The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-07-05
THE MAKING OF BRICKS.
III is A FLoURIsHING INDUSTRY IN
THE DISTRICT.
Over 1000 Men and Boys Employed at
Good Wages-The Daily Output Abou
100000 Bricks, All of Which Are
Used Here.

One of tho largest local industries, the prod
ucts Of which are entirely consumed within
the immediate vicinity of Washington, is the
making of bricks. There are within the
boundaries of the District some fifteen firms
whose yards are almost always actively en-
gagged in the manufacture of bricks ch
form almost the sole material for construc-
tion within the city limits. These firms give
almost continual employment to over thou
sand men and boys, whose wages range from
$3.50 to S4 per day. The work is simple and
thus men can learn it easily and find a means
Of earning livelihood. AS soon as the dawn
breaks the yards begin to assume an appear
ance of activity and by six o'clock every one
is hard at work. Brckmaking, which many
would consider rather unsystematized class
of labor, is not So but, on the contrary, each
detail of the manufacture is arranged with
minute exactness. The work of every man in
the yard is mapped out with precision, and
when his share is completed he is at liberty
to go where he chooses. Knowing this, the
men avail themselves of the cool Of the eaf1y
morning and start in as soon possible. BY
steady work they can finish their quota of
days labor in about eight hours and thus
enable them to get to their homes by or
o'clock in the afternoon. visitor to the
brick yards after these hours would find them
almost deserted and imagine them to be closed
down but an early trip would find the scene
very different. By those best informed on this
subject the output of the brick yards in the
district is estimated to be between $50, 900 and
100000 bricks each day. These bricks almost
without exception are consumed in the city. A
few companies do some shipping but this
does not extend beyond the immediate suburbs
where the bricks are used in constructing
the foundations and chmneys of the many
houses which are daily being erected in those
places There are sew eral factors which pro-
mote the Interests of this industry, the first of
which is clause in the building regulations
which prohibits the erection of frame build :
ings within the relimits. The demand there
fore, for bricks is very great and the consump-
ton of that material taxes the ability of the
brick yards to their fullest capacity The fact
that the hundreds Of miles of sidewalk in the
city are constructed of brick calls for q large
output of this article. The adaptability of
the soil and the availibty OF labor also tend
to make the industry flourisbing one.
The bricks manufactured in this city are ac-
knowedged to have no superiors in their
dura bility or texture They are the very best
made in every way. The firms which carry on
this work, are thoroughly experienced, their
products can find ready sale in any market
but the home consumption is so great that, as
stated before, the shipping amounts almost to
nothing. For some years there was dearth
OF bricks in this city, but the arrival Of new
firms in the field has lessened this want The
demand, however, keeps the market prices we'll
up, and though the conditions would naturally
make the prices lower than in New York and
Philadelphia, the facts are not so. Good
merchantable bricks bring from 81 to 81 so,
per thousand, salmon BRICK that are used in
the sidewalks aud chimneys, $40 to $l050
while fancy or ornamental brick cost as high
as 500 a thousand.
The distance of the haul considerably affects
the price, as it always includes delivery. Most
OF the bricks used in New York are made in
Jersey City, and the length of the haul should
advance the price, but the competition is so
great there that the market prices are lower
there than Ia Washington.
All the brckyards in the District are on the
outskirts OF different sections of the city or
across the river at the other end of the Long
Bridge. A large number are located on South
Capitol street from NJ street all the way to the
shores Of tho Eastern Branch In this section
ards & Co., Ford & Bro, E. Grinder, John
Webster, Martin & Bro, James Richards, and
Ford & Windsor. The Washington Brick
Machine Companys yards are at Fourteenth
and II streets northeast, those of Childs & Sons
at Thirteenth and c streets northeast, the Cap
itOl Hin out near the jail, and the Ivy City
Brick Company at the old Ivy City race track
This company Is one Of the most recently or
ganized aud owns the property on which the
race course Is located. The principal part of
their works is under shelter aud it is their in
tention TO continue manufacture all through
the winter Across the Long Bridge are To-
Gated the yards OF the Hydraulic Brick Com
pany, Morrison & Co., w. H. West & Bro,
Walker & Co., Charles Ford, Hbbs & Jones
and the new National Capital Company
The only variety of brick which is manu-
featured here Is the red brick, but Of this every
description Is made An attempt was made to
produce the enamal brick but the demand
was so small that the project was not success.
Bricks are divided into four grades, merchant