The Detroit times., 1910-12-20


kinds of paint are 49,
most economical " -
and serviceable.
The tests on these fences are be-
ing made under the auspices or
committee from the American Society
for Testing Materials. The final YER
diets will serve guide in future
for all large painting operations
Among the most interesting OF re-
recent developments is the perfec'
ton OF a device by when painting
is done by machine. The liquid paint
is sprayed on instead OF being spread
with brush. The result Is an enor-
nous saving Of time and labor. Large
surfaces, like floors or the walls Oh
houses can be given coat OF paint
by one man working with the spray
Ing machine In less time than ooz
en- men could do the same work win
hand brushes. With this device the
paint comes through hose ana cut
OF nozzle like water Is sprayed from
garden hose. There Is some waste
I'm the process, but this is said TO De
more than counterbalanced by the
great saving OF time and labor. The
scheme Is not unlike that adopted III
constructing the Chicago Worlds
Fair buildings in 1893. The beauti-
full White City" was built principal.
ly OF a plaster composition called
staff" The framework OF huge
buildings was put ufp and the stan
poured over the frame through
hose in liquid or semi-liquid form be
ing nodded into the desired shape.
Similar methods are used in concrete
construction work.
America leads the world in the
paint industry. There are $4,000
painters included in the organized
unions and many more thousands
who are unorganized. AS rule Am
erican painters receive higher wages
than members Of their trade abroad,
and builders testify that the Aneri'
can workmen stand first in the
amount and quality of the work they
do. Some of them, besides being ex-
pert with the hand brush. can handle
the spraying machines with great dex.
terity.
The use of paints IL one of the
oldest arts known to mankind. Holy
Writ Ii authority for the statement
that Noah coated the seams OF the
I Ark with pitch before the Deluge.
He was doubtless following the
| most approved system in the use OF
protective coating on structural ma
terials, comments a modern writer.
THAT method was then probably OF
remote antiquity and traditional
origin and Noah may have learned it
when he was q boy" This proves
that the world has not advanced so
very far, after all. In some respects,
as there is no substance known to
modern science and industry which
serves as we'll for coating the out
side of vessels hull as pitch. or
course, pitch Is not paint, strictly
spea king, but 1t belongs to the same
class of materials which are used
| for preservative and protective pur-
poses, as we'll as for ornamentation
and decoration. Various oils. includ-
ing creasote, 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
practiced by the Egyptians and in
Mesopotamia when that desert coun-
try blossomed as the Garden Of Eden.
This almost takes the art back to
the days Of Adam. Pigments were
used by the ancients for various
purposes. The Egyptians colored the
cases containing their mummified
ancestors with many bright hues, and
coated them with varnish, and those
substances have defied the elements
for thousands OF years. They are
still bright and beautiful.
White lead Is the basis OF much
paint that is used commercially.
Formed by the action of chemicals
on lead, this product Is handled on
the market in powdered form or mix
ed in OIL White lead was used by
the ancient Romans and Athenians
as a cosmetic and to form the basis
of paints for many purposes. Ii was
manufactured as early as 300 B. c.,
by covering sheets OF lead with vim
egar or wine lees, the action Of the
air doing the rest. This method Is
still used in some parts of Europe
and Is known as the Dutch method"
White lead Is easily adulterated
with many substances and manufac.
turers unfortunately often yield to
temptation. An investigation by a
United States governmental agency,
a few years ago into a widely adver-
tised brand OF pure white lead and
oil paint" showed that there was
not a grain Of lead or a drop OF lin
seed oil in the product Progressive
paint manufacturers favor a law sim
liar to the pure food law, which will
protect the public against the adal-
iteration Of paints. White lead Is an
insidious poison, the COLES and par
alyses which attack those working
in Il being recognized in history for
many centuries. Machinery Is there
fore used as much az possible in the
process OF Its manufacture. For this
reason also various governmental
structures have been placed upon the
manufacture and use of white lead
by states In this country and by for
eign nations. France set about some
years ago deliberately TO stop the
white lead business and IL is said
that as a result OF various steps that
have been taken. In few years
white lead will totally disappear
from France.
Carbon is the basis of all black
paint. lamp black being the form gen.
orally used. This is obtained in the
form OF SCOT deposited by burning
oils. fats. rosin and similar sub
stances under certain conditions.
There Is some black paint made from
charcoal and bones. and particular
ly fine black Is obtained from lees