Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-21
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an industry which will some dsy be OF
vast Importance 70 this country. II
is the manufacture of lampblack,
To large number of people tho ex-
istence OF this industry in the United
States is comparatively unknown.
The fact that hundreds of thousands
OF dollars in profits are realized an
nually in Pennsylvania by simply
gathering the SCOT which is condensed
from the flames and smoke ct these
wells is something that Vsry few per-
sons have ever thought abous, For
years past the business has been
rather obscure, but Of late il hes been
growing in size and importance, and
no little public attention has been
attracted By it. New gas wells are
being bought or leased in this re-
gion by Eastern capitalists for the
purpose OF extending the industry
and utilizing the gas, which otherwise
would only 90 to waste The quality
OF carbon black that is made from
natural gas has been found to be so
much superior to that manufactured
by other methods, that it is In de-
mand everywhere, and it is signif-
cant fact that nearly the entire pro
duct in this State goes direct to Ger
many and other foreign countries.
This finer grade of the article is pigs
ment of great value in the arts and is
expensive, bringing the highest
prices.
The process by which lampblack is
made would at first thought appear
very simple to the casual reader, but
its details are novel and interesting
A carbon black factory at the side of
a roaring gas well is a wonderful place.
There is one in Butler county, about
thirty eight miles from Pittsburg,
which is the most extensive in this
country. 1t is located at Saxon sta
ton, on the West Pennsylvania rail-
road, and is owned by wealthy New
York company.
The modus operandi of the manu-
facture of lampblack, in brief, is the
burning of gas against sheet iron
plates. In this factory at Saxon 90
600 gas jets are burning day and night.
The building is about l75 feet square.
From the gas we'll, few yards dis.
tant. four inch pipe extends to the
factory. At the main entrance it
branches off in tive directions, and
from these two distributing mains
eight long pipes, running the entire
length of the building draw their sup
ply. Along each of those pipes are
small jets, thin and very close together.
As stated above, they number fully
10000 Over each bench" on which
the long pipe rests are continuous
plates of sheet iron, and it is against
these that the tiny flames from the
myriad of Jets burn. Tue windows
and doors are always kept tightly
closed with close fitting shutters, so
as to prevent the admission of too
much air. The temperature
of the interior must be sufficiently
regulated to avoid perfect combustion,
and thus save the carbon. Little by
little the lampblack forms on the
sheet iron until a small mass not
larger than a cherry, perhaps, hangs
over each jet. At regular intervals OF
twenty minutes q small iron car
riage" or a sort OF scrsper is run along
each of the rows of iron. and the mat
ter thus collected is emptled into
receptacle in another department.
Frequently water is run over the top
of the iron to keep it cool. The heat
Of the place is intense, and cannot be
endured long.
When this finely divided carbon is
removed from the sheet iron, it is
ready for packing. This is the most
difficult part of the work. Being
such an extremely light substance, it
would require but very small guam
tity to fill barrel if it we're thrown
in loosely. Ingenious machinery has
been invented, however, to obviste
this difficulty in measure. AS it is
dropped in by the painful heavy rollers
and stampers, run by q steam engine,
press it down as tight as possible, but
notwithstanding all this labor, only
fifty pounds Of lampblack can be put
in an ordinary sized barrel. The
capacity of the factory at Saxon is
$50 pounds per day, or only FIVE bar
rels 1t is stated that all the lamp
black manufactured there goes direct
to Germany. There it is used for
various purposes. 1t forms the prin
cipal part of coloring matter for
prints. Printers ink and marking
inks are also made of it, and it is be
coming a desirable article for the
polish and preparation ofshoe leather.
The gas we'll at Saxon station is in
itself a wonderful curiosity. 1t has
been burning for nearly twelve years.
Originally the we'll was sunk in search
of oil, but gas vein was encountered
instead. 1t is 1850 feet deep and the
casing is six inches in diameter, and
accordingly, that is the thickness Of
the volume of gas which comes hiss.
ing out from the interior OF the earth
The we'll does not supply the lamp
black factory alone, but furnishes
light and heat for half of the little
village. In a number of dwelling:
wood and coal are unknown, and they
have not been under the necessity o.
building fire for years. Pipes from
the gas well run into their houses
The same pipe that supplies the chan
delier overhead passes down under the
open CRATE, and from it four jets enter
between the bars. These are con-
stantly burning, and the CRATE il
lllsd with brick bats, through which
the flames burn. The pieces of brieA
retain the heat as we'll as distribute
the fame. If it is very cold weather
slight turn Of tiny valve will senC
the flames roaring up the chimney
giving every appearance Of a Cheerful
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