Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-06-16
A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS
Is Being Turned Out by a Wausar
Institution Which is Climbing to
the Front.

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the Front.
A plant of Importance iu the city and
one which few people know anything
about, mainly for the reason that the
stockholders have been modest in pre-
senting their claims for public recogni-
ton, is that of the Concrete Block and
Supply Co. This plant is situated di-
rectly north of the plant of the Wausau
Canning Co. and within stones throw
OF the latter institution. 1t was started
lew years ago in small way by g. l..
Smith. Its operation for a time was
spasmodic. Last summer a number of
young men became interested in the
enterprise and were one in the belief
that If they combined their capital and
purchased the plant, they could, by re-
modelling it, adding new machinery
and putting a first class article of man
ufacture on the market, set it on diyi-
dend paying basis. They took over the
interests of Mr.. Smith the first of last
August. Late in the fall they built a
boiler room. They re-arranged the old
machinery and added more-some of
the latest improved type They secured
number of large contracts, among
them the building of the large car barns
and since then have had no trouble in
getting orders. Many of these orders
come from the southern part of the
state, where concrete has been given
longer and more satisfactory test than
1t has up in this northern country,
where there is so much competition
with other materials.
Only men who have had experience
in cement work have been hired, and
at present a full force is being en-
ployed.
Among the new machinery added are
several pieces which save labor, and at
the same time enable the company
to increase its output A drying room
has been built, which will hold 100
pieces of 12x24 stone. After block is,
moulded it is set on car, which has an
upright supporting several arms or
frames. When these frames are filed
the car is run into the drying room, and
the arms lowered so that each end of
the blocks rest on other frames The
car is then withdrawn and when one
section is filled, steam from the boiler
is turned in and the doors closed The
hot steam, moist as it is, dries out the
blocks much quicker than would be the
case under the old process of allowing
them to dry in the open. Large blocks,
such as are being turned out at present
for coping for the public library wall,
cannot be put into this dry room and
are built up by hand work outside the
main building.
Among the products of the company,
other than building blocks, are cellar
and porch columns. hitching posts,
fence posts, section corner stones,
cemetery markers, silo blocks, coping
stones, gutter stones, mantels, orna-
mental work, etc. The company has
experimental with roofing material
which takes the place of slate. 1t is
sexangular in shape and makes an
easily l. id and durable roof, which will
shed water in all seasons. 1t is CON-
posed of 4 mixture of asbestos and con-
crete, making it fireproof A nail can
be driven through it and it will stand
plenty of hard usage. The company
hopes to place them on the market soon.
A cement brick has also been made,
which has many advantages over the
ordinary brick. 1t makes very neat
appearing building material.
The company recently constructed a
block silo for b. F. Wilson on mis- farm
northwest of the city, which is model
of neatness. 1t is an ornament to the
farm, as well as useful. Silos properly
built of this material will endue
as long as the farm on which it stands
furnishes work for the farmer, and that
is never-ending.
The public is coming to recognize the
worth of concrete as building mater
ial more and more every year, and as
this company is composed of live, up
to-the-minute young men, who are
sending forth an honest. endurable
product, there is no reason why the
concern should not prosper and grow
in Importance among our business en-
terprises.
The officers are
Russell Lyon.
-president-W r. Chellis.