St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-08-25
CLAY FOR POTTERS.
How the Finest Quality Is Prepared in the
Vicinity of st. Louis.

|
| Vicinity of st. Louis.
1t is well known that the pots used
by the glass-makers must necessarily
! be of the best material, but what that
material is, or where it is found, is not
generally known. A gentleman con-
nected with one of the largest houses in
the city dealing in glassware, who is
also interested in the manufacture,
said:
For long time no clay was found
that equaled that found at Stourbridge,
England, but now no glass-maker 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.
1.-The clay is taken in carts from the
mines to the works, and there shOveled
through an opening in the wall directly
into huge watts when it is dissolved in
water. From that moment the cleans
ing process begins. This is the most
important thing in the whole proceed
ing and for this reason the carts are not
allowed to enter.
Not only are the carts kept out, but
strangers are rigidly excluded, and
some influence is necessary to secure
permission to visit the building. When
one enters he is requested to clean bis
shoes very carefully, as the introddc-
ton OF the most minute particles of dirt
will injure the clay Employees are re-
qllired to wear wooden shoes while at
work, for the sake of cleanliness, and
they willingly comply, because leather
shoes are soon destroyed, the nails be-
ing quickly destroyed by coming in
contact with the clay. Iron will not
stand the contact and brass is cOnse-
quently used instead of iron in all the
machinery which is touched by the clay
while it is in state of solution.
CLAY, 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 it will settle to the
bottom of the liquid as it is carried
from the large watts 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 constant
ly and carefully watched by two work.
men.
''In the tanks it remains for about
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-pipe. A uniform temperature
of seventy degrees is maintained as
nearly as possible in the room A large
force of workmen turn the clay over
and over with shovels until it is OF the
consistency of putty ready for the glaE-
ier's use.
"Thence it is taken to another room
where is powerful block-molding ma
chine which presses it into slab which
is cut into blocks by boy He uses
sort of bow with 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 barrels. ~. Y. Mail
and Express.