Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-07-30
TWO MILLION
BRICK MERCER
GAINESVILLE Man to Head the
Big Corporation,
IS PURELY OHIO ORGANIZATION
Economies Possible Through Merger
Will Reduce the Cost Of Paving
Brick, It is claimed-ohio Leads
the Nation In Paving Production.

VIII Reduce the Cost OF Paving
Brick, It is claimed-ohio Leads
the Nation In Paving Production.
GAINESVILLE, O.-(Special.) )-Impetus
Is given to the good roads movement
by a merger of the largest paving
brick, fire and building brick, coal and
molding sand industries in this city
into a $2,O0O,O0O corporation.
The merger will be known as the
Burton-Townsend company, and the
nationwide movement for good roads,
it is claimed, is directly responsible
for the big corporation. The public
will be interested in the development
because of it's effect on production suf-
ficient to build roads and the cost OF
brick for building roads.
Ohio, because of the shale formation
in the state, has become the center
of the paving brick business, and it is
predicted that what steel did in is
palmiest days for Pennsylvania the
brick business will do for Ohio.
Rufus C. Burton, who is at the head
of the combination, has been in the
brick business for thirty-three years.
and is the son-in-law of Thomas b.
Townsend, who made the first vitri-
fed brick in this country. Mr. Bur
ton is president of the Ohio board Of
charities and corrections, bank di'
rector, and is interested in progress
sive movements throughout the state.
The Burton-Townsend company
takes over the Northern and Monitor
Coal companies, which operate 5000
acres of coal land adjacent to the
brick plants; the Brown Molding Sand
company and other concerns, esti-
mated to have undeveloped property
worth $3O,O00,00O
Never Lost Faith.
Mr.. Burton, discussing the merger
said: 81 believe the brick industry as
the busiest industry in the country CT
this time. 1t has been said that you
can measure civilization by the roads.
and the good roads movement simply
represents crystallization of senti-
ment in keeping with the progress
that is being made in all lines of en-
deavor The corporation just formed
Is not for the purpose of controlling
the industry, but to work out econo-
mics and production commensurate
with the development of the day. We
have brick machines today that turn
out 100000 brick every ten hours, and
we are installing steam shovels like
those used in the construction Of the
Panama canal, that will not only en-
| ohla to hri0I- 10
scale to meet the demand, but at
cost that will make good roads possl-
BILE all over the country. From the
day that l whacked the blind mule
over the back in grinding the clay TO
make the first paving brick thirty
years ago, | have never lost faith that
some time the people would realize
the necessity for good roads and their
cheapness in the long run. I am frank
enough to say that the introduction of
the automobile has probably done
more than any other thing to secure
good roads.
I'm my judgment, the brick busi-
ness and other lines of clay products
will equal the steel business, the brick
business today ranking only second TO
coal and iron as freight commodity.
The purpose OF our corporation is sim
ply to provide not only for today, but
for the future. The new corporation
owns about all of the available sha.e
around GAINESVILLE and this makes
economical production possible.
Ohio Brick In Mexico.
"The general public probably does
not know that paving block made in
Ohio is in front of the presi-
dents palace in Mexico City. In the
Chevy Chase model highway con
structed by the United States govern
ment at Washington Ohio brick were
used.
Ohio is the producing center of the
brick industry and practical demon
stration has shown that in no other
state can be found shaie in such guam
titles or qualities for paving block
than that which exists in this state
"MusNngum county of the Buckeye
state is the second county in the Unit
I'd States in the value of it's clay prod
utcs, as shown by government reports,
and one of the things that the good
roads agitation has done is to acquaint
the people of the nation with the value
of the shale deposit of the state"
Associated with Mr.. Burton in ac
tive management of the new company
will be C. A. Case of Cleveland and
GAINESVILLE, and L. X. Brown, who has
long been identified with the molding
sand business of the country.