The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-30
WEALTH IN OLD coRNo BIS.
A Monopoly That Turns Out Loads of
Pipes Every Year.

Pipes Every Year.
The handsomest houses here come of corn
cob ripes, writes Washington (No.J CORE
snondent of the Globe Democrat. The
most pretentious businass building is given
10 corncob pipemaking. The principal bust
ness of WASH lgton, in fact, is the turning
ont of these ''ornei yn adjuncts to smokers
outfit. When q visitor gets to talking with
citizen of the city's past. present and future
Yhe corncob pipe industry is speedily
brought up, and the beauties and at ractions
of ''corncob addition" are pointed ont with
Irlde. Beyond all TINS Washington enjoys
she distinction of being the only posse, sor
In the world of a corncob pipe factory. 1t
IS strange, but it is true. The disclosures of
an examination into the work and the re-
suits are astonishing. They are astonishing
in the showing of so much coming from so
little. 1t would be hard to find better il
Iustration4 of great oats from acorns. You
doubt it? Here are the proofs:
In 1878 Fl. Tibbe secured the patent for
filling the interstices of a cob with what is
described in the application for the patent
rs "a cemen5-hke Substance. " The substance
lis simply plaster of paris. The manufacture
of pipes was then begun il q small way. In
1852 Upton L. Werlich of Kansas City had
some thought of going into the same bust
ness, but, with several others, took an inter
est in the Washington factory, ana organ
lied stock company. The operations then
became more active, and have so increased
that Mr.. Tibbe now receives 5000 a month
royalty on his patent Beyond this he holds
one-third of the stock, the remaining two
thirds being devidcd between Mr.. Werlich
and three others. The exact amount of the
annual profits is not known to the public
but the best posted claim that each one
of the five stockholders pulls out about $10,-
900 year. By the arrangement under
which the pipes are made, the company is
relieved of the responsibility of selling the
product or of investing any large SUN in
Stock or machinery. The sole care of the
members is to buy the cobs as they are Of
fered by farmers. They are turned over to
the outside party, who contracts to make
the pipes at so much gross. The finished
pipes are taken by one St Louis wholesale
house, which agrees to take all the company
can produce. The only annoyance expe-
;lenced by the company is now and then a
scarcity OF cobs. Neighboring farmers do
not seem to ''catch on to the fact that they
can make more from the cobs raised than
from the corn itself. The kind known as
the Collier cob is preferred las it is larger and
tie corn is not set in as deep as in other va
rieties. For good cobs cent apiece is paid
and many a load is known to have rea-
lied $30.
II wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't
come over here" said man from Moselle,
ten miles distant. "a few weeks ago
neighbcr of mine brought over a load of
coDs that l wouldn't have thought good for
anything but to burn, and got 50 for them.
have heard 'em talk about the cob-pipe
factory, but ! never thought thai it
amounted to anything, and would not now
it had not happened over and seen for
myself"
1t seems Incredible, yet this ignorance of
the business i'll the outside world is jealous
Iy cultivated by the company. Farmers in
the vicinity of Washington are urged to
grow the Collier corn and bring in the cobS,
but any spread of information regarding
the factory and the magnitude of its work
is discouraged. Washington people say
this is because the company does not wish it
known that ithas such good thing. Some
of the residents have discussed the feasbii-
ty of starting a second factory, but have
been deferred by fear of getting into law
suit over alleged Infringement of patent.
There is another patent out, however, that
it is claimed does not conflict with the one
in Mhicn the business is now carried on,
and another factory under the new patent
Is regarded as possible.
1--WE do not wish to be advertised in any
way" said Mr.. Werlich, when Intercepted
in regard to the process of making pipes by
Il
would rather nothing should be said about
the business"
Visions of intricate machinery and pre-
cous secrets were limned to the correspond
ent back of Mr.. Weirichs reluctance to
an insight into the manner of manufacture,
but when permission was finally granted the
real rudely dispelled the ideal. The acces-
series are of the simplest kind. They are so
simple that there is only wonder that SO
good thing could have been kept in one
company's hands so long. The cobs are de-
livered at the factory and are dumped un-
der cover. They are then sorted, and the
good ones counted and paid for. The de-
sirabe size is ~ inches in diameter, farm
ers being supplied with iron rings of that
size through which to try cobs.
Those rejected are invariably left by
the farmer, not being worth carrying away,
and are used in the factory furnaces for
fuel Tho good cobs are then sawed by
small circular saws to the right length
for turning, one big cob making two pipes.
The boring follows. The piece of cob is
placed III cup that holds it tightly, and an
inch auger connected with rapidly revolv
ing shaft is brought down through the cob's
center for a specified distance. This is done
wonderfully fast by boys who have become
proficient from practice. With one hand
they jam the cob in tue cup. bring down the
anger with movement of the lever by the
other hand, and in twinkliug it is over
Almost as fast as they can be counted the
sawed pieces of cob arc bored.
The turner's next take the pieces. There
are two shapes to the pipes, the pear and
straight" The first swell in the center and
are rounded at the bottom; the others are
only smoothed, the natural contour of the
cob being left unchanged The turner's are
experts. They have no patterns, but are
guided by their eye and the condition of the
cob. The piece already bored is placed on
spindle, the other end having spring bear
ing that gives the pressure to hold it steady
With turning tool the cob is cut down TO
the,flrm body and the shape given, exactly
as in wood turning. The fastest turner in
the factory can do 5000 pieces IN day OF
ten hours, but the average for the six men
engaged in this particular part of the work
Is $500 They are paid 81 per 1000
The next step involves the patent looked
upon as throwing the laws protection
around the company's interests. The filters,
so called, carry 1t out. They are boys, who
fix the bored and turned pieces of cobs on
spindles similar to those used by tho turner,
grab handful of plaster of paris a I'D clutch
the revolving embryo pipe.
A lar of water sits there over their hand,
so fixed that tiny stream flows down and
moistens the plaster. One grab, presto all
the irregularities of the cob are filed with
riaStar