The Washington times., 1901-08-04
LIGHT IN EARLY DAYS.

t | Chronicle
: LIGHT IN EARLY DAYS.
, How the Pioneers Wives and Chill
dren Made TaIIOy Dips.
In no other way can the changes whicl
have taken place since the pioneers cam
to Wisconsin be better illustrated than b,
the story of the means they had for pur
poses of illuminate The chief relianc,
of tie pioneers in this line the tai
low candle, and 1t was considered a very
good light in those times. Man has al
ways known how to make light for him
self since the discovery of fire. and he has
utilized many different materials, always
taking the best that could be found. In
the pioneer days that best was tallow
I and the pioneers bred cattle for susie
nance and light. For this reason in addi-
tion to others, beef cattle were raised and
! slaughtered by the early settlers, and the
killing" was one of the features of the
| early winter season.
The pioneers did many things in ccm-
mon, and the killing of the cattle and
| hogs they raised was one of them.
| ''Butehering day was considerable of an
event on the new farm. When the killing
| was completed it was customary to dis
/ neighborhood, to be returned in kind as
/ the process was repeated on the other
/ farms, and thus the people solved the
| problem of fresh meat supply for them
! selves The same was done when other
animals were slaughtered, and with what
was left to go into the beef or pork bar
rel the farmer provided for his winter
supply.
The taliow was turned over to the fe-
male portion of the family and used for
the making of the winter supply Of can
dies. These were made in various ways,
sometimes by running into molds and
sometimes by the dipping process. The
''talIow Dip WAS one of the pioneer insti-
tutions but as the settlers could afford 1t
the more scientific nodded candle took its
place. This change came abouf gradually.
Sometimes there would be but a single set
of molds in a neighborhood, but, like ev-
erything else, they were at the service
of everybody and they went from farm
to farm until they had accomplished their
purpose. 1t required no small degree of
ability to perform these operations, and
the first efforts of amateurs at making
candles usually resulted in failure or
needed the hand of an expert to save the
day Under the tutelage of the mother
the children soon became expert enough
in the various parts of the operation to
be entrusted with the work. and under
their hands the candle box became grad
ually filled, though there was many a |
sigh and groan at the long-continued ap-
plication that was necessary. But the |
children of the pioneers learned to carry !
their share of the family burden, and they |
thus learned habits of industry that show |
ed good results in later days. Then moth |
Ing that could be produced at home was |
bought, for there was little money and |
many ways for 1t to go.
The candle-mak.ng had to be done in
cold weather, and the colder it was the
faster the work proceeded The big cop
per boiler was placed on the stove or !
hung over the fireplace and in it the tai
low was melted While waiting for it TO
reach this stage the wicks were measured
off and cut to the proper length. When
molds were used the wicks were
placed in them. supported at the top by
small pine sticks and knotted at the bot
tom to keep the melted tallow from es-
Gaping. Then the molds were filled with
The melted tallow and set in cold place
10 harden. Whcn ready to draw the
Snots were cut and the candles were pull
ID out leaving the molds ready for repe-
ition of the process. Some Dimes the wicks
would break under the stein and then 1t
vas necessary to pour hot water on the
outside of the molds. which were made
If tin, thus melting the tallow sufficient
y to permit the extraction of the candles.
rhe wicking had to be soft to give good |
light when ignIted, and because of that
act 1t could not stand a strong pull and
lad TO be handled very carefully, thus
eaching the operator the necessary les |
on of patience which helped to make up |
lis education.
Under the dipping process a number OF
sicks Were ranged on stick as long as
ould be dipped into the boiler. and after ,
ach immersion in the melted taliow they .
we're hung in a cold room for the taIlow
0 harden, the process being repeated un-
IL the candle grew by successive addi-
ions to the required dimensions. Enough
( the sticks carrying wicks were provid- !,
at the outset, so that the dipper could :
eep busy while another gave attention .
D the tallow that II should be kept from
in the boiler. This process was
lore rapid than the other, but the out
ut was not so presentable, and conse-
uently the nodded candles Were prefer a
ed. 1t was their practice in making tai
wv candles that gave the farmer boys the
lea in later years, when coal oil became =
ne general illuminant, that they could
ombine their experience with the new
gent so as to provide a satisfactory lamp
'r night fishing in the lakes and streams
round them. II
Sometimes the store of candles showed "
gns of exhaustion before the long nights
winter had passed away, and as there -
as often no tallow at hand for another :,
Ipply other expedients had TO be used =
'r lights. One of these was. to place a -
rip of soft cloth in a shallow dish one :.
ld hanging over the edge. Then the -
sh was filled with lard and the combi- =
alton made very satisfactory light for -
lose days. though hardly suitable to be o
aced before company
In some cases camphene was burned in |
mps, but its explosive character caused | -
any people to regard IT with suspicion. -
ld il did not come into general use. The =.
How candle of the pioneer served very | =,
seful purpose. The mother had to knit | =
I'd sew and patch and darn during the -,
'ening hours; the children had their les ~
ms to study or their few books to read;
e father had his harness to mend his =,
: to hang. his mauis and wood and 10
any other little things to do for which L.
could not afford to waste daylight. Oft
a whole family would be grouped 90
ound the table with one or two candles :,
the centre giving light for all, and they On
nsidered that they were very fort Inate -,
having as good a light as it WIS, but -,
family of the present day would think ia
emseives in almost total darkness un- ~