The Dalles Chronicle January 23, 2005 page A5 Brickyards and masons were vital part of early The Dalles [The following article appeared in The Dalles Optimist on May 24, 1962, one of a series of articles by local historian Howard McNeal. McNeal was the author of a history of The Dalles, completed in 1953.] Junior High Brickyard The Junior High School brickyard, according to Hans Blaser, was located on about 14th and I streets, where the school is now located. They hauled clay from Clay Hill and many other locations to those kilns. The bricks for the little brick house in the 1300 block of 12th Street came from that brickyard. The owners and operators of that yard are not known. Roy Johnson recalled a small brickyared (sic) at 10th and Federal about 1900, but not the owner’s name. Max Blank Brickyard The Max Blank brickyard, according to Jacob Scherrer, was located on East 8th Street, at the head of 4th Street grade, near the old Laughlin home. As recently related in the papers, Max Blank was the contractor and builder of St. Mary’s Academy in 1882 for $24,000, which is now being torn down. He was the uncle of Fred Christian, well-like The Dalles plumber who always said, “My uncle Max Blank built St. Mary’s Academy.” Brick Costs Paul Weigelt, of the Weigelt Bros. Book Store, whose father Albert (1864-1941) was a pioneer bricklayer and stonemason of The Dalles for 50 years, said, “When father came here in 1891, bricks sold for $50 per 1,000 or œ cent each! Father would order 10,000 bricks for a house (30X30) and they would cost only $500! Labor was only $1.50 per day and meals 15 cents. It was cheaper to build a house of bricks, in those days, than out of lumber! After 1910 came the concrete building construction period in The Dalles, which lasted about 20 years until hollow tile became popular in the 1930s. Brick and tile houses are today cheaper to construct than those of lumber!” Alber (sic) Weigelt worked on every masonry building in The Dalles for nearly 40 years. Charlie Garrett Charlie Garrett, father of Mrs. George Wagenblast, was another pioneer brick mason who came to The Dalles in 1903. He worked on the construction of Hotel Dalles in 1910, which was the last building put up from bricks from local yards. The Broff Bros. John, Joe and Al were the contractors. C.M. Zell and Joe Stadelman hauled brick to the job. Mr. Garrett was forman (sic) of construction on the courthouse at 5th and Washington in 1915. He worked on the IOOF Hall in 1904 and the Elks Lodge in 1911 and many more of the leser (sic) buildings of that period. The family moved to Salem (Oregon) in 1915. We have always had great admiration for the workmanship and skill of old Civil War veterans masons who did the rip rap work on many of our street, one of the best samples being at the head of Brewery Grade. No cement was used to hold the rocks together in those walls which have stood the test of time for more than 80 years! The United Mills building is the best example of concrete construction from 1911. Since 1910, bricks for construction have all come out of Portland. Bricks now cost 7 cents each as against œ cent each in pioneer days. Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon Copied and submitted by Earline Wasser Member of Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society c/o The Dalles/Wasco County Public Library 722 Court Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058 http://community.gorge.net/genealogy [Note: new website address] Browse http://historysavers.com/orwasco/ recently updated information regarding Wasco County - Links are at the bottom of page The Dalles Chronicle http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/ http://searches.rootsweb.com/ "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant." Robert Louis Stevenson Incoming and Outgoing mail protected by Trend Micro PC-cillin program