Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-04-11
New CarbOn-Black Works.

Messrs. Lewis, Martin & Co., of
Philadelphia, have purchased the gas
well on the Bredin farm, in Summit
township, with ten acres adjoining and
propose erecting carbon-black factory
there. The quality of the carbon-black
that is made from natural gas has been
found to be so much superior to that
made by other methods that it is in de-
mand everywhere The finer grade of
this article is of great value in the arts
and brings high prices, and it is said
that nearly the entire product of this
State is exported to Germany. The
natural gas wells of this section are
developing this industry, which will,
some day, be of vast Importance. The
carbon-black factory, at Saxon Station,
this county, is the largest in this
country and it is owned by wealthy
New York company. In this factory
10000 gas jets are burning day and
night. The building is about IT'S feet
square. From the gas we'll, feg
yards distant, four-inch pipe extends
to the factory At the main entrance
it branches off in two directions, and
from these tv O distributing mains eight
long pipes, running the entire length of
the building, draw their supply. Along
each of these pipes are small jets, thin
and very close together. As stated
above, they number fully twenty thou
sand. 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. The 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 hanback, forms on
the sheet iron until small mass not
larger than cherry, perhaps, hangs
over each jet. At regular intervals of
twenty minutes small iron carriage
or sort of scraper is run along each of
the rows of iron, and the matter thus
collected is emptied into receptacle in
another department. Frequently wat
er 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 ex-
tremely light substance it would re-
quire but very small quantity to fill a
barrel if it were thrown 10 loosely.
Ingenious machinery has been invented,
however, to obviate this difficulty in q
measure. AS it is dropped in by the
painful heavy rollers and stampers run
by steam engine press it down as
tight as possible, but Notwithstanding
all this labor only fifty pounds of lamp.
black can be put in an ordinary sized
barrel. The capacity of the factory at
Saxon is $50 pounds per day, or only
Eve barrels. 1t is stated that all the
lampblack manufactured there goes di.
rect to Germany. There it is used for
various purposes. 1t forms the principal
part of coloring matter for paints
Printers ink and marking inks are also
made from it, and it is becoming de-
sirable article for the polish and prepar
alton of shoe leather.
Besides the lampblack industry, the
natural gas wells of this section will
we think, in the course of time, develop
or bring to this section other industries
requiring large amount of heat anC
light-provided, of course, that the ga
holds out. The day may come wheI
people will drill for gas and be disap
pointed if they get oil without it.
The only other gas lampblack fac
tories in the country are those at o
near Warren, this State, and at New
Cumberland, W. Va.
Sewing Machine attachments and
renairs of all kinds. at Grieh's ,JeWelr