The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-08-19
Concrete Houses In One Piece

Two years ago Thomas A. Edi
son announced that he had invent
ed series of moulds wherewitf
any desired number of small houses
could be cast in single blocks OF
concrete in few days time and al
trihing expense. The plan, it's
inventor claimed, would wipe out
the city tenement and would en-
able the poor workingmen to own
and occupy their own homes in
the country. The world greeted
Mr.. Edison's announcement with
incredulity. Architects, builders
and engineers were united in de-
riding the project and it's inventor,
says the New York Sun.
But Thomas A. Edison was not
seeking public favor. He had faith
in his invention and no amount of
expert disapproval could lead him
to abandon it. He retired to his
home in Orange, N. j., shut him
self up in his laboratory and set
about perfecting his invention.
That was two years ago.
Today the whole project has
been worked out in detail. The
plane have been drawn, the pat
terms made and perfect models
cast in miniature. The finished
molds themselves are now being
manufactured. The first full-sized
house will be cast within few
weeks.
With these new molds Mr.. Edi-
son claims that he will be able to
build a house complete for $1,000,
and, furthermore, that the job
will be done within IA days. The
house is planned to be two stories
high, with an attic and cellar,
and is to have ground floor 25
by 80 feet in size. 1t is intended
to be built on plot 40 feet front
by go feet deep, leaving space
for lawn and small garden.
On the first floor will be a living
room IA by 90 feet and kitchen
IA by 20 feet. On the second floor
will be two bedrooms, one IA by
l2 feet, the other II by Is feet, a
large hall and bathroom. The
attic floor will contain two more
bedrooms, each % by 10 feet. The
cellar, which extends under the
whole house, will include the boil
er, washtubs and coal bunker.
The entire house-walls, roof,
floors, stairways, partitions, door
frames and window frames-will
be cast in one piere. Even the
laundry tubs, the bathroom fix
lures, the interior decorations and
the ornamental panels will be in
cluded in the solid shell. 1t is
claimed that the surface left by
the moulds will be sufficiently
smooth to require no added finish
except tint or paper. The cost of
the house - $l2OO-Mr. Edison
claims, will include installation of
heating and plumbing systems as
we'll as the mere erection of the
shell. He lays particular empha-
sis, however, on the fact that this
minimum price is possible only
where the houses are to be put up
in large numbers and the materials
bought wholesale.
Thomas A. Edison's original
scheme was to design set of
molds for a two-family house.
This plan was abandoned in favor
of the one-family dwelling. The
molds that have been finally
adopted are of cast iron about an
inch in thickness, with backs rein.
forced by ribs and hanges. They
are to be set on n concrete footing
that forms part of the basement
floor. Four days will be allowed
for the erection of the molds.
Each house will require several
hundred pieces, which must be fit
ted together and securely locked.
Six hours will be required for
pouring the liquid. Four days
after the pouring the dismantling
can be done. Six more days are
to be allowed for the hardening of
the concrete. Thus, the inventor
the house will be complet-
ed and ready for tenants two
weeks after the preliminary work
is done. This length of time may
be reduced by particularly favor
able weather conditions. 1t is es-
that with six sets of molds
IA houses could be built in a
year.
Two great obi jections were raised |
to Mr.. Edison's plan when it was
first announced. In the first place
he was told by expert builders and
house of concrete |
could not be cast all in one piece,
for the reason that the mixture of
water, cement and broken stone
would not flow smoothly through |
the many small channels of the
mold If it (the mixture) were
thick enough to hold the broken
stone In suspension. In the Sec