The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-15
Preparing Potter's Clay.

It is we'll known that the pots used by
the glassmakers must necessarily be OF
the best material, but what that material
is, or where it is found, is not so gener.
ally known. A gentleman connected
with one of the largest houses in New
York city dealing in glassware, who is
also interested in the manufacture, said
to Mail and Espaess reporter:
"For q long time no clay was found
that euualed that found in Stourbridg ge,
>England, but now no glassmaker in
this country need import any, for in the
immediate vicinity of st. Louis clay
company produces from its mines an
article fully equal in every respect to the
English clay, and this is now in general
use throughout the United States, The
process OF preparing it for use is most
interesting.
"The clay is taken in carts from the
mines to the works, and there shoveled
through an opening in the wall directly
into huge vats when it is dissolved in
w,ter. From that moment the cleansing
process begins. This is the most i'm
portant thing in the whole proceeding
and for this reason the carts are not al
lowed to enter.
"Not only are the carts kept out, but
strangers are rigidly excluded, and some
influence is necessary to secure perm!s-
sion to visit the building. When one
enters he is requested to clean his shoes
very carefully, as the introduction of the
most minute particles of dirt will injure
the clay. Employees are required to wear
wooden shoes while at work, for the sake
of cleanliness, and they willingly COM
ply, because leather shoes are soon de-
stroyed, the nails being quickly destroyed
by coming in contact with the clay. Iron
will not stand the contact and brass is
consequently used instead of iron in all
the ma hinery which is touched by the
clay while it is in state of solution.
"Jlay, when it is stirred up in water,
will remain in solution for long time,
and the particles of sand, gravel or iron
which may be in 1t will settle to the bot
tom of the liquid as it is carried from the
large vats through sluices to the tanks
where it is allowed to settle. AS it
passes through this sluice it is screened
or run through fine wire netting, and
at this point it is constantly and care
fully watched by two workmen.
SIN the tanks it remains for about a
week until the clay has settled to the
bottom and the clear water is drawn off
to be used again. The clay is then taken
to the evaporating room and placed in
shallow pans, the sides and bottoms of
which are covered with coils of steam
pipes. A uniform temperature of seventy
degrees is maintained as nearly as possi-
be in the room. A large force of work
men turn the clay over and oTer with
shovels until it is of the consistency of
putty ready for the GLACIERS use.
"Thence 1t is taken to another room
where is powerful block molding
machine which presses it into a slab
which is cut into blocks by a boy. He
uses sort of a bow with a wire string,
and as he cuts he stamps each block with
the factory mark. Then in the drying
room they are baked slowly for five days,
when they are ready for sale in that
shape, or for reduction to powder, which
is sold in larrels."