The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-18
CLAY Tobacco Pines.

There are few industries the process es
of which are more interesting, asserts
the New York Sun. than that of the
manufacture of clay tobacco pipes. The
reporter recently wandered-more by
chance than interest-into a factory
where many bushels of the popular clay
pipe are daily made and shipped to all
parts of the country. Over 5000 gross,
or nearly a million cheap clay pipes, are
annually sent out from this factory alone.
SAID the proprietor of the establish.
ment visited when asked by the writer
for some information concerning the
manner in which the pipes were made
'fWe manufacture more than dozen diff
ferent varieties and designs of clay
pipes"
1.-THE clay used in making the pipes"
went on the manufacturer, sis obtained
chiefly from pits located in New Jersey,
although there is large bed of clay
being worked at Glen Cove, Long Island.
The clay costs So ton at the mines,
but, with freight charges, etc., it
amounts to $5 ton before it is landed
at the factory. Ae soon as it arrives the
clay is spread out and seasoned by being
exposed to the heat Of the sun, which
generally occupies several days. 1t is
then mixed with water and passed
through mill, which crushes it and re-
moves the stones and grit which cling
to the crude clay. 1t is then kneaded
with the hands in the same manner
in which bread Is kneaded and freed
fro n all foreign substances.
"After the clay has been brought to
the proper consistency it is carried to q
workman called a roller who sits be-
fore bench, on the top of which lies a
smooth, square board. In making pipe
the roller takes in each hand small
lump of the fresh clay and deftly rolls it
out to the desired length and thickness,
leaving knob-like lump at the end OF
each piece, which later is formed into
the bowl of the pipe.
SAT this stage Of its manufacture the
half-made pipe is laid upon a measure,
which marks the regulation length of
the stem, If the latter has been made
too long it is then clipped off. When q
dozen pipes have been thus formed, they
are passed to another workman, who
sits at complicated machine, in which
the pipes are further manipulated. The
man at the muchine first oils the clay,
after which he places the rudely shaped
pipes in mold and inserts an oiled
and polished wire through the stems,
making the aperture through which the
smoke. is drawn in using. The mold is
then pla eda in the machine and the
superfuous Cay is forced out.
1.-THE pipes have now taken on their
final shape and are laid in the sun to dry,
after which they are polished and put in
large earthen receptacle called a sag
ger, which is. covered and arranged with
dozen other saggers in the kiln. The
door of the kiln is then securely fastened
and the fire, which IS fed with char coal
and coke, is started and kept at white
heat for fifteen or twenty hours. The
fire is then allowed to die out slowly,
and when quite extinguished the doors
are opened, the saggers allowed to cool
and their contents examined. The pipes,
which before were of dull blue color
and very limp and soft, have become
perfectly white and hard. The finished
pipes that hnve been examined and
found perfect are carefully packed in
barrels and boxes, and are then ready
for shipment.