Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-23
USE CEMENT BLOCKS
THE oTTuMWA CEMENT BLOCK
CO., ENJOYING GOOD BusI.
NESS.
Manufactures All Kinds OF Building
Stone-Has Shipped More Than
Five Carloads-Much of the Product
Being Used Locally.

The Ottumwa Cement Block Co., is
one OF the manufacturing institutions
winch has been established in this city
thls year. 1t has now been In active
operation about four months and is do
ing thriving business.
Ihls company manufactures build
ing stone for all purposes from the
tnln block for walks to the heavy mas
s1ve stone suitable for use in the larg-
est buildings. 1t is made in all shapes
and designs and sizes from four to
fourteen inches thick, four and one
half and nine inches high and either
eight, sixteen, twenty-four or thirty
two inches in length Ali sizes can
be made straight or in right angles
for corners or in octagonal shape.
This stone is made from gravel, sand
and the best grade of Portland cement.
These are mixed with water and
worked up together to the proper con-
sistency and then put, In the machine,
where 1T is tamped down absolutely
solid. and moulded into the desired
shape The machine is then opened
and the block taken out and placed
where the air can get at all sides of it,
where it is allowed to dry until it be-
comes hard and ready for use. The
machine used by this firm is the Nor
mandy Cement Block machine and is
manufactured at Jackson, Mich.
These blocks are made smooth, CHS
eled or rock face, the latter having
| the appearance of broken rock. They
cut wreath. which is an exceedingly
| artistic effect. The larger blocks are
made with two oblong holes through
them from top to bottom, which allows
ventilation, thus avoiding all tenden-
| cy to dampness from the absorption
of moisture.
| These cement blocks are now being
used for the foundation for several
houses in Fairview and Mr.. r. G. Rees
has, at the corner of Mclean and Fifth
streets, a house built entirely of this
stone. 1t Is very pretty and Mr.. Rees
is very much pleased with his invest
| ment
The building known as the Log Cab
in at the corner of Washington
and Main streets is veneered with
these cement blocks.
Mr.. T. F. Keefe, the manager of the
company says 1.-THE advantages of the
cement blocks are many, among which
| is its small cost. which is great
deal less than brick and about the
same as good grade of lumber. It
does not take near as much time to
build wall of these blocks as it does
of brick, as they are made to fit and
are SO much larger. They are prac-
tically indestructible and the older
they are the harder they get, thus i'm
proving instead of deteriorating with
age A wall built Of these blocks can
be made to present any face desired
on the outside with perfectly smooth
surface on the inside. Its cost is
about ,pne-fifth of that of Bedford
stone, and it is just as good. 1t is now
being used in the fats which Mr.. Ed
munds is building on Fifth street and
people will see that it will give the
best of satisfaction and service. 1t is
exactly the same material that is now
being used by the railroads in their
foundation work for bridges and in
their heavy stone culverts"
The company is composed of T. F.
Keefe, 3. G.. Keefe. John Fullmer and
George Norris and the plant is locat
ed In the round house in the east end
Of the CITY, formerly used by the Wa
bash and Milwaukee railroads.