Evening star., 1928-03-07
OUTPUT OF CEMENT
SPEEDED BY MILLS
1923 Consumption Is Expect
ed to Exceed by 100000
Barrels That of 1927.
ny ]. G. ROYLE.


Special Dispatch tn The Star.
NEW YORK. March 7,-~Ccmcnt mills.
which have pecn on light production
schedules during the last four months,
today are getting under full hcadway
again. The domand for cement is cX-
pcc:ed to be heavier this year than ever
before
The mills in most of the Northern
sections at present are making clinker.
When the Stone and other materials
used in making cement arc crushed and
mixed. they aie placed IN long, cyindri-
cal klns which revolvc. AS the kilnS
turn the contents arc brought into con-
tact with a let of fame which has q
heat of 5000 degrees Fahrenheit. This
heat almost melts the mixture and
forms what is known as clinkcr. This
may be stored without deterioration un-
til pulveri2ed. when IL becomes CONNER
cial cement and can be shipped as
needed.
Unless some drastic curtalment
caused by umlookcd-for depression oc-
ours later this year. indications are that
tho mills of tho country will turn out
1876 0on,00o to lao0o00o0 barrels Of
cement in 1928, This represents gain
from approximately l73.00o00o barrels
made in 1927 ny March Is most Of the
mills will be under normal production
schedules.
The capacity of the mills Of the coun-
try totals 2l5.000 900 barrels year.
There has never bcen sufficient demand
to keep this capacity fully occupied. and
there win not be this Year, but the time
Is nearing when even this productive
capacity will be insufficient.
The 1928 building program. II Is con-
Seryatively estimated. will call for eX-
penditure of S700000o. 600. The
amount Of cement needed will ap-
proyimate 65000.000 barrels. The
larger portion of cement naturally Is
used in heavy construction, and in Feb
ruary the total contracts let for TINS
type of building totaled s2l3.29o.0 900.
This compared with Sl75,27o,oo in
February. 1927. In January the heavy
construction contract outlay was Sl9',-
$4,000
The paving and highway construction
program for tho current year. ACCORDING
10 estimates. will approximate $l,5oo.-
o00. 600 II will require 5o815,O00 bar
rels Of cement. The gasoline taxes.
which are collected in all except two
States. will furnish nearly s225. 600 900
this year. The larger part of this VIII
be available for road maintenance ana
construction by the States.
Through the Federal aid provisions
the National Government will contrib
ute an amount well in excess OF that
expended In 1927. when its share was
s53aiS7.766
When 1927 started there we're 3899
miles Of improved Federal-aid roads
under construction. with Nebraska IN
the van with a total Of 1914. In spite
Of this total, the new roads now under
construction will scarcely be enough 70
give parking space 30 the automobiles
which will be built this year,
The program Of the public utility
companies shows no signs Of siacke1-
ing. II no new projects were started
in 1928 there would still be enough
work on those already under way to
keep many thousands Of men and
scores of cement mills busy. Railroad
maintenance and construction work
will account for fully as much cement
rs in 1927. Farm use will take care
Of about IL per cent OF the total pro-
duction.
Canada had building program
which cost s4l8.esi .0on in 1927 and
undoubtedly will pass the half f-hillion
mark this year. This will account for
some part Of the American cement pro-
duct.on,