The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-08-06
BRICK CONCERNS
IN BIG MERCER
Corporation Is Capitalized
at $2,CCD,GcOO.
PLANTS LOCATED IN OHIO

Deposlts--Brick Not Far Behind
Coal and Steel Industries of ths
Country.
GAINESVILLE, O.-(Special) Interest
was aroused among advocates of the
good roads movement and brick manI-
facturers Ly the announcement of the
formation of a S2,OO0,0OO merger of
the principal brick, sand fire-clay ard
coal industries of this city.
The new company includes the
Townsend concern, one of the largest
in the United States, the Northern and
Monitor Coal companies. owning AMI
operating 5000 acres Of coal land; che
Brown Sand company, and other cou-
Germs.
Rufus G. Burton, who has been
identified with the Townsend interests
for over thirty years, will be the pres
ident of the new company. He said
There is no effort in this merger
for the control of the brick business.
1t is based upon economical manufac-
ture, and the public will get the ben
eft. | want to make this statement
emphatic, there is no disposition 10
increase prices because of the tre-
mendous demand resulting from tho
construction of new highways. If there
is any effect on prices it will be to re-
duce prices. because the merger will
work great economics.
1T is not my purpose to dilate upon
our business, or to set forth other
than the general plans. but it is sdtfi-
cient to say that our equipment and
capital will be sufficient to produce
brick at the lowest possible cost
Use Panama Canal Methods.
"The company owns shale, sand and
coal lands worth $30,OO0,000. To give
the public an idea Of the economics
possible under this merger | might
say that the introduction of a steam
shovel, such as was used in the con-
struction of the Panama canal, will 10
the work of fifty men, but it is impos-
sible to operate steam shovel for one
small brick concern. The steam shOv-
ell, such as we will install. will dump
l.I . ,l, a.
What is true an this direction Is true
in many others, and there is no rea
son why roads should not be con-
struCted so cheaply that mire and
muck shall be thing of the past.
The achievements in the building
Of good roads and the growth Of sen
timent fal oTable to good roads are
very gratifying to me, because, for
over thirty years, | have supported
this movement. This has not been
because | have been in the brick busl-
ness. but because believe that you
can measure the progress Of civillza.
tjon by hiGhway developments. Good
roads will enable us to support cen
traIized schools, will bring the prod
ucts OF the farms to the congest1d
cities. and viii do more than any other
thing to reduce the high cost of l.v-
ing.
This site Is the center of the
brick industry, because we have tie
right kind of shale to manufacture
durable brick. 1t is not commonly
known, but it is fact, that in othe:
sections of the country shale is mixed
with a mineral deposit that destroys
durability.
The government reports show To-
day that in freight tonnage Goa! is
first, steel second and brick third, |
with brick rapidly gaining on the other |
two My prediction is that the brick
business viii be put on the same basis
as the steel industry; that the quality
will be constantly bettered, that prices
will be reduced commensurate with
the cost OF production, and that the |
supply will meet the demand.
Ohio paving brick are recognized as
standard throughout the world When
Carranza reaches the City of Mexico |
and enters the presidents palace, 1t |
will be on brick manufactured in Ohio, |
and in the model government highway
at WASHINGTON will be found brick |
from this state.
Ohio Rich In Shae.
"Ohio has untold wealth in its shale |
deposits; in my judgment as great as
the iron deposits of the northwest |
When | began in the brick business |
thirty-three years ago We turned the |
mill with a mule and with hand |
presses made a few hundred brick a |
day. Today in one of our plants sin |
gle machine cuts 100000 bricks every
ten hours"
"Muskingum county, O., is the sec.
Ond county in the United States liz
the value OF its clay products. IS |
shown by government reports. and ore |
OF the things that the good roads Agi. |
tation has done is to acquaint the peo- |
pie of the nation with the value of lha |
shale deposit of Ohio"
Associated with Mr.. Burton in tha |
management of the Burton-TownseCi |
company will he l.. K. Brown, Pre- i
duction engineer, and A. G. Case o;
Cleveland, WEo fer twenty years nl5