Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-20
The Touches of Magic by Which Dull
Sand and Lead Are Changed
to Sparkling Crystals
PRIMITIVE TOOLS AND METHODS.
Material for the Crucibles Is Still Kneaded
by Man Who Walks Through It
il His Bare Feet.
PURE GOLD USED IN THE CoLoRING.
The Cutting Done With Iron Wheels Upon Which Sand
and Water Are Kept Flowing
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH. I

In the hour of Christmas perplexity Il
NAV be welcome suggestion that no gifi
one could select, whether for the enrichment
Of dining table and sideboard, parlor cabi.
net or boudoir, better combines the elements
of utility and beauty and is more fashion
ably popular and more artisticaliy pleasing
than ''rich cut glass.
This is the heavy, massive ware worked
into the semblance Of surfaces frosted with
crystals or lavishly encrusted with glitter
ing diamonds, the facets Of which
metric design. 1t is very different from
and far superior to the old-fashioned, shall
low cut glass now denominated ground"
or engraved" glass. Its manufacture as
grown TO be a great art ira de, and It is graf
ifving to have the testimony of leading
dealers in New York, Philadelphia and
Pittsburg, that 1t has nowhere reached
higher excellence of production than in the
United States The art ware undergoes q
wonderful evolution from the Al pha Of dull,
sodden materials, to the Omega of the scin-
tiIlating crystal objects which adorn modern
homes.
Largest Factory In the World.
The writer has seen something of the pro-
cess in what is, in all likelihood, the largest
glass cutting establishment in the world.
The mandatory in question is in locality
where one would least expect to find it-in
one of the smallest of Pennsylvania ham,
lets, in one of the most strictly rural local
ities in the State, and yet il is probably the
Il, II IL,
the European countries where glass cutting
Is carried on, the work is not done in great
factories, but by the operatives at their
homes and by the use of foot lathes). The
plant consists of several extensive and sub
Etantial buildings, containing every essen
tiai - the peculiar manufacture, employs
steam to the extent of 200 horsepower, and
about 800 skilled workmen.
The especial variety Of glass which is
ground or cut" and which forms the
beautiful ware seen Of late years is what is
known as flint glass, so called because
originally made from calcined fints, al
though st present and for many years the
silica IN its composition is supplied in the
form c. sand, OF which the most desirable
known il the whole world is found in Berk-
shire county, Mass.
Like a Secret of Alchemy.
The glassmaker's trade, practical, even
prosaic and sOlidly scientific as il is in
reality, seems, however, to the average OBJ
Eerrer TO be an exquisite art assisted BY
something very like sorcery. Take for in
stance the very first step in the process of
making glass and We have something sug-
gesJiye, even TO the unimaginatiye
of neeromancy or alehemy-something
akin to the tabled evolution of
the philosophers stone. In what is
known as the mixing room"
we have a huge pile of ssnd, another of
oxide of lead and 6 shird of pearl ssh-all
dull, sodden, coarse materials containing
not the slightest promise of the cleaning,
glittering, crystal-pure glass which will
presently fash in show windows, in sumptu-
Gus boudoirs and pariors and on banquet
boards The genii of the fiery furnace the
deft touch Of skilled hands, some marvel of
something-we know rot what
let Us say the presto of magic wiIl-do the
work
What so dull, so dead, so lusterless as
usrd and lead? What more transparent,
more brilliant, more diamond-like than |
flint glass2
The amount of glass manufactured varies |
II different times, but the proportion of the |
ingredients Is never changed. A trusted |
and careful workman weighs out for exam |
pie 600 pounds of Berkshire sand and thor |
oughly mixes with it 400 pounds of oxide |
OF lead and half as much pearl ASH. To this
he adds verv small proportions |
oi saltpeter, arsenic and manganese, AID |
the whole well stirred together goes into |
one of the great crucibies or ''pots," as |
they are technically called, which hold |
from !, 500 to 5000 pounds
Transform ed by Furnace Tire,
In the furnace which contains eight of |
ihese pots, the mass is subjected to the ter
-lfc heat of roaring fire tor 90 hours and |
hen the metal as it is called is ready for |
he dett manipula ions of the skilled glass /
oiowers who hover about the furnace and |
II intervals, remove small portions of the |
Tnlte, hot semi-iquid substance upon the |
ENDS OF their long tubes or blowers
pipes, manipulating it in way familiar to
Every Pittsburger. The graceful sweeps
LGd agile twirlings OF the rod are not made
or the sake OF appearance, but tor practical
fleet in giving the glowing bit of molten
lass TIE peculiar shape which may be de-
arsq, dependent upon whether it is TO be a
oottler pitcher, punch bowl, wine
,iass, CT any one Of 8 hundred other things |
De swings the tube with VARYING force.
flows through it carefully, expanding the
ed hot bubble at its tip to the proper size,
oils ii upon a polished iron plate, re-
-olVes the rod while he holds q tool against
he plant mass 10 give it form, heats it
gam and repeats the process, or delicately
nd rapidly touches it with two or three |
'ther tools, perhaps being assisted bv
helper" in some OF these rapid mineuvers,
nd 10! the shapeless mass has become a
vine Gecauter, OF a salad dish, or something
lse of most graceful form, and is almost
eady for the cutting room whence it will
merge with hundreds OF companion pieces
{ flashing, chased and beautiful ware
But first it must pass through the anneal-
ne furnace, where, with the other articles
f the days output, it is very gradually
ooled by being slowly drawn away from
he IRE through brick arched tunnel about
0 feet long.
Their Tools Are Almost Primitive.
However picturesque and fascinating the
Gene around the furnace, with its strong
lgh5s and heavy shadows, the circles Of
ght carved in the darkness by the sweep Of
he cleaning, ruddy tipped wands NAV
e TO the on-looker, it is stern, stiff labor tor
be operatives. Their tools are fewer and
lore primitive than those of any other class
{ skilled artisans. They use a few rude
ron implements, a stick, much like a mar
Ow roofing shlngfe, heavy, uncouth pair
iron shears and the all important blow
ipe, and with these they perform wonders.
heir work must be done while the glass is
OF and so there is intense activity, only
elIeYed by the occasional waiting for the
cheating OF a partly formed object.
The greater portion of the glass made to
e ''eut" or ground is white or rather
If coIored material is wanted,
oweYer, it is readily produced by the use
various metals Cor metallic oxides)
eIted with the other ingredients of the
ass. The materials, temperatures and {
her conditions employed by various man.