The Washington herald., 1912-03-20
BUILDING NEWS Gossip. asR !;

make q good hard mortar. than any 9TH
er known material OF similar utility.
When used as a plaster or stueco on
| any surface, freezing VIII not tn1ure
them, Providing they have had time TO
| develop initial hardening.
Being slightly hydraulic. water will not
to damage TO plastering from leak in roof
| or plumbing. On the contrary, such wet
ting viii increase their strength.
They work as easily and trowei as
and as they set slowly. there . Is no
wastage, as the droppings can be- gath
cred up and used.
piled become practically waterproof after
they have Thoroughly set, or IN periods
OF from three weeks TO six months. de-
pendent on workmanship and sand used.
Alca lime mortars do not attack metal
lath. but on the contrary, preserve It.
Being practically white, or very pale
S cream; col3r , effects S can De S produced @ al
| tlon OF colored sands, and the darker
shades by use of suitable mortar colors.
When used in brick or masonry. Alca
lines develop strengths far in excess of
ordinary lime mortars, admitting of the
Use, II desired. of very wide joints. hard
ening 30 rapidly that there is no danger
Of these joints squeezing out
Considering the relative consumption Of
the various csmentitious materials now
IN general use, say fifteen years from
now l would anticipate considerable
These viii be either Of the puzzolan Port
land type now coming into use on the
Pacific Coast, notably In connection with
the construction of the Los Angeles aque-
duct. or Alca puzzolan cements made by
the mixtures Of lime with puzzolanic ma
terial and Alca. providing we are correct
in our belief that such a. mixture viii
give the necessary early hardening re-
quired by modern methods of construc-
ton. / would also anticipate possible
increase in the use OF improved natural
"a NAWN@9 NAaaA AWNNa 60
which considerable proportions of Port
land cement had been added and possibly
Alca, with a corresponding decrease in
the use of Portland cements. / would
also anticipate an increase in the use OF
lime and Alca lines for stucco and plas-
tering purposes, and corresponding de-
crease In the use OF gypsum plasters. /
would also anticipate an increase In the
use of Alca lines for the laying OF ma
sonry and brick work, and a correspond
ing decrease in the use OF Portland ce-
quite possible that the chemists in the
next few years may develop some modi-
fication in the composition of Portland
cement; reducing its lime content. and
may hold its paramount position.
I do not believe that there will be any
marked increase or revival in the use OF
natural cements per sc. that Is, natural
cements of the same type as those pro-
duced in the past. although 1 believe. II
their manufacturers had devoted the
same care and attention in the past to
improving their product as did the man
ufacturers of Portland cement. that their
quality could have been so improved as
to have prevented the decline In their
use that the past ten years has wit
messed. 1t may be possible that with the
Increase in the price of Portland cement.
which Believe TO be inevitable. as I do
not see how the manufacturers can af-
ford to continue selling II at the present
price. there Will be a revival of the de-
mand for natural cements. although even
in case Of an increase in the price of
Portland cement / would not expect this.
but rather the development Of puzzolan
cementS