Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-15
Nallomell ZoraI Nems.
Ha1lOwell Granite Quarrie 8

Ha1lowelI Granite Quarries
A Hallowell correspondent Of the "Daily
n. Y. Evening Post" in communication Of
recent date, after referring to the varied for
tunes OF the city for the past twenty-five or
thirty years, and demonstrating that her bus
mess interests are now in more prosperous
condition than ever, thus refers to the
Granite Quarries and the busy appearance Of
the locality generally and particularly:
GA few days ago l visited the Hallowell
| Quarries, and found them to be very interest
ing as samples CT a productive capital which
Is how doing so much for Maine. The quar-
rles are about two miles from the river They
cover large surface, and are apparently in
exhaustible. AT several points granite has
already been taken out at great depths. -Four
huadred men, twenty horses, twelve mules
and forty oxen are regularly employed in
the work at the mines and in the dressing
sheds. Large boarding houses have been
built for the workmen, and it is the intention
to have school-house and accommodations
tor families erected, so that the men may be
encouraged to make permanent settlements
here. The quarries, surrounded with granite
sheds, houses and stables; bristling with der.
ricks; resounding with the explosions and the
| and alive with men and teams, are altogether
very interesting. Besides the works at the
quarries, extensive shops and yards have been
occupied at the railroad depot in Hallowell
for finishing and packing the more valuable
stone preparatory to transportation. 1t used
to be thought that granite for building could
not be transported long distance by rail on
account OF the expense. But the haste of the
Albany contractors for their material makes
rapid transit the first necessity. SO a con-
tract has been made by which the stone is
carried through by rail. For this purpose
special train is furnished, running over the
Maine Central the Eastern and the Boston
and Albany Railroads. under the charge of
special conductor. On the two days previous
to the VISIT twenty-one cars were loaded and
sent off
The granite found here is so admirable that
one OF the most profitable branches of the
business will be manufacturing monuments.
| Already this is quite feature, monumen's
having been ordered all the way from Detroit
and ST. Louis. A very large one is now un-
der contract for Boston Common, in memory
of the soldiers, the immense blocks for which
will make many carloads. In dressing the
stone, the overseers inform me that the most
| of their workmen are Scotchmen; they GER
tainly turn out some very fine work.
| Ii should not be inferred from this account
that Hallowell by any means contains the
principal granite quarries in this State. They
are found in almost every county, although
many of them do not produce so fine stone.
Dix Island, on the sea coast, has furnished
a large amount of stone for the government
buildings in Washington, New York, Boston
and even St. Louis, believe. The quarries
at Fox Island. near Rockland, are sending
stone for the New \ FORK and Brooklyn bridge.
Many other coast islands and river towns are
lalx IOi, l,r I,e ms a11t bis
industry bids fair almost to furnish full sub
stitute for the lost shipbuiding of Maine. To
Hallowell it certainly is potent restorative.
The little city which has been sleeping so
long seems to be putting on commercial as
pect again, and really looks alive. Besides
bringing trade in itself the granite business
encourages the other industries which have
been suspended. Hallowell now bids fair, if
not to assume its old relative Importance, at
least to rival its near neighbors, Augusta and
Gardiner, and it has found that it is not so
bad after all when one asks for bread to he
given a stone
Now that people are peifecting their ar
engagements for winter fires, the utmost care
should be observed to so secure their tunnels,
&C., that no danger may be apprehended from
communicating heat to wood work about the
premises. Many disastrous fires are the re-
suit OF carelessness in arranging tunnels, and
placing stoves in dangerous positions.
Stone cutters have commenced work in the
new sheds on the stone wharyes, and business
in that locality begins to look lively. The
wharves have been raised and extended, and
new derrcks placed in positson to facilitate
raising and loading granite for shipment.
The boot and shoe establishment of Messrs.
H. Parlin & Son, in this city, is a perfect hive
,T r,.,Il tI
interests of the community, and turning out
an immense amount of manufactured stock
of the most perfect style and finish from the
heavy, servicable boots and shoes of COW hide
and kip, to the more fashionable styles in calf
and lighter material. From thirty to forty
employees are constantly engaged in the va
rious departments of the business, and some
ten or twelve thousand pairs of boots, and
seven or eight thousand pairs of shoes will
compose the ammount manufactured the
present season. In the manufacture of these
goods about two thousand sides of leather,
seventy five dozen calf skins, three to four
tons split leather and ten to twelve tons of
sole leather, are used-all the material of first
class, and all the work fully equal, and in
many respects greatly superior to that of any
other establishment in the country, as the
reputation of the goods will abundantly prove
Orders greatly in advance of their present
ability to manufacture will render it neces-
sarss for this firm to enlarge their operations
another season to meet the increasing de-
. mand
An item is going the rounds of the papers
stating that "there is sinless family in Par
ker's Head, Phipsburg." Now we cannot i'm.
aginc who this Mr.. Parker is who harbors
such family in his head; and unless he
e wishes to retain so novel community, which
he las an undoubted right to do if his neigh
bors and friends ID 'oi bject, we would
mildly suggest the free use of fine tooth
comb.
: Prof. Additions singing school opened ia
vorably on Monday evening, ensuring sue
cess More young men are needed to sus
tain the bass and tenor to perfection.