The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-02-29
], S, HAS MEERSCHAUM MINE

There is only one meerschaum mine IN this country says
the Goldfed News Tribune Up to year or TWO ago 'e
might as well have been at ALL About nVe years asu
company formed to take the mine declared conoen
that going make meerscaum pipes OUT Oh 'ne P0
duct. a., $50,
For four years we were the laughing stock Of the
said member Of the concern the other day. Dut we al"
ing the laughing ourselves now. -,
There only one other meerschaum mine IN the world
least nobody knows of any others That one Is IN ASA
Minor and supplied the material for all the meerschau pipes
made up to year ago. The American mine is about ~ mics
from Silver City, NJ and has been known for some ume
but nobody had any faith it. Samples OF the product were
to the government for an opinion as to It's vaue anu
declared by the analysis to be commercially worthless
That is what they we're, too for long time Inc trouDie
was that whereas the Turkish meerschaum absolutely pure
just Mined the New Mexico variety is loose texture
and full of acites It looks though somebody mad mixed
up stiff plaster Of Paris blown lot OF air into ana let
lit set 1t not only looks spongy but when first mned II is
very moist wet in fact that must be allowed to dy out
before it can be crushed
1t was the perfecng the process Of handling the crude
product that the time and the money took those four
time and the company does not like to remember how
much money Turkish meerscham in what is known
kidney formation; kidney shaped pieces, some OF them
about the size of fist Pipe bowls are cut directly from the
Jumps without treating them in any way
New Mexico meerschaum occurs in veins sometimes le
inches in diameter sometimes pnchng out to much thin
streak. These veins plainly visible in the Lodges
which crop out the hillside showing SO white that they
are conspicuous in the landscape.
The process of mining much the that employed
with other minerals for meerschaum cassed mineral
tunnel is opened and shafts sunk from this The veins oc
in congomerate and well defined Their peculiar
moisture is present when the surrounding rock is very
dry
The rough pieces of meerschaum after drying out go t.
the crusher Then the stuff is screened to all for
matter washed and concentrated The finished product is
absolutely pure meerschaum pressed in blocks which
white and light that foam of the sea- (meerschaum
an appropriate name for it. Its weight is almost negligible
la good sized pipe bowl weighing only half an
Three carloads of these blocks of meerschaum ship
ped the New York plant month"; the pipes being
ed, turned polished and fitted here Dozens Of different
styles are UNDERGRADUATE silver mounted solid meescaum
bowls separate bowls cigar and cigarette holders and
The makers enthusiastically assert that it is not only
good the foreign meerscaum but better They it is
tougher that it is just absorbentthey say little
more soand that it takes just good polish Also that
lit be sold at prices that almost halves that Of Turkish
neerschaum.
They say there is why American meerschaum
should not be used for lot of things besides ppesfor poker
Icp for example, toilet articles ornaments and buttons.