Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-06-08
POSSIBILITIES OF CEMENT.
A Clean, Durable, inexpensive Building
Material.

Portland cement Is the most tena-
cious building material or mortar
known. When properly mixed with
sand and crushed rock, gravel, or other
hard substances, it binds with grip
that makes the entire mass as hard
and imperishable as II it were cut from
solid stone. This manufactured stone
Is called concrete, and 1t has rapidly
become a principal building material
where strength and durability are de-
sired. AS concrete requires. in addi-
ton to cement, only the most common
place and easily procured materials
sand. stone and water-and Is simply
made, being merely mixed thoroughly
and allowed to remain in forms until
the hardening takes place, concrete
construction has had a wonderful
growth.
Many are interested in knowing what
the word Portland" stands for as ap-
piled to cement. Portland" Is mere
ly a generic name-a name given to
certain class Of cement because when
Joseph Aspdin Of Leeds, England, dis
covered the method Of making this ce-
ment, the product had a "fancied
though really slight resemblance to
the noted oolitic limestone from the
isle Of Portland, on the south coast OF
England; hence 1t seemed natural to
give the name Portland cement" to
the new product that looked 80 much
like Portland stone. There are now as
many different brands Of Portland ce-
ment as there are brands Of flour, and
there may be just as much difference
among Portland cements as among the
various grades Of sole leather or oak
timber.
The best grade Of Portland cement
has a tensile strength Of from 700 to
800 pounds while natural cement, the
strongest mortar material known up
to the discovery Of Portland cement
reached only about 225 pounds. More
over, concrete made of Portland ce-
ment continues for months, probably
for years, to gain strength. Just how
long it continues to gain strength Is
not definitely known, but it Is sufficient
to be assured as practically imperish-
able. The concrete structures are prac-
tically imperishable. The concrete
structures Of Ancient Egypt and Mexi-
CO are standing today well preserved.
Some idea Of the growth in the in
crease in the use Of Portland cement
may be gained from the fact that g.
$4,000 barrels were manufactured in
America in 1900. while the present
yearly output is close to 100000, 900
barrels.
The adoption Of Portland cement for
highway construction promises to rev.
olutionize road making, not only in
cities, but throughout rural districts.
This Is due to the fact that roads held
together by cement are not excessive
as to first cost, while they require min
imum outlay for repairs. The older
forms Of roads, in spite Of their solid
beds and constant supervision, go to
pieces when subjected to automobile
traffic. The rapidly revolving tires
disperse the rockdust or binding ma
terial, in clouds, and the stones, on ex-
posure, are ripped out and hurled aside
Concrete hardens both under water and
out Of it. 1t requires no repairs and no
painting; it is rat and mouse proof,
fireproof and windproof, secure against
other wares ard tears. Concrete is SOL
Id and sanitary; every rain washes 1t
white and clean. There are no cracks
for flies or disease. Housekeepers like
it, as it does away with tracked up
floors and dampness.
Forms can be made Of boards and
the boards used again and again. No
expensive tools are required. Mixing
concrete is simple-no Stacking or
seasoning to wait for. Just mix and
put into place, and the cement does the
rest of the work. Any handy man can
get first class results in scores of jobs
around the farm and home. The lead
ing cement dealers in every town have
hand books, for free distribution, that
give full instructions on the use Of ce-
ment. Here are only a few Of the
things that can be built with concrete:
Pavements, walks, driveways, feeding
Platforms floors, steps, tanks, bins, cis-
terms, cutters, pools, wallows, cellar
and window matches, culverts, fence
and gate posts, rollers, hot-bed frames,
chimneys and many other things.