Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/559

 1869.] The Gazette. 449 ever wielded, with thick twine, wrapped around them, for the continuous space of about eighteen to twenty inches, in order to protect the hands of the work- man from the cumulative effects of heat ; and, we suppose, that, in addition, the workmen have spare ones, to allow those in use for awhile to cool off. There is no waste, whatever, in the fragmentary material, which is all gath- ered up again, and re-melted, in the cru- cibles, for any future operations. We have reiterated the annealing, at the end of each separate process, be- cause, as absolutely necessary to tough- en the glass for use, it is well to fasten it in the mind. All the articles are five hours each in passing through the an- nealing furnace, when they re-appear, on the opposite side, in another apartment, where youths are constantly watching, either to bear them away to the store- room shelves, or, if the commercial hurry of the Company requires, to pack them, at once, for distant transporta- tion. The whole establishnient is exceeding- 1}* busy and brisk. Indeed, in the fur- nace room, it is necessary to be wary, because, although the men are polite and careful, they must be alert, and may not observe you. Should you, perchance, pass between the mould- ers and the furnace door, you are in great danger of a serious and searing burn, from the lumps of red hot glass, on rod, or tube, ceaselessly flung about, on every side. This Company also manufacture oc- casionally, and will constantly, after New Year, 1809, at the works of The Atlantic Quartz Company, No. 3045 and 3047 Chestnut street, West Phila- delphia. Their present business office is in the hall of the Franklin Insti- tute, but will shortly be at the north- east corner of Seventh and Walnut streets. Hot-Cast Porcelain is, though yet in its infancy, a successful rival of china, glass, bisque, and other substances of their general nature, as hinted in the beginning of this sketch, for all the smaller objects and utensils, designed either for ornament alone, or for ele- gant use. But its capabilities extend far beyond these lesser luxuries of society. The greater luxuries are chaste and lustrous exteriors, and polished and elegant interiors, for the homes of men. Much time and capital have been ex- pended in the production of artificial stone, which — from the facility of pro- ducing it of almost any given size and shape — will look well in masonry, and yet afford lines, which cannot, as cheaply, be given to natural materials by the stone-cutter. But the gentlemen concerned have aspirations far beyond this, confidently hoping, as they clo, to produce in the near future, a choice and not uneconom- ical material, in blocks, for the finest building-fronts, which shall receive, if desirable, a fine polish, and yet with- stand, without disintegrating, the quick- sapping effects of the American climate, in its utmost stress. We sincerely wish them Good Speed ! ADAMS' WOOD-GRAINING MACHINE. HITHERTO the art of imitating the grain of woods, in Painting, has been, in the hands of the best artists, but a tedious operation. The inventive genius of our countrymen, ever on the lookout for chances of improving and accelerating the labor of the artisan, has not failed the occasion here. We have seldom seen a more perfect piece of graining, than that produced by Adams' Air-Cylinder Graining-Ma- chine. In fact, we are firmly convinced