The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-11-18

pipe, pulling the clay on in about the
same manner as glove is put on the
hand. After the wire has been inserted
nearly to the bowl portion of the pipe,
the clay is placed in a mold, which is
then closed and placed in the slot of
the machine, care being taken that the
wire in the stem does not reach to the
bowl, as if it did the plunger which
forms the bowl would break it. The
mold is pushed as far as possible into
the slot, and while being held there
with one hand the workman turns
screw at the side of the machine, with
the other hand, forcing an iron plate
against the mold, the pressure forcing
out all supertluous clay and forming the
pipe. The lever to which the plunger
is attached is then lowered, the plunger
entering the bowl portion of the mold
forcing out the clay and making the
bowl. The mold is then withdrawn
from the machine, the wire in the stem
being forced into the bowl of the pipe,
making the hole through which the
smoke is drawn. The clay which has
been forced out of the mold is then cut
away with a knife and the pipe re-
moved from the mold and placed upon
tray. In some of the machines used
knife is attached to the lever, the
supertluous clay being cut from the
mold as it is removed from the ma
chine. 1t is an American invention.
but owing to the fact that it does not
always work smoothly it is only used
upon the more common pipes. The
wooden trays when full are placed in
the sun to allow the clay to dry moder-
| ately. They are then taken by a girl,
and each pipe is carefully polished with
| piece of hard wood A trimmer" a
block of hard wood. is placed in the
| bowl and turned around to smooth the
bowl, while piece of iron attached to
| the trimmer cuts the wreath on the
outside of the bowl. The stamp that is
seen on the front of the bowl is then put
on by means of hand stamp, and the
| pipe is ready for the potter" another
girl, who places the pipes, bowl down.
into an earthen pot called "sagger," )"
which, after being filled with pipes, is
covered with q flat earthen cover and
placed in the kiln. The clay before be-
| ing fired is of a slaty blue. The various
| decorations, such as wreaths, fern
| leaves, figures, ETC., seen on the pipes
are formed by the mold. After the kiln
| has been filled with the "saggers" con-
tanning the pipes thc'door is closed and
the fire built. The fuel used is charcoal
and coke, and the fire is kept at a white
heat for twenty hours, the heat entering
the kiln by means of fiues. Great care
is taken not to allow the flames to reach
the white clay pipes, as the slightest
touch of fire would blacken them. After
remaining in the kiln the required time
the pipes, which by that time have be-
come perfectly white and hard, are re-
moved and allowed to cool. anu are
| then carefully examined and placed in
the boxes and barrels ready for ship
ment The clay pipes, the bowls OF
| which are colored in imitation of smoked
meerschaum, are made in the same
manner, excepting that the fire is al.
lowed to reach them IN the kiln-the
color being obtained from it. The
white clay pipes which look like new
meerschaum are made so by being
vanished.
| The factory visited makes about fifty
different styles of pipes at present, and
can make as many as the ingenuity Of
man can suggest by means of molds
One style of pipe was of red clay OBJ.
tanned from Maryland. in the form of a
head, and that head representing the
famous Brooklyn divine, Rev. DR.. Tai
mage. The mouth is used for the bow
of the pipe. the neck being utilized fol
the stem. The demand for this style o
pipe was very large for time, but none
are manufactured now. Various Other
curious styles were seen, one a bust O
Garfield. which proved total failure
on the market.