The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-12-22
THE CLAY PIPE.
Moulding an Humble Adjunct OF
the Smokers Outfit
Three Kinds of Clay Enter Into
Its Composition.


there are immense beds and mines,
some open and others reached only by
deep shafts, where clay is mined in the
Same manner as coal. Three kinds of
clay are mixed together to give the re-
quired properties. Oae kind when
mined is nearly as black as coal. This
has very fine grain and gives the pipe
the smooth finish. Another kind has
an altogether differout appearance in
tho rough state. 1t is quite white and
mbles piece of cheese This kind
furnishe, the tenacity. Without this
second kind the other two would not
be able to hold together, but would
crumb,e as they dried. The third kind
is brown when damp, and stands the
burning process we'll.
These three kinds of clay, without
any one of which the composition would
be incomplete, are the only ingredients
OF a clay pipe. Clay is brought to this
city, says the Syracuse Herald, by the
canal boat and stored away in the cell
lar. In preparing the clay for the work
shop it is first put into a huge vat to
soak. About equal parts of the three
kinds are used. This is allowed to
stand from twelve to twenty hours, &C
cording to the length of time the clay
has been exposed to the cir and
hardened. When it has been soaked
enough it is shovelled into a huge pug
mill The pugmill looks like an old
fashioned churn. A horse is hitched
to the end Of bar, while the other end
is set into pivot in the centre OF
huge upright cylinder. To the pivot,
which revolves as the horse is driven
around in circle, is attached twelve
heavy knives about three inches broad.
These knives are slightly turned up,
and, as they pass around through the
mass, mix the different kinds of clay
and force it down and out four by six
inch hole at the bottom. The clay ooz-
Ing from the bottom is cut into huge
bricks called "babbitts," and stored
away until wanted.
Great care must be taken not to let
these Rabbits dry too much, or they
will have to be soaked and ground over
again. The Rabbits or bricks of the
prepared clay, which look like black
loaves of bread, are taken to the mould
ing room and there soaked again to
bring it back to the proper moulding
temper. Then comes the part of the
labor that would delight child. A
workman takes q knife and cuts the
Rabbits into pieces about an inch
square and six or eight inches long.
/ These he works and rolls them on q
board with his hands, and ending ur
with dexterous clip turns out roll OF
soft, pliable clay with knob at one
end like pipe bowl. These rolls are
laid out on rack and partly dried
again. They are again soaked and
passed to the moulding machines. The
moulder holds a medium-sized piece o.
wire in his right hand, ard sticking tht
point into the small end OF the roll
with his left he works the clay on tn,
wire, after the manner Of drawing on
glove. The roll with the wire still
sticking out the smaller end is put int
an iron mould Of the required shap
and the two sides of the mould snappc,
torether.
The mould is then put into the ma
chine with the top of the knob, whicl
will soon be the bowl, UP. A lever
pulled down, and the smooth. roun'
end of an iron rod forced into the mas.
forming the bowl. As the lever il lie
90 OF, it flies up of its own weight an
spring knife passes across the larg
end of the mould, cutting of the was;
clay that remains on the top of tn
bowl. The mould Is opened immed
atcly, the wire drawn out aad the pir
placed on rack to dry. These ha
, flashed pipes arc allowed 20 stand ju'
long enough to dry the oil with whic
the mould is fabricated, and are the
, passed to girl who trims of the sean
|, where the two halves OF the moui
come together. The soft, damp pip
@ are then allowed to dry thoroughly.
The burning kiln is abou: feet