Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-24
WASHING ENTER
PRISE.
National Steam Marble Works

National Steam Marble Works.
Cuttng and Polishing Stone by Mckinney.
A long mysterious looking stone building re-
Gently erected on the bank of the Potion &C, be-
low the Sixth street wharf and near the Arsenal
wall, with q tail chimney stack on the east end,
from which dense columns of smoke daily issue,
Is the subject of various surmises by travellers
in passing up and down the river as to its pur-
poses, some suggesting that il is a new jail on
the industrial order, and others that it is a
right. In this building are conducted the oper-
at1ons OF the stone saving. cutting and polish
ing establishment of Mr.. William Bradley, who
also has . marble yard in the First Ward.
Large piles OF rough stone of all descriptions
have lately appeared in the vicinity, landed
from schooners-granite, seneca stone, slate,
sand stone and marble boulders piled up close
on end, resembling the Giants Causeway.
THE BUILDING
was commenced over a year ago; old building
stone collected some from the old penif entiary
building, some from the debris around the Cap
itol, and some from public buildings which have
been demolished to make room for improve
menfs, being mainly used in its construction.
The length OF the building is III feet by 40 feet
VIDE, running east and west. The walls are a
inches thick, and run up 20 feet the height OF
the first story, and above this is a wooden story
some Eject In height, with numerous windows,
for finishing and polishing shop. In the east
end Is 55-horse power engine and boiler which
move all the vast network OF machinery; belts,
fly wheels saws, laths drills, Sc. On the ground
noor are four heavy gang saws, which are kept
constantly at work saving up the rough look
ing boulders into slabs, cubes, squares, 0blonps,
or other desired shapes, which are Afterwards
finished up to order.
THE LATHE FOR TURNING STONE COLUMNS
OF any desired length Is great laoOr-sayiny
piece of machinery. Mr.. Bradley is at present
nlling an order for small Seneca stone columns
used for ba!lusters, about two feet in length
These are turned out by this lathe from pieces
sawed into oblong squares. This Is considered
quite feat, as Seneca stone Is difficult to cut
han. be- ka.
hand could hardly chisel one of these small col
umns In one day; and afterwards, by the old
method, 1t would require q days work by an
other man to rub it out smooth; whereas the
lathe leaves 1t perfect in form, with smooth sur
race, and does the work in one fourth OF the time
II could be done by hand. Near the boiler Mr.
b. has sunk well some thirty feet deep, from
which the boiler is supplied with water. it being
excellent for drinking too, and cold enough
without ice.
10 novel contrivance, saving much labor and
expense in bringing slabs and blocks TO a smooth
surface. 1t Is an immense horizontal iron
wheel, some forty feet in circumference, with a
nat smooth upper surface. and running in the
same way As a milestone in q grist mill. The
slabs and blocks, which are to be polished after
being sawed, are placed on this wheel, which
revolyes at great speed, the marble being
brought up against q cross bar running over tho
top of the bed and holding it in place, while
water and fine sand are kept dripping on the
wheel The slabs and blocks are thus soon
rubbing down by hand block of marble to a
smooth surface Is now laughed at BY the work
ers.
THE FINIsHIHG ROOM
above, where table and bureau tops, NANTES
&c, are made, is worth visit Here too ma
chinery is used for the polishing, which was
on tables, which are ranged alongside a swing
Ing beam, to which are attached long rods or
arms, which run out across the tables and on
the ends OF which are heavy blocks of wood,
md foo ffl, u
about one inch thick. This comes in contact
with the marble slabs, and the BEAM swinging
back and forth, bring, these felt-covered blocks
across the slabs. The slabs go through one
course with what is termed grit" very fine
sharp sand, and, after being rubbed sufficiently
they go through the "pummice stone" process
full polish, AID they are afterwards finished up
on the 8 hone" table. In this shop are hundred,
VARIETIES OF MARBLE
from the quarries In this country and several
KINDS from Europe. Mr.. Il. is using a black
marble from Jones & Co.'S quarry above Har-
peI's Ferry, which is very beautiful for mantle.
1t il variegated with seams Of white, yellow, red
and gray. He is now engaged in finishing ~
the marble work for the st. Marc HOTEL which
has been so much admired BY every one visiting
the south side of this Building there is now i'm
course or construction one story building,
covering nearly As much ground rs the machine
shops; tbs Is 70 ne used for getting out work BY
ornamental work.
A RAILWAY
is TO he constructed from his landing to the
workshops, a distance of about fifty yards, over
which the stone will be drawn by steam A
movable derrick will unload from the vessels
and also lie used in placing the heavy rough
ashlers where they are wanted about the premi-
ses. Altogether this u well planned estab-
ii-bment, and situated 20 near river naviga-
ton il Is in communication with all the valu-
able Quarries OF the country. Mr.. Bradley has
p a in
matter, and will no doubt reap rich reward for
his outlay.
THE MACHINERY
for the entire establishment, with but few ex-
ceptioDs. has been furnished by our own me-
chsnics; Nessrs Gray & Noyes, Petit g. Dripps,
and j. b. Ellis, OF this city; and Mr.. William
Duval'. OF Georgetown, Furnishing most of it.
The entire cost thus far TO Mr.. Bradley has been
about $50 900. The business Of running it will
furnish permanent employment for Q large
number Of mechanics and laborers his object
being to supply this market with all kinds of
marble work at cheap rates a IL can be
brought hero from other places,