Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-24

IN the distance. get glimpse OF the open sea
| at the right, and touch at Spruce lleadi island.
| Here we take on board Hon. Nathan Farwell
| and II. w. Wight, Esq, of Rockland. and set
! sail for Dix island about two miles distant.
| Before taking n survey of the island, to the
| shores of which we have been welcomed by
| the click of hundreds OF stone chisels and
| hammers we sit down to 4 sumFtuous dinner
| provided in the dinning room of the large
| boarding house, "Shamrock' The tables of
| first class hotels do not often afford a greater
| variety served in better taste than was placed
| before us. At the close of this refreshing re-
| past vote Of thanks was extended to the
| MessrS. Smith and Brown, at the suggestion
| of Il. l.. SimontOn, Esq. of our party, for
| the admirable dinner.
| Dix Island embraces an area of fifty acres
| For purposes of agriculture it would not
! be considered profitable investment to the
| owners, but it has mine OF wealth in its rich
| and almost neXhaustibe quarries that lie IL
| huge boulders throughout the entire extent
! of the island. There is almost as much diff
| ference in granite rs in wood. The texture
| of the material here is exceedingly fine and
| compact; the granite does not lie in fiaky
sheets, but, as before limited, in boulders, that
are worked into the desired shapes and sizes
at much less expense, than ordinary granite.
This island was purchased twenty one years
ago, and soon taken possession of by the Dix
Island Granite Company, consisting of Horace
Beals, Edward Learnard. and c. p. Dixon.
| On the death of Mr. Beals his portion Of the
| property passed into the hands of his heirs,
| but in all other respects the corporators re-
main the same.
Government has been at work for about fif-
| teen years in con junction with the company in
| supplying the finished material for public edi-
| fees, and has made extensive Improvements
| on the island which enables them TO carry on
| the business on a grand scale, and which will
| surprise all who have not made personal
| examination of the scene Of operations.
| At the present time the Company are en-
| gagged in filling contract for supply granite
| for the magnificent post Office now in process
| of erection in New York city. When the
| contract was entered into, il was found that
| the stone could be more cheaply cut in Maine
| than in New Iork-that it was every way
| cheaper and better to prepare the material
| near the quarries than to ship the rough
| blocks to the city aud be subjected to the
| fluctuation Of labor there. The entire work
| now being done upon the island is the supply
| ing of granite for this post office, under
contract with the government for de-
| lyering the material at a stated price per
| cubic foot at the site of tie building. The
| company are also working, dressing and box
! ing the granite under contract receiving
| fifteen per cent. on the cost therefor, that be-
| ing uelSTHHntu by lue l nlteu superintendent,
| whose additional duties under the contract are
| to establish the quality OF material used, the
! grade of the workmen and the rate of wages
| paid, and to have the general superintendent
and direction of the work. The advantages
to the government III a contract OF this kind
are. that the work can be prosecuted more
| rapidly, and there being fair profit allowed
| to the contractors on the cost of the work,
the account of which is kept wholly by the
! government there can b. no fraud or dis
| position to slight the same.
The company employs l75 quarrymen and
laborers, and % yoke of oxen-large, heavy
| cattle. The slow work of the derrick is dis
| pensed with, and the stone is drawn to the
| sheds by beefand main strength. Fifty black
| smith fires are constantly blazing, for the
| sharpening of tools and other work required.
| Stores for furnishing supplies to the men and
| the boarding houses are kept by the contract
| ors. cohlmodious store is now being erect
| ed by the company. The twenty-one years of
| quarrying on this island have exhausted but
| about four acres, so that it will be seen the
supply of granite will be adequate to all de-
| mands. ID. ii. Smith is the Superintendent
| of the company, and Henry Roberts the en-
| giueer. Mr.. Smith commenced work here
| eighteen years ago as a teamster, and has
ever since been connected with the company,
| rising to his present position by hard work
| and perseverance.
| 1t will be borne in mind that the opera
| tons by the company proper on small
| scale compared with those of the government,
| under the direction and personal oversight of
| Mr.. Rodney L. Fogg of Augusta, employing
| constantly on the present contract force of
| over seven hundred men, mostly stone cutters
and finished workmcn, commanding wages at
| 81 and $3.50 per day of ten hours. These
men must he fed, clothed, paid, and kept at
| work. TO do this has required considerable
| outlay on the part of the government, and
| thorough system in management. Three
| large boarding houses are already built at
which the men can obtain good and substantial
board for $3.50 per week. All the boarding
houses are three stories in height the largest
| of which is capable of accommodating $50
| persons, the others $50 and POO each. The
| sleeping rooms for the men, average in size
frem lG to 10 feet and contain comfortable
beds provided with bedding which looks neat
! and clean The rooms are kept tidy and have
a homeike appearance. No paint or plaster
| ing are used about the buildings, each apart
ment being sheathed with planed boards
| Each house has its kitchen in charge of ex-
| perienced male and female cooks, dining
| room, washing room, smoking room, and 9TH
| er places tor the convenience and comfort of
the men. The men are well feed, and the
| individual who would complain of the daily
hll OF fare presented, would be fastidious
indeed. Even these buildings are not ade-
quate for the wants of all employed. There
are private boarding houses, and some of the
w0rkmen who have families, lease small cot
tages Of which there are quite number on
the island Messrs. VIM IL. Glover 4 Co.,
contractors for the constructiC Of buildings,
employ constantly about forJJ Cten and are
now putting up two dwelling houses and Il
store They will commence on Monday next
the construction of a public hall to be used
for amusements, religious exercises, and the
like This will make the men more content
cd and serve to improve their minds, divert
ing them from hurttul temptations towards
which they are drawn soon after each pay
day. We noticed that most OF the blinds and
doors for the new buildings were furnished by
Messrs. Wyman Son Of Augusta.
1t is a curiosity to visit the stone sheds and
observe the cutters at their tasks, under the
DIN tIr,ta, tart