Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-12-26
The Minerals Of Vermont.

lHtIt Dt no uOUDl lUtl lAltlNuu county mas
become the most populous county in the state,
because of the rich minerals underlying her soil
rhe Otter Creek valley, from Dandy to Brandon
furnishes rich deposits of MARBLE the Rutland
marble has been, and must ever be- considered
the best The The is now used to convert it
into spires, urns, and many useful and orna-
mental articles There are perhaps in this county
eight thousand souls dependent upon the products
II these marble quarries for their support The
mineral paint Of Brandon is source from which
many families derive their support. The manu-
tacture of slate pencils from the white slate Of
Castleton and fubhardton has furnished employ
ment for many men, boys and girls.
In the western part of the county, from Paw
let to IIubbardton. are rich deposits of slate
Washington and Grand Isle county each have
.ate deposits Rutland county furnishes greater
variety of colors in slate than eau be found in any
'ther slate deposits in the world The celebrated
late quariies of Wales are nearly of one color 50
With the Russian slate. Those of Rutland county
ire Of dark rich purple, green and variegated
The question may be asked, why the various
co'ors in slate? BY geological analysis of slate
We can arrive at solution of the question, which
may he of use 10 those who contemplate the use
Il slate:
oh'te Is s'NpN soholfeu Clay, ues'itute Oh gram
vet II presents u cleavage surface. Pure clay Is
nearly white 1t derives It's color from mixture Of
lther materials, consequently slate must derive its
various colors from the color of the clay of which
il is composed. The pencil stone Of IIubbardton
md Casteton is composed of nearly pure clay
consequently it is nearly white II iron is mixed
with the clay the slate mixed with iron nnst raj
its color from the iron, and when exposed to the
atmosphere the iron must corrode and the color
change When we find slate colored with sub
tance that will not oxadize from the action Of the
atmosphere, then we have slate that will not
change color
Yon may ask, II slate has no grain why does it
split? Electro magnetism, or chemical action, or
both. may be the cause We know that it does
split, and when split 1t Is useful We know, also
that slate Is the strongest stone we have and is
therefore better for building stone, or for trim
nings to brick buildings, than any stone ever
iffered to builders The basis Of granite being
ieldspar which is changed by the action of heat
or the atmosphere, causes granite to change its
nature when exposed to the action Of the at
nosphere or heat The basis of marble being
limestone, with mixture of mica, it readily
yields u the action of the same elements conse-
quently these stones lose their identity when ex-
posed tn the action of the elements.
Slate is solidihed clay the atmosphere or
heat does not change it, nature Put it in any
.hape-miX with chemicals--it IL still slate Its
,a rticlas are vary 6ne ~, 1, ,ii, oisor,
'"."'''' ",' '''S "''' w IL "''"'Soio no ''qu'us'
oelhg 50 me- they are more CLOSELY connected
the power Of attraction Is greater than II the par-
ticles were coarser and there were snaces for ,i
49,, .,..,t. ~. ~.
anu ""s'iP'"" '"' '''So 'e's""s Is STATE the
strongest stone we have; for this reason will it
withstand the effects OF the heat Present the
ad,,e srr,,cs -, sl,,a IN tho s,a ana 1, ,,I II,
Wv ~ ""' "'' 'es's'
the power oi the neat Examine the Ola hre-
places that are built Of slate-stone and see the
,orrecto ness of the stotement
- -, AL, .,.I1.i,... .,.,. c.,-,
pcoause vi 'h's superiority oi sia'e' oo'ohel Al
len, OF this place, the pioneer OF the slate bust
ness In this vicinity, and president of the Fair
hayat Marble and N,rhlei,od STAT ca,,,,,,,,.
vs." ~ 'S N''"P""S'
caused 10 DE placed III the mil OF the company
machipery for preparing slate for building pur-
moses The reality ia be,ter than tho cn,ce,,ion
I M. - ,,..,',,,'