Lime and cement of domestic production exported from the United States during the fiscal years specified (mixed gold and currency valucs). Lime in the Rocky Mountain division.-Limestone occurs everywhere throughout the Rocky Mountain region in great quantity and purity. In every town where the local demand warrants it, limekilus are erected and excellent lime produced upon the spot. No record can be obtained of the production, because of the numerous small producers. The kilns at Morrison, Colorado, produce great quantities of lime of the best quality, which is used in Denver and in the mountain towns. In 1882 Morrison shipped 274,000 bushels of lime to various points in Colorado, and of gray or cement lime 6,500 perches. The entire Rocky Mountain country is supplied with lime of domestic manufacture exclusively. Lime on the Pacific coast.-Common limestone, though an abundant rock in most parts of the extreme West, occurs sparingly in Oregon and perhaps also in Washington Territory. The receipts of lime at San Francisco for the nine years ending with 1882 were as follows, the whole being the product of California: 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879. 1880. 1881 Barrels. 143, 513 182, 631 174, 758 155, 113 144, 072 104,405 133, 097 123, 779 1-82 133, 306 During this period, the prices of lime in San Francisco have varied from $1.50 to $1.75 per barrel, the present price being $1.60. While lime is burned in various parts of the State, about one-third of the California product is made near the town of Santa Cruz, where a highly crystalline limestone occurs in great abundance. CEMENT. Kinds. Nearly all the cement produced in this country is made from natural cement rock. The Rosendale and Louisville cements, which form the great bulk of the production, are natural cements. Portland cement, most of which is imported, comparatively little being made here, is an artificial cement. Besides this, which forms by far the greater part of the importations, we import Roman (a natural cement), Keene's, Lafarge, selenitic, lime of Teil, and other varieties. Production in 1882.-The total cement product of the country in 1882 is estimated by the best authorities at from 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 barrels. Probably the mean of these (or 3,250,000 barrels) is very near the true production. Of this, 85,000 barrels, of 400 pounds each, is estimated to be the production of artificial, or Portland cement. The average value of this is about $2.25 per barrel, at the works. A barrel of natural cement weighs 300 pounds and has an average value at the works of $1.10. Estimated on this basis, the total value of the cement production for the year 1882 was $3,672,750. Manufacturing centers. The principal centers of production of Ameri can cement are: First. Ulster county, New York, at Rosendale and in the valley of Rondout creek, where the material for this cement is found in abundance. From the name of the principal producing center of this district, the name Rosendale is given to all natural cement produced in this neighborhood, as well as to all that made from materials obtained here, although prepared for use at other points, as Troy, Brooklyn, and Cohoes. The rock used for this purpose is the lowest stratum of the Lower Helderberg group, and the topmost member of the Niagara group. The production of Ulster county is estimated to be between 1,500,000 and 1,600,000 barrels, while that of all New York State is placed at about 2,000,000 barrels of 300 pounds each, the spot value of which is about $1.10 per barrel. The following are analyses of two of the Rosendale cements, which although consisting essentially of the silicates of lime, magnesia, and alumina, differ materially in their relative proportions: Besides the natural (Rosendale) cements manufactured in this locality, a small amount of Portland cement is made here. The second cement-producing locality, in point of importance, is in Kentucky and Indiana, in the neighborhood of the falls of the Ohio. The product is known as Louisville cement, from the principal center of its production. This is also a natural cement. Both natural and artificial cements are manufactured to a considerable extent at Allentown, Pennsylvania. Cement is also reported as being manufactured at the following points in the eastern States, in greater or less quantity: Akron and Buffalo, New York; Sandusky, Ohio; Utica, Illinois; Kensington, Connecticut; Cumberland and Round Top, Maryland; Shepherdstown, West Virginia; James River, Virginia; Rockland, Maine; in western Pennsylvania, and at South Bend, Indiana, where small amounts of Portland cement are produced. Imports. Our main supply of Portland and other artificial cements is imported from abroad. There are many varieties of imported Portland differing among themselves in the proportions of their constituents, and in their characteristics of tenacity, strength, and hydraulic qualities. Generally speaking, imported Portland cement is manufactured from 60 per cent. of chalk, 30 per cent. of alumina free of organic matter, and 10 per cent. of silica. Until within a few years all our supply of Portland cement came from England. Recently, however, German importations have assumed great importance, and bid fair to hold a large proportion of the market in the near future. This material is also imported in considerable quantity from Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, and from France. The following is, in brief, a history of the importation from different countries: From 1871 to 1876, practically all importations were from England. From 1876 to 1880, the importations were largely from England, with a gradual encroachment from Germany; while in 1882 the importations from England formed one-half the total amount brought to this country. Three-fourths of the other half were from Germany, while the remaining one-eighth came from Sweden, France, and the Netherlands. The following table gives the total importations during the fiscal years named: The values given are based on manufacturers' prices; 40 per cent. should be added to bring them up to the prices in this country. The a The number of barrels in 1882 is estimated from the valuation. new tariff rate on building cements of all kinds is 20 per centum ad valorem. Roman cement has been imported almost entirely from Glasgow and London. Of late years the importation of this cement has largely decreased. Lime of Teil is imported mainly from France. The importation of this, Keene's, and other cements is comparatively trifling. Special qualities.