Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-19

There never was a time when the IN
dustrial world was SO deeply interested
in the matter Of paints as it is today. The
National Paint Manufacturers Associa-
ton maintains a bureau Of promotion. the
purpose of which is to demonstrate how
economical the use Of paint is. and dur
ing the past wear OF more it has MAIN
tanned test fences in Atlantic City ana
in Pittsburg for the purpose Of finding
out Just what kinds OF paint are most
economical and serviceable. The tests on
these fences are being made under the
auspices of a committee from the Amer
lean Society for Testing Materials. the
final verdicts will serve as q guide In
future for all large painting operations.
Among the most interesting Of recent
developments is the perfection OF a de-
vice by which painting is done by ma
chine. The liquid paint is sprayed on H.
stead of being spread with a brush. The
result is an enormous saving of time and
labor. Large surfaces, like floors or the
walls OF houses, can be given coat of
paint by one man working with the
spraying machine in less time than doZ-
en- men could do the same work with
hand brushes. With this device the paint
comes through hose and out OF noZ-
zle as water is sprayed from garden
hose. There is some waste In the process.
but this Is said to be more than counter
balanced by the great saving of time and
labor. The scheme is not unlike that
adopted in constructing the Chicago
Worlds Fair buildings I'm 1899. The
beautiful white city was built prfnci-
pally OF a plaster composition called
The framework of huge buildings was
put up and the stair poured over the
frame through hose I'm liquid or semi
liquid form, being nodded into the de-
sired shape.
America leads the world i'll the paint
cluded in the organ
American lied unions and many
Painters Lead more thousands VINO
rule American painters receive higher
wages than members of their trade
abroad. and builders testify that the
American workmen stand first in the
amount and quality of the work they do.
Some Of them. besides being expert with
the hand brush, can handle the spraying
machines with great dexterity.
The use of paints is one Of the oldest
arts known to mankind. Holy Writ is
authority for the statement that Noah
coated the seams of the ark with pitch
before the deluGe. He was doubtless
following the most approved system in
the use Of protective coating on structu-
raj Materials comments a modern
writer. THAT method was then prob
ably of remote antiquity and traditional
origin and Noah may have learned 1t
when he was a boy This proves that
the world has not advanced SO very far,
after all, in some respects, as there is no
yhcto tn cni q
industry which serves as we'll for coating
the outside of a vessels hull as pitch. OF
course, pitch is not paint, strictly speak
ing, but it belongs to the same class of
materials which are used for preserva-
tive and protective purposes, as we'll as
for characterization and decoration. Va
rious oils, including creosote, belong to
the same class, and are used in treating
wood for purposes of preservation.
Returning to the ancient history of
paints and painting. the art was prac-
ticed by the Egyptians and In Mescpota-
mia when that desert country blossomed
as the Garden of Eden. This almost takes
the art back to the days of Adam. Pig
ments were used by the ancients for va
rious purposes. The Egyptians colored
the cases containing their mummified an
cestors with many bright hues, and coat
ed them with varnisf, and those SUBJ
stances have defied the elements for thou
sands of years. They are still bright and
beautiful.
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