The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-08-25
BIG POTTERY RECORD.
Output in United States in 1918 Was
$65,222,o51.

The potter of the United States re-
ported another record year in 1918 in
the value of their output, which was
S65, 222,95l, an increase of $4,000, 429 or
is per cent over the value in 1917, ac-
cording to a report prepared by Jefferson
Middleton of the U.lited States geologi-
cal survey, department of the interior,
soon to be published.
Small Imports and Large Demands.
The comparatively small imports of
pottery for several years-though they
were slightly greater in 1918 than in
l9l7-eaused an increased demand for
domestic ware. 1t was difficult to sup
ply the market even before the United
States entered the war, on account of
transportation embargoes and shortage
Of cars, labor, fuel and materials All
these handicaps were greater in 1918 and
were then supplemented by Others, and
the large demand by the government for
erockery for the army and the navy
made the tasks of the potters still more
difficult. In spite of all obstacles, how
ever, the potters bent their efforts to
the great work of winning the war, com
| plying with the regulations without
thought of their personal sacrifices.
Although the value of the output was
1 the largest yet recorded, the volume
was not correspondingly large, owing
ITO the increased cost of production and
capacity of production. The principal
was probably about 70 per cent of the
canacity Of production. Tn principal
causes Of the failure to reach the ca
paeity of production were the shortage
Of labor and the indifference of some Of
the operatives, but scarcity of material
and fuel was a contributing cause. Con-
/ tinued efforts were made during 1918
to replace promptly men called to war, to
reduce the cost of manufacture, and to
increase output by introducing labor saw
ing machinery, such as improved stove
rooms, automatic spreading and batting
out machines, coal unloaders, and tunnel
kilns, all Of which made 1918 a notable
year IN the Improvement OF the equip
mcnt Of the potteries Of the United
States
A notable event in the pottery in
dustry in 1918 was the placing in the
White House of an American. made state
dining set, which is described in the re-
port to be issued by the geological sur.
vey.
War Time Restrictions.
The only pottery products whose man
ufacture was restricted by reductions in
the use Of fuel imposed by the fuel ad.
ministration were sanitary ware and
stoneware, except chemical stoneware.
The allotments Of fuel for sanitary ware
and stoneware were reduced respectively
80 per cent and Is per cent below the
average quantity used annually in 1915,
1916, and 1917. In spite of the restrio-
ton in fuel the value Of the stoneware
made increased 1888 1892, or Is per cent,
over 1917, though the quantity produced
was probably less than that in 1917,
Notwithstanding an increase in the out
put of stoneware crooks and jars, which
were used extensively in the preserva.
ton OF foods. The value of sanitary
ware decreased $l,359,079, or IL per
cent, a decrease due to the general re-
duction in building operations, in which
this ware finds its chief use.
Not only was the potters' supply of
fuel cut down, but the conservation di.
vision of the war industries board on
September Is issued an order limiting
the number of articles TO be manu-.
featured and prohibited the making of
new molds for articles not on the per-
missible list and the addition of new
deoalcomania patterns or copper-plate
engravings, Tho potters anticipated this
order and voluntarily reduced very sub
stantially the number of articles to be
manufactured. The order Of September
Is was revised and re-issued on Octo-
Der 30 so to permit the manufacture of a
few more articles, principally articles
of other sizes than those named in the
original order An order was issued bv
the priorities division of the war indus
tries board on October l6, restricting the
manufacture of pottery to so per cent
of the output of 1917 This order was
subsequently modified to permit three
glost firings month. These orders
were issued late in the year, and as
bHCf NNit NdHCtltu hOuI dileT the ar
mistice was signed they had little if any
effect on the industry.
Production.
Every variety of ware classified in
the report to be issued by the geological |
survey except red earthenware and SAM.
tary ware increased in value as com
pared with 1917 and all except these
two reached their maximum value. /
Whiteware, which includes the common. /
er grades of household wares, valued t
at $25 1926, showed the largest in
crease, 1885,, 457, or q per cent; porce-
lain electrical supplies, the only pottery I
product that is used directly in military
or naval field operations, were valued
at $l2,505,070, an increase Of S3,054 1884. /
or 32 per cent and china, the pottery of I
highest grade was valued at SO 1907 $40, /
an increase of Sl,50l, 443, or 81 per cent. /
The value of china in 1918 was four
times as great as it was in 1908, which |
augurs well for the future of the pot
terry industry in the United States
States. Rel earthenware, valued at t
S906,S6l, decreased in value $l5S,3 or
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