The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-25
Marble Interests of Rutland---No. 1.

The term marble is derived from the Greek
word Yndrmor0s, to sparkle, 10 hasn, 10
geam," and is applied to varieties OF carbon
ate of lime which have granular ana crysAl-
line texture Italy with its far-famed qnarrles
at Carrara, has long been noted IN ootn an
cent and modern times Tor the inner specl-
mems of marble, but il has OF late iouno y
rival Of no mean pretensons IN the products Oh
the Rutland hills The extent and variety OF this
Vermont mineral is something beyond tne gen
eral knowledge Of a majority oil even yer,
monters themselves. When investigator anu
thoroughly ventilated 1t will be found by tnose
who take the pains of ascertaining that IL
ranks foremost among the manufactures ana
industries of the Green Mountain state IL
Is the foundation of the future, as well as OF
the present, wealth and prosperity, not only
of Rutland itself, but Of a large number oil
neighboring villages and towns, scattered ON
either hand from Dorset in Bennington county
through to Middlebury In the county OF Adol-
son. The CLEAN and the sparkle OF white
marble Is to be seen all along this route, ana
is constantly cropping out in new views ana
promising quarries in every town between the
two points mentioned Its development Is
ever on the increase. Forty-five years ago the
valley at the foot of West Mountain where the
village of West Rutland now is was oreaTy
waste of swamp land not worth a song MT
William f. Barnes, who had previously re- |
moved to that locality from Pittsiord, began
in 1888, lime kiln near the foot OF the noun |
tain and set himself to calcining the marble |
into quick-lime While engaged IN this the
idea occurred to him that this marble might |
be used in the manufacture OF tomDstones' |
Acting at once on this superstition ne par
gained for portion of the hillside, giving IN
payment therefor an old horse worth about so
The same property thus acquired he sold
short time before his death for Sl3O,OOo. MT.
Barnes was, therefore, one oil the earliest
PIONEERS IN THE MARBLE BUSINESS
In Rutland. Born in Plttsford, in 1906 of poor
parents. he lived a frugal, Woodworking life
all his DAYS. His perseverance and energy
brought him wealth, and enabled him to carry
out many works of benevoence and pubic
spirit, which still remain rs monuments OF his
great and generous heart The hotel at W est
Rutland which he built, bears his name. On
the tenth of May, 1871 while experimenting
work at one of his quarres, block of marble
weighing about one hundred pounds became
disodged above where he was standing and
fell some sixty feet, striking Mr.. Barnes upon
the head Although the skull was laid bare
the sufferer, strange to say, survived until the
fourth dsy succeeding the accident when he
breathed his last, deeply mourned by the entire
community.
Mr.. William Y Ripley came to Rutland in
1887, from Middlebury, and established him
self in the marble business in 1874. He soon
became one of the best-known manufacturers
and built up trade which early promised the
wealth and commercial standing which charac-
terized the latter days of his own life and
blessed the future of his children. Mr. Ripley
died six or seven years since, at an advanced
sons, Gen. William Y. w. and Gen. Edward
H.. who still carry it on under the firm name of
Ripley Sons" Both these sons, as their titles
denote, were prominent among the volunteers
.--Com Vermont in the rebellion, and won their
respective ranks by deeds of gallantry and
daring. Gen. William Y. w. succeeds his
(tather as president of the Rutland County
National bank. Gen. Edward is vice president
(of the same bank, also owner and proprietor OF
the Rutland opera house. Their sister, Mrs.
4 Julia g. K Dorr, is known far and near for her
works OF both poetry and prose, Another sis
ter, the wife of c. M. Fisher Esq. of Vergennes
went down on the Inflated Atlantic, in 1873,
with her husband while returning home from
London
General II. Henry Baxter was a prominent
owner and controlling force in the marble
business at West Rutland twenty-five years
ago. He came from Bellows Falls, originally,
but since the time named has been resident
OF Rutland during portion of each year. He
was prominent promoter and organizer of the
old Rutland BILE company, and did much
toward the development both by labor and
means, of the latent treasures of the Rutland
hills. Other business interests have demanded
his time and attention for the past twenty
years or so, but he has always taken pardon
.s,e pride in the prosperity of the marble bust
ness and in the welfare of Rutland as a town.
DE Lpilt the Baxter bank building here one of
the nRest structures for banking purposes in
tne country, His summer residence here is
one of the handsomest private residences in
the state John n Baxter, ESQ, brother of
ne general, has long been known by his con-
necton with the marble trade as superintend-
ent, for some twelve or fifteen years, of the
Rutland marble company. Both he and the gem
eral have large farm near the town. John n
- vce-presdent of the Baxter National bank
Of which his brother, General H. H. is presi-
dent, and in the discharge of his duties at the
bank, during the frequent absence of the gen.
eral from town, and in the enjoyment of agri-
cultural pursuits and a handsome competence,
the marble business has lost much of its old
time charm.
AT the present time Rutland is blessed, not
only by number of money kings" but by
men who may be rightly termed as
MARBLE KINGS"
We have spoken at length of the pioneers
let us briefly mention few of those who are
carrying on the business handed down to then
by Barnes, and Ripley, and Baxter. The fore
most among these benefciaries is ex-Gov Red
field Proctor, who first became interested in
the marble business in 1869. Previous to thai
he had been known by his gallant record il
the army and as a whilom practitioner at tn,
Rutland county bar. During the litigation be-
tween Messrs. Dorr and Myers over the Suth
eriand Falls Marble Company Col Proctor
was appointed receiver in the matter. HI
became interested in mind and finally il
pocket, and thus changed his whole course o.
NE. lie is now the president of the Vernon
Marble Company, organized in 1880 by thu
consolidation of the Rutland Marble Company
and the Sutherland Falls Marble COMPANY OF
which we shall speak more at length hereafter
and which we will say here is doing the larges
marble business of any one firm in the world
Governor Proctor resides at Sutherland
Falls, where he has lately built himself
handsome residence near, and overlooking hi
marble interests there. The superintendent o
his company is Hon. N. p. Simons, well-knowl
throughout the state as one of the ables
advocates at the ba2 of Rutland county, bu
who has now, to all fntents and purposes
given up the law and thrown his whole sou
and energies into the marble business.
Ex-Governor John B. Page became intereste
In the Sutherland Falls Marble Company abou
the same time with Governor Proctor and aide
materially in the development and growth q
the marble business at that point lie is no,
prominent stakeholder in the Dorset Marbl
Company, which has its offices here The She
don family have long been foremost in til
marble business at West Rutland and the fri
OF Sheldon Il Sons composed of Charles She
don and his sons, John A. and Charles H.
still one OF the richest and most promising
the trade. The marble business of Rutlan,
thus briefly outlined, and which the past YET
exceeded the sum of two million dollars
sales, will be more definitely sketched in furth,
communications. Sol.
Observation-Disclosures. w Raiadall and Ra