OCR Text |
Show In These United States Indian Stone Pipes Are Big Industry in Virginia Town By E. L. KIRKPATRICK WNU Features. Pamplin City, Virginia, town of 300, has the world's largest larg-est plant making Indian stone clay pipes. The factory has a capacity of 25,000 "smokers" per day, using a kiln that will handle 200,000 at a single burning. It uses four regular employees em-ployees and as many as 70 on a part-time basis. Most prized product of the plant Is patterned after the "Powhatan" Indian pipe. This is held to have been invented by Virginia Indians many generations ago, in the Virginia Vir-ginia county whose name it bears. It had a long stem, gracefully curved at the upper end so that the smoker once seated in his easy chair could pull away knowing that "all the nicotine would be gone after the long journey through it and the smoke well cooled." Clay for the pipe was soft and soapy somewhat some-what like meerschaum believed to have been found in some cave where water had deposited an unusual sediment without grit. Clay in the Pamplin City area meets requirements for the original "Powhatan" as well as other pipes Including "Ole Virginny," "Powwow" "Pow-wow" and "Wigwam." It has served this purpose adequately for more than 200 years, according to authentic records, having "gone through" the present plant for almost 50 years. Pamplin City has a sense of security se-curity so long as the buying trend is toward Indian stone and clay pipes. In addition to this unique factory fac-tory which draws many workers from nearby farms and villages, it has 20 business establishments and a lumber mill. Tourists and visitors from everywhere frequent it for pipes for personal use, gifts or souvenirs since every American smoker appreciates a genuine' Indian In-dian pipe. |