Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-14
GEORGIA's MARBLE QUARRIEs.
a Prediction that Pickens County viii
be tho Marble District of the World.

n Prediction that pickens County win
be the Marble District of the World.
Clarence p. Dresser, of Chicago, has
been spending the past few days in
Northern Georgia as correspondent for
several leading newspapers of Chicago,
Philadelphia ana Boston. He pens his
impressions of the North Georgia marble
district as follows:
"Several of the leading merchants in
Chicago, notably Mr.. II. c. Clement, the
Messrs. Bane, Messrs, Willoughby, Hill
~ Co., and others, have for some time
been very much interested in the develop
menU or marble quarrieS in Georgia.
These gentlemen told wonderful stories
about the extent of the deposit there and
the quality of the product. Shipments
made to Chicago found ready sale and
several of our new and finest buildings,
nOtably'Our Chamber of Commerce, have
been supplied with Georgia marble.
While admiring and prefeTring it to either
Italian or Vermont marble, those of our
marble dealers who become acquainted
with the Georgia marble were still very
skeptical about its eXistance In any guam
tity. Until had visited the quarries and
seen just what they promised l must
admit having no idea of their extent.
But no one can go into Pickens county
and give close attention to the develop
ment there without being convinced that
not the half has been told about the pos.
sibilities which the marble deposits hold
out. found that the Georgia Mar
BILE Company had settled right down
to work. They have acquired. either bv
purchase or 90 years lease, about 1000
acres of the choicest marble land in the
country, and they are making prepare
lions to develop it in most generous
manner. Already they have constructed
two miles and half of narrow gauge
road which connects at Tate station with
the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad.
by June l they expect to have facilities
to quarry daily 10 to 10 car loads of
marble. While they have cutting and
polishing works of their own, the bulk of
the marble which they quarry will be
taken by the American Marble Company,
which is completing cutting and
polishing works at Marietta that
Will enable the company to handle
and ship about fifteen car loads of marble
day. Messrs. George r. Eager, Treas
urer, and G. Il. Mason, Superintendent, of
the American Marble Company, afforded
me every opportunity to examine their
works, which they expect to have ready
for business by June l. This company
has control OF patent machine which
enables it to handle the marble much
than by any of the old methods, and when
completed the plant will be the most COM
plete of its kind in the country. There
is every evidence of business prosperity
around Marietta.
''While at Tate station met Messrs. j.
A. Dewar, General Manager, and George
ii. Osborne, superintendent of the GeOr-
gia Marble Company. They informed me
that the company had secured freight
rates, whereby the Georgia marble can be
placed on the market in New York, B0s-
ton, Philadelphia, Chicago, etc, and sold
at the same price, or even cheaper than
the Vermont marble and still yield hand
some profit to the quarrymen. During
the past year, while in its infancy. the
company has taken out 3S.138 cubic feet
of marble, and the demand has far eX-
ceeded the supply.
Tits necessary for one to pay personal
visit to this wonderful region in order to
begin to realize the extent of the interests
involved. Everything promises that
Pickens county, Ga, will be the marble
district of the world. This county
contains about $40 square miles, and
has a population of about 5000. At the
last election about LOO votes were cast,
of which less than 100 were colored.
There is very small negro population in
the county, and politically it is almost
evenly divided, although the Republicans
have for some years past carried it by
small majority. and now hold about all
the county offices. County Ordinary
E. Hood furnished me state
ment which showed among other
things that the total assessed valua-
ton Of property in this county was about
$4,000. 1t has thirty-twO public schools,
one only for cOlOred children. The enroll
ment of scholars is 1856. The average
attendance for three months is given at
1,2l0. The total eXnense for maintaining
the schools during 1884 was 81 25l %, of
which sum the State paid $1.247 81, and
the county, by poll tax, the balance. No
direct taxes are assessed in the county
for school purposes. The county en-
braces a part of the old Cherokee reserva-
ton, and is most beauti ully situated.
When the different marble companies
near here are settled down to work they
will astOnish not only the natives, but the
world, with their product. Thousands
Will be added to the population, and hun
dreds of thousands to the wealth of Pick
ems county in the near future.
"But marble is not the only thing that
viii enthuse one in this wonderful part of
Georgia. All along the line of the Mari
eta and North Georgia Road are the ele-
ments which only require development t.
yield most beautifully. The road, which
IS narrow gauge, is remarkably well
built. Its length at present from the
western terminal, Marietta, TO it's eastern
terminal, Ellijay, is 20 miles, but it is the
Intention TO extend it ut no distant day so
that it viii connect with the W estern
North Carolina Railroad. Already 40