Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-12

teen miles 10 the Wess Inc osnei
stream, coming from the south, at It's
nearest point OF contact with the former,
turns as abruptly to the east, and finds
its way through the hills on that side,
into the valley OF Otter Greek, near the |
center OF the town. In time OF high
water these two streams frequently
mingle their waters in the western val |
ley, and send their largest half down
the channel Of the stream flowing 10 the
west, as the point where that stream
debauches from the valley is considera-
BILE lower than the outlet OF the other
to the east. This valley, so contiguous
to, and occupying nearly the same level
as the one lying to the east OF It, was
formerly, without doubt, the basin OF
quite an extensive inland lake, the
waters OF which were drawn of In diff
ferent directions by the disruption OF
the mountain barrier on either hand.
The outlet for the stream which nows to
the east must have been formed some
what earlier than the one to the west,
as the north bank OF the stream, where
IL bends to the east, is so considerably
elevated by the slluvium brought down
from the south, as to form barrier to
its overflow in It's ordinary stage OF
water. About one mile north OF the
rupture in the eastern wall Of this val
ley, and directly opposite to the outlet
to the west, at the level Of the valleys
bottom, and near the foot OF the hills
that bound it on the east, are situated
the extensive and somewhat celebrated
marble auarries Of West Rutland, YER
mont.
At the qusrries Of West Rutland, the
layers OF marble present themselves
along the hillside, and at the foot OF the
slope down to the level of the valley,
and underneat its bottom to an I'M
known distance, and extend along the
eastern edge OF the valley, north and
south, atout three-fourths Of 8 mile.
These layers of marble have a general
dip TO the east Of about forty five de-
grees, although varying in different quar-
ries, from nearly horizontal up to YER
tical dip Of ninety degrees from the
plane of the horizon, and often changes
in the same quarry, caused by the flex-
ure of the layers in different places and
under different circumstances. The
whole thickness Of the marble worked
in the quarries of West Rutland, amounts
to near fifty feet, and it is so stratitied as
to be easily worked in separate layers,
having well defined beds between them,
and ranging from two to six feet in
thickness, with considerable interstrati-
fcation in some of the layers. In the
deposit wherein these qnarries are sit
uated there is presented great variety,
both In color and quality of marble,
from the purest white Of Parian fine
ness, to the coarsest OF colored rock, the
best often lying in close proximity to the
| poorest. While one layer of marble may
even rest between two of limestone, and
all being so strangely intermingled that
from the poorest there may be some
beautifully variegated marble produced,
that will rival the choicest product from
Italy or the land of the pyramids. A
statusry marble is produced in consider
able quantities at these quarries, supe-
| ~ Sy.A and m that n
Carara, and Is much preferred by Amer.
lean artists, for statues, busts and base.
relieve carving, on account of it's life
like color, and the absence of that dead
white characteristic of the Italian
and also from its toughness and less liza
bility to fracture in cutting.
There are ten different quarries on this
range at West Rutland now in success
full operation, while south of these, ant
on the western edge of the valley, there
are three others, in process Of develop
ment. North Of the principal quarries il
this locality, the marble seems to lost
itself underneath the bottom of the val
ley, and farther on it is covered by thu
range Of hills on the eastern side, which
advance to the west of the general di
rection of the strike of the marble de
post, which is nearly north and south
What are apparently the same layer,
of marble, continuing the same north
erly course, again have been discovered
on the east side Of this range of hills
near the foot OF their slope, in the tow
Of Pittsford, where the layers maintain
, the same general character and dip to tn
east. At this place the marble seems t,
have greatly increased in thickness, be
yond its known development at Yves
, Rutland, and would seem to be of equa
value. The locality is worthy the at
= tention it is already attracting amon
marble men, and will, ultimately, n
Q doubt, be the source Of large futur
q supply OF marble to be drawn from on
q mountain inheritance.
: Washington Items.
, The President wants Mr.. Theakel
= Commissioner of Patents, to resign, bu