Masonry Magazine February 2002 Page. 17
Eshbach Brothers, L.P., Reading, has been in business for almost a century spanning four generations of Eshbachs. The company provides masonry services both as a sub-contractor and as the prime for its clients.
The art of masonry-building with bricks, stones, block and mortar-has been around for thousands of years. Think Egyptian pyramids, the Great Wall of China or Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. While some of the materials and techniques may have changed, the basics of masonry are still the same. "Brick is made the same way, though manufacturing of brick has been automated," says Greg Eshbach, Vice President of Eshbach Brothers. "The composition and quality of concrete has changed." Today, there are specialty blocks that are much more finished with different colors that are more versatile.
By the 1950's, power lifts were manufactured making the job of the mason a little less strenuous. Until then, a mason's apprentice would load brick or stone into a hod, a bucket on the end of a long stick. He put the stick over his shoulder and climbed to the top of the scaffolding with his 65 to 75 pound load. Now, the lifts can transport up to 8,000 pounds of material to the mason at the top of the scaffolding. Eshbach Brothers have lifts that go as high as 54 feet, though new lifts are constantly being manufactured to go even higher.
However, while the materials have changed, the actual installation procedure has remained the same. "You still have the mason who spreads the mortar with the trowel and picks up and places the brick," says Greg's brother Wilson Eshbach, a project manager for the company.
Eshbach Brothers has persevered through the ups and downs brought about by World War I, the Depression, World War II, and every other economic change since then. "The company was begun out of necessity," says Kenneth Eshbach. "My father and uncles were out of work. They went out looking for work instead of waiting around for the government to take care of them." The Eshbach Brothers found work as masons providing services for area residences.
"In those early days, my father would rent a horse and wagon from the livery to carry brick and blocks to the site," Kenneth says. "He also rode a bicycle to the site."
The first generation-brothers Wilson, Morris, Irvin and Addison-formed a partnership to start Eshbach Brothers Masonry Contractors in 1913. By the late 1920's, they began working on commercial projects. One of these projects was the construction of the Astor Theater in Reading, which was recently razed to make way for the Sovereign Center. "We were not happy to see the theater demolished," Kenneth says. But the company went in before the demolition and preserved some of the original tile that now adorns the walls of the Sovereign Center lobby.
As the Depression approached, Addison left the partnership and Irvin died, leaving Morris and Wilson to run the company. The Depression proved to be a difficult time for the company, but it survived. "My family moved from the city to a farm at Maidencreek," Kenneth says. "My father did this primarily so that we could make our own food." They had cows and chickens which provided the basics for the family.
During the Depression, the two brothers worked on a project for the Works Projects Administration constructing the stone walls that still line Skyline Drive in Reading. They would walk to the construction site each day and at the end of the week, they walked into Reading to pick up their pay at City Hall and then walked back home. They had a vehicle but lacked the money to put gas into it.
With the start of World War II, business picked up, according to Kenneth who was in high school at the time. "I started working for the company in 1942. We worked nine hour days, seven days a week on projects like the expansion of the Reading Airport.
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Design by Drafting and Design Solutions Nov 2001
MASONRY FEBRUARY, 2002 17