Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-04

treaty Win America, ana. the Publications OF
both governments having been exchanged the
treaty has been proclaimed and Ia now in force
The island Is linked with America by ties of
Christian sympathy, and is now more CLOSELY
united by commercial considerations.
--->~S
MAKING CLAY PIPES.
nc A'rOceSSeS TO Which the Famous
ct. d. is Subjected.
1t seems to the lOoker-on an excessively SIM
pie thing to make clay pipes, a work that any
smart, Intelligent boy ought to learn in two
hours, yet singularly enough, this is one of
the few trades In which long apprenticeships
are still the rule rigidly enforced. The regular
term of apprenticeship in this country is three
years, and in Great Britain five years, even now.
Many workmen now employed here have served
as many as seven years apprenticeship In Eng
land skilled pipe-moulder earns from 50 to
sl6 week. according to his industry and quick
ness The clay of which most Of the pipes in
TINS country are made is obtained from pits
either in Woodbridge. n. j., or in MARYLAND
near Baltimore The Detroit and Canadian fac
tories get theirs from Liverpool, water trans
portatiOn making it cheaper to then than the
American product. All these facts about the
trade, and many more. reporter CLEANED the
other day from the superintendent and two or
three Misunderstanding Scotch and English
pipe mouders in the principal factory OF Wood
bridge, n. j.. while they went on with their
work The white clay is worth $3.50 per ton,
and the rarer red clay, which is dug out at Bon
hamtown, near New Brunswick. n j., is worth
$3.50 per ton. In the pits near Woodbridge
1t Is obtained from depth of fifty or sixty feet.
1t Is not in regular veins, but In pockets or
humps here and there amid inferior clay that
must be carefully kept from admxture with
1t: The clay that is blue when it comes out
oil the ground speaking now OF that which is
line enough and otherwise suitable for pine
maklng-turns white when burned, excepting
one English variety, which becomes red; the
white clay turns yellow under the action of the
fire. and the red clay retains it's color. The
English clay not only has, when in q finished
pipe, finer natural gloss than the American,
but 1t is tougher; and. whereas the American
VIII not stand moulding we'll into stem more
than seven inches long, it is not at all uncom-
mon to make stems as much as 80 inches long
rom the English clay For smoking, however
the English pipe is not so good as the American,
being less porous. The most porous and con-
Sequently. the best clay pipe i'm the world is the
POwhattan. which is made ONLY from the CLAW
obtained in POwhattan county, Va A close
Imitation OF it comes from near Baltimore but
it is not, in the judgment of experts. up to the
standard Now as to the making of the pipes.
The clay, with such addition of water as may be
necessary to temper it properly. is. first ground
very thoroughly in a mill. Then the roller.
placing great mass OF it beside him on a bench.
MOULDs IT INTO TIPS
He works with his hands. nipping off with each
chunk of just the size that experience has
taught him will be enough for one pipe, and
deity pinches and rolls the two pieces stimuli
taneOusly, so that each, in a seconds time as
sumes the form of a rough clob, with tail to it,
dozen of these he sticks together lightly in
one lump. and in this form they lie for several
hours, until the clay has attained, by partial
drying the proper hardness for successful mould
ing. Then they pass to the mOulder Each
mou!der sits at low bench. with the simplest
possible form OF lever press before him. merely
an arm, from which an iron ''stopper" depends
He also has an iron mould. In two parts. hinged
together. The interior of this mould is covered
with whatever emblems or letters it is
Intended that the pipe shall bear in relief
upon its surface. Taking up tip of clay
and touching 1t lightly with oil to prevent it
from sticking. he lays it in One-half of the
mould, runs through it long steel needle,
mould. pushes it into the little press, and brings
down upon it the stopper that forms the bowl
OF the pipe AS he pulls the mould out again
sharp swinging knife automatically pares off
smoothly the excess of clay squeezed out at the
top of the bowl. All this is done very RAPIDLY,
The roller can turn out 3S4 tips in an hour, and
the moulder who makes SIC week must. if he
works ten hours day for six days, mould ESQ
pipes an hour, or little over four and half
minute. for his wages are only twenty cents a
gross. 1t must be understood that the mould
er's dozen is 16. not IL. and his gross 1872 in
stead OF IA. That is the liberal allowance made
for breakage, loss in baking and other reduc-
tons for the full tale OF finished pipes After
standing on trays in freely circulating air 10 or
IL hours, to give them still more hardness the
pipes next pass to the trimmers, girls who take
OH the mould seam and polish the stem of each
pipe with bit of wood. for which they get five
cents gross, and at this price make from one
third to half as much as the mOuldnrs Another
period OF waiting must now pass. varying in
duration from one to four days according to
the weather. and when the pipes are finally dry
enough for baking they are filled into saggers
great rough stone crOcks-and so stacked up
oOO gloss or more at time, in kiln where
they are gradually raised to white heat and
kept at it until
THEIR BAKING IS COMPLETED
say In about IL hours. There is then nothing
more to be done with them after they cool
sufficiently to be handled. excepting to pack
them in boxes and send them to market, IL
they are the ordinary IT. D." pipes, or any
variation upon that pattern unless, perhaps, it
may be deemed desirable to give them an extra
fancy touch by dipping the ends Of their stems
In mixture of saffron tea and milk to make
them smooth and color them temporarily a
pretty yellow Just where the smokers lips will
touch the stem-providng he does not bepin
by breaking that yellow part off, as most clay
pipe smokers do. Sometimes clay pipes are in
tended to color like meerschaums To
achieve that they are soft baked, and then
covered with coating of white shelac
varnish, which cOlors brown when the
pipe is smoked. There are infinite varieties of
Clay pipe designs, and the success OF manufac-
ture. par iculary in this country, depends in a
great degree upon their taste and originality in
bringing out new patterns One factory in
Glasgow, Scotland. which Is reputed the largest
In the world, IL credited with having brought
out no less than 600 different designs and an
other In Baltimore, Nd, is said to have 1870 sep
arate styles. The fancy styles are produced at
a little more cost in wages to the manufacturer
than the plain IT. d." pipes, which are the acme
OF cheapness and plainness. The manufacturer
sells three-gross box OF completed pipes at from
Il to 81 20. His gross does not consist of 1872.
as the mouder's does. but of the orthodox l44.
or course great deal of breakage must be ex-
pected among such fragile articles, but there
can never be so much that very liberal profit
Is not left to the retailer. Some of the nine
manufacturers are now diverting their atten-
tion to the making of corncOb pipes by steam
machinery instead of the slow. Old-iashiOned
process formerly employed by the darkies of
the south very coarse emery wheel grinGs
smooth the outside of the cob. and peculiarly
ed fp fbo{ no, Il