Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-12-08
BRICK OF SAND LIME.
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF
A NEW INDUSTRY.
Manufactured at Cost Below That OF
Common Clay Brick and Far
More Durable-Inter-
esting Details.

A wonderful industry which was 10
revolutionize the manufacture OF brick
In this country has in recent years
been frequently described in the news
papers and trade journals. The claim
has been made that brick suitable for
all purposes could be made from sand
with a small addition of lime, at cost
far less than that Of ordinary brick.
Time has not yet proved the truth on
this statement; nevertheless, accord
ing to paper written by Mr.. S. V.
Peppel and included in the annual
report on THE Clay-Working Indus
tries," recently published by the
United States geological survey, the
sand-lime brick industry seems TO
have established itself and to have
promising future in certain sections OF
the United States. Where clay OF
quality is not available, but compare
lively pure sand is abundant, the
manufacturers Of sand-lime brick may
reasonably hope for success. There
are many such localities in Michigan,
Wisconsin, and other northwestern
states, also In the south and south
west.
There are in this country at present
about so plants, with total capacity
OF approximately 100000 bricks a
day. The experience of thes plants
indicates that sand-lime brick can
usually be manufactured at cost be-
low that of common clay brick. When,
however, a sand-lime brick is desired
equal to the fine clay front brick, the
cost Of production is naturally in
creased beyond that of common clay
brick. Sand-lime bricks have been in
use long enough, both in this country
and in foreign countries, to prove that
when properly made they have sufa-
cient strength and sufficient water
and weather resisting qualities TO
make them safe building material.
The sand-lime brick Of to-day is the
natural outcome of the improvements
made in the old mortar brick, which
has been known for years. This NOR
tar brick was at first never more than
nodded mixture Of lime and sand
mortar, which was allowed to harden
in the air. About % or 80 years ago
one DR.. Michaelis patented a process
for the hardening Of mixtures OF lime
and sand by steam under pressure,
which is the fundamental principle on
which the manufacture Of sand-lime
brick is based.
The commercial development Of the
industry dates back only Is years In
foreign countries, and not more than
four years In the United States. In
1896 Germany had only five factories
where sand-lime brick was made, but
now it has about 200 with an actual
annual output of between $50, 100000
and 4O0,000,000. Early in 1901 a plant
was built in Michigan City, Ind. In
1902 about 20 plants were in existence,
and 100000 bricks were actually sold.
Full and accurate data are not obtain
able as to the actual output in 1903.
but about 100000 bricks have been
as sold in that year. Many
CT the factories had just started and
were not manufacturing to their full
during the year.
Mr.. Peppel's report contains a great
many interesting details about the
sand-lime brick, its history, and its
He discusses its prop
critics, such as porosity, crushing
strength, resistance to weather and to
ire, and It's color He describes it's
and dwells on the condi-
ions essential to success in its manu-.
'acture. These include, first, suitable
'aw materials comparatively pure
and, with the preference in favor of
quartz sand, and comparatively pure
lme Of either type, with the prefer
nee in favor Of high calcium lime
Ind secondly, adequate machinery,
Fhich should consist of power and
Incorporating ma
hinery. mixing apparatus, presses,
lardening cylinders, conveyors, tracks
nd trucks. A well-eQuipped sand
ime brick plant, with a capacity Of
rodm $4,000 to 10000 bricks in ten to
welve hours, will cost, independent
f site, from $4,000 to $4,000.