Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-05-31
From the New .Yo:k TIibane


been in the habit of building their houses,
wherever lime and sand are plentiful of a
substance known AS CIRCUIT, which is a mix
lure Of Lime and Sand In all parts of that
State, houses of this description are to be
met with, many of which, though they
have been erected from sixteen to twenty
years, do not show the least signs of decay.
This fact, we understand, suggested to
AMBROSE Foster, of Portland, Dodge
County. Wisconsin, the idea that it might
be possible so to compound and manipulate
these two articles. lime and sand, AS to
form building material which should not
only be as durable as the best stone itself,
but should be adapted to the many require
ments of builders throughout the United
States. After devoting considerable time
and ingenuity, he has at length succeeded
in producing an article that bids fair event
ually to drive clay bricks entirely out
Of tie market, and to supersede in many
instances the use of stone. Taking for the
basis of his operations the established fact
that hydrsted lime. when exposed 70 the
action of the atmosphere again, takes up
the carbouic acid which it lost in the pro
cess of burning and Stacking and SO be-
comes indurated, he ret himself to work to
find out the proper proportions of sand and
liFsse to form y species Of sandstone. These
he found were one part lime to twelve oil
sand. la Wisconsin. little attention has
been paid to these preportions;m the ma
king of Srout, which is there always used
yall hn,
built up by layers Of this mixture being laid
on between two parallel boards. Hitherto,
then, Mr.. FOSTER had but very slightly va
ried his process from that adopted in his
native State. Eventually, however, he
found out, that in order to eject a more
perfect combination, the lime and ssnd
should be mixed together in nearly dry
sts,e--in !sct, the sand AS it was Uug oa'
of tho >.s.r-h. a..d -ihaz lime in the BOW derry
state it acquires after being Stacked. Tie
mixture is tben run into msul4s, passed in
to machine constructed for the purpose,
and subjected to great pressure RS much
indeed, as oae hundred and twenty tons up
on single brick Of the ordinary size. On
being removed from he machine, the brick
presents white appearance showing On It's
surface that it is simply as yet, mixture Of
lime snd sand compressed into shape
These bricks are now piled up IN regular
heaps SO the air may circulate freely around
them AT this point commences cbeIn,
cal change. The moisture of The atn,os-
phere enables the lime 10 again take up the
carbonic acid, and the whole is transformed
in the course of few days into brick OF re-
markable hardness. ready at once for orji-
nary quilting purposes. The surfaces now
present the appearance OF a whitIsh sand
stone, while Il onth after msnth and year
after year, the same chemical change is CO.
ing on, and the brick become harder aud
harder, until at length they are as indie
sirue!ble as granite ITSELF
In their manufacture they neither shrink
nor warp; hence they Gun be laid 50 even
" that very lil,lc mortar is needed in put
ting them together. Indeed. the amount
OF lime required to make the bricks and put
them together in building does not ex-
cecl the quantity necessary in ordinary
brick building operations. The internal
surface, too, OF tie wall presents SO much
smoother result that in many instances
no clustering will be required. The bricks
are also from their nature, impervieus to
damp. Owing to their great strength and
hardness, these bricks can be manufactur
cd with periorations, so that every wall may
be built with desdair chamber in it
This will be found of considerable use in
all large buildings; while in making fences
for farms &c, the perioratiens OF the bricks
may be SO arranged as TO present many
pleasing devices For buildings requiring
the application of architectural design, or
namenal bricks can be made as readily as
those Of the ordinary shape. Lime and
sand are much more beautifully distributed
than is the clay from which the common
brick is formed, consequently Mr. Fosters
invention will materially decrease the cost
OF building. since they may be made in al
most all localities more cheaply than the
most common brick. The farmer. indeed,
mas draw his own sand and lime. prepare
and mix them a. directed, and then with
one of the machines manufacture, in the
course of day or two, as many ofthe build
ing blocks as he requires for his fences,
barns, stables, &c.
Although the beauty of these brick de-
ponds in some measure upon The sand, that
is Of its being free from any mixture with
clay or other earths, still very little devia-
ton from the ordinary processes produces
a good substantial block. Metallic oxides
may, where necessary, be Incorporated
with the materials SO as TO give any shade
or color required, or produce an almost in
destructble imitation of any kind of mar
bic or stone. We have seen specimens oil
this new building material which have been
been subjected TO every possible test in or
der to prove the strength and durability Of
material. capability Of withstandins The eff
fects of alternating frost and heat, and we
were not able to discover that the expert
men,s 10 question had in any way affected
she blecks operated upon.