Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-10
Plant For Manufacturing Hol-
low Cement Building Blocks
Is Contemplated
DEAL WILL BE CLOSED SOON
Messrs. c. F. Reimer and John eanzhaf
Will Start Plant for Purpose of Man.
ufacturins This Building Material
Work Will Be Commenced Soon
Company Will incorporate.

If the plans of the gentlemen inter-
ested do not fail to materialize, and
there is every reason to believe they
will not, Marshalltown will have an
other manufacturing establishment be-
fore spring is here. The new concern
is one that will make hollow cement
building blocks, and the gentlemen in
terested are two practical con-
tractors and builders, Messrs.
C. f. Reimer and John Banz-
hat. The deal is all but complet-
ed, and it is thought that in few days
the negotiations for the necessary ma
chinery will have been closed. In few
weeks after that time active operations
will be commenced.
NIessrs. Reimer and BanZhaf were
struck with the practicability of this
new building material. and for several
weeks have been investigating the cost
of the machinery required to make the
material. Mr.. Reimer has but recently
returned from a trip of investigation TO
MINNEAPOLIS and Waterloo where he
saw similar concerns in operation. Botn
are confident of the SUCCESS of the un-
dertaking, which, in fact. does seem
most feasible. The intention is to start
in a small way, and spend the first year
in investigating and experimenting
with the business. The machinery used
is such that hollow building blocks OF
any dimension, from six to eighteen
inches in width, and up to thlrty-tWo
inches in length, can be turned out. Any
desirable color of blocks can also be
made by adding the necessary colornng
matter, as is done by builders IN color
ing mortar. So far as the process is
concerned it is most simple, the blocks
being made of Portland cement, mixed
with common building sand. This mix
ture is placed in a mould, set to the size
desired for the finished block, turned
out, set to thoroughly dry for a week OF
ten days, and is then ready for build
ing purposes. AS the method Is COM
paratively new the machine used in the
manufacture is very expensive, and is
made by only one firm. 1t is claimed
for this sort of building material that
it can be manufactured and placed in
the wall cheaper than brick and very
much below the cost of stone, which
must be cut to dimension. 1t is also
claimed that neither frost nor heat will
affect it, and that it's carrying weight
exceeds that of stone or brick. In the
east, where it has been used to consid-
cradle extent, it is said that 1t has given
the very best of satisfaction.
The gentlemen who have the matter
under way have closed all the prelimi-
nary arrangements for the undertaking,
except securing the machines, and nego-
tiations for these are now pending, and
will be closed in a short time. 1t is the
intention to start with two machines,
which will have capacity of about $50
blocks each per day. They will start
operations in one of the buildings for
merly used by the Ketchum Wagon
Company, and will continue there for
the first year If the trial year is at all
successful they will erect plant of
their own, and continue operations on
much larger scale. They expect to in
corporate, and estimate the original in
vestment will be about $4,000. If their
plans carry as they expect, they will
commence operations in a very few
weeks, or at least before spring COM
mences. Similar plants are in opera ;
ton in Fit. Dodge, Waterloo and other
Iowa cities, where it is said the bust
ness has proved most successful.