The Republican journal., 1902-10-23
This is the Age of Cement.
Houses Will Soon Be Built of 1t Instea
of Lumber,

of Lumber.
The Cement Age is the suggestive
caption under which Toronto publica
ton calls attention to the increasing
demand for cement in the Dominion OF
Canada. Indications are not wanting
that cement is soon to become an i'm.
portant factor in the industrial and
commercial development of the United
States. Its ready adaptability for use
as building material, decorative pur-
poses and street improvement is not
only suggested by the erection of costly
manufacturing plants in many parts of
the Union, but is even more strongly
suggested by the rapid increase in the
production Of cement during the past
decade, and especially during the past
five years.
According to figures received by the
treasury bureau of statistics, the pro-
duction of cement in the United States
has actually doubled in five years, the
total for 1901 being 20, 900, 600 barrels, as
against 10000, 600 barrels in 1897: while
during the period from 1892 up to the
beginning of 1896 the production had
remained prac tically stationary at about
$500, 900 barrels per annum.
The exports of cement are very small.
Prior to 1891 the figures We're too insig-
niticant for separate enumeration: in
that year they amounted to $4,000 bar
rels, valued at S7l, 100, and have stead
lily Increased, year by year, since that
time, 392, ,462 barrels having been ex-
ported i'll 1902, valued at S651 ,52G Mean
time the market for foreign cement is
becoming more and more restricted in
the nlted States. In 1892 the imports
amounted to nearly 100000 barrels,
valued at little less than 1000, 900, the
lmportatlons remaining practically
stationary from that time until 1901,
when they showed marked downward
tendency, being in that year /, 500, 92t
barrels, valued at s., 19s. .S91, and in 1902,
1,o59,610 barrels, valued at 81, AIS. +52
the lowest point reached in the past l.
years.
While these figures are small in com
parlSon with the volume of our total
commerce, they are chiefly interesting
as showing the tendencies in an indus
try which is still in its initial stages
but which promises to supply an impor
{ tant substitute for wood, stone and iron
| IN the building and allied trades.
The following paragraph from the
Toronto World, though addressed prim
arlly to Canadian readers, is even more
applicable to conditions in the United
States:
''The use of Portland cement is in its
infancy, and the manufacture of it on g
large scale is only beginning in this
country. Cement promises to replace
stone for all kinds OF heavy foundations
and other wall works, to replace stone
for paving, to replace brick very largely
for building, and to replace lumber
where lumber has been used. Indeed,
cement will soon be, next to steel, per
haps more than steel, the chief building
material of this continent. Our houses
will soon come to be of cement; and
every day sees the field for the use OF
cement growing at a surprising ratio. %
The following table shows the pro
duction, importation and expectation
of cement in the United States from
1893 to 1902, the figures of production
being supplied by the geological survey,
those OF commerce by the bureau OF
statistics: