Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-23
RANsOME'S PATENT STONE.

From the Baltimore Gazette.
There is at this time company in process
of organization in Baltimore, for the purpose
Of manufacturing plain and ornamental
stone under Ransome's English patent,
which is also patented for the United States.
After a series of experiments covering a
period of twenty years, Mr.. Ransome has
been enabled TO produce stone rivaling in
every respect the best natural sand stones
now in use, and superior to all or nearly all
in homogeneity Of structure, in Its powers to
resist the extremes of heat and cold, and in
its perfect freedom from cracks and flaws.
The most remarkable thing about this dis
covery, next TO the cheapness Of the materi-
ais employed, is the simplicity of their man
ipulation. The materials consist of clean,
dry sand, Aiit or quartz reduced to a semi
liquid substance Of the consistence of light
syrup or molasses, and chloride of calcium
the latter being the refuse left in the manu-
facture of soda.
The rapidity which this stone can be man
uiactured constitutes, perhaps, the most sin
gular feature of all. Within the space of
five minutes the sand can be taken from the
loose heap and converted into a small block
or slab Of stone, which is so hard and COM
pact that it will ring under the hammer.
The whole process of conversion is one that
any intelligent man can learn in the space of
few hours. The dry sand is put into pug
mill, a small proportion of the silicate of
soda, in solution, is added TO it, and the two
ingredients are intimately mixed together
until the soluble silicate is so perfectly diff
fused throughout the mass that the latter
will cohere when its particles are pressed to-
gether in the hand. As noon this operation
has been completed, the article thus mould
ed is laid upon planks and is watered with
a saturated solution Of chloride of calcium,
when by the action eff the calcium upon the
silica the process of induration commences,
and in a few minutes the moulded article is
converted into solid stone.
Every species of plain and ornamental
work, from a monolithic column TO a house
single may thus be forned-the largest
pieces of stone vet made occupying in the
hardening not more than forty-eight hours,
the smaller ones but a few seconds A
statue or a block for paving, the most intri-
cate gothic traeery for church or domestic
architecture, bed stone fof an engine, rus
tic work, balustrades, mantle-pieces, vases.
corniees, brackets-in short everything that
tasks the skill Of the stone-cutter, may be
moulded with equal facility. What, per-
haps, will be regarded as equally impor-
tant, any color that may be desired can be
given 10 this stone, whilst the price at
which ii can be sold, ready prepared for the
builder, will be but little, if any, in excess
Of what the finer sandstone would cost taken
rough from the quarry. This stone, COM
bining as it does, the two elements of dura-
hility and cheapness, is rapidly growing in
high favor in England, where companies
have been formed for making ii on a large
scale. IL has received the strongest testi-
monials from men of the highest scientific
attachments, such as DIR. FARMLAND, one Of
the Committee of the Board Of Works, APP
pointed by Parliament and Professor An
sted, member Of the British Association,
and from large number Of the most emil
neRt builders and civil engineers The
tests which they have applied have been
thorough and exhaustive.