The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-01
HOW GLOBES ARE MADE.
Boston's Factory for Turning GU
Sphere Maps of the Earth.

BoStOn'S Factory for Turning Out
Sphere Maps of the Earth
Boston Letter to the 81. Louis Globe Democrat
The factory that turns out these wonder
full geographical spheres which are sent
hence to all parts of the civilized world is a
shabby little building up an obscure alley
way called Mount Vernon avenue The
first process in making globe is TO cover
the model all over with a thick layer OF
pasteboard III a moist state. When it has
dried sharp knife is pass d around it so as
to separate the pasteb0ard coat into two
hemispherlcal shells, which are then taken
off the model and united at the cut edges
with glue. The hollow sphere thus formed
is the skeleton of the globe that is to be.
he next thing is to cover it with a coating
OF white enamel about oIe-e!Elth of an
inca in thickness composed Of whiting, oil,
turpentine, glue and other things. When
this is done the ball is turned to perfect
rCundneSs with a machine, the operation of
which is too sacred to be exhibited to the
casual visitor At tie conclusion of the
Frccess II looks like nothing so much as a
highly magnifed white marble, such as a
giant might play knuckle-down with.
The iron rod running through the center
OF the original model aud projecting at
both ends through the surface has left holes
in the new globe which serve very we'll for
the north and south poles, and through these
metal axis Is run 10 represent the axis of
the earth. To be perfect the globe must re-
vOlve evenly upon its axis when the latter
IS held horizontally, without exhibiting any
disposition to stop with one side up rather
than another. II il does not do so it must
be balanced by boring a hole in the lighter
side and fastening within a little bag con-
tanning a, many shot as may be requisite.
Then the hole is plugged up and the surface
made even again. The next thing is to
mark the surface of with pencil lines into
mat ematlcal segments corresponding pre-
cisely in shape with the sections of map
that are to be pasted on.
These map sections are made from COPPER
plates in just the sizes and shapes required
to tit the globes they are made for, one set,
of course, covering the entire surface of a
sphere. They are printed, many of them
together, ike dress patterns. on sheets of
the finest linen paper, and are cut out care
fully with sharp-pointei knife. To paste
them on properly, so that they will meet
perfectly at the ed es and not show the
lines OF joining, requires great pains and
skill. When this is accomplished the differ
g It countries and so forth are tinted by
hand with water colors. There is no especial
rule for this, save that contrasts are sought
to help the eye Finally, the whole is over
laid with an astonlshiHgly brilliant white
varnlSh, which IS of sIcn almost metallic
hardness that it will wear Indefinitely with
out scratching, preserving always its bright
ness.
Now the globe is done and ready for
mounting. A beautiful thing it is. tco-its
printing as clear as cope. plate can make
it, the colors vivid and, above all. correct
in every detail according to the very latest
geographical information. And yet the
man VINO executed the plates employed to.
day has been dead ma years. His name
was w. b. Amin, and it is said that his
equal III map engraving does not exist in the
world at present That is the reason why
the plates he made are still in use, because
they are better than any new ones that eau
be obtained. When any alteration is neces-
sary, owing to geograoh ical changes or dis
coyeries, they are taken to certain re-
markablo expert here in Boston, who beats
the part that is to be corrected fiat and en-
graves what IS required on the new surface.
Virginia Club. Lewis '66 and Durham Rye