Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-01-29
BRATTLEB0RO LOCAL.
aUILFoRD SLATE oUARRIBs.
The Work OF ReOpeninR Them has AL
ready Begun---the Excellent Quality
of the Slate.

The work OF Reopening Them has Al
ready Begun---the Excellent Quality
of the Slate.
An encouraging instance of industrial
activity is noted in the resumption of
active operations at the slate quarries at
Guiford. These quarres, which are prac-
ticaly inexhaustble, were abandoned
nearly 80 years ago, on account of the
heavy cost of production, as no machinery
was then in use here and the high cost of
labor would not admit of successful com
petition with the cheap Rutland slate
which appeared upon the market at about
that time
The promoters of the present enterprise
are Thomas Evans of New York city, Her.
man G. Lamb of Manchester, N. H., and
j. w. Lowry of Greenfield, Mass. Mr..
Evans has made life study of the bust
ness, and probably understands slate quar-
rying, making and roofing as well as any
man living. He is a native of Wales,
where he served his apprenticeship in the
noted quarres on the estate of Lord Penryn,
these being the most extensive and val
liable slate quarres in the world, giving
employment to 5000 workmeu, and having
furnished the estate with princely rev.
enue for two centuries.
Mr.. Evans was interested in the Gull
ford quarries during their former activity,
and has since worked at the business in
Canada, Maine and Rutland (Vt.) and was
one of the owners of the valuable Red
Slate quarry at Granville, N. Y. This
was fine deposit, of unique, richly col
ored slate, which brought exorbitant prices.
VIM. II. Vanderbilt's new residence was
slated with it at a cost of S25 per square
400 square feet). More recently Mr..
Evans has been employed as manager for
the Southern Slate company of Chilhowee,
Tennessee. He and his partners have
leased quarry of Tyler l.. johnson for a
term of years, also the Orrin Weatherhead
farm, including another fine quarry, for
10 years, with the privilege Of purchasing
at any time during the term. They are
already upon the ground, and are now at
work cutting a channel through the rock
to provide for drainage for the abundance
of spring water issuing from the slate vein,
which was a source of much trouble in
previous times. The quality of the slate
improves with the depth of working, and
steam pumps will probably be employed
to remove the water as the depth Of the
quarry is increased
the slate from these quarries is Of the
very finest quality, being unexcelled in
beauty and durability. They are of a rich
dark blue color which deepens with age,
The qualification is perfect, aud the text
ure unusually tough, so that while they
can be thinly and evenly split, they are
still capable of resisting great strain, so
that once well laid they will last for all
time.
The quarries are five miles south of
Brattleboro, upon the highway leading
through Guilford and Bernardston to
Greenfield, Mass, and directly upon the
line of the proposed electric railroad, which
was chartered by the last Vermont lecisla-
ture. Extensive development of the quar-
ries would render the road practical
necessity. Surveys for steam railroads
have twice been made through on this
line. According to the American Slate
journal, Pennsylvania produces annually
about 100000 squares of slate. New
York and Vermont together about 400, 900
squares New Jersey, Maine and Virginia
about 1901 squares, the total value OF
the annual slate product of this country
being about $780, 900.