XV 



THE HUMAN SALAMANDERS 



WE are not thinking now of the real 

 salamanders, those animals endowed with 

 such mysterious powers of fire resistance, 

 if legend is to be credited. Rather do we 

 think of those hard-working fellows who 

 help the glass blower by making his " pots ". 



It is perhaps generally known that glass 

 is manufactured from a combination of 

 powdered flints, or possibly fine sand, 

 mixed with various earths, etc. These con- 

 stituents must be well mixed under very 

 great heat, and here it is necessary to 

 provide something in which this may be 

 accomplished hence the " pots " provided 

 by the " salamanders ". These pots are 

 made from fire-brick clay, and they must 

 withstand very great heat without bursting 

 or cracking. The fire-brick clay is mined 



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