Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-06-16
U'Csi DHIiITIcrsfOT.
THE GRANITE QUARRGEs.


"A recent visit to the granite quarrics Of
Messrs. q. Bailey & Son, in West Dunn
merston, was am occasion OF much inter-
est. The quarry first visited is located on
the south side of Black or Horseshoe noun
tain, ut some distance from the river. Here
the rock lies hut q few feet above the sur.
face Of the ground, Is Of good quality, and
easily obtained The granite used in Gross
by'- block in Brattleboro, was from this To-
cation. Near the base Of the mountain,
further west. another quarry has been o.
pencd which exhibits some remarkable
features. The granite Of which the noun
tain is composed lie, in vast sheets, which
here occur ofeXtraordnarv thinnoss. Large
slabs in some instances only an inch or
two thick, lie scattered over the surface.
These sheets or layers rapidly increase in
thickness as you ascend the mountain. and
at distance of few feet form stone of
the most excellent quality for building
purposes, and presenting a bright. hand
some appearance. So free from flaw or
break does il occur, that blocks seventy
feet in length have actually been obtained
from it, and, if required, block one hun
dred feet in length might easily be taken
out. Not far from this quarry, a short dis
lance up the mountain, is a sort Of cavern
or tunnel about forty ieet'in length. form
ed by fallen rocks. \ few years ago pic
mic was held within it, solemn walls, and
the location will well repay visit. IIav-
ing inspected the above mentioned quar-
rios, and looked with awe upon the pros
pcctive business awaiting to be developed
when that igRiS fdtUus, the West Rive.
Railroad shall have become a reality. we
were not a little surprised to learn that the
principal quarrics were on the west side of
the river. Accordingly, crossing the
stream, we came to the old original quarry
opened by the former proprietor, Mr.. Jo-
seph Penniman. 1hisis located in the bed
Of Stckney brook, only few rods distant
from the Fayetteville road. The rock here
lies in place, and differs but little in quail
ty from that found on the opposite side of
the river; and though large quantities
have been removed from time to time, the
supply Is ractically ineXhaustible. Our
attention was here called to singular phe-
nomenon which ii would be difficult for
geologist to account for. Upon the surface
of one of the granite rocks, below high wa
ter mark, is a circle two feet in diameter.
composed of some substance darker than
the body of the rock, probably the oxide
of iron. This circle encloses a smaller one
of the same appearance. Its existence was
first noticed many years ago, but although
many persons have examined it. no one
has been able to tell how it was produced.
In quarrying rock at this place it has been
found exceedingly difficult to get out
pieces of any considerable length. owing to
what appears to be q lateral pressure from
| the hills on each side the stream, which
sometimes causes the rock to fly into lrag-
ments with loud explosive noise. The
| quarry now most worked Is located about
a mile below this, near the summit of
| hill lying nearly south of Black noun
| tain. Here also the granite occurs IN Situ.
! Work was only commenced here this sea-
son ; but as the rock is Of coarser text
urc and more easily worked, and wthal
presents handsomer surface when trim
med, It promises to be the most valuable
Tho granite here obtained has been pro-
nounced by Prof. Sccley Of Middlebury. to
be of the very best quality, being that kind
where the leldspar-that pearly white in-
grcdiont contains soda instead Of potash
or lime. The almost entire absence of iron
is also worthy of note, rendering it not LA
bic TO dseolor by age. From six to TWEEN
ty hands are employed in these quarries,
and orders are received from different
parts Of the State, and from Massachusetts.
Improved means Of transportation are all
that is needed to develop this into an i'm
portant industry.