Show LIFE OF THE BILLIARD BALL Few persons who wield a billiard cue are aware of the time trouble and expense of making the Ivory spheres The billiard ball in Its natural state is the principal means of defense for an elephant In time the elephant falls victim to the venturesome hunt ran r-an he parts with his tusks which are the most valuable oC all his possessions posses-sions to commerce Most of the tusks find their way to London which Is the greatest sales mart for Ivory In the window of one of the largo manufactories i of billiard balls in this city lies a tusk about two feet long It was purchased some years ago and while being sawed In two the saw came in contact with an obstruction It proved to be a rifle bullet which had penetrated tho elephants tusks when quite young for the whole inside In-side had a decayed appearance There are different kinds of Ivory and only the finest kinds are suitable for making billiard balls The best comes from the small tusks which are from four to six inches in diameter at the thickest end They are sawed into blocks each section beinglarge enough to allow the turning of a single ball The factories deVoted to the billiard ball industry In this country usually receive the Ivory in this shape thor tho-r sections being marked so that tho t turner knows from what part of the tusk each piece comes and In this way can calculate as to Its grain and quality It takes a long time to produce pro-duce a perfect billiard ball and only skilled labor is employed The exact center of the ball Is first discovered by means of measurement The block is then placed In a socket and onehalf of the ball Is turned by an instrument made of the finest and sharpest edged steel The haltturned ball is then hung up in a net for awhile a-while then second half is turned and the ball hung up as before In a room the temperature of which Is kept from CO to 70 degrees The roughly turned ball Is kept in I this position about a year Then comes the polishing whitening etc A good deal of hard rubbing is also necessary neces-sary as the ball before being used should he as near a certain weight as possible and measure two and three eighths Inches in diameter It has been found Impossible to get two balls exactly the same weight Very anon hey will be heavier on one side than on tho other and frequently they split right through the center This Is due to decay The price of Ivory for making bil llard balls has greatly increased within with-In the last few years and the demand exceeds the supply A prominent bll lard company has offered 10000 for a perfect substitute for ivoiV but noth Ing has thus far been invented that combines the elasticity and durability of ivory Not until after It has been placed on the table Is the real life of > the billiard ball shown The pores of tho ivory may close and then if the ball is kept In a hot room It is likely to crack or It may crack by reason of concussion with other balls This Is one of the great dlfllcultles to contend against To overcome thIs the balls should be kept In as even a temperature as possible pos-sible When a billiard ball is first used it occupies the first rank A crack may soon be exposed and then it Is re turned to the factory The nick Is shaved off and it comes back slightly smaller In size It may then find its way into some secondrate billiard room After some more hard usages I It Is again returned to the factory and 1 comes forth again muclf t reduced in size and probably becomes a cuo ball In pool After it is found to be practically useless for tho purposes for which it was originally made it is bought by dealers In bone and ivory and the ball Is then turned Into buttons Jor burned and used In the making of Ivory black r i c 7 1Jm 4 > 1 j 1 y l 1i 1 J r Vf I 11 7 i 1 J lJ > 4cS Jj I J J o 0 tk r yi l y6 J j i r Z 1 M 1 t 2 < < J if j t ll 1 Hf tl mllii b 11 r I 7 4 1JYJ V W I 1 Jyi 6 h m f f 4od r I r J J 1 1 1 l Ji m t W 4 9 U r 7 7 < r Pf r oJ I 1 < J I J tt tJ 1j f kfl d nll f t JUt qJr j j SY i 10 < f I Y rl 2I 1 m r i I r 7 t I f lt J r t 1 I I r 1 J j F J 1 f f4 t loj f 0 i 1 IIi 0 I I M l 7 + ti f 7y r Vh 3 I I = oJ Ii II J c t I Jj JlRr l If r Y I ri1 IDf I 0 J I It I Jr t i 00 c jJ1 q i > JU i r r r 1 t J l IM J I v r r Fi z 71 ut it iti I 1 < Yt i I 9L I 7 lj Jj m t i1p j FI 9 tr ij i1 1 t1 tty IQI i e b J ofv 1 t 8 S J i Ua f I to c 4 p Sl li 1 > I r > t t ll f 1 Yo i i 11 r S i1i I I r II 1 f IJCj H h W 1 t f < 4 J r if 1i i J I Ii f P1k i I 9 i i 1d r r l I i J > c rr II 1 I J ffi1 L f B tt1 rJ s > r 7 tli it I 1 7 r zrAf0 r p r j lJ Ii 0 t J l I = fi I 4 ifl r 11 x h J Sti J 1 2 I f 1i tJ J I W t f q J JI 1 t r I l i I I S 2 1 I rtilLG d p jrim h < w f t 1i on i 9 C = I JI I T 1 I ITl l lr n > t 1VCP rt I I = Qft 1J1l I UI1lJoo rUVI 1J1lWJI I t J I Jjl1Nj W1J JtriZ PO11P JOlfRO BY lf1ff4 R17z jJW BYe F N I I |