Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1918-06-22
A CONCRETE VILLAGE BUILT OF
SLABS BY A DERRICK

crete houses cast in pieces and then assem-
bled are apparently both practical and in
expensive. This method of building in
"units' has been employed for some time
to erect large industrial structures, but it
is now being used, it is asserted, for the
first time in group Of dwellings in Youngs-
town, Ohio. We quote from descriptive
article in The Engineering News Record
(New York; according to which the ex-
pense Of moving and handling the slabs is
more than offset by reduction in the cost
of forms and the possibility of operating
the concrete-plant continuously. Says the
writer:
'Precast slabs, poured in a yard and
erected by traveller, are being used for the
first time in this country to construct dwell
ing houses. The so-called unit method Of
concrete construction is being sue
cessfully applied to the construction Of 146
dwellings for the first section of commun-
ity center east Of Youngstown,
Ohio. This settlement marks one of the
first attempts to provide living quarters of
a permanent and inexpensive type which
will be comfortable, sanitary, and practical
ly fre-proof. The success Of the experiment
is made possible by the almost indestruct-
ible character of the buildings, and by the
low cost which could be secured through
erecting large number of houses at one
operation.
1.-The method Of construction allows the
concrete-plant to operate continuously, re-
CARELESS Of the progress of the other work,
and greatly reduces the cost of forms. These
advantages, according to the contractor,
much more than offset the added cost of re-
handling and erecting the slabs after they
are cast, which is the only item that would
not be required if the houses were poured
in place. The use Of concrete casting plat
forms, graduated slag-cores for forming hol-
low wall-slabs, and of a travelling erection
derrick, mounted on towers, characterizes
the work. .
''The dividing walls between houses are
hollow, while all other slabs cast are ribbed.
The exterior slabs are set with the smooth
face out and the ribs, with wood inserts,
form studs to which lath- and-plaster wall
is secured on the inside. The ceilings of
the basement and the first floor are beamed,
the smooth side of the slab being turned
up With the ceilings Of the second floor,
however, the ribbed sides Of the slabs are
turned up, leaving a smooht ceiling below.
The window and door openings are cast in
the wall-slabs but the window stills are cast
separately After the stills are placed, wood
en- door and window frames are fitted.
''The roof design is of timber framing
with one-inch plank sheathing, on which
red tile roof is nailed. The gable ends are
made with triangular concrete slabs. These
red gable roofs on the white buildings are
expected to give a very pleasing architec-
tural effect.
"a casting yard through which runs
trestle track from which the slabs can be
cast by chuting from side gate car is laid
out at the top Of the hill, where it will not
interfere with any Of the houses now being
built. Parallel to the trestle and located
on the uphill side is a standard guage track
for the locomotive crane which stacks and
handles the slabs. Up hill from this, on the
side toward the street by which materials
are received and near the middle of the
yard, is located the concrete plant. This
consists of two-bag batch mixer supplied
with material by a car on narrow-g uage
track which runs beneath bins into which
motor trucks dump the sand and crushed
oh