Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-07-09
soapstone Quarries in Virginia.

home of many industries, but perhaps
the most interesting one is the soap
stone quarry of Aiberene Among the
foothills of the Ragged Mountains Is
a tract of 1850 acres, fringed with
woods and dotted with tidy homes, a
little world in itself, its interests GEN.
tering where the great derricks mark
the sky and long buildings cover busy
saws. Twelve years ago II was quiet
farm, but one day horseman appeared
riding slowly, with observant eyes,
man of experience, an expert in soap
stone. Here he found outcropping
vein of soapstone, the finest in the
world. He looked long and carefully
and then he went away, but to form
company which bought the place.
They began operations at once.
With a force of thirty-hve men and
inadequate machines enough soapstone
was put on the market to establish ITS
reputation and create a demand. To-
day with a force OF two hundred and
TWENTY-FIVE workmen and highly i'm
proved machinery, the output does not
supply the demand Extensions and
improvements are constantly in pro-
gress, and the capacity Of the vein Is
practically limitless.
The first quarry opened showed a
vein from thirty-fve to forty feet wide
inclined at an angle of sixty-three de-
grees. Excavated to a depth of one
hundred and sixty feet, it still yielded
fine blocks of workable stone AT the
end of six years this quarry was aband-
oned, and about twenty feet away
another quarry was opened and worked
in the same way There are now three
quarries in operation. Large lngersoll
channelers are used in them to drill out
the blocks they run by steam, and,
in spite Of the hardness of the stone,
cut about the sides of each block with
amazing rapidity. The average block
weighs nine tons, but the derricks used
,are capable of raising twenty tons
Once out of the quarry the blocks are
put on steam trucks and carried to the
factory, where they are cut into slabs
of varying thickness. This is done by
abrasion. Gang saws swing TO and fro
over chilled iron globules that wear
away the stone, as they are kept con-
tinually moving Each slab is then
examined and moved on its truck to be
cut into the shapes for which it Is best
adapted. The manufactured output Is
about sixty-three tons per day.
As acid has absolutely no action upon
the stone, it is used to make tanks for
jewellers; dissecting rooms and labora-
tories are fitted up with it, and, on
account of its non-absorkant qualities,
it is in great demand for laundry tubs
and sinks. 1t is also used for fireplace
Innings and for griddles, the latter
having great advantage over the iron
griddles, as they never require greas-
ing.
The Alberene soapstone is exported
all over the world, for its smooth tex
ture and hardness render the articles
manufactured from it absolutely time
defying in their durability. Four car
loads Of this stone are in the laboratory
at Yale; at Tiffany's there are acid
tanks the Hahnemann Hospital, at
Chicago, and the Vanderbilt Clinic, Of
New York, by their use testified to its
merits, and the University Of Mississippi
has set an example which the South
and West are speedily following.
For years this soapstone was put on
the market at loss. The very quality
which gives it superiority made the DIFF
fculty. No machinery could match its
hardness. Machines had to be invent
ed that could cope with it, and in the
struggle raw recruits have become
trained workmer. These workmen
are nearly all whites Of the laboring
classes from the country round about.
A couple Of Swedes, German or two
and Frenchman represent the for
eien element, and the force Of negroes
who FIJI out the necessary quota Of
employees are those who, in the twelve
years of the quarry's existence, repre-
sent the survival Of the fttest. Alto
gether it is athriving, busting colony,
and what was a venture Is now an
established business on firm footing,
its success adding much to the steadily
growing prosperity of Albemarle.-C.
| s. coles, IN the Tradesman.
I'VE have no use for bear stories"
said the editor Our readers demand
something spicy.
HWeU said the man With'the man