| 1 foreman, at $2.50 | $ 2.50 |
| 5 helpers, at $2 | 10.00 |
| 13 barrels cement, at $2 | 26.00 |
| 10 cu. yds. sand and gravel, at $1 | 10.00 |
| Interest and depreciation on machine | 2.00 |
| ——— | |
| Total for 200 blocks | $50.50 |
This gives a cost per block of $50.50 ÷ 200 = 25¼ cts. The displacement in the wall of each block is 1.75 cu. ft., or the same as 30 bricks.
The cost of laying blocks is the most uncertain item in the whole industry. Mr. Palmer states that he has known of instances where it cost only 5 cts. per block and of other instances where, because of the difficulty of getting help and its inexperience, it cost 15 cts. per block. In this particular building one mason and three helpers laid 100 blocks per day. The building had no long walls, but it did have many turns. The cost of laying, then, was as follows:
| 1 mason, at $4 | $ 4.00 |
| 3 helpers, at $2 | 6.00 |
| —— | |
| Total for 100 blocks | $10.00 |
This gives a cost for laying of 10 cts. per block. We have, then:
| Making 2,000 blocks | $505 |
| Laying 2,000 blocks | 200 |
| —— | |
| Total | $705 |
This gives a cost of 35¼ cts. per block for making and laying.
The use of a derrick for laying the blocks proved a considerable item of economy in this work. This derrick cost $50 and two men could mount and move it on the floor beams. It had a boom reaching out over the wall and was operated by a windlass. A plug and feather to fit the center 6-in. hole in the block was used for hoisting the blocks. By this means blocks only seven days old were laid without trouble. It may be noted that the walls were kept drenched with water to make sure that the blocks did not dry out until they were at least 28 days old. In laying the blocks a thin lath was used to keep the mortar back about one inch from the face. This precaution will prevent much labor in cleaning the walls from mortar slobber.
Two-Story Building, Albuquerque, N. M.—The following record of cost of making 9×10×32-in. hollow blocks in a Palmer machine and of laying 2,000 of them in two-story building walls is given by Mr. J. M. Ackerman. Sand cost 60 cts. per cu. yd., and cement cost $3 per barrel. Lime cost 30 cts. per bushel. One barrel of cement made 20 blocks, using a 1-4 sand mixture. In making 2,000 blocks about 100 blocks, or 5 per cent., were lost by blocks breaking in hauling from yard to building or by cutting blocks to fit the work. The blocks were molded by piece work for 5 cts per block, all materials, tools and plant being supplied to the molders. Three men with one machine made from 100 to 150 blocks per day. The cost was as follows:
| Item. | Per block. |
| Cement, at $3 per bbl. | $0.15 |
| Molding, at 5 cts. per block | 0.05 |
| Sand, at 60 cts. per cu. yd. | 0.03 |
| Carting, yard to building | 0.02 |
| Lime and sand for mortar | 0.03 |
| Laying in wall | 0.10 |
| Loss in making and cutting | 0.01 |
| —— | |
| Total | $0.39 |