Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-24

paper, and we think was looked for as
eagerly by those who expected ''shot'
therefrom, as by those who conceded
with the views of the editor Want of
support, however, was the cause of its
DEATH We congratulate Mr. Cain
on his relief from the toll, cares and
troubles of an editorial life, and the her
culean task of publishing newspaper
without remunerating patronage.
The slate Interest of western Ver-
mont.
The wealth of Vermont is not all con-
tanned in its agricultural interests. Its
marble, granite, slate, soap stone, iron,
copper and other mining interests are
represented by large and increasing
capital and employ no insignificant pro-
portion of the industries of the State.
In view of the Importance these mining
interests are assuming in the State, we
intend hereafter specially to give them
such attention as they deserve. We
shall begin with the Western Vermont
slate, which interest extends along the
western border of Rutland county for the
distance of some twenty miles it runs
from Fairhaven to Pawlet, and is found
on the New York side of the line from
Hampton to Salem. We intend to give
a series of articles which shall appear
at least once week, and be continued
a sufficient length of time to fully in
form the reader in regard to the rise and
progress of the slate quarrying and
manufacture in the locality referred to.
From the inception of the slate bust
ness in Western Vermont it has gradu-
ally increased. and we apprehend that
the statistical information we shall be
able to give will show much larger pro-
portions in men and capital now en-
ployed, and in amount of sales more re-
Gently made of the products, than many
are aware. The future of this interest
is promising indeed. 1t is claimed, how
ever, that so far more money has been
lost than made in the business so we
were told by an intelligent gentleman
living in Fairhaven, who has been en-
gagged in the business from its early
stages. So it may be said of the marble
business, taken as q whole, though some
have made it very profitable. But our
purpose is not 50 much to show the slate
manufacture to be money making bust
ness, as it is to show the amount of it,
thereby showing its Importance as one
OF the industries of the State.
The business of quarrying slate in
Western Vermont $50 says the Fair
haven history was begun in that town
by Col. Alanson Allen and Caleb B.
| Ranney, in the fall of 1899, on ledge
nearly in front of Mr.. Ranney's dwell
ling house, where Boston company is
now working. The writer says, the
opening was made with a view of find
ing material for ciphering or school
states. Little was done, however, in
the succeeding five or. six years.
The projectors of the enterprise
were without experience in the bust
ness and they received little encourage
ment from those outside. But Col. Allen
was not to be deferred in an undertaking
that he regarded as feasible, and as early
as 1916 or 1916 he had his machinery
perfected and was manufacturing school
states at the rate of several hundreds per
day, and at the same time was manufac-
turing a few roofing slate. In the year
1S4S, or about that time, Col. Allen
abandoned the manufacture of. school
states and gave his attention to the de-
veloping of the roofing slate interest.
In May, 1913, he leased an acre of land
of Mr. Ranney, and then really COM
menced the business of manufacturing
roofing slate. F. w Whitlock, then a
resident of Castleton, about this time
found slate and commenced an opening
in that town near the north line of the
town of Poultney, and not far from the
Eagle quarry, which is located in Poult-
ney. Dutton and Bullock, residents of
Fairhaven, also about the same time
commenced an opening on the shore of
Lake BOmoseen, north of Hydeville, in
the town of Castleton. And thus began
the development of an interest that has
grown ever since; must now be set down
as large item in the material wealth of
Vermont and with allits products have
come to be regarded as among the very
useful articles required by modern civil
ization.
The workmen first employed on the
quarries did not well understand the bus
mess but soon Welshmen began to ar
rive who were employed, and who had
been accustomed to the quarrying and
manufacture of slate in their native
Wales. A Welshman by the name of
John HUMPHREY was in Fairhayen as
early as 1849, and was engaged in laying
slate roofs. Another by the name of
William r. Williams arrived at Hyde
vile, October 10, 1849 Mr.. Williams
had been engaged in working slate from
his early youth, and had been for the
last six or seven years previous in COM
pany with his brother, conducting a
slate quarry in New Jersey. By chance
he met partner of F. w. Whitlock in
New York, engaged to him to come to
Vermont, arrived at the time above
named, and superintended the Whitlock
quarry for abont year and half, and
was the FIRST Welshman to work in
slate quarry in this section The follow
ing winter Mr. Williams sent to Wales
and induced eight of his countrymen to
come to Vermont. They arrived with
their families in the early spring of 1850,
and they, with others coming from
Pennsylvania about the same time, en-