The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-23
LEICEEIER-

There was an error in the item rt
gnrdiDg Alanson -Norton's colt, las
week. II was sired BY John Preston
horse, and he by Belongs horse.
The LIME BUSINESS OF LEICESTER
But short distance east of the railroa,
at the Junction depot is ledge of lime
stode which extends for some distanc
in north and south direction. Thi
limestone is almost pure carbonate o
lime, the percentage of silica or othe
impurity being insignificant. There /
but one other deposit of simila
purity known in the country, and tina
also is in Vermont-in st. Adams ant
Swanton, where also lime kilns are il
operation. Many people have the idel
that marble will make good lime. Thi
is mistake, and in fact a deposit O
stone suitable for lime Is not very com
mon. Marble contains large proper
ton of magnesia, which renders 1t unfil
for most purposes for which lime il
used. Vermont thus has almost mo.
nopoly of the market for pure lime,
which is quite an extensive one, as the
article is largely used in papermills,
cloth printing works, dyeing establish
ments, bleacheries, sugar retineries, for
purifying gas, etc. This gives nearly
constant demand for the product of the
Leicester kilns. The limestone is of a
dark ash or purple color, susceptible of
fine polish, and broken surfaces are
finely crystalline. II burns into lime
which, when slaked with water, makes
q beautifully white powder.
There are two kilns now in operation
in Leicester, one by the Brandon Lime
and Marble Co., and the other by the
Leicester Lime Co. The former com.
pany have been making lime for about if
teen years. Their kiln, or rather kilns,
for they have two, is but short distance
east of the depot. Their ledge has been
worked down deep and they get out O
stone which, when burned, yields more
than ninety-eight per cent. pure lime.
There is railway track from the quar-
ny to the kilns, over which the trucks
loaded with the stone are drawn to the
kilns by horses. The process of con-
verting the limestone into lime is very
simple, consisting of driving Off the
carbonic acid by heat. This work is
done in the kilns, which are large fur
naces where a wood fire IL kept blazing
hCicCit uiSut huu uut' OVcT InlS IRE
the limestone is piled, and is kept at a
nearly white heat for several hours.
The kilns hold number of tons OF
stone. From time to time the burned
lime is drawn off through openings at
the bottom of the kilns, the fire places
being several feet above these. AS the
lime is drawn off, fresh limestone is
piled in at the top of the kiln, which is
kept filed. At the Brandon
Lime and Marble Co.'s place this is
done by hosting with derrick the
trucks as they come loaded from the
quarry and swinging them over the
kilns and dumping them. This COM
pany has about five thousand cords of
wood piled over large extent OF
ground about the works. The wood is
of a cheap kind, such as "swamp wood"
and old stumps from clearing land,
which makes good enough fuel for
the kilns. The present product of this
company is about 160 barrels day, the
barrel holding 200 pounds. To burn
this quantity about . eight cords of
wood are consumed daily. The large
quantity of wood ashes resulting is sold
and adds something to the profits of the
business. About a dozen men are EN-
ployed in the various operations OF
quarrying the stone, attending the
kilns, making the barrels, and barreling
and shipping the lime. The superin-
tcndent is Mr.. Charles Denison, of
Brandon, who, though quite a young
man, appears 10 be the right one for the |
place, which requires considerable bust
ness faculty: and an attention to many |
details. Mr.. John A. Conant, of Bran |
don, is at present the principal, we be-
ievo the sole, owner of the business.
The Leicester Lime Co. is new con-
,ern. Their kiln was built last year, |
and is located about eighty or hun
lred rods south of the other. This firm |
consists of Mr.. Geo. o. Swinington, a |
wealthy and enterprising citizen of
Leicester, and Mr.. Geo. b. Bascom of
he Junction. The latter has the superin-
.endence of the business. Their Kiln is |
l large one, built by M. C. Pelton of
Erie, Pa, and combines all the latest
mprovements. They are enabled by it
to burn large quantity of lime with
small expenditure of
fuel. The kiln is situated Just under a
ledge, and from the top of the ledge a
wooden bridge is built to the top of the
kiln, SO that limestone is drawn direct
ly to the top of the kiln in a two
wheeled dray, the team turned around
ahd the stone dumped into the kiln,
without the Intervention of derrick.
This saves much time and labor. The
also manufacture their own
barrels, and their establishment presents
arrangements for economic
ing time and labor, wherein it seems to
bare the advantage of its older rival.
'phey propose to build a side track from
(heir works to the railroad, which is
but short distance away, thus avoid
ing entirely tho necessity of carting
their production. Altogether their ar
indicate a skilful and in.
genious manager, and their business
will undoubtedly be prosperous one.