Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-01
possible to make the stock, 80 driven"
or otherwise. pay the fine imposed, and
nothing is said about the owner or
driver.
BILLIARD BALLS SENSITIVE.
Catch Cold When Moved From One
Location to Another.

Catch Cold When Moved From One
Location to Another.
Every billiard player knows the DEL
icasy Of the ivory ball. Every man
who owns his private table knows, al
so, the great cost of these balls, due
to the difficulty in securing the ivory
from which they are made The pro-
duct from which the best balls are
cut and polished Is found only in the
tusks Of elephants, although ivory dem
tine Is obtained from the tusks Of the
walrus as we'll. Because Of the quail
tiles essential in properly prepared
billiard ball the dentine found in the
finest kind OF elephant tusk is the only
kind used in theis manufacture. Ow.
ing to its scarcity. the price of billiard
balls has steadily increased, those of
the regulation size, 2 3-8 inches, hav-
ing advanced in price from $3.50 to
SIG in one year. This increase in cost
Is not due to a trust in ivory balls, as
the manufacturers themselves nave
been as anxious as any one to secure
some material which could be substi-
tuted for ivory in the manufacture Of
good billiard balls.
Because Of the increasing scarcity
of the material, and also because of
the delicacy of ivory and the necessity
for taking as good care of a good bill
lard ball as is entailed in the rearing
of an infant, manufacturers and chem
lists have been trying for years to get
composition ball that would be as
elastic and durable as ivory. Many
compositions have been tried, but few
ct them have even approached the
roulIicitn ufo 10 re .a1a nj
durability.
The regulation ivory billiard ball
has as every billiard player knows,
great susceptibility to atmospheric
conditions. Sometimes the balls are
quick" and respond quickly to Eng
lish" and the slightest touck of the
cue. At other times no amount Of
skill can prevail upon them to work
properly. When set of ivory balls
is moved from one place to another
the experienced billiardist knows that
! they must not be unwrapped Or taken
| out for three days. If they are ex-
posed to the new atmospheric condi-
tons they catch cold" and are likely
| to crack or chip.
At last it was asserted that a COM
position has been made that not only
| looks like ivory and has all it's elastic
| ity, but that it is far more durable.
| The composition is the result of 80
years constant effort on the part of
German and American chemists. Re-
| Gently they hit upon a solution which
| Harmon +. Davenport, manager for
the Observation-Disclosures compa-
ny SAYS will be the salvation of bill
| hard playing. According to Mr.. Day.
export who is well known authority
on the subject of billiards. If the pres.
ent scarcity of suitable ivory were to
continue billiard playing would soon
become a luxury which none but mil
lionaires or potentates such as the ra-
jaE of Ramapoo, who recently had a
billiard cue costing $1,000 made to his
order. could afford. It is estimated
tnat one out of every seven people in
civilized countries play billiards, with
varying degrees of experiences. To
those of moderate means who enjoy
the game the new process will be a
boon.
I A billiard ball made from this new
composition. invented by an Ameri-
can chemist, has been subjected to
the severest tests. 1t was found that
ii is not perceptibaly affected by cold
OF heat and it's elasticity so great that
when the ball was thrown with force
upon the pavement it rebounded fully
80 feet into the air. Even this hand
ling did not leave trace of an inden-
tation or any kind of scar.
In the process of making the COM
position, cellulOid and bone, two of
the principal ingredients used, are first
run through mixing mills and put in
, dryhOuse, where it is subjected to
+! Il high degree of heat. The compo-
/ sition is then put through grinders
| and reduced to a powder as fine as
F., -four. 1t is then put into moulds
(, and heated while under hydraulic
pressure. The composition is next put
into hydrostatic gun. within a COW
! ering of vulcanized rubber, and thus
given shape and the required size.
Next it is "sandpapered" by being
put into what is known as a merry
! gO-round." two revolving planes GO
ing in opposite directions. Then it
' If put in an oil tumbler where it
absorbs oil before it goes to the pol
ishing lathe. After passing through
the lathe it is given an additional pol
ish by means of waxed cloths, which
i completes the process. The balls are
then placed in the assembly room for
inspection and only the perfect ones
are selected for use
BY the new process, which applies
as we'll to pool balls, $500 balls can be
manufactured in day. Experts be-
lleve that at last perfect billiard ball
that can be sold at a reasonable price
has been found.
! Billiardists who have tried the new
ball speak highly of it as substitutes
for ivory. Tom Foley, one of the best
Known billiard men in the west. de.
clares that the new composition bail
both the billiard and pool ball, is near.
er the genuine ivory ball than any.
think he ever dreamed of seeing. 81
have seen some players using the com.
position balls" said Mr.. Foley. who