Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-01-02
The RADFOUD BRICK COMPANY
One of the Most Useful and Successful
Industries in Ibis Section.

When we undertake to measure the sue
cess of any industrial enterprise we SHOULD
enquire into what it has been doing in tn
way of paying those who have their CAPT
tai invested in the industry, what is thu
quality of its products and what 1t hai
done for the labor lin its employment
Tested by these measurements the Rad
ford Brick Company, whose plant Is lOcAt
ed at Tiptop, in Tazewell county, is g
complete success.
For the past four or five years, under
the energetic and skillful management Of
Mr.. George Shafer, general manager, There
has been a steady increase in the output ol
this plant, and he has brought the quality
of the brick to snch high stan1ar If et'
cellence that the demand for them cannot
he supplied. This has made the works
profitable ID the gentlemen VIII invested
their capital in the enterprise.
The quality of the brick has been thor
oughly attested by the sale and delivery Of
five millions last year aud orders now filed
that will take the entire output for the
next six months, together with the assur'
ance that the Norfolk q Western Railway
would take every brick made by the Rad
ford Brick Company for the next fifteen
years with its present capacity for manu-
featuring. This is accounted for by the
fact that the Norfolk & Western had the
brick manufactured at these yards tested
by heavy pressure, in competition with
brick manufactured at a number OF yards,
and found them to he the strongest and
toughest made in Virginia. Consequently
the railroad company has been using ano
will continue to use the brick from nptoE
for Inning tunnels aud for other purposes
on ali its main and branch lines.
For full nine months during the veal
1901 the brick yards we're in active opera
ton, the weather for those months being
such as that the work could be carried on
The company had an average of forty mer
in its employment during these nine
months and paid them such wages as mol
only to make the employees satisfied but
to cause frequent applications from others
for work. The labor was mostly supplied
bv men who live in the neighborhood Of
Tiptop, and in that way the works have
been great benefit, to say nothing OF the
large amount OF money it pays out an
nually in the neighborhOod.
During the last year number OF I'M
provements we're made. There were SIX
new tenement houses erected for employees
the coal bin was enlarged by adding sixty
feet to it's length, and the dryer stacks were
covered with galvanized tin shingles. This
wear number Of Improvements Will be
made. Among them will be an enlarge
ment Of the dryer and of the kiln capacity
The loading wharf will be extended sixty
feet. 1t is the purpose of Mr.. Shafer to SO
enlarge and extend the plant that it will
insure an output Of not less than SIX mil
lions of brick in 1902.
Tie Radford Brick Company has one OF
the bet equipped plants in the South. The
machinery is all of the most improved pat
terms. 1t Ina thirty acres IF clay, as fine
in quality as can be found anywhere in the
Unite d States.
Last wear the works consumed 2,5OJ
tons of coal and 500 cords of wood. The
consumption of fuel will he greater this
year.
We can give the RadfOrd Brick Com
pany no happier greeting for the new year
than TO wish it the same success for 1902
that il enjoyed in 1901. This will be as
sured with the capable management OF
Mr. Shafer.