New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-22
OF A LEAD PENCIL.
JOHN A. WALKER GIVES A LOT OF IN.
TERESTING FACTS.
MUCH OF TIE WORK DONE BY GIRLs-THIRTY
MILLION PENCILS MADE IN ONE YEAR

IN ONE FACTORY.
An Industry for girls that Is seldom exploited
but one whose results millions of people daily
testing &c the putting Of leads into pencils AL
though implement is more familiar than the
pencil few people know how ~ Is made or where
IT'S component parts come from. The following IN
terestng facts given yesterday by John Walker. Of
the Joseph Dixon Crucble Company, Jersey CITY.
70 Tribune reporter make one feel that IN the
manufacture of even small object big field
eeographcallv historically and geologicaly has 10
he covered
The pine or cedar the former for cheap pen
ellis the latter for more expensive ones" said Mr..
Walker arrives at the factory I'm small blocks
or slabs little longer than a pencil, a little
wider than six pencils and Of proper thickness
II they are TO be colored they first dyed. All
are treated 10 a process which removes the essen
tial oil and which seasons them perfectly.
The source Of supply for the cedar is Florida,
and 81 great nroads have been made upon the
forests for the manufacture Of pencils that the
wood is becoming exhausted The name lead
pencil is a misnomer and halls from the sticks
of lead which were the primitive pencils. The
lead is graphite or plumbago. and comes from the
Province Of Quebec or from Tconderoga, the latter
having the largest mines Of the kind on this Cont
nent
"One factory turns out 30 10000 pencils a year
The graphite is first reduced 10 an impapable
powder by grinding Water is then added. and
the substance is run through mixers in fluid
state. in order 10 combine with il whatever guam
tity of clay may be necessary to give II the grade
desired The more clay, the harder the lead and
vice Versa. After this mixing has been done,
which is performed entirely BY machinery the
mass is taken from the mixers and run through
filter presses in a way 10 exclude the water and
reduce IL 70 a doughty consistency. In order 10
make the mixing still more thorough, this doughy
mass is then passed through dies, by which is
i,r1cr
under great pressure. from which the lead-as l
shall call H. in Difference 10 common phraseology-
issues in tiny rods or wires in general appearance
not unlike the lead that is put into the pencils
but instead of being dry and brittle. being still IN
q moist or soft condition.
The material receives this treatment repeatedly
through dies with apertures of different diameters
until finally, when the mixing has been satls-
factoriIy completed and the mass is in proper con-
dition II is passed through set OF dies Of the
exact diameter Of the lead that Is to go into the
pencil Def fingers take the product in this CON
dition straghten out the leads and cut them 10
lengths Of about three feet. At this stage II Is
still comparatively soft and pliahe After being
cut the leads allowed to dry, and are then cut
to the required pencil lengths ana pacKed III
crucbles and burned for several hours in order 10
extract the last degree of moisture thar remains
and to bring the lead to its final condition The
leads are now ready for inserting in the wooden
cases and are sent 10 the girls room. The slams
of wood are put through a machine giving each
six grooves, square or round and at the same time
The girls are seated in groups OF three. with
slabs leads and glue pot before them The hrst
girl takes a grooved strip in her right hand ana
Six leads spread fan shape in her left. and with
one motion fills the six grooves; The next girl
TO No. 8, who takes the filled strip from her other
neghbor and lIys the one upon the other The
in a press 10 dry. After that they are evened of
under sandpaper Wheel and cut into t ihs6
ready for the market