The San Francisco call., 1906-12-23
YREKA BAKERY
I4cAsT-sToNEv HOUSE A HOBBY

When I mentioned the "cast-stone"
house his face lit up with smile, as il
he anticipated the subject with real
pleasure.
I can tell you about that" said he
quickly. 1T is a hobby Of mine. First
let me caution you not to give me any
undue credit The use of steel rods 10
reinforce concrete structures was not
my own idea. 1t was Ransom, be-
1ieve. who originated that, and II was
a bright idea He was out in California
and may be there yet for all i know.
Cement" is the coming material for
house construction. There is no doubt
about it, The wonder is that il was
not adopted long years ago. in lieu of
stone and brick construction. Mortar is
rotten stuff, literally. 1t was handed
down TO us from Egypt Portland ce-
ment should have been adopted long
ago for brick and stone work In lieu
of mortar. But there is no reason why
either stone or brick should be used at
all stone is the most expensive kind
OF building material, and only the rich
can afford ii. II is not a whit superior
10 cement. The latter is easier to work.
IS more durable and can be ornamented
as well as stone.
Now the popular impression is that
Portland cement is a very expensive
material Nothing could be further
from the mere III lDt EdSl II 10
worth about s115 a barrel. In Califor-
MIA il may cost as much as SO, but L is
worth the money. 1t requires only one
part OF hydraulic Portland cement.
mixed with three parts Of sand and
i've parts Of gravel or broken rock to
make concrete as hard as adamant.
can put up a concrete building for
about half the cost of a brick one.
Come with me and L will show you
In, he Of
cEMENIvs PROPERTIES
Edison pointed through window of
his laboratory. There is one he
said, that is being constructed for a
storage battery factory. And there is
another tpointing from another win
dow), and there still another. Now we
I will have closer inspection"
The inventor seized a small cap. and
putting IL jauntily on the back of his
head, 0riskly led the way through
humming factories to a place where
several new buildings were going up.
He hustled over the ground, as spry as
any young man.
Pointing to a pile of steel rods two
or three inches in diameter and ten or
twelve feet in length that were twisted
into spirals, like augurs or corkscrews,
he said: 1T is a peculiar property of
cement that It will stand enormous
Here he stopped and picked UP stick.
He showed how weight would cause II
20 sag when II was held horizontally,
and to shorten at the ends. and exert
a pull" at these extremities.
But" he continued, III upright rods
OF steel are imbedded in the concrete
they give a rigid strength to the entire
structure. IT is the egg of Columbus
over again The same principle is in
voived- The steel rods are twisted into
spiral shapes so that they will remain
irnbedded in the concrete all the more
securely. These rods, then, are back
bones OF the building. They are nom
uniform. like the backbones of verte-
brates."
MIXTURE Is LIKE CREAM.
Presently we came to q finished
building and entered through a sort of
arcade or wagonway, apparently con-
structed of planzs.
Put your hand on that knot IN that
plank" said the wizard
/ did as directed. II was as cold as
stone.
THAT isn't knot" ne laughed, NOR
Sc II a plank. The molds for this
building were constructed of plankfng.
Examine the cement closely and you
can even see the grain in the wood The
Impression of the knot, too, is etched
IN the cement as distinctly as q photo
engraving. It lie almost as plain az a
plaster OF pariF tupressi9n. I get this