Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-06-21
THE PRESSED BRICK CO.
An Infant Industry in Grand Rapids That Will
Soon Doff Its Swaddling Clothes.

The Grand Rapids Pressed Brick Co.
is an institution that in quiet and
unpretentiouS way is growing rapidly
into prominence as one OF the impOr-
tant manufactures OF this city.
The company was formed and began
operations in the spring Of 1897 under
the above named style. 1t Is composed
of VIM. Scott and S. l.. Alexander, Mr..
Scott acting as business manager and
Mr.. Alexander as superintendent Of
the works. a position that the latter
gentlman' long and varied experience
in the business makes him peculiarly
well adapted to. In fact. both members
of the firm are the right men in the
right place, and the company is cOnSe-
quently meeting with that degree of
success that such happy combination
of talent would warrant, as we shall
presently relate.
The plant is located on territory of
its own adjoining the 4o0-acre farm of
Mr.. Scott, two and half miles north
west of this city on the MarShfeld &
Southeastern road, where an mex
haustible vein Of the best clay in the
world for brick-making surrounds the
yards and is easily accessible to the
mill. Heretofore the company has
only worked a surface vein OF clay
about three feetin depth, bat recently
a twelve-fOOt vein of decOmpOSed
granite was uncovered that fuses much
more readily and makes better look
ing as we'll as much more substantial
brick. This latter vein of clay is now
being used exclusively. 1t looks like
a rock but can be cut with knife and
comes out of the big grinding machine
a thoroughly pulyeriZed mass of soft
clay that is pressed into the mOuldS
and is wheeled away to the drying
racks at the rate of $4,000 to $4,000
bricks per day. The machine used for
this work is POTTS Disintegrator
with a capacity of 0,000 per day. The
drying process lasts from eight to ten
days when the brick is ready for the
kiln. 1t is then taken from the lacks
and wheeled into the kiln, where it is
burned for nine days and is then ready
for the market. This burning opera
tiOn is a delicate piece of work and
requires considerable experience and
skill to produce satisfactory results,
besides a constant watch is required.
While one kiln is being burned another
is in process of construction, so that
the work is continual round of variety
not to say pleasure.
The product of the first years work
by the company amounted to about
100000 brick: the second year,
1000, 900 and the third year, or last
year, 100000. The light output last
year was due to the fact that the work
was greatly retarded by wet weather.
This year the company expect to turn
out at least 100000 brick much of
which is already contracted for at an
advance Of So thousand on the price
heretofore obtained for their brick.
Previous to this year S. per thousand
has been the ruling price, but 81 is
the price today. This satisfactory
condition of the trade is due to two
causes, first, the increased excellence
Of their product, and second, greater
demand. Some of the large contracts
Lisbon High school building; $50, 900 for
for the Grand Rapids Lumber Co., and
few contracts of lesser size, besides
supplying local dealers for the retail
trade. The company has been con-
Sldering some the subject of putting
in a new drying machine, which
operates effectively in warm or cold
weather, wet or dry. This would give
them a longer season to work in. as if
necessary, the work could continue all
winter. The machine that they in
veStigated is called a Standard Dryer,
with capacity of $4,000 per day. This
improvement, however, is as yet only
problematical and will depend upon
the demands of the business.
Thirty-fOur men and boys, prin-
cipally young fellows from the farms
in that neighbOrhOod make up the
working force. Some of the men are
pretty expensive laborers, but the boys
and younger members of the crew get
from Is cents to S1.25 per day, the
average price paid being over S1.50 per
day, making pay roll of about $1,000
per month. The company uses about
1000 cords Of 4-fOot wood during the
season in the kilns, SO it will be seen
that they distribute quite an amount
of money every month in this cOmmu-
nifty. AS before stated Mr.. Alexander
is the superintendent of the works,
with Tom StiXrud, foreman; VIM.
Schultz, burner; Fred Knute, setter;
Tony Milkey, engineer.