The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-03
BROWN STONE QUARRIEs.
Brown Stone Buildings, Public and
Private, Brown Stone Fortunes.

NV engagements recently have taken
me into the Wooden Nutmeg state. Three
weeks, and AL tbat time did not see a
prodigy Ct any sort, 10 wooden nutmegs,
not even Cleveland Democrat or Cleve-
land mugwump. But at Portland 1 cid
see an abunoancc OF brown ttone. And
this quarry community though q quiet
place IL affected Tor good or ill by The
financial condition Of the country. About
the entire business OF Portland consists
In the demand for the stone from three
or four quarries.
Originally the business OF Portland was
solely ship-building. This dates back
10 the year 1720. TIE first settlers, SUIT
clihe, Gill and Cornwall, who ventured,
in spite OF danger from the Indians, TO
! settle ut this place. were boat-bnilders
in small way. Finally il was called
Chatham, in ellus.on TO the town OF
Chatham, England, as this industry more
and more engrossed the people. But the
first vessel of much prctensions was not
constructed until 17i1, when schooner OF
80 tons was bu II and launched at
Lewis yard. During the revolutionary
war many important war vessels were
butt In Portland (or Chatham) inc!ud-
long tba 1rumb bull, the Bourbon, the
CONNECTICUT, The Holker. the Macedo-
Man, the Savanas and Boxer. he
Holksr. which was butt curing the war
OF 1872, was driven ashore by the British,
at Narrogansstt and lost. New vessels OF
war or ships OF heavy toansge have been
built since 1915. Here Portland has the
honor, however, OF building the first
vessel that sailed as a regular packet.
from New York city to Texas. From
that has arisen the New York and Gal
weston line, nov running between these
ports. When tn" qusrrying business
finally began TO excite the people, finding
what wealth was hidden in the soil, in
recognition OF the richness Of these quar-
ries, the name OF Chatham was changed
to Portland, from Portland, England, from
which latter place immense quantities
OF free stone are Transported TO London
and ell parts OF the world. BY the way,
free stone is the way Portlanders speak of
the stone from their quarries. You will
see for instance, "freestone street,
"Frees'one Barber shop" "Freestone
through the place.
The Middletown records of 1865, when
this item: "No one stall dig or raise
stones, at the Rocks. ON the east side of
the river, who was not an inha bitant Of
the town; and when a whole ton Of stone
Is taken, II pence is to be paid TO the
town therefor. - Thus far only stone,
broken OFF from the cliffs, was taken.
Soon 1t was nsed in larger quantities, be-
ing found both very durable and capa BILE
OF high polish. 1t Is q marvellous sight,
today. 10 look into one OF the quarries,
covering acres of land, and the stone cut
down forming perpendicular wall $50
feet deep. The stone is found in layers,
even and regular, from two to rs feet in
thickness, varying from 20 to 100 feet in
width, and from 80 to 80 feet in length.
The call for the stone continues, being
in demsnd all over the United States for
public and private buildings, particularly
tor the fronts end ornamental parts OF
stores, blocks, etc.
At the water frobt OF the qnarries are
vessels, (schooners, chiefly, being loaded
with brown stone. Tow boats now, al
most exclusively, take loaded vessels as
fer as Saybrook, thence they sail TO New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and elsewhere.
The transportation by water Is cheaper.
Formerly oxen were used in hosting the
stone, conveying to the wbarves. etc, but
now powerful steam engines are displacing
tbs patient least of burden. The great
barns are empty and the material In them
at sale for n song.
give out? Who can tell? But, certainly,
the present outlook islthat the supply will
be mine of wealth 10 the Portland peo-
pie for several generations to come
One OF tHe points of interest i'm Port
land. and of even endless wonder, is q
pond called Jobs Pond. This Is not
from any association with the man of
formerly owned it and the land around
it. il Is a body Of water, some two
miles in circumference, 40 TO 80 feet deep
and has no outlet. 1t rises and fails ID
feet. But as II is not fed as ther ponds,
subject to the rise and fall of their
waters. this constitutes the endless
wonder and mystery. Ii is highest in
the dry and lowest in the wet seasons.
For six months it rises, sometimes longer.
and falls during the equal length of
time. The cause OF this curious pheno-
menon remains a mystery. And yet.
within easy reach, is faculty of mighty
and venerable sages. Wy do they not
solve this mystery. The old cemetery
with fiat brown stone tablets, heads,
meant for angels, but which look more
like heads Of Indians or female Japs; and
inscriptions as grotesque as the figures.
make an abundant source OF entertain
ment-iu that line. Here is one OF the
last: "Here lyeth the tody OF Mrs.
Mercy formerly wife OF Mr. John Miller.
hut dyed rhe widow Of Mr.. Joseph DAILY,
Sept. 2, 1863, il the SD year OF her age"
Question: Had she two husbands or
three?
Portland IL be1utiful with its wide. very
wide street (Main street, along which the
bulk OF TIE poruiace live), over loo feet
wide, in most places nearer 200 feet. The
four rows of trees giants, almost, in size -
add To the charm o. the long, broad fra-
cadamized boulevsrds, affording superb
rid ng. The buildings. public and pri-
vate, of brown stone, show much, variety,
whore sameuess would be expected.
Combining Grecian and Enropean-snd
often Queen Anne with the two corners
give interest and romancs TO many
structures seen i'm Portland.
Finally, brown stone fortunes, acquired
and inherited (cne or BOTH represent the
principle wealth OF the place.
GEORGE w. ANDER 5oN.
Providence, Il. L.. Nov. q, 1895.
Y. ST. should have said that ok
oustide OF Portl md assert that YOU can
tell Portland der not 10y the hayseed In
his whiskers. bit by he brown stone
dust in hi, hair and on hi face. Doubt
less il was en- illusion, but ]
thought wouli see tki' lrown Dust oa
the men and woTcn. Even on the
golden or darker locks OF he iair young
maiiens of Portland. Yes. and on the
hair az the ofss and the dogs and I'm