The midland journal., 1906-08-17
CONCRETE BUILT HOUSES.
STEiGlNG EXAMPLES TO BE
FOUND ALL OVER COUNTRY.

Construction Which Has Become
Exceedingly Popular and Which
Exists in Variety of Forms.
The concrete house has material
feed The technical press and trade
journals have been discussing con-
creta construction for residences for
the last ten years, but now striking
examples of this method of constric-
tion can be found from California to
Maine. The houses range all the way
from elaborate homes of the SUBURBAN
type costing $4,000 and over, down
to the one-story cottage worth Sl,2Oo
at the other extreme. Some OF the
houses are very elaborate and are
decorated in such fashion as to con-
ceal their structural identity. Others
are sturdily plain and can hardly be
said to have much artistic beauty. A
three-story house can be built of con-
crete for less than $4,000 and many
effective ones have been built for
$4,000 or less.
On Girard street, in Washington,
group of very imposing three-story
buildings with easements have been
erected They contain ten rooms, hye
of which are bedrooms, large reception
hall, two baths, parlor, dining room,
kitchen and trunk room. They are
provided with open fireplaces and fin
ished in hard wood. The cellars, which
are also of concrete, have large back
and front entries with servants bath,
laundry, etc. They are offered Tor
sale at $4,000. These particular resi-
dences are built of concrete blocks
which are becoming very popular for
building purposes. Many of the con-
crete buildings are monolithic in char
acter, that is to say, they are con-
structed of solid concrete built up In
forms, which are subsequently re-
moved
A Philadelphia concern is advertls-
ing Mexican style one-story concrete
cottage which can be built for $1,2O0
anywhere along the Atlantic Coast.
Great credence will be given to the
claims made for concrete by experts
of the United States Department OF
Agriculture, as the Governments pub
lications of this character carry with
them the weight of disinterested au-
thority. The quotations given below
embody in substance the chief advant-
ages of concrete for general building
purposes, as disclosed in a recent
Bulletin of the Department:
Hollow block construction intro
duces a saving of material over brick
or stone masonry.
The cost of laying concrete blocks
is less than for brick work, due to
the larger size of the blocks and the
consequent reduction in the number
of Joints and the mortar required for
same.
A wall constructed of good concrete
blocks is as strong or stronger than
a brick wall of equal thickness.
Concrete blocks being easily mould
ed to any desired form will prove to
be far more economical building ma.
terial than stone which has to be
dressed to shape.
Concrete blocks being hollow tend
to prevent sudden changes of tenn
perature within a house, making 1t
cool in summer and easily heated in
winted.
The hollow spaces provide an easy
means for running pipes and cleo
trio wires. Such spaces may also be
utilized for heating and ventilating
fiues.
It is announced that number OF
cities and towns are treating their
cement sidewalks to coating of sand
and asphalt in order to remove the
smooth surface and reduce the liabil-
ity to accidents incident thereto
The Mexican Government, according
to the Cement Age, has undertaken
the construction of $9,000,000 con-
crete aqueduct to supply water to the
City. of Mexico. 1t will be about 16
miles long, six feet wide and five feet
high, and will be built of armored
concrete. te.-Philadelphia Record.
1no cIIIrc cNEDN NEAP