BRICK. A Number of Fine Clay Beds in This Vicinity From Which Excellent Brick, Both Pressed and Molded, are Made. In considering the matter of granite, especially as it relates to ordinary uses in building, we come naturally to speak of brick. In the immediate vicinity of St. Cloud are many valuable beds of brick clay, from several of which an excellent quality of pressed bricks have been made, and that this business in bound to greatly increase in the next few years is a certainty. The failure of Griffin Bros. last year, through other causes, closed one of the largest of these yards. It was located on the east side of the river, and just opposite was the Schindler yard, which makes a fine quality of pressed brick, turning out about 3,000,000 yearly. Near this also is the Jordoine yard, where 2,000,000 cream-colored bricks are burned annually. South of the city is the largest of the yards, that of Hess & Moog. They employ about 35 men and made this year 5,000,000 bricks. Just below and adjoining this yard is that of Jno. Weyrauch, where 2,000,000 more were made. These yards make only the cream-colored molded brick, which are very hard and smooth, and are much sought after by builders. The only red clay bed in use is Mr. Peter Greven’s, southwest of the city, where about 1,500,000 of bricks were burned last season. There are many other valuable clay beds on both sides of the city, which have not yet been opened, and with St. Cloud’s advantages for shipping this offers a very profitable field to brick makers. (St. Cloud Journal-Press, Thursday, January, 5, 1888)
THE BRICK INDUSTRY. Local Brick Industry Is a Valuable Asset of St. Cloud - 4,500,000 to Be Made This Season. Among its other industries, St. Cloud people when saying a good word for their town should not overlook the brick industry. Approximately 4,500,000 brick of superior quality will be manufactured in this vicinity this year and employment given to fifty men for the summer and a lesser number for the winter. A visit to the Hess & Moog yard yesterday showed a scene of decided activity. The proprietors set a good example to their men by working hand in hand with them and not only were the brick being manufactured as fast as skillful labor and scientific machinery will permit but the manufactured article was being loaded into cars for shipment to distant points. The St. Cloud brick trade extends hundreds of miles away. An order is being filled for Alva, S. D., and another for Hibbing, almost as far in another direction. The brick are the cream colored variety of uniform color and strength and make a very handsome building material. About 6,000 are loaded in an ordinary box car and several cars are being shipped daily from this yard and also from the yard of the St. Augusta Brick company. Hess & Moog will this year manufacture about 2,000,000 brick and the St. Augusta company as many more, while Ernest Beutler will put out about a half million. The two larger yards make the modern wire cut brick while Mr. Beutler who has but opened a yard will make slop-mold brick, although he expects to put in modern machinery like his neighbors. Twenty men are employed each by Hess & Moog and the St. Augusta Brick company and Mr. Beutler is working seven employees. Brick are now bringin $6 per thousand and the same condition as prevailed last year when the local yards could not supply their trade promises to obtain. A momentary call in the drying oven at the Hess & Moog yard is a primitive Turkish bath, the nine thousand feet of steam pipe running through and about the oven making the heat and vapour something to open one’s pores and give him a bath in perspiration. (Journal-P?, Friday, June 20, 1902)
Page 1312. The manufacture of brick has almost from its organization to the present day been an important industry in the township. In 1861 Weber & Volz started a brickyard, two miles from the town, in section 22. In 1865 the property was purchased by Peter Greven, which afterwards became Greven & Lommel. The output was about 500,000 bricks per year, red color and of fair quality, selling at $8 to $10 per thousand delivered in St. Cloud. The manufacture of brick at this yard closed in 1888, and was not afterward renewed. St. Cloud Township. In 1865 John Zenner began the manufacture of brick, which were cream-colored. The yard was bought in 1868 by Wm. Krugel, whose product in 1881 was 400,000, the brick selling for $7.00 to $8.00 at the kiln. It was purchased in 1882 by Hess & Bandle, in 1886 the firm was Hess & Moog, and since 1905 the business has been carried on by Henry Hess alone. His product is 2,000,000 brick annually, selling at the yard at an average of $6.50 per thousand. This yard is in sections 25 and 36. On the west side of the road, in section 26, Frederick Kuehn began brickmaking in 1881, continuing about five years, when the clay bed gave out. In 1886, going further south into section 35, the firm of Kuehn & Weyrauch opened a yard, which they ran for about ten years, being compelled then to suspend operations for the same reason as before - the exhaustion of the clay bed.
Page 1313. In 1903 Ernest Beutler secured a tract of land in the northeast quarter of section 35 containing a fine bed of clay, and began the manufacture of brick, continuing until the present. His output in 1914 was 1,500,000, and he expects to increase that number this year. These brick are also cream and sell at $7.00 per thousand kiln-run. Both these yards, now the only ones operating in this vicinity, are about three miles south of the city.
Page 1420. Clay suitable for brick, although of an inferior quality, was discovered some distance south of the marl bed, and in the spring of 1857 J. Ladd burned a kiln of brick, which found a ready market at $6 per thousand. The business later passed into the hands of J. E. West. In 1864 brick were made by H. J. Fowler, who continued the manufacture until 1868, although on a limited scale. They were red in color. In the year 1858 a brick yard was opened a short distance north of Governor Gilman’s present residence by George Dunton and Isaac Parks and brick of the prevailing red color were made for several years. Brick from these kilns were used in the Edelbrock building at the corner of St. Germain street and Fifth avenue, and of the Metzroth and Burbank buildings at the corner of St. Germain street and Sixth avenue. None of these deposits of clay were extensive and after a time were exhausted. (History of Stearns County Minnesota, Volume II, William Bell Mitchell, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., Chicago, 1915)
We call attention to the advertisement of M. Ladd who has commenced making brick in Lower St. Cloud. His energy entitles him to a liberal patronage. This makes the second brick-kiln started in St. Cloud this season. It was the boast of Emperor Augustus that he found Rome wood and left it brick. We hope our brick makers will live to see the longest streets in St. Cloud built up with massive blocks of brick stores and warehouses. (Minnesota Adv., August 20, 1857)