St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-12

dimensions, as they are now six months
behind orders.
When the present company was
formed, it commenced with only eight
men. Now they employ on an average,
~ men at the shops here, and about 20
more who work in the quarries, and do
teaming during the summer months,
making 80 men employed by them in
this State. In addition to their works
here, they own half-interest in the
Granite Works at Rochester, N. Y,
where they have two gangs of saws run
by steam power, saving granite into
blocks and slabs. They employ 80 men
at these works, and they have five
statesmen upon the road at cost of
$500 per month.
R. w. Laird owns 100 acres of terri
tory in Ryegate, where are situated
their s'Blue Mountain" quarries. They
have a quarry also in Brunswick, VT,
situated upon the Grand Trunk Rail-
way. 10 miles east of Island Pond. 1t
will be interesting to know something
about the blocks of granite quarried by
them. Some of these blocks are from
2 to 81 feet square and II feet long,
and weigh, after dressing, about 10 tons.
Some of them weigh $4,000 lbs. Many
of them are feet square. They are
taken from a pit 25 feet below the car
platform, and raised thereupon by
heavy derricks. Some of the heaviest
have to be drawn out with snatch
blocks, upon a track laid for the pur-
pose. They move from the quarries to
their shops, from 100 to $50 carloads
of granite blocks per year. The cost
of this granite delivered in the rough
to their yards, is about rs cents per
cubic foot.
The expenses of the company are
about $500 per day here, and at least
$500 per day in their whole business.
very important feature now appear
ing in the Granite Works here, is the
chiselling of statuary, a business done
by no other firm in this part of the
country. 1t is believed there are few
quarries of granite so valuable for all
purposes, especially for statuary, as the
Brunswick granite. 1t possesses fine
ness, compactness, and hardness seldom
or never seen before. 1t is free from
deleterious substances, is susceptible OF
high polish, and presents beautiful
appearance when finished.
1t Was once thought the cutting OF
statuary could not be done outside OF
Italy, nor upon anything less valuable
than marble. But time produces great
changes, and Art must be affected by
it like everything else. There can be
no stone more enduring than good
granite, and people are beginning to
realize it. Nor is there any stone more
beautiful, when wrought under the
hand of the skillful artist. We are told
that upon hammering this stone after il
has received high polish, instead o.
crumbling, it will blister, which shows
a ductility and toughness very remark
able.
In commencing the work of statuary
the company first employed an Italian,
and subsequently two or three Spanish
artists, from whom they obtained the
use of the lens, very valuable acquisi-
ton. By this means the artist is en-
abled to scale any model to the desired
size. No foreign help is now employed
in this speciality, but the work is al
done by native wOrkmen, and we are
y informed it is done more satisfactorily
only as ingenious, but much more in.
telligent, and therefore more tractable
than foreign artists.
The cost of finished statuary is about
$125 per foot in height. We saw two
statues of Hope, very excellently done
and they must make fine appearance
when placed in position. The company
= are now at work upon a fireman's mon.
ument, to go to Rochester, N. Y, to bt
surmounted by fine statue, represent
ing a fireman in full uniform. Thi
monument is very deliberately gotter
up, after beautiful design, and is t.
cost 81 900. The base is to be 20 fee
p square. The die is a solid stone fee
n square, containing 125 cubic feet, ani
will weigh about IL tons. The heigh
of the statue is feet 10 inches, ant
when this monument is set up and sur
. mounted by the statue, it will be 49,
q feet high.
q The designs for monuments are gottel
q up by experienced men in this estab
p lishment. In making contracts will
+ parties for monuments, the greatest o
: care is taken so there shall be no mis-
+ understanding when the work is com
pleted. About 25 statues were soil
9 last year, and it is thought more will
be sold this year. 1t takes from five t.
IL months to complete one. The worl
= of this establishment is sold all through
the northern and middle States, in tn,
District of Columbia, Maryland, Vir
, ginia, South Carolina, and Louisiana.
e All work made here the Compan,
t deliver and set up. The greatest O
e care is taken in laying the foundations
i so that the monuments will keep il
b proper position. A pit is dug in tn,
b ground several feet deep, filled will
r solid nasonrv araund which 10 ,looo.