Brick Plant at Moline

[ddurbin]

THE MOLINE BRICK WORKS
As recorded in THE MOLINE REVIEW
   1906

May 4—BRICK PLANT—Messrs Parkins and Cleveland were here again this week and made the people a very fair proposition to put in a brick plant.  The Moline citizens will gladly take hold of it and the enterprise is fully assured if a suitable site can be had at a reasonable figure.

May 25—BRICK PLANT—Temporary Organization—Site Bought  Plant Being Shipped and Work Soon to Commence
   A meeting of the stock holders of the Moline Brick company was held last Saturday night, and a temporary organization was effected with John Cleveland, president, and E. A. Chaffin secretary and treasurer.
   A charter for the company is being secured with capital stock of $25,000.
   The R. D. Miller 82-acre tract southwest of town has been purchased and work will begin laying side track out to the proposed location of the plant in a short time.
   The machinery and a million brick have already been purchased, and is now being shipped to Moline, threee cars having already arrived.
   The following have subscribed stock; John Cleveland, S. Z. Ellsworth, O. S. Stevens, Frank McKey, H. R. Ellsworth, Dr. J. W. Farrow, Rettig & Johns, Chaffin Bros., J. E. Foulston, J. J. Webb, L. A. Copeland, George H. Turner, John Lovett and U. G. Sutton.

June 8—The Moline Brick Co. has let a contract to an Iola construction company to move the buildings and machinery of the brick plant to Moline and set them up ready for operation.  Work has already begun on the contract.

June 29—First shipment of the machinery for the Moline Brick Co., will be here (Friday) tomorrow.

July 26—THE BRICK PLANT—The machinery and other material for the Moline Brick Company's plant is now all on the ground.  A force of workmen is engaged in placing the machinery and preparing to erect the buildings.  It will require a month or six weeks to get everything in working order.

   1907

Feb. 1—THE BRICK COMPANY—Last Friday Messrs. Lubenck and Botts of Iola, who had a contract to move the brick plant from that city and put it up in running order at Moline, met the board of directors and Mr. G. W. Mahan, the new superintendent of the company.  It was thought best to settle up with the contractors who had not completed their work, and have the plant put in running order by Mr. Mahan, as some changes seemed desirable in the original plans.  So this was done and now Mr. Mahan has commenced work and will soon be able to start up the machinery and make brick.
   Moline is going to have some valuable enterprises and is making a good start to get them.

April 5—BRICK MAKING IN MOLINE—The Moline Brick Company plant started up this week and brick is being manufactured.  Everybody is glad to see another home industry started up.

April 12—G. W. Mahan, the superintendent of the brick plant, who had his hand hurt in the machinery at the plant last week, is back at work again this week.

July 26—THE BRICK PLANT—A visit to the brick plant Monday showed about fifteen or twenty men busy making brick and of the shale of the hill on the old R. D. Miller farm.  The shale is blasted loose from the hillside shoveled into cars and drawn by a cable up into the upper part of the building whence it is let down into a "dry pan" which is a large circular revolving pan with a screen bottom.  In this are two large "muhlers" or rollers which crush the shale up into a fine dust or powder.  It is then elevated up to the top of the building and let fall on a revolving screen so that the finest of shale goes into the presses.
   The two presses are heavy solid machinery and exert a powerful pressure upon the dust so that there comes out at each revolution three bricks perfectly shaped and colored a bluish yellow, hard enough to be handled and placed in the kiln, where day and night for ten days it is subjected to intensely hot gas fires.  When done the brick comes out in several shades of cherry red, and are solid, well formed with a ring when struck like fine pottery.
   There now seems no question but that the industry of brick making is established in Moline, and will result in a profit both to the town and to those who have invested their money in the enterprise.

August 16—THE BRICK INDUSTRY—The Moline Brick company have the second kiln of brick filled and are now commencing on the third.  The brick they turn out are highly praised wherever it is known.  They are burned a beautiful cherry red color, have fine texture and being free from lime remain in good condition after exposure to the weather.  The company is fortunate in having first-class shale to use at their plant.  The demand for brick of this kind is good and the company has a good many buyers, so its affairs are very promising at this time.
   The company has sold quite a little to local consumers and having them ready for delivery wish that the purchasers would come and get them so that the kiln space can be cleared without extra cost of handling.


1910

June 3—BRICK PLANT BEING REBUILT—Mr. Houck of the firm of Houck Brothers of Springfield, Ohio, that has the contract for rebuilding the brick plant and installing the new machinery has been here this week and has a force of men at work dismantling the old machinery at the plant.  The new machinery has all been purchased and will be shipped at once.  The plant when done will have a capacity of 50,000 per day.
   Negotiations have been commenced with the Santa Fe for a switch from the main track to the plant.

