In 1910, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We did a very unique exhibit for the Cement Show. A model farm, imitation of cement. It was very interesting and finished very good.”
He was referring to the third annual convention for the National Exposition of American Cement Industries. The Cement Show was held at the Coliseum in Chicago and ran from February 18 to the 26. Educational in its nature, the event was intended to illustrate and explore the various uses of cement and concrete. Millions of pounds of material were used in exhibits ranging from crude products to floating boats that could carry a great weight (Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 1910, page 9). There were concrete burial vaults, water tanks, fences, silos, curbs, homes and other exhibits such as the model farm that Moses mentioned (Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 1910, page 6).
The show included a series of lectures to inform the public, by word and picture, the varied uses and economic advantages of cement. Lecture topics included small farm uses of concrete, how to build a concrete silo, concrete sidewalks, concrete bridges and culverts, concrete in seawall construction, concrete in factory construction, artistic uses of concrete, concrete sheets and floors, concrete tanks, cement stucco, concrete surface and finish, concrete piles, concrete poles, concrete drain, tile and pipe construction, and the basics of mixing and placing concrete.
There were an estimated 100,000 people who attended the event from all over the country that year. Exhibitors filled the entire first and second floors the Chicago Coliseum, including both floors of the annex. There were other meetings of allied interests also scheduled to coincide with the Cement show, including the American Society of Engineering Contractors, the National Association of Cement Users, the National Builder’s Supply association, the Illinois Association of Municipal Contractors, Northwestern Cement Products association, and the Interstate Cement Tile Manufacturers association.
On February 20, 1910, the “Inter Ocean” reported, “The cement show is simply a competitive exhibition for showing the purpose of showing the progress of the industry. Through the combined efforts of the manufacturer and the user it has reached its present high state development. No really great invention ever reached perfection through the work of one man, but through the results of the advice and criticism of the public. Knowing this fact, it is apparent how great a benefit to the entire industry is a competitive exhibition of this kind and size” (page 11).
The article continued, “Record attendance was attained last evening when the largest crowd that has ever attended a cement show thronged the aisles. The most interesting attraction was the second floor of the Annex, where Percy H. Wilson, secretary of the American Portland Cement association, is conducting a moving picture display and lecture. Exhibitors yesterday reported numerous sales as a result of the first business session. One concern closed a contract for 50,000 barrels of cement to be used in constructing a dam on a ranch in the West” (page 11).
President Edward M. Hagan and his associates of the Cement Products Exhibition company were responsible for the annual exhibition. In 1910, their plan was to take the Chicago event to Madison Square Garden for the week of Dec. 12.
To put the use of cement during 1910 in context: In 1880, only 42,000 barrels of cement were manufactured nationwide. In 1909 that number increased to 60,000,000 barrels (Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 1910, page 9).
To be continued…
