Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-05-11
The NEW QuARRIES OPENED
tsfsciais OF the Bessin,er limestone Com.
pany Take ride over the New Road
aud Formally Open the Qaarrips-
Elaborate banquet Given ny
wade, sloan and Company
20 the Directors and


/ secured 10 work
The railroad built by Wade, 81
and Company, contractors, Of Baltic
more, for the Bessemer Limestone
Company from the main line Of the
Baltimore q Ohio railroad to the
quarry fields of the Limestone Com
pany-a distance OF two and half
miles has becu completed 20 such an
extent as 10 allow cars 70 pass over
it and TO inaugurate the road the
leading menbers OF the company took
an automobile" ride over it.
The directors drove from Martins.
burg to the quarry fields, where they
were met by Mr.. Frank II. Sloan,
and his superintendent IN profuse-
| ly decorated truck. 10 which was
| hitehed mule. All boarded and the
first ride over the new railroad beam.
Tho directors OF the company M
spected the track and road bed CLOSELY
as they passed over IL slowly and they
were in every way pleased with the
work After reaching the main line
OF tho y q O. the mule was turned
over to boy aud the ride back over
the track to the pike WAS taken with
out any motive power except gravi-
tation, the pike being much lower
that the b. a. O. tracks.
After reaching the end of the rail-
road the party went over to the
quarry field, here the formal opening
OF the quarry was gone through with.
la the presence Of the her.members
of the board OF directors of the com
pany, the contractors, superintendents
and workingmen, President Neal
| threw the first shovel Of dirt into a
cart and those valuable quarries
which will bring vast amount OF
revenue to Berkeley county. as well
MS to the Bessemer Limestone Com
pany. were formally opened.
Although the railroad is ready for
cars to pass over it, 1t is not vet
completed, but it will be in about ten
days. In the meantime the workmen
will devote their time to stripping
the dart off the rocks until the ma
chnery, trucks, etc. arrive. Mr.. l..
w. Robinson is foreman of the gang
now az work, but as soon as the quar-
ries are in full operation he will open
the commissarv department. Only
about forty or fifty men are engaged
in stripping the quarries. within
sixty days they hope TO Get ont forty
car loads OF stone or about 1900 tons
OF stone day,
The stockholders OF the company
are very enthusiastic over the pros
poets. They believe. in fact they know
that they have struck the richest and
purest VEN of limestone In the
world 1t is continuation of the
vein which is being worked by the
Standard Lime d Stone Company,
which has proven to be the finest
in the world The limestone ground
owned and controlled by lease In fee
simple by the Bessemer Company is
| 1, 900 feet wide and extends distance
OF miles. The official report Of the
Y. S. Geological Survey says the vein
extends down into the earth 600 feet,
which is about IS feet below the sea
level.
The opening of this rich limestone
deposit in Berkeley is due chiefly to
Mr.. w q. Leonard. who, with Mr.. l..
Nv Robinson, after discovering the
richness of the vein, interested the
Pittsburg steel men, who organized
the Bessemer Limestone Company.
The men composing the company
become more convinced every day that
they have struck 'eood thing and
they are very enthusiastic.
The quarry plant, when finished,
will have cost them about 5000, 900
aud will be one of the finest in the
world.