The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-11-08
GR0I0N GRANITE
A Growing Industry in Caledonia
County.

1t is becoming more and more evil
dent that the boom in Groton, through the
development of the Pine Mountain granite
quarries Is a growing and permanent one.
The gang OF men at work there with the aid
OF two derricks has opened up portion OF
the 200 or more acres of quarry land, and
the uncovering reveals that the granite
which experts pronounce the most wonder
full display in the United States. 1t runs in
sheets through the mountain from base to
summit at depth Of from 800 feet to 400
feet. Sheets are now in sight for 100 feet,
varying from two to twenty feet in thick
ness. The association which has an option
on the property at price not made
public represents capital OF over 81 ,0O0,-
600. While 1t is not bound to accept the
property before next spring the enthusiasm
OF the members over the discoveries thus
far made makes it safe to assume that the
association will push the enterprise for all it
is worth. @. ID. WEIGH OF Boston, the pres-
dent, was in Groton last Friday and paid
off the men at work on the Pine Mountain
for the first time
While the work now being done is that OF
prosr Getting nature, should the association
accept the property, as there is every rea-
son to believe it will, the development will
be begun in earnest next spring. Steam
derricks and other modern quarrying ma
chnery will be installed and a railroad will
connect the quarries with the main line Of
the Montpelier and Wells River road. The
president OF this line, Alvin #. Sortwell of
Cambridge, Mass, is treasurer Of the as
sociation. His influence and experience in
railroad matters, combined with his faith
in the scheme, are one Of its most pTomis
ing features.
Again the capital behind the project ex-
ceeds that Of any other enterprise in this
section. Another promising feature OF the
enterprise is the fact that l. M. Kicker OF
Groton, the pioneer in the development Of
Pine mountain, who for a long time work
ed alone in the matter and who for over
two years worked assiduously to bring the
matter to its present status, declares that
he is now resting on his oars and is satisfied
with the outlook. He says that the time
has not yet arrived for the giving full pub
licity to the plans OF the association, as the
members are men who do not desire TO daz
zle the public eye with theories, but rather
they will await developments and let the
public Judge for itself. Mr.. Kicker believes
in Groton as he does in Pine mountain, and
he is confident that Groton will soon be-
come the granite center of New England.
Surely everything favors that prophecy.
Pine mountain with its railway will be
easier of access than the Barre quarries, the
water facilities of the stream fed by Groton
pond and mountain brooklets are all that
could be desired, and for the building Of
homes for an increased population the town
is unexcelled.
There are now three granite firms en-
RaSeu III aCJiVe BUSINESS III droIOn, III All
employing about 100 men. While Mr.
Kicker would not state outright that the
putting in of an electrical power plant was
in contemplation, he did express the opn-
ion that Groton mi Iht have one in the near
future and was confident that the stream
with the aid of steam for short time in
the dry season, would be ample to operate
it. When asked if the new building he was
constructing across the river from his saw
mill was designed for an electric plant he
| admitted it would make a good building for
that purpose but said with knowing smile
that the use to which the new building was
to be put could not be made public until
later developments had been made. Next
to the push and capital behind the Pine
Mountain project, one of its most favorable
aspects is the great faith in it evinced by
the people of GIoton