Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 15, Ed. 1, Saturday, December 2, 1854 Page: 2 of 8
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TEXAS STATE GAZETTE.
DECEMBER 2
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Concrct-a and Building- 2&atorial
mJ. B PAimt. MD.
jftis a matter of groac importance lo syery man who wjshesto
builda-housc to bo aoie 10 appropnnto mo nearest row material
thatis capable of filling his design. Suppose wo have concreto
materia! and & query of good building Btonc equally distant
from iho building site and that it requires no more labor to lay
down oho than the other the preference should bo given to the
stone. Or again suppose there is n laige quantity of rough
loose stone no difference what the shapes may be nor how lr-
rcnilar as to size ; if they possess the property of hardness they
sufficient for good walls with the addition of sand and lime
or?tobblo and lime. In this case it is a matter .to -bo deter
mined by taste in appearance for there is no difference in the
strength of a wall built of cobble stones without moulding and
aconcrcto wall whore rough stones are used with the mortar.
In either case tho strength of the wall depends almost entirely
upon the quality of the mortar ; and tho fitness of the mortar
depends upon certain facts in its preparation to be mentioned.
The raw material for concreto worlc is found in great abun-
dance iu tho towns of Lockhartj Seguin New Braunfels and
Sau Antonio and at various intermediate points especially
upon and near tho water courses whose sources are in tho lime-
s'tone hills. The material exists at places more distant no
doubt; but it has not been a subject of observation beyond
thpqq points. And although our remarks muet apply to con-
crete material and concrete work as dono in Seguin and vicini-
ty wo disavow all local preference in a matter of this kind.
' Of. the durability of concrete wall in this climate there can be
nLquestion. Nothing but a severe freezing bucIi as is experi-
enced in the north where the earth is frozen to tho depth of
twelve inches could produce disintegration and then only after
tbov walls are thoroughly saturated with water; two contingen-
ci$Lnot likely to occur. Perhaps the oldest work of the kind
in'Toxas may be found in Seguin. "Wo have work here that
was put up five years ago and some of it stands yet without
plastering and has not lost we may say a particle of its sur-
face'; but has attained a much greater degree of hardness than
ifc'pbssessed when first first done. As so much of the durabili
ty of concrete work and its capacity to resist pressure depends
upon tie quality of the mortar we will discusB first the prop-
""ojptie of the raw material that is to furnish tho lime or cement-
ingingredient of the mortar.
.(!Tho Bubstance most in use in this vicinity is a thin stratum
'or crust of limestone usually found in the vicinity and beneath
tile live-oak timber and forming an incrustation over the beds
of pebble or lime earth. This is an impure limestone contain-
ing some sand aud clay and on this acconut it has greater
-cementing power more especially tho property of getting hard-
erfby exposure to the rains. 3y examining any wall near the
surface of the ground where it has been wet longest it will be
found tho hardest. Mortar obtains its hardness in part by a
rjidia or imperfect manner of cryatalization. Water is an essen-
tial ingredient as it affords a medium through which the parti-
cles can move with facility and arrange themselves in a com
pact form. And besides tho water ontors into a chemical
union with the lime and carbonic acid gas forming what
. chemists call a hydrate. In order that this process which is
essential to perfect hardening may go on well the work is
better if done in the fall than spying months when evaporation
isnot sorapjd-j in ihort tho greater tho length of time the
jUnof tar has in drying the more perfect is the process of har-
dening . 'JjjAU excellent stone for concrete work is also found in this
vicinity. It is in largo masses of the bluff banks of all tho
streams in Western Texas. ItieBupposed to be a flint stone
mb8t persons. It iB a conglomerate composed of limestone
etiblcs with a few flint intermingled and all cemented by lime
matter. It yields even better than the first mentioned being
more compact. The proportion of flint is very small and not
4n the way as it shivers m burning. These comprise the stones
yielding lime in this vicinity. They belong to the class of
what are called poor limestones by the artizan The lime
formed from them is not perfectly white but is better adapted
.to concrete work than that of the pure limestone. There are
'two other substances in this section of country and very abun-
dant in and about Spguin that are capable of furnishing excel-
' lent dementing material. The first and most convenient is tho
white earth immediately beneath the soil and exposed in al-
traost every ravine. The other is the alluvium of tho river val-ley.-
This is of more value as a cementing material than either of
tho others. To designate it more accurately it is that portion
4pt the soil of tho valley marked generally by the growth of the
' box older. It iB composed of shell limestone aluminous mat-
ter or clay and fine silicious sand. The two former are burned
as any other limestones and they should be thoroughly burned
ftV0 that if there should bo any flints they should be glazed or
melt in the burning. The limo earth and the Boil from the val-
ley should be bawled to tho furnace and cast into a mortar box
and made into mortnr and placed upon tho ground putting it
; clown in small parcels-6ay a hoe or spado full at.a placo but
i close upon the surface until dry when it will be ready for
'(placing in the furnace. . Tho heat must not bo quite so great in
; buTOng this material. Tho alluvium thus treated makes the
best cementing material. Either of the others will answer
alone but the mortar is greatly improved by an admixture of
thJattor in any proportion and the more tho better with any
VJoFtho others. As tho process of burning a stone that will
.lyieldlimo consists in expelling carbonic acid gas. on account of
l&which it looses a largo per cent of its weight it has a constant
nd active tendency to re-absorb the sameirora the atmosphere
bTyhich it sustains a daily lpss of cementing power unless
placed under water or completely saturated with it which is
tho only method of preserving its full power. For this reason
Alio lime should never be burned until the builder is ready to
commence mixipg and putting up the walls.
