The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-06-14
VOLUME XLVl.


= 7
/ in layers two 10 four inches ihick, was
, dug out, split Ike slate. one side pol.
{ lshe,i, with the back side npughly hcwn
; and IN slabs six feet long, two feet
vide and two to four inches thick we're
letlcrri and sci in the ground al The
head Of the graves Thousands ~
them yct stand IN al this section ~
well a. the whole northern country. 10
attest b. The superior durability Of
Dorset marble. Some 70 10 ~ years
ago marble was sawed IN North Dor.
sot with gangs Of saws about ten feet
hong, three inches wide and one fourth
inche thick aud these werc stretched
and keyed into heavy gangs thai swung
back and forth wearing their way
down through ih. blocks Of marble.
Sand and water furnishing the cutting
material the same rs is IN practice
today.
Gun powder was used 30 loosen the
blocks Of marble and drills and wedges
10 break II up into four 20 eigh, ton
blocks A few drills and ouwbars,
with few chains and rollers, consti.
tuted n quarry outfit, Aud rude
wharf on the mountain side bigenougb
10 allow the marble 10 be rolled onto
dray made Of n heavy sled and heavy
poles, the rear end Of which dragged
ON the ground. These sled drays were
used IN summer as well as in winter,
no particular road being needed for
their use, and four 10 six oxen hauled
these crude affairs up and down the
mountain and the marble business was
made 10 pay good profit, What was
not used at home was hauled over 10
the canal ut Fort Ann. Whitehall or
Troy, for shipment 10 other states,
Philadelphia being leading market.
Along in the SOS Ira Cochran built
steam marble mill at East Dorset and
in the COS d. H. Kent also built one
there, and Kent a Root one at South
Dorset in the 70s The Frecdley's
built one also at East Dorset with
gravity wire cable railroad running up
to the quarries nearly mile away.
This railroad was made up Of one
and one-half inch steel wire rope,
three steel rails at the top, four in tho
middle where the ears pass, and two
al the bottom, and this arrangement
can send down hundreds OF tons a day,
about 30 10 40 tons on two cars belDga
load. Powder was soon found "
strain and shake up the marble max
ing il worthless for good work and
then what is known M the ball drill
was used. This ball drill is long rod
OF steel with ball in the middle ~
large as baseball and sharpened at
either end like drill. This the men
use by raising il up and striking II IN
straight line or channel along the
marble gradually chipping out chan
mel about one and one-half inches
wide and down the depth of the layer
which is usually from two 10 six feet.
IL was hard work and in the COS
channel machines were invented which
consist of several drills clamped to-
gether and forced up and down by
steam similar 10 steam trip hammer.
These will do the work of many men.
Steam drills are also used which Will
drill more marble than hundred men,
50 that marble is cut nearly AZ fast ~
wood. The old rollers are replaced by
stone derricks, travelling cranes, ETC.,
so that blocks of 20 to 30 tons are
hosted out of quarries 100 feet deep IN
five minutes and put on to 80 ton cars
and shipped all over the continent.
At first only grave stones, light win
dow caps, steps, etc, were gotten out,
then monumental work, and in the 7Vs.
turning lathes were largely used TO
turn urns, etc, for monuments. Thirty
wears ago marble was turned at Dor
set and North Dorset, but no use was
made Of il. Monumental marble work
has almost ceased in Dorset while at
South Dorset one Of the largest depos-
ts Of white marble in the world IN put
ling out hundreds of tons OF building
marble aud all the mills in South and
East Dorset are busy getting out IN
,ide finishing marble for the cities.
Marble has been worked Mt Rutland
ibout as long as at Dorset, and all
dong the TaconIe range, and save
,ery nice white pocket Of marble at
DANDY Dorset. Rutland and few
owns north seem ~ have the only
,ayng stock. Marble crops out III
Manchester and south OF there but seems
o be of color or unsound. However,
whole mountain in Dorset, a0 miles
n circumference and known 10 ba
iundreds Of feet in depth, would sup.
,ly the world for ages and yet have
Millions OF ship loads left. IL requires
updreds Of thousands OF dollars W
pen and operate a modern quarry -
4 10 make il success even " the
est Of marble is contained in said
uarry. Many small marble mills run
y water have been at different times
uilt and worn out IN South Dorset
nd Manchester, and two water power
nils yet are running at South Dorset,
.hile Norcross d West have large
tearn mill ut Manchester Depot with
.eam railroad running up 10 their
outh Dorset quarries. This railroad.
hich carries both passengers and
eight, hauling hundreds Of tons OF
arble each week day, is one Of the
es, paying railroads In the world.
il chartered through 10 Whitehall,
0 Lake champlain, and the people
ong the line are in hopes 70 see Il go
rough. Quantities Of lumber and
ate would come OyeF the line II COM
eted, besides coal, -four, grain and
her freight from the canal and lake.
A