Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-28

~, as it is called. on the property of
the Vermont Marble company, is the
deepest quarry Of its kind in the world.
The bottom Is nearly 800 feet from the
surface. This quarry contains chambers
more than go feet in height and spa
cious enough to scat 500 people without
crowding. They form vast amphithea,res
whose walls and ceilings, as well as
floors, are solid marble. for none of
these quarres has been worked out, in
spite Of the enormous quantities that
have been taken from them.
Whil" marble was known to exist in
the Green Mountains a century ago. che
qu3rryue Of it is one Of the new indus
tries Of Now England. but so rapidly
has it developed that Rutland county
produces more marble than all of tho
other beds in this country combined.
. Fian it comes material for buildings
statuarE' and cemetery decorations. lhe
beds contain varieties similar TO the
Pentehc marble, from which the build.
ings Of ancient Athens were constructed.
Another variety is almost identical with
the famous marble OF Carrara. From this
the tints range all the way to black,
including blue. red and green, with tints
intermingled. Experts believe that thu
beds arc practically inexhaustible. They
have been traced moro than Atty miles,
and all the indications point to the
existence OF deposit almost continuous
IOT tWtHty-HNe miles. Nearly lUVJ TONI
year are being quarred
In obtaining the marble. channelirs
machines. operated by steam and electrid
power. are used. They are placed upon
the top Of the deposits and make vertical
cuts with sets of chiselS which punch
through the material to the required
distance. When the channelers have
completed their work the surface OF thu
marble looks like a field of ice which
, has been blocked out for saving. Holes
are drilled I'm the sides of the formation
in regular rows, each hole about six or
eight inches from the next Then ths
blocks can be easily separated by arriving
wedge beneath them. No explosives are
used except when absolutely necessary,
and the waste from this cause, which haa
been such A loss in the Italian quarrios,
is avoided. The channelinE machines TO-
quro about eight horse power cnch. and
will cut - to ~ square feet of marble
daily. according to the hardness OF tho
formation. In cutting away the marble
no ARTIFICIAL supports are used as in coal
mining, but huttvcSses. some If them
100 feet or more in height ar" loft
here and there IN the sides of the oXca-
walton to support the weight above
The blocks, weighing twenty to ;wenty-
| five tons each are hoisted by derricks
| operated by steam power \ variety Of
apparatIs is used for handling those great
weights. Tho Vermont Marble company
which has plants at Proctor and several
other points in Rutland county. employs
| the largest crane in the district This
will lift nifty tons, and is used in the
| storage yards. II is operated by electric
motors, and will carry block Of marble
| from one end of its bridge 10 the ether.
! a distance OF 100 feet and lit 1t 40 teet
/ in the air. Locomotive cranes operated
/ by steam power run on tracks in the
yards at Proctor and elsewhere. carry
/ ing the blocks weighing M to ten tons