MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 63 



compartment is burned, the fire is transferred ahead to the next 

 and the first begins to cool. In this manner, the fire is carried 

 completely around the kiln." 



Pottery. Pottery has been made in New York since early times. 

 It was probably one of the first branches of the clay-working industry 

 introduced by the colonists, although there is little specific informa- 

 tion to be had in regard to the early beginnings of pottery 

 manufacture. It is certain that the first efforts in this line did not 

 extend beyond the production of common wares like earthenware 

 and stoneware which required no considerable plant or technical 

 equipment. Clays suitable for pottery of this sort were dug in 

 certain localities within the State or were brought in from New 

 Jersey and other sources. One of the best slip clays for the glazing 

 of stoneware is to be had in Albany, and no doubt the deposit had 

 something to do with the location of potteries in that vicinity which 

 carried on active business up to a few years ago. 



White wares as articles of manufacture did not receive attention 

 from local potteries until about the middle of the 19th century. 

 The present diversified industry, which covers nearly every depart- 

 ment of the ceramic arts so far established in this country, has been 

 a development practically of the last three or four decades. A 

 factory for making bone china was established in Brooklyn in 1854, 

 probably the first of its kind. This later became the Union Porcelain 

 Works which took up the manufacture of porcelain ornamental 

 and table wares; the plant is still active. A pottery for granite 

 ware was located in Syracuse in 187 1 and about 1886 the Onondaga 

 Pottery Co., the owners, converted it into a pottery for china wares; 

 it ranks as one of the large and successful establishments of the kind 

 in the country. The Iroquois China Co. of Syracuse also manu- 

 factures china tablewares, and in Buffalo is the Buffalo Pottery, 

 a producer mainly of white ware. 



Porcelain electrical supplies constitute one of the largest items 

 of the list of pottery wares, and in this branch New York shares 

 with one or two other states the leadership in regard to value of the 

 annual outturn. The list of manufacturers include the Empire 

 China Works and the Union Porcelain Works, Brooklyn; Pass & 

 Seymour, Inc., Syracuse; Locke Insulator Manufacturing Co., 

 Victor; Lapp Insulator Co., Inc., Leroy; Weber Electric Co. and 

 the General Electric Co., Schenectady. 



The manufacture of earthenware and stoneware has not been very 

 active in the last few years. The Syracuse Pottery is the principal 

 producer in this line. 



