Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-19
LIFE OF a BILLIARD BALL.
Tho Shining worries Have "a Brief but
Kathcv Active Existence

| "''NN hS'fs k-Atstthtts
How many persons who WELD "A billiard
cue are aware of the time, trouble and ex
pense of making the ivory spheres? The
billiard ball, in its natural state, Is tbs
principal means of defense for an elephant
In time the elephant falls victim TO the
venturesome hunter, and he parts with his
tasks, which are the most valuable of all
his possessions TO commerce Most of the
tusks find their way to London, which Is
the great sales mart for ivory. There, twice
year-spring and fall-the buyers of ivory
gather,
There are different grades of ivory and
| only the liner kinds are suitable for max
] ing billiard balls. The best comes from
the small tusks, which are from four To
six inches in diameter at the thickest end
These are sawed into blocks, each section
| being large enough to allow of the turn
| ing OF single ball.
The factories devoted to the billiard ball
industry in this country usually receive
the ivory in this shape, the sections being
marked so that the turner's know from
what part Of the tusk each piece comes,
and in this way can calculate RS to its
grain and quality. 1t takes long time TO
produce perfect ball, and only skilled
labor il employed.
The exact center Of the ball is first dis
covered by means of measurement. The
block is then placed in socket, and one
half of the ball is turned by an instrument
made of the finest and sharpest edged
steel. The half turned ball is then hung
up in a net for short while, then the sec
ond half is turned, and the ball hung up
as before in room, the temperature of
which is kept at from co dogs. 10 70 degs.
The roughly turned ball is kept in this
position for about a year Then comes
the polishing, whitening, etc. A great
deal of hard rubbing is also necessary, as
the ball before being used should be as near
a certain weight Us possible, and measure
2% inches in diameter 1t has been found
impossible to get two balls exactly the
same weight. Very often they will be
heavier on one side than on the other, and
frequently they split right through the
center This is due to decay,
In the window of one Of the large manu-
factories of billiard balls in this city lies a
tusk about two feet long. 1t was DUR
chased sotde years ago, and while being
sawed Ia two the saw came In contact with
an obstruction. 1t proved TO be rife bull
let, which had penetrated the elephant
when quite young, for the whole inside Of
the tusk had "A decayed appearance.
The price of ivory for making billiard
balls has greatly increased within the past
few years, and the demand exceeds the
supply. The Brunswick Bake Billiard
company has offered $4,000 for IA perfect
substitute for ivory, but nothing thus far
has been invented that combines the elias
ITCHY md durability of the ivory bah.
Not until after it is placed on the table il
the real life Of the billiard ball shown.
The pores in the ivory may close, and then
If the ball is kept in a hot room il is likely
to crack, or it may crack by reason Of con
cussion with other balls This is one Of
the great difficulties TO contend against.
To overcome this the balls should be kept
at as even "a temperature as possible.
When billiard ball is first used it occu-
pies the first rank. A crack may soon be
exposed and then IL Is returned 10 the fac
tory. The nick is shaved off, and it comes
back slightly smaller in size. 1t may then
find its way into some second rate billiard
room. After some more hard usage it il /
again returned to the factory and comes /
forth again much reduced la size. and /
probably becomes a cue ball in pool. After !
1t Is found to be practically useless for the |
purposes for which it was originally made |
It Is bought by dealers ia bone and ivory, /
and the balls are then turned into buttons /
or they are burned and used in the making |
Of ivory black.-New York Sun.