The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-03
FIRE CRACKERS
AND HOW MADE
They are Extensively Made and an
Important Import.
SECRET PROCESS DESCRIBED.
Thirty Women and Ten Men Make
100000 Day and Get Very Small
Pay-Dr. Mary Walker Shocks
Dignity OF the Senate.
SECRET PROCESS DESCRIBED.

propriatcly but IL Is doubtful II many
have even thought OF how the Irecrack-
ers. in such common use. are made. Yet
the manufacture OF these varying IN
size from the "squib" 90 the baby
walker" As SAID 20 be a very interesting
sight. Not long since Mr.. John Goodrow.
United Stats consul general at Snanghai
sent 10 the state Department in which
was embodied "a description Of the fire
cracker and its Importance as an article
OF export. From this "a few excerpts are
made as appropriate to the eve OF the
glorious Fourth.
THE USE OF FTRECRACKERS.
The use Of crackers is universal IN
China. and has been as FAR back as MS
tory records. It rs most probable that
in the beginning they were used 10
frghten away evil spirits. Now they
ere most frequently an expression OF
good feeling or of coremouious compi-
ment. They are used az weddings, births
and funerals ~ festivals. religious civ-
81 and military ceremonies, at Ne'
Year. 20 salute persons about TO make a
journey. and. in fact on AN occasions
out Of the ordinary routine
Ira making crackers. only the cheapest
kind OF straw paper which can be pro-
duced in the immediate locality where the
crackers arc made Is used for the body
Of the cracker. little inner paper is
used for the wrapper. a piece OF straw
paper g by 30 inches Will make twenty-one
crackers l-2 inches long and One-iOurth
81 an inch I'm diameter.
The powder is also the cheapest grade,
and f. made in tho locality where used.
u costs $50 10 t75 cash per catty, or TO
cents gold per pound.
For the fuse a paper Called leather
in Shanghai is used. which IS imported
from Japan and IS made from the inner
lining Of the bamboo. In OthorKplaces
Nno rice paper IS used. generally stinened
slightly with NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. paste.
which the Chinese say adds 10 It's in
fsmmahintv. a strip Of this paper one
third of an inch wide by IA inches "a
Chiuese fooO long is laid on q table
aad "a very little powder put down the
middle Of ~ with "a hollow bamboo stick
A quick twist OF the paper makes the
fuse ready for use.
MODE or MANUFACTURE
To is not easy ~ persuade the Chinese
20 exhibit their modes Of manufacture
to "a foreigner: but Mr. Williams. Vice
Consul ar shanghai thus Describes the
work az he has seen g.
"The straw paper IS first rolled by hand
Ground an from rod which varies I'm sizo
according 20 the size Of cracker 70 be
made To complete The rolling rude
machine IS used This consists OF two
upr'ghts supporting an axis. from which
fs.susueudcd Dow two arms,a heavy piece
of wood slightly convex on the lower
side There is Just room between this
swinging block and the ton Of the table
fo place the cracker As each layer OF
rrncr As nut on hv has the cracker
A. placed on the table and The suspended
weight rs drawn over the roll thus tight
cniug 10 until no more can be passed un-
der tho weight For the smallest whip
crackers the workman uses for compress
sion instead OF THIS machine. n heavy
piece of wood fitted with a handle Ike
that of carpenters plane. I'm filling
crackers. two hundred 10 three hundred
are tied together tightly iD a bunch
Rcd clay is spread over the end OF the
bunch and forced into the end OF each
cracker with % punch. While the clay
SIS being tampcd in. a. little water is
sprayed ON &c. which makes II pack
closer The powder is poured I'm AZ the
other end of the cracker With the aid
OF am awl the edge 81 the paper is turned
On az the upper end Of the cracker ana
the fuse is inserted through this"
The long ends of the fuses are braided
together 'n such a way that the crackers
lie iD Two parallel rows. The braid Is
doubled on itself and a large quick
firing fuse inserted, and the whole is
bound with "a fine thread. The bundle
IS wrapped in paper and in this shape
sent 90 the seaco1st.
A REPEATER.
"a variety of cracker / DO not remem-
Der On have seen I'm the United States"
says Mr. Goodrow "but which is quite
popular here is the twice sounding II
has two chambers separated by plug
OF clay through which runs a connect
ing fuse. There SIS also a fuse extending
from the powder in the lower chamber
through the side OF the cracker. When
the cracker Is 90 be fired 50 Is set on end.
and fire set 10 the fuse The powder ex-
ploding I'm tho chamber throws the
cracker high I'm the air, where the second
charge is exploded by fire from the fuse
extending through the plug between the
two chambers In the manufacture OF
these. the clay is first tamped I'm with
punch 20 form the separating plug.
The lower CHAMBER SIS then loaded with
powder and closed by turning over the
paper at the end. The upper chamber Is
loaded and closed with clay. a hole is
.ide OF the lower cham
Der with on aWl and the fuse inserted !
through this orelrG"
THE COST.
At Canton the ordinary-s'ze cracker |
q l-2 inches long by one fourth or az |
inch in diameter) costs 1 tael (62 cents |
Tor 1000 for export At Hankow the |
best quality OF this size costs I tael for |
bvN, while OF the second quality 20 900 |
can be bought for 1 tael At ,..ungking |
1900 OF the ordinary crackers can be |
bought for i taol At Shanghai ! tael !
will purchase 600 OF the ordinary size.
while the largest sen for s. per thousand. |
These prices are probably only a shade |
above the actual cost of manufacture. |
The small manufacturers sell TO the |
Chinese compradores. who buy as agents |
OF foreign firms and ship the CRACKERS /
ga bundles 90 the seacoast, where they /
are packed n boxes winch cost about { |
tales $3.50 per hundred and mold 25C. 600 |
nrecrackcrs.
Aside from the fact mat all the mate /
rial used ls native ana produced where /
the crackers are manufactuyed. and that !
transportation does not efter into the |
cost. the wonderful Cheapness OF manu- |
Iacturc is accounted for by the kind OF |
labor used ana the wages paid. The !
stems OF cost OF plant and interest on IT |
are eliminated by the fact that the |
crackers are made In the homes OF the |
w0rkmcn. and in tho shops where they |
are sold.
UNDESIRABLE TRADE.
The hours of labor are from A. NJ. TO !
N J.. a.. and there are seven working |
Gays in edcn week. Four-ftths OF the 4
crackers consumed in CHINA arc made by 4
the families OF those who sell them. I
these people OF course receiving no |
wages OF the paid work. very large /
proportion IL done By women and children /
VINO are paid by the piece. Il Is estimat-
"a that thirty women and ten men can