The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-01
UTAH PORTLAND CEMENT.
New Industry That Is Attaining
Great Proportions.

A new industry of moment is being
quietly built up in the intermountain
country of which the public at large
knows but little. Statistics are not at
hand, but the fact is thai the increase
in the use of hydraulic cements
throughout the United States and the
world, is growing with giant strides.
Here in Salt Lake, under the Skillful
charge and executive management of
Mr.. Thomas c. Cairns, a model, up-to-
date plant is turning out superior
article of Portland cement, which can
not be supplied as fast as the orders
come in 1t is an AL cement, equal to
the best domestic or imported as thor
ough and unbiased tests have proved,
on numerous occasions. When the bids
were called for by the United States
government for the cement needed in
the erection of the coinage mint at
Denver, there were samples from the
leading cement-makers Of Pennsylva-
MIA and elsewhere, and, after a careful
examination of all, the Utah Portland
was decided on. In Montana and Ida
no, and also in California, the Utah
product stands at the top of the list.
The original plant of the company
was destroyed by fire in June, 1898. 1t
had been in operation about two years.
It was built along the latest German
lines for concentrating. Soon after
the fire it was limited that Mr.. Cairns
had advised his company to locate
works elsewhere. Very fortunately, it
was decided to rebuild on the old site,
on West Eighth South street, where
there are convenient rail connections
for receiving the raw material and
shipping the finished product. The
new plant went into commission little
over three months ago, with a capacity
of 100 to 12o barrels per diem In No
i
have to be increased to 200 barrels each
day, and already this enlarged produc-
ton fails to supply the rapidly-increas-
ing orders.
Manager Cairns has introduced sew
eral novel innovations which have at
tracted the attention eastern ce-
ment-makers and others.
At this time a detailed description
of the works cannot be given, but the
growth of the cement industry from
this small beginning cannot be too
strongly emphasized. 1t is probable
that within a few years one of the
largest cement factories of the country
will be built up under the present able
management. The cement is made en-
tirely from Utah products, nothing en-
tering into its composition but argilla-
ceous limestone, taken from the quar-
ries of the company, near the mouth
of Parley'S canyon. on the line of the
Rio Grande Westerns Park City
branch, a few miles from the works
No better cement quarries are known
in the country, and thus far nothing
like them have been found in the state.
The materials are very homogeneous
in composition. all constituents being
in a f1nely-divided state, which enables
the thorough and uniform mixing nee
esSary to insure a superior cement.
The process of mixing is carried on
upon a most scientific plan. every care
being taken at all times to insure a
uniform and reliable article The raw
materials are carefully weighed into
the reduction machinery in proper pro-
portions; and. to avoid any possible
change in the mixes, cumulative
chemical analyses are made of the ma
terialS in every stage of manufacture.
One feature of this Portland is that
it is ground finer than any rival prod
uct, go per cent passing a 100-mesh
screen. To the consumer this is an all
important item, not fully appreciated
1t is only the dust, or finer portion of
cement that has any hydraulic value
Particles less fine than 10O-mesh pos
sess very slight setting properties, and,
in concrete, is of little more use than
so much sand. Hence the finer a ce-
ment is ground, other qualities being
equal, the stronger and more durable
work will it make, and the greater pro-
portions of sand and stone may be used
with it. Herein lies one feature of the
pronounced success of the Utah Port
land.
The officers of the Utah Portland Ce-
ment company are: Jesse w. Lilien-
thai, president, San Francisco; James
r. Norman, vice president. Toledo.
o.; Albert Raymond, secretary, San
Francisco; Thomas E. Cairns. general
manager, Salt Lake City. The COM
pany is contemplating establishing an
other plant in Indiana, which will be
under the direction of Mr. Cairns It is
not too much to say that the renown
of the Utah product is responsible for
this new departure.
The 1898 production Of Utah Portland
was 25,250 barrels.