Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-09-10

~, Of the Details Of Their Manufact-
,,e-F First Factory In the United States.
me Price Drops from Dollar Apiece
N a Dollar q Gross.
aAh. there goes another crystal"
aWhy don't you get "a hunting casep'
because prefer the open face, even IL
Lbsy are more expensive"
This conversation was overheard the
sher day between two gentlemen who
ssre playing billiards in a fremont street
hotel
Here, thought the writer, is subject Of
interest to readers, and straightforward he
listed the rooms Of one of the Oldest, IL
NOT the oldest, dealers in watch crystals in
NM city, He was found on Court street,
M one flight, in room which was a YER
liable curiosity shop.
On one side of the room was a line of
srandfather clocks whose voices had not
Ken heard for half century. The dust
Nv on them In ridges, and their old yellow
noes looked solemn and sad Some were
rthout hands, while others were in cases
warped and scanned by age.
"Can see the proprietor Of this estab-
bhmenti" inquired the newspaper man
One Of the bent figures arose from his
bench in response. A snow white beard
flowed down his chin, and pair OF steel
bowed spectacles rested on the tip Of his
nose.
II conduct this shop" said he "What 10
wanted"
Il came TO ask you few questions
hating to watch crystals" responded the
scribe.
"Oh, yes. Well, you will find me pretty
veil acquainted with the business"
What style Of crystal was sold in 1884,
Dr. about the days when you first went into
business?"
The principal one was the Lunette for
both open faced and hunting cases. The
watches were known as bulls eyes. The
Lunette was invented by Frenchman Of
that name, and he must have done an enor-
nous business, as the whole watch wear
Ing world was customer of his. These
old fashioned timepieces had detachable
eases, and when your grandfather perform
ed the important duty Of winding up his
bid ticker, Just as the sun was sinking in
the west, he would remove the outer cover
Eng, hang IL on his thumb, adjust the key,
and then solemnly and slowly tighten the
epring for another twenty-four hours SER
vice. The crystals of the bulls eye had to
be very high in the center because the post
20 which the hands were adjusted stood up
hearly quarter Of an inch"
viii you give me the process Of manu-
facturei"
with pleasure. II should be under
stood, In the first place, that the finest
quality Of glass Is necessary, and, In order
10 make the business profitable, the factory
must be located contiguous TO rich bed
Of silica or pulverized flint. I am now
bpeakinR more particularly OF the present
time The glass Is taken from the ovens
on the blow pipe, and large globe, the
size OF half barrel. formed.
When cool this Is taken by the operator
and, with heated piece Of thin iron, he
traces q line around the globe and then
quickly lifts 1t above his head. The sudden
change OF temperature causes the glass to
.separate where the heated metal has been
IN contact. This Is continued until the
tntire sphere has been made into hoops or
bands. These are then cut into squares
the size OF the crystal 1t Is designed TO pro
duce.
The process is to place these squares on
. wheel covered with buckskin, which Ii
made TO revolve under stationary rod, in
the end Of which Is diamond. This oper-
alton produces the disk. These are then
placed on blocks Of soapstone, with round
ed tops, and put into a little oven at a
white heat, where they remain about a
minute. This softens the glass, and it set
ties down upon the soapstone, conforming
itself exactly to the mold. The crystals
are now ready for the grinders, who bring
them down to n sbarp edge SO that they