Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-05-02
A New Berkeley County Industry.

L
The publisher OF the Register, in COM
pany with Messrs. H. c. Marten and
Stuart Criswell, had pleasant outing last
Monday as guests Of Hon. ]. P. Kearfott,
of Kearneysville. when a visit was made
to the plant of the Adamantine Clay Pro-
ducts Company at North Mountain. AT
Martinsburg the party was joined by Mr..
Chas. g. Cushwa, president OF the COM
pany, and Messrs. Levi M. Porter and
William and Howard Wilt, of Jefferson
county. The ride from Martinsburg to
the pretty little town Of Hedgesville,
about eight miles, is very delightful
one, the road being excellent and the
scenery most beautiful. The company's
plant is about a mile north OF Hedges
vile, Immediately on the main line OF the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, with two
switches leading into the works.
The plant is new and up-to-date es-
Enlistment for the manufacture OF vitri-
tied paving brick, and has just commenc-
ed operations. II is a most complete al
fair, admirably designed, substantially
constructed, and fitted up with the latest
Improvements in brick manufacturing
machinery. 1t is extremely instructive
and interesting to note the process OF
manufacture. The clay and shale are dug
from a pit, loaded into trucks, dumped
into the grinding hoppers, automatically
conveyed from one process to another,
to emerge finally in smooth column OF
material that is cunningly sliced into
bricks with wire knives. The bricks are
passed through drying house, where
the moisture is quickly absorbed, and are
then ready for the kilns. The permanent
kilns have not yet been erected, as the
company will use its own bricks in their
construction. Two kilns are now being
set for the first burning.
The capacity OF the plant is 10000
bricks daily, but there is provision to
quickly and economically double this
amount when demand tor the product re-
Quires it. Although the machinery has
but recently started up, everything is
working smoothly and satisfactorily, I'M
der the management of D. ]. Jenkins, the
capable superintendent, a man of much
experience in this business. 1t looks as
if this industry ought to grow and. pros
per greatly. 1t is, we are informed, the
only vitrified brick mandatory in this
section Of the East, and has large adj
vantage, therefore, in freight rates for
eastern delivery over the companies OPP
Grating in the western part of this State
and Pennsylvania. The shale from which
the bricks are made is said to be OF the
very highest quality. In supply it is in
exhaustible-a very mountain of it lying
right at the plant in such favorable Situa-
ton that it can be made to pour itself by
gravity into the hoppers for its first treat
ment. The fact that il can be so easily
mined and handled is great economical
advantage. A calculation has been made
showing that there is supply sufficient
to last for ATS years if bricks are turned
out at the rate of million month. Ii
was agreed that no one need worry yet
awhile about additional material.
The Adamantine Clay Products Com
pany is capitalized at 100000, and is
composed of substantial men of this
county and Berkeley. Chas. G.. Cushwa
is president, S. L. Dodd, vice-president,
A. d. Darby secretary and treasurer,
Henry H. Hess engineer, and D. J. Jen-
kins superintendent. John P. Kearfott
and Levi M. Porter, of Jefferson county,
are members of the board of directors.
The prospect for the development of a
large business here seems excellent.
The Register man greatly enjoyed the
trip of inspection, and is appreciative of
the courtesies of the officials.