The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-02

Gon OF great structures Inc present
can be well called the Cement age,
from the great number of uses to
which this material is being put.
From the early days or cement con-
struction, when 1t was largely used In
solid wallis, the ingenuity of the Amer
lean has evolved the present day ce-.
rnent block, varied in size and kind,
made in all the colors that are popular
for building, made to initiate granite
and marble. brick and sandstone. in
fact adapted to the most varied needs
OF builders.
Robert Kennedy OF this city has spe-
cialized for the past two years in ce-
rnent blocks for basement work, and
has proved the adaptability of the
block he handles for that lind of work
as well as in the construction Of a.
complete house, which he has recently
finished on Ninth avenue north. This
new house is built of stone manufac-
tured by the Holmes Stone and Lum-
Der Co. Of Detroit. and is proving very.
popular
During the coming summer there
will be a very considerable number
of houses built in Fargo OF concrete
building blocks; and there are now
quite a number of houses, stables and
other buildings in use here which have
been built within the last four or FIVE
years, so thai the marking of con-
crete blocks for building purposes has
become a well established industry in
this section.
This particular kind of concrete con-
struction is to be distinguished from
the solid concrete construction, such
as was used in the carrier building. 1t
consists OF the use of blocks made of
concrete in moulds of uniform size and
shape, into which mixture of moist
ened sand gravel and cement is tightly
packed and then taken out and set
aside to harden, in a manner similar to
the method used in the making of
bricks, except that no heat is neces-
sary to harden a cement block, as in
the case of brick made from clay.
The increasing use of cement blocks
as building material has caused the
establishment OF several places in this
section, where they are made The
Home Stone and Lumber CO. at De-
troit is perhaps the most extensive Of
any OF the cement block factories now
in business in this section.
The making OF cement blocks calls
for the use of sand, gravel cement and
water, from which is made the mix
ture that is to be moulded into the
blocks.
The making of a good cement block
calls for considerable Judgment and
not a little skill. After the materials
have been selected and mixed In their
proper proportions OF sand, gravel and
cement the adding of the water Is a
matter OF judgment, as to the
amount or moisture that is necessary
to get the best results; and then comes
the skill of putting the mixture into
the moulds. There Isl placed in the bot
tom of the mould a movable piece Of
iron called face plate which de-
termines the shape and finish of the
face OF the block which Is TO be ex-
posed 10 view In the building To
those who have noticed the cement
block buildings in Fargo, the rock
face Is a familiar form, showing the
appearance OF a stone thai has been
broken of and presenting an uneven
surface. This rock face is made by
the use of face plate which has these
rocklike Irregularities indented in its
surface. and being placed In the bot
tom OF the mould the first layer OF &C.
rnent is placed directly upon 1t.
This FIRST layer OF cement is differ
emit from that which is to follow in
filing the mould. TC is made from sand
and cement without any admixture OF
gravel or coarser material, 1t is what
fs called the veneer, and serves the
double purpose of giving fine and
finished appearance to that portion of
the block which is to be exposed to
view when it is used in constructing
the walls of building, and Of fur
nishing a well-nigh moisture proof ex-
terror for the building. This important
matter of imperviousness to moisture
will be spoken of later on.
After the veneer has been carefully
placed in It's position on the face-plate
in the mould, with all the corners
filed and the tamping properly done,
d coarser grade OF the concrete mix
trre is introduced and the mould is
Allied about one-third full, or up to
the holes, which are elliptical
opening in the sides Of the moulds.
the cores. OF which there are two are
then introduced by the pulling Of a lew
or and the filing proceeds by intro
d1lcing more OF the coarse concrete
ana LduiplIAE IL SdAACuAAy eAA0 1A AAAAS
GROUND the cores and into the corners
till the mould is full. The top Is then
struck off evenly with q trowel. and
the mould turned upon its side, the
cores removed, the sides and end OF
the mould is let down and the block Is
ready to be lifted on the iron palette
and SET away to be hardened.
The hardening OF eoncrets consists
in the evaporation of the water which
has been used in mixing the materials
Az soon ais the water has evaporated
the block consists of the three original
elements, sand. gravel and cement
thoroughly mixed and amalgamated
and moulded into a form that will en-
dure as long as any known material
will endure.
Al cement building block is Of a ZEN
eral rectangular : rrh, having one 81 4
smoothly finished In some attractive
design and two eliptical holes running
through it parallel with the finished
side or face. These two holes. and the
nnis;.ed face, which as has been de-
gcrfbed, Is made rom finer grade Of
the concrete mixture moulded upon til
face plate, are the two elements which
contribute most largely TO the success
or concrete as building material II
cold and moist climates. The Veneer
as constructed & well made block II
pretty nearly waterproof, while the re.
Tnairder of the surface is very porous
and absorsb water readily. The TIVE