The Portland daily press., 1896-10-14

time, bat better times are hoped for.
With the hard times the price of paw
ing has greatly depreoiated. Two years
ago paving stones brought from $76 to
$So Thousand but the price has dropped
to as low as $40 a Thousand. Naturally
wages have decreased, but not In the
same ratio. That this seriously affects
Knox County there is no question.
A representative of The Courier Gazette
visited the quarries at Lung Cove and
Clark Island last week and was greatly
interested in what he saw and heard.
The first point of interest was the enor-
nous hole where the big blast is to take
place. The location is just beyond the
place where the big blast Of last winter
took place. Excavation was commenced
on the top of hill. The opening is
about four feet in diameter and we were
politely invited to descend into the hole
but we just as politely declined. A look
WAS sufficient and even this made the
head swim. The shaft goes directly down
to the depth of 81 feet.
Two shafts have been made, runni G
east and west; one is % feet long and the
other 20 feet long. At the end Of each
arm is a tunnel % feet long forming rs.
At each end of the L Ia chamber, max
ing four in all and in each chamber will
be placed Ia tons of powder Or 10 tons
in all. To hold this vast amount Of pc W.
der four canvas bags have been made.
These bags have been painted to make
bags have been placed in the cham ber.
and the fuse connected the entrance to
the chambers will be sealed up with solid
masonry. The discharge will be made by
electricity and if the explosion results as
expected 1000, 600 tons of rock will be
disturbed.
The work on the shaft was commenced
Jan. a., Immediately after the other big
blast, which was an experiment. Three
and four men have been engaged since
this time drilling through the solid rock.
The work has been very dang erous and
steam to purify the air. Mr.. Smith will
superintend the job and sometime this
" eek the big event will take place and
Mr.. Smith is very confident of success.
Horses are used but little at the Long
Cove quarries, all the work being done
by steam and the ground Ia covered with
net work Of tracks which terminate at
the wharf. A steam derrick capable OF
lifting ten tons easily is in constant use.
ployed in cons tt uctinR railroad to the
big quarry.
1t was in teresting to watch the men at
work. People in general do not know
that there is grain to granite, the same
as in wood, and the aocurateness of the
splitting process is marvellous.
The grain of the Long Cove gra nj tie
runs from east to west and no better
granite can be found in the world.
The company has every facility fol
quick loading and some days are record.
breakers. Six or seven hundred tons OF
43, 900 paving Is an easy days work.
Tho company shipped about 1000. oo(
blocks last year against 1900. 900 in past
years. 10 transport this necossitated 81
vessels of 500 tons each. The State Poin,
quarry has been worked but little this
year, while last year "a vessels were load.
ed. From those two places in one yea1
was shipped 2, 500, 900 blocks which a bout
establishes a record for the state.
The company is now doing quito an
extensive business with cemetery posts
and bases. About 5000 were shipped the
past season.
ago and only about 100 men are now
employed.
These guarries have been operated
about 30 years and Mr.. Smith has been
superintendent most of this time. Mr..
Smith came here from Westerly, Rhode
Island. famous all over the world for Its
granite.
AT Clark Island we found the same
state OF affairs existing as at Long Cove,
small crew of men, general depression OF
business, the same reasons for the depres
sion and hopes for better times.
Two vessels were loaded last week,
schooner David Siner $4,000 paving
olocks for New York and schooner Abbie
walker with rough stone for thu sam G
| port.
Inc company Is doing but little paw
ing work, combining it's work almost alto.
getner to monumental and GENET cry cut.
ting and rough stone.