Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-16

employed and they receive from Sc to $3.50
week. The Scotch workmen receive 1112 cents
/ a gross for making pipes and they are sold
here at wholesale in cases of three gross each
| for $136; this includes all charges for duty,
shipping and commission. Pipes are made in
Canada by girls, who receive 13 cents per
gross; the same rate of wages Is paid by the
pipemakers OF Germany where children are
| largely employed. In France good workmen
! receive from SO to $3.50 week. In America
| men make about SO a week, being paid at the
| rate of 2S cents gross. The pipemakers ask
| in the proposal for tariff revision merely
| return to previously existing conditions.
Under the old Mckinley bill there
| specific duty on pipes of Is cents gross.
| The Wilson bill reduced this TO an ad valorem
| duty, which, after all, amounts to about
| cents on the gross, provision of benefit only
| to the jobber, since clay pipes are still sold
| for l cent each. The proposed clause in the
still pending Dingley bill will bring the
| Guty up again to the specified Is cents
gross, which Will in measure protect Ameri-
can workmen.
The most familiar form of clay pipe seen
here is plain specimen known as "T. D.,
| SO called from the letters T. D. stamped or
| nodded upon the back of the bowl This
class of pipe has been in use for many
| years, certainly for more than one generation.
| person making a study of white clays
| will be amazed at the variety of designs
produced. Every maker has at least hun
| dred different molds. and judging from the
mold numbers on some of the productions
| OF the French makers, their designs may
| run into the thousands OF course, a pipe
| maker will not have all his molds in use
| at the same time, no matter how large the
| force of men he may employ. Smokers
| tastes differ from time to time, and certain
| designs in pipes are produced for markets
having a demand for them. All nationalites
differ in their ideas as to just how a pipe
should be formed, and it has even been sug
gested that trades may have their prefer
m ha Hat her fnr fha
ethnologist; there certainly is scope for the
student of human nature. The Scotchman
| prefers his "cutty,' while the son of the
green isle is universally shown with his
"dudeen;" both pipes are made of the same
clay, and burned together in the same kiln.
| A visit to the New York pipe factory men
toned above convinced the writer that all
thistle pipes are not made in Scotland;
| neither are all the specimens of dublin
pipes" made in Dublin.
FRENCH CLAYS.
About thirty years ago white clays, made
in fancy designs, some of very pronounced
and "Frenchy" character, were in every ones
mouth In this country. The molds from
which these pipes were made are no longer
in existence and the pipes themselves bring
a good price from collectors. Specimens are
occasionally found, laid away on a high beam
in some old tavern or clubhouse or are recov-
cred from between the walls OF dwellings,
where they have been thrust through holes
In this plaster by infants, to whom they had
been given for the purpose Of making soap
bubbles. The delight which very young chill
dren experience In thus dispcsing of their
playthings including coins, has served to-
enrich the collection of many an antiquarian
Speaking seriously of French clays such
| as are now on sale. they are ''works of art, /"
both in regard to the designs and the per-
fecton OF finish. 1t is said that the French
makers use a variety of substances among
which is marble dust, to give body" to their
pipe clay. Frst-class artists are employed
to design the pipes, and regular die-sinkers
make the molds, In the case of some of the
elaborate designs the mold Is made in
three or four, and sometimes even five, parts,
where there are "undercuts" in a figure
which would not otherwise clear. Such pipes
are sold here for cents. and they are worth
1t to any one, even though he be not a lover
of the weed"
The perfect "clay" is, of course the long
''churchwarden," which, however. Is not
adapted to general use, The ordinary "T.
D." will probably hold its own so long as
the practice OF smoking exists; or at least
so long as the weed" has improvident dew
otees Selling at cent apiece. the "T ID"
has not as yet reached the limit OF cheap
ness, They might. by the ingenuity of the
professional advertiser, be made TO puff the
particular brand OF smoking tobacco with
which they are given away.
Aside from national tastes In designs.
| there seems to be in this country prejudice
against American-made pipes. In the man
ner suggested above. the user OF pipes may
be catered to- but even the importation of
English clay by American pipe makers has
not satisfied the dealers. AS a matter Of
fact the European elays are OF superior
firmne;s and somewhat tougher than the
American made goods Yet the ideal clay
pipe Is a soft pipe, as the majority OF smok-
ers will probably be willing 10 testify A
French clay bowl. with an egg-shell finish