The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-27
ROMANCE OF THE FIRST coRNcoB PIPE
It Was Invented H. Gueno New Orleans Creole Who Caught
savesThe Drug Make the Pipes
Fireproof Is Still a Secret 1885, 7a*a@'aa5ss

bought some of it and took it home
with me.
'Then I made a lot of pipes and
soaked every one in the drug for half
an hour, and afterward let it dry in
the sun. It made every one fire.
proof.
and polished them, and when the fair
came In the spring I took them there
and exhibited them. There We're
twenty-five altogether. No one
else showed any such pipes and they
! made a lot OF talk
Guesno has in his scrapbooks a
large number Of articles published by
the southern papers in reference to his
exhibit. At the end Of the fair he re-
ceived a, bronze medal.
At the next exposition, in 1870, he
exhibited another lot CT pipes, and was
presented with a testimonial, which
reads in part:
Certificate awarded to H. Guesno,
New orleans, for the best assortment
of corncob pipes
| In showing this the old man smiled
and pointed to the word best
There were no Others" he said. 'I
was the only one who showed them
After each fair he sold the pipes, and
| for time continued to make them for
sale.
| THE regular price was dollar for
| a common one," said Guesno, ttbut
I made fancy ones, te D. and got big
prices for them. One time man who
had seen pipe of mine came to me
and said: I want a fancy pipe to send
to a friend in France
! Il made fine for him and he
gave me SIS for it. Then another
time I got SIS for one. That was the
| highest price I ever got. It was a
very fine pipe, with silver top, and
I put it in a box made entirely from
small pieces of corncob and lined with
satin.
... I've made a great many pipes, but
it was really just for a pastime. had
my regular work to do, and so after
a while stopped. During the last few
years I've just made them from time
to time as presents for my friends
Until he came to New York Guesno
lived all his life in New Orleans. For
as inspector Of bridges. Two years
ago one Of his daughters married and
came to New York to live, and after
a time he followed her with the rest
| of his family
He spends most of his time amone
his books and papers, of which he has
a cellar full, but for man of u he
is wonderfully strong and healthy, and
/ at the present time is looking for q
i job.
q x. ~1 i j.
II don't have to work, but I'd ra.
ther," he said. For some time after
/ came to New York I had job as
a Waterman. The other men laughed
at me the first time I went to work
but I showed them I was as strong
as they were.
IF I could speak English better
could get fine position, but French
and Spanish are my languages, an6
the English I picked out of the die
tionary and have to speak slowly
Guesno often has difficulty, he says
4 In making people believe that he wa
the first man to make and sell corn
cob pipes, but he has his certificate
with its accompanying date, and hi
/ medal, as incontrovertible evidence t,
show any one impetuous enough t,
challenge him. His method of maxim,
e the pipes fireproef he considers yer,
valuable secret, and refuses to disclos,
the name Of the drug or the way il
= (which it must be used.