Tao ANNUAL REPORT 
proofs, and in all masonry construction about the sea coast defences. 
The great disappearing guns are set in immense concrete masonry 
chambers with concrete foundations for the machinery. 
MONOLITHIC CONCRETE HOUSES. 
The oldest concrete house built in the United States is of monolithic 
concrete. It was built on Staten Island, N. Y., in 1837, of natural cement 
concrete. Although badly weather worn and dilapidated, this house still 
stands and was inhabited by one or two families when the writer visited 
it in 1902. It must be remembered that this house was built of the imper- 
fect natural cement made in those early years and the aggregate used was 
not carefully selected, but portions. were composed of brickbats, irregular 
and rather large sized broken stone, etc., therefore the dilapilation shown. 
In front of the house at the gateway, lie two cast concrete lions, one badly 
cracked and crumbling, the other yet in fair condition after many decades 
of weathering. Figure 22 shows a front view of the house with the figure 
of one of the lions. | 
Fig. 22.—The Oldest Concrete House in the United States. Built 
on Staten Island in 1837. 
CONCRETE BLOCK HOUSES. 
Of the later forms of concrete house construction, none is neater, 
simpler, nor more economical than that constructed of the various forms 
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