14 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



CLAY 



BY ROBERT W. JONES 



The year 191 5 opened with building activities at a somewhat 

 lower level compared with the corresponding period of the pre- 

 ceding year. This was the condition of affairs, particularly, in and 

 near the city of New York. The smaller cities and villages of the 

 State showed, in most cases, a decided improvement although not 

 enough to bring the average materially above that for 19 14. It was 

 not until late summer that any decided upturn was noticed and 

 then the monthly average was carried much higher than the cor- 

 responding months of 1914. Due to the greatly increased con- 

 struction along certain industrial lines, there was a greater demand 

 for electrical ceramic ware. 



The following table gives the value of the output of clay materials 

 in the State for the last three years : 



Production of clay materials 



MATERIAL 



1913 



1914 



I9I5 



Common brick 



$5 938 922 



99 736 



576 970 



44 265 



276 053 



1 113 322 



371 408 



134 199 



154 646 



3 367 187 

 1 164 



$4 597 856 



105 439 



680 226 



38 119 



245 034 



892 630 



331 671 



92 938 



81 OOO 



2 405 676 



4 630 



$4 886 734 



Front brick 



153 572 



Paving brick 



Hollow brick 



382 502 

 59 683 



Fireproof ing 



177 844 



Terra cotta 



647 815 



Fire brick and stove lining .... 

 Drain tile 



502 478 

 91 221 



Sewer pipe . . . 



a 



Pottery 



3 064 274 



Miscellaneous 



36 250 







Total 



$12 077 872 



$9 475 219 



$10 002 373 







a Included under miscellaneous. 



One hundred sixty-five individuals or corporations reported a 

 production of clay materials, as compared with 190 during 1914. 

 This does not necessarily involve a like falling off in active yards 

 and plants. During, the past season there were, in the Hudson 

 River district, several combinations of the larger yards under 

 closer management. Labor troubles also caused a few yards to 



