The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-10-07


Company-How The Stone Is Made
Factory Nearly CompIeted-Randall
Glass Factory Growing-DweIlings
Going Up.
Rapid progress is being made in
building up the new town of Randall,
two miles below Morgantown. Two
new factories are already under
contract and in course of erection.
Several dwelling houses have been
commenced and two or three are al
most completed.
Through the courtesy of Mr. c. l..
Edmonds and others, a representa-
tive of this paper was driven out to
the new town, and shown the devel-
opments that is bringing this place
into prominence.
The factory Of the Monongahela
River Stone Manufacturing Com
pany is the enterprise nearest com
pletion. 1t was one of the first to
locate at the new town, 1t is situated
just below the Empire Brick Works
and right on the B. d 0. railroad,
between the road and river. A
switch is to be built in to the plant
in short time.
About three weeks ago, small
frame building was erected, and the
manufacture of artificial stone begun.
Soon as a little material had been
gotten ready, the erection of per-
manent factory, so by 100 feet was
begun. 1t is being constructed with
concrete foundation, brick side walls
and front, and trimmings built OF
the artificial stone made by the
company right on the grounds at
the small temporary factory. The
walls are now nearly completed, and
will be ready for the roof trusses
this week. The building will present
a very attractive appearance, with
its gray stone front, with brown
stone trimmings.
The window sills are of brown
stone, and are specially manufac
tnred to prevent access of water
from rains, and to present neat
appearance. The company has a
patent on this, which is the most
complete window sill ever made.
Any one who is skeptical about
the possibility of manufacturing
stone of durable quality, or appear
ing like the natural article should
make visit to this factory, and be
convinced that the thing can be
done. Where the stone is Clipped
on the surface to give it the rough
appearance in relief, hardly one
person in thousand could detect
any difference between the natural
and artificial material. Indeed there
is scarcely any difference to detect
for the stone is manufactured on the
same principle which nature EN-
ployed in making the great seams Of
sand stone found in the earth. The
artificial product is used simply be
cause it is cheaper to make and
mold it, than it is to quarry and
dress that found in the earth.
The manufacturers expect the
artificial stone to come into general
use here, as it has in other places
as building material tor veneer
houses. The cost will be only about
the same as for pressed brick for the
same purpose.
Dcckers Creek white sand is used
in making the stone. This is mixed
with some other ingredients, and
combined by secret chemical
process dicovered by Mr.. Edmonds
and sold by him to the Monongahels
River Stone Company, when it was
organized here.
The stone is Of great hardness in
a few days after being nodded, but
it is said that it continues to set for
seven years after being put in the
walls of building.
Fifteen to twenty men are expect
ed to be employed at the factory
when it is in full operation.
The artificial stone lends itself
well to decorative work. II can be
made any color desired, and one
color can be grated permanently on
another while the material is soft.
A lions head of gray stone has
been made, and attached to the
brown stone key for the arch in the
company's factory. 1t all appears
to have been chiseled out of one
piece, except that the two eolors
could not be secured in that way
from the natural product
A portion of the frame for the big
Randall glass factory is already up,
and the furnace stack Is begun.
The framework already up shows
that this will be an immense plant.
Two twenty ton tanks will be built
start and ground has been reserved
to double the capacity of the fac
tory, which it is expected will be
done before very long after the first
section is actively in operation. The
stone factory and the glass manufac-
tory both have ideal locations be-
tween the railroad and the river.