Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-03-27
MODERN CANDLES.
THEY ARE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS
OVER THOSE OF FORTY YEARS AGO.

Now that candles have again come
into use as a means for lighting recep-
tion rooms where gas is considered too
hot and electric lights too glaring. com
parisons are being made with the can
dies Of today and those of the long ago.
He is not a very old man who still re-
members the malodorous "tallow dip, {"
six to the pound, that he bought at the
grocery or perhaps may havo helped to
make in domestic way on Saturdays
when at home from school.
1t is but a few years since candle
molds were a very important and neces-
sary part Of every household, and yet so
completely are they now banished to
the limbo Of forgotten and useless
things that there must be thousands Of
young people to whom a pair of snuiTers
and a candle mold would prove un-
doubted curiosities. They wero not very
pleasant TO the nostrils, those old fash
ioned tallow candles, their Illuminating
power was not good, and their need Of
constant snufling was Indispensable and
though the fingers were the handiest Of
snuffers ono was very apt to get badly
smudged in the course of an evening
Yet the world stumbled along with
10 better light than that fer 18 CEN
turies and accomplished considerable
things on the way. Great scholars were
made by saved up candle ends, great
volumes written and the world enlight-
ened, even if the writers and teachers
groped great deal.
The great performances CT Garriol
and Siddons were given behind foot
lights of tallow candles, and the candle
snuffer was one Of the most important Of
snpers in the theater of tho olden time.
Without a candle snller, says Gold
smith Of play he had seen, "the piece
would lose half its embellishments. "
In those days "oarly to bed and early
to rise" was "a maxim that had much
more significance, for it was necessary
to get more out Of daylight than in this
era of gas and electricity Candles have
always occupied an important place in
public worship In the old times Christ.
mas was called the Feast Of Lights, be
cause many candles were used at the
feast, while the cuetom Of setting can
die at the head Of q dead person after
being laid out" is still practice.
But if people think that candles are
not much used nowadays they are mis-
taken. Thore are still several candle
manufactures in New York. A very
largo export business is done hero, chief
ly to the West Indies and Central Amer
lea. In tho United States sales are prin-
cipally in the western states. The min
ing region takes largo quantities, for nc
light but candles is used in gold and
| silver mining.
Candles are also used for church pur-
poses, at country hotels, and to some ex-
tent in families. Many Of tho people OF
the east side, newly come to the coun.
try, use candles in preference to oil, be-
ing accustomed to candles and afraid Of
the oil. Although it is not a great while
before they are won over to the use OF
oil, there arc always thousands Of Others
who, for the first few months Of THEN
being here, shun oil as they would 4
deadly poison.
No branch CT industry las undergone
the change that candle making has in
the last 30 years. Formerly it was mere
ly a mechanical operation. Anybody
could make candles and almost every
| body did.
Now it is u scientific industry. bring
ing to its aid the resources Of chemistry
Formerly candle was a greasy, noisom'
/ thing that one usually handled with dis
| gust; now it is artistic and refined Gnt
can be handled without the least offense,
The wick is SO prepared that tho com
bustion is complete, and snufIers have
long beon banighed. An ancient candl,
maker could only work with material
already provided by nature, so that h
had to use fats, with all their impuri
ties.
The modern candle maker by chem
ical process removes impurities, whicl
leaves him nothing but the haId an,
white fat for his candles. TAT change,
by this process is called stearine, ant
from this material are made the star an,
stearic wax candles. These are extreme
| ly hard and are sometimes called ada
mantine, do not grease the hands ant
give soft and pleasing light. Sperma
ceti and wax candles are also made.
The candle has ever remained the uni
Of light Sometimes you hear Of light
say gas, being of 25 candle power. tn
standard is a spermaceti candle burning
at the rate of 100 grains Of sperm pc
hour. There are candles, too, which ar
made of parafIin, but no candles ar
used so extensively as the star Or stea
rine.
The great improvement in the manu-
You Can Believe
The testimonials published in behal