Brandon Sand & Brick Co. was better known as "Samson's Brick" for owner-proprietor Samson.
Plant located at 29th Street & Princess Avenue; Offices located in Smith Block.
Used Huennekes (German) system, whereby dried sand was mixed and ground with lime in a tube mill as water was added to slake the lime. The mixture was formed into bricks in a press, then steamed in a cylinder 6 ft. in diameter and 62 ft. long for 10 hours, under pressure of 120 psi, to form a compound like cement. Bricks were ready for use when taken from cylinder. (Ritchie, T. Canada Builds. pp. 219)
In addition to the Belvedere Apartments, many houses are faced with this brick. The rear of the 9th St. MTS building and others downtown buildings were also formed of it. Also used in interior walls of Prince Edward Hotel, Alexander School and many other buildings that were faced with more expensive brick. The product was so good, the plant's demise was likely caused by the post-WWI depression.(LAS)
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Brandon Sand & Brick Co. (Samson's Brick)
Notes
Great Northern Railway enginehouse visible in background [Fred McGuinness collection (20-2009)].
In 1917 the Brandon Electric Light Co. and the Brandon Gas & Power Co. merged to form the Canada Gas & Electric Company; CG&EC was subsequently taken over by the Manitoba Power Commission;
Brandon's central heating system was taken over by the Brandon Steam Heat Users Co-operative;
On September 13, 1957 at 3:38 PM, an explosion in the boiler and stack destroyed the large stack causing two fatalities.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Canada Gas & Electric Co. steam plant
Notes
View (from 10th St.) of the coal-powered steam generating plant located at 10th St. & Lorne Ave.
Copy negative from 8x10 negative by C.J. Smith (on file).
In 1917 the Brandon Electric Light Co. and the Brandon Gas & Power Co. merged to form the Canada Gas & Electric Company; CG&EC was subsequently taken over by the Manitoba Power Commission;
Brandon's central heating system was taken over by the Brandon Steam Heat Users Co-operative;
On September 13, 1957 at 3:38 PM, an explosion in the boiler and stack destroyed the large stack causing two fatalities.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Canada Gas & Electric Co. steam plant
Notes
Rear view of the coal-powered steam generating plant located at 10th St. & Lorne Avenue
Coal was fed from boxcars up elevators to crushers in two cupolas from which it was fed by gravity to chain grate boilers; The chain grate revolved slowly but constantly with coal fed at front edge, burned, and dumped as cinders in pit at far end
The two boxcars shown were used to haul the coal; One is lettered for the Canadian National, the other is still lettered for the merged Grand Trunk Pacific; Cinders were loaded in gondola cars at far right
Copy negative from 8x10 negative by C.J. Smith (on file).
%2c+and+Wm.+Ferguson+(Wine+Merchant)){kind=link}
+Gas+Works+-+Brandon+Gas+%26+Power+Co.){kind=link}
+Gas+Works+-+Brandon+Gas+%26+Power+Co.+Interior){kind=link}
