The blocks are first. roughly
cut into the shape of a pipe. They are
then dipped into water, and while wet
are turned on lathe. The eye is the
only guide to produce eyenness and
symmetry. After the lather has conn
pleted his work the pipes are rubbed
smooth, a reed found in the marshes Of
Hoboken, with q fine velvety surface,
being used as file. When all the
scratches are removed and perfectly
smooth surface is presented, the article
is dipped into hot wax, left a few min
utes there, and then polished with a rag.
Right here is point for smokers.
When purchasing meerschaum article
always select one having "a yellow
tinge. A yellow shade shows that the
meerschaum is sufficiently porous to
absorb wax, and therefore it will read
lily color from nicotine. a white meer-
schaum pipe or cigar holder shows dem
sity sufficient to resist absorption. The
best article is not too yellow, but what
may be termed just yellow enough.
Ii the Government imposed duty on
amber iii its crude State, the Custom
House receipts would be conside rably
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 80, last.
$42, 400 worth Of. amber was brought
into the port Of New York. The best
authorities in the trade agree in assert
ing that amber is fossilized rosin. In
course Of time, it is said, with our i'm
+ mense pine forests, it is possible that
amber will be found in this country. AT
present the deposit OF amber is almost
wholly confined to the shores of the Bal
tic Sea. Some is washed mp by the sea
free of crust, but the majority is mined
from the cliffs adjacent to Dantzic.
Amber is sold BY weight. The
smallest size numbers about 25C
pieces to the pound, and costs
$.50. Where there are two to Bfoul
pieces to the pound it costs $50 to $35.
Amber of greenish hue is the most yalu-
able, and a black gem, supposed to be
amber. comes nextin value. Thep opu
lar supposition that cloudy amber is o.
more value than clear is not supported
by fact. Cloudy amber is stronger, and
it obscures nicotine stains, and Is. there
fore, to be preferred, but clear amber il
prettier. and is always in demand. a
E combination of green, black. clear ant
cloudy amber in : cigar FOLDER was ex
hibited to the reporter. 1t was beauti
full and novel. Amber is readily worked
into shape with the aid Of fine sand and
Furnishing wheels. II can be softenee
by heat with the use OF oil to keep !
.aI -. II i,