Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-02-05

made in America. This took place
in Danvers, Mass. Later a man by
the name of Joseph w. Wade COOP
Grated with the girl, and together
they made number of lead PENCILS
after the same fashion. The girls
name was not recorded.
The Barrowdale mine in England
was the source Of the first graphite,
and the pieces quarried were said to
be In such form that they could be
sawed and pressed into the wood.
Scientists say, however, that pieces
of this kind were not very numerous.
Later it occurred to Freedman
named Conte to powder the graphite
and then combine the pulverized sub
stance with binding material. He
worked on his scheme until he pro-
duced the graphite part of the pen
Gil substantially as it is made now.
Not much, however, was done with
1T, either by Conte or by any other
Frenchman. The Germans then took
it up, and while the Frenchman was
the real inventor, to the Germans
belongs the credit OF working out
and putting into its present shape
the lead pencil as we know it to-day.
The work Of pencil-making is pic
turesque. 1t is ingenious and at
tractive, and the method reflects
rare mechanical talent. The num-
Der of raw materials used is between
40 and so, and the whole world
contributes to the assembling of
these materials. Most Of the pro-
cesses are done by automatic ma
rlinery.
The Mines in Ccylon.
Edison S. Bastin is Uncle Sans
scientist in the geological survey at
Washington, who has made a study
Of graphite for many years. In speak
ing Of mining graphite in Ceylon,
Mr.. Bastin said:
Although their existence was
known in early times and mentioned
in print as early as 1851, the graph
lite deposits of Ceylon were not ex-
plotted until some time between
1920 and 1880. Joseph Dixon Is said
to have imported a small quantity
into the United States in 1929, but
1t was not until 1884 that the indus
try assumed any commercial import
ance. From that time to this, as a
result OF the growth Of the metal in
dustries and the great demand, the
industry has developed rapidly, until
at present graphite is subordinate in
value only to tea and the products
Of the cocoanut palm among the ex-
ports from the island.
THE graphite is mined either
from the open pits or through verti-
cal shafts connected with under
ground workings. The majority of
mines are not deeper than 100 feet
though a few go as deep as 400 or
500 feet. On account of the heavy
rainfall, water is one of the chief
obstacles in mining. In a few mines
steam pumps and hoists are en-
ployed, but as a rule the mining me-
thods are still crude, the acme OF
mechanical ingenuity being reached
IL windlass operated by five or six
men to hoist the graphite in sort
Of tub. The workmen usually climb
rough wooden ladders hundreds OF
feet long. The ladders are tied with
jungle ropes and rendered very slip
perry by the graphite dust and water
so you can imagine what a hazard
Gus job it is.
THE mineral as it comes from the
pitS usually contains about so pei
cent Of impurities, mostly in the form
Of quartz and wallrock. 1t Is car
ried in bags to a dressing shed
where 1t is picked over by hand and
the impurities reduced to 5 or 10
per cent. II is then packed in barrels
for transportation to Colombo OF
Gale. AT these ports it is unpacked
known as curing The graphite
merchants have fenced yards OF
compounds for the final preparation
OF the graphite for the market.
''In the methods of curing there
is some diversity, but the first ster
Is usually to set aside large Jumps
and pass the remainder through sta
tionary screens of several sizes OF
mesh. The large Jumps and the
screened pieces are then broken with
small hatchets by Singalese women