The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-09-05
1ne Rearerdam MorD. Omnrries.

The BeGUerd0m M0rOtS QMorries.
The Baltimore Gazette Of August 18th, pub
lished an interesting article descriptive OF the
above extensive quarries, from which we make
some extracts, as follows
MARYLAND marble has a National reputation |
for superiority, but it is not generally known |
that within ten minutes driVe OF Cockeysville, |
Baltimore county, distant four teen miles from |
Baltimore, are situated the Beverdam Quarries, |
which have been in successful operation for |
nearly half century, and are now pronounced |
NV visitors from other States the largest and |
most complete in the U. S. During the time
they have been in operation enough marble has
been quarred and shipped to build at least one
good sized city and yet glancs- at the works
indicate, even to the inexperienceay ir that
the valuable mine has been only developed to
a comparatively small extent At depth Of
about seventy feet, which has now been reach
ed in some portions Of the grounds, the marble
improves in purity and whiteness, and ship
ments now being made to other States and cities
show an increasing appreciation throughout
the country of the value of Maryland marble
for building purposes. The supply is thought
to be mex baustible and there seems little doubt
that for the next centuarya at least the fame OF
the Beaverdam Quarries must continue to in
crease as the development OF its wonderful re-
sources progresses. The existence of such vast
such close proximity TO Baltimore, and with
such improved facilities for handling the same
not being generally understood, brief sketch
of this important industry as continuously in
operation will doubtless prove of interest to the
general reader.
CoCKEYSvILLE AND BEAVERDAM.
Cockeysville, as indicated above, is fourteen
miles from Baltimore on the Northern Central
Railway, and is growing to be quite an impor-
tant village and station. Several trains pass
each day and the connections of the Northern
Central in every direction are known to be
perfect as possible. From Cockeysyille to
Beaverdam, village which owes its origin and
growth to the establishment of the quarry
works, branch road has been laid, distance
of about three-quarters of a mile, over a level
country, thus connecting the quarry directly
with the main track. At Beaverdam number
of switches constructed, radlatl,nfs ever the
"''''' ACRES OF MARBLE.
| The grounds of the Beaverdam Quarres cover
| an area of about nine acres. The situation has
| the advantage of being an open, almost level
| country, the soil being of reddish color and
| unfit for vegetation. In some cases the marble
| is found near the surface and in others at a
depth of ten or fifteen feet 1t presents to the
| eye solid, unbroken mass, aggregatng mil
| lions of tons in weight, the appearance of which
offers interesting study and material for rehec-
| er. The marble possesses hard close and com
| pact texture, aud the most extensive builders
| in this and other States have volunteered their
| opinion that for durability, retention of color
and general working qualities it is unequaed
| 1t is considered the most uniform in color. and
| official tests have demonstrated that in specific
| gravity, density, durability, resistance to the
action of frost and water, and resistance &c
crushing force it is equaled by few and surpass
ed by none. 1t will be interesting to state that
| these quarries were the only ones in the coun
| try that could furnish, in 1859, one hundred
and eight large blocks, each twenty fl We fee
long, for the Capitol at Washington. Stones o.
any size or thickness, from twenty to ninety
| feet in length, can be easily furnished, perfect
ly sound and clear of any drifts or sand shakes
They can also be split in any direction as may
be desired, either straight or in circular form
of any desired radius (there being no grain
| without the slightest waste. With the improv
ed machinery the quarres are worked at theil
full capacity by about one hundred men.
OPENING OF BEAvERDAM QUARRlEs.
The Beaverdam, or as they are sometime!
| known, the Cockeysville Quarries, were opened
| about the year 1925, and were the first of any
| Importance worked before or since in the State
| The original owner of the site was Wm Bosley
OF John, and the first lessee of the property
was John Baker, and members Of the family
have since operated the works. 1t is now, ant
has been for many years, owned and worked By
Messrs. John B. Connolly and John j. Tidy
ST., both men of long and practical experience
under the firm of Connolly Tidy.
THE WORKS AND MACHINERY
AS already stated few minutes walk or drv
from Cockeysville brings the visitor to Beave
Dam. The first prominent object that engage
his attention (after the feeling of surprise h
experiences at the vast wealth of marble tina
lies buried below in connection with the work
| ing of the quarry, are the channeling machines
three of which, of Wardell improved patent
are now in operation, together with severa
diamond drills" machine that penetrate
the stone at the rate Of about two feet in fou
minutes, leaving q clean bore, steam power be
ing used.
The channeling machines are also propelle,
by horizontal steam boiler, resembling small
locomotive. Each clamp is composed Of fou
or five drills, set vertically and kent in. nlacl
| the marble to a depth of ten or twelve feet
leaving smooth surface along the stone-
Among the blocks noticed awaiting shipmen
| or removal to the mills for saving into smalle
slabs or blocks, was single one fifty feet Ion,
by ten in width and five feet deep, showing a
once the capacity Of the quarry to furnish am
size required.
! HANDLING THE STONE.
The facilities for handling are very complete
A powerful derrick is pitched in the centre o
the quarry, resting on foundation of solid rocl
that impends over the ravine, capable of hoist
ing block weighing thirty tons. Wire rope
are used for guys, fastened securely at points t,
the rocky sides, thus securing the necessary
strength. With this powerful derrick the blocl
| is raised from its position on level with tn,
ground and, by means of pivot, landed at any
point on the elevated railway ready to receiv,
1T, the motive power being powerful steam en-
CINE. Abouttwenty minutes only are consumed
in raising an immense block from its rocky bee
to the track. The locomotive, "Mollie Connol
lly," which possesses more untility than beauty
is employed in transporting the cars to the
| track of the Northern Central Railway from
whence they can be sent in any direction
east, south, north or west
AT THE MILLS.
The same means are employed to convey the
| blocks to the mills on the grounds, where the,
| are sawed into slabs or worked up into any de
sired shape There are two mills, and at the
upper one steam is used altogether. Eigh
| frames, on which the blocks rest, are in opera.
ton, the blades of which can be regulated t.
saw from width of four inches to any size re-
CURED. The second mill is now Just com pleted
the building being about sixty by eighty feet
with side walls of marble masonry. Water
power is used in the mill and steam can also be
used if desired, while improved machinery j:
Introduced throughout, the exclusive patent
right to use "Merryman's fast gang" havinp
been purchased by the enterprising proprietors.
The eight frames in this mill act independent.
ly of each other, and are very substantially
| built The buildings, machinery and equip
| ments have thus far cost nearly $G0 900. and
additions and improvements are constantly be-
| ing made as circumstances require
PROMINENT BUILDINGS OF MARYLAND MARBLE
| Allusion was made above to the fact that the
National Capitol was built of marble from this
| quarry. The postoffice building of Washington
| was also constructed of the same material. The
Peabody Institute. in this city, and the "Kilby
Buildings" on Baltimore ST. erected by Messrs.
Alex. Packie Son, were also supplied with
marble from Beaverdam Quarries, as were also
the Rialto Buildings of Johns Hopkins, the
Franklin Bank, the new City Hall platform col
umns and considerable portion of the main
building, the Union Bank and Union Block.
Bible House, &C., and many other public build
ings, while the Brown Memorial, st. Peters.
Eutaw place Baptist and Christ Churches ll
beautiful edfices, are of this marble. The First
Lutheran Church, on North Fremont street. is
now being erected of the same material and a
row of new dwellings of marble fronts from the
same quarry has recently been built on St. Paul
street by Mr.. Hugh Sisson, which present a
handsome and striking exterior The new