The Somerset reporter., 1886-02-03
The BONANZA Of Maine.

hrNISrM ~ 81 ATE QUARRIEs-NEw PRO
cEsL OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ~ r.
EXCITEMENT AND SUSPENSE.
! \ new and important discovery is re
ported that promises to be of great inter
est to the slate bearing regions of the
State of Maine
Six months ago, or perhaps about this
time In the month of July 1885, there was
| observed In the streets of Monson, Piscat-
quis county, very strange looking Ger
man, who might have passed off for IA
doctor or student, but who did pass off,
to the people of Monsoon anyway, as n
stranger To the town. and perhaps but "a
summer tourist. But why the gray head
ed stranger was so deeply Interested in
/ the slate quarrieS, no one could say. For
three days he remained in the town and
every day for the three days he was seen
among the works of Lowell slate quar-
ries; now picking up piece of rocklkc
substance then closely examining it, and
finally taking his find to an Office where
just what was done with the matter, was
another thing which nobody could say.
But whether the mission of the elderly
German vas one of importance to the
it was of much significance to him.
The Monsoon vein the Monsoon veins
millions in it Aluminium :" exclaimed he
and he expressed much joy. Then he
went away as Unexpectedly as he had
come and nothing more was thought
about it.
1t appears that prior To this IA disputa-
ton arose about the quality of Monsoon
slate and an analysis was instituted at
Boseon of samples of slate sent them for
that purpose.
A report WAS soon made, and in the re-
port it was stated that some twenty per
cent. of the Monsoon slate was aluminium.
Aluminium is a rare metal. BY itself it
was about the color of silver, rs light as
glass, six times as strong as Bes>imcr
steel, could be most successfully used in
compounds and mixtures with gold, cop
per and other metals. But it was very
expensive, expensive especially because
of the trouble in extracting ii from the
ore. the still expensive metallic sodium
being required in the process of eXtrac-
ton. But there was a certain Prof. Fris-
mouth, deeply learned scientist and a
chemist of Philadelphia, who claimed to
have after much study, new and much
cheaper process of extracting aluminium
Prof. Frismouth was invited to exam
inc the Monsoon vein. Having finished
his experiments, he reported that the de-
posts were SO favorable that the alumni
mum of which there was no question rs
to its abundance, could be separated for
three dollars per pound. This announce
ment caused much surprise and wonder
on the part of the managers of the quar-
ries Nothing was said. The secret was
perfectly kept. On Monday and the
stockholders Of the so called Lowell guar
Iy companies met ut South Berwick and
discussed the matter. Finally it was de-
cided to organize corporation and the
Certificate was filed at the registry Office
of Dover. the company being named the
American Aluminium Company of Monsoon, /
Me. Mr. j. b. Matthews of Portland, !
was chosen president, and &. A. Mat
thews, +. +. Kinball and j. a. Kimball !
of Lowell, Mass, were chosen dir cctors .
The capital stock was placed at three /
hundred thousand dollars. Communica
tion with Prof Frismouth was made.
He offered for a certain large sum to re-
veal to their chemist, Prof. Pearson of
Massachusetts, the secret of the whole
process. The necessary funds were
quickly raised and Prof. Frismouths Of
Prof. Pearson is to spend 30 days with
the German scientist, after which time,
the secret being learned, he will return to
Monsoon and the work of extracting will |
be commenced. 1t is Of course not
known whether the aluminium can be
produced at the cheap rate estimated by |
the scientist, but the evidence of his new
method is sufficiently strong to the minds |
of the owners that they have put faith in
it.
The Monsoon vein in which the vast
quantities of aluminium have been dscov-
cred is controlled by the Hebron Pond, |
Monsoon Pond and kineo companies, the |
majority of the stockholders residing in |
Lowell, Mass. hence the name Lowell |
quarries Other quarries in PiscataquiS |
county and those in Somerset county are
supposed to contain the same percentage
of this valuable mineral. and if the pro-
cess of extraction proves Il success, it !
will be bonanza for this part of Maine
indeed. Upon the success of this, the
building of the Skowhcgan and Mouson
Railroad NAV dcppud