June 3—MOLINE'S NEW BRICK PLANT—Moline, Kans., June 1 Work has commenced today on remodeling the Moline Brick company's plant.  Recently the company has been reorganized.  Beside the stock held by local, L. Dietrick of Kansas City, Mr. Ditzenberger of Pawhuska, Okla. And others are interested.  Houk Brothers of Springfield, Ohio have the contract to rebuild the plant and to install the machinery.  The machinery has all been purchased and will be placed as soon as it arrives.  The Joplin Bond & Stock Co., of Joplin, Mo., Is the financial agent and reports good progress in selling the securities.  The capital stock is fixed at $60,000---WICHITA BEACON

June 10—(from an article highlighting some of Moline's growth)—Moline brick industry like the lime industry has a sure primary foundation.  The shale out of which it is proposed to manufacture brick is the real thing, the best shale in all the brick making territory.  It is capable of producing brick of a finish and quality that can not be excelled.  The plant is in the hands of men who understand what is necessary to set it on a paying basis and the necessary capital is fast coming in to procure the means of making brick.

June 24—THE MOLINE BRICK COMPANY—Work is still progressing at the brick plant.  There is immediate use for a railroad track from the main line.  There has been arrangements made for the installing of the machinery and starting the plant but the company needs to sell enough more stock to cover the expense of this switch.  The public has been invited to subscribe for this stock and at the latest report subscriptions were coming in lively.  There is some more stock to sell and will be for a short time.  If anyone wants some brick stock now is the time.

July 8—BRICK PLANT PROGRESS—The Santa Fe Surveyor has been here this week laying off ground for the switch from the main track to the brick plant.  The Brick Company will put in the track after the survey is made.
   The contractors for rebuilding the plant have made good progress lately.  They have cleared away the old machinery and are working on the foundations for the new.  Work will progress very rapidly from this time on.





July 22—BRICK PLANT PROGRESSING—The Moline Brick Company has let the contract for grading the side track from the main line to the plant.  Andy Peterson has the contract to do the work and as he has had much experience in this sort of work a good job may be expected.  The work of preparing the ground for the kilns is going ahead nicely.  Moline has something doing all the time.

Aug. 12—The brick company is pushing the work of rebuilding its plant as rapidly as possible.  The grading for the switch has all been done, part of the material has arrived for the track and more is expected every day.  At the plant the contractors are getting ready for the machinery and are working on the kilns.  In a short time the plant will be in working order.

Aug. 19—L. Dietrick, one of the Moline Brick Co promoters returned last Friday evening from a trip to his home at Kansas City.

Aug. 26—THE BRICK PLANT—Work is progressing at the brick plant.  They are now building the drying kilns.  There are about 100 feet long and are eight in number.  As the brick comes from the cutting table it is stacked on cars and these enter the drying kiln and pass through it in twenty-four hours, first encountering only a little heat and then more and more until they come out and are placed in the burning kilns.
   The grade has been made for the spur from the railroad.  It is the work of Andy Peterson and is as pretty a piece of grading as one may see in a long time.
   The track has been ordered laid and ill be completed in a short time.  Then the machinery will come for the plant.
   All the expert brick men who have seen the outlay say that this is an ideal place to erect a plant as the shale is the best possible to find and the demand for the product is great.  The machinery ordered is the best to be obtained and the men who have charge of the practical operation of the plant fully understand the business.  The future of the Moline Brick Company looks bright.

Aug. 26—L. Dietrick, the brick plant man, spent last Friday on business in Independence.

Sept. 30—THE BRICK CO.—The Santa Fe railroad has begun work on the spur leading from the main line to the brick plant.  The Moline Brick Co has had the money up to pay for this for some time and at last the work of laying rails has begun.  As soon as this is completed, Houck Brothers, who have the contact for rebuilding the plant and equipping the same with new machinery, will begin to ship in material to finish the job.  This work has been delayed by the track being uncompleted.
   The Moline Brick Co. has recently been reorganized and a lot of new stock holders have taken stock.  The new board of directors are Philip Walker, J. J. Webb, E. A. Chaffin, Chris Beu, J. H. Houck, W. S. Houck and Mr. Ditzenberger.  The board organized by electing Philip Walker president, J. J. Webb, Vice president, J. H. Houck, Secretary, E. A. Chaffin, treasurer and W. S. Houck, general manager.

