The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-08
Edison's Cement House.

The announcement that Mr.. Edison
has invented a process for casting
cement houses don't seem to be at
tracing much attention, but it is
a fact nevertheless. In the June
of the Cement World Mr..
Edison for the first time gives the
public the details of the work Oh
which he has been engaged for the
mast eight years. and which, with
It's drawings and Illustrations furn-
ishes entertaining as well as instruc-
tive reading. Mr.. Edison tells us
that for eight years he has been at
work upon the idea that suggested
itself to his mind, of constructing
houses of one piece by casting them
in molds.
The advantages of house so built
are obvious, but the difficulty lay i'll
discovering mixture suitable for
this purpose. This Mr.. Edison has
discovered after years of expert
mentation. This mixture has all the
characteristics of liquid, flows
readily and fills all interstices and
openings. and during this flow the
heavier aggregates are held in sus-
pension so that they are distributed
evenly throughout the mass.
The time necessary for the pour
ing of the liquid will be only six
hours. Four days after the pouring
the dismantling can be done. Six
.ore days are allowed for the hard
ering of the concrete. The proper
mixtures having been discovered the
rest was easy. Plans were drawn
for a house. and molds were made
according to these plans. The mix
ture was then poured into the mold,
was removed and the finished house
stood there.
In this way a working model was
produced which stands in Mr. Edl-
sons workshop He is now engag-
ed in making the molds for a full
sized house These molds are made
in sections, and several hundred OF
them will be required for the house.
They are Of cast iron about an inch
thick with backs reinforced by ribs
and fanges. When a house is to be
cast they are assembled and locked
together, and the cement mixture
is ready to be poured.
The house for which the molds are
now being made will be of two-stories
and half, with basement or cellar.
Completed, with bathroom and
plumbing, its cost will be about
$1,000. 1t will be all in one piece,
including roof, staircase, bath-tub
and floors. and it will be entirely of
cement except the doors and WIN
dows.
Such a house will be waterproof,
rat-proof and vermin-proof. 1t will
be fire-proof. 1t will be eXtmpt from
the ordinary repairs required by all
other kinds of houses. 1t will be the
most sanitary house ever built, as
we'll as the most comfortable to live
in summer or winter. And it will
he cheaper. not only in its first cost
but much more so in the cost OF
maintenance, for these houses will
be practically indestructible and
needing no repairs. What a rerolu-
ton these houses will produce in the
manner of building houses in the
cities, and in the lives of the people
who live in them!
AS the Augusta Herald says I'VE
are living in a wonderful age, in
which new inventions and startling
discoveries succeed each other sc
RAPIDLY that an invention which will
reyolutionize an old order attracts
only passing attention. Within the
past few years the wireless telegraph
has been invented and put to practi'
cal use; the automobile has come
and taken its place as permanent
horseless vehicle; airships heavier
than air have made successful
flights, and many other new inven,
tions Of equally far reaching effect
have been given to the world.