Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-11-18
VERMONT'S RICH OUARRIES.
State Geologist Makes IA Very Interesting
Report of Our Resources.

Report of Our Resources.
Geo. II. Perkins, Pm. D., state geolo-
gist, has made his annual report which
is attractively illustrated and is replete
with valuable and Interesting informa-
ton for the student as well as for the
investor about the mineral resources of
the state. He shows that the capital in
vested IN quarres was over $l2, 100000
In 1897, while the total value of stones
produced in that year was 3,59S, 1893.
Though one of the smallest states in ex-
tent of surface Vermont yet stands first
lin the value of marble produced, second
in slate and granite and third ia the total
of all quarry products, our state being
surpassed by only Ohio and Pennsylva-
mia. Over 5000 men are employed in the
l67 quarries of different kinds in Yer
mont. He points out the fact that while
other states possess considerable quanti-
ties of marble large proportion of their
product is fitted only for building stone,
while much of Vermont's marble can be
used in monuments and statuary. Marble
for building purposes is worth only from
10 cents to 81 a cubic foot, while marble
suitable for monuments sells for from So
TO 81, and statuary marble brings SIP.
The fact that this states deposits Of
marble are so largely of the finer quail
tiles materially increases the profit of
quarryng, as compared with similar OPP
erations in other states. According to
the census report Vermont in 1890 pro-
duced 1S7, 40 cubic feet of granite valued
at $50, $40, whereas In 1897 the granite
produced by SS7 companies in this state
aggregated 81 ,52l 80 in value. In 1890
Vermont ranked thirteenth among gran.
lite producing states, while in 1896 it
stood third, only Maine and Massachu-
sets producing more. At the present
time Vermont easily stands first in it's
output of granite. The slate industry in
Vermont has also reached large proper
tions, being second only to the great
state of Pennsylvania in the output of
that product.
Besides the quarries, slate and granite,
of which he speaks at length, Prof, Per-
kins shows that the state has valuable and
extended limestone quarries, a few of
sOspstone or stearite, one of tale of con-
]
various kinds as well as mines. The
professor we'll says in summary:
"Nermonters should realize that there
is no state in the union which has, in
proportion to area and population, so
great wealth and resources in beds of
useful rocks. If properly developed
during the next ten years, the marble,
81 o ta aud frro pito ipJustrioc of Norpont
will surpass those of other states. YER
mont is known far and wide as an
agricultural state, but we can scarcely
hope to remain in the front rank in this
respect. Our manufactures are varied
and important but we cannot rival many
another state in those industries. When
however, it comes to the possession OF
vast beds of marble. slate and granite
and the production of stone from these
deposits, our future outlook is most en-.
couraging. The existence of such riches
being assured, the first rational steI
toward developing and utilizing them is
that which leads to knowledge of what
we have and to giving others, those
outside of the state, who have needed
capital, some knowledge of what there i:
awaiting their investments. | do MOI
think that there Is state in the unior
which has greater need of geological
survey, or which would receive greater
benefits from it than our own. Such {
survey, if properly conducted, is really
taking an inventory, an account of stock
of natural resources of the region ex
amined, and | believe that such surveys
have always been of very great benef
to the state carrying them on, benefits
far beyond all cost to the state.