Thenetjeadinginrediontia tho pobblo. Pebble is used
hero alone because it is abundant' and at hand. Course clean
sand would answer equally as well. It is immaterfal what
kind of pebble whether flint or limestone ; the latter is tho
kind in usp here and when taken from tho bods they tup found
" to bo partially coated by tho infiltration of water containing
Hrae until their surface is quite rough. This is an advantage.
- Sometimes when found upon bars in and near the river tlTat
T roughness has. been romoved.by attrition but it will answer
The mosjt important point in the selection. of sand .or pebble is
that it bo clean and destitute any and airimpafpable matter
whether calcorous orslicioua. t A good supply of pebbloWould
bo placed on the building site preparatory to the commence-
ment of operations and two or three well constructed mortnr
boxes to keep the mortar from the ground. The lime that is ox-
pectedto bo used for ono day should bo mixod or slaxcd with
water in the mortarbox by stiring and applying water enough
to bring it to the consistence of gruel. This lime so slacked
should bo kept in a separate box in contact with the one in
which tho mixture iB to bo made with tho pebble.
All the lime should be treated in this way and it may be
slacked in quantities sufficient to supply tho workman for two or
a pure limestone does not slack it thoroughly at once if fresh
drawn from the kiln ; and mortar placed in a wall directly after
mixing often shows blisters from small portions slacking and
swelling after being but up. Preference should be given to con-
crete work dono with lime and pebble alone. There is ho ad-
vantage in working rough stone into the staata of mortar; ex-
cept that it is a saying of lime. The wall would be more com-
pact and more uniform in its capacity to resist pressure without
the stone. The proportion of lime to the pebble should be one-
fotirih and thoroughly incorporated and ns much water used in
mixing as is compatible with its being shoveled. It is then cast
into moulds composed of plank from twelve to twenty inches
wide kept from spreading after being placed the proper distance
apart by passing iron boltsjwith a tap to each bolt having a han-
dle to it at intervals of four or five feet. If th? plank is thin the
intervals should be less. To keep the planks from coming to-
gether small strips nro placed between them which receive the
pressure of the bolts until the mortar is placed in. The wall is
usually twelve inches thick for a single story and eighteen or
twenty inches if higher. Care must be used to keep the moulds
straight and plumb. In good weather the mortar sets by the
time the workmen have filled one round of moulds on a building
so that the first that were filled may be raised and receive another
filling ; and so on to the completion of the building to two or
three stories in height. When the job has been we'll done we
have a solid wall without joints or seams and a surface to which
any sort of good plastering will adhere firmly; and which may
be finished according to the fancy of the owner to resemble
granite brick or dressed stone. The cost of concrete dwellings
here is a third less than the cost of framed buildings. They are
warm in winter cool in summer and when finished afford no
lodgement to insects. An improvement can and should be mode;
dispensing with the bolts and monldboards by casting the ma-
terial in blocks and allowing the blocks to dry and shrink before
they are laid up. Then they could be laid up by the plumb and
line with accuracy. The moulds might consist of twelve at-
least in a frame of convenient size open at the top nnd bottom
into which the mortar should be shoveled and when dry the
mould could be raised leaving the form of the block complete.
