Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-01-17
The RadfOrd Brick Company Now Has
One Of The Most Important And
Successful Enterprises in
This Section.
Big ORDERS ON HAND.

Force This Year, and Has Won a
Reputation For Making the Strong
est Brick Manufactured In
The State.
Only those who have been shown
through the buildings and over the yards
of the Radford Brick Company, at nptop'
in this county, have any idea Of the pro-
portions of the enterprise, its completeness
the reputation it has been making for the
quality of its brick, and the large orders
it has been filing during the past twelve
months. We had no idea of these things,
until it became our privilege and pleasure
on last Saturday to be shown over the
works by the polite and capable superin'
tendent, Mr.. George Shafel.
Soon after the Clinch Valley Railroad
was built, it was discovered that the deep
cut lust west of the station at Tiptop passed
through large and valuable deposit OF
brick clay, and the Radford Brick Compa'
ny negotiated a purchase of thirty acres OF
land Immediately adjacent to the cut, and
established the plant which is now oper-
ating there. 1t is our purpose to give
brief description of the plant
At the southeast corner of the yards
there are two large water tanks on elevated
platforms, that hold 1900 gallons, that
are constantly kept filed with pure water
pumped from an artesian well 18S feet
deep. From these tanks the water Is con-
veyed to the buildings and sheds, where 1t
is used for all necessary purposes including
the engines and mixing of the clay for
making bricks.
The clay is dug from the north and
south sides of the railroad cut and carted
to a shed on the northeastern side of the
works.
There is a 80 horse power boiler which
is used in making steam for the dryer to
dry the brick by artificial heat 1t is run
night and day with pressure ofSO lbs,
and the steam is forced down through
100 feet of once inch pipe and distribuoa'
through the several compartments of the
dryer. After the steam has been convey
ed in and about the dryer it is condensed
and returned, by the use Of an ingeniOusly
contrived steam trap, to the boiler, and re-
used. There is another 80 horse power
boiler which supplies the power to 20
horse power Westinghouse high speed en-
CINE. This engine runs the crusher that
prepares the clay. After the clay has
been thoroughly ground, it is dropped on
an elevator, run by the same engine, and
dumped into the brick machine, where it
is fashioned into bricks.
The clay crusher will crush 300 tons Of
CLAY per day, is driven by double II inch
and a double inch belt. The machine is
fitted up with roller bearings, as it is a
powerful machine, revolves very rapidly,
and has 10 be so fitted to prevent heating.
The brick machine is operated by an in
dependent shaft, geared TO the engine with
heavy steel gearings. The clay enters the
machine through a hopper, where it is
thoroughly tempered by sc large temper
ing knives, set at an angle of 60 degrees,
and is forced from the tempering part of
the machine to an augershaped screw
that forces it through a ribbed case, on
through a die the width and thickness Of a
brick, in one continuous bar to an auto.
matte cutoff, where it is cut in lengths OF
9 inches. The brick are then conveyed
on another belt to machine that stands
them on their edges, when they are con-
veyed to the hackers that hack them on
the cars direct from this belt to the drying
cars. The capacity of each car is 500
bricks. These cars, when filed, are run
upon a transfer, truck and shifted to the
different tracks where they enter the
dryer.
The dryer holds 129 cars. 1t has what
are termed receiving and discharging
ends. AS fast as a car is taken from the
DRYER at the discharging end another
green car is put in at the receiving end
The dryer is los feet long, with 4 compart
mepts and eight tracks for the cars. The
heat is go regulated that brick at the re-
ceiying end are subjected to a moderate
Temperature, so as to graduate the temper
and avoid checking in drying. Wien the
brick are taken from the discharging enc
the cars are run on transfer truck similar
to that at the receiving end, and to {
track that leads to the kilns. There they
are run on turning table, from which
they are placed on side track in front 0
kiln, handy for the settlers to place then
for burning IN the kins There are fiv,
kilns. each with a capacity for holding
900 600 brick. When kiln is fully bum
ed the bricks are loaded and conveyed OF
wheelbarrows direct to railway cars TO
shipment. These cars are run IN ant
stand upon a special switch or siding
The kilns are started to burn with wood
followed with coke until they are thorough
ly heated, and finished with soft coal.
takes one week to burn a kiln.
The works will use this year 25OO ton
of coal and 500 cords of wood A bin t.
hold 600 tons of coal is to be constructed
and large amount of wood is being col
lected.
Last year the company built six dwellin
houses for employees and is building 81
more this year. 1t will employ during tn
working months of this year fifty hands
and will be able TO manufacture six mill
ion bricks. There is great abundance 9
the clay, the company owning thirty acre
Z of as fine cay rs can be found anywhere.