Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-05
The Slate Interest.
MIDDLE GRANVILLE.
NUMBER v

1t appeared in a former number that
the slate has been found in Hampton,
Granville and Salem, in Washington
county, n. Y, lying alongside of that
in the western part Of Rutland county,
Vermont, What has been and is doing
in the slate business in Hampton has
been given in former number. and now
we come to Middle Granville, near which
village the quarries that have been
worked in Granville arc located. This
village is one of the three or four thirty
| ing villages in the town of Granville, and,
we should judge, is now equal in size
and business importance to either OF the
others 1t has grown much in the last
twenty years, and the slate business that
has sprung up there in that time is doubt
less the main cause of this growth.
In 1853 or 1854 the Williams Brothers,
William r. and John r., who how re-
side in Poultney and have recently built
a slate mill there, made the first slate
opening at Middle Granville, if we are
correctly informed, on the ground now
worked by the American Slate Com
pany. They worked here several years,
and some six years ago discovered and
| developed what are new known as the
"Swamp quarries" in Poultney. The
second opening at Middle Granville was
made in 1855 by William E. Jones a lit
tie south of where the Williams Broth
ers had opened, and on land now owned
by the Penrhyn Slate Company. Mr..
Jones and his brother, the late Eleazer
Jones, purchased the land on which this
opening was made, and on which sew
eral others have since been made.
These Jones brothers had the true
pioneer pluck and grit. They knew
slate rock, they had learned that in
Wales, and, without capital to prosecute
the business on an extensive scale, they
commenced with the shovel, pick and
barrow but they persevered, and so far
developed the interest at that point to
give sufficient confidence to some gentle
men, who had capital, to form COM
pany and invest an ample capital for the
prosecution of the business; and thus
originated the Penrhyn slate Company.
Messrs. Williams and Guyon, of New
York, own the larger portion of the
stock, and it is not too much to say for
this company, that they are able, their
business has been well and successfully
managed, and their manufactured goods
are equal to any in the market
After the Penrhyn company was
formed, they purchased the real estate
which the Messrs. Jones had bought,
and, twelve years ago, built their mill,
the large establishment which stands on
the Granville river. Here is fine water
power which, as we are told, never fails.
The quarries of the company, of which
there are seven or eight, are located on
a gradually sloping side-hill, some 75 oi
100 rods west from their mill, and the
mill is about the same distance to the
northwest of the Middle Granville depot
Thus it will be seen that the works OF
this company are conveniently and ia
vorably located. The distances from
the mill to the quarrles ana from the
mill to the depot are short, and thus
saving of expenses in carting. Their
ouarries are located near each other, and
all on space of perhaps six acres OF
ground. About two-thirds of their quar-.
ried stock is taken to their mill, the re
mainder worked into roofing slate. The
colors of their slate are green and purple
and their stock, in quality and texture,
would seem to one unskilled, like tht
writer, to be similar to that found in tht
Eagle quaIries in the north part o.
Poultney; scientific observer NIGH
detect difference. 1t must be evident
however, to any ordinary observer, that
the Penrhyn stock is excellent for mil
| purposes. 1t is very tough, strong
slate, and, withal, soft, and yields
readily to the saw, plane or cutting in
struments.