The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-08-23
OUR UNDER GROUND WEALTH.

OCN UNDEN CkOOND VEAL II,
While agriculture has long been recog-
nized as groundwork of Hartford coun-
tvs prosperity, to those familiar with
her geology great possibilities be in her
underground resources, the greatest of
which is her vast deposit Of slate near
Delta.
That it is second to none as roofing
material not only in durability but i'll
both cost and appearance is now con-
coded by all competitors and that its use
is not more universal Is due largely to
lack of advertising and up o-date manip-
ulation. AS the result of the recent in
PRODUCTION of capital and aggressive
management these objections are now
being rapidly removed and Peach Bot
tom" is being recognized throughout the
country as the standard brand of roofing
slate.
In its early development slate land was
generally leased by Welsh operators of
limited capital, the land holder receiving
a roy atty of about fifty cents per square
for the output. Two main causes ten
ded however to check development; lack
of confidence in each other which resulted
in cutting prices.
During the past summer both of these
difficulties have been met by the formation
of the United Peach Bottom State Co.
which now contracts with eight OF the
ten operators on the Ridge. At the first
of each month the agent of the United
measures. takes up and pays for all the
states on the bank of each quarry and
sells them on the general market. By
this means ready market at uniform
price is supplied all miners and the one
strong company Is able to sell with a
freedom heretofore impossible.
The result Is that the United has
already placed future orders for nearly
ten thousand squares of slate with less
than eight thousand on the banks ready
for delivery.
Beginning with the Foulk Jones quar-
ries at the eastern end of the ridge, active
work is being done by various operators
extending for two and half miles into
Maryland to the Peerless quarry, with
an ever increasing tendency to increase
operations at the Maryland end
By far the largest operat or on the Ridge
at present is the Proctor Slate Company
which has recently purchased the Henry
quarry lying along side of their lands.
where the making of slate is now being
actively carried on by their lessee, Mr..
ohm Jones' At their main opening they
are now using four hosting machines
and have adopted electricity as their
motive power for one recently installed
OF the 100 squares belonging to the
United, 4, 700 are the output of this COM
pany alone.
Under the impetus of new capital
several developments are now being made
on large scale, chief among which are
that of the Baltimore Peach Bottom
Company just east of the Proctor hold
ings, and a second by Messrs Jones and
Miles little further east. Both of these
companies are now expanding large sums
of money In taking off top, and are con-
fident that vixen this has been first done
along broad lines slate can be much more
economically and proftably mined.
Up to this time the matter of trauspor-
tation to and from the railroad has been
heavy factor in the expense account,
but the Maryland and Pennsylvania rail
road last week completed survey direct
ly to the ridge which is reached by a
gradual grade from Pylesville, and when
this switch shall have been constructed a
serious problem will have been success
fully solved.
To one unfamiliar with slate mining a
treat is in store if he will spend day on
the ridge and learn the subject of slate
manufacture from start to finish.