-Portland, Rosendale, and Louisville cements are used primarily for work under water and in all cases where great strength and tenacity are required, as in the foundations of heavy buildings, sea-walls, light-houses, bridges, sewers, etc. Portland is used very extensively, also, for cellar floors, sidewalks, and the manufacture of artificial stone. In general, it may safely be said that imported Portland possesses a higher degree of tenacity and greater resistance to crushing than other cements, although there may be some American Portland which equals it in these qualities. The great difference in price between the imported and the American Portland on the one hand and the natural American cements on the other illustrates this difference in quality. Roman cement is characterized by setting much more quickly than Portland or American cements, and is hence used for such purposes as repairing leaks and such minor uses. Keene's is used for the manufacture of imitation marbles, ceilings, cornices, etc. Lime of Teil seems to be of very limited application, and is used mainly in admixture with Portland cements. While the amount of the importations is increasing with great rapidity, the amount of cement of domestic manufacture is increasing doubtless in an equal ratio. This increased demand, which is largely in excess of the increase in building, is explained by manufacturers and importers as being due to the fact that cement is rapidly replacing lime mortar for ordinary uses of building, especially in large and expensive structures. CEMENT IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN DIVISION. In 1881 it was accidentally discovered that the lime burned from one of the limestone beds near Cañon City, Colorado, possessed hydraulic properties, and experiments were begun by Mr. N. M. Megrue, of Cañon, with a view to the manufacture of first-class cement. These experiments were continued with but slight success on a large scale. In 1882 works were erected at Denver, and every effort was made to secure the most favorable results. During 1882 about 100 barrels of excellent cement were made, and this was freely tested in various ways, the material satisfactorily standing every test. Only a small proportion of the rock burned acted satisfactorily, over 90 per cent. being useless for all hydraulic purposes. These experi ments have been continued until finally complete success has been achieved. In the first week in May, 1883, the first entire kiln of cement was turned out, and the company are now satisfied of their ability to produce a cement almost equal to the best Portland. The works and experiments have cost nearly $30,000, and the capacity is now 100 barrels of 400 pounds net per day. The relative cost of the various brands of cement in Denver is as follows: Portland, per barrel of 375 pounds net..... Denver, per barrel, 400 pounds net $7 00 to $7 50 4.00 6 00 This will make the Denver and Louisville cements cost the same price, 12 cents per pound. The Denver Cement Company expect to fully supply the State of Colorado, and the Territories of Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico with a material which will make excellent and durable pavements and fulfill all the requirements of the best cement. The Cañon City Iron, Paint, and Cement Company manufactured in 1882 2,000 barrels of cement (each 300 pounds net), but its quality has not been ascertained. For the first six months of 1883 the make was 385 barrels. This cement is sold retail at $4 per barrel. The source of supply for both companies is the same-the Upper Silurian limestones in the Hogback near Cañon City. In the same locality occur beds of infusorial lime and white silica. CEMENT ON THE PACIFIC COAST. Fully twenty years ago a bed of hydraulic limestone was opened up about one mile south from the town of Vallejo, Solano county, Califor. nia, and kilns for burning and a mill for grinding it were erected near the town of Benicia. The rock occurs in seams never more than four or five feet thick, inclosed in a metamorphic sandstone. The belt containing it extends west across the Strait of Carquinez and to the northwest for a distance of ten or twelve miles, in which direction it spreads out over a breadth of several miles. Only at a few points along this belt, however, does the limestone occur in any considerable quantity. The company engaged in beneficiating this rock pay 50 cents per ton for the privilege of taking it out and appropriating it wherever found, paying from $3 to $5 per ton for it delivered at their works, which have capacity to turn out about 100 barrels daily. Owing to heavy importa tions of this commodity these works have not always been run to their full capacity. Several years since a bed of limestone suitable for making Roman cement was discovered in the town of Santa Cruz; but the deposit, though apparently extensive, has not as yet been much utilized. In Oregon, and also in Washington Territory, hydraulic limestone of good quality has been found and works put up for manufacturing it into cement. The discovery of similar limestone elsewhere on the coast has been reported. |