Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-12-10
LITTLE DOUBT FELT.
Washington Station Will Be of Bethel
Granite, As Everything Now Points.

H Granite, As Everything Now Points.
The question was recently raised in
Congress regarding the capacity of the
granite uuarries in Bethel and whether
Il was probable that a sufficient amount
OF granite Of uniform grade could he
secured from them for the construction
OF the new union station at Washington.
The district commissioners at Washing
ton have authority to determine whether
the material proposed is tit for the pur-
pose and can be secured in sufficient
Quantities, and in conformity with a
resolution OF Congress the commissioners
appointed Capt. Chester Harding,
prominent Washington engineer, TO visit
Bethel and ascertain the facts. Captain
Harding came 10 Bethel last Thursday
in company with Irving Ellis, son Of
T.. b. Ellis OF Mortified, and made
thorough inspection of the Bethel quarry
OF Ellis and Starrett and took the after
noon train to Mortified to inspect the
cutting shed.
| Afterwards, Capt. Harding, on the
| invitation of the Barre granite men, made
a trip to Barre and inspected their plants
and quarries. In talk to a Barre Times
reporter he said that the visit to the
/ Barre quarries had been a revelation to
him. He said that the proposed union
| station which is to be erected in Wash
| ington calls for 100000 cubic feet Of cut
/
day for four hundred days to fill.
| 1t seems that the Barre granite men
| heard that white granite was wanted for
/ this contract and that there was doubt
| expressed If Bethel granite could fill the
/ bin and they had some hope the lightning
might fall on Barre and for this reason
| invited Capt. Harding to visit them.
There is also soon to be built in Washing
ton another public building, known as
/ the district building. This will also
/ probably be built OF granite and Barre
| has hopes in that direction. In this con-
nection the following letter from Senator
/ Dillingham; to the Barre White Granite
company will be OF INTEREST,"
at appears that the Pennsylvania Il. r.
Co. has submitted plans for the new depot
| building with the proposition to use the
white Bethel granite in its construction.
These plans have to be approved by the
commissioners of the district. Some ques-
4 tion has been raised regarding the capaci-
/ ty OF the quarry at Bethel and TO ascertain
whether it is probable that a sufficient
amount OF this stone can be secured for
| the construction Of the great railroad sta
/ tion, Capt. Chester Harding, one OF the
engineer officers OF the district, will be
sent there 10 make an examination some
1 time next week.
| $50 far as the district commissioners are
concerned, they have only the authority
I to determine whether the material pro-
/ posed is fit for the purpose and can be Sc
cured IN sufficient quantities. They have
/ no right to dictate the particular stone
/ that shall be used and the mission of Capt.
/ Harding is simply that above indicated.
| ] may say in this connection that the gem
era demand In Washington is that the de-
/ pot shall be constructed OF practically a
white stone.
"Onthe other hand there is to be con-
/ structed during the coming season another
J public building to be known as the dis
/ trict building. This will probably be of
/ granite and the commissioners are anx-
4 ious to secure good stone for this pur-
| pose. | think they do not object to a
darker colored granite and Commissioner
Mcfarland assures me that Capt. Harding
will visit Barre for the purpose OF exam
/ ming stone IN that vicinity with view to
/ its adoption for the district building. |
/ think you may look for him next week.
While Capt Harding was naturally un-
| communicative as to the color Of his
report on Bethel granite, from has chance
utterances, favorable testimony is antic-
4 ipated
/ That the Washington station will be of
/ Bethel granite seems practically assured.
| Further weight is given to this view by
! the following despatch from Concord n
II. President Cassatt is head of one of
the companies that must ''put up for the
4 immense building:
! "Concord. N. H., Dec. 7.-Senator Gal
/ linger, who has been very DESTROYS OF Sc
/ curing the selection of Concord granite as
the building stone for the new Union sta
| tion in Washington, ID. G., and who has
/ eXerted himself to the utmost to secure
action favo able to that stone, gives to the
press letter received from President Cas-
satt of the Pennsylvania railroad which
indicates a definite decision in favor Of the
Bethel stone. Mr.. Cassatt's letter TO Sena-
tor Gallinger is as follows:
| "'My dear Senator We have given due
consideration to everything YOU have said
in ivor OF the use OF Concord granite for
the station building at Washington. but |
regret to say that we feel constrained to
adhere to our purpose to use the Bethel
granite for the reason that the architects
are clear in their opinion that for this par
| ticulsr character OF building it is superior,
on account of its brilliant whiteness, to
any other, and in this opinion, after a
careful study of the question and after
consulting two other leading architects, |
we fully concur. In addition TO the exam
inatlon made by the architects, we had an
independent one made by two experienced
guarrymen from whose report we are salts
fled that the stone is there in sufficient
quantity and color, and that none OF the /
objections urged against it have any |
foundation.
Regrettng not to be able to meet your
views in this matter, and assuring you of /
our entire disposition to do so had it been |
practicable, am
Yours very truly,
A. j. CAssATT, President
"Mr. james @. Patterson, president of /
the New England Granite Works, saws 1
that the bid OF the Bethel granite people 1
was several hundred thousand dollars I
lower than the bid for any other GRANTEE /