Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-16
NEW ENTERPRISE ron MAR.
sHALLroWN GIVES PROMISE
OF EXPANSION.
MAKING SEWER PIPE AND
TILE FROM CLIFFORD CLAY
Exhaustive Tests Made with Il Have
Proved Il Admirably Adapted For
Sewer Pipe and cIay-Hew These
Products Are made-De.eription Of
Property and Equipment.

The opening of new industry that
is manufacturing product that has
never been turned out before by any
factory OF this city. such as the recent
beginning Of operations at the plant
OF the Marshalltown Sewer Pipe and
Tile Company, Is worth more than
mere passing notice. The public gen.
orally appreciates the Importance of
such an industry and hopes that it
and it's business may grow to large
proportions
Those who were acquainted with the
old pottery plant in the days when
futile Efforts were being made to turn
out stoneware from It would not rec
osntze the interior of the present plant
as being one and the same. And it is
not. Since last July a force of work
men has been kept busy rehabilitating
and remodeling the interior OF the
buildings and installing machinery. and
equipment.
Now Making Sewer Pipe and Tile.
The factory is now working every
day making sewer pipe and tile and
accommodating stock which it expects
to be able to sell not only in Iowa but
in the adjoining northwestern states.
The selling is to be done from this city,
and a sales manager who will have
charge of this department will be en-
ployed soon.
In addition to the site occupied by
the factory, which covers two acres Of
ground. the company owns twelve acres
Of clay deposits at Clifford and has an
option for the purchase of sixty acres
more adjoining. Exhaustive tests have
been made with this Clifford clay and
it has been found admirably adapted
for sewer pipe and tile.
Preparing Clay For Ues.
The company has made traffic ar
rangements with the Iowa Central by
which the clay will be brought from the
clay pits at Clifford and delivered to the
factory in gonGola cars equipped with
a dumping device, that does away with
hand labor In unloading.
From the dump, where 1t Is left by
the car, the clay is conveyed on
twenty four inch belt to dry pan"
where it is ground and thoroughly
mixed. 1t Is elevated from there to q
200-ton capacity storage bin. from
which it Is fed thru spouts into two
"wet pans" These latter are receptacles
eight feet in diameter. Water is there
added to the clay and 1t lis mixed 70
the proper consistency and made ready
for use. When this has been accom-
plished it is automatically elevated to
the third floor to begin it's journey
downward, during which 1t is converted
from shapeless clay into sewer pipe or
tile.
Presses Make tho Tile.
The clay, now ready for use after
being lifted to the third floor. is de-
livered as needed by means of an auto
matte feeder into the clay cylinder Of
the steam power press. A pressure Of
400 pounds to the square inch is exerted
on 1t as it is forced thru dies (molds)
where it Is given the shape Of the fin
ished product. Amy sized pipe, ranging
from three to thirty-six inches IN
diameter, and Of proportionate length
can be made by this machine, by mere
ly changing dies. The raw tile thus
made are then placed on the slotted
floors Of the dry rooms to remain until
sufficiently dried to be placed in the
kins to be burned, vitrified and glazed.
This latter process hardens and makes
the pipe water proof
Utilize Waste Heat.
The main building. 9ox125 feet. and
three stories in height, is all used for
drying the raw" pipe. The heat gen
Grated in the kilns. after 1t has served
It's purpose Of burning the tile. is drawn
off and carried thru an underground
tunnel to the first floor by means of a
fourteen-foot fan This heat filters up
thru the floors of the building and dries
the pipe fresh from the press. The
exhaust steam from the pipe press and
engines used in the plant is also used
in this drying process.
The machinery equipment of the fac
tory is as follows:
Two steam boilers. one 72x216 inches
and one 66x192 inches
One 500 horse power Cookson heater.
One 175 horse power Corliss engine.
One ten horse power electric light
engine.