Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-17
THE CEMENT INDUSTRY
Iowa Said to Have Unequallcd
Opportunities to Lead in
Manufacture
HAS THE RAW MATERIAL
Second and Supplementary Report Is
sued by the State Geological Survey
Giving Much information Regarding
the Business of Making Cement -
Other News of Interest.
las THE RAW MATERIAL
Special to Times-Republicai..

| Iowa, as now being developed, that the
state geological survey has issued a
second supplementary report concern
| ing it, from the pen Of S. w. Boyer
A complete report as to cement mater
1 ials in Iowa will be the geological sur
| vey report Of 1907.
/ The growth of the industry is enor-
nous, turnout the country, but Iowa
has not yet contributed a barrel. In
1899 the price was SLAB a barrel and
this has been reduced very consider
ably. From $4,000 barrels production
in 1884, however, the consumption has
grown into the millions. In 1904 the
consumption was 26,505,000 barrels and
; this has been more than doubled since
| Cement is entering into so many diff
ferent manufactures, that the supply
still is short and the Iowa field will
/ be rapidly developed
In the report Just issued Professor
Boyer gives reports and analysis on
cement materials in the Galena and
Maquoketa stages at Specht's Ferry
Waupeton. zolicoffer lake. Kidder, De-
corah. Edgewood. Fayette county,
Rockford and Lithographic City in
Floyd county: Usage. Clay, Banks,
near Portland and Mason City in Ger
70 Gordo county, Kalo Eldora, Hum
| boldt, Gilmore, Earlham, Peru and Des
| Mones.
Iowa Chalk Long Neglected.
Soon after the organization of the
present state geological survey, the di-
rector. Prof Samuel Calvin, realized
the Importance of the then youthful
industry and his first paper was en-
titled "Cretaceous Deposits of Wood
bury and Plymouth Counties, With
Observations on Their Economic
Uses" and appears in volume of the
annual report bearing the date of 1892.
In this paper the Niobrara chalks and
associated clay shales are described
and their suitability for the manufac-
ture of cement pointed out. Professor
Calvin's paper was later supplemented
by himself i'm volume III, and greatly
elaborated by Fl. Foster Balm in his
Woodbury. and Plymouth county re-
ports to be found in volumes V. and
VIII respectively. While this forma-
ton has been available for years and
the district has been visited by num-
erous interested parties, nothing has
been done toward the utilization of the
ichalks OF Iowa.
Within the last few years 1t has
come to be generally recognized that
chalks and marls are not necessary in
the manufacture of Portland cement:
that limestones, be they hard or soft,
providing they are correct otherwise,
are suitable for cement manufacture.
The recognition of this fact has led to
a renewed search for locations favora
BILE for cement plants within the con-
fines of the state and never has the
search been so strenuous as during the
last year. The survey has been inn
portuned for information on the sub
ject and samples from numerous points
in the state have been sent in for
analysis. One factor appears to be
uppermost in the minds of those seek
ing information and that is, that given
the raw materials which will make ce-
ment" a. cement plant is assured.
Suitable transportation facilities, and
cheap fuel suitable for burning the ce-
ment are equally important factors and
must be taken into account. In fact
some authorities are inclined to doubt
the wisdom Of placing suitable raw
materials first in the list of controlling
factors. However, the factors may be
rated, the raw materials are usually the
first factors in the problem of cement
plant location to receive attention by
the average Investigator.
Iowa Center of Interest.
AS has been intimated before the
AZ o,,1 -
manufacturing world are at the pres
ent time focused on Iowa. A number
of causes contribute to bring this
about. Iowa is at the present time one
of the greatest cement users. and the
increasingly high price of lumber and
other structural materials, and the new
and varied uses to which cement is be-
ing put, will increase her consumption
many fold; and her position geograph-
icaIly minnesota has little in the way
of suitable materials or cheap fuel
to commend her for consideration in
this connection) gives her a command
ing position strategically. A cement
plant in Iowa ought to command the
markets Of the Twin Cities Of the
North in addition to her own domestic
trade. Her nearest competitors are To-
Gated in Illinois: Hannibal, Mo-; lola,
Independence and Neodosha, Kas., and
Yankton, S. d. A factory located in
north central Iowa would be protected
by freight rate Of IL to IA cents per
100 pounds. sum sufficient to cover
considerable portion of the cost Of
production in the cement mills Of to-
day.
1t is generally known that most of
the so-called limestones in Iowa are
delomitic, or at least contain per-
centage Of magnesia prohiTbitory to
their use in the manufacture of Port.
land cement. While this is true, there
is in the state sufficient limestone low
in magnesia to supply all the cement
plants Of the country. They range in
age from Ordovician. exposed at
Spechts Ferry. Waukon. DEBORAH and
numerous points In northern Iowa. to
the Niobrara chalks and limestones ex-
posed in Plymouth and Woodbury.
counties.
BACHELOR AND OLD MAIDS.
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