Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-09-24

Having blunt edge Of steel about one eighth
| OF an inch thick, and o projection on the back
the length OF a board nail, for punching holes
he strikes the piece over the break two or
three times. The slate in this manner is cut
OFT on the four sides and the oblonp square
ready finished is cast upon its appropriate pile
near hun, With such accuracy Of eye and
hand, and so rapidly, are the sheets cut into
squares, that saw workman while CONVEX
sing with me at his case, cut two or three states
IN minute and place them on the piles to
which they belonged. Seldom was tie slate
marred or broken. TO show me how strong
and intangible slate is when properly handled,
he perforated several holes through piece by
blow of his instrument.
II Is interesting 10 observe how fast the slate
when OF good quality, not splintery nor scaly,
is cut into oblongs, and LAID aside ready for
roofing, to be transported by water to the foot
OF the lake, near the Vermont railroad. Such
Is the effect of skill and practice, when united
to industry. The breaker breaks the large slab
or mass into pieces Of right length the split
ter separates each piece into folia or leaves of
suitable thickness and the sute-clltter-the
most important operative in the work-with his
gauge and knife, as 1t were in moment with
geo'netrlcaI precision, converts the unshapen
lamine into handsome sheet. Thus from IL
to loo sheets can be finished IN a day by one
tier. The price at the quarry, according as
the slate will lie specifically ten feet square
on roof, is from 81 to $3.50 per square, Fiji
ty men were employed daily at Hydes quarry.
10 remove the refuse pieces and fragments,
drain off the waters, and prepare quarry for
rapid and profitable work, reqp re a great out
ut and numerous hands. as marketable slate
usually hes deep IN the hidden strata of rock,
though 1t 1t Is not always so with the best kind.
This quarry was opened sixteen months ago,
Beyond 1t, about mile, there is anothew which
visited; 1t Is smaller, and worked by fewer
hands, but the slate was of excellent quality,
and some of 1t of lively green color. All
these slate quarrles range north and south, and
SO understand they do in England and Wales
and wherever found. Here the lofty mountains
OF thus mineral are inexhaustlble, and their out
groupings of divers colors are seen in every
road and foot path; but no marble quarries
have been found on this side of Rutland.
About three and half miles from the foot of
Lake Bombazne, was informed there was
quarry of slate of superior quality, and found
within three feet Of the surface; and the near
er the surface the slate ls found, the better it
is said to be in resisting the changes of the
weather
In England and Wales it lies at least TWENTY
eight feet beneath the top of the ground. This
quarry belongs to Messrs. Newall g. Noah
Sturtevant, of Boston, and has peculiar advan-
tagrs 1t runs in two large veins across lot
OF fve hundred acres belonging to them, and
the lot Is bordered three hundred rods by the
lake on one side, and on the other by Screw
Driver Pond, containing two hundred acres, fed
by fountains and of deep water. The outlet of
this pond pass = through the middle of their
lot to the lake, furnishing two water privileges
with fall Of thirty feet each, enabling them
hereafter to erect mills for saving and working
the slate on great scale. They now employ
one hundred men in this quarry, although open
ed within year. am told they expect next
spring to employ at least five hundred work
men. They get out at the present time fifty
squares a day, and they had two hundred tons
waiting for transportation in the cars, which, as
yet, are not numerous enough to carry the
great and increasing freights of that reglon.-
Statistics showing the amount of slate annual
ly imported, with the costs, would be truly in
terestlng, and might tend to increase the pub
lie patronage of staple commodity of our own
country, the preparation OF which for market
must employ very many hands and feed many
mouths.
visited the mill where school states and
pencils are manufactured. The pencils are
made of softer kind of slate, found on the
eastern side Of the lake. circular saw, i'm
PEELED by water power, Is used | was inform
ed that 5000 pencils could be sawed out round
ed and finished daily by two or three hands in
this mill At presen, its operation is sus~
pended.
Rutland with its immense resources of slate
and marble, water privileges and railroads, must
become very rich ard independent county,
Better, far better, to Vermont is the mineral
wealth Of her mountains and the fertility of her
valleys, among a vlrtuous and industrious peo-
pie, than the golden regions of California or
Australia.
A STRANGER IN BosToN.