3d. It must not overweight the trussing so as to increase the size of the supporting timbers.
4th. It must be fire-proof.
5th. The original expense should be consistent with the pur pose which the construction is to serve.
6th. It should require but little care.
Every one of these conditions is fully complied with by the tile made under the patents of the Clay Shingle Company.
Louis H. Gibson, architect, spent years in France and Ger many, investigating their manner of building, especially in con structing their houses so as to be secure from fires. He speaks in no uncertain way about burnt clay for covering houses. It is the ideal covering—the only material that is reliable, and will stand the test for centuries. He says: " The arguments in favor of a tile roof are too old and too numerous to need anything more than mere mention. If we stop to think about it, we know that the roofing material in general use is far from satisfactory. Slate, at best, is a tempo rary roofing; it is readily affected by heat ;' so much so, indeed, that a little heat will expose all of the wood work of an ordi nary roof to the action of fire. Shingles are as inflammable as it is possible to arrange the same amount of wood. Slate and shingles, as we know, are the general roofing materials. Tiles, being a clay product, afford protection to all wood work under them, in a perfectly satisfactory way. The heat does not affect the tiles in the least. Frost affects them much less than slate. The covering of a roof with tile practically means not only protection from the elements, but, as well, protection from con flagrations, or any unusual or dangerous degree of heat. Heat, as we know, cannot affect burnt clay products. This quality, together with its abilty to resist other elements of nature, ren ders it the ideal building material. Its qualities of this charac ter are quite as apparent for roof covering as for other uses. For some reason, not easily understood, tile roofs have not been generally manufactured in America. While the field is open, and while there is a general demand for the material, it is not satisfied. There is a difficulty in securing a satisfactory tile roof at a moderate price.
"For the purpose of demonstrating the real value of tile roofs, I choose to go back to their history in France. There are many roofs existing in this country which are not quite one thousand years old, and those of the tenth and eleventh centuries are common indeed. What better evidence of their quality can be
asked ?" In the western part of Indiana, in a small country town, lives a very intelligent old gentleman. He is a carpenter, and sup ports himself and family by work at his trade. He had traveled very little, his business did not allow him much time for reading, but he was a great thinker. He had an inventive mind, and understood the use of tools. As there were excellent clays in his town, he tried to form a tile for roofing houses. He spent all his spare time and money for years in experimenting. The forms he made were burned in a fire-brick factory near by. When he had got a good point he kept it, and changed, and altered, and improved until he succeeded in getting what he believed to be just the thing. He wanted a tile that would be strong, light on the roof, that would be guarded at every point against sleet, rain and drifting snow ; that would be wind, water and frost proof, and fire proof ; that could be made by machinery at a small expense, and could be worked and burned without loss. After getting all these points to his satisfaction, he con sulted a patent attorney and found his form and principle was new—that his title was patentable. He secured one patent, and followed that With others, until he now has six. Like most inventors, he had no money to manufacture his tile. He had neither money nor influence to seek the capital After several years the president of the railroad running through his town became interested in his invention, and through his influence the necessary capital was obtained. A factory was started. Again, time and money were spent in putting his theo ries into practical use. Tile were made—the factory was run successfully and profitably, and to-day some splendid buildings are covered with tile made at his little factory. He can show roofs equal to any in the world. Unfortunately, the factory burned, and has not yet been rebuilt, but four factories are now at work in different parts of the country, and before this year is out more tile will be made of his pattern, and under his patents, than in all the other tile factories in the United States.