The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-08-17
Number 30.
QUARRlES OF CARRARA.
Where Some of the Worlds Finest
IarbIe Is Obtained.

Jarble Is Obtained.
Carrara marble is known throughout
the world, yet few of the many tourists
who are whirled along the Mediter-
ranean railway from Rome to Genoa
ever stop to visit the spot from which
this famous stone is obtained. Carrara
lies on the railway between Pisa and
Florence All the inhabitants of the
little town are directly or indirectly in
terested in the quarrying, working and
shaping of the marble, and the glare of
marble dust and marble meets one en-
every side The marble quarries are en-
tirely different from what might be ex-
pected, and in place of craning the neck
to gaze down into the bowels of the
earth one only has to admire the long,
irregular rift in the flank of the noun.
tain, for the quarrying is all done on
the surface and does not require the
construction Of pits or galleries. The
quarries have been likened by one writ
er to a cascade of water suddenly hard
ened into stone.
The percentage of men who meet hor-
rible deaths in the quarries is very large
Notwithstanding the fact that powder
and not dynamite is used. OF course
many of these accidents are caused by
carelessness on the part of the workmen.
When the great blocks are once detach-
ed, they either roll down the mountain
or are lowered to the desired place by
means of ropes and tackle. No ma
chinery is employed, and all the work
is done with the crudest appliances. A
blast is announced by three long notes
on horn, but little attention seems to
be paid to this signal by the workmen,
and many terrible accidents result in
consequence.
A few years back, when accidents oc-
CURED, the cathedral bells were tolled
to give warning to the people, but ow
ing TO the anxiety and anguish of thou
sands of poor families on hearing this
grewsome sound the custom has now
been abolished, and the workmen all
leave the quarries as soon as the acci-
dent occurs in order to assure their
families of their safety, and they are
allowed their full days pay. The pay
of the workmen is wretched, varying
from so to 80 cents day. A blast is
very exciting to stranger, who is usu-
ally accompanied by guide, who con-
trives to get him in place Of absolute
safety during the explosion.
The marble is blasted high up on the
peak, and the pieces bound or leap
downward until they strike some OBJ
struction or the valley below. Former
ly all of the immense chunks of marble
had to be transported by primitive carts
hauled by oxen, but now the railway
affords an easy means of transporting
to the market. The huge trucks are met
everywhere foundering along, hinging
great clouds of choking white dust in
their train or splashing mud, which il
white in this remarkable locality. Each
| car is drawn by j 8 or 20 pairs of oxen,
| which are covered with the white dus-
which is everywhere. They are goadei
by their cruel drivers, for the Italiani
are notorious for their cruelty to ami
mails.
| An interesting excursion is to one Of
| the quarries which were worked by the
Romans and the quarries show how
primitive were the means employed by
men of antiquity. They first marked
out the block upon the solid mass. an6
they actually cut it out by hand labor.
In many places one can still see blocks
which lie imbedded in the rubbish
caused in quarryin and shipping them
The Romans split their blocks into slabs
by inserting wooden wedges and keep
ing them continually wet until the
swelling of the wood burst asunder thu
stone. A Roman altar was unearthe(
some years ago near the quarries, ant
a few rusty implements have also beer
discovered.
Carrara marble has been favorit
with sculptors for nearly 1000 years
and today it is nearly always used b.
the sculptor in preference to marbl
from any other locality. 1t is ais
largely used in decorating churches.
Scientific American.