A Home Item. We have probably all of us met with in-
stances in which a word heedlessly spoken against the reputa-
tion of a female has been magnified by malicious minds until
the cloud has become dark enough to overshadow her whole
existence. To those who are accustomed not necessarily from
bad motives but from thoughtleasn essto' speak lightly of fe-
males we recommend the " hints1' as worthy of consideration
" Never use a lady's name in an improper place at an im-
proper time or in a mixed company. Never make assertions
about her that you think are untrue or allusions that you feel
she herself would blush to hear. When you meet with men
who do not scruple to make use of a woman's name in a reckless
and unprincipled manner shun them for they are the very
worst members of the community men lost to every sense of
honor every feeling of humanity. Many a good and worthy
woman's character has been forever ruined and her heart bro-
ken by a lie manufactured by some villain and repeated where
it should not have been and in the presence of thpse whose
little judgment could not deter them from circulating the foul
and bragging report. A slander is soon propagated and the
smallest thins derocratorv to a woman's nhn.rnRr.ar will flv nn
the wings of the wind and will magnify as it circulates until
its montrouB weight crushes the poor unconscious victim. Re-
spect the name of woman for your mother and sisters are wo-
men ; and as you would have their fair name untarnished nnd
their lives unembittered by the slanderer's biting tongue heed
the ills that yourown words may bring upon the mother the
sister or the wife of some fellow "creature."
Unpromising- Youth. We are not to conclude that those
who are at first exceedingly dull will never make great profi
nrnminiTi
hood for their great acquirements.
Adam Clarke D. D. was taught the alphabet with great
difficulty. He was very often chastised for dullness and it was
seriously feared that ho would never learn. He was eight years
old before he could spell words of three letters and was dis-
tinguished for nothing but rolling large stones. At tho ago of
eight he was placed under a new teacher who by the kindness
of his manner and by suitable encouragoment aroused the slum-
boring energies or his mind and elicited a desire for improve-
ment It is well known that he became evermore distinguished
for his extensive and varied acquirements than he had ever
been for rolling stones.
Isaac Barrow D. D. for two or three years after he had com-
menced going to-school was only noted for quarrelling and rude
sports. This seemed to be his ruling passion. His father con-
sidered his prospects for respectability so dark that he often
said if either were to die he hoped it would be Isaac. But
Isaac afterwards became tho pride of his father's family and
an honor to his country. He was appointed Master of Trinity
College at which time tho Kingsaid ho had given the office to
tho best scholar in Englaud. Vrig7iVs Paper.
Tun 'Ranoers. Our Governor has taken a responsibility
upon himself for a short time at least and he will be sustained by
the' people of Texas. Placed in the position he was without any
superior officer to take command of said companies he has pluced
them under the command of the Adjutant General and mustered
them into the sesvice of the State of Texas subject however to
tho order of Gen Smith he has also been very careful to inform
the captains of said companies that until he can hear what course
the General will take 7ie will furnish them with the ammunition
forage and subsistence ; and unless Congress makes provisions
for paying them at its next session he shall call upon our legis-
lature to do it. No one can say that our Governor has not done
'his duty and promptly -and no person who is properly posted in
the history of this celebrated expedition can accuse him of over-
reaching his duty. Western Texan.
sy. Hie examples are numerous of persons who were un-
usmg in childhood but who were distinguif
lished
in man-
The Railroad Difficulty From a careful perusal of the
correspondence between Governor Pease nnd Treasurer Ray-
monn we cannot resist the conviction the views entertained by
His Excelloticy upon the subject of tho proposed deposit ol the
tl Sussex Iron Company's Stock" are entirely correct. The
Legislature deemed it important toreqniTcfrom the company that
should undertake to build the road a deposit of $300000 in cash
or something equally valluable to the State as security that fifty
miles of the toad should be complied wilhin a certain time.
Now whether such a provision was proper or not is not the
question to be decided by our anthorities but whether such a
deposit has been tendered ; and the Governor decideB we think
verv iudiciouslv. that it has not. Can he be considered on enemy
to the road because as a sworn officer he performs a disagreeable
duty conscientiouly nnd fearlessly?
We have not space at present to enlarge upon this subject
but we can Bay in all sincerity that the course of the Governor
meets our cordial approbation and will we think be sustained
by the people throughont'lhe Stale. We shall advert to this sub-
ject again. Texian Advocate.
i
The Pacific Railroad Contract. We are gratified in be
ing enabled to announce that the affairs of the Pacific Railroad
Company have taken a sudden and favorable turn since our last
advices. Our renders are referred to details ot the circumstances
connected with the deposits of the Company published in an-
other column from the State Times. From these it appears that
Gov. Pease after having claimed the right since the passage of
the charter has finally defered to the opinion of others and at
the Inst moment transferred that responsibility to the State
Treasurer. Mr. Raymond it must be admitted is thus placed in
mi unpleasant position a position in which he is called on as-the
representative of the interest of the State to judge of the suffi-
ciency of a deposite made by a company of which he is a mem-
ber designed to protect nnd further the interests of the State.
