In order to neutralize the smeary, sticky condition of the surface and avoid the disagreeable drying in open air, the experiment of strewing sand on the sticky places was tried next.  The weight of the paper was largely increased by the sand, and appeared considerably thicker.  For this reason the method of sanding the paper was at once universally adopted.  To dispense with the process of permitting the surplus tar to drip off, means were devised by which it was taken off by scrapers, or by pressing through rollers.  The scrapers, two sharp edged rods fastened across the pan, were then so placed that the paper was drawn through them.  The excess of tar adhering to its surface was thereby scraped off and ran back into the pan.

This work, however, was performed better and to more satisfaction by a pair of rollers fastened to the pan.  These performed a double duty; thoroughly removed the tar from the surface and by reason of their pressure they caused a more perfect incorporation of the tar with the fibers of the paper.  Finally, different factories employed different methods of manufacture, one of which was to cut the rolls into definite lengths of about ten yards; these were then rerolled very loosely and immersed in the hot tar until sufficiently saturated.  The paper was then passed through the roller, much pressure exerted, and then loosely rolled up again.  Being tarred once, it was then laid into a second pan with hot tar, reeled out after a time, strewn with sand, and rolled up again.  Another method was to cut clothes lines into lengths of about fifteen yards, and at a distance of two inches have knots tied in them.  The paper was cut in lengths of ten or fifteen yards, three pieces of the knotted clothes line were then rolled between the loose coils of paper, which was then submerged in the tar, which on account of the knots could penetrate the paper.  The paper was next sanded by permitting its lower surface to pass over dry sand in a box standing on the floor.  A workman rolled off the paper, and with his hand he strews sand on the upper surface.  The rolling taking place on the edge of a table, by means of a crank, the excess of sand dropped off.

It is said by this method two workmen, one of which tends to the rolling and sanding, the other turning the crank, could turn out eighty rolls per day.  This method is still in use.  It is useless to describe the many antiquated methods in vogue in smaller factories, and it can truthfully be said that nearly all of them are out of date.  It appears to be the fact of almost all inventions that when reduced to practical use, the arrangements, apparatus, and working methods employed are generally of the most complicated nature, and time and experience only will simplify them.  This has been also the case with the methods in the roofing paper industry, which are at present gradually being reduced to a practical basis.  The method gradually adopted has been described in the preceding.  The pan is of a certain