The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-08-03
THE PIPE OF CLAY.
Evolution Of the. Clay Tobacco Pipe. and
How It II Made.

Evolution Of tho Clay Tobacco Pipe. and
How II II Made.
There are few industries the processes
Of which are more interesting than that
of the manufacture of clay tobacco pipes.
The writer recently wandered-more by
chance than interest-into a factory
where many bushels of the popular clay
pipe are daily made and shipped to all
parts of the country. Over 5000 gross,
or nearly million cheap clay pipes, arc
annually sent out from this factory
alone.
Said the proprietor Of the establish
ment visited when asked by the writer
for some information concerning the
manner in which the pipes were made
1--WE manufacture more than dozen
different varieties and designs of clay
pipes. This is the latest"
And the manufacturer exhibited neat
little pipe of the reddish hue, with an ex-
cellent likeness carved on the bowl, and
the legend, sour Next President. E"
stamped on the stem. fss}t.
1.-The clay used in making the pipes.
went on the manufacturer, sis obtained
chiefly from pits located in New Jersey,
although there is large bed of clay be-
irg worked at Glen Cove, L. l. The
clay costs SO ton at the mines, but,
with freight charges, etc., it amounts to
about S. per ton before it is landed at the
factory. AS soon as it arrives the clay is
spread out and seasoned by being exposed
to the heat of the sun, which generally
occupies several days. 1t is then mixed
with water and passed through a mill,
which brushes it and removes the stones
and grit which cling to the crude clay.
1t is then kneaded with the hands i'm the
same manner in which bread is kneaded,
and carefully freed from all foreign sub
stances.
"After the clay has been brought to
the proper consistency it is carried to
workman called roller, who sits be-
fore bench, on the top of which
lies smooth, square board In making
q pipe the roller takes in each hand
small lump of the fresh clay and deity
rolls it out to the desired length and
thickness, leaving knob like lump at
the end of each piece, which later is
formed into the bowl of the pipe.
cat this stage of its manufacture the
half made pipe is laid upon measure,
which marks the regulation length of the
stem. If the latter has been made too
long it is then clipped off. When dozen
pipes have been thus formed they are
passed to another workman, who sits at
complicated machine, in which the
pipes are further manipulated. The man
at the machine first oils the clay, after
which he places the rudely shaped pipes
in mold and inserts an oiled and pol
ished wire through the stems, making
the aperture through which the smoke is
drawn in using. The mold is then placed
in the machine and the superfuous clay
is forced out.
'The pipes have now taken on their
final shape and are laid in the sun to dry,
after which they are polished and put in
n large earthen receptacle called a sag
GER which is covered and arranged with
q dozen other saggers in the kiln. The
door of the kiln is then securely fastened,
and the fire, which is fed with charcoal
and coke, is started and kept at white
heat for fifteen or twenty hours. The fire
is then allowed to die out slowly, and
when quite extinguished the doors are
opened, the saggers allowed to cool and
their contents examined. The pipes,
which before were of dull blue color
and very limp and soft, have become per-
fectly white and hard. The finished
pipes that have been examined and found
perfect are carefully packed in barrels
and boxes, and are then ready for ship
ment. New York Evening Sun.