Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-08
TRENCH CANDLES MADE /
FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS
Work for Red Cross Becomes Lead.
ing Feature at Summer Re- .
sort Hotels. ~

Since a French oflcer recently taught
a New York woman how to make
trench torches. or candles. from old
newspapers. this work has proved the
most popular form of evening assembly
work for the Red Cross. and many
summer residents in resort hotels are
spending their spare time rolling these
candles.
They are used for the most important
surgical operations in the trenches. as
they do not drip nor melt. and, IL the
candle is properly made. win burn for
two hours and emit a full. pleasant
light, equal to that of a group of wax
or tallow candles.
Henry P. Dawson. heading the Red
Cross work, says he will take all the
newspaper candles he can get. and
Mrs. Herbert Satterlee of the navy
comforts committee, desires all the
torches possible for her branch OF the
Red Cross. Other branches also are
waiting for candles. Five thousand
candles already AVE been shipped to
France.
After they are made the candles are
dipped in hot parafin. This parahin
and it costs to 10 cents a pound in
twenty-pound lots.
The candles can be rolled in odd
moments and accumulated until a
x.
three or four pounds Of paraffn are
melted in a receptacle and as many
candles as possible placed in the liquid.
When each lot is removed. an extra
the place of that which has been alb
| sorbed. Very little paraffln is re-
quired for hundred candles. It is
cheaper to buy it in lots Of ten or
twenty pounds. or the ends OF old
paraffln candles may be used.
The candles can be deliver d to any
local Red Cross, or to any place
designated by them.
To make the torches, cut sheets of
newspaper apart. One sheet of a met
More than one sheet will be required
OF a smaller newspaper. The big pa
pers have seven or eight columns on
a page. Cut each column down the
line between them. and cut evenly. Lay
the first two-co1umn strips one on top
the other and roll tightly. Over this
roll proceed to wrap each separate
column. one at time. This makes a
smooth. tightly rolled torch. After ali
the columns have been wrapped around
the original two tie the candle around
the middle with bit of string and
clip the ends close to the candle.
To make a good candle the rolling
should be done on hard surface, such
as table, board. a book. Roll tight
ly and keep the edges even. although
a trifing irregularity does not matter
II the roll is tight
Have deep receptacle full of melted
paraffin and keep 1t hot over some
small heater, such as an electric plate,
a little gas stove or any form of heat.
good plan is to stand fifty or more
candles close together and tie a string
around them, just as one sees bundles
of kfndling wood tied. This bundle
can be placed in the paraffin, ends
down. in an upright position. Around
the outer edges more candles can be
stuck; upright, until the receptacle is
as full as it will hold Let the hot
paraffin come well over the tops Of
the candles which are only as tall as
the width of a newspaper column. and
let them soak in the parfin for three
quarters of an hour Some women let
them soak for an hour, but they are
apt to absorb all the praffin they can
In three-quarters of an hour. Then lift
them out. pull OFF the string and let
the candles fall loose and dry