Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-16

l
quarries and encircles at least one-thir1 the
circumference of the island. This is very
useful affair The cars that run upon 1t
are OF huge, heavy pattern, each carrying
machinery and a derrick worked by steam
power. When stone is wanted at a shed or
sheds, (Which line one side of the track as
stations do our passenger railroads) car is
run to the quarry, the arm of the derrick Is
swung out, monster piece OF granite htched
to, and in twinkling it is safe on the car.
One or more may be taken on, and when all
is ready back it runs to the proper shed, and
there the stone is deposited for the cutters to
work up into any required shape for the
building. When stones are finished, the
same operation is gone through with, and
they are carried to the wharf, where they
are piled up in tiers as high as common
house, ready for shipment.
The granite here seems to lie in monster
bouiders, is easily worked, and when finished
is of light gray color.
Stepping into long building near by, you
find fifty blacksmths busily engaged at half
as many forges, pointing and repointing cut
ter's drills; in another building is trip ham
mer, for heavier work; and in still another
you find twenty or thirty men grinding tools
on huge grindstones run by machinery. There
are two stores on the island, one for the re-
failing of light goods and the other for pro.
visions, etc.
Excellent provision is made for the sick
A hospital has been built and physician Sc
cured at salary of $3.50 per month. Medi-
cine is bought and help hired, all of which is
paid for from fund raised by tax of fifty
cents month per man. The homes OF the
. workmen are scattered about here and there
among the frs and pines that cover the east
e.n slope. They are mostly small cottages,
with no pretensions to style, either outside
or in. A few larger buildings, used for
boarding houses and hotel, are located in
remote, out-of-the- way place on southwest
erly slope. A rough road winds its way over
the summit Of the island and down this slope
to these habitations. The hotel is kept by
Mr.. Calderwood, genial gentleman and
member of the Senate of go, from Vinal-
haven. Here transient visitors are hospita-
bly, entertained, (of course you pay for it, as
we'll as others more permanently located.
! Two years ago there were, besides few
work shops, only two or three houses, exclu-
sive of the store on the island. Now, the
change is marked.
For amusement, the men generally resort
to the bowling alley, and it is a little novel to
know that the same is sometimes converted
into dance hall. The ladies and gentlemen
of the island had grand masquerade here
only last Friday evening, and this unique and
brilliant affair was as good as such affairs
generally are under more favorable circum-
stances.
The granite dressed and cut here is for the
st. Louis custom house and post office, at St.
Louis, Missouri; and like great many other
public buildings in our large cities, originated in
the prolific brain ofthat prince of post office
builders, our supervising architect, Hon. A.
B. Mullett. The contract to furnish the
granite in the rough was awarded about
year ago to Gen. Davis Tilson of RocklaEd,
the sole proprietor of the island. The work
here, as on Dix Island, is done on the per ceat-
age plan; the General receiving stipulated
fee per cubic foot for the granite and fifteen
per cent on the cutting.
The granite is cut and dressed by skilled
workmen, hired and paid by the government,
represented by X. l.. Fogg, Esq, U. S. Su.
perintendent. As Mr.. Fogg is also superin-
tendent of the work on Dix Island he makes
his home and headquarters in Rockland, the
better to expedite matters pertaining to his
office. The mechan ical part of the work is
more directly under the supervision of Mr..
Landers, a clever gentleman and well up in
his business.
The force of nearly five hundred granite
cutters is divided into crews, each having q
fore man. and the contingent labor is managed
by another force Of about one hundred men,
classed as blacksmiths, tool carriers, tool
grinders, lewisers, drillers, boxers, pattern
makers, teansters and laborers.
The pay roll of this force amounts month
ly to about $4,000.
The plans are dissected and diagrams
draughted of each stone for the cutters, by
Mr.. J. Vanderweyde, Brooklyn, N. Y, gen
tleman, who is not only genius in his way,
but first rate fellow. Iwould leave out an
important part of this letter if l were to omit
to mention tho name of the Government
store keeper, Hon. George Z. Goodwin of
Wells. Mr.. Goodwin holds an important po-
sition here and is one of the most cordial
gentlemen ever met. He has represented
his town in our State Legislature several