Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-08-30
aI .
GLIMPSE
At Interior Of a
Big Plant.
Process Of Manufacture
ing Sewer Pipe.
Business Developed to High
Standard at Barberton.
tspecia, Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Barberton, Aug. 30.--Few casual visi-
tors at Barberton would have any con-
ception of the magnitude of the Dusi-
ness carried on in the little city when
on the exterior seems quiet enough,
and many residents of the Magic CITY
are unaware of the enormous quanti-
ties of articles manufactured here.
Among the important industries OF
Barberton is the American Sewer Plpe
factory. which is the largest institu-
ton of this kind in the world. 1t does
MT take a great many men to make
sewer pipe. and the factory, which
turns out immense quantities Of sewer
pipe, employees but 250 men.
The company owns 80 acres OF
ground, and there are 100000 feet Of
pipe, or 100000 worth. in the yards
at all times. The company owns but
one clay bank in this vicinity. 1t Is
two and half miles south OF Bar
bcrton and contains 60 acres. There
are 55 dry kilns, which is the largest
number of kilns in any one shop in
the world. ~
In constant use day by day about
| the factory and clay bank are 15 hand
some horses. worth 500 apiece, which
belong to the company, and are kept
In substantial brick barn at the rear
Of the factory. The clay is brought
| to the factory in private cars, of which
the company owns 80 each of which
holds 35 tons of new clay.
This factory, from its spick and
span engine room, in vast contrast to
the clay-covered floors and dust filed
atmosphere of the other departments,
to the dry kilns where the finishing
touch is put onto the pipe, is intense
| ly interesting to the novice. In the en-
gine room, where ones reflection is
constantly being thrown back from the
lpolished surfaces, where not the
most fastidious housewife could find a
speck Of aust or dirt. interest wavers
between the big T50 horsepower Put
! nam Machine Twin engine, with steam
guage attachment. and the electric
light engine, which furnishes the light
ling power for the factory, the Ameri-
:, can hotel, which is owned by the COM
fpany, and the 80 cottages also owned
Wy the company, and occupied by It's
employees. .e
From the engine and boiler room the
visitor passes into the large depart
ment where the new clay is brought
In from the banks and ground into a
fine powder, after which 1t is elevated
In closed boxes to the top Of the build
ing, where it is passed through gravity
Escreens into the clay bin rooms, Those
3egrains which are too large to pass
through the screens are gathered up
and mixed with the new clay. to again
bpass through the grinding process.
From the dry bin the powdered clay
is placed in the wet pan, mixed with
water until 1t is of the proper consist
Ieney, and then elevated to the different
presses, of which there are seven sewer
pipe presses and one building block
rand drain tile press. From here the
pipe goes to the drying room, which
is $50 feet long and 80 feet wide. When
properly dried, the pipe, which is then
of n slate gray color, is taken to tn,
kilns, where 1t is burned and isfthei
ready for use. W $50
The kilns used in this factory hav,
a down draft, and are built in circle
of four about one smokcstack. Th
kilns are connected with the smoke
stack by IN underground tunnel, and
have inside pockets, Sx10 feet, which
regulate the heat,
The kilns are filed with large, 10
inch sewer pipe and building block
the large pipes in turn being fillet
with smaller ones; the doors are thel
bricked up loosely and plastered over
the fires lighted and the entir
mass of pipe is kept at white hea
until burned to sufficient degree o.
hardness.
The American Sewer Pipe Compan.
is thoroughly American concern
owning factories in the United States
only. In the chain of factories ownet
by this concern, there are "a, located
In Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Mich
igan and West Virginia.
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