The Glenwood post., 1908-06-13

drop of 1856 feet. The way for
this pipeline had frequently to be
blasted out of the solid rock; and
in one place an S9-foot tunnel was
driven through a rock that was
like flint for hardness.
At present TOO horsepower is
being developed and used. The
concrete beds are already laid for
"A second powerhouse that will
bring the horsepower up to 1,SOO.
Most of the machinery for this is
already on the ground. Just re-
member that the power plants in
tins state are selling their power
at So per horsepower and you will
see that the marble company has
quite an asset in its powerhouse
and pipeline alone.
Then there was the town to
build, where the workmen could
live, and the mills to build, and a
thousand and one other things to
do. All of them are not done yet.
But enough is done that there are
$50 men at work, that splendid
mill, 22s feet long, has been com
pleted and is working, and that a
second mill 467 feet long, is near
ly done. and will be finished by
the middle Of August. When that
Is done the number of men em-
ployed will jump to 700.
Suppose we follow the for
tunes of a block of marble from
the quarry to the place where it
is finally set for use or ornament.
First, catch your block. You
climb up the incline of the tram
way to the quarries, and there
you find the men at work. They
are working with the most mod
ern types of machinery. There
are air drills. with their deafening
clater, driving holes in the white
cliff. There are what are called
channeling machines, which cut
narrow furrow down into the
marble instead of driving hole.
We will say that two sides of
the marble, the top and the long
face ARE already exposed. The
channelers cut groove parallel
with the face, and as deep as you
like, say four or five feet. They
then cut burrows connecting the
face with this groove. Meanwhile,
the air drills have -been driving
a hole every six inches in the face
of the block, say four feet down
from the top. These holes go
through and pierce the furrow
parallel with the face.
Method of 1890 Years Ago.
So far, all is twentieth century
machinery. Now comes the part
which is done just as the men
who quarried blocks for the Par
thenon did it 2,300 years ago. You
can't blast out marble; not if you
want to use it for anything bet
ter than railroad ballast. 1t will
stand the weather, and it will
stand terrific pressure-more
than any building will ever put
on it,-but it won't stand blast
ing SO they use the old Greek
method.
Thin strips of iron, called
feathers, :" are put into each of
the holes running back from the
face, and iron plugs are then put
between the feathers. Then work
men 90 back and forth, driving
each plug a very little way at a
time, to keep the pressure even.
They drive the plugs deeper and
deeper, and pretty soon the mar
BILE splits off, and you have a
great, splendid block. If the
workmen have been bit careless
the block will split unevenly.
SO much for a concession to
The quarrymen of Pericles. Now,
the twentieth century takes
hand once more. The block is
lifted by derrick and put on the
tram. Here it is let down the in
cline to the place where the
trucks are waiting for it. When
these trucks are loaded, the big
traction engine starts to haul
them down to the mill, carrying
often thirty-five tons a trip.
Saving the Blocks.
Arrived at the mill, the block
is swung into position where the
saws can get at it. These saws
are placed in gangs; and as
many as "a are sometimes work
; n, the same block. cutting 1t |