Evening star., 1927-03-20
new PLANT CUTS
CATHEDRAL STONE
Construction Facilitated by
Force Fashioning Blocks
at Loughborough, Md.

A significant step in the construc-
ton of the Washington Cathedral
has been taken with the establish
ment at Loughborough, Md, of
stone cutting plant by the George A.
Fuller Co, where the blocks or lime
stone are to be shaped into finished
stones, each TO fill a particular place
In the cathedral fabric.
A working force of 80 men now is
employed but is only a nucleus of
the force which, soon will be engaged
in fashioning the cathedral stone.
These huge pieces of limestone are
Quarried in Bedford. Ind. and are
sent by freight directly to the Lough-
borough plant and are piled outside
the long mill building just as they
come from the quarry, graded from
the best buff to the variegatAd kind,
which is cheaper but which cannot
be used for face work on the cathe-
dral. The blocks have been carefully
selected. They range in weight from
10 to 20 tons. The capstones are cut
from 35-ton blocks.
100000 Tons Of Stone.
Some idea of the magnitude of the
task can be obtained from the fact
that the finished cathedral will con-
tain approximately 100000 cubic feet
tons.
Inside the stone mill the blocks first
are sawed into the required number
OF stones either by wire saw, a soIl
steel continuous cable passing over
the block, or by the gang saws. mild
steel saw blades without teeth. Water
plays over the block, containing SAND
and steel shot, and this process brings
the stone into approximately finished
sizes.
The stones then are carried to the
planers, where the steel cutting tools
give them a definite finish and shape,
following the zinc patterns made from
the architects details.
Hand Work on CapstOnes.
The only hand work being done at
the Bethesda mill just now is on the
pier capstones, which are heavily
moulded and of special size. For this
purpose use is made of a machine
known as a milling tool, which also
does the delicate Gothic tracery in
window work. The arch work and
curved stones will be gotten out on CIR
cular planers, worked to true circle
and slashed up with carborundum CIR
cular saws.
The gang saw literally wears away
a stone at the rate of 10 to 15 inches
an hour. Overhead in the long mill
chamber is an electric travelling crane,
which moves the huge mononthic
cubes about as easily as a giant might
toss child's building blocks.
That nothing may go amiss, each
stone is numbered and has diagram
plan which, as it's life story, follows
1t through the shop until 1t is finished.
This diagram plan is filed away where
1t can be referred to at any time.
Complete Records Kept.
The life-story plan of the individual
stone contains the designation of the
machine which has cut it, the operator
and the time when 1t was started and
completed. 1t also serves as a cost
record. The diagram is exact as to
size to the sixteenth of an inch.
A record also is available of just
where each stone ultimately is to find
it's place in the Cathedral fabric. Con-
tact is kept with each stone until 1T
actually is fitted into place.
The establishment OF the stone |
cutting plant so close to the actual
site of building operations is expected
10 bring about a considerable saving |
in time and labor.
Every stone in the Cathedral plan |
is essential to the strength of the com
pleted building.
Mill Quickly Assembled.
The building of the stone mill is in
s+aaIP the romantic story of a feat in
rapid construction.
n was last August when the ca
thedral Chapter accepted the ofer OF
the George A. Fuller Co. TO nave
snecial plant erected close to the Ca
4hedral grounds, to shape the stones
and do other work which would speed
construction and afford better CO.
operation with the archltects VINO
could. by this means, keep in close
touch with the stone cutting work
7 +. Manning, vice president OF the
Fuller Co. and the guiding spirit OF
the Bethesda plant, and his associates
a assembled the building and equipment
an such record time, on what had peen
O mere COW pasture, that on November
15 il was ready to operate. +. X,
Patch Co. assembled and installed the
stone-cutting machinery. The plant
Is a complete unit, equipped 10 the
last machine with electrically pro
yelled APPARATUS There are similar
t,lants in this country but none moro
compIete. The Bethesda plant con-
fains the latest devices in stone cut
ting.
Cut Lincoln Memorial Stone.
An enthusiast over the plant and
,ts great mission of cutting the Ca
thedraI stone is the general superin-
tendent, George b. Taylor. His asso-
riate Is the superintendent on the job,
II. A. Bennett, who keeps close watch
over the technical details. j. 5. Mears
as the chief draughtsman responsible
for the shop detailed drawings which
are developed from the architects de-
tails.
The working force of 80 men now
regularly working is but nucleus,
because so per cent of the equipment
is still in Philadelphia for the build
ing of the. Museum of Industrial Art.
1t was pointed out that the same
organizat ton cut stone for the Lincoln
Memorial and for the New York
County Court House all recommenda.
iions and happy auguries for the Ca
thedral work The same key men on
N 49, 81 tbacn inhS are with the