The Iola register., 1901-03-01
THE lola CEMENT PLANT
Handsome Notice Given it in New
York Engineering Journal.

In the February 10th issue of The
Engineering and Mining Journal, one
of the magazines of wide influence and
authority, published in New York
City, Prof G. p. Grimsley has the fol-
lowing article, illustrated, about the
lola Portland Cement mills:
For ten years natural gas has been
used in Kansas for household pur-
poses, but its use for manufacturing
has been limited. Within the past
three years the center of zinc smelling
has been moved from the coal-felds to
the gas belt Of lola and Cherryvale in
Kansas, where nearly one-half of the
spelter of the United States is
made.
a number of large brick yards have
been started here and there through
this gas belt extending from Paola
south through lola, Cherryvale, Cha
mute, Independence, Erie, Chetopa and
Coffeyville. Last June the first Port
land cement in Kansas was made at
the new mill in lola. The writer made
the geological report on this location
three years ago for the Industrial De-
partment of the Santa Fe railroad,
through whose agency the cement COM
pany was interested and the mill erect
ed. The lola Portland Cement Com
pany, organized by Holmes, Holmes
e. Beaton, of Detroit, Mich, has con-
troll of several hundred acres of land
with limestone running % per cent
carbonate of lime, and shale with Upper
cent silica and alumina, and 10, ,000,-
900 cubic feet gas well; and its proper
ty is connected by switch to the Santa
Fe railroad.
The mill was built under the direc-
tion of Mr.. Leigh Hunt, who planned
the mills at Coldwater and Quincy in
Michigan. There are four buildings
CONSTRUCTED of steel, brick and cement.
Two of these are 100 feet wide and 800
feet long, containing 3 No. Gates
crushers, 2l rotary kilns with capaci-
ty of 100 barrels each in "a hours, and
AZ Griffin grinding mills. A head
quarters building stands between the
above structures and is 200 by ~ feet
containing the chemical and physical
laboratories electrical headquarters,
Z machine shop and store room. Att
right angles to these three buildings :
the store room, 600 by so feet, and
to lac.
on the cars. About 200 tons of lime
stone and shale are used in n hours,
giving daily production of $500
barrels of cement. Neat briquettes
have a tensile strength of 800 to 1000
lbs. after % days or with 3 parts sand
have a strength of 400 to 800 lbs; and
% per cent passes through a No. 100
sieve.
Natural gas is the fuel used to drive
the engines, to dry the material and to
burn the cement. The largest gas
engines in this section Of the country
are to be found atIola. There are six
3O0-H. p. Westinghouse gas engines,
and three of $50 II. p. Two additional
30O-H. II. engines will soon be added.
The aggregate horse power now used
is 1900, and there are in all l3 gas
engines. About 5000, 600 cubic feet of
gas are nov used, which would
probably be equivalent to 2j0 tons of
coal day,
The company has its own water
works on the bank OF Il small stream
from when the water is pumped
through an S-iuch main to the reser-
yoir and stand-pipe, where it has
head of 12l feet. This supplies warer
for the daily use of the mill. IN ad-
dition there is 300, 600 gallon electric
pump driven by motor a mile from the
mill on the Neosho river, but con-
trolled by a switch in the engine
room. This pump is used solely for
fire. protection
The electric equipment is model
for perfection OF detail and auto
matte arrangement. There is one 100
Ii. T.. Westinghouse gas engine direct
ly connected with 75-kilowatt $50.
volt direct.current Westinghouse
dynamo which furnishes the power
for lighting the mill at night, In the
same station is a l50-H. p. 2-cylinder,
Westinghouse gas engine driving II
countershaft for the machine shop,
and a Rand compound air compressor.
The other end of the shaft is belt-con-
nected with a 22l kilowatt 250-volt
direct-current Sprague generator
which furnishes power for the labora
tory, and for the few lights used in the
daytime.
There is one l0-H. p, 2-cylinder
Westinghouse gas engine, which has
now run six months without Interrupt
ton, connected with l5-vOlt l25-ampere