San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-07-29
SCENES IN WONDERLAND.

Can't Be Surpassed IN the q aited
states-Broke Ground for State
Capitol-City Dots-Personal.
MONTEREY, Mex, July rs, '95.
To the Daily LIeaT:
A few days ago the Daily LIGHT
correspondent boarded the Mon
terey Mineral Belt trai0, which
was bound for the San Pedro
mines which are in the adjacent
mountains, for the purpose OF in
specting the Monterey Pressed
Brick yards, which are situated at
the foot OF Saddle mountains tee
miles awey. ON arrival 4 called or
Capt. George Ernst, the superinteE-
dent who kindly took charge Of nae
and showed me through the works,
and explained the new process by
which they took every particle OF
lime cut of the clay. There are
small dime pebbles in all the clay
in this section and as the brick
come in contact with moistRre
after they were burnt, the lime
would-slacken and destroy many
of them. After Mr.. Joseph A.
Robertson purchased the plant he
made inquiries of the north and
eastern brick manufacturers il they
know of any machine that weuld
separate this lime from the clay,
and he was told that there was
one that was recently patented He
ordered one at once, and had it set
up and the week that / was there
they tested it, and it was working
to their sanguine expectation.
The clay was hauled in from the
pit in cable cars, nR an elevated
track, and there dumped inso q
hopper, and thence carried between
rollers and pulveri0ed; thither
1T was carried up an endless chain
of buckets to the third story, and
then was shaken through wire
screens in the floor, and fell in q
shower of dust upon the floor of
room in the second story. Every
pebble that escaped being crushed
by the rollers was thEs sifted cut
Of the clay and thrown away. The
clay then, passed through revolvIa.g
rollers, with q cutting knife at.
tachment, and Sufficient water
admittedsto convert 1t into sticky
mud; then it passed down into a
hopper on the first floor, more
water being added to give it the
proper consistency. From the hop
per it passed to the press, and came
out q continuous mass, thoroughly
mixed, and was cut into brick and
tiles in such sizes and forms as are
called for.
They were making tiles when l
was there. THE machinery is run
by l25. horsepower engine. The
capacity OF the plant Is 10000 brick
per day. They are now burning
four kilns Of $4,000 brick each, and
are building two more OF the same
capacity. They have FIVE drying
sheds of 375, 008 brick each. They
are covered by lumber and CORFU
gated iron.
They manufaeture all kinds aud
sizes of brick, ornamental, quarter
rouods, funnel brick for corners
and recesses. They manufacture
three classes OF tiles of various
sizes and thickness. They are DOW
running the plant to its full capa.
city, as they have more orders in
than they can fill. they give en-
ployment to s. men. They are
now erecting twenty-four addition
al tenement houses for the men.
The Monterey Mineral Belt rail-
road which passes close by has a
siding running into the yard and
along side of the kilns so that the
cars are loaded direct from them.
The brick and tiles that they
turn out from this one will compare
with any thing Of the kind in the
United States. The clay has been
thoroughly tested, and it has
been pronounced superior to |
any clay now known for the manu-
facture Of brick for sewerage and |
for buildings that
are erected where there is much
moisture. The clay is a creamy
color, but when converted into
prick and burnt they come out a
bright red.
The plant cost up to date about
100000. The officers are Joseph
4. Robertson, Esq, proprietor and
general manager; j. o. Rice, audi
or and cashier; G. w. Ernst,
superintendent; Joe Cleo, brick
maker, and Thos. w. West, brick
burner.
BROKE GROUND.
Last week Governor Bernardo
Reyes had ground broken on the
linco de Mayo plaza for the cree