OCR Text |
Show oo BRICK AGAIN IN FAVOR It is probable that few people, even among those who arc connected with the Building Trades, realize the enormous enor-mous extent of the manufacture of brick In the lower Hudson riei re- i gion. So large are the quantities turned out in recent years that the figures would doubtless be questioned 'coming from any less reliable source than the United States Geological Survey. In a bulletin Just issued by George Oils Smith, director of the Survey, '.t is stated that the ronsmn nt ion of brick in Greater No York during Ihe ear. 1812, was over a million j thousands valued at $5,850,770. Thi6 was an Increase In that vear of 93,-187,000 93,-187,000 brick, and of $1,138,137 In value val-ue over the consumption In that field1 In 1911. It is stated in the bulletin1, that the output of brick In the Hudson Hud-son rier district would have been still larger last year If the actlvitv ol the Industry had not been cur-1 tailed by scarcity of labor and strikes anions the brick-makers The figures given by the Survey bulletin are interesting, indicating as they do that concrete and cement construction has not superseded brick it was freely predicted a few years ago 'hat concrete blocks would prac-' tically displace brick r building ma- terial It appears, according to the) experts of the Geological survey, that I there was a definite "back to brick"' movement In the metropolis and Its; suburbs in 1912, and an Increasing1 use of brick as high-class bulldiDg 1 material. The cause of the increased use of hi ic-k is nol lar to seek The menace: to tho brick industry by the concrete: block was real; for this newer construction con-struction was widely heralded. To meet the new and apparently danger- I oub competition, radical changes In! brick-making were introduced, and j superior bricks took the place of those which had known little change for generations. Improved brick-making machinery, and scientific methods of burning 'reduced the cost of brick greatlv On the other hand, little ad-vance ad-vance was made In the quality of concrete con-crete blocks. In many cases the true formula for concrete was neglected by Its manufacturers and Inferior! blocks were often furnished. Thus, j while the brick-makers were obliged to Improve the product to meet com- , petition, there was retrogression rath-.i rath-.i than advancement in the new in- dustry. , .. , , While the concrete block has mans advantages, and, when honestly made, Is an excellent substitute for brick and stone under certa conditions, it has not had tho anticipated effect of superseding brick for superstructure purposes. I Advertisement) |