Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-11-18
By
Frederic
J. Hdskin
Pens and Pencils

, 1t is said that one of the finest pens
! in the world was made last year for
! President Taft. IT consists of a rubber
lined wood barrel, the wood having been
taken from one of the Is trees planted by
| Alexander Hamilton in commemoration
of the founding of the union. 1t is bound
! by three gold bands, on which appear
! the words Protection, Progress, Patriot
! ism" On each side of the cap is a
name plate appropriately inscribed. An
| other historic pen is that of Isaac Reed,
of New York. the holder of which was
carved from the Tense box Of George
Washington. This was used by Abraham
Lincoln during the civil war.
I After many years of using the modern
pen, the supreme court has gravitated
back to the old-fashioned quill. The quill
pen In the supreme court was like the
SNUFF box In the senate. too fine tradi-
ton to be dispensed with. yet not avail
able for. everyday use. Last year Attor-
ney General Wickersham appeared in
court one day, and found when he went
to sign a paper that his fountain pen
was missing from his vest pocket. SO
he took up the old quill and dashed off
his name In a manner worthy OF the
best Greek tradition. In the old days the
quill pen was worn down in the course
Of eight hours and in the larger ornces
an usher was employed to go from desk
to desk with his pen-knife' menoihs
and sharpening the quilts. The word PEN
knife originated from this practice.
The United States is now making the
bulk of its own pencils. The industry
started in England IN 1866, when the
Cumberland graphite mine was discoV-
cred. So pure was this graphite that
1t could be used in pencils without any
change other than to glue 1t between
strins NJ wood. A century or more later
the industry got its best footing IN
Germany, which to this day leads the
world in the production of pencils. ABOUT
a half a century ago American manuIac-
turers took up the business, ana To-Day
they are among the world heaVleSl ~
ducers. The leads of pencils are inaue
of graphite and clay. The average per
son is familiar with graphite IN the Iol III
Of stove blacking and bicycle lubricants
Tbe nresent supply of this product
which is really the diamond In announcer
FORM comes from Mexico, eastern sioe-
rio Bohemia and Ceylon. the more
CLAW used In combination WIN 'o
graphite. the harder will be the lead
In the manufacture OF the leao penc,
the graphite is first treated py nu.n ,ea
nr0G4SSeS.
quantity of clay, and after Ihls i o
through dies under heavy hydraullc pres
sure These dies are cut from emeraius
and sapphires. The lead as IL comes
through the dies resembles long strings
of black spaghetti. 1t is then placeu IN
f,,r1oces and baked to a proper degree.
after which 1t is cut into lead penci
lengths.
The wood from which lead pencis aIe
made is mostly Virginia ceoar' altnous
80. Lao,,v demand upon this wood has
r,ade n NECESSARY to resort, in the cheap
or nencils. to certain kinds OF pine. Inc
WOOD "a first sawed into Stats, quarter
Of an inch thick by two and half lnches
wide nv seven inches long. THESE STATS
are then passed through growing ma
chine which cuts a groove for every nan
inch. The prepared leads are next piaceu
in these grooves, and another srooVeu
slat glued over it. The resulting piocA
Is then passed through another macnlhe
which cuts II into fve half-inch squares
seven inches long. Another process makes
tho mcneil round or such other shape as
NAV be desired. After this 1t Is feo
through a mechanical vanishing macnlne
and then placed away to dry. The more
valuable kinds Of pencils are Varnlsheo
nv hand. polished and stamped with golo
lettering.
About nine-tenths of the pencils manu-
featured in the United States are pro-
yided with rubber tips. Those without
metal caps are put into the pencil by
machine, from which the inventor Is said
to have made 100000. The erasers are
made of a good quality of rubber whicn
is thoroughly masticated by machlne'
cured, mixed with sulphur and other ma
terials to improve the erasing qualities
and then moulded into shape.
II is said that few lines of stationery
Weld a greater profit to the dealer than
lead pencils In the departments at
washington one of the principal efforts
at economy is the saving of lead pencils.
So great was the tendency OF the clerks
to carry pencils away and supply their
families with them at government ex-
pense that an official interdict to the
practice became necessary. The govern
ment ordered that pencils should be used
only in the offices, and even then should
be used down to the lowest possible size.
This economy has resulted In the saving
Of thousands Of dollars in Uncle Sans
annual pencil bill.