The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1890-02-28
a BIG THING.
Has Portland Cement at
Her Very Doors,

NLlUcnell fldS lOTJlduU cement at
Her Very Doors,
Yankton's clay and chalk stone bid
fair to become very mine OF wealth.
With praiseworthy enterprise that city
has secured the cooperation OF outside
capital in their utilization. Exten-
sive cement works have for months
been in process of erection and are
now nearing completion. Their pro-
duct, it is confidently expected, will
prove potent factor in bringing to
the metropolis of the lower Jim a
large measure of material prosperity.
Mitchell has the very same clay and
chalk stone that Yankton has. Will
she make the same use of them? On
the answer to that query much of yit-
al Importance to the ity's future de-
pends.
But to the substantiation of the
statement that there are here the same
natural products that Yankton possess
ses and is long-headed enough to uti-
lize. Some weeks ago j. X. Smith,
Esq, was in Yanllton and visited the
cement works. He found that the
Gladstone and clay that were to be
used in cement manufacture had to be
mined at some depth. He discovered
moreover that there was very great
similarity between them and substan-
ces that existed in great abundance in
the vicinity of Mitchell right at the
earth's surface With characteristic
enterprise Mr.. Smith determined to
make some experiments with the clay
and Gladstone about the city. On his
return he obtained just east of the city
a large number Of samples, They
were found just at the surface. For a
month past he has been subjecting
them to variety OF tests. These were
made in a very crude way and without
any exact scientific knowledge Of the
properties of the substances tested but
the results are interesting and signiti-
cant. The Gladstone when burned
was found to be lighter in weight and
Of a yelloWish tint The clay after
burning had tint OF bluish-gray and
was absolutely free from sand or earth
of any sort. TO all appearances it was
identical with the French chalk used
by tailors. 1T had the same oily
smoothness and freedom from grit.
The substances were next combined
to see if cement would result, They
were separately pulverized with a
druggists pestle and mortar Mr..
Smith bears number of blisters as
souvenirs of his zeal while performing
the work. Not knowing the proper
tons in which the clay and Gladstone
should be used to produce cement of
the proper constituency, varying pro-
portions We're used. Some OF the com.
positions failed to stand the test of
being submerged in water. Others, in
which the relative proportions had ap-
proximated correctness, stood the test
perfectly The longer they were kept
under water the harder they became
They were subjected to heavy pressure
but without being broken. The pres.
sure per square inch was not accurate
ly determined but Mr.. Smith is arrang-
ing for experiments in which it will be
He has some cubes an inch square
which will be put under pressure wher
properly hardened.
The cement was also tried in bind
ing together sand in a composite. L
| worked most successfully. A number O
other tests for cement We're tried ant
the compound which resulted from
the union of the clay and chalkston
met them fully. Then. too, this com
pound has the hard blush color tina
is marked characteristic of the bes
imported Portland cement. Indeed
Mr.. Smith, after month of careful
experiment is convinced that it is &C
ment of the best quality.
He has just sent number of th
samples to Akron, Ohio. to have ther
tested at the cement works located il
that city. There is besides to be al
other careful test made nearer home
H.. S. Houston of the REpuGLlcA
went to Nermlllion Friday, takin
with him many of the samples to hay
them tested by Prof. Il. L. Culver, gee
logist at the state university.
There is almost an inYlnclble ARA
j, of evidence to establish that NIitche
has in practically unlimited and easil
accessible quantities the clay an
! Gladstone from which Portland C,
) ment are made. What is she going
do ahnnt IL