Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-12
The Stone Ware Works.

Saturday afternoon being a rainy day your
reporter paid q visit to the works of the Gard
liner Stone Ware Company, Billings & Len
nan, proprietors, and was kindly shown
around the interesting establishment by Mr..
II. A. Billings, the manager of the company.
This is one of the only two pottery establish
ments in the State, the other being located
in Bangor. and it has been in operation here
for fully fifty years. The clay used is what
is known as "Stone Ware Clay" and it is
obtained from New Jersey, about four hun
bred tons being used annually obtained twice
a year by vessel Before being used the
clay is soaked in water for from "a to SO
hours, after which it is ground so fine as to
forms an almost impalpabe powder. The styles
goods manufactured are fully fifty, and of
each style from ten to twelve different sizes
are made. Eight hands are employed in the
factory, and burning takes place once a
week. There are two kilns, each Is by II
feet, and feet high. To heat these klns
the required temperature, about 5000 deg,
requires ten cords of wood and about 500
cords of wood are used yearly. When burn
ing, each time, the kiln is tested to see if the
heat has reached the required heat. Upon
an average one hundred dozen or twelve
hundred separate pieces are burned
at each time-the largest number ever
| burned at once having been 1928 pieces.
The time required for each burning is AZ hours.
| The goods manufactured come prize jugs,
butter jars, churns, water jugs, barrels
| and pitchers, hower-pots, vases, and variety
of ornamental articles. The old-fashioned
'potters wheel of Bible times is used, and
after so many centuries of use is now found
| to be better for the purpose than any patent
ed machine whatever. Some years ago
moulding machine that went by steam was
put in these works at great expense, but it did
not do the work satisfactorily and vas soon
discarded. Many of the jugs and water bar
rels manufactured are used IN which to keep
mineral water, and they are coming into use
largely as this water is used to a great extent
by private families. The glazing of the
goods is made by burning salt in the furnace
when it is being heated the sailed air giving
glazed finish to the stone ware. For
this purpose from two to three bushels
of salt are used at burning. As
we walked through the different rooms
it appeared as though the stock on
hand was very large, but MIR. Billings in
formed us the contrary was the case. 1--WE
are very low in assortment just now" the
manager said, "for in summer we always
get low, and then stock up in the winter.
cannot fill my orders" he continued. ''for
have Just had an order for two car loads of
goods from Boston, and we have not more
than that on hand" The goods of this COM
pany go all over the New England states and
throughout the Provinces. Formerly" said
Mr.. Billings, I've had TO pay an ad ralorem
duty (customs) of 10 per cent on all goods
shipped into the Provinces; but few years
ago this was changed to a customs duty of
per cent ad raiorem. The people down
there want TO send their potatoes,
hay and other stuff over here free;
yet when we send our products down there
we have got to pay high duty. And strang-
er still, many of our people, also want the
same thing your Provincial neighbors do
but am not one of them"
"Nor l." replied your reporter.
Il don't need to ask you how you are go
ing to vote Monday, do II"
mo, sirl"