Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-10
Acknowledgement Industry, Fort
Scott, kGs.

From the Ninth Annual Report of the Bu-
reau of Labor and Industry, of Kansas:
Hydraulic cement rock was first dscov-
cred at Fort Scott. kas., in 1867 by A. H.
Bourne. Samples of the rock were sent to
Professor Louis Agassiz, of Harvard uni
versity. Cambridge, Mass, which ELECTED
Harvard University.
Cambridge, Mass, April II, 1868.
Your curious specimens are received
and are valuable acquisitions to our cabi-
net of minerals, for which please accept
our thanks. The rock, If properly calcined,
will make very superior quality of hy--
draulic cement, and, I hope. a fortune to
you. Yours. thankfully
professor Agassiz was considered the
highest authority in the United States)
Very small works were built for the
Of & eement rai IN aS
works. In 1869, C. F. Drake and DR..
Hepler associated themselves with the
ment. In the fall Of 1863, they had invested
$4,000 in the works, which had capacity
Of producing ten barrels Of cement a day.
The price Of ffa ts IN that
The Fort Scott works put the price down
to IS per barrel. The demand for hydraulic
c.s cement It'll in the West at that time was ex-
Kansas & Texas railroad reached Fort
Scott, they commenced to use the Fort Scott
cement. and used it in all their bridges
between Fort Scott and Texas with the
best of results, and have used large guam
titles annually since.
The first fun carload of Fort Scott hy-
draulic cement shipped was in 1870, and
was used in the Arkansas river bridge.
The Fort Scott & Gulf railroad about that
time also adopted the use of the Fort
ton Company, of New York. used 800 bar
rels in building the gas works at Jefferson
City. No. paying for the same 800 per
barrel, fob. cars Fort Scott. In 1871, the
CaDaCitv increased n
fifty barrels per day, and the price reduced
to 800 per barrel. In 1872. the Fort Scott
cement was used at Humboldt, Emporia,
Wamego. Junction City and Topeka: a
carload being shipped to each place at 800
barrel. which gave entire satisfaction.
In the same year. the Fort Scott hydraul-
ic cement was introduced at Kansas City,
Mo-. and other points. In 1873 the Fort
Scott hydraulic cement was used in the
construction of the water works at Kan
saS City, Mo. The reservoirs built in that
year and lined with Fort Scott cement are
in most excellent condition, after twenty
In 1s74 Mr.. C. H. Boyle bought the works,
and increased the capacity to. 100 barrels
per day. In 1873 Mr.. c: F: Drake .purchas-
ed back the works. still further increased
leased lease R the same S to B. F. Gardner. who
operated the works until the time Of his
death, after which they were purchased
Company. the capacity increased to 700
barrels per day, and have since been oper-
ated by C. A. Brockett Cement Company,
office at Kansas City, Mo-, Charles H.
Gardiner superintendent Of works. This
company has handled the product of the
mills since 1878. Owing, to improved
machinery, the cost of producing hydraul-
ic cement for the last several years has
been greatly reduced. and 1t is now sold at
a price not exceeding 81 per barrel. From
this, 1t may be seen that the industry
started so small. has become one OF con-
siderable Importance, and has been great
advantage to the city of Fort Scott, as
we'll as to the state.
The Fort Scott hydraulic cement Is pro-
nounced by the best authority to be not
only equal, but superior to any OF the nat
ural hydraulic cements manufactured In
the United States. 1t Is an industry that
| the people OF Fort Scott and the people of
the state should be justly proud Of. The
company employs a large number of men
| in it's quarries. and in its mills in the man
| ufacture of the cement, for which 1t finds
ready sale. Its cement has been used by
nearly all the railroads throughout not only
| Kansas. but the adjoining states, and the
| company markets its product in Kansas,
| Missouri, Texas. Arkansas. Iowa, Nebras-
| ka. Colorado and New Mexico. Some 81. 600
| barrels or more are used annually in the
| public works of Kansas City, Mo-, and the
| company's annual output Is 10000 barrels
| cer annum. 1t should be borne in mind
that with the improved machinery Of the
| present day, hydraulic cement can be pur-
| chased so cheaply that it II sold In the