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

The existence of statuary marble is
made known to the Quarryman by what
is called the ''mOthcr marble, cover
ing or shell that enClOses the finest part
of the calCarcOus matter, which, by the
process of metamorphism, became con-
Ccutratcd in certain places, freed from
the heterogeneous substances with which
it had been united. The quarryman is
in ccstacics when he finds the ''mOther
of the statuary marble
The cryStalliZatiOn is more or less fine.
and the color, according to the measure
of the various grades Of purity, is white
and lively. of pcarly tint of a flesh
color The latter is found at Crcstola,
and the peculiar tint is the result of is
containing a small amount of carbonate
of iron.
From the admixture of Heterogeneous
suhstance.it often happens that fine mar
blcs are found in which there are small
spots and veins Of a sky blue and black
ish tint. in which case they are not con-
,iirrcd well adapted for statuarv
This variety in color, in CryStallizati0n.
in physical qualities, causes a variation
in the specific gravity, SO that it vacil-
atrs in the statuary from 2.51S. to 2.3l6:
in ordinary marbles (whitt) from ,, 591
to 2.84; bluish. 2O18; dark marbles
1857 vGricgattd. 2.61Q.
The Carrara marble is harder than tlr
fine white marble Of any other place or
country. and is capable of a high polish.
probably from its having been subjected
during it's formation to a scycrer heat.
The Alpe ApuaUi are very high and
rugged. though at the same time bguuti-
full. The principle or highest peaks are
the Sagro. Pizzo Iii RocCellO, PiSaninO,
Tambura, Altissimo, Forato and Pania
della Crocr Many are cultivated, the
sides and valleys being coveed with
vineyards, olive and chestnut orchards.
In many places there are famous cav
vYns and grottos, and several were used
as dwelling-placcs, for man in prc-his-
toric times, The one at Tamtona is
one ana a quarter miles in length, branch
inc off into several suOtcrranCan pas
sages, that diminish and enlarge into
immense halls or chambers, where sta
lacttes OF wondrous form and beauty
/ abound. Inside of one of these cham
bcrs are two ripping streams of limpid
water that terminate in beautiful lake.
To reach some of the rooms it is neceS-
sarv to be let down by ropes, sometimes
to the great discontinue of the explorer
as he goes dangling against the cliffs.
From the foot of Mount SagrO (the low
est to the summit of Mount AltisSimO
/ (thc highest) on and among the barren
and inaccessible pinnacles and dragged
ridges in the quiet valleys, everywhere
/ the earth is rich with seemingly mex
haustible veins of marble.
In few places as here, does nature
present in her richness, beauty that
/ strikes with such force, at the same time,
both the fancy and the reason; for if
| these threatening precipices, these wild
| and PERCEPTIONS ravines, sharp and bar
! rem ridges and these limpid waterfalls
! that soon swell to great torrents, all as
| sist to the contemplation of the sub
| lime, upon the other hand those whit
/ ened peaks that extend for fifty miles
along the coast of the Mediterranean
sea excite the mind to practical thoughts
of profitable industry.
ANTIQUITY AND PROGRESS OF THE MAR
BILE INDUSTRY OF ITALY.
According to Pliny, the working Of
/ the marble Quarries of Italy was COM
menced in the last times of the Repub-
lie. but later proof fixes the date at
about $50 years before Christ. They were
not extensively worked, however, till
the time of Augustus Caesar, (28 B. c.,
IA A. d. who sent convicts TO Carrara
to quarry the newly discovered mines
Marble was first used in Rome by L..
Crasso to ornament the porch of his
house on the Palatine Hill. 1t was so
soft and seemed so unfit for practical
purposes that Marcus Brutus in a con-
test with Crasso, contemptuously called
him the "Venerem PalStinam," (the
Palatine Venus"
The first marble temple in Rome was
built by Metellus, the Macedonian, af-
ter the victory over Perseus, B. G. 148.
Among the kinds then used were the Pa
rian, Pentelico and Ematian, several
kinds of white marked, blush, and an
almost infinite variety of variegated mar
bles.
The statues imported from Greece
induced love for art in marble. About
A. D. so, the number of marble monu-
ments in Rome was so great that the
Emperor Claudius prohibited the execu-
ton of others by private individuals
without his permission.
From the time of the Republic there
were schools for the education of quar-