Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-30

The whole region about Lake st. Catharne
is remarkable for its ineXhauStible quarries OF
argilacerous slate, the commercial value Of
which is Just beginning to be appreciated. From
the rude Fairhaven school states, for ciphering
and drawing portraits of the master, this hard
ened clay has risen 10 an economical importance
that puts it into competition with the choicest
marbles. The quarries do not run several hun
dred feet deep like those of Wales, and are con-
seauently worked with great facility Large
blocks are blasted out and split with wedges,
and raised with derricks, and separated into
smaller slabs by deity directed blows from
wooden beetle. The roofing slate is wet in order
to facilitate splitting, the thinly aminated for
nation rendering the process an easy one with
the chisel. Ii is not eXpedient to take from the
quarry more than can he readily split, as the
slate splits more freely when lresh although it
is said that frost will restore the splitting prop.
ertv. The thickest slabs are readily sawed and
planed BY machinery. Large, handsome flag
stones are prepared by simply saving. Mold
ings and other decorative pieces are shaped
with tools. A great impetus has been given to
the slate trade by the demand which the
Chicago fire has created, especially for roofing
and thing. The slate companies inter-
change products with the marble companies, for
iuterspeTsing white marble with dark slate for
floors. Slate is rapidly taking the place Of mar
bic for interior decoration; but so long as our
extensive forests remain we shall not need to
substitute it for wood, as the English do. With
us it is still luxury rather than an economy
For ornamental purposes, the slate, after being
properly cut and trimmed, is secured with
pumice stone, then rubbed with powdered pun
ice stone, and polished with felt. 1t is now
ready to be transformed into marble. The slabs
having been prepared, and painted with the
groundwork color, they are ready to dip. A
vat is at hand, containing water and | cannot
say what else. A man dips small brush in oil
colors and sprinkles it on the surface; then he
fans the water with palm leaf, and draws the
brush through it several times The oil mixed
paint spreads on the surface of the water, like
the yeining in marble, and the slab being gent
ly raised against ii receives the impression
A mere change of groundwork and colors gives
the varieties of marble, Egyptian, Spanish, Gal
way, PyrOnese, &c. The most elaborate work
as for alter pieces, chessboards, and borders, is
done by hand, After the application of cOlors,
successive bakings and polishings finish the
work. This marbelizedi slate is quite elegant,
possessing sixteen times the strength of marble,
and scarcely distinguishable from it. The mta-
ton of marble in slate is employed for cofflns,
baskets, tabe-tops, mantleS, billiard beds, lamp
stands, and innumerable domestic and ornament
al uses. The best workmen here are from
Wales, having learned the business in the i'm
mense quarries Of CarnaryOnshire. They are Il
sober, industrious, moral people, improvident
for the future, noticably fraternal among them
selves, kind and generous toward ALL They
take Saturday afternoons for holidays and
make up their hours during the rest OF the week
These States are not inferior in quality to those
of Wales. The quarries are comparatively
shallow but more easily worked and they are
too numerous and extensive to be exhausted by
a single generation. The Vermont aud neigh
boring slate trade is still in its infancy; but
capitalists are beginning TO believe and deter
mine that it shall rival the important marble
interest. Letter to the ". Y. Tribune.