The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Where the Peerless Brick 90, have cast their lott
Deep In the rayines where rom ,ncs IL iouhu'
Landmarks Of Industry cover the ground
A FREE TRADER reporter, in COM
pany with Mr.. James McQuade, visit
ed Twin Bluffs recently, the object
being solely to furnish the public an
accurate statement OF the present ana
future prospects, as far las possible, OF
the Peerless Brick Co. There nave
been many columns written or inns
enterprise aid its surroundings, but IL
Is safe to say that the write ups
were hastily given, and in the main
mere outlines.
Reaching the county house, one turns
directly north and drives for about
quarter of a mile over the new ROAD
leading to the canal, and thence, at
present, east some two hundred yards,
and crossing over the fOot-bridge on
the lock, he stands upon the cOmpany's
ground. Here, nesting in the rocks
of Twin Bluffs, is the main building,
already completed, and its accessory
buildings, kilns, etc, stand upon five
acres of level ground, a strip running
back until narrowed down to about
forty or fifty feet, when it loses itself
in the winding course Of the deep
rayine. Through this five acres OF
ground, upon which the main works
of the company will stand, flows a
living stream of water of no small
size, and to avoid any damage that
might result from high water tlume,
of ample diameter, will be constructed
of solid masonry, affOrding an outlet
for the current by running it into the
canal. The next step in the improve
ment of the five acres, which Is al
ready begun, is to raise it seven feet
over the entire surface, by hauling
earth, covering the tloom, thus form
ing a solid and secure surface.
THE MAIN BUILDING.
This main building and those ad-
jacent, standing upon ground already
elevated seven feet, are OF building
tile, 79X55 feet in size. The engine
room is l2x25 feet, with lOO-horse
power engine and fly.wheel II feet in
diameter; and off from this is the
bOiler-rOOm, 80 feet square, with boiler
Is feet in length and s feet in diam
eter The pulveriZing room, 3OX3O, is
supplied with the Raymond Impact
Pulverizer the latest machine manu-
featured.
The works are supplied with the
"BrewiS Brick Machine" having a
capacity of 10000 brick in ten hours,
and later the company will put in two
of these machines. A large and COM
modiOus blacksmith shop is also at
tached for the convenience of the
works.
The process of manufacture will be
what is technically known as the
"Semi-Dry Process" The cay is not
artificially moistened before going to
the brick machine, as is the case in
the ordinary method of manufacture.
No expensive drying of green brick is
required, as in other processes, conse-
Quently the cost of manufacture is
much reduced, while the product is
increased in value through the super
iority of it's value, being denser, finer
grained and more perfect in finish.
When the clays admit naturally of
this process, it is the ideal method of
brickmaking; but not one clay bank in
a hundred will admit of being worked
in this way.
THE KILNS.
The kilns, which are well under
way, are 40XlS feet inside and IS feet
high Each kiln has a capacity of
$4,000 brick at each burning, and will
consume three weeks time in burning.
There will at present, when COM
pleted, be five of these kilnS, erected
at cost of $1,000 each, and used in
the manufacture of dry pressed brick,
which, it is claimed by the company,
and there is every reason to believe,
can be made at this point and shipped
to market at materially reduced
figure from that of present rates
charged for the same quality of brick
manufactured elsewhere, as the eX-
pense of raising and carting the clay
is comparatively nothing, and hauling
of brick by teams absolutely done
away with. Pressed brick at first will
be the aim of the company and object,
and there is every reason to believe
that this company will manufacture
a much superior article than that
heretofore placed on the market.
The clay shed 112X65 feet, stands
upon the brow of the east bluff, about
100 feet from the main building, and
from here the clay, by an endless cable,
is conveyed in trucks on an elevated
track, and slanting downward to the
clay chute, leading to the hopper over
the pulveriZer, thence up an elevation
to the screening revolving reel, thence
through another elevator above, from
UQeTe 10 UIle DlIlS anu lTOIu UIleTc W
the brick presses. Mr.. w. f. Saul,
milwright with Chas. Karstner & Co.,
Chicago, is setting and placing the
machinery.
When kiln of brick is dry in order
to hasten the cooling, thus avoiding
delay in removing the brick, two 81
inch fans run by sepapate II horse
power engine, revolving at the rate OF
2,700 revolutions per minute, will re,
move the hot air from a 'burned kiln
into one that has just been filed fol
burning,-a new improvement in cool
ing, or assisting the heating of kiln,
and when brick making begins there
will be employed between IS and loo
men to begin with.
THE CLAY BEDS.
Immediately upon the brow of the
east slope of the buff, adjoining the
clay shed, begins the stripping OF
ground for clay, having only to &C
down about three feet to reach a
twelve-foot vein of clay. covering it is