The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-11-26
COLUMBUS, o., Nov. IS, 1896.

COLUMBUS, W., NOV. 10, loVO.
One of the smaller Ohio cities, 10.
Gated in the extreme Eastern part of
the State, receives some valuable adver-
tising in report that is now being dis
tributed by the Labor department. The
document is the work of Hon. w. T.
Lewis, who was Labor Statistician unI
der the last administration. 1t was
fled with the Governor last winter,
but has suffered the usual delay which
always befalls public documents in this
State.
The city in question is East Liver
pool, Columbiana county. It's distinc-
tion lies in the fact that 1t is engaged
extensively in the making of white
ware pottery. 1t has a population of
something like $4,000, and potting is
about the only industry found there.
1t began at an early date, having been
| introduced by an English potter, who
started a small concern for the making
| of yellow earthenware out of the clay
| which exists in abundance in the neigh
boring hills. The manufacture OF this
| line of ware grew in time to large pro-
| portions. The making of white goods,
| commonly known as queensware, was
| engrafted on the original industry in
| 1872, and has since almost driven the
other out of the field. East Liverpool
now makes more queensware than any
other city in the United States 1t has
twenty large potieries engaged in the
business, which, when running full
time, employ from 5000 to 4, 600 people,
and distribute weekly about SEQ 900 in
wages. The operatives are mostly En-
glish or their immediate descendants,
who have been attracted from time to
time from the potting districts of Great
Britain by the growing Importance Of
the business here. Men, women and
children are employed in the potteres
Owing to the fragile character of the
ware and the many shapes into which
the clay has to be worked, most of the
work is necessarily done by hand.
The manufacturers, though almost
universally prosperous, are not wealthy
in the ordinary acceptation of the term
Perhaps from 5000 900 to $500, 900 would
mark the limit OF any individual pos
session. The business is mostly in the
hands of the original founders or their
men, having reached success through
close application to their business All
money invested in the business is home
capital, and the great plants represe mt
accumulations that have grown out OF
humble beginnings. OF late years the
business has attracted workmen from
different parts of the State, and the
attention of both capital and labor is
being drawn to it. What has been dis.
tinctively an industry of English peo
pie who settled in this country is now
being engaged in by others The Ohio
Valley, il is believed, will in time be-
come the great potting center of the
world, surprising in Importance Stat
fordshire and the other British centers
where the business has llourished fol-
generations.
Although the business is massed in
East Liverpool, other towns along the
valley are engaged in it more or less
namely, Steubenville, Wellsville, East
Palestine and Cincinnati. The report
states that the twenty years interven
ing between the birth of the white
ware industry of Ohio, in 1872, and the
high-water mark of its development, II
1892, witnessed marvellous achieve
ment. This is true as regards not only
the volume of output reached, but. o.
improvement in the quality of ware
and the cheapening of the same to tn,
consumer. No statistics showing the
gradual growth from year to year ar,
available, but it is possible to set fortl
with good degree of accuracy thC
maximum results attained. Reports
from twenty-five out of thirty-tive pot
teries in Ohio, engaged in the manulac
!, ture of white ware, for the year 1892
show that the invested capital wa
i So, ,944, 900. The eight concerns not re
: porting are of the smaller class, but /
5 is estimated on information received
2 from other sources that they woul(
swell the sum to SO, 500 900 The valu,
of the output of the twenty-five potter
. les reporting for tn" period named wa
So, 700, 300, and the amount paid il
wages 81 ,19l 900. From a few crud
patterns of plain white goods, variet,
and excellence of quality have com
esch year from the increasing skill o
the Ohio potter, until his ware, chast
and elegant in design and rich in orna
mentation, rivals the best product, for
eign or domestic, with which it come
in competition. While the product ha
continued TO be perfected, the selling
price has gradually declined. A piec
of ware decorated in gold and having
designs of various colors is now sol
for less than 80 per cent. of what woul
have been originally paid for the sam
article of an inferior quality.
The output of Ohio potteries of tn
standard class make all grades of tabl
ware and toilet sets, from the chea
cream-tinted goods up to high-grad
China, including art goods. AnOthe
growing branch of the pottery busines
found in the Ohio valley is the maxim
of sanitary ware, used in fitting on
lavatories and closets In addition I
several. important concerns which fioul
ish in the valley in question, yer
large plant of this character is in opel
alton at Titfin.
What comes under the head of whit
ware specialties are also produced q
East Liverpool in large quantities
One of the most important of these
door knobs. All but O. small per cen
: of the porcelain knobs used in thi
country are made here. The industr
had an early beginning, when knob
were produced from ordinary clay bC
n fore the introduction of the white war
business. Brown and black knobs ar
also made here in considerable quaint
N, ties. The invention of the electri
light opened up new field for the cla '
worker. The making of porcelain II
! sulators began twelve years ago, and
. now a staple line OF manufacture,
was found that vitrified clay sui
y stance answered the purpose of insuli
tion better than any other, and prove
the 0reatest DrotectiOn against iii