Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-19
NOrthbridae.
A correspondent of Boston paper writes as
follows from NOrthbridge:

A correspondent of a Boston paper writes as
follows from Northbridge:
Hills are on all sides, and traverse the town
in every direction, while an occasional valley
shows signs Of fertility. The Blackstone river
flows through Northbridge, and the only valua-
BILE farming land is found in Its valley. Preyi-
Gus to the building of the Providence and Wor-
cester railroad the Blackstone canal, running
parallel with the river was an object Of interest
to the people here, but since the completion of
the road the canal has become disuSed, and is
now used by the boys for skating "rink, and
in summer, where there is water enough, for a
drinking place for cattle. Within the limits of
the town are several villages, among which are
Whitinsville, Rockdale, LinwOod, and others of
lesser note. AT each CT these places are cotton fac
tories and other manufactures, while at the first
named are three churches, the Catholics having
Just completed very tasty and convenient one
national bank and ample school facilities,
The leading church and society there-the Con
gregatiOnaliStS-hayc recently experienced a
loss in the death of their pastor, Rev. Mr.. Clark,
who for twenty-eight years has gone in and out
before his people, and who was beloved and re.
spected by ALL His former pulpit is now sup.
piled by transient clergymen-in most instances
young men from your city. There are two sta
tions on the Providence and Worcester railroad
in Northbridge, one at Whitins, the other at
Rockdae. Near the center of the town is a sta
ton called Plummer, now disused except for
Plmmer Granite Co.'s quarry. Business call
inc me to this town for a several days sojourn,
and always feeling a deep interest in geology
as well as the moduS operandi of quarry
ing, awaited myself of the opportunity
and passed some time in examining
this quarry. Nature has here performed
one of her singular as well as generous feats, in
depositing a mountain Of granite, which at
length the hand of perseverance united with sa-
gacity is removing in generous quantities. DIR.
jackson, of our state, was not far from the
truth, it seems to me, when hesaid there's enough
granite here to last five hundred years. 1t is OF
a splendid color, hard and firm, sparkling like
diamonds, and splitting as straight as a gun
barrel. Excavations have already been made to
| an enormous DEPTH and still the cry is for more.
| watched with interest the ponderous derricks,
worked by steam, as they removed block after
block, depositing some on cars which run
on tracks from the main road directly into
the centre of these cavernous depths. There
are immense cutting sheds connected with the
quarry and chip after chip flies off from the strong
blows of the workmen. 1t appeared to me that
enough had already been removed to build quite
a city, and yet there is stone in abundance
for many more. The company run a store in
connection with the quarry, large, handsome
affair, designed for the workmen more particu-
| larry, yet | saw in the short time | was there
that the country people round were not slow in
aVang themselves of its accommodations At
Worcester, or rather South Worcester Junction,
this same company have large stone cutting
| establishment, where contractors can surerin-
tend the dressing and manipulating of their or.
ders. Two large and handsome blocks in close
proximity to the quarry are for the employees to
live in, and the whole concern seems to move
with the ease and precision Of a wel-regulated
machine. | Twas introduced to Col. Israel Plum
mer, the treasurer and agent of the company
and from the conversation ] had with him,
should Judge he was the right man in the right
place. He has been for years intrusted in mat
tiers pertaining to quarres, and what he does not
know in regard thereto is not worth knowing,
In politics this town is under the cloud of radi-
calism, but in my heart could not blame them
when | considered where they lived. My great
wonder was how they lived, judging from the
sterility of their SOIL as most bear the honora-
| BILE appellatOn of farmers. But while their
natural disadvantages are many, the wealth
that lies hidden beneath the soil is immense,
and only awaits energy united with capital to
drag it forth, for quarry after quarry might be
| opened with astonishing results. Such are my
| impressions of the town of Northbrdge. |
thought to myself if the author of the lines
"Oh, for a lodge in some vast wilderness
Some boundless contiguity of shade"
could only live awhile here among these hills
| and rocks, he would soon receive Quantity
sufficient" for his most eXacting wants.