Texas State Association of Architects Year Book 1917

building erected. A “shyster” lawyer or a “quack” doctor are often employed on account of saving in fees, but they prove far more expensive in the end. In like manner, the saving of $30,000.00 in architect’s fees is not a reality unless it appears to the extent in the comparative values of the buildings erected. If the buildings through bad judgment, error, and numerous other causes, cost thirty thousand dollars more than they should have cost, then no saving was effected, and besides, such errors and other marks of inferiority often produce losses which cannot be estimated in dollars. No saving in architect’s fees could ever justify a single important defect in design, construtcion, or plan, as the building continues long after the fee has been forgotten.

It is with pride that the average reputable architect can point to savings effected by him in engineering, in design, and in skilled judgment, equal to or in excess of his entire fee. Furthermore, the value of his services properly administered in designing, planning, engineering and supervising an important building, which is to become a monument reflectng the very civilization which produces it, cannot be estimated in dollars. On the other hand, the effect of the Governor's attitude is to discourage talent and integrity and to encourage ignorance and graft in the architectural profession.There could be only one result of such a program, the case in point a possible exception, namely, architectural monstrosities, building collapses and the ultimate destruction of the architectural profession.

The last statement of the Governor in this connection, we believe, is unworthy of his high office. He states that he could have “winked the other eye” at some architect and split this alleged saving of $30,000.00 and, “the public would never have been the wiser.” The inference is that a “reputable” architect could be thus seduced. This we deny. We also deny that the public would never have been the wiser, as such deals are usually brought to light, if in no other way, by the product of the architect of inferior ability and integrity who would enter into such an agreement.

THE EXECUTIVE TEXAS COMMITTEE OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS. Members Present. O. J. Lorehn, President. H. A. Overbeck, First Vice-President. C. C. Bulger, Second Vice-President. Roy E. Lane, Third Vice-President. W. J. Smith, Sixth Vice-President. Fred C. Teich, Secretary-Treasurer.

“I understand,” said one of the neighbors to our own Mrs. PaPrtington, “that you had a lot of disputes with the contractor who put the lighting into your house.” “Yes,” replied that good lady, “but I soon decided that I wasn’t to be insulated by any little electrocutionist!”

Acme Brick Company History

This concern was organized 26 years ago with a plant at Millsap, Texas, where they manufactured common brick almost entirely. In 1912 they discontinued common brick and since have devoted their entire efforts to the manufacture and sale of facing brick. That

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same year they took over the plant of the Denton Brick Co., located at Denton, Texas, and have developed an exclusive facing brick plant there. In 1917 machinery was installed for the manufacture of vitrified hollow building tile at both places, the Millsap plant being in full operation at the present time.

The shale from which their brick are made is selected under the supervision of experts and is housed under large sheds with the capacity for storing sufficient to make approximately 10,000,000 brick, which insures their ability to run during long periods of bad weather. The shale is ground, screened and prepared with the latest improved methods preparatory to being moulded into facing brick or hollow tile with the most modern machinery operat ed by skilled mechanics.

After being moulded into the desired shape the ware is transferred to drying rooms where it is thoroughly dried by means of waste heat drawn by means of large fans through tunnels from kilns that have already been burned.

The material is then transferred to the kilns where the heat is applied to it slowly in exact accordance with certain proven rules. A system of electric pyrometers records the exact number of degrees of heat being developed every minute of the 150 to 175 hours that thy are in the kilns. It is then cooled by drawing the heat away through the tunnels to the “waste heat dryer.”

After the kiln has cooled sufficiently, if tile, it is put into stock, if brick they are shaded by experienced shaders. This is one of the most particular departments and it is here that our highest skilled men are employed.

They carry a stock of finished brick at their two plants of from ten to fourteen million brick which enables them to take care of any size order promptly. They have the force of office men, traveling men and and agents in all the larger cities, all working to the same end—service to the architect builder.

Aside from material of their own manufacture, they are representatives of the following concerns:

Kansas Buff Brick & Manufacturing Co., Buffville, Kas. United States Roofing Tile Co., Parkersburg, W. Va. Thomas Moulding Brick Co., Chicago, Ill. A. P. Green Fire Brick Co., Mexico, Mo. Winkle Terra Cotta Co., St. Louis, Mo. Tiffany Enamel Brick Co., Chicago, Ill. B. Mifflin Hood Brick Co., Atlanta, Ga. Kittanning Brick & Fire Clay Co., Pittsburg, Pa. Elgin Standard Brick Co., Elgin, Texas.

The enormous capacity of their own plants, together with the above concerns, make it possible for them to take care of the clay products requirements of any building operation conceivable. Headquarters and dispaly rooms, Fort Worth, Texas. Branch office and display rooms, Acme Brick & Supply Co., Dallas,

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