Warren Jennison knew there was an abundance of first class clay in the Jennison Coal Mines that was of a far superior mixture to that obtained on the hill (boot hill). When Jennison bought out C.P. Slater, he spent considerable time and expense in making plans, experimenting and in estimating the cost of installing a new yard near the entrance of the mines. Jennison planned on making this business in a manner that will produce great results.

During the winter of 1919, a quantity of the clay from the mine was sent to the North Dakota agricultural college, and the same was worked and finally placed in a brick kiln and burned. After the results of this experiment and the favorable samples returned from North Dakota, Jennison took steps to build a new brickyard. This was built directly north of the power plant.

The machinery for crushing the clay was already installed; drying sheds were constructed and also the new kilns. The kilns were of considerable size, each with a capacity of 300,000 bricks. They were constructed in such a manner that assured permanency. The machinery from the old plant on the hill had been removed and installed under a tipple (Originally the place where the mine cars were tipped and emptied of their coal). The clay was taken from abandoned parts of the mine and loaded onto the coal cars, hauled up the regular coal tipple and then switched out onto the newly constructed tipple for the brickyard. The clay then had to be either ground into a powder and then screened to remove stones. Large bins had been constructed at this point and they were directly over the mixer and crusher. Below, would be the machinery for pressing the brick molds. After the brick has been shaped the molds will be placed on cars and taken to the drying sheds to be laid out. The tracks are slightly down from the sheds and also slightly downgraded from the burning kilns. Even after drying in the drying sheds, the bricks still contained about 9-15 percent water. For this reason the kilns were kept on low heat for 24-48 hours to finish the drying process, and during this time steam could be seen coming from the top of the kiln. This was called “water smoke.” Once the gases cleared, this was the sign to increase the intensity of the fires. If it were done too soon the steam created in the bricks would cause them to explode. The bricks are fired for approximately three days at the temperature between 1,850 and 1,900 degrees. Railroad facilities for loading the bricks to the kilns to the cars was in the process of being built, making the handling of the brick at the lowest possible expense. Bricks that became severely over burned and cracked or warped were called clinkers and were used for garden walls or garden paths.

Talking to the Fairview Times, Jennison already had orders coming in fast, and it was going to tax the output of the plant to fill the orders. Jennison also stated he had a large crew of men working hard to complete the building and start work manufacturing bricks.

This industry meant a good deal to the city of Fairview, and its influence was felt by merchants and the people of Fairview.

Jennison expected the brick plant would have much to do in keeping the coal miners more content during the slack season in the summer when there is not a great demand for coal. The workers will have year round work now, working in the mine and then the brickyards.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information compiled from the Fairview Times.