Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-09

! there are 1,545 quarries, employing 49,
1873 men yielding an annual product Of
about "a, 400, 900, value.
ltelians have little enterprize. They
make ne markets for their marbles bu.
simply supply when and where there is
demand otherwise the product might
be increased many fold. They can per
form the labor with patience and excel
lence, but they lack the propeliing force
necessary for managers. Ia the matter
of transportation they are far behind.
The marble for shipping is all drawn
to the sea, four miles from Carrara, by
oxen. The wagon road runs by the side
OF railroad TO LavenZe, three miles.
The railroad from Layenze TO Carrara
is branch, Lavenze, at the junction,
being one mile from the sea. Conse-
quently, by building one mile of rail
road, the marble might all be transport
ed from Carrara to the sea by rail instead
of, as now, drawn by oxen What rail-
road company in America would allow
10000 tons of freight, annually, to be
drawn four miles by oxen. when, by
building one mile of road the profits of
transportation might be turned into the
company's treasury? Yet this is Italian
enterprise.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Italians are contented with small
profits, and are satisfied with doing
everything just as their forefathers and
forefathers' grandfathers did. They
consider it their right to remain in ignor-
ance of all Improvements in implements,
machines, etc. There is vast field for
improvement in the method of excava-
ton, means of loading, transportation
Ha - &
good roads. Some of these are still in
about the same condition, probably, as
in the time of the Romans, and the
means of transportation is probably the
same az seventeen centuries ago. The
patient OK engenders sympathy by being
obliged to draw those immense blocks
of marble on heavy, clumsy trucks over
uneven roads filled with stones and mud,
subject to the constant whipping and
inhuman treatment of the driver. Much
marble is sawed by hand, and the saw is
the same primitive one that was used be-
fore the Christian era. Hundreds of
men are used instead of machinery. If
Italians would adopt the machines that
have been long in use in other countries,
without any new inventions, it would
be much for their advantage. Two
American machines, one for ascertain
ing the quality and quantity before ex-
cavating, and the other for cutting mar
BILE into any desired shape would be of
great service here. Fine polish is not
acquired by machinery, but by constant
rubbing with pumice-stone and lead, by
hand. At Rome / saw columns 80 feet
long and feet in diameter. for the por-
tico of st. PBul's Church, being polished
by hand. Pliney says, THE Labyrinth
of Senno was adorned by 140 columns of
marble rounded by machinery turned by
the wind" Much might be done by a
better division of labor and by improv-
ing the habits, morals and intelligence
of the workmen. In England, France,
Brussels and Germany there are musical
societies for the benefit of the laborers.
Italy cannot rest on her beautiful skies,
the glories of her imagination, her works
of art, her past success, if she would
prosper. She must develop herresources,
encourage invention and educate her
people. W. o. p