New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-06
NEW USES FOR CONCRETE.
UPRIGHT WALLS SEWERS AND BRIDGES
MADE OF IT.
THE GRAND CENTRAL STATION FACADE~A BIZ
DETROIT WAREHOUSE - THE CITY OF
READINGS vENTURE-TiIE AMERI-
CAN CEMENT INDUSTRY.

READINGS vENTURT-riIE AMEIu-
CAN CEMENT INDUSTRY.
To those who keep watch of the great building
and engineering enterprises OF the day re" Ten
denotes have been more conspicuous during the
last year or two than that to enlarge the use OF
concrete for purposes Of construction Con-
crete it should he remarked is term OF some
what varied Significance. 1t means compound
If cement and some other material the latter
may be fine sand or marble dust, or it may be
aches or broken stone The quality Of the ce-
ment and the proportion Of IT that is mixed with
the other stuff differ according to the class OF
work to be done, and also Cat times) according
70 the honesty Of the contractor But in general
the word means a composition which is moist,
like mortar. when first put in place. but which
finally sets and acquires the hardness Of stone.
Rccause Of its freproof qualities, concrete has
,-.ccntly been used extensively in forming the
thick arched laye' between the ceiling OF one
story and ,he floor of another in big steel-frame
buildings II has sometimes been employed 1or
flooring in hospitals and elsewhere being cleaner
and healthier than wood Many of the "artifciai
stone" sidewalks on the street to-day are com
posed of concrete. To safeguard the great steer
or iron pillars in modern warehouses and once
buildings concrete is frequently applied to them
in thick coatingS
The Grand Central Station in this city, now
being partially rebuilt, illustrates a sui later
iGoa, that of putting concrete into Tor rather
upon) the vertical walls Of big structure. 10
be sure somewhat similar system was III
vogue among the ancient Romans, and II mas
been followed more or less ever since But the
stucco work done with cement had fallen into
dsrepute in this country because OF the poor
ouo,itv NJ the material used or the ignorance,
careIessness or avarice of the builders in charge
Architects had become afraid to employ it And
the adoption of it at the Grand Central station
for the shell Of 1.-The Cosmopolitan new puiid-
Ing at Irvington- ont he-Hudson and In rev
other similar and very modern structures marks
a revival Of the practice, due, 1t Is alleged 10
improved methods of preparing the concrete.
At the Grand Central Station slabs about TWO
feet square and only an inch thick are manu-
featured from Portland cement and SAND ana
when dry are turned over TO the builders lhey
serve only as a skin, and have prick wall ioi
a backing. The west front OF the station Is h'e
hundred or six hundred feet long. and for most
Of it's extent six stories high when 'he present
metamorphosis is completed this side VIII pre-
sent the appearance of sandstone.
ADVANTAGES OF CONCRETE.
II is asserted that this concrete stucco Is more
durable than stone, a. well as cheaper. IL
stands both the weather and extreme heat uron
confiagrations) without disintesrating, as brown
stone and granite do. Moreover. 1t can De
moulded into beautiful architectural fornis' Pill
lars capitals cornices, low relief hgures suitapie
for dadoes, and on Besides, the coioring can
be varied greatly. Clever limitations Oh harp'e
are also produced by this process
A step further has been traversed IN certain
Western cities in the employment OF concrete IN
vertical walls A sxteen-story stee'-skeietoh
warehouse is reported to have been undertaken IN
Detroit recently In which the whole thickness OK
the walls will be composed OF this material In
this structure it said ashes or cinders VIII De
substituted for broken stone for the greater part
OF the walls but the exterior surfaces VIII De
finish of pure cement. The floors. ceilings ana
oven the roof are to be constructed of this ma
teriaI Not a stick Of wood, 1t Is alleged, VIII
enter into the composition of the warehouse.
Several new bridges have been reported from
Germany within the last five years, in the build
ing of which concrete was largely employed.
And now a structure Of the same character has
lust been finished IN Topeka. Kan 1t consists
of five arched spans. varying In length from
O7IA to 12J feet $40 feet altogether Detroit
Arm took the contract The Topeka bridge was
COMPLETED tested and thrown open to the pub
lie only a few weeks ago. The framework is of
steel. The facings and flooring are Of concrete.
A month or two ago a press dispatch from
Reading Penn, printed in The Tribune, an
nounced that that city had adopted this ma
teriaI for the construction of its sewers and that
q delegation Of experts and officials from Chi