Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-06
REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIsT g.
II, PERKINS,.


have been the production and sales OF
granite. marble and slate in previous
years the amount for 1905 Is
much larger as Is undoubted
ly the case for 1905. These
three kinds of stone constitute the
greater part Of the mineral wealth OF
the State and during the year 1905 the
sales were more than $9,614,000 but
how much more cannot be stated be-
cause complete returns could not be
obtained. 1t seems certain that the
sales of the present year will exceed
this amount. The marble quarrying
and working companies are larger and
fewer than those dealing in granite or
slate. At present twelve firms do
nearly all OF the quarrying Of marble
strong companies and they furnish
more than three fourths OF all the
building and monumental marble used
in this country.
OF less magnitude, but yet Of great
Importance Is the slate industry of the
State. There are over forty companies
now engaged In the slate business here.
Vermont being second only to- Penn
sylvania in the amount OF slate pro-
tain general account OF this industry.
but the methods Of preparing slate for
use are described with some detail.
The growth of the granite industry
during the last few years has been
very gratifying to Vermonters. No
longer ago than 1880 there were only
twelve quarries in operation and the
total sales amounted to less than $780,
900. Ten years later a much larger
and their product was worth s5s1,S70.
In 1900 the sales OF this stone reached
a total OF s1,113,73S, in 1905 to s4,9S5, 900
and about hundred quarries were IN
operation. Not less than 100 COM
panies are reported as doing business
the present year
While these are the great stone in
dustries, there are also sales of lime
stone, sandstone, tale, soapstone, clays,
marls ana some copper ore. The report
also gives brief account OF the peai
beds OF the State and considers some
OF the uses to which this material Is
put.
A careful study of the asbestos beds
at Belvidere mountain is presented and
much information Of scientific value
may be found in this part Of the re-
port.
The report includes several more or
less technical papers on the geology
of different parts of the State and
these will be of permanent value. The
first Of these Is by DR.. c. II. Richard
son of Syracuse University. who has
spent several years in careful In
vestigation of the geology of north
eastern Vermont, especially in Essex
Caledonia and Orleans counties. Thi:
paper describes the various kinds o,
rock that are found in the rcgior
studied and also much Of the topo
graphy and mineral deposits.
This is followed by papers by Mr.
G. f. Edison OF St Adams. who gives
an interesting historical sketch OF thu
Cambran age, formation OF mucl
Importance in Vermont geology In {
following paper, Mr.. Edison gives de
tailed account OF the geology of tn
region about st. Adams. This must b.
Of the greatest value to anyone VIII
desires to make any geological stud
of the area described or to collect fos
sils
\ series Of important Papers by Pro
fessor seely of Middlebury discusse
certain very interesting fossils foun
in various parts Of the Champlain val
ley throws much light on what hay
long puzzled students Of the fossils q
this region. These papers must al
ways remain n very valuable contribu
ton to Vermont geology. Followin
l. these articles is a discussion OF tn
d Brandon Ignite by the State gcologis
a This is n continuation of an extende
n discussion of this singular deposit |
!. the previous report. In connectio
s with this article Is paper by DR.
Il Jeffrey and Chry.lcr OF Harvard on tn
d microscopic structure Of the light
y and some very remarkable plates Illus
3 trating this structure accompany III
y article. Professor G. Fl. Hitchcock
Y Dartmouth has two interesting paper
! on the surface geology of the Chan
/ plain valley and northern Vermont.
i The report closes with an extende
y account of the sources OF tho drinkin
n waters OF the entire State. repor
y having been received from every tow
IS This is really gazetteer OF the subjcc
y The source and character OF tho prir
o cipal supply OF drinking water in eao
10 town In the State Is given and niue
important information has been co
N lected by the geologist and broug
l. together where II may be convenient
st consulted. The report is we'll illu
TO trated by numerous excellent plat