The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-08-16
DEPRECIATION OF PLANTS
And Granite Quarries Considered By
Granite, Marble and Bronze.


We note that the plant and quarry
formerly occupied and owned by the
Milford Granite company, Milford, n H..
was sold at bankrupt's sale, July 10,
The quarry, aud some 30 acres Of laud
brought $3.50. and the cutting shed was
sold for 81 200. The machinery and
tools went TO different parties for 81 800
In round figures. the shed and equipment
probably cost IN the vicinity Of $4,000.
The quarry is OF unknown value a. the
value Of quarry depends entirely up
on It's development, ard the value Of
the granite produced. This quarry has
been spoken Of by its enemies and
friends in the following manner: us
enemies Or those who were not its own.
en-, stated 10 the writer that the stock
was hard 10 get and Of doubtful value.
Others stated that 1t was III good con
dition, and that the stock produced was
valuable Any way the fact remains
that the quarry was shut down before
THE cutting plant, which would perhaps
SO TO prove that the stock produced
was Of doubtful value. Milford has al
ways had an uphill course on account
at the qaarries not producing in snih.
eient quantity stock which was market
able for monumental work There are
a possible three from which the granite
can be secured In any quantity az the
present time Therefore, tie granite
business in this section has had hard
row TO hoe but nevertheless we believe
that the Milford Granite company could
have been made success ii the man.
agement had been different The cor
poration was composed Ill the leading
business men Of this section. in whom
unbounded confidence was placed that
they would make 4 success Of il, and IL
could have been made success ii some
o. the administration expenses could
have been cut or Those who have pur
chased the property have am excellent
chance Co make d success of the bust.
ness, owing to the small investment.
The purchasers OF the plant are contrae.
tors for building and street work We
have. never known them to be connected
in aiiy way with the monumental bust
ness The purchasers of the quarry
have not. to our knowledge, had any
connection with the granite industry.
We have seen many efforts made on
the part Of googi business men 70 con
duct and manage 4 granite business by
applying the sanln methods as they
would apply "a their other businesses,
and rs a rule they have not been sue.
cessful 1t is apparently business by
itself requiring peculiar methods in or
der 10 bring forth success
II II impossible to account for the
depreciation in The value 81 q cutting
plant. except that The qnarries at this
point produce only limited supply Of
rough stock Another way to account
for it Is the lack of demand Taking
IL all in alt supply and demand is the
basis OF prices. and there not being a
demand for this particular article. OF
course caused il to suffer a depreciation
in price. We remember, some time
since, that man very well posted in
the business stated that ii he could Sc
cure the plant and quarry at a reason
able price, that II could be made 10 pays
but evidently he did not make the bid,
for the price at which il was sold for
was far under the price he stated he
could pay. The above instance Of depre-
citation conld not be used as criterion
to 80 BY in establishing prices for other
second hand plants, In other sections. In
fact. we know III cases where modern
cutting plants have been recently sold
for nearly the price that they originally
cost but these were at location where
the supply IT rough stock was unlimit
ed. So We should say that in putting
value upon a plant, the supply of rough
stock should he FIRST considered, and the
demand for monumental or building
work from this stock should be eonsid.
cred also,