Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-12-03

ert Noble and situated between the rail-
road and the river opposite the old Noble
farm buildings and the town would vote
I to exempt the prospective plant for pc
Rod Of ten years and build roads, that the
eompany would erect shed on the prem
+ Uses costing not less than $500 with the
machinery, and be ready for work by
August 1st.
subscription paper was Immediately
circulated and the necessary funds raised.
( Mr.. Noble was unwilling to sell his land
except in the way of a trade for other
/ land and the adjoining farm Of E. T. Ar
mold was bought for s17eO. The dwelling
house and lot Of about one acre were sold
at auction for s625 and the balance Of the
+ farm turned over to Mr.. Noble in eX-
change for the desired site.
| At the annual March meeting, held
March 3, 1903, pursuant to a clause to that
effect in the warning, the town OF Bethel
voted
"To exempt from taxation for period
OF ten years, from the commencement Of
operation and while in operation, granite
quarries, manufacturing establishments
for the manufacture Of granite, with all
capital and personal property, machinery,
appliances and buildings used in the BUSH
ness"
The Woodbury. Granite Co. began the !
construction of their shed in the spring, |
Frank Lyman and A. B. Brooks taking the |
contract for the carpenter work. A shed /
was built 1852 feet long by 40 feet wide, also /
a blacksmith shop 4Sx2O feet and an office
building 24x14 feet. There is now being
erected an engine house 45x3O feet, with
carpenter shop'attached. In this the $50 ,
horsepower engine and boiler are to be in
stalled, also an air compressor of capac-
ity Of $50 cubic feet per minute for work
ing the pneumatic machinery. The shed
is to be heated by steam. The power will
operate the pneumatic surface cutters, a
circular saw for the carpenter shop and
four grindstones.
Twenty men are now employed by the
Woodbury. Co. at the quarry and Sc cutters
and IA general workmen at the finishing
huHhs At uuhAlANn1 at AotlnEl - unuHE inc
general management Of w. c. Clifford, a
native OF Maine, who has worked his way
up from the ranks Of granite cutters. The
foreman at the quarry is II. +. Weber,
who comes from Woodbury.. The fore
man at the shed is G. W. Clark from Cali
fornia, formerly OF Maine. William
Briggs OF Woodstock is clerk in charge Of
the office.
The men at the sheds work in crews OF
fourteen cutters 10 one blacksmith. Al,
tool boy serves four crews. The men
work eight hours day and get from 50
to 1926 day.
The total cost Of the shed and the ma
chinery soon to be installed will be about
~, 600 and the total amount that the
Woodbury. Granite Co. has now invested
in Bethel, properly chargeable to con-
,truction account, is about $4,000.
The capacity of the shed is 125 cutters.
IN the spring the company expects to have !
.he shed running to its full capacity.
The granite from this quarry weighs
lbout 10 pounds to the cubic foot. Gran
te from quarres in other towns runs
rom 100 pounds to III pounds. ,
The rough granite costs about 81 per I
'ubic foot from the ledge to the finishing
he'd. The cutting costs about 81 per Gu
,ic foot The stone is now hauled by con- /,
ract and costs about six cents a foot. A :,
cam draws about thirty feet To COM
ARE with the probable cost Of hauling by .
all, it is stated that the team hauling !
osts about S12 car OF 10000 lbs, while !
he cost by rail is estimated at about s. for !,
similar car. =
The Woodbury. Granite Co. has so far
urnished Bethel granite for the Brooks =,
mansion in New York, the basement and a
pproaches OF the Bayley residence on h
avenue in Boston. The /,
ompany is now at work getting out stone 4
Or the Harry Payne Whitney mansion 4
nd the j. c. Lyon mansion on Fifth ave- Z
ne in New York. These are both built q
ntirely of granite that comes from the !,
ethel quarry. The Bethel sheds will do
Il the finishing for these contracts, as the
Lardwick plant is busy with the Harris
urg contract. II any exchange is made =
stween the sheds, it is more probable
nat ghnite will be sent to Bethel from
ardwick to be finished for the Harris
urg contract, which it viii take several
Ii