Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-24
Hawkins County Marble.
MorristOwA Gazette.l


The marble industry of Hawkins
county is just now developing with
great rapidity. The quarries near
Mooresburg, three in number, are
doing an unusually large business.
There are now in operation, five miles
northwest of Rogersville, six quarries
in active operation-some of them
with heavy contracts to fill, and others
with arrangements with marble work
ers in the Eastern cities to take all that
may be shipped to them. A large
number of men will find constant and
profitable employment at these various
quarries during the spring and sum
mer, and thousands OF dollars will be
expended in the work. The vein of
dark, yariegated Hawkins county
MARBLE" FIRST showing itself on the
bluff of the HOUSTON river at Dough-
ertyville, some twelve miles southwest
from Rogersville, extends in north
easterly direction for about twenty
miles. At almost any point along the
vein, tie marble can be seen. Some
times, for several miles, it is too deep
down in the earth to be worked with
profit; then ledge will rise above the
surface SO that the blocks can be
cheaply quarried.
1t seems to us that the gentlemen
owning these various quarries could do
q much more successful business if
they would unite their efforts. The
capital owned by these scattered par
ties, if pooled and put into one com.
pany, would certainly be much more
effective than it is at present. An IN
.corporated marble company here, with
say one hundred thousand dollars cash
working capital, would be able to con-
troll the entire marble interests of the
whole country. As it is now there is
too much friction; there are too many
adverse interests; too many iRexperi
enced men running into the market
and undertaking each other. The
marble buyers understand this thing,
and hence they run along the line from
quarry TO quarry and "dicker" with
the sellers for low prices. In self
defense, and for the purpose OF raising
large amount of capital to operate
upon, the owners Of these quarries
should by all means form a corpora
ton, secure charter, pool their capt.
tai and 60 to work in a businesslike
way, That twenty miles of marble is
worth twenty millions of dollars, and
if the vein was properly developed and
worked it would pay more than ten
per cent interest on the amount OF
money.
Quarrying marble is a heavy bust
ness and requires a large outlay of
money. But few, if any, of those
engaged In the business here have the
necessary means to work to a profit.
II they would all 60 together they
would have or could Immediately OBJ.
tain all the capital required. If they
don't do this most of them will fail,
the marble industry will decline and
the country suffer. Somebody is going
to work these quarries. The rich
people in the cities all over the civil
lied world ale demanding the beauti-
full articles of furniture manufactured
of the now famous Hawkins county
marble" If our own home people dc
not go at the business right, so that
they can succeed, why then men with
energy and prudence from other
places will come in, take their places
and gather golden fortunes. We want
our home people to get the benefit O
the blessing Providence has placed il
the bosom of our good old county
That is all.