Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-04-17
From the Chicago Democratic Press
The New Building Material, or Artif-
DIAL Granite Blocks.

From the Chicago Democratic Press.
The New Building Material, or Arti6.
DIAL Granite Blocks.
About two years since, the attention o.
YOUR readers was directed to the claims and
merits of new building material, invent
cd BY Ambrose Foster, of Wisconsin, and
said to combine most of the essential quail
j les Of all other known building materials
with great saving in cost of manufacture
and ease in acquiring the necessary ele-
ments, and facility in construction.
This, like every other invention when
first put forth to the world, has been bro I
to the ordeal of public opinion-aroused
the opposition of clashing interests and
called forth diversified scientific opinions.
In none of these encounters, We beilcVe'
have the claims of the 'new material
been essentially affected. Possessing IN
t-insic merit. i. has steadily increased lis
r.nutation and established itself as one OF
the most useful inventions of the age
Whatever may have been said Tor or against
it. however plausible may have been the
arguments used bv its friends to sustain
ia claims. actual trial was necessary to
warrant the public in its use. once aware
,f the qualities. condition and effects OF
any article. particularly that USED IN tne
construction of buildings, few are hazard
Gus .nouob to leave it for a new and UNI
tried article, however reasonable or suPe-
r;or NAV be its pretensions. Scientlhc ex-
neriments, learned arguments, public
doub;s. could not dissolve nor crumble a
single block Of the "new material, whilst
the frosts Of a single winter, the rains and
sunshine Of single summer might crum-
ble whole edifice composed OF these
books.
Several buildings composed OF this ma
ter;al were constructed in various parts OF
Wisconsin during the year 1876, and
have consequently passed through the sea
sons. the effects of which upon the blocks
can be easily determined. Recent examl
nations show that the blocks. as was be-
FIRE claimel, have grown much harder, ac
ouired rapid and deep solidity, without
the least dimilution in size, and without
the leas. check or flaw or tendency tc
crumble. The effect of the weather ha;
been to render them in every respect bet
tor Further examination proves the de
c;ded advantage of the dead air chamber
by renderin g the wall impciv'ous to th'
FROST Of winter or the heat of summer, thus
securing what of all things is most to b.
desired in buildings-neiihcr excess'v'
heat nor cold, but such temperature as u
ea.ily kept in that dry, comfortable state
TO insure comfort and good health.
From the evidence before us. we ar
compelled to the belief that the ''new ma
terial." is a triumph, and has fulfilled, II
every particular. more than the pa;cnte
ever claimed for it; and furi her, that
mus, som become the principal materla
sought for to construct either large block:
of buildings, public edifices, or prlvat
dwellings.
L. NAV be we'll for the benefit of those
interested for us to give brief dcscrip
ton Of the material Of which these block
are composed, and the manner of making
Item.
Lime and sand are the articles necessa
~ to compose the blocks. Ten bushel;
Of the former, and one hundred bushel:
of the latter, is sufficient for one thOusln;
blocks. each ten inches long. five lnche
wide. and four inches thick. The lime an'
sand being mixed to proper conslstenc.
for messing. mold is Fl led with this com
posi- ion, which is then subjected to grea
pressure, which Sc kni:s the lime ant
sanl that the block sustains itself and i
removed to place prepared for the pur
pose. and subject to the drying process o
the atmosphere. This process Of drying
or the evaporation of the watery par,lcie
of the block, is to cement the particles o
sand bv the aid Of the lime with suci
force as soon to be hard as granite, requir
ing almost superhuman force to separate
them. and rendering them much hrme
than common clay brick. The blocks thu
prepared f,r use, and being quite smooi
and of uniform size, are easily land III
wall, and being of the nature of mortar,
thin layer of properly tempered moIta
laid between the courses ccments them to
pether. and thus is created a solid wall G
in.erior and exterior smoothness, and of in
destruc:ible hardness.
These blocks take their color from tn
sand used in the composition. hence the
can be made of almost marble witness
or of various colors to suit the fancy.
Inasmuch as the building season is clos
ut hand, and We are Informed several {
our citizens are making arrangements TO
building this summer, we suggest to then
the propriety of looking into this matter
and making such investigations as the re
spec,ibility of the invention demands.
this plan is superior, or even equal to tina
of any other, and at saving of fifty pc
cent, it will amply compensate for tn
,rouble A BUILDER.