| The keynote of the history of Hydraulic
Press Brick Company, as well as its future, is sounded by Sir Charles Lytell's, Antiquity
of Man. "Granite disintegrates and crumbles into particles of mica, quartz and
feldspar. Marble soon molders into dust of carbonate of lime, but hard, well burnt
clay endures forever in the ancient landmarks of mankind."
The founder of the Company, Mr. E. C. Sterling, developed the concept of molding dry clay
with a hydraulic press. Mr. Sterling overcame many obstacles as earlier attempts to
utilize a dry clay manufacturing technique in the East had proven unsuccessful. He
established his first operation in Memphis. In 1864, after the disruption of the
Civil War, he relocated to St. Louis. Once the superior quality of the dry press
brick formed with the hydraulic press was demonstrated, it became necessary to move the
first St. Louis plant from 18th and Chouteau to Grand and Chouteau. At this time, in
1868, Hydraulic Press Brick Company was incorporated.
The dense brick formed under hydraulic pressure were heavier than the handmade brick in
common use at the time. One of the great difficulties that had to be overcome was
the reluctance of the hod carriers to handle the heavier brick. The significance of
this weight factor was to play a great role in the later years of the Company as it became
a pioneer in the early development and manufacture of lightweight aggregate.
The success of the Hydraulic Press Brick Company brought about the establishment of
many branch companies, usually started with local capital. Patent rights were
granted by the Hydraulic Press Brick Company to the branch companies. In 1907,
the branch companies, which extended from the East coast to Wisconsin, were all merged
into the Hydraulic Press Brick Company. A few of the prominent early projects
include the Eads Bridge, Anheuser Busch Brew House (built in 1891 and now a United States
historical landmark), Willard Hotel (1901), Washington, D.C., and a number of prominent
New York structures, such as the Chrysler Building, New York Hospital group, Equitable
Life Assurance Building, Bank of Manhattan, and many others.
Much of the early history of the Company was recorded by H. W. Eliot, the second
president, serving from 1905 to 1908, and then as chairman of the board from 1909
to 1919. Mr. H. W. Eliot was the son of Reverend William Greenleaf Eliot, the
founder of Washington University in St. Louis. He was also the father of T.S.
Eliot, noted American author and poet.
The company no longer manufactures brick but has
retained their original name and specializes exclusively in the manufacture of lightweight
aggregates. Hydraulic Press Brick Company with its headquarters in
Indianapolis operates a manufacturing plant in Brooklyn, Indiana.
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