The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-01-25
ED1soN's CONCRETE HOUSES.

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ing nodded concrete houses at 81, 900
each, has been rather widely discussed
in the public press, but according to
the inventor there is nothing particu-
larly novel about the plan. He says,
as quoted in The Scientific Amerlean
of New York:
"It amounts to the same thing as
making very complicated casting in
iron, except that the medium is not
so fluid. Some one was bound to do
it, and I thought that I might as well
be the man-that's ALL" The jour-
nal just named goes on to say:
"The method consists in the use of
molds, costing $25, 900 the set, made
of "a inch cast iron, planed, nickel
plated and polished. The different
pieces vary in size, some of the inte-
rior prrts being but two feet square.
When in position, the units are held
in place by trusses and dowel-pi
Into the top of these molds concrete
is pumped continuously by COM
pressed air, using two cylinders. The
concrete itself acts as piston, and
the two cylinders are alternately filled
and emptied. The delivery of the
mixture must be continuous, for
wherever it is stopped, a line appears.
To secure this rapid and continuous
flow, at the rate of IT'S cubic yards
per day, a very efficient mixer is re-
quired. 1t has not yet been decided
whether a Ransome or a specially
designed machine will be used. No
rubbing up is necessary, although a
few flaws may be present, owing to
the difficulty of expelling all air. The
escape of air is permitted by the spe-
cial design of the house, or when neces-
sary, by temporary pipe, which may
be removed latter.
bath tubs and similar fixtures
will be cast in place. Pipes for the
steam heat, conduits for the elecrtic
wiring, and the iron tubing through
which the lead pipes for the plumb
ing are to be afterward drawn, are
all set in the molds before the cement
is run in. The only wood present
will be the doors, window-sashes,
and perhaps few strips to which to
attach carpets.
Owing to the perfect insulation
secured, both to the steampipes, and
to the rooms themselves from the out
side cold, but one-quarter of coal
ordinarily required is needed to heat
these dwellings. By keeping the
doors and windows closed, they can
be kept correspondingly cool in sum-
mer. This manner Of building Is
not economical for putting up single
houses, owing to the cost of initial
outlay, although this outlay is in the
nature of a permanent investment, as
the plant Is practically indestructible.
ION the other hand, for construct
ing, say, thousand honses in prox-
irnity-to each other, ii Is very suitable.
For instance, suppose that it is de-
sired to lay out an industrial village.
After the positions of the various
buildings are staked out, a large gang
of laborers dig the cellars, and the
mold for house Is set up, the opera
tion taking about twelve hours. The
running in of the concrete requires
twelve hours more, and after seven
days the molds are removed, and the
next house is erected.
According to Mr.. Edison, the act
ual cost of dwelling made according
to this method would be one thousand
dollars. The wear and tear on the
molds and the interest on the outlay
he figures at about fifty dollars a
house. This makes the total cost
$1,o5o for house that in the quarter
size model in Mr.. Edison laboratory
bears every mark of refinement and
comfort"