INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1875. cclxxv 



car-wheels have been made from it by strongly compressing 

 a number of sheets together, and, if report has not exagger- 

 ated, their behavior in practical use is excellent. 

 - Carton-pierre (paper -stone), another material prepared 

 with paper, has of late attracted much attention. As may 

 be inferred from its name, it is one of the many varieties 

 erf papier-mache, and is claimed to partake of the nature of 

 stone in appearance and durability, possessing at the same 

 time a fibrous quality and a certain elasticity, so that it 

 might properly be described as a manufactured material 

 taking an intermediate place between stone and wood. It 

 is therefore as a substitute for these two materials that it 

 has done most service, finding a natural and inviting field 

 in all classes of architectural enrichments, where boldness 

 and beauty make strength and lightness necessary to per- 

 manence and safety. 



While the cost of its constituents prevents its competing 

 with stone, slate, or wood in their plain or unshaped condi- 

 tions, it can, however, be produced in any ornamental form 

 very much cheaper than the same article could be manu- 

 factured from the articles named, the pattern or model of 

 the article required being of course a prerequisite. In gen- 

 eral, the material is composed of carbonate of lime and paper, 

 combined with animal glue, to which, however, various other 

 articles are added, such as flour, oil, rosin, siccatives, etc., de- 

 pending upon the requirements of the thing to be produced. 

 It is worthy of note that it has superseded plaster of Paris 

 for architectural decorations in many of the large cities of 

 Europe, and especially in Paris ; the plain walls and lines 

 being of plaster and the adornments in carton-pierre. 



The fact that figures of great size and very considerable 

 strength can be produced in complete relief and very light, 

 has recommended its introduction very largely into public 

 buildings. It is but a few years since it made its first ap- 

 pearance in this country as a manufacture, but native in- 

 genuity had scarcely touched it before it showed signs of 

 improvement, and new fields for its utilization were opened. 

 It has been lately produced of a nature that will permit it 

 to successfully resist heat almost equal to slate, and without 

 that danger of splitting in strata that renders the use ot 

 ornamental slate objectionable ; besides which the carton- 



