The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-30
CEMENT USED BY
ROMANS AGES AGO
Carthagenians Made Aque-
duct of Volcanic Ash.

One hundred years ago, when Abra-
ham Lincoln, a lad of fifteen was
working on ferry on the Ohio river
for Sc month, an English brick
mason named Joseph Aspdin, poking
an inquisitive finger into the realm of
scientific research, brought out an idea
that revolutionized the building world.
In the files of the English patent office
Aspdin's idea is listed as patent No.
5082, and the record shows that 1t was
issued by His Majesty King George
the Fourth in 1924. The patent covers
ian Improvement in the modes of pro-
ducing an artificial stone" What it
really meant was that the bricklayer
had invented portland cement, for he
gave to his material the name port
land" because when it hardened 1t re-
sembled popular building stone found
on the island Of Portland. The name
has stuck ever since, and from Asp
din's discovery the modern portland
cement industry has been developed.
Although Aspdin was the original
discoverer of portland cement he
lacked score. of centuries Of being
the first user Of cementing materials
The Romans and Egyptians were past
masters in the art of constructing with
natural cements. Long before the
Holy Roman empire was even thought
of, the Carthagsnians had constructed
a 70-mile aqueduct in northern Africa,
using natural cement in the course Of
their work. The Romans were espe-
cially familiar with the use of this
material, and the dome Of the Pan
theon is probably one Of the best exist
ing specimens Of their concrete work.
On many of these old structures the
marks left by the wooden forms are
still visible.
The cement used by the ancients
was really gift Of the gods. 1t was
prepared for them by nature. and they
were not aware Of the chemical
changes the raw materials went
through that gave them their cement
ing qualities. What they did was to
mix Stacked lime with volcanic ash.
There were large quantities of this lat
ter material in southern Italy. The
volcanoes did for the Romans what
the giant kilns do in modern cement
manufacture. They burned the rock.
forming volcanic ash. and when this
burned material was mixed with
Stacked lime it made natural cement.
Vitruvius, architect for Augustus.
speaks of this material in a number of
his writings, while Pliny discourses at
length on the use of cement.
During the Dark Ages the secret of
the Romans was lost. along with 50
many other priceless treasures.
In the United States deposits of rock
suitable for the manufacture Of nat.
ural cement were discovered about
1918 in New York state. The building
of the Erie canal. which was com
pleted the year after Aspdin's discov-
cry. uncovered further deposits and
natural cement was soon being used
in various ways.
Another pioneer Thomas Millen Of
South Bend, Ind. was in the cement
sewer pipe business when he de-
cided to attempt to make portland ce-
ment. At the time he was importing
his cement from England. He would
drive into the country with his horse
and buggy and dig few pals of mari
from the lake region near Notre Dame
A pail of blue clay would be secured
from the bed of the ST. Joseph river.
and Millen would drive back to his
pipe plant with this material and mix
it by hand He would then burn II In
a piece of sewer pipe-probabIy the
first embryo use of rotary kiln. Later
he would grind the burned product In
q coffee mill. John X. Shinn. investi-
eating in Pennsylvania. used a hent
car axle, suspended from spring
pole, to hammer and crush his raw
materials. A crude grinding machine,
but it served its purpose for the time
being.
Sometimes an exploded theory