St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-12-05
OLD CHURCH wARDENs.
The Clay Pipe Industry Of England
and Some OF Its Interesting
History.

History.
Nowhere in the world can be found
q pipe like the old church warden which
is made in England" said an avenue to-
bacco dealer, according to the Washing
ton Star.
1.-THE manufacture of the church war
den is stamped with the hallmark OF
antiquity. Broseley, in Staffordshire,
is perhaps the most renowned pipe-mak-
ing center in Great Britain, and the art
for such it is-has been practiced for
between 300 and 400 years. And GER
tain families there have carried on the
industry without break since the mid
die of the sixteenth century.
But outside Staffordshire pipe
ing is also carried on, and in the cen
ter of Cheshire one family can boast OF
100 years service to the Cheshire smok-
ers.
LAS in a few other industries, ma
chinery is failure in the pipe factory.
Processes without number have been
invented and fortunes have been spent
with the object of manufacturing clay
pipes by machinery, but none have been
successful.
"Pipe factories are not imposing
buildings, and use. not ornaments, is
the prevailing factor. The clay of a
dirty gray color is stored in sheds, and
in spite of it's color such clay is OF the
purest and is only to be found in Devon
shire 1t is shipped to Liverpool and
is distributed to the pipe makers IN
square blocks.
1.-THE first operation is the cleaning
of the clay. Each block is separated to
remove impurities, then the clay is
mixed with water and beaten to the
right consistency, proceeding which
calls for considerable care, otherwise
the finished pipe will suffer.
"A thick paste results and this Is
passed on to the rolling and molding
room. Here men and boys-and some
times girls-deftly roll the clay by hand
until it assumes somewhat the shape of
pipe. The workers become remark
ably dexterous, and it is astonishing
how accurately they gauge the amount
of clay necessary for the rolling of the
head and stem of full-fledged church
warden or the less ambitious short.
The work has nevertheless to be neatly
and delicately performed, or the clay
will deteriorate. In an ordinary work.
ing day the average worker will roll
1000 to 100 Of the longest pipes and,
of course, considerably more short ones.
A dozen or more pipes are stuck to-
gether to temper, a drying process the
length of which varies according to the
heat of the room.
when sufficiently dry the work of
molding commences. Molds of cast iron
are employed and the shelves contain
all the best known styles which are add
ed to or changed as fashion dictates.
The plain, smooth clay is always first
favorite, but now and again popular
military general-Kitchener and Rob-
erts at present share the honor-is added
to the mold. In some districts the coun-
terfeit presentments of noted footballer
or the head of race horse figure In clay
pipes.
"The mold is hinged from stem to
bowl, and after carefully oiling both sides
the molder inserts his hand-rolled and
tempered pipes, passes wire through
the stem to make the all-important draft
hole, closes the mold and places it in a
hand press, which punches hole in the
bowl. While the mold is still closed the
operator removes the superfiuous clay
with knife. Then he passes his hand
over any rough places and the pipe II
ready to dry.
1.-TWO or three days in a fairly warm
room at an even temperature are need
ed for the drying process, and when thus
Tar completed the pipe is of creamy
tint and has highly polished surface.
Then the finisher applies his art, quietly
removing seams and inequalities and
making all ready for the burner.
"A circular kiln, beneath which three
fires are blazing at white heat, stands
in the open yard, and in this the pipes
are plunged. They are carefully packed
in what are termed 'seggars' or fire clay,
each of which contains some three gross
In reality there are two kilns in one,
one for the long pipes and one for the
short, and they are kept burning at white
heat for IL or IL hours, after which time
the pipes are gradually allowed to cool
and are then drawn forth hard and white,
ready for the glazing OF the stems, and,
If quality demands, securing and fin
ishing."