Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-31
The Age of Cement

II Is not generally known that the lum-
Der interests of the country have ever
taken kindly TO the DEVELOPMENT of the
cement and concrete industries in the
United States. but In Detroit It cannot be
said that there ever has been anything but
harmony existing between the dealers in
these Important structural materials.
Detroit and Michigan lumber dealers are
many OF them gradually including the
cement line in their business ana in a
recent address before the Michigan Retail
Lumber Dealers association walter C.
Boynton, editor OF Concrete" an acknovl-
edged authority on the new structural
material, advised the lumber men to get
into the game.
There Is no question that the field for
Portland cement is As yet scarcely opened. ;"
said Mr.. Boynton. Ever men who are con-
sidered to have the aversge amount OF in
telligence ordinarily consider that Portland
cement Is pretty fair stuff out Of which
20 mako sidewalks-and nothing more. It
Is a matter OF constant surprise to see
the expression OF incredibly that comes
over the face of a man to whom you
mention the fact that the Portland cement
industry today represents in America an
annual value OF close to 800. 900. 600. and
that the money actually invested in plants
ph1 NAhAlAiiNNN AbAhAh car AihA v
Michigan people as a class are home
builders. This is true not only OF the in
dividuals, but OF the large corporations
that are finding It to their advantage to
build small, comfortable homes for their
employees. Concrete is coming more and
more into use for the houses of this class,
and this portion OF the field alone Is worth
considering. 1t would. OF course, be i'm
pertinent to suggest 20 a gathering OF lum-
Der men the possibility of their material
eventually falling from the high place 1t
has for so long occupied. There are no
signs OF panic in your faces; you do not
seem 10 be suffering from an inability to
make sales OF lumber. 1 believe that you
could sell cement. too"
Taking 1t the year around. the annual
output Of Portland cement from American
plants is close to 50.0oo,OOo barrels. And
yet. so far from curtailing the production,
new plants. backed by energetic and
moneyed men, are springing into existence
in every corner Of the country. The indus
try, big as 1t is. is as yet in its merest in
fancy. AS new uses are found for the ma
terial-and they are being discovered every
day--the demand will increase and new
mills must be erected to keep up the sup
ply.
eRRoNhR5 phtA'' ANASS -
uses in one of three ~forms-block. mono
lithic or reinforced. In the construction Of
small buildings, up to the size of ware
houses and factories, a popular form is the
hollow concrete block. These blocks. made
in any size that suits the convenience of
the mason, are made up OF cement. sand,
gravel and water in the proportions that
have been found most suitable in various
uses; the damp, compacted mass is per-
mitted to crystallize. under proper condi-
lions of moisture to prevent the occurrence
of cracks and other faults; and the per-
fected block is laid In the wall, to become
a part of a structure as unyielding as any
natural stone, and at a relatively low cost.
Many types of hollow concrete block are
made. some with vertical and some with
horizontal cores, some with continuous
a%ir-space provision and some with inter-
mittent ~air-spaces. Other types OF wall
make use of a two-piece system, in which
the block. in various designs. are laid side
by side so as to form a continuous longi-
tudinal and vertical hollow space, the
members being bonded or tied at regular
intervals, according to some approved
method Concrete block walls, properly
made and laid. possess high waterproof
qualities, with adequate resistance to the
continued action of high temperatures, and
are proof against the action of frost. The
blocks may have a thousand different var.
ieties of exterior and their range of color
is limited only by the taste OF the individ'
ual owner or architect. Concrete block