The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-07
ROMANCE OF THE CLAY PIPE.
An Interesting Industry Which Has
Existed for 400 Years,
From the London Leader.

Existed for 400 Years.
From the London Leader.
The manufacture of the famous
church warden is stamped with the
hallmark of antiquity, Broseley, in
Staffordshire, is perhaps the most re-
nowned pipe-making center in Great
Britain, and the art-for such it is-has
been practiced for between 800 and 400
years. And certain families there have
carried on the industry without a break
since the middle of the sixteenth CEN
fury.
But outside Staffordshire pipe-making
is also carried on, and in the center of
Cheshire one family can boast of 100
years service to Cheshire smokers.
AS in a few other Industries, machin-
cry is a 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 build
ings, and, use not ornament, is the pre-
Vailing factor. The clay of a dirty
gray color, is stored in low sheds, and,
in spite of its 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.
The first operation is the cleansing of
the clay. Each block is scraped to re-
move impurities, then the clay is mixed
with water and beaten to the right con-
slstency, a proceeding which calls for
considerable care. otherwise the finish
ed pipe will suffer.
A thick paste results, and this is pass
Ell fO the rnllinp and f71n1IHinpy
Here men and boys-and sometimes
girls-deftly roll the clay by hand until
II assumes somewhat the shape of a
pipe. The workers become remarkably
dexterOus, and it is astonishing how
accurately they gauge the amount of
clay necessary for the rolling of the
head and stem of a full-hedged church
warden or the less ambitious short.
The work has, nevertheless, to be neat
ly and delicately performed, or the clay
Will deteriorate. In an ordinary work.
ing day the average worker will roll L.
600 to LOO of the longest pipes, and, Of
course, considerably more short ones.
A dozen or more pipes are stuck to-
gether and set aside to temper, a dry
ing process the length of which varies
according to the heat of the room.
When sufficiently dry the work of
moulding commences. Moulds of cast
iron are employed, and the shelves con-
tain all the best-known shapes, which
are added to or changed as fashion die
tates. The plain, smooth clay is al
ways first favorite, but now and again
a popular military general--Kitchener
and Roberts at present share the hon
or-is added to the mould. In some
districts the counterfeit presentments
OF noted footballers' or the head of
race horse figure in clay pipes
de n -
bowl, and after carefully oiing both
sides the moulder inserts his hand
rolled and tempered pipes, passes a
wire through the stem to make the
all-important draught hole, closes the
mould and places 1t in a hand press,
which punches a hole in the bowl.
While the mould is still closed the
operator removes the superfiuous clay
with knife. Then he passes his
hand over any rough place, and the
pipe is ready to dry.
Two or three days in a fairly warm
room at an even temperature are
needed for the drying process, and
when thus far completed the pipe is
of a creamy tint, and has a highly
polished surface. Then the finlsher
applies his art. quietly, removing seams
and Inequalities, and making all ready
for the burner.
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 technically termed Seq
gars" of fire-clay: each of which con-
tains some three gross. In reality
there are two kins in one, one for the
long pipes and one for the shorts, and
they are kept burning at white heat
for twelve or thirteen 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 finishing