Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13
TlEAND BRICK
DEMAND SHOWS
INCREASE
Plant OPP
crates to Capacity TO
Fill Local and Val
ley Orders

~ AAQArAAN ~ AAE wv $500
Grande Valley has been I'M more ina
portant factor in Valley building ac-
t~iyities in the past two years than
the Valley Clay Products company of
Brownsville, whose principal pro-
ducts-building tile and brick-have
entered into the construction cf
many OF the Valleys most magnifi-
rent business structures and p~alatiGl
homes. The drain tile. also manufac-
tured by this concern. Nv playing ita
part IN the reclamation of Valley
lands, providing an economical solu-
ton az the drainage problem for
thousands az fertile acres.
The present magnificent brick and
| tile buildings Of the Valley are a de-
/ cided contrast to the 'dohe brick
palm matched hut az the Mexican
herdsman OF thirty years ago. Where
the herds Of cattle, horses and goats
grazed In wooded pastures. thriving
cities have been erected or highly
productive farms developed. How
ever, the use az clay, which was used
by the herdsman for building ma
terial, still prevails, though the con
trast between the product nf thc
present huge plan nc Brownsville and
he 'dobe brick Of the early days is
II as great as the contrast between
the magnificent structures of tho
present period and occasional huts
of the old-time herdsmen.
When development of the Valley
was inaugurated. the homes on many
of the first settlers were Of necessity
only temporary structures. Since
then the quality w Valley homes has
gradually improved, and the past
L 4wmm hmw-m Amnm wmmwLmA mmN cal
hy VI tremendous increase in the
number OF homes but also a decided
ly noticeable improvement in the
quality OF construction. This Inns
been true or business buildings. ard
the tendency throughout the entire
Valley has been TO adopt brick cr
tile construction.
Operate Plant 20 Capacity
when the Valley Products Com
pany took over the old Brownsville
brick plant and completed It's re-
Mobilization less than two years ago
they launched A vigorous campaign
70 impress upon Valley builders tho
economy and utility Of their products.
The results were impressive. From
the day the first kiln was fired. tho
plant has been operating 70 capacity.
Tests proved the high quality Of their
products; the demand for building
tile, brick and drainage to fill the
orders. Eight large kilns were con-
structed ns rapidly Ra the work could
be handled. each kiln having "a en-
pacity Of 10000 tile or over 0 5000
brick. Crews have been working day
|. and night ever since the opening 0f
the plant, and strenuous efforts we're
required to fill the ever-increasing
orders for the products uf the plant.
The opening OF the plant in
Brownsville caused an immediate re-
ducti0n in the price OK building tile
and brick Tile which formerly sold
al $110 70 as high as SIPS per thous-
and in carload lots. are q procur-
able by Valley builders at $s5 per
thousand, and the saving thus ef-
fected has proved a decided stimu-
lus Co building activities Nm Valley
cities and also in the rural sections.
: Brick and building tic have become
: the favored construction materials
assuring permanence, lower dcprccia-
, ton and lower construction costs.
I, Have Excellent Clay
' The bed on plastic clay discovered
near Brownsville BY the early makers
, Of brick is generally conceded 20 he
of the best quality for this purpose
. The building tile IN particularly
adapted to the climatic conditions.
and ita strength hns repeatedly been
proven, tests establishing the crush
! ing point az As tons or more than 900
a pounds 20 the square inch The dry
press method cf manufacturing brick
has been adopted BY the company,
. only dry clay being used, and this
. product has proved very popular with
Valley builders. The plant now has
a capacity Of 100 tons u building
!, tile, brick and drainage tile per day
A it's production exceeding that OK any
i other plant In South Texas.
: The company owns "a acres prac-
ticalIy NIL w which is underlnid with
A the plastic clay. which thus far hnB
been found only near Brownsville
\ and Mission. Tractors nre used in
handling the clay in the pits. tram
= cars hauling Il % the plant where 10
Il In ground and carried 10 the presses
Y NO water wv used iE the mnnufactura
or brick, but the clay for building
q tile Is moistened sufficiently 20 make
III plastic.
The building tile energies in VA
4 constant stream from the moulds and
n are transferred 10 the drying room
where they are dried four days.
When they come from the moulds the
tile are 13x8 5-8x5 IL inches I'm aixer
\ and in drying shrink 40 the standard
y f2xBx5 sire. There is no further
: shrinkare in the kilns.
After being removed from the dry
y INK room they are placed in che kilnH.
where they are burned for ten days.
being subjected to N temperature ~
1000 degrees during the last days
Y on burning. Six days are required
4 10 cool the kilns, the heat being
drawn off with m ventilnt0r system
which carries the heat to the drying
I room where an equable temperature
In always maintained.
VII All Products Inspected
An absolutely accurate system Of
" inspection haB been installed mt the
w plant which assures maximum quail
q NV III att pr5durts. The buiidInr tiIs
are inspected as they come from the
e mold and again AH they come from
n the drying room. Each tile WV care
! fully inspected ~ = from she
N kiln. and amy tile found defective mt
NJ any of these three stages Uf nnmnu-
= f~aeture Is thrown out.
This system OF inspection iH ea-
EentinI to assure maximum quality"
III. ~ Stokley, manager w thc plant,
stated. "We cannot afford TO per-
" INIT mn imperfect tlle TO En into Che
car. The inspections nru made bY
4 men who are trained g detect any
N flaw I'm fact. nll tha various depart
mankH mrn in charge nf mmn who Mrb
experts FL their respective work. The
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