Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-09-13

The whole region about Lake st. Catha-
rine is remarkable for its inexhaustibe
quarrles of argilaceous slate, the CONNER
cial value of which is just beginning to DO
appreciated. From the rude Fairhaven
school states, for ciphering and draw
ing portraits of the master, this hardened
clay has risen to an economical importance
that puts it into competition with the
choicest marbles. The quarries do not run
several hundred feet deep like those of
Wales, and are consequently worked with
greater facility. Large blocks are blasted
out and split with wedges and raised with
derrcks, and separated into smaller slabs
by deity directed blows from wooden
beetle. The roofing slate is wet in order to
facilitate splitting, the thiny laminated
formation rendering the process an easy
one with the chisel. 1t is not expedient TO
take from the quarry more than can be
readily split, as the slate splits more freely
when fresh, although it is said that frost
will restore the splitting property. The
| thickest slabs are readily sawed aud plan
| ed by machinery. Large, hand some flag
stones are prepared by simply saving.
holdings and other decorative pieces arc
shaped with tools. a great impetus has
been given TO the slate trade by the demand
which the Chicago fire has created, especial
ly for roofing and thing. The slate COM
papies interchange products with the mar
BILE companies, for interspersing white
marble with dark slate for floors. Slate is
rapidly taking the place of marble for in.
terror decoration but so long as our ex-
tensive forests remain, we shall net 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 trim
med, is secured with pumice-stone, then
rubbed with powdered pumce-stone, and
polished with felt. 1t is now ready to be
transformed into marble The slabs hav-
ing been prepared and painted with the
groundwork color, they are ready to dip.
a vat is at hand, containing water aud
cannot say what else. A man dips small
brush in oil colors and sprinkles it on the
surface; then he fans the water with u
palm leaf, and draws the brush through 1t
several times. The oil-mixed paint spreads
on the surface of the water, like the VEIN
|
raised against it receives the impression
A mere change of groundwork and colors
gives the varieties of marble, Egyptian,
Spanish, Galway, Pyronese, &C. The most
elaborate work, as for altar pieces, chess
boards, aud borders, is done by hand. AZ
ter the application Of colors, successive bak-
ings and polishings finish the work. This
marblzed slate is quite elegant, possessing
sixteen times the strength of marble, and
scarcely distnguishable from it. The inn
itation of marble in slate is employed for
collins, caskets, table-tops, nantes, bill
| lard beds, lamp-stands, and nnumerabe
domestic and ornamental uses. The best
workmen here are from Wales, having
learned the business in the immense quar-
ries Carnarvonshire. They are sober,
| industrious, moral people, inlprovident
| for the future, notcably fraternal among
themselves kind aud generous toward all.
| They take Saturday afternoons for holt
days, and make up their hours during the
rest of the week. These states are not in
ferior in quality to those of Wales.
The quarries are comparatively shallow,
| but more easily work ed, and they are too
/ numerous and extensive to be exhausted
| by single generation. The Vermont and
| neighboring slate trade is till in its inan-
| cy but capitalists are beginning to believe
| and determine that ii shall rival the impor-
| tant marble interest.-COr. N. Y. Tribune.