Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-27
Written for the Spy,l

In our issue OF November we called the at
tentiOn Of our readers TO what seemed to us a
valuable enterprise established in our city, the
manufacture Of the celebrated FREAR ARTIFI-
CIAL STONE. 1t may seem queer to some that
capitalists in crock bound" New England, the
soil OF which rests upon extensive granite and
free stone quarries, should entertain the idea of
manufacturing stone so lavorably as to embark
their capital in such an enterprise; nevertheless,
such is the case and we venture the assertion
thgt no business man can witness the operation
Of the manufacture, and the tests to which the
stone is subjected, as we have, without arriving
at the same conclusion we have been forced to,
that it is to become one Of the most valuable of
all manufacturing interests.
The extensive works of the Massachusetts
'Frear stone company" are located on South
bridge street, al the (Yhat was formerly Earl
stove company's buildings, which were pur-
chased by the Frcar stone company, and most
admirably adapted, are they, for the purposes
required.
The very great expense of quarrying and
dressing natural stone, does in measure re-
tard the growth Of all our cities, Or if not ma
erection of plain, cheap buildings as the rule,
therefore it has been the great modern problem,
and one that has offered for q solution the
grandest prize to the inventive genius of this
country to produce a new building material to
take the place Of natural stone, which should
be composed of elements widely dis
tributed and easily obtainable, the
manufacture of which should be simple
and cheap; to be durable, capable of
being easily and cheaply shaped into any de-
sired architectural forms, and thus enable the
wealthy to erect mansions of the most elaborate
architectural designs, at much less cost than
plain building, destitute Of beauty, could be
built of natural stone; and also bring it within
the ability ofperSons of limited means desiring
to build a cheap brick house, to ornament the
same with elaborate cut stone trimmings at a
cost which, when compared with native cut
stone, is really insignificant The inventor of
the ''Frcar stone" claims the prize, and we think
he has lichly merted it, and we think that all
who visit the works in this city, and
examine the elegant block of stores
on Trumbull street. erected by Mr. Ses-
sions, also the trimmings of Judge Chapin's
beautiful block, on Lincoln street, and the many
other jobs in and about this city, will endorse
our views, and while we endorse the old adage,
that "seeing Is believing" yet we like to have
our judgment sustained by as strong corrcla-
tive facts as possible, and since our previous
visit to the works OF the company we have been
placed in possession OF some very important
facts regarding the merits of the "Frear Stone"
which, for lack of time and circumstances,
could not be developed by the company in this
city.
The first to which we refer is the test of
cost, showing the very great saving to the
builder by using the "Frear Stoue." We
have been shown photograph picture
taken last Friday, OF "The Dwight Place
Church." in New Haven, Connecticut, which
has been erected this season. The edfce is 65
feet front by 1875 feet deep; the walls around the
entire building are Of Frear stone, from founda-
ton TO turrets. 1t is massive and imposing
structure; the stone Of Ashlar style and beauti-
fully wrought; it is to be- when fully completed,
the most beautiful church in the city, and we
are credibly informed that the original estimates
of cost Of the building with native cut stone
lioli lhc vi tiduu HudIIlta was GllU,UUU, ana
that more than half of that sum is saved to the
society by the use of the Frear stone This is
really an important lact-to save over $50, 600 In
the expense Of one building, and at the same
time more beautiful in appearance and more
durable than native stone,
The second test to which we refer is the
strength of the stone, single inch cube has been
subjected TO pressure under hydraulic press
at the navy yard at Washington and sustained
without breaking pressure Of SIX THOUSAND
pounds, and when we take into consideration
the Tact that the pillars of the Parthenan at Paris
are required TO support a weight of but 200
pounds to each superficial foot, and the piers
which uphold the great dome of st, Paufs in
London are subjected TO pressure of hut %, 900
pounds TO the superficial foot, and those beneath
the archcd roofo the world-renowned ST. Peters
at Rome also but 81, 600 lbs to the foot, and an
actual test in a single cube Of the "frear stone"
shows it capable Of sustaining more than $50, 900
pounds 10 the superficial foot. 1t is useless to
deny the fact OF its sufficient strength 10 sus-
tain much more than the heaviest architecture,
under any circumstances, requires. The third
test to which we REFER is its capacity to resist
FIRE, This is a fact of vital importance to
property owners everywhere; for thanks to the
kindly natures Of capitalists, as well also their
sagacity in making permanent Investments for
the benefit OF those who shall come after
them, our cities are largely built by
gentlemen Of retired fortunes, who derive their
incomes from rents to support them in the de.
cline of life, and tia more secure their build
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