The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-25
A Great Maine Industry.
"A look al sE,e Granite WORKS.

gated views,of sea, island, shores, rocks, for
ests and fields is wonderfully attractive, and
the great industry which has grown up on the
islands, whose rugged rocks have become very
mines of wealth. can be comprehended only af-
ter inspection and examination. Drawn to-
gether flom different parts of the state and ma
ton by these attractions considerable num-
Der Of gentlemen assembled at the Thorndike
House in Roclland on Thursday night of last
week. Rockland is a good town to visit. The
very approaches TO it by water are delightful,
and the citizens are notably cordial and hearty
in their greetings and Gale for strangers within
their gates. There, too, they have a capital |
hotel. The Thorndike was pretty heavily at
tackled on Thulsday night, but met the emer-
geney admirably and, under the inspiration of |
the genial Kallocl, made all its guests COM
Portable and content.
Ga Friday morning at o'clock the excur-
onists took the boat for Hurricane Island.
wife, Senator Bamln, wife and son, Hon.
Eugene Hale, Mr.. Morrill, of North Carolina
aud wife, Stanley Plummer, DR.. Hood and E.
C.-Spaulding Of Washington, Hon. 7. B. Reed,
Clarence Hale and Stanley T. Pullen of Port
land, Capt. Abbey of the Revenue Gutter Dob
bin, and Messrs. Farwel!, Cobb, Spear, KIM
ball. Case. Simonton, Sprague, Blake and sew
eral other gentlemen of Rockland. The four
teen mile run to Hurricane Island accom-
plished, the party landed and placed itself un-
der Gen. Ellison, half proprietor of the island
and manager Of the granite works Here also
we were joined by the jovial S. w Mathews,
mo Uaco NJ
men in many places, who accompanied the
party to Vioalhayen.
The island, when few years ago was al
most desert, has COW many substantial build
ings used as>stores aud boarding houses, be-
sides a new and handsome town hall, and is
lively with the click Of hammers in the long
sheds where the stone is dressed. The granite
IS quarried off in huge pieces, taken up by a
powerful derrick worked by steam aud placed
on platform car which ruus from the quarry
to the sheds on track whose gauge is eight feet.
The derrick is attached TO this car, and hence can
rapidly and easily be placed in any desired po-
sition, the location of the track being changed
from time to time TO follow the operations in
the quarry. There are on Hurricane Island $50
cutters, with the corresponding number OF
quarrymen, sharpeners, blacksmiths and at
PENDANTS, making in all nearly one thousand
men. The dressing Of the stone is the most in.
teresting part Of the operation and is done by
skilled workmen, who present high average
OF intelligence and culture. The most elabo
rate work is done here, the stone being
faly prepared for its position in the building
before It leaves the island So fine is the GRANTEE
and 50 skilful the vorkmen, th at elaborate de-
vices such Us birds and flowers, are carved on
many Of the pieces. One piece--a bracket to
so nndcr a window sill-required the work of q
man eight weeks to carve and dress it, and sew
eral hundred OF them are ordered for tho st.
Louis post-ofi,ce. For the same edifce, also
120 window caps are to be made, each of which
will require the labor Of two men for six months
for its preparation. There are a vast number
OF interesting features connected with this in
dustry in its different processes, which cannot
here be described in detail. One point deserves
special mention, and til 1T is the provision which
Gen. Tillson makes for the comfort of his men.
Their tables, which we saw, were spread with
most substantial and inviting repast There
We're the best Of meats, brought directly by
boat from the Brighton markets, good bread,
vegetables, sauces, pastry, and all things me-
cessary to a square meal It was a striking
illustration of the contrast between the man
ner of life of the American and the European
laborer. As one gentleman remarked, the
average French or German laborer would not
il the whole course OF his life see such table
as that much less sit at it, Gen. Ellison is
now at work upon contract to furnish the
stone for the St. louis post-office and custom
house, and a portion Of the material for the
East River bridge at New York.
AT about noon we again embarked for Vnal-
haven, in the elegant little steamer Clara Cla-
rita, formerly the directors yacht of the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company. AS the boat en-
te.ed CarVers Harbor, port of Vinalhayen,
universal exclamation of surprise arose from
all who saw for the first time this lovely and
thrifty village, nestled on the hillside between
the rocks and the sea. 1t bursts suddenly upon
the view amid the wiidness of surrounding ma
ture, aud makes very agreeable impression.
Here we were received by Hon. Moses Webster,
the patron saint of the place, to whose efforts
and business enterprise it largely owes its ex-
istenee. In 1850 Mr.. Webster began in a small
small way to develop what is now known
as the East Boston quarry. In the
next year he was joined by j. R. Bodwell,
whose business talent and success has m de
him one of the notable men Of the nation, and
they have worked together ever since. In the
twenty-three years of their association their
business has grown from the little beginning
into the extensive and famous operations Of the |
Bodwell Granite Company, which owns twelve |
quarries, employs more than twelve hundred |
II,
to all parts Of the country. The old East Bos-
ton quarry differs from all the others, in pro-
ducing stone Of very fine grain, which cleaves !
iii thin sheets and nears u very high polish.
The granite il the otherqparries, on this island,
is gray in color, very free from iron and re
senibes the Haliowell granite. The quarry at
Carvers harbor slopes gradually back from the
water ia steps, and the work Of transporting
is done by oxen, no steam or derricks being
used IN any Of the operations. The company
proposes soon to utilize tide power TO polish
stone Tor monupental purposes. They are now
engaged upon contracts to furnish stone for
tie State and War Departments at washing
ion, for the Cincinnati post-office and custcm
house, for bridge at Philadelphia, for the
plymouth Monument, for the East River
bridge and for several minor structures in New
York city
Bat we ara carried away from our excur-
sioajsts. who learned all these things after they
BAD partaheu Of an extensive dinner at the
Roberts House-oae Of tue excellent features
II this village The afternoon was passed in
leQuiring useful information, and in tae even.
ne tie very respectable brass band of the vii
age headed a torehlight procession in a march
UPON Tie hotel, vita the di refill purpose of ex-
orsing some speeches from the notables This
art Of the Performance was under special
hargs Of II III. iIaItwe!l, Esq, formerly of
)ldtown, bat now trauslated-like Mathews
nd lnaay other good felows-to this paradise,
u recognition Of his peculiar virtues. Hart
veil led aud inspired the calls and cheers, ana
made livery warm for any one who sought ,to
void speaking. No detailed report can now be
iyeu Of the remarks of Iessr.. Delano Ham
In, Hale, Reed and the rest, but mention was
nads several times during the speeches, of the
xeellent qualities Of the granite aud the high