The San Francisco call., 1910-08-20
RICHMOND Gets
NEW ENTERPRISE
Porcelain actOry Will
Turn 0utSuperior Ware
Made From California
Mineral Products

RICHMOND, Aug 19.-The Begin
ming of operations by the Pacific Porce-
lain Ware Company makes a substan-
tial addition to the great industries
of this city. Few people yet real
ize the Importance of the new factory.
The company which will operate il was
recently organized by Mr. NJ PIatts
Associated with him are Messrs F. F.
Euphrat. H L. Frank and N. w. Stern.
they located their plant at Richmond
because OF its fine transportation facil-
tiles, both for the reception OF the raw
materials and the shipment of their
finished product. At Richmond they Sc
cured site adjacent to the Southern
Paclnc tracks. They occupy a main
building of four stories and basement
Numerous extensions have been added
TO meet the requirements of this busi-
ness
The Pacific Porcelain Ware Company
manufactures sanitary earthenware for
plumbers use only. 1t is the only man
uracturer of this line west of the Mis-
sissippi river and it is the first COM
pany in It's line to use oil for it's kiln
work. 1t is also the only company in
the United States today that eliminates
the potterS' millerS. absolutely recefv-
ing all their materials. such as various
clays. feldspar. hints,- etc. in the raw
state and doing the preparatory work
themselves, which is done by potters'
nlillers m Tor every other porcelain plant
in the United States
Their flint and feldspar come to them
In the form Of large rock and il is
placed in an immense three stone
grinder and crushed. then into other
grinders until reduced to the consist
ency OF -four and sieved through sieves
OF 12O to $50 mesh. the fineness OF
which is extraordinary
Their raw clays are placed in an i'm
mense trough, soaked with water and
by machinery constantly turned and
the sand obliterated This is done nm
til the top forms a creamy substance.
which is carried through troughs 10
and fro for over 500 feet; then. empty
ing into very large tank. allowed TO
settle and then taken to form rooms
and placed in mOlds allowed TO drv
to point, then about 400 to 500 pieces
are placed in a kiln and heated to
400 degrees Fahrenheit. After cool
ing the glazing takes place with secret
potters' mixtures of various oxides.
etc.; these forms or nearly finished
products are again placed in kiln and
subjected to the same previous tenn
perature, and when removed are the
beautiful and absolutely perfect fin
1shed product with the true beH sound
that were seen by the writer
Mr.. Platts is an experienced pottery
manufacturer. formerly Of Trenton. N.
j., and Pittsburg, Pa. He spent a con-
siderable time in California, and after
much search found in the hills and
mountains Of our own state every in
gredient needed in the manufacture Of
pottery and earthenware, except one
single clay from England, which up to
the present they are obliged to import
in its raw state. but it may be firmly
believed this quality of clay will be
found in this great state in due time.
They are employing at present about
so men. The orders already taken will
consume their entire product for a
year; as a consequence they are now
building two additional kilns. which
will more than triple their present
output.
Mr.. Platts states that he will put
this product against any in the world
and certainly its looks bear out
his statements. The appearance was
beautiful and Mr.. Platts proved his as
sertion that they were absolutely Wit
reous and nonporous-
The kilns in use are built from plans
of Mr. Platts, under his direction. by
brick layers who never before saw a
kiln. Mr. PIatts took great pleasure in
showing his baby" experimental kiln
Electricity is the sole motive power o&
this entire plant