Unedited, unselected, and uncensored correspondence and business record of the now defunct Hammond Fire Brick Company of Hammond (Marion County), West Virginia. Includes correspondence for the years 1900-1931; shipping records indicating the type of brick, to whom sent, quantity sent, railroad, and the date for the years 1907-1913; freight bills from various railroads for the years 1906 to 1909 and 1921 to 1923; bills and orders, 1900 to 1931; one large payroll book with line entries for each worker listing days and hours worked with deductions for store, coal, etc., one unrelated account book for a store at Lancaster, Pa., for the years1803 to 1811; cancelled check files for 1906,1908,1921,1924 and 1928; and three sample bricks produced by the company.

Correspondents include many W. Va., Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland businesses, some defunct, including coal operators and government institutions, lumber companies, contractors, glass makers, towns and cities. For a more complete listing, see processing notes.

Subjects discussed in the correspondence include prices and descriptions of brick, inventory reports, awards, role of small businessmen in World War I, Republican party politics, complaints, comments on effects of depression, early street paving problems, data on fire clay, financial matters, relations with larger corporations, such as Consolidation Coal, and small firms all over the Appalachia.