OCR Text |
Show uu CHINA, POTTERY AND BRICK MAKING. Clay products of the United States last year aggregated $170,115,974 in value, an increase of $3,794,7G1 over tho previous year. In this lino of goods there Ib comparatively little foreign for-eign trade. Of Are brick, for example, exam-ple, tho output in 1910 toLiled 922,-209,000, 922,-209,000, valued at $1S, 111,474, but tho exports tboreof reached only $634,775, or less than 4 per cent. The export of all other bricks aggregated $90S.-138 $90S.-138 However, this oxport trado In bricks has been growing, especially since a number of factories have located lo-cated on tidewater, whence shipments are made direct by vessel. Tho total export sales of bricks last year were $453,021 greater than in 1909, and $939,127 greater than in 1908. The moBt prominent recent Improvement Im-provement In this Industry noted by the Geological Survey Is tho brlck-settlng brlck-settlng machine Introduced in tho wesL The Iden of handling brick by machinery originated In Now England, Eng-land, and a plant was equipped several years ago with an elaborato system and was the first to uso tho "unit stack." By this system the unit for handling was 1500 bricks. This plant was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt In 1909 a svstem of handling hand-ling from GOO to 1000 bricks on a somewhat different plan was put into successful operation In the west, and Is now being used In Chicago. By this Bj'stem it Is possible for the bricks to be carried from the molding machine ma-chine to tho drier, from the drl(r to the kiln, and from the kiln to the stock yard or the delivery car or cart without being touched by hand Ench of these machines is said to do tho work of forty men. The pottery ware made In tho United Unit-ed States last voar had a value of $33,784.G7S. Of this there was exported export-ed $928,175 worth, of earthen nnrt stone ware, and $113,214 or china ware The production In 1909 was $31,049 441 In vnlue, and the exports $770,842 of earthen waro and stone ware, and &SG 853 of china waro. The Importation of mulecoratcd china chi-na ware In 1910 aggregated Sl.lKl.-332, Sl.lKl.-332, of decorated china waro S9.5SG,-207, S9.5SG,-207, and of all othor $551,927 |