The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-19
ARTFICIAL STONE

slIe BtrenEth-Power of Resisting
Extreme Temperature.
One Of the problems that has been
attracting the attention Of scientific
men for number Of years Is the pro-
ductIon Of an artificial material that
will answer as substitute for stone,
and at the same time, in cost and ease
of production, be comparable with
brick or terra Gotta. With the Increase
in the chemists knowledge of cyrstali-
cation and the ability to secure ex-
tremely high temperatures by one
method or another, the manufacture Of
artificial stone has developed until now
there has been placed on the market an
artificial granite which seens likely to
be a most useful product Tor building
and other purposes. Precious, artih-
cial stone compounds have been made
by the use of cement, plaster, and pull
verified rock, or for decorative. work by
treating the surface Of nlect Of slate
or other cheap and easily worked ma
terlal with pigments andi9iapan, but
the usefulness Of such substances has
been limited by the face that they
would not withstand extremes OF tenn
perature and were acted upo1 by the
weather. Furthermore, the strength
and other physical properties possessed
by these materials were mot such as to
make them substitutes for stone or
brick.
After series OF experiments cover
ing number Of yearS,asa chemist
named Eduoard Glardon has succeeded
in producing u material which, from
tests already made. seems to possess all
the essential qualities Of granite as
vel! as greater strength and Resistance
10 haat. To manufacture this sub
stance, which is termed artificial gran
ite. company has been formed, and
the plant, which has been "under con-
struction for over year, y, now COM
pleted. and orders are being received
for the new material. The factory IL
located on Staten Island so as to be adj
jaoent to the clay-felds, the clay fur
nIshlng the chief constituent Of the ar
tlflcial stone. AS is well known, clay is
CrystallZed at a temperature OF from
1000 TO 800 degrees Fahrenheit, and II
treated with various chemicals It can
be made to have different properties.
In the manufacture Of Artificial gran
lite almost any variety OF clay can be
used, but different clays must be sub
jeCted to analysis, and the s treatment
for each variety Is more or less diner
ent.
In making the new stone, recourse is
had to the processes Of nature where
unlimited heat and pressure act on the
elements and so produce the different
forms OF rocks and minerals Just as
in the manufacture of diamonds by the
electric furnace. the specialization Is
effected after the application OF Intense
heat. following the method employed by
nature, 80, In making granite. the clay
which contains the various substances
going to make up that rock, with the
admixture OF certain chemicals. Is
heated to high degree. and crystalll-
cation takes place. giving. Instead OF
the clay, close and hard granite.
The process according to Mr.. Glar-
don, depends entirely upon the crystal.
lIzatlon OF certain materials, and their
behavior under varying conditions
This has formed the subject OF an eN.
tended investigation on HIS part. and
the results are shown In the different
products made by the company Natur-
ally the chemicals that are mixed with
the clay are kept secret by the inHen-
TOR and the precise mode OF applying
the heat. The chemicals. for the most
mart, are metallic oxides, and the color
Of the resulting material depends on
the chemicals entering Into the compo-
sitIon. The mixture may be pressed IN
to any desired form, and heated IN
furnace OF q particular pattern where
intense heat Is secured without undue
expenditure Of fuel.
The size of the blocks OF artificial
ODtv IN the Dregg. as
nny form can be given the substance.
nv using mOulds with a particular pat
torn. nanels, rusettes. and other archl-
tsctural devices can be speedily and In
extensively produced. II II Is to be
used for ornamental purposes. the
stone Is first ground and then polished
the resulting appearance being equal In
every way TO the natural granite or
marble after It has been similarly
There Is great diversity fnlthe pro-
duct, both in its appearance and IN the
purposes for which It is designed sam
piles are shown having an appearance
similar to fire-br'ck and are used IN
furnaces crucibles and boilers. Again
blocks are made for insulators. which
a ia claimed. will stand an electric
measure up to 10000 volts. Sidewalks
can also be constructed from blocks OF
this material, while future is claimed
for II for paving streets. particularly IN
view OF the increasing automobile trat-
nc. In connection with paving. 1t Is
vnluabIe. as any desired form OF groov-
ing or corruEation can be impaired 70
n in the press, so that the surface oi
the street, while quite smooth, VIII be
such that horses will not slip
The promoters OF the new granite be'
Iieye that In building operations It VIII
proye OF value. rs the cost Is much low
or than granite or stone, while AZ IN,
Same time Il is absolutely fire prcof. II
Is In this respect that It's chief superior
Ity lies. rs a temperature that WI
crack natural granite or mafnle uoe'
not have any effect on the suostltute
In fact 1t is flreproof up to tne te[ .pta,
azure OF liquid steel. and Is not ahecteE
hy frost or weather. Polished samples
are shown, which bear the most striK
ing resemblance to the granite or mar,
HE thcy are designed to initiate, nnc
the cost Is stated Mt about nne-hfth' tn'
artificial stone selling for from twenty
IN twenty-five cents n square ioot
arainst 81 20 to 81 50 for granite ~
ainIInr condition. II Is believed ina
,rnuIdinca. doorways, md other paru
n n room now made Of wood. on nc
count of the expense attending the cut
ting OF stone TO n particular pattern
can he made OF the new granite an
thus decrease the amount OF comDnstl
bio material In building Artllvl1I
granite has been shown TO DC .nluei
stronger than the natural Dy huiiipe'
of tests.-New York Post
Miles Unanimously Elected.
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