Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-03-27
GrMnIte Qnarries.
4 Papar road at he late MEETING Of t.s STATE
Board Of agriculture az MoN,pair

enter upon any discussion in regard to il,
geological position; it is enough for our pres
ent purpose to ascertain its locality, its guam
tity and quality, its commercial value and the
ease with which it may be quarricd.
The Granite Of this county, like that OIL
all other localities, is composed Of quartz
fedspar and mica Unfortunately mixed to-
gether il is coarse or 6ne, according to the
state Of its constituent minerals; it is oil
every shade Of color, but the most esteemed
for monumental and building purposes is Of a
light gray shade.
Granite is one of the lowest rocks with
which the geologist is acquainted, and yet it
forms the SUBMITS Of the highest mountains,
and is found in veins varying from a few
inches in thickness to those that are several
yards in width.
From its crystalline structure aud the po-
sition it occupies there is no doubt that
granite has been melted aud it is also certain
that many varieties are the results Of remelt.
ing and reconciliation Of the straiifod rocks.
10 this way only can biologists account for
the fact that, while some GRANTEES are found
among the oldest rocks others are more re.
cent in their origin than some of the strati6ed
formations. 1t is evident that the granite OF
Washington County is thus formed. BY some
convulsion, or change in nature, the mica
slate formation in which the granite Of this
County is found, was rent aud the melted
matter was forced into and filed the creyces,
engulfng at the same time fragments Of lime.
stone and mica slate.
In the northern part Of this belt Of granite
these detached fragments are so promiscously
scattered through it, that the granite is nearly
useless for building purposes 1t is, further
more, evident from the situation of these
blocks of limestone, and fragments of slate,
that they must have been associated with the
granite while in a state of fusion.
The granite in this county outcrops in Berlin,
Barre, Plain6eld, Marshfed, Calais and
Woodbury.. That found in Berlnis Of fne
grain, and valuable for building and cemetery
purposes; the amount quarried at Berlin is
about 2000 cubic feet per annum.
The granite in Plainfeld, Marshhe,d, Cal
ais and Woodbury., is not as | understand
quarried very much, and owing to the seams
Of quartz and fragments Of limestone and Stat,
it is very little used except for undcrpinning
Though the granite in these towns is generally
Of a coarse grain and imperfect in its forma
ton, still, in many places it is found suitet
for all architectural purposes.
In Barre, granite forms two elevations es
timatod at 500 or 600 feet high and contain
ing an area Of about 1000 acres On botl
these outcrops the granite lies in tabular
sheets the outer edges Of which have beef
worn by drift agency so as to form the con
tour Of the hills. In the emergence of til,
melted granite, the deJris OVERLAPPING the Stat,
was thrown together and formed a barrier be-
teen the two outcroppings this having beer
removed by the action of water, deep valley
now separates the two granite hills. Tn,
space between them is not far from two miles
These quarries are also situated about two
miles from Barre village. The easterly hill
known as Cobble Hill, rises abruptly on tn,
south, while on the other sides the ascent il
so gradual that large teams can be driven t
its summit. The sides of the southern hill
called Milestone Hill, are of very easy ascen
to its top-the form of the hill being hemis
pherical.
Ia estimating the quantity Of granite il
these two localities, we run the risk of being
called visionary but We enter upon it know
ing what we may say. 1t is admitted by all
who have visited the granite quarries in
Barre, that the quantity is large but, so far
as | know, no one has ever attempted to give
an estimation in cubic feet or reduce its val
ne to dollars and cents. Passing horizon
tai plane from the west parallel to the gener-
al level of the land surrounding these hills,
we shall cut of from these two elevations prob.
ably not less than S,000,000,00 cubic feet
Of granite. AT five mills per cubic foot be-
fore it is quarried, we have $4,000, 900, or
forty times the whole grand list of this state /;
giving it value Of ten cents per cubic
foot after it is quarried, and we have the
enormous amount of SsOO,O00O0O, or eight
times the whole taxable property of Vermont
From this statement Of the approximate
quantity Of granite in Washington County
we may infer that it is sufficient to supply
any demand for such material either at the
south or west for any length Of time. The
quantity is not only inexhaustible but IN
quality surpasses all other varieties its
color is light gray, and free from iron and Other
ingredients that render many GRANTEES useless
Tor building or monumental purposes. Pres
ident Hitchcock says he has never met, il
this or any other country, with granite of
liner grain and better adapted to archtectu
raj purposes than that found in Barre. TIL,
minerals oil our granite are so finely pulver
lied and so compact in their combination,
that 1t is capable of receiving high polish
aud when exposed to the action of the atmos
phere, 1t resists so well the tooth Of time
that blocks cut fifty years since, and exposed
to all the changes of climate and moisture
are now as perfect as when they left the shoI
Of the artizan one half century ago. Tn
New Hampshire aud Quincy GRANTEES have
dark and sombre look that gives the building
and monuments constructed OF them heavy
ana gloomy appearance. The light gray
color OF the granite in this county is such
that, when small dwelling houses are built o
1t, there Is light and sprlghty aspect to th'
whole structure. When this same matcria
Is wrought and used for larger buildings, i
gives to the edihce the look of such grand
ure and stateness, that man by walk o
n iaxy ia hall Iatk =.