News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-10-25
SLATE IN PENNSYLVANIA.
LITTLE VIILAC H. SUDDENLY TURNED
INTO POPULOUS TOWNS
Facts About the Quarries of Bangor ana
Pen ArgyI-WeaIth Waiting to be De-
veIopsd-A Great Chance for Capital

Somewhere about 1871 or 1912, says a
correspondent of the SIN, writing from
Bangor, Pa, the Hon. James NJ. Por-
ter, of Easton, employed some Welsh
men to quarry slate here, and few
buildings IN the neighborhOod were
rooted with it, and some school states
were manufactured. The existence OF
slate Of superior quality and III large
quantities in this vicinity was known,
and there was Il great deal of talk about
it among the quarrymen from the oId
country who observed the indications.
But no one thought it worth while to
invest money III quarrying to any great
extent. since shingles were considered
the best material for roofing, and the
little slate that was taken ont by Mr..
Porter and Il few other gentlemen had
to he carried over rough roads very long
distances to find Il market. Twenty-Five
wears ago the business of slate quarry
ing was little improved. I convcrsed
with a gentleman at Bangor, the other
dav, who in 1860 used to quarry slate
here and split it with his own hands,
load up enough for roof, and drive ten
or twelve miles with it to find Gus
/ '
which last month turned ont ] $50
squares Of roofing slate, and large orders
which came in that day from Nebraska
and Michigan cannot be filed under two
weeks, though eighty-four men are en-
pIoyed in GuaTying and splitting slate
for him every day.
The borough of Bangor is n thriving
. business place, WHICH is rapidly divest-
ing itself Of the appearance of village.
and rushing into Improvements with
such haste that building material Is
scattered around all over it and the
opening of new streets gives employ
ment to a large number of men. Stores
are being opened Us fast as the buildings
can he completed, churches are in pro-
cess of erection, and one of the finest
school buildings III the county is occU-
pied daily by hundreds of children.
Twelve years ago Bangor had the
ordinary country school house and a
couple of taverns. At that time four
Quarrics wer" worked with scant ma
chincIy and few hands. Now there are
thirteen making slate, and three being
uncovered. TheG its production was 50
incousider0ble that in the census OF
/ 1870 it was not mentioned. Now pro
/ dUccs more roofing slate by $4,000
squares than is produced in the whole
/ State of Vermont. And they have only
begun to mt get some little portion of the
slate that is in this region. The town
of Bangor has increased its population
over SIX hundred since the census Of
1850.
Pen Argyll, less than two miles from
Bangor. has grown from an insignificant
village to a fiourishing town with greater
rapidity than amy of the oil towns grew.
A railroad runs from Bethlehem to Pen
Argyll. 1t is controlled by the Jersey
Central and South Mountain Railroad
Reading road. There are eight quarrier
in operation at Pen Argyll employing
hundreds of hands. Three new quarries
are now being uncovered, and viii soon
be making slate Mountains of slate
refuse are piled around on every hand.
Visitors on slate business from every
State in the Union and from all parts OF
Europe are to be met with every day.
Parties Of capitalists looking for profit
able investments may be seen examining
pits that have been dugin various places
to show that working slate is there, ana
the trains are daily bringing slate ma-
chiuery to the variOus quarrirs. Every
/ body talks slate, and III a double sense
both towns are built on slate. Factories
will be built this year, and fitted with
machinery for the purpose of turning
out tagging, mantels, blacl-bOards, bill
Hard tables, etc, and many Welsh
slaters will be brought to PENNSYLVANIA.
All this is but the beginning of the de-
yelopment of the practically inexhausti.
7 bio bed r st,s'o '1;iort 2;t- In This no.
I %ion. Imagine n bed OF slate IL miII
and quarter long, a thousand feet
wide, and running down to depth OF
from $50 to $50 feet. That there is sucl
Il bed is positively asserted by the best
informed 'sIaters," and lies in Pen
Argyll 1t has been reached. aud is being
worked at many places within that dis
lance of mile and quarter Simple
facts told of this wonderful region sound
like eXaggeratiOn. About twelve wears
ago a quarry was started in Bangor by
ten workiI gmen, all practical quarry
men. They subscribed $50 each, and
leased the property for fifteen years.
They have bought $1,000 worth of ma
chuery, and removed top to the extent
OF about $40, 0GO worth of labor. Last
year they paid So, 600 royalty to the
owners of the property, and made
81. 600 net on their years business.
This year they will do twice as well. The
most extensive quarry of the Bangor re-
giOn, and the one which has been
worked the most, has made Il grand re
turn for the investors. The land was
bought fifteen years ago for SIS, 600, and
TO this was added Il working capital of
SD, 600. The first few years little was
done but uncovering. A part of the land
was sold for IS. 600 They then capital
lied ut $3.50, 600 Their dividends since
have ranged from ten to rs high Il,
seventeen per cent, and they have put
not less than $4,000 into machinery.
The cost of development has not been
less than million OF dollars, and the
quarry has paid for it all. Last year Il
controlling interest was bought Ill that
quarry for $500. 600, and its present earn
ing capacity is so, 600 year.
In few years from now that quarry
will he a small one by the side of some
which are beiugsopened around it. There
are hundreds of acres, too, which have
never been touched, through which run
the same beds OF slate that are now
being so probably worked. Capital is
gravitating toward this part of the State
to develop them. There is slate here to
supply all the worIl for hundreds OF
years to come, and, in spite of the
rnpidity of development, the demand far
exceeds the supply. If ut amy one of
these quarries they could get out O,OOO
squares of roofing slate Tomorrow
morning, it could he sold on the dump
before night ut s. per square. Is such
demand likely to continue? Is there
no danger of nuesss~-=1Hctiou? These
are questions concerning which | have
some facts and figures that must be left
to another letter, together with state
ments of wages paid, etc.
No description of the slate region can
give an adequate idea Of the enormous
wealth which lies in this slate region. 1t
is amazing that the trains are not
crowded with people from the money
centres to see for themselves what it Is
that has changed little insignificant vii
lagos into thriving popuIous towns IN
two or three years. has extended two
lines of raiirOad directly to their doors,
and is causing two or three railways to
put ont their branches toward them. 1t
must Ice, rs I said III the start, that the
general public has little knowledge of
Slate industries, and needs the light
which the SIM sheds for all. L. f. f.
Stick to the Farm. Boys.