Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1911-07-11
PLANT
IN OPERATION
NEW INDUSTRY, FOR LEWIS
TOWN IS AN ESTAB-
LISHED FACT.
HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE
Fifty Thousand High Grade Brick
Will Be Turned Out Daily-Plant
Represents An Investment of Fifty
Thousand Dollars, Most of Which
Was Put Up by Local Investors.

A new industry was added to the
list OF business enterprises in Lewis
town last week, when the big brick
plant, located near the depot, start
ed operations. A few brick were run
through about ten days ago in order
to try out the machinery, after which
the plant was closed down for a few
days while some adjustments were
made. Everything is now working
smoothly and LewistoWn is now pre-
pared to supply all OF this portion OF
Montana with some OF the highest
grade building material manufactured
anywhere.
Plant Very Complete.
Through the courtesy OF Superin-
tendent John Grettencort and Gene
Lane, who is treasurer Of the COM
pany, representative Of the DEM
ocrat was shown through the plant
last week and had explained to him
the processes through which the red
shale is transformed into perfectly
formed brick.
Brick Making Process.
The company owns rs acres OF land,
all of which is underlaid with de-
post of shale, the depth of which has
never been determined, but sufficient
development work has been done to
indicate conclusiyely. that the tract
contains enough material to keep the
| mill running at several times It's
| :..:A 4: II The
big mill is located at the foot OF
hill of solid shale and the expense
of mining the material will be COM
paratively small item Of cost. A track
has been built into an open cut in the
side of the shale bank AS the work
progresses, tunnel will be run ur-
der the hill and the bed Of shale de-
veloped easily and cheaply.
The shale is run on to a hoist.
dumped into the crusher, and after
being crushed to fine particles, is
transferred automatically to the pug
mill, where it is mixed with water.
1t is then subjected to high pressure
and carried to the cutting machinery,
where it is sliced up into the proper
shape. The brick are dried by the
forcing of draft OF hot air on them
bv means of 15-horsepower motor,
which drives big fan at the intake,
and a 7H-horsepower motor, which
operates a fan that sucks the air
through from the other end Of large
concrete tunnel over six feet in
diameter.
Six Big Dry Kilns.
After being subjected to this pro-
cess, the brick are placed in the air
tight dry kilns, OF which there are six
already built, each kiln having a
capacity OF $500 brick. They remain
in here for from 48 to So hours and
then are practically ready for use
Six additional dry kilns will be con-
structed as the need for them be-
comes manifest.
$4,000 Brick Daily Output.
As at present constituted, the plant
has a capacity OF $4,000 brick in one
eight-hour shift This capacity can
and doubtless will be, greatly in
creased within short while. AT
present, only building brick will be
manufactured, but before the end OF
another year, additions will be made
whereby pressed brick, paving brick,
tiling and other natural products OF
such an establishment can be made
The machinery was manufactured
by the American Clay Machinery
company, of Bucyrus, Ohio, and COM
prises all Of the latest Improvements
in that line. Manager Grettencort
says that there is not better plant
of the sort anywhere. and with a
superior quality of shale, he is con-
ident that the Lewistown works will
be able to turn out brick which will
compare favorably with the product
of any other plant in the United
States.
Big Business Promised.
| Already the company has in sight
orders for several million brick 1t
is their intention to make a strong
bid for brick orders in all parts OF
the state and the officers are con-
hdent that the day is not far distant
when the local plant will be supply
ing a large portion of the brick trade
not only in Montana. but in several
of the adjoining states.
The plant. when in full operation
will employ from 20 to Is men. and
as the company expands its business
and OUTPUT. this number will be cor
respondinglv increased until it shall
speedily grow into an industry tht
payroll of which will be big facto,
in the business life of Lewistown.