The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-25
CORN COS PIPE FACTORY.
Tho Zig business Done ~ Little Mis-
s,urj Town Making Pipes.

Tn. only auuovance experienced by tho
company is now and theL a scarcity Oh
cobs. NeighbOring farmg.s do not seem
10 "catch on TO tho fac. that they can
make more from the COPS raised than
from the corn itself The bind known as
the Collier cob is proferrcc. u 1t IS larger
and the corn is not set n rs deep az
in other varieties For god cobs one
cent apiece is paid. and feany load Is
known To have realized $50.
II wouldn't have believed il If hadn't
come over here said a maa from Moselle'
ten miles distant "A few weeks ago a
nnighbor Of mine brought over II load ot
cobs. that wouldn't have thought good
fox ANYTHING but to burn, got ~ for them
have heard EN- talk about the cob pipe
factsry but never thought it amounted
to much and would not now II had not
happened over and seen Tor myself
II seems incredible. yet tins ignorance
of the business in the Cuisine WORLD IS
zealously cultivated by the company.
Farmers In the vicinity OF Washington
are urged u grow the Collier corn and
bring in the cobs. bnt any spread OF lntof-
nation regarding the factory ana the
magnitude OF its work is discouraged.
I'VE do not wish 10 be advertised in
any way. said Mr.. Werlich when inter.
roeated in regard 70 the processot making
pipes. los correspondent. We would
rather nothing shonld be said about the
business.
Visions Of intricate machinery and
precious secrets were limned to the CORE
spondent back of Mr. Weirioh's rciuc
lance 10 an insight into the manner OF
manufacture. but whcu permission was
finally granted. the real rddely dlspelled
the ideal The accessories are OF the sim
plest kind They are SO simple that there
is only wonder that so good a thingcould
have been kept in one company hands SO
long The cobs are delivered at the fac
tory, and are dumped under cover They
are then sorted aud the good ones
counted and paid for. The desirable size
is l. inches in diameter. farmers
being supplied with iron rings OF that
size through which TO try cobs Those
rejected arc invariably left by the farmer,
not being worth carrying away, and are
used in the factory furnaces for fuel Inc
GOOD cobs are then sawed by small clrcu
lar saws TO the right length Tor turning.
one biz cob making two pipes. The Dor
in follows The piece OF cob Is placed IN
4 cup that holds it tightly. and an inch
anger connected with a rapidly revolving
Shaft is brought down through the cob s
center for specified distance. This Is
done wonderfully fast by boys. Vho have
| become proficient from practice. Win ono
| hand they JAZZ the cob in the cup, bring
down the augcr with 4 movement Of the
| lever by the other hand. and in twin
king itIsoycr Almost as fast as they can
BE- counted the sawed pieces Of cobs ale
bored. The turner's next take the pieces.
There are two shapes to the pipes the
peal" and straight Tho first swell
| in the center aud are rounded 1t the bot
tom: the others are only smootncd the
natural contour Of the cob being left lin-
| changed The turner's are experts They
have no pattern, but are guided by their
| eve ana the condition OF the cob. The
piece alrcady bored is placed on spindle,
| the other end having spring bearing
! that gives the pressure u hold II steady.
! With 4 turning tool the cob IS cut down
to the firm body and thc shape given, ex-
acty as IN wood turning The fastest
! turner in the factory can DO 5000 pieces
in day Of ten hours, bat the average tor
the six men engaged in this particular
part OF the work Is 500 They arc paid
81 per 900
The next step involves the patent
looked upon as throwing the law protec
ton around thecompany Interest," The
filters. 50 called. carry 1t out They are
BOYS. who liz the bored aud turned pieces
Of cobs on splndles similar to those used
bv the turuer. grab a handful Of plaster
If paris and clutch the revolving embryo
pipe i Jar Of water sits over their
hands. 50 fixed that tiny .ream rows
down and moistcns TIC plaster One
crab prestol al K rirreguIaritie7 Of the
cob ag~, Ind with plaster. The pieces
Lag then dried, saudpapcred and shell
lacked. Ali Is by machinery and Wien
the shellac IS dry, the pipes are ready Tor
pacltiny The amount Of plaster or
shellac used is trihing Ono barrel Of
plaster will fill 10000 pipes, ana one gal
lon of shellac will cover them. The stems
are of Arkansas cane, and come already
cut.-Washington Mo- Cor Globe Demo
crat