Hoffman's despair #2 (Manawatu) Traditional Cache
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Hoffman's despair #2 (Manawatu)
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The Hoffman kiln in Palmerston North is a registered historic place and should be a prime historical attraction. Sadly, it is quite the opposite - it stands in a state of vandalised disrepair and neglect. This cache replaces a previous hide that was archived because of clearing and demolition on site. You are now looking for a film canister - please bring your own pen.
When you arrive, please do not give the location of the hide away to local residents by "marching" straight to the cache site. Take some time to look at the kiln, and maybe "take some photos" first. This is not a salubrious area - it is not recommended to visit during the hours of darkness.
Hoffman is the term used to describe this type of kiln, used for making bricks. It is one of two left in New Zealand. The other Hoffman style kiln, in the South Island, is badly deteriorated. The Palmerston North kiln was built in 1904 by Manchester-born Robert Price Edwards using bricks produced on site.
In operation, green bricks were placed in ten of a series of fourteen chambers (the arched doorways) and fires in the empty chambers were fed to reach the temperature of 1,000 degrees required to fire bricks. The fires were directed from chamber to chamber and it took about fourteen days for the fire to travel round the kiln. At any given time different chambers were being loaded, fired, or emptied – a highly skilled process. It is estimated that the Hoffman kiln could produce 9,000 bricks a day.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Zntargvp
Treasures
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