The new North-west., 1883-01-05
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Meerschaun.

This well-known mineral, which consists
of sillicaie Of magnssia and water, part OF
which Is hygoscopic and part chemically CON-
bined water, Is chiefly obtained, says the
Industrie Zeitung, from near the city Of
E,ki Seheir, Ia Asia Miner, where IL was
mined on large scale even before the time
of the Turks. The city Is surrounded by
basin, or depression, which was In oil prob
ability q large lake, now dried up. All
around the borders of this basin are found
masses Of meerschaum mixed with pebbles
and boulders in Q sort of red earth. The
stratum forms an angle Of 45 degrees with
the hill. Between every two strata Of peb-
bles, which are sometimes interrupted by
stratum of earth, there Is found layer Of
meerschaum. The meerschaum frequently
envelops block Of gravel or piece Of quartz
| rock.
The blocks Of meerschaum when first
mined are wet and dirty, and to ft them for
export they must have the earthly crust re-
moved and be dried, polished, and refined.
The refining of let Of 100 chests requires
two months work on the part of twelve or
fifteen persons, and costs about 1,200 forms
(S6o0). The average price at Eski-S cheir
| for chest of merchantable ware has varied
since 1873 between 100 and $50 francs, and
last year Qss1) it was 161 francs (s32.20),
while the refuse, ft only for converting into
q plastic mass could be had for twenty-three
to thirty-fve francs.
Ten qualities OF meerschaum are recog-
nized and each Is TO be had of four different
sized pieces. A chest 80 inches long, 8 in
ches wide, and 15a inches deep will hold
from 25 to 40 Of the largest sized masses, 100
to 150 Of the second size, 200 to $50 Of the
third size, and 45o to $50 Of the smallest.
J, In the last two decades the expectation Of
meerschaum has varied considerably; in
1855 amounting to only 5000 chests, and
rising to $500 In 1870; In 1876 Il fell to $500
and rose again to Il, 100 in 1881.
This quantity Is handled by fifteen firms in
ConstAntinople, comprising Austrians, Bull
gravians, Greeks, Armenans, and Turks.
These send their ware TO branch houses or
consignees Ia Vienna, which Is the only es-
tablished market for these wares. vienna's
immense importation Of meerschaum dates
from the middle Of the year 1850, when the
production Of pipes and cigar holders re-
ceived an immense impetus from the expor-
tation to England, France, and America. At
the beginning Of 1850 considerable export
Of pipes to San Francisco began, while 1t the
same time large quantities OF cigar holders
were sent to Australia and America ria
Hamburg. Since then the conditions have
changed, for the introduction of this article
into America has been checked by high tar
if duties. By the aid Of Austrian workmen
that have emigrated thither, an industry has
been founded In America which competes
successfully with the Vienna pipe mannfac-
turefs, Of which America was formerly the
largest customer. The United States, like
France and Germany, ublan most of their
raw material from Austria.
Sie2fried Adler, la arecent book en- Con-
stanlinopIs ard ia nsighborhood. ssys thai
for the last Ten y@srs she,e has been steady
.iecllne In the naeelcAauln bnsins -, part oi
which is slirihsiabls to an u.,s, abb. currency
IN the plscs wb~ie Il Is found.