The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-19
fixed by statute. [45 Southeastern Rep
(South Carolina, Judge Gary, 1861
Cement-Making I'm Indiana.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
The manufacture OF cement of a high
grade in this State should be an industry
which in volume of business done should
largely exceed the quarry business OF In
diana. 1t is probably true that Indiana
pays, outside of the State, more for cement
than it gets for its stone. All, or nearly all,
of this cement can be and should be made
within our own borders. AS great as is the
use Of cement at this time, ii is constantly
increasing. Now we are using il in volumes
which few years ago we did not dream Of
In few more years its relative and abso-
lutte use will be largely increased and yet
we of this State are manufacturing cement
of a high grade in relatively small quanti-
ties Some is made, but, compared with
what should be and what may be profitably
made, 1t is a mere drop In the bucket. We
send millions of dollars into other States
Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, very large
ly, to Illinois and abroad-but with the
raw material at hand to make high grade
cement We are neglectful and pass by the
great business opportunities which are with
in our reach. A few pioneers have appeared
among us urging that Portland cement be
manufactured within State borders,
but with the exception OF few instances
nothing in large way has been done. Ger
tainly We have not realized the tremendous
field and the largely increasing field for in
vestment in cement properties.
i saw In Cincinnati, one day last week,
the best building, considered structuraIIy,
that have ever seen. / refer TO the In
gals building on Fourth street. 1t is a
building which is not destructible by fire
because of the combustion of any part of
the building itself, but. what is more and
what is rare, 1t is so constructed that it is
not destructible through the burning of
any amount OF infiammable material which
might be placed in it. This building, six
teen stories in height above the sidewalk,
is largely constructed of cement. Columns,
beams Orders, foundation posts are OF
cement. The inside finish is of cement.
Steel is used as tension and compression
members within the concrete, but when il
| Is used in this way the minimum rather
| than the maximum quantity of steel is
| used A relatively very small quantity of
| steel is used in this kind of construction.
| Here, too, is a relatively use for
cement in this manner; not absolutely new,
| but this Is the greatest and most conspic-
| uous example Of this system of construc-
tiontion which Americans know; 1t is
made up of relatively small steel bars sur
| rounded with cement. Through the man.
| ufacture of cement within our own borders
with the material at hand we could save
1 to ourselves great quantities OF money
| which We are now sending out of the State
| for metal. This new combination of steel
| and cement minimizes the use OF steel III
| building.
In the great new improvements in the
| roadbed between Greensburg and Lawrence
| burg on the Big Four many times more
| steel would have been used IL built n few
| years ago than is now being used. The
| great new bridges are formed with rela-
lively small quantities of small bars and
| concrete, and it is probable that very lit
| tie of the cement used is obtained within
| our borders. Sure IL is that very little
| stone is used excepting a part of the
| concrete mixture
Concrete and concrete and steel have
| been used on the continent of Europe as
| we are using now for many years that
| practically all of the patents have run out
| but Europe has never taken up with con.
| crete in the wholesale way that America
| is now just beginning. Certainly nothins
| has been built which possesses the purely
structural merits of the ingalls, building il
| Cincinnati
In the proper establishment of cement
manufactures is another channel for tn.
great development of a natural resourc,
| of Indiana. Cement construction is rel
ativey cheap. A few days ago buildin,
was let in Cincinnati where the concret,
and steel combination was used at a cos
only 10 per cent in excess of wood for tn,
column and floor construction. Concrete il
mixed by machinery and handled by cheaJ
labor Concrete is proof against metal hea
and electroyss and prevents incrustatiol
of metal. LOUIS III. GIBSON.
Indianapolis, Oct 1S