Evening journal., 1900-04-23
Methods Employed by Granite
Company In Reducing Great
Heaps of Stone
DYEAMITE VERSUS GRANITE
AT ONE BLAST IN WHICH $50
POUNDS OF POWDER ARE DIS
CHARGED, TONS UPON TONS OF
STONE BURST AsUNDER.

One Of the most inspiring and mag
nihcent sights near this city, or, in fact,
in the state. is the quarries of the
Brandywine Granite Company, situated
on the Brandywine near Henry Clay. |
commonly known as Rising Sun.
The quarries are OF immense dimen-
sions, being 5000 feet long by 1000
feet WIDE taking in the portions on each
side of the Brandywine
On first beholding them, the specta- |
tor is struck with amazement at the
vast quantities of solid granite, piled
to a height of 1S0 feet Here the stone
is first blasted, then converted into the
various forms necessary for building
and other purposes.
About l50 men are kept continually
in the employ of the company, some
drilling, others hauling and feeding the
crushers, while still another lot is at
work in getting out Belgium blocks,
used in paving streets.
The process Of making these blocks
is an interesting one Each block
maker, as the workman is called. isl
supplied with a helper, who handles
The rock first A large slab OF stone
is placed before him, which he pro-
ceeds to divide by a series Of holes.
placed about three inches apart. and
to a depth of two inches, always drill
ing with the grain, so as to split the
rock more easily What is known
among stone workers as a feather andI
plug is then placed in each hole. ThisI
device, which is a clever one. dOingI
away with numerous blasts. consists
of three pieces, two of which are simi-
lar to an iron tube, after having beenI
cut lengthwise and spread slightly att
the top. These pieces are placed OnI
each side of the hole An iron plug isl
then inserted. and after having been
struck a sharp blow with a hammer,
splits the rocks clean and even. II then
goes to the maker. who divides it into
the required size by the use OF hammer
and chisel. A second hammer, known
as a reel, is then used. This has round
ed edges and smooths the sides of the
/ block This, however, is only used II
the best quality. In the others the
edges are left rough. A good maker,
with his helper, can turn out an aver
age OF from $50 to 200 blocks in day.
HOW BLASTS ARE OPERATED.
In blasting the rock another equally
interesting process is adopted Many
blasts are arranged without the neces-
/ sity of drilling holes, the powder be-
ing placed in crack or orevice in
stead
The man who prepares these blasts
Is known as a packer He first secures
a quantity Of stone dust which Is sup
piled by the crusher This is placed in
the crevice to give the blast a bottom.
When this has been packed solldly. the
lpowder is next introduced, in company
with two wires. which lead to the bat
terry. some 200 feet away.
When drilling is necessary for a
blast the steam drill is used, two of
them being In the possession of the
company. This drill does work which
would be impossible for a man with the
hand drill to accomplish, averaging
sixty feet per day. BY hand, no more
than 100 inches can be drilled, at the
most
Aside from the advantage OF speed
the steam drill plies a drill three and
a half inches in diameter. while man
has his hands full to manage one meas
uring one and a half inches. Thus
by this practically new device, a much
larger hole is drilled in a considerably
shorter space of time.
Each hole which is twenty feet In
! depth is made by eight bits OF differ
ent lengths. they being changed al
b every two feet for one as much longer
When this has been done the battery
Is attached, and at 10 and G O'Clock
every day they are set off simultaneous.
ly. At this time all seek a place o
o. safety, and work is abandoned unit
e the man at the portable battery, who
s creeps behind a rock on tree some 20l
p feet away, has plunged the piston into
[ the battery, sending an electric curren
2 into each charge Of powder. AT times
e as many as ten large blasts are set Of
at once, necessitating the use of thirt,
kegs, or $50 pounds Of powder.
After these blasts the rocks. whicl
are two large to be broken by hammer
are blasted again. These small blast
:, lare known as pops" and are dfillei
: by hand, while a small portion of dy
Mantle is substituted for the powder
AS there is no danger connected wit
these blasts, the men do not leave thei
work.
The stone is then reduced tostill small
er proportions for the crushers. tw
l. Of which are operated at the quarrie,
y This crushed stone is turned out
he various sizes, to be used in concret'
macadamizing and other purposes.
HOW BOILERS ARE SUPPLIED.
In supplying the boilers with wate
second boiler is used, which heat
IN the water after being pumped from th
IN creek. From the engine to this boilC
e. runs a pipe which conveys the e,
ne haust steam OF the engine to the boile
ss thus heating the water
In sending stone back and fort
across the creek an caken platform
eight feet square. is employed. This
capable of carrying three tons. Aft
ch being loaded it is raised to a cable su
Sc pended $50 feet above by another cab
rs lowered for the purpose. These a
ar operated by an engine located on Il
heights above. which controls them
will.
E. LARGE CONTRACTS on HAND.
The company is now filling sever
ice large contracts. one for Thomas
X Wilson. who is paving Camden, n.
rt- with Belgium blocks In this contra
ew alone over $4,000 blocks viii
n needed
Consignments OF crushed stone a
also bping Skinned To Fort Mott NJ