Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-12

r.. II. Minton
ham wares. In 1926, the Jersey
Porcelain G. Earthenware Company
was established in the town Of Jersey
| Of Bergen county. In 1928, a pot
terry was established at South Am
boy. In 1881 Horner & Shirley were
engaged in the manufacture of flint
stoneware in New Brunswick. Vari-
| GUS other plants were established
from time to time throughout the
| state. The real growth of the pot
terry industry started, however, with
the concentration of factories in
Trenton.
The beginning in Trenton was
made in 1852 when James Taylor
| and Henry Speeler commenced the
manufacture Of yellow and Rocking
ham wares. Probably the first plant
to make cream-colored ware and
porcelain in Trenton was h a of
| William Young & Sons, erected in
1853, although it seems possible that
a porcelain factory existed in Phila-
delphia as early as 1870. In former
years, the bulk of the ware manu-
featured in Trenton was white Wire,
but in late years there has been a
marked tendency to turn to h pro-
duction of chinaware, electrical por-
| celain and especially sanitary ware.
Sanitary Ware
Especial mention should be made
Of sanitary ware because of the
| prominence of New Jersey in its
manufacture. The first successful
manufacturer of sanitary ware in
America was Thomas Maddox who
began to manufacture it at Trel-to1
in 1878. How well he built is evil
denced by the present standing In
the trade by the Thomas Maddox Dc
Sons Co. From this beginning. in
1873, the industry has expanded to
| some twenty-five plants in this state
and about sixty-five in the entire
country. There are approximately
GO00 employees engaged in this work
and the yearly production value is
between $685. 00. 900 and $4,000, 900.
Floor and Wall Tile
The first manufacturer OF orna-
| mental tile was the Harris Mfg. co.
organized in 1882. Shortly afterward
the name was changed to the Trent
Tile Company. The P~rovidential
| Tile Works first began operation in
| 1886, followed by Robertson Tile
Comp4ny in 1890. The tile industry
| has been one of the best in recent
years and there has been a continued
expansion in plant output.
Fire Brick and Hollow TTe-So
| far as can be determined fire brick
seem to have been made first in 1879.
| 1t is known certainly that Jersey fire
| cIays were used as early as 1916 for
making brick. The Oldest anthem
tic fire brick plant was the old Sala-
mander Works established at Wood
| bridge in 1925. This works long since
| ceased to exist. In 1888 fire brick
, were made by John Watson at Perth
Amboy. Hollow ware was first made
by Henry Maurer & Sons on the site
of their present works.
Architectural Terra Cotta-New
Jersey has been a leader in the man
| ufacture of architectural terra Gotta.
This enduring building material has
been used to some extent from early
| antiquity in Europe and as early as
the fifteenth century in England.
Its manufacture was not begun in
this country until about 1886 when it
was started by A. Hall &c Son at
| Perth Amboy. The name seems to
have been changed in 1S49 to the
Hall Terra Gotta Works. In 1879
this company was organized as the
| Perth Amboy Terra Gotta Co. The
industry Is peculiarly fortunate In
having ample supplies of splendid
clays, and in being located close to
large markets.
Statistics of Production
In order to give an idea of the
importance of New Jersey in the
production of ceramic wares, I have
| compiled a series of tables from gov
eminent statistics covering the prin-
cipal products in the years 1900 to
1920. These include total clays, fire
clays, fire brick, pottery. white ware,
chinaware, sanitary ware electrical
porcelain, architectural terra Gotta,
hollow building tile and fire proofing,
floor and wall tile, common brick,
brick and tile. face brick, drain tile,
vitrified brick and blocks, sewer pipe
and miscellaneous products.
1t would be too tedious to go into
detailed explanation Of these tables.
| With the exception Of sewer pipe,
vitrified brick and drain tile New
Jersey Is prominently represented in
every branch. The best way to get
a comprehensive idea of comparative
figures is by a chart. I have. there
fore, compiled charts showing rela-
lions of the various states by produce
ton curves.
Total Clay Production-(Chart ~
The curves represent total clay
production of the leading states, j. e.,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri,
Georgia and Ohio. New Jersey is
shown az the leading state in point
of total production from 1900 to
1918. Since that date Pennsylvania
and Missouri have rapidly increased
their production until P~ennsylva-
mia has taken the lead. This COM
parison is very nicely shown in the
percentage of total production, New
Jersey having produced Al per cent
in 1900. and only 20 per cent in 1920,
although maintaining second place.
Pennsylvania has Increased its pro-
duction from 81 per cent to 80 per
cent in 1920. Missouri has just about
maintained its percentage from
1900 to 1920. This chart is quite
interesting in showing by it's breaks
the points of business depression in
1904, 1908, 1911, 1915 and 1919. 1t
Is quite remarkable the rapidity of
growth that is shown in the output
following the war or from 1915 to
1920.
Fire Clays. (Chart No. y
In the production Of fire clays,
Pennsylvania. New York and Mis-
1900 to 1919, but in 1920 Pennsyl-
vania has made a considerable in
crease over the other two states.
Looking at the percentage ratios we
find that New Jersey dropped from
so per cent to ~. per cent Of the