Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1901 — 0 THERMOMETER TUBES. [ARTICLE]

0 THERMOMETER TUBES.

Process of Thoir Manufacture at Jena, Germany, Described. A most interesting account is given of the wonderful state-aided industry at Jena, where glass and lenses are made for scientists. The industry has been built up by Prof. Abbe and Dr. Schott, and has throughout been conducted by scientists whose efforts have made Jena famous among scientific men the world over. One of the most picturesque features of the Jena glass works is the great corridor where the thermometer tubes are blown and drawn. We saw the glass in process of manufacture. A boy workman caught a bit of molten glass from the furnace on the end of a blowpipe. It was hardly larger than a walnut, but by twirling and blowing and molding, it grew to the size of an orange, with the shape of an acorn. More glass was then added, and there was more rolling and blowing, and when the proper stage was reached the blowpipe was passed quickly to the brawny master workman.

He, in his turn, added glass, blowing from time to time with cheeks outpuffed until it seemed as though they must burst, and then rolling the great ball of glass on his kneading board until it looked like a huge yellow gourd. Faster and faster he worked, keeping the ball always symmetrical and yet white hot. At length he lifted the glowing mass quickly in the air, and a second workman attached hisblowpipeat thebottom. Then the two men ran in opposite directions, twirling the pipes, and blowing from time to time. From a thick, portly, yellow globe the glass thinned out quickly as the men ran apart, until it became a dull red tube no larger than a man’s little finger and nearly 300 feet long. Sometimes in drawing these tubes one of the blowers would not. only run the length of the corridor, but far outside on the hill.—N. Y. News.