18 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



MARKET FOR BRICKMAKING MACHINERY 



The i^rincipal material used in Cuban 

 buildings, such as residences, storehouses, and 

 railway stations, is domestic red-clay brick. 

 Portland cement is used occasionally. The 

 kinds of brick used are the common brick, 

 113^ by 5H by 2 inches, and the hollow 

 brick, 13 by 8K by 4 inches, the demand at 

 present, however, being limited. The present 

 sources of supply are the local brickyards 

 operated by machinery. Labor is scarce and 

 wages are from $1 .50 to $2 per day . American 

 oil engines, dry grinding pans, ]}ug mills, 

 augur machines, and presses are used prefer- 

 ably, there being little competition with 

 foreign machinery. There are also several 

 plants where labor is performed by hand. 

 It is stated on authority that, owing to the 

 character of the clay in this vicinity and the 

 fact that it is not very pliable, there is little 

 possibility of introducing machinery to replace 

 such hand labor. Although it is probable 

 that after the war, when prices have resumed 

 normal condition, there will be mere activity 

 in the building line, it is doubtful whether 

 there will be an increase in brickmaking 

 machinery in this section of the island, as the 

 present equipments appear able to meet such 

 a contingency .^Vice Consul George B. Star- 

 buck, Cienfuegos. 



Demand for Brick Exceeds Supply in Matanzas. 

 In the city of Matazas a very large majority 

 of the buildings are constructed of brick, with 

 roofs of French or Cuban tiles. Very little 

 wood is used within the city limits, but in the 

 rural districts it is more extensively used. 

 The demand for bricks is great and the supply 

 small. Often the local factories cannot fill 

 their orders fast enough, and it is necessary 

 to import bricks from Habana and elsewhere. 



The standard brick used measures 11 by 5 

 by 3 inches and weighs about 10 pounds. 

 Bricks are employed for all kinds of work, 

 such as foundations, outside walls, and 

 division walls. The brick wall is always 

 covered with a coating of light colored mortar, 

 so that the bricks are not visible. 



There are two brick factories here with a 

 maximum combined daily capacity of 20,000 

 bricks, but the actual production is about 

 10,000. There are also several small estab- 

 lishments which make bricks by hand and 



which work intermittently. The combined 

 total output of these can be placed at 500 

 bricks daily as the maximum. 

 Process of Manvfaclure. 



In these factories the process of manu- 

 facture is as follows: The raw material from 

 the claybank enters first the crusher or dis- 

 integrater; passes to the pug mill, where the 

 necessary amount of water is added; thence 

 to the auger machine, which it leaves in the 

 form of a bar of clay 11 by 5 inches, and on to 

 a semi-automatic wire cutting table. The 

 table cuts 10 bricks at one time and deposits 

 them on wooden pallets which are wheeled 

 to the driers. The bricks remain at the driers 

 for four days before being taken to the ovens 

 or kilns, from which they go direct to the 

 consimier. 



With the present high cost of labor 

 fuel bricks cannot be sold for less than $23 

 per thousand, with very little jn'ofit to the 

 producer at that price. 



The material used is a clay marl, sufficiently 

 plastic, requiring 20 per cent water for mold- 

 ing and easy to bake. When well made this 

 gives a very hard brick. The introduction of 

 machinery to replace hand labor is feasible 

 and would undoubtedly greatly reduce the 

 cost and augment the production. The 

 method of drying bricks with steam or waste 

 heat from the ovens is unknown here. So, 

 also, are continuous ovens or kilns, conduct- 

 ors, etc. 



Competition with foreign brickmaking 

 machinery is not to be feared, as the American 

 machinery is cheaper, is not so complex, is 

 installed by an ex]3ert from the home factory, 

 and has better facilities for obtaining repairs. 

 The import duty on brickmaking machinery 

 is 25 per cent, ad valorem. American 

 machinery enjoys a preferential discount 

 of 5 per cent.- — Vice Consul Paid L. Clugston, 

 Matanzas. 



YUCATAN SUGAR BAG FACTORY 



Arrangements are being made for the es- 

 tabhshment of a factory in Yucatan for the 

 manufacture of bags and sacks from the 

 henequen fibre which in the past has been 

 exported. 



The sugar gi-owers of Cuba use 10,000,000 

 sacks annually, and it is proposed to supply 

 this demand. 



