Windom, Minn. – F. M. Gardner, formerly of the Windom Brick & Tile Company, will open a brickyard at Bingham Lake, 6 miles north. (Brick, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, March 1897, Volume VI, Number 3, Page 199)
F. M. Gardner will open up a brickyard at Bingham Lake, Minn., in the spring. (Clay Record, Clay Record Publishing Company, Chicago, March 15, 1897, Volume X, Number 5, Page 27)
Brick-Burning. By F. M. Gardner. As on account of my success with the Pike kiln I have several letters inquiring about my way of burning, and in order to accommodate all at once, I wish to reply through "Brick." Several important things are necessary in the manufacture of clayware. To insure success, the first is to have your heart, your head and hands in full sympathy with your work, and then inspire that same spirit in your employees, for without that spirit all will be a drag or a failure. Whenever I step into a yard and find the superintendent or manager listless, slow of step, with that "don’t care" look, I find the hands influenced by this so that they just put in their time. Ever since ’63 I have not forgotten the instructions of one of the best burners then in the state of Ohio, under whom I worked for five years; that was that whatever you do, learn to do it well, for if not worth doing it well it is not worth doing at all; and save time, for life is short and time spent uselessly is a waste of money, the more so when you have 15 or 20 men to whom you are paying big wages, waiting on your movements. I have not burnt in every kiln that is patented, nor the one-half. Making is one thing, and burning is the end of the expense so far as the manufacture is concerned; therefore, after going through all the wheeling, pitching, setting, we have come to the matter of saving dollars and cents, the all-important part on a successful plant; and if you have studied your clay drying you have got some clue to your burning.
If you clay is stiff, of a tough nature and cracks in drying, be sure to get your ware dry before you set in kiln; then use the utmost care, or you will spoil more; go slowly until you get your heat up. Clay that contains more silica, that is more brash, dried quickly; such a clay will generally stand more rapid firing, but to be sure, go slowly. Leave the hot spots in your kiln - and right here I want to say, hot spots, cold spots, how often do we hear of them? Now, what is the cause? I will tell you; first, uneven setting; second, not keeping the same heat in all the arches; not attending to business; putting hard wood in some and soft in others; dampers not even; some open, some shut; not watching the heat; then, don’t you know that there are hardly two reasons that look into an arch that will agree as to the degree of heat? Try it once in burning; let the head-burner go ahead, look at every arch so he can see the heat and tell those that are filling up what to put in, whether much or little, hard wood or soft; keeping all arches the same. Then if set even, the burn will be equal all through.
In open top clamp kilns, I put on two courses of platting, crossing the brick and each other, trying to get all laid alike, so as to damper even, setting top course on kiln closer than the others so as to stop the heat; not to let it escape too fast, save fuel, and in Pike's down-draft, or any other down-draft, set closer at the bottom and more open at top; then keep the fires even until the brick are red at bottom of the kiln, then begin to lower your dampers about two-thirds closed. I have only one peep-hole, that is on the floor and runs through the kiln from one door to the other. Make this when you fill alleyway, then when you get the heat down to the floor so that it looks foggy, close the kiln tightly, let down the stack damper to within three or four inches of the bottom; go to bed; take 12 hours’ sleep; then go out, take up damper one-half, and you can begin to cool, but go slowly. By doing this you get better ware, better color, better ring to the ware, and I guess your burn will be all right. Now, this is generally speaking, but we must know this, that different clays are like men, they take different treatment. In conclusion, I would add, if you have good clay, and a good market for the ware, get a good burner, then keep him, so that he can become acquainted with the peculiar nature of the clay and kilns. You may then count upon getting that uniform burn which makes glad the hearts of every brickmaker. (Brick, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, March 1897, Volume VI, Number 3, Page 190)
