Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-09-27
ST. LOUIS VANS DISCOVERY.


Professors of chemistry and students
of ancient architecture say that l.. A.
Brown Of st. Louis has discovered a
lost art, and one which will revolution.
ize many lines Of manufacture and COLI
struction.
The most stupendous claim for it Is
that with 1t the idea of Thomas A. Edi-
son and others of molding houses may
be made not only a possibility, but a
practical and economical fact.
But Mr.. Edison has not yet seen IA
material that Mr.. Brown has invented,
pleaded only for the use of concrete IL
such structures. Mr.. Brown claims that
his compound possesses all the advant ,
ages of concrete and many more as
well-not only for use as building ma
terial, but for many other purposes.
He claims for it,
That it is the cheapest compound that
can be made for such uses
That it can be manufactured and
handled with ease and quickness b.
cheap labor.
That it is handsome In appearance.
being highly glazed and susceptible of a
beautiful polish before it comes from
the mold.
That the material of which it is made
river sand, cement and pigments
dirt cheap.
That it is acid proof, electric proof
and water proof and nonconductor of
heat and cold.
That it has to be handled only once.
After it comes from the mold it is com
plete in every respect.
That it can be cast right on the
ground where 1t is needed.
That it is practically indestructible,
being impervious to all attacks of fire.
temperature, climatic variations, time
and decay.
Mr.. Brown spent fifteen years in pe~-
fecting the process by which his new
compound is made. He began expert
menting with an amalgamation of
substance from which cheap "Cleve-
land" and Blaine" medallions could be
struck for the campaign of 1884. In this
he did not succeed, but, keeping up the
good work, finally led to the discovery
of this compound.
The new compound is composed prin-
cipally of common river sand, cement.
fused with sulphur and colored with p.s-
ments. All of these materials are very
cheap. The amalgamation costs M
more than one-third to one-half of a
cent per pound, idy to be poured into
the mold.
After many - and constant ex-
perimenting, the inventor received his
patents both for substance and the pro-
cess last April. Polish, ornamentation
and all are applied in the mold. and no
second handling is needed after the
material comes from the mold.
The compound. on account of IS
solidity and indestructibility, is ex-
rected to come into competition with
iron, stone, marble, clay, wood. glass
plaster of paris and terra Gotta. 1t is 4
nonconductor of electricity and heat,
acid proof and imporvious to water, be
ing therefore available for use in the
construction of sewer pipe, electric light
conduits and even water mains, which
can be cast right in the trenches.
After the molds are made, only cheap
labor need be further employed to turn
out large quantities in comparatively
short time. Frame structures can be Set
I'D and covered with slabs highly orna-
mented to represent brick. stone or
granite. The product is finely polished
and undoubtedly presents handsome
aspect, particularly as it can be easily
colored.
For art and decorative work it Is ex-
pected to be much used, for it can be
nodded into all sorts and shapes,
columns, cornices and the like.
Scientific men who have examined
the new material say that 1t resembles
that discovered in some of the ancient
ruins in the Old World that are more
than a thousand years old. In these
ruins have been found large ornamental
blocks that could only have been mold
ed on the place where the building was
reared, some of them being so large tina.
they could have been admitted through
the entrance.
Professor Brown owns piece of ma
teral which he says is known to have
been taken out of building 800 years
ago, and he declares it is to be the same
as this new compound. If so, this ar.
has been restored to man.
A house can be constructed of it with
out the use of wood, iron, stone or NOR
tar. 1t can be nodded in sand, glass.
clay, wood or metal. Where a line OF
pipe is nodded in the trench in which 1t
is to repose, the mold is removed after