Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-03-13
OUR MARBLE INTERESTS.
Capitalists Interested I'm their Develop.
ment.


knoxville Likely 10 be Largely Benefitted.
We took occasion yesterday to visit the
Government quarry at Mecklenburg and
found it the scene of even greater, activity
than we had supposed. Since the weather
has settled so as to justify active opera
tons, Gen. Holman, the superintendent,
has put Oh additional force, and will push
forward the work day and night until
enough stone is got out to complete the
building. He thinks this will be done in
three months. He is now getting out stone
for the cornice of the building, some OF
which are very large. They will weigh
thirteen tons when cut and dressed ready
for laying. ''t~
When the government building is COM
pleted, private company VIII take charge
of the quarry and proposed to get out mar
BILE for shipment to some of the large cities.
The company is composed of George w.
Ross, of this city, and Gen. J. H. Holman,
and J. and w. Patrick, Of st, Louis. The
last two are very wealthy, controlling mill
ions Of capital. Gen. Holman IS. practical
knowledge of the business will insure its
success. Mr.. Ross financial capacity is
well known. The company is strong
one, having abundance of capital to run the
business to its utmost capacity. st. Louis
has been looking for building stone forsome
time. The owners of the st. Genevie
sandstone quarry thought they had 1t, but
| that stone has been condemned by the
Government as not possessing sufficient
| strength for building purposes. This
Knoxville marble has been attracting
| much attention there of late, as well
as of Eastern men. Judges of build
| ing stone pronounce it the finest
building material in the United States,
| if not in the world. Its weight
| is about Is pounds per cubic foot, more
| the Supervising Architect at Washington
| pronounces it the most durable stone in
| the United States
Knowing these things, 1t Is not strange
that shrewd business men and capitalists
such as those above mentioned, should put
their money into itand developit. Already
they have begun to receive orders for their
marble from st. Louis. But for the fact
that the Government requires all the stone
that can be quarried now, they would be
shipping it to fill orders. , In view of the
fact that they had good thing, they have
leased the quarry now being worked, for
ten years and will in few days extend it
to twenty years. They have purchased ten
acres of land near by. where they will
open another quarry. They will purchase
| sufficient machinery to properly run the
business, and contemplate working at
least one hundred hands constantly.
If these gentlemen are successful, aud
we see no reason why they should not be-
this business will prove very beneficial to
| Knoxville. 1t will be development of
our hidden resources, that will bring
wealth. The marble of East Tennessee is
destined at some time to become a source
| of prosperity and we trust this is the begin
| ming. We shall rejoice at the success of this
company, and trust that others may be
stimulated to effort by their example.
1t is no experiment with them. They
know just what the cost will be and what
| they can get for marble, Gen. Holman's
experience in the Government building
has taught him practical lessons in this
particular stone, and the company will
| make use of that knowledge. Hence we
can not see how the enterprise can fail