From Minnesota. F. M. Gardner, writing from Bingham, Minn., the 14th of March, says: "It is slightly cold here, the thermometer registering 20 degrees below zero. The snow is 3 feet deep on the level and it is one of the coldest winters experienced here for years. It will throw spring work back for three or four weeks. With the exception of a few days there has been splendid sleighing here ever since Thanksgiving, but the cold wind is dry, and though about 20 degrees colder than in Ohio, it does not penetrate or dampen the same as there. The prospects, when the weather opens, are that the farmers will have good crops, if we don't have too much rain; then the demand for brick will be all I can wish. I send you a small specimen of our clay, which burns a dark cherry red and would like your ideas of it. I think it is No. 1." (Brick, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, April 1897, Volume VI, Number 4, Page 206)
From Minnesota. F. M. Gardner, Bingham Lake, Minn., writes: "Enclosed find my photograph for the Album. The weather has been very wet, more rain having fallen than for many years during the same period. This has held me back in my work, but I expect to fire my first kiln at this place within the next 10 days. The farmers have good crops of hay, wheat, oats and barley; corn somewhat backward on account of the wet; but southern Minnesota is blooming with her fields of waving grain. Prosperity again seems near at hand, if the rainmaker will only run out of supply so our brick can dry. I have not as yet made any tile as I am waiting for kilns, and the farmers also do not know how to lay them and will have to be educated up to the advantages. It was with the deepest regret that I read the death of Mr. Crary, as I considered him at the head of all contributors. ‘Brick’ has my best wishes." (Brick, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, August 1897, Volume VII, Number 2, Page 49)
From Bingham Lake, Minn. By F. M. Gardner. The photographer promised that he would send the photograph direct to you, and if he does this you will see what I have done, so far, with a very rainy season. Mr. Wilson and I labored under the greatest difficulties that I ever experienced, with rain every other day, the falling down of our shed full of brick, wet wood, wet kiln seat, having to burn in common casing, brick getting steamed while burning, etc., etc., but we are going ahead and I know that we have something that will lead. I will send you a sample of our ware in the near future. I was up to Springfield and found a very nice plant there, with a very gentlemanly proprietor, who is business clear through. I found he reads "Brick" and is posted in the business, turning out good ware in brick, tile, ornamental brick, and paving blocks. As soon as I get time I want to meet others in order to see if we cannot have a convention of brickmakers in Minnesota. (Brick, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, September 1897, Volume VII, Number 3, Page 117)
Bingham Lake Brick. Wilson & Gardner, of Bingham Lake, Minn., say, "This is our display at our county fair, held October 25, 6 and 7 last, at Windom. The photograph was taken the day after the fair looking north over the race track, the railing around the display having been removed. "The darker bricks are a fine dark red, the lighter colored are buff, but the color values are not rendered properly by the photograph as would have been if an orthochromatic plate had been used. The bricks were laid by our cut-off man. "Our price at kiln is $7.00 per M. [1,000], if they were thicker would sell for $18.00. Sales are slow, for we missed the fall trade, but have full assurance that all our brick will be gone by spring. "Our yard is situated one mile from the railroad track on a beautiful lake and summer resort, where we have four different kinds of clay. We ship on the Omaha road. We have no brick plant near us, the nearest to the west is 100 in South Dakota, and 57 miles on the east; there is no drain tile or hollow block plant anywhere within 150 miles of us; north and south we do not know how far it is to a plant of any sort. We would sell to good parties as we have other business, but we are not in a hurry. We have plenty of clay, good soil and a healthy climate. We manufacture brick, tile and hollow blocks, but we did not have the latter burned in time for the exhibit. We made a late start and, in consequence, still have 400,000 on hand. The bricks in the exhibit were laid up without mortar." If this monumental exhibit of Bingham Lake brick was designed as well as laid up by the cut-off man, then the cut-off man is an artist and we should like to publish his name and give him the credit for it, which he deserves. The exhibit is a very ingenious and artistic piece of bricklaying. (Brick, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, December 1897, Volume VII, Number 6, Page 236)
The Bingham Lake (Minn.) Brick Co. has received an order for 10 car loads of brick. This company is rapidly disposing of all brick left on hand at the close of the season. Nearly 1,000,000 brick will be delivered from the yards before spring. (Brick and Clay Record, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, April 1901, Volume XIV, Number 4, Page 228)