The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-26
ADOBE BUILDINGS
OF EARLY TIMES
! nitive Structures Thought
&c Responsible for Con-
crete Construction.
DURABILITY IS FEATURE
MANY HOMES OF THIS NATURE
IN SOUTHWEST.

all or tho early homes IN SAT- Lake
were Of the cement adobe type. and
because Of the further fact that con
crete houses. believed % have had
their origin from or being patterned
after the cement structures, are now IN
vogue. the following from the Cement
Aac win doubtless be Of more than
III Is an open question what influ-
encc. n any, adobe construction, as car
ried on during centuries past. has oN-
crfcF In bringing about the present ex-
tcnEivc use Of concrete However. since
the basic principles involved and, 70 a
certain extent methods OF manufacture
are so very similar IN the case OF the
two materials. a. can scarcely be doubt
ed that the disclosure OF the possihil-
ftics 81 the lOng-farntliar adobe was. in
a. measure. responsible for pointing the
way 20 a vide range OF usefulness for
modern concrete.
some sections Of the United states.
notably the southwest afford indispu-
table evidence not only Of the early orr
gin OF adobe constructions on this con
tincnt. but also OF its great durability
under favorable conditions The pri-
mcval Indians employed a IN providing
the aboriginal houses OF New Mexico.
and The spanish conquerors relied on II
almost exclusively Tor the mission
churches and other structures which
they erected.
"in the city OF santa Fe. y NJ. the
oldest city in the United states. Is
located the oldest house In the United
States (whofly OF adobe constructiOn)
and the famous church OF san Miguel.
the cradle 81 Christianity on the Amer
lean continent which was built I'm the
year 1910. on the plaza at Santa Pc
stands the famous palace an adobe
structure built IN 1898. and which was
FOR more than 300 years the office OF
che Spanish. Mexican and American
governors. The building. although IL
rae received scant care Is IN perfect
state Of preservation today and most
OF its rooms. whose sforicd walls a
tale might unfold are occupied stin.
How Adobe l. Prepared
In the southwest. and particularly in
largely IN the hands Of the laboring
classes. The ordinary brown clay soil
is moistened ia pits and chopped straw
mixed with the substance In mixing
the mud and straw the Mexican uses
hir feet and hands freely. though tools
Of crude construction supplement these
when needed. An American usually
employs an ordinary garden hoe for
mixing the mud. and frequently the
mud is allowed 20 stand over night
before Il is put into the moids, by
means Of which 20 IS fashioned into the
blocks or 'adOhcE.' a simple wooden
frame is used as a mold. and rs wet
thoroughly before each operation to
prevent the mud from adhcrinE to IT.
The mold IS placed flat on the ground.
but layer Of straw is first interposcd
to prevent the new and soft adobe from
rcuuifinE with the earth.
The average frame has either three
or six compartments. enabling the
HiTuulfIncuua manufacture or tn0l
1mhcr OF adobe bricks. In the cass
of n three compartment holding frame
each compartment Is usually two rect In
length. one foot wide and four inches
deep. six compartment mold. on thf
other hand. IS ordinarily OF such d.
mensions as 90 enable the turning out
Of each operation OF half r. dozen bricks
each rs inches long. a inches IN width
and 4 inches deep. After having beer
turned out OF the mold the abodes ar,
allowed 60 lie upon the ground In
order to harden under the direct rays OF
the sun. SO rapid is the manipulation
that after days work the ground. q
the extent nf a COuEid crahle area. u
covered with the fOreTunncrs OF tht
modern concrete block.
The direct rays OF the sun In south.
crn climcs impart. OF course, very In
tense heat. and ere long the upper sur
faces Of the abodcs begin 90 dry. TIT
blocks are then turned on edge ans
other faces exposed. After several turn
inEs they are sufficiently hardened to ~
used for building purposes. AS a rule
nbodcs are made on the ground wherl
the building for which they are intende'
is 60 be erected. and adobe mud IS use,
as mortar. Tn the adobe bricks tn
presence Of small stones is no detrimcn'
but pebbles must not be allowed In IN
mortar as they prevent sinking Il
AROUND the bricks and a level bearinl
between courses.
Allows Rapid Construction.
I'm the better class Of adobe struc
lures a foundation is provided by max
fnE an excavation ~ 60 rs inches wild
on the lines OF the walls and filling {
with stone. laid up about one foot abov
ground. Great care must be used TO &c
good bearing for the stones. Adob
lends itself or course. TO very raui
construction, but 10 rs not deemed wis
90 build too quickly lest the weigh