The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-11-25
MAKING CUT GLASS.
THE VARIOUS PROCESSES THROUGH
WHICH FINE WARE PASScc,


Plays Ia the Manufacture Of GLASS.
The gl,lSSniaScr's trade. practical. even
prusaic and stolidly scientific as il is in
reality, seems. however, to the average oh
server to be an exquisite art assisted by
tomethin: very like sorcery. Take for in
stance the very first step in the process of
making glass and we have something sag.
gestiye, even 70 the unmaginativc, OF nee,
romancy of alchemy something akin to
the tabled evolution Of the philosophers
stone. In what is known rs the "mixins;
room" We have hoge pile of sand. an
other of oxide OF lead and "A third OF pearl
il>h-all duh, solden, coarse materials con.
tanning not the slightest promise OF the
cleaning, Elittering, crystal pure glass
which will presently flash in show win
dows, in sumptuous bou,loirs and parlcrs
AMI on banquet boirsls.
The amount Of glass manufactured va
ries ut different times, but the proportion
of the ingredients is never changed A
trusted and careful workman weighs ont,
for example. GOO pounds OF berkshire sand
and thoroughly mixes with it 100 pouuds
Of oxide OF lead and half us much pearl
ash. To this compound he adds very small
proportions OF Saltpeter. arsenic anil man
sanesc. and the whole well stirred to
gether goes into one of the great crucibles
or pots" us they are technically called
which hold from |, 800 to 5000 pounds
In the furnace which contains eight OF
these pots the mass is subjected To the
terrific heat of roaring fire for forty
hours, and then the metal" ;l> il i called
is re',dy for the deft manipulltions OF the
skilled slaSsblowers, who hover about the
furnace and at intervals remove small
portions OF the white, hot semiliquid sub
stance upon the ends of their long tubes or
blowers pipes" manipulating il in II way
familiar to every PiCtshurger. The grace
full sweeps and agile writings OF the roI
art not made for the sake of appearance,
hut for practical effect i'll giving the glow
| Ing bit of molten glass the peculiar shape
which may he desired, dependent upon
whether it is to be a bottle, IA pitcher, Il
punch bowl. II wineglass, or any one of a
| hundred other things
| BLOWING INTO SHAPE
| He swings the tube with varying force,
| blows through II carefully, expanding the
| red hot bubble ut It's tip 10 the proper size
rolls it upon "A polished iron plate. revolveS
/ the roll while he holds tool against the
| plant mass to give it form. heats it again
and repeats the process, or delicatciy AMI
/ rapidly touches it with two or three ot her
| tools, perhap, being assisted by II helper"
| N some OF these uaneuvers and TO- the
| Shapele>s mass has become a wine dtc;in
I ter or II Slial dish or something else Of
most graceful! form, anil i almost ready
! for the cutting room, whence il Will emerge
with hundreds Of companion pieces or
| flashing, chased and beautiful ware.
HIT first ,t must pass through the an
| .eal!nS tu-nt-e. where. with the other ar
| Jice> Of the day' : output 1t is very sr;u1n
| tliy cooled by being slowly drawn away
from the fire through 4 brick arudr,l tuu
lel about sixty feet lca-
However p'"tr-eoqu AMI fascinating the
| scene aroIrl ths s"-nacc. with it, strong
! lights ami heavy shadows, the circles Of
| light carved 4: the darkness by the sweep
/ II the cleaning, rtlddy tipped wants muy
Ne TO the onionker. it - stern silt llhnr
Tor the operatives. Their tools are fewer
/ md more primitive than those OF any other
! lass u Sailed artisans They u-e a few
4 rude iron implements. a stick, much like a
narrow roofing sAin-le. Il heavy. uucouth
/ pair OF iron shears anil the M important
| 1lowpjpe, and with these they perform
/ wonders. The work must be dolr wuiIc
| The glass i hot, and 80 there is intense
activity, only relieved by the occasional
waiting for the relocating Of Il purity roruue,
/ object.
! now THE GLASS IS ctr.
! The final step in the process, j. the grind
| fnS anil polishing the various objects
| 'orDed by the glIS-blover~. ~ drcantrT.
! bottles, vases, bowls. wiur-sl l>~cS. guhlrt~
| md scores Of other articles Of ornamental
Or table ware-after undergoing the .,r;td
/ ual cooling process in the -:l.u>~ hou~e-arp
taken to the cutting department They
nave form, but not the finish. grace Uf
shape nor hrlliancy, and are technically
| S1Owu i, 'blEUk~'
| A hundred workmen are ready Mt their
wheels to put them through the process
/ which will develop lu-tcr and make them
lash and gIeau with pri~matic light Ike
titanic diamonds \ hundred wheels
ranged in two rows down u long ruo7i
| each belted to treat central shaft are
swiftly whried by "A great engine in the
basement below. In this department. rs.
IN the one already described. the tools nrr
Of the simplest order and indeed there up
pears 10 he no line ~ manufacture lnvoiv
ing ~ much skill and productive Of 70 rich
tnd artistic effects which employs >ucA
! primitive implements IL does this. The
! ~kiiifglneSs u the workman is almost
everything.
CARVING TIE HARD CLASS
/ The glass cutters work IN three divisions
anil the varn,S articles pass through three
/ distinct grades pf treatment First cuGi-a
/ The coughing that il the deep ruttiG,
or grin'iin1 81 the pattern, Of wIiah the
/ principal points and lines nave l,rcn q r-t
/ marked upon the glass with rel punt For
! this work Il Thin iron wheel , employed
/ upon which. ~ IL rcvoiypS with the RAPID
/ ity Of n buzz slw. the Op rsItor from tiHs
/ TO time places little Slnl from tn. tank
| in front ~ him. while water drip> con
SANITY from m overhanginS reservoir.
! AMI now the ware i passed. from the
'smo0thcrs' to the ''p0li-hcrS." The men
in this division accomplish their wpr', by
gentlrr means, and their touch - soft AMI
almost car,~S>iny compared with the previ
oi- manipulst ions which the object hl4
undergone. The poli.AerS nae wheel
| brushes and wooden wheels Of yiryin., tige
| formation To tit the different tcpr,..siana
and these are kept constantly Smcurcsl with
what looE- like common yellow mud, but
il in rr1lity IA compound Of finely ground
oxide Of zin: and lead called in the tralla
putty" These wheels. with their thin
coltiny Of peculiar polishing material,
after innumcrable lghtninylike revo
iTtions, have the deep geomctric lines and
the corresponding facets Of the glass ~.
smooth ~ diamonds and almost etrIalin2
them in briiliancy Of glitter and purity Of
light Alfred Mathews IN Pittsburg Iii.
patch.
Color. from Coal Tar.
Coal tar formerly considered u waste
and regular nuisance to gas workers, IL
nOw utilized ~ one II the most valuable