The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-30
Pleasant RIDGE Slate

We have seen in the Office of Hon ]. II.
Drummond some specimens of states taken
from the quarry at Pleasant Hill, Somerset
County, in this State. They appear to be of
the same quality as those ...aen from tl.e
Brownyille quarry, and the Pleasant Ridge il
undoubtedly a continuation of the Drownyille
range.
The Pleasant Ridge contains millions of tons
Of slate; in fact it is a perfect mountain of
slate, with belt Of the best roofing quality
running through it. So situated is it that it
VIII drain ITSELF without any cost, and the
material can be easily guarded
Inc place is just above the town of Bing-
nam, ~ miles from Skowhegan, to which
town there is a good road all the way. Or
Doataoie' IN the season, 10 miles to Scion, and
thence to Skowhegan by one of the best of
roads, at winch latter place the slate can be
forwarded to any part of the Union by rail.
A corporation under the title of 9Pleasant
Ridge Slate Company" with capital of $50
900, has been formed. 1t is proposed to increase
the capital stock to 100000, and to quarry TO
large extent next season. The inexhaustible
quantity of slate in this quarry and the lacili-
ties with which it can be worked and got to
market leave no room to doubt that this Com
pany will find large business to transact.
DIR. Jackson, in his third annual report on
the Geology Maine, for the year 1889, page so,
says of this slate quarry at Pleasant Ridge:
II sent two assistants to explore that locali-
ty more infinitely than we could have done
without abandoning our section, and they re-
port that they find an abundance of good roof
ing slate upon the estate of Moses ID. Towns
end, Esq, near the north part of No. /, I'd
Range, and that the strata run N. 800 T. s.,
800 W., and dip NV. 500. Since quarries
have not been opened, it was difficult to ascer-
tain how large sheets could be obtained, but
they are Of opinion that the slate could
be easily split out from them to six feet square.
The land being high, the drainage is easily eff
fected to the requisite depth for working
quarries."
Prof G. FL. Hitchcock, in the annual report
of 1862, of the Natural History and Geology
of Maine, page 292, speaks OF this quarry as
follows: l&a ..
"In Pleasant Ridge, on the estate of Mr..
Moses ID. Townsend, we were shown a ridge
OF good roofing slate. 1t is precisely similar to
that now quarried in Brownv:lle. We see no
reason why good quarry could not be opened
here. The facilities for draining could not be
greater, and the road to the nearest railroad
station (Skowhegan) is remarkably level; and
possibly the Kennebec river might be employ
ed at some season of the year to float the pre-
pared slate to market"
Mr.. William Williams Ia Welchman), who
has for great number of years been foreman
of one of the Brownville quarries, was en-
=
quarry, and, after doing so, reported, in writ
ing, as follows: -r '-
81 have examined carefully slate quarry
on the Moses ID. Townsend farm, in Pleasant
Ridge Township, Somerset Comfy. 1 pro-
abundant. The ledge is so situated that the
drainage, an important matter, is superior.
The states can be easily quarried, being cut
from the mountain"