Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-04-08
How window Glass is Made.


The workmen were engaged i'm max
ing window glass, and proceeded in o
way that seemed VERY simple. Ayoung
man would take one of the long hollow
iron pipes we saw the gamt man juggle
with. and approaching one of the
mouths of the great furnace with the in-
difference of n SahmaudW- first. how
ever, protecting his face with q leather
screen-wouid proceed by series OF
wavc-like movements of the pipe to
gather at the end q bah of liquid glass,
getting his supply from a iire-clay pot
These pots contained a mixture of Soda
lime and sand, which had been reduced
by firing for two days After gathering
wad the size of q cocoanut, the young
man would turn and cool it upon an
iron plate, sim keeping up the wave-Gke
rotary motion. Then he would return
TO the pot and begin fishing again, then
back to the iron plate, for cooling, and
then more angling BY this time he
has gathered ball of about sixteen
pounds weight and OF intense heat
Now cooling the pipe with water he
carries his burden over and deposits il
on a large iron plate-this on" floating
in n tub of water-giveS the pipe To n
glass-blower, and Selling another iron,
goes back TO the furnace TO perform his
part once again
The glaSs-blowcr rolls the ball upon
the plate until he has made the ball as
sumo q pear shape, when he applies the
pipe to his lips and blows until his
cheeks stand out like red apples, blows
till he is red behind the ears, blows UNI
til he becomes of complexion as bloom
ing as the glass. All this, while he inn
parts a rotary motion to the pipe, and
does not cease either the blowing or the
rotating until the pear shaped glass has
expanded into the rude semblanco of n
bottle with no neck and u very thick
bottom. Now over he goes to one of
the mouths of the side furnace. into
which he thrusts tho pipe to warm the
mean-looking bottle mt the end At his
feet is the grave-l,lle pit.
Now watch him. lie takes the pipe
from the furnace, blows in il and lets il
swing before in the pit. The glass be-
gins to lengthen out, sloye-pipe fashion;
into the furnace again; now out, and
over his head. Agitate the pipe. Blow.
Now big sweep from mid-air through
the pit and up again. Blow. Now q
pendulum-like movemcnt-up down
way-cross back! The glass has be-
come Il cylinder four feet long. Heat
again and Withdraw. Blow. Rotate.
A little more jugglcry here there
right side left a beautiful swing be-
lowl The cylinder is over five feet long
nowl The work is done
These cylinders are placed, still glow
ing, on q stand A tap with a piece of
steel releases the blow-pipe the blower
makes a measurement with a stick,
wraps a string of hot glass about the
cylinder, the superlluous part falls of as
though cut with diamond and the
completed cylinder about five feet long
and eighteen inches in diameter is car
ried to a place Of safety Tomorrow n
hot steel rod viii cut each of the cylin-
ders through one side, thus leaving it
like a sheet of paper twisted until its
upper and lower edges meet This roll
will be subjected to another gentle ball-
ing, when it will ilatted out into a largo
sheet Of glass. This will be cut into
sheets Of the proper size and the work
is done.