But Mr. Raymond's high character and established integrity
forbids any presumption that he would sacrifice the interests of
the State to that of the Company whatever his individual inter-
ests might be. We are at n loss lo imagine on what ground Gov
Pease came to the conclusion that the proffered securities were
" insufficient." If they were " good par stocks" they were '' suf-
ficient" according to the terms of the charter and unless the
certificates of Gov. Price Geo. M. Dallas and Chancellor Kent
were forgeries we think the evidence of their par value were-
sufficient to have satisfied the mind of any unprejudiced person.
Dallas Herald.
But as we said before we- have not learned the nature
of the securities offered but it is not to be supposed that
the Treasurer of the State would decide that the deposit
offered waB sufficient unless he was satisfied that it was
a compliance with the terms of the law. We are glad that
this question is settled. The construction of all our locaB
roads depends in a great measure npon the success of this
company. We have all along been of the opinion thaVthc
company would comply with the requirements ot the law
in depositing the $300000 and that they will build the road as
fast as the law requires. We have seen nothing in the acts of
the company that has caused us to change our opinion. We
are satisfied that they are acting in good faith and we most
sincerely hope that they may be successful. For the informa-
tion of our readers we give below the correspondence between
Gov. Pease and the Treasurer of State on this subject as taken
from an extra of the State Times of the 5th inst. Texas
Planter.
Tue Pacific Railroad Deposit. In view of fche great in-
terest manifested by the public upon the subject of the Pacific
Rail-roadKwe publish to-day on our first page the correspon-
dence between the Governor and the State Treasurer in relation
to the $300000 deposit made -by Messrs. Walker and King.
The. correspondence though lengthy' will be found very inter-
esting and will fully inform the reader as to the present state
of the question as well as the nature and -character of the de-
posit made by the company. Gov. Pease it will be seen per-
emptorily refuses to receive the deposit which refusal is based!
upon its insuffiency and also upon constitutional grounds.
His reasons we think are sound cogent and to the point ; and
the concluding portion of his reply to Mr. Raymond shows
that lie haB not only driven the naii up to the head but has al-
so clinched it on the opposite side. We imagine that the great
financier Bob. Walker himBelf would find it a difficult under-
taking to refute the arguments which the Governor has brought
to bear on this subject.
Subsequent to the correspondence published on oui outside
Mr. Raymond welearn ha9 addressed a long letter to the
Governor giving his reasons for receiving the deposit to which
the Governor has replied. When these letters come to hand
we shall either publish them entire or make such extracts as
will prove mo3t interesting to the reader and do justice to the
parties concerned Gonzales Enqyiirer.
Postscriftum.- Since the above was in type we observe in
the State Gazette tho official correspondence of Gov. Pease ar.d
Mr. Raymond State Treasurer by which it appears that the
tendered deposit has boen accepted and that the Company
instead of being 'lusted'1 is yet in the full tide of successful
operation. We may have drawn a prize yet. We are verv
certain that the Company ought to succeed. And we trust
that they will do so. The Gazette says that they have done
nothing to impeach confidence yet. Let us wait a little longer
and beslow to believe premature reports. Columbia Dem
Mistake the Gazette did not say so. Eds. Gaz.
Kj3 The parlies to the contract and their friends may think
that the Governor has acted very wrong in this matter but there
is no doubt but he will be sustained by the entire population of
the State. At the commecement a great many persons were of
opinion that it would terminate just as if has consequently there
will be no great disappointment. Texas Monument.
To our mind the Governor makes a clear case of it. It
would Boom that there is something rotten in the state of Den-
mark when the company offer $600000 of stock when only
$300000 is required and implies that they had not sufficient
confidence in either alone to rely upon it. The ond of all
these things is not yet and we anxiously await the result. A
doubt seems to have arisen as to whether the Governor or Sec-
retary is the proper judge of. the sufficiency of tho deposits
Whether tho fact that the Secretary is a competent judo-o bein
interested as a contractor has any thing to do with tliodeciBion
of the question wo do not know. Texan Meroury.
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Oldham, W. S. & Marshall, John. Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 15, Ed. 1, Saturday, December 2, 1854, newspaper, December 2, 1854; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81163/m1/2/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 2, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.