Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-09
CEMENT PAST AND PRESENT
Water oondults of ephssus and
Smyrna Built Of Material That Has
the Moderns euesslns--oreat
Roadbed Controversy
BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN


ment industry in recent years is something
remarkable.
I've been looking it up. and Mr.. MacI,ridc
didn't overstate his case.
Between 1893 and 1918. a matter Of
twenty years. the value of the production
leaped from approximately $2,5OO, 900 in
the entire country to S44 ,O00, 900 in Penn =
sylvania alone.
In half century. from 1850 10 1893,
Europe furnished the country with pretty
much all the Portland cement It used.
1t was not until 1897 that the production
that of the imported.
In that year we manufactured 2.272, ,971
barrels Of Portland cement and imported
2,O9O, 160 barrels.
Il was the first time in our history this
had been done.
Foreign cement has never been able to
regain the ground it then lost.
pHILADEI.PH1A. as usual. led the
L country in displaying its faith in the
home made article.
nS io1nc hostered BY foreign manufac
ods or manufacture. aided in creating dis
trust IN the value Of the American cement.
ferhaps 1t wasn't so good and SO attrac-
tive looking as the foreign article thirty
years ago.
That accounts for the fact that in 1903
only 100000 barrels of Portland cement
wcr" manufactured In the entire country.
one OF the first buildings of any size in
which the American cement was used cx-
tcnsively was in the Drcxel Building, at
titth and Chestnut streets, this city.
Before that. however, Captain Andrews.
OF Allegheny City. who was the construction
chief for James d. Eads when he built the
mississippi jetties, used American cement in
that work.
Another drawback to the introduction of
American cement was the cost.
1t could not, at first, be manufactured so
chcaply as the foreign product.
Ihat helped to intensity this prejudice
against IT: The last quarter of century
has seen the marvellous change spoken Of by
Mr.. Macl5ride.
Portland cement by the million barrels is
turned out in this country, with the result
that the foreign product has been practically
driven from the market.
THERE is one thing about this now
l. universal necessity in construction in
dustTies. no one has yet been able to pierce
the mystery Of the cement Of the ancients.
Samples used by the ancients have been
anal!zed with unsatisfactory results.
Some years ago cement from the water
conduts about Ephesus and Smyrna were
subjected to chemical analysis.
They all were found to be quite similar in
composition.
This was noteworthy in view of the fact
that the waterworks from which the speci-
mems were taken dated from a period several
centuries before the Christian era to 800
years after.
Chief among the constituents of these
samples was carbonate of lime, having mixed
with it from to S per cent of organic ma.
terial
The latter was found to consist Of com.
pound Of fatty acids.
Experiments to discover the secrets We're
made.
4 cement made Of burned lime and linsecd
or olive oil did not prove permanent.
:. mixture Of two. thirds of air. slaked
lime and one third olive oil hardened well
and showed great endurance.
1t was considered likely that this was. in
part at least. the secret of the ancient
ccmcnts.
THE popularity Of cement as building
l. material has advanced tremendously in
the last decade.
In the matter OF road building, the same
Is true.
The asphalt interests have been opposing
the notion that cement highways are the
most durable and desirable.
Automobiles and motortrucks have revolu-
tonized road building.
Some months ago | noted the fact that
the Highway Department Of PENNSYLVANIA
pTopOScu 10 cOHHHp tSel1 TO concrete as the
most desirable material for permanent.
smooth and satisfactory roads.
Asphalt advocates at once took issue with
this and set forth the admirable qualities of
asphalt highways
w +. ROSENGARTEN. traffic engineer
w. of the Asphalt Association, declared
that:
IAN asIhhalt surface provides not only n
wearing course. but n cushion that nbsorbs
the shock impact and reduces the shatterins
effect on the rigid main structure Of the
street.
Now comes Mr.. MarBrde. who saws. as
the apostle OF cement:
'Thc Bureau of Public Roads has found.
after an exhaustive series of tests thar
COMPARED to the amount Of impact absorbed
by the rubber tire OF the vehicle, the amount
taken up by the asphalt surface is negligible
'Ihe characteristics of n street pavement
arc determined by the materials Of which
1t is made.
1.-The universal usc of cement as the
foundation, or base material for city streets
places the vast ma jOrity of American city
pavcments In the class of rigid payements.
This Is not accidental, but the result of
long years OF experiences in every section
of the country.
THIS is not conSortium on cement
L pavcments or rigid highways.
Far be it. when the finest engineering
skin and common sens" Of grent States arc
seeking 10 secure the best material for the
best roads. that I should mix in.
Let George II. Bi'cs and other eminent
technirians like him boil their own mutton
in that regard.
But W. Il. Rosrnrarten discussed asphait
roads in October last with me. and now Mr.
MacBride talks cement Highways.
Summarized, some Of the good points Of
which every wcA -hult concrete unvemenl
Is visible demonstration. as Mr.. MacBridc
would say are:
Ease of traction. comparative low first
cost. durability, duStlessncss.
Safety mons skid md ease of illumna-
ton and high visibility at night.
"Fase of maintaining In n clean and
sanitary condition, freedom from patents
and ROYALTIES, availability Of materials rc.
ourcd In its construction
"C'heapless and ease Of maintenance
suitability for widening or rcpaving with
new cement.
..Thc facility and noatnosS with Which
openings may be closed; ct cctcra. ct cetcra,
ct cetcra.'