The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-16
Large Cement Products Plant
Is Important Fargo Industry
DAKOTA ENGINEERING AND CONTRACTING HAS
PERHAPS THE LARGEST CEMENT PRODUCTS PLANT WEST or
cHlcAoo-NEw SYSTEM FOR MAKING BLOCKS.

since the time Of the Ptoimeys. the
great dynasty OF kings that built the
world famous pyramids in Egypt.
thousands OF years ago. concrete is the
only building material in general use
that has proved age-proof, fire-proof,
and immune TO the ordinary destruc-
tive forces.
The present age is a cement age and
ingenious American builders have
produced the one perfect form of con-
crete construction In the cement block,
varied in size and shape and made in
the many colors popular for building in
imitation of the granite, marble, sand
stone and most desirable finishes to
meet the various demands of builders.
Cement construction of cement blocks
is much superior to the old form OF
solid concrete construction. The pres
emit day blocks are made to build a
wall have hollow air space to save
material yet keep out moisture and
give as great strength az in the solid
wall.
\ The cement block industry did not
prosper in its early stages because the
only appliances offered to the public
were molds for making, by the labor
| ious methods of hand -tamping, blocks
of damp sand and cement, instead OF
| true concrete material The resulting
blocks were weak, porous and more or
less unsightly, according to the skill of
the individual manufac turers.
| Probably the most interesting and
best equipped plant for making cement
products that can be found west OF
Chicago is that of the North Dakota
En- engineering e. Contracting Company
| located at Twelfth and Front streets,
Fargo. This company is supplying
/ great quantities of blocks to builders
in Fargo and throughout the state. 1t
is estimated that hundreds Of homes in
Fargo have these blocks in some part
| CASUALLY the foundation) of their con-
struction. The first house of concrete
blocks ever built in Fargo was erected
! by this company. The men active in
4 the management of this company are
general contractors and builders of
long and successful experience. e. j.
| Chilson, general manager and w. FL.
Aymar, secretary and treasurer, are
both well known in this city and in
the state as men of broad capacities
and wide experience in their lines. Mr..
Chilson has had long and wide exper-
fence in engineering and cement con-
struction. Mr.. Aymer has been build
err and contractor in Fargo for thirty
years. He is man who has thorough
understanding of every branch of the
general contracting business.
| The new and improved machinery
used by this company was designed by
J. A. Ferguson of Denver, and a wall
built by this system was the only one
granted a gold medal of award at the
st. Louis exposition. f. e. Kidder.
author of Kidder's Handbook for Ar
cEitects. has voiced unqualified approx
al of these blocks as a superior mater
ial for all classes of structures.
In the process of making the blocks,
the machinery almost entirely elimi-
mates the need of labor; ut being nec-
essary only to rake the material into
the hopper from the overhead plat
form on which 1t has been deposited
by the mixer, to apply pressure and to
carry away the blocks. A wet material
is used made up of gravel and cement,
the stones going through an inch
screen with sufficient smaller material
to thoroughly fill voids. Water is
flushed to the surface and by the
100000 pounds OF pressure applied to
the wet material. For fine exterior
work a quarter-inch facing Of fine sand
and cement is used, and both the body
and face pressed at one time under
100000 pounds pressure.
This system makes two piece block
that provides for two walls in one, an
outer and an inner wall, space being
left between the end of webs, forming
continuous horizontal air chamber,
through which moisture cannot pass.
The result is an absolutely dry wall to
which plaster or decorations may be
applied without Turing, and a building
in which one may live without danger
to health.
This wall contains about the strong
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