Nov. 11—THE BRICK PLANT—Considerable progress has been made on the work at the brick plant.  They have been constructing a reservoir this week and as weather has been favorable a good one will be made.  The drying kilns are about done and the machinery is expected every day so that it will be but a short time until the work of making brick will begin.

Dec. 2—THE BRICK PLANT—Progress has been made at the brick plant in the last week or two.  The reservoir is completed and a good well to supply water.  A car load of machinery has been unloaded and the drying kilns are completed.  Work is now progressing on a water line and the foundations for the heavy machinery.  In a short time everything will be ready for the making of brick.

Dec. 9—L. Dietrick of the Brick Co spent a short time at Humboldt.





Dec. 16—The writer made a trip to the brick plant Tuesday and found the contractors the Houck brothers and their assistants at work setting up the heavy machinery.  They are making good progress but the shortage of water may delay operations some.  There is another carload or two of machinery yet to arrive and be placed.

1911

Jan. 6—(from an article describing Moline's improvements)—The brick company has been reorganized and the plant is being rebuilt at the cost of many thousands of dollars.  Most of this money has been raised locally.  It will bring returns in the near future which will be distributed locally.  It will give employment t a great many men and contribute greatly to the prosperity.

Jan. 24—THE BRICK PLANT—The new machinery for the brick plant is all in place except the setting of the boilers and engines and laying tram ways for the cars from pit to dry pan and to the kilns.  As soon as the heavens shed sufficient tears to furnish moisture for the work brick making will begin.

April 24—The new boiler for the brick plant arrived this week and put into place.  Most of the material for the plant has now been received.

June 2—BRICK PLANT TO START—The construction work on the brick plant has been completed and the machinery has been run t try it out.  After a few minor alterations are made brickmaking will commence.  Everything about the plant is in first class shape and the company will have a nice plant.  They expect to begin t move shale the first of the week.

July 14—J. H. Houck of the Moline Brick company made a business trip to Emporia Wednesday.

1912

May 2—TAKE NOTICE—As certain parties have recently been trespassing on the property of the Moline Brick Co. and handling the machinery and destroying property  Let this be a warning to all persons not having authority to go on the premises that if they do so they will be prosecuted according to law       MOLINE BRICK CO.
By J. J. Webb V.P.

[Wilma]

Do you know the exact location of the brick plant and how long was it in production?

[ddurbin]

My understanding is that it was located about 3/8 mile south from the SW corner of Moline (what's commonly referred to as the roundhouse corner or stockyards corner) then about 1/4 mile west.  I can't say how long it produced.  I didn't find any articles about it in the papers I read after the last one printed here dated in 1912.  If anyone has more to share about it, please do so.

[genealogynut]

Although I grew up in Howard, there is still much about the history of Elk County that I am in need of learning.  We didn't know anything about a brick plant at Moline.  Thanks for a "history lesson."

[Roma Jean Turner]

I was also wondering how long it was in operation.  I know that I remember hearing about the brick plant as a child, don't know if that was because it was still there or just hearing the grown ups talk.  There was also a cheese factory of some kind around Moline when I was small.

We lived out from town across from some of the Glasscocks.  I could probably find the place although the house I believe burned down years ago.  It was right on a curve. Mr. Glasscock was coming home one day and found me riding down the middle of the highway on my tricycle.  He stopped, picked me up and asked me where I was going and I said , down to the cheese factory for some cheese.  My poor mother had discovered me missing and was of course scared to death.
Strange the things we remember from such a young age.

[genealogynut]

I think the cheese factory was across the street north from where the old lumber yard used to be.  It was  along the highway that goes thru town, on the northwest corner of where the hi-way turns east.  I vaguely remember our home-ec class taking a field trip one time, as we visited the cheese factory in Moline and seen how they made cheese.  I don't know when it shut down.

[Wilma]

It was not operating in 1973 when I went to work in Moline.  There was a garage right on the corner that might have been part of the factory.  I think the north part of the building was torn down in the mid 70's.  That wouldn't have been very long after you got out of high school.

[genealogynut]

I'm guessing it must have been abt. 1964-65 when we took the Cheese factory tour.  I think the name of it was DeCoursey's, if I remember right.

[Wilma]

I think you are right.  I seem to remember seeing the name Decoursey's on the front of the building.  Now, wait and see if someone tells us we are both wrong.

[Janet Harrington]

Well, I too, did not know that Moline had a brick factory.  I wonder if the bricks were stamped with Moline, Kansas, on them.  What fun would that be to find a brick with that on it!!

As for the cheese factory, I do know that the name of the creamery north of the old Square Deal station was De Coursey, but I don't ever remember hearing anyone say that it was a cheese factory.  Man, I'm telling you, we just learn something new every day.