The Republican journal., 1908-09-24
FOR PRESIDENT,
WILLIAM II. TAFT
WALDO COUNTY GRANITE QUARRIES

The GRANTEES of Maine is the title of mono
graph by T Nelson Dole, with an introduction
by George Otis Smith, issued by the United
States Geological Survey. 1t was prepared in
cooperation with the Maine State Survey
Comm ssion and while necessarily somewhat
technical in its terms is of great general as
well as local interest. There are numerous
half tone illustrations, including Mosquito
Mountain and Mount Waldo quarres in Frank
islands, etc The Waldo county guarres in the
towns of Frankfort Lincolnville, Searspcit
and Swanve fully described. Of the
Mosquito Mountain quarry it is said that it is
on top of Mosquito Mountain, a granite dome
steep east face; operator, Hayward PIERCE,
Frankfort. The plant consists of derricks
and 3 engines, l travelling steam crane. com
pressor with q capacity of $40 cubic feet of
air per minute) 2 steam drills, 10 pneumatic
plug drills, 8 surfacers and 25 pneumatic hand
tools. Transportation is effected by about 700
feer of track and gravity from quarry to
cutting shed and wharf on Marsh River (South
Branch .tream), which admits schooners of IA
feet draft The product is used for bridge
work and the small sheets and waste go into
paving blocks The chief markets are New
York and Philadelphia
The Mount Waldo quarry is in the town of
Frankfort on the north spur of Mount Waldo,
$50 feet above sea level. and is operated by the
Mount Waldo Granite Works, Albert PIERCE,
treasurer. This quarry opened before 1851.
The plant consists of 10 derricks hosting
engines l travelling crane, / locomotive crane,
2 compressors Capacity 925 and 500 cubic feet
of air per minute) 6 steam drills, channeler,
u pneumatic plug drills, 10 surfacers so pneu-
matte hand tools and steam pump. Transpor-
tation is effected by two graded tracks, each
POO feet long. operated by gravity from the
quarry part way down the hill to the power
Il miles long to the wharf, which is accessible
to schooners of Is feet draft. Heretofore the
transferred to cars at Bucksport, in Penobscot
river miles distant but the new Northern
Maine Seaport Railroad, branch of the Ban
gor and Aroostoob, which passes at the foot of
the hill will obviate this reshipment The
product IS used for buildings and has of late
found its chief market in the West. The small
sheets and waste are made into paving blocks.
The Fernald quarry in the town of Lincoln
VILE, near the north end Of Lake Megunticook
Is operated by the E. H. Fernad Granite Com
panv: address, Lincolnville, R. F. D. This
quarry vas opened about 1875 The plant con-
ssts of ) derrcks, l hosting engine, l steam
drill and pumps. Transportation is by car
rage miles to electric railroad, then miles
10 Maine Central Railroad The quarry is so
feet above Megunticook Lake, and gravity
track could be laid one-third mile to the lake,
where boats could bring the stone within q
miles of Camden on Penobscot Bay, thus re-
ducing the carriage, which at present is the
chief obstacle The product is used for monu-
nents and buildings to supply local demand.
The Heal black granite quarry in Lincoln
Vile about miles from bridge over outlet to
Tilden Pond and about 81 miles from Penobscot
Bav. is operated by A s. Heal of Heal & Wood;
office Bridge street, Belfast, Me. The stone
takes a brilliant polish and under sunlight
shows the greenish hypersthene. The ham
mered or cut surface is very light, The quarry
was opened in 1903 and is worked only occa-
sionaIly. There is no machinery. The stone
is now carried miles to Belfast to be cut. 1t
is used for dies and tablets for local demand
and is admirably adapted for these purposes.
The Bog Hill quarry in the town of Searsport
on Mount Ephram bog Hill), about miles
north-northwest of Searsport village and
miles east of Swanville, is operated by Herbert
Black North Searsport. This stone has been
used for monuments and buildings in Belfast
and for paving blocks, but the quarry has not
been in operation for five years. The product
had to be carried miles to Searsport.
Oak Hill quarry in the town of Swanville, on
Oak Hill, about miles north-northwest OF
Belfast, is operated by the Oak Hill Granite
Companv of Belfast. The quarry, which was
opened about 1872, consists of several open
inps, the largest of which is IT'S by 100 feet
with working face 60 feet high. There is no
machinery at the quarry at present The only
work being done is the making of paving at
one of the openings. The stone takes very
fine polish. to the durability of which the fine
ness of the mica contributes, and is particular
Nv ADAPTED to monumental purposes. 1t is the
darkest of the fine -textured GRANTEES OF the
State, and fner-textured than the bluelWester-