The Washington herald., 1908-08-08

il the Ohio Valley last year, 50 per cent
was Of brick. and this years contracts
viii show that the 90 per cent mark was
reached
Paris. III. town Of l0.0o0 inhabitants.
claims. with pardonable arrogance. that
it has the best streets Of any town OF its
size in this country. II has eight miles
Of brick pavements. and in nine years has
had 10 spend only SIS on repairs King
ston. Jamaica. has laid down 1890 square
yards Of Catsbin brick in pavements. and
CUyahoga County. Ohio. spending $eo.oe0
a year on good roads. has 30 OF It's l22
miles OF paved roads laid in brick Two
years ago Toronto. Canada. laid about
q. 600 square yards Of brick pavement, ana
three-fourths Of the brick used were OF
American make. though they made the
work cost "a cents more per square yard
Abrasion tests had shown that while
Canadian bricks lost IL per cent IN the
trial American lost only 11-2 per cent A
larger foreign market for fire brick IS be
ing created. AIasslllon, Ohio. having re-
Gently shipped a carload to Sinzig. Ger
many, 10 be used IN building a furnace
The exports Of fire brick last year were
valued at 1000 and building brick to the
value Of S1s5.OOO went abroad.
Every State in the Union. led by New
York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. in the
order named. produces common brick in
various degrees Of excellence. New York
put out over billion and a half accord
ing TO the last yearly report and Illinois
and Pennsylvania over q billion each.
Rhode Island, Nevada, and South Dakota
come at the end Of the list At one time
al that was asked OF $ brick was that Il
have a reasonably good shape and color
Now Il is generally specified that II be
vitrIfed and nOnabsorbent. and while II
narrows the kind OF clay TO be used it
brings about better and more durable
article. Where good clay cannot be
found. lime and sand have been used as
substitutes in bricl1-naklng. This branch
Of the industry IS only seven years old.
yet there are L5 plants now in operation.
I involving a capital OF Sl0,G00.C00 having e
] capacity Of 900 bricks Per year. and
/ requiring the output OF IS limekilns- The
/ proportions used are 81 per cent sand and
/ s Per cent caUstic line.
| Where the Egyptian. Assyrian, OF Baby
/ lonian OF 4e00 and $500 years ago only
4 asked that his brick be OF clay and straw.
Z hard baked IN the sunshine. nations Of to-
I day have set q standard size American
a standard Of 81 by BY 2iz inches Eng
/ lands is much larger. while the South
! American countries use a more imposing
[ article 1225 by 614 by 12iz inches. Where
] the Aesopotanian Of 70 Go years ago was
/ content tC leave the brick in its original
I mud color. the builders OF to-day so skill
/ fully fires his that he has greens. browns,
/ yellows. srays, and reds. a s.. Paul firm
: develops sixty-five shades in TIE brick
/ made from its shale beds that lie a mile
and a half along the Mississippi River.
I Our ornamental work. however. IS not
beyond that OF the Byzantine artists OF
the Middle Ages, and the manufacture
I who sets his name IN the brick IS follow
I ing in the steps OF men who bUiided
I thousands Of years before Christ and
wrought into their brick Marin Sin,
/ builder Cf the Temple OF Ishtar,' or Ne
[ buChadnezZar. King Of Babylon" Where
| half-nal0ed men In captivity nodded the
| brick BY hand centuries ago. machinery
| brings the clay from the hills conveyOr
[ belts take Il 70 pulverizing machines, %
! The screens. 10 the drying pans. and "a
| the mixing rooms; wire cutters divide i
! into the proper size. pressing and re-
/ pressing machines give il form and solid
I ity, and cars take IL 10 the driving rooms
| and kilns- And these when laid IN great
1 buildings viii spell OF q nations art and
science 20 other generations. as ruins OF
Babylon. Of Rome. OF Roman England
I and Of Egypt spell OF a race OF brick
makers, masOns. and builders OF Ions ago
(Copyr1Eht, Il5 BY Frederic J. Haski1-]
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