Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-31
It is. the purpose Of the Herald to oc-

caslonally review and report the progress
of our different interests; hence we give
to-day acondensed statement and descrip-
ton of the various marble companies
in our midst-what they are doing, how
| they do it, and how long they have been
doing it. A great deal has been written
and said about marble, etc. We do not
propose in this article to enter into
lengthy, elaborate and scientific descrip-
ton of marble, and the manner in which
it is found in its variots geological for
nations; but simply to make a few ex-
| planatory remarks about the different
kinds of marble, its characteristics, ETC.,
before we enter upon description of the
marble pertaining to Rutland and what
is being done here in the matter of an
nual productiyeness.
MARBLE. -. ..-..
Generally any limestone that can be
obtained in large, sound blocks, and is
susceptible of good polish, is marble
and the only marble that is not limestone
is the serpentine and the verd antique"
Marble is composed of carbonate of
lime; its specific gravity is something
more than 81, and cubic foot will
weigh about $50 pounds 1t is not hard
substance, and therefore furnishes an
easy surface for the chiSel and maliet.
The variability of marble is great, as re-
CARDS its color and conjecture, though
its composition is essentially the same.
When it is found in the palaeozoic for
nations, sit resembles a sedimentary
rock; its cOlOrs are also variegated and
it is sometimes of brecciated structure"
When found in the azoic group, it is to
great degree apure white kind of lime
stone, having a crystalline granular text
ure, with the appearance of loaf sugar
when broken, and when of fine texture
is mostly used for statuary.
Marble is generally classified as fol-
| lows: I. The simple or single cOlored
marble. 2. The variegated. 8. The
breccated. 4. The lumachella, or fossil
ferrous. The simple or white marble
and the variegated is what especially per-
tains to Rutland and vicinity, and the
this State, furnishes numerous places for
the working of white marbles THE
quarries of Rutland furnish marble of
exceedingly delicate texture and purity of
whiteness, and the blocks are large and
sound, and quite rs beautiful as the stat
uary marble Of Carrara.'
The varicgated marble is also very pop
ular. 1t is characterized by its veins,
spots, etc. his and the breccated fire.
quently commingle or run together, so
that no distinction can be made Beau
tiful specimens of the variegated or
brecciatcd marble are now found in Yer |
mont; and our State and town furnish |
the most beautiful marble of this /
class of any locality in America.
Quarics have been worked for quite |
period of years in Rutland and there |
are, of course, some very old and respcc-
ted firms at present engaged in the bust
ness. Your reporter first visited the Of
fees of the
COLUMBIAN MARBLE CO,
which are situated just west of East
creek, a short distance past the West |
street railroad crossing. Owing to the |
polite attention of its treasurer, Mr.. |
lockwood Barrett, everything pertain
ing to the quarry and mill was explained |
in most satisfactory manner.
The marble that is produced and sold |
by this company is classified as the va
riegated or clouded marble. 1t is |
beautifully veined and striated and isan-
nually increasing in public favor and |
popularity.
OFFICERS.
The officers of the latter Company /
are President, DIR. Gordon, Plymouth,
Mass; superintendent, L. Young, Rut-
land; treasurer, r. Barrett, Rutland. /
The quarry is under the superintendent
of r. S. Humphrey.
THE QUARRY.
The quarry belonging to this company
was opened about five years ago. 1t |
was originally opened by the North Rut-
land Marble Company, and was sold by
the latter to the Columbian Marble Com
pany, about twenty months ago. 1t is
situated at Humphreys Cove, one mile
this side of Sutherland Falls. The dip |
of the quarry is at an angle of 40 de-
grees, but will probably vary after fur
ther boring. AS far as this company
have bored they have found a total of
ninety-eight feet in one vein..of marble,
the classification of the latter being as
follows
Thirty-six feet of light clouded monu-
umental marble.
Twenty-four feet of light clouded
building marble.
Thirty-eight"'.feet of dark variegated
marble.
Fourteen feet of the dark variegated,
and twenty-three feet of the light
cIouded monumental marble has not yet
been worked In the quarry two diamond
channeling machines and one gadding
machine are used. We were shown
some beautiful specimens of marble pro-
duced from this quarry especially the
colored or variegated marble-which is
exquisitely veined, shaded and spotted.
The dark marble from this quarry is
used largely for inside finish, for ped
estals, statuary, mantels and wainscot-
ing. 1t can be classified, generally, as
fancy marble" The cost of transport
ing the marble from the quarry to the
mill is fifty cents per ton.
THE MILL
is a substantial looking structure, and
contains nine gangs of saws-Merriman's
patent-which are kept running night
and day. The marble is sawed by feed
ing smooth iron saws with sand and
water The water, which with the