Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-17
Development of Our Marble.

neVelopment of Our Marble.
Editor .RutLa7ad Her&H In your
issue of March 28th, there is an article
signed "Reader" which am glad to see
as. in most points, 1t accords with my
view of things, Notwithstanding it ac-
cuses me of doing injustice to the marble
producers. | think | have not done so,
but, if have, would beg pardon. Our
marble operators are business men, and
are doing just what we want done eX-
cept in the one thing, viz: the discourag-
ing, instead of encouraging, OF new en-
terprises in the development OF our mar
BILE deposit. They are afraid the bust
ness will be overdone. but this IS mis-
taken idea, so long as the market for the
product is worldwide. When factories
were first started the labOrers gathered
together in mobs to destroy such innova-
tons upon their rights. Moving ma
chimes were considered encroachments at
first, but to-day it is demonstrated that
all such improvements are friends, not
only of the rich but the poor as well. 1t
surprises me that men Of the capacity or
those marble operators should think to
make more money Uy combining the huei-
ness within their small corporations,
than by permitting others to come IN
and add to the strength and energy OF
the enterprise.
"Readero acknowledges that they have
a formidable rival in Italy, and what
causes this rivalry to be embarrassing,
he says, is railroad monopoly. This we
will allow, but why have they not over
come it? If they have not the strength,
let dozen other companies get fairly at
work. and we think, in view OF such
power, superintendent would not say,
''we have you in tight spot and intend
to hold you there No, sir, such a
power would be sufficient to control the
roads, and would demonstrate that it
would be for the interest of the State to
build a canal from here to Whitehall,
and thus defy competition.
1t is true that the mines of Italy are
worked at less cost for men than ours
but our Yankee inventions will more
than compensate for the cheap work of
the ignorant Italian. Suppose there are
stones on graves within ten miles of here
that came from Italy. 1t only argues
that there are some people who value
nothing except that which is ''far-fetch-
ed and dear-bought, be it ever so worth
less
If Philadelphia freights are less than
ours, ii only shows controlling power
behind. Here, the railroad influence
predominates because it is the strongest,
but the marble influence should be. Our
shops finish up Italian, Sutherland Falls
and West Rutland marble, and purchas-
ers, if posted as to the real value of the
article. invariably choose the home pro-
auctions at the same prices, as being the
best in all respects. | know our railroad
policy is fearfully wrong; it keeps our
country's resources from being develop
ed, and the roads poor. | have nodOubt
but it costs something to quarry marble
in Italy and transport 1t to New York;
and the road from New York here is
lust as long as from here there, and it
costs as much to transport one way as
the other; but that marble is solo here
lust as low as ours Now can it be pos
sible that it costs no more than the mere
quarrying of ours? or do the proprietors
here make very large profits and is 1t
the fear lest they may not continue so to
do which impels them to discourage all
new enterprises The manifestations of
wealth we see around them, and the
facts above stated are almost conclusive
evidence that their motive in doing as
they do, is not entirely one OF pure ben
evidence.
One would suppose, from that article
of the 28th, that our population had
ceased to increase and that there would
never be any greater demand for marble
than now. On the contrary, as the coun-
try grows, that demand will increase at
an increased ratio. Only for this mis-
taken policy, thousands more of laborers
might find employment In those mines
now, and this town be made millions
richer. I am cited to the idle quarries.
are men to blame for miscalculating the
cost of an enterprise? If so, there are
MANY at fault. The New York papers
say that the greatest of engineers calcu-
lated it would cost SIS, 900, 900 to build
bridge across the East river Now, after
the structure is partially completed, it is
demonstrated that it will cost SIS, 000,-
600 to finish it. The cities have money
to go on, and the bridge will be sue
cess, notwithstanding the miscalculations
OF great man.
1t is useless to talk that the marble
business is poor business; the nantes
tations of wealth by the managers is
very damaging to that statement. 1t is
true that a stream cannot rise higher
than its fountain; it is equally true that
a small fountain cannot make a large
stream, but good many large fountains
may make mighty river, and several
more openings in that deposit would pro
duce a large stream of wealth in this
town. Let US all encourage the utilizing