Connecticut western news., 1910-11-24
GREAT MARBLEP PLANT
STUPEND0US WORKS r AT ASHLEY FALLS

and Greece and Transformed Into
 Beautiful Designs-Perfection of
 Mechanical Equipment
 Probably very small percentage of the people generally hersabouts realize or appreciate the magnitude of the business establishment into which the little old modest "stone cutter's" works at Ashley Falls has developed. And an adequate conception of vastnesa of the enterprise and the enormous business carried on there in these days can be had only by visit to the works an inspection of it's operations.
 The Ashley Falls Marble Go. was incorporated some 1S years ago by q few Ohio investors, with capitalization of S10o,0o0, and practically the entire amount is represented in the equipment of the plant. It took over the business that had been established there for some years and entered upon tho development of the quarry located on the ground, which produces superior quality of marble of rather bluish tinge that is in extensive demand for buildi ig purposes everywhere, and for monu- mental work.
 To meet the demand of the trade for every grade and quality of product in marble and ornamental stone-work, the Company began the importation son 1arua ccaIa oF tha ,,,ora rawa aud av psnsive stone from Italy, Greece and France, and from Tennessee, Pennsylva mia and other American states. Ma chinery was installed for the working of these stones into every shape and degree of finish required by the trade.
 Enormous blocks of the beautifully veined and mottled Pentilicon and Boticino marble and Sienna. from Italy; Sykros and Tinos. from Greece, some of which costs $l0 cubic foot in the rough. are lying around the grounds awaiting their turns to be adjusted by the enormous cranes aud powerful machinery upon the platforms of the gang saws. where they are sawed into thin slabs aud polished, shaped, carved, moulded aud finished by successive processes, into panels, doors. shelves, wainsooting desired for ,pur- poses for which even the softest wood could be fashioned. Columns, statuary, monumental and decorative carving of the most delicate design are turned out from the rough blocks. by skilled and highly paid workmen.
 The present equipment of the plant embraces eight gang-saw carriages. each of which operates perhaps 30 separate saws at the same time in trans forming block of stone into thin slabs; two enormous planers, two rubbing beds, six polishing machines, air compressor, pneumatic tool equipment. gas and steam engines generating total of 300 horse power, and all the machinery is driven by electricity. It has both gas and electric plants and every detail of the equipment is of the most up-to-date design. Nothing like an adequate description is possible in an article of this length.
 At present about 50 men are employed, but in rush times 90 are kept at work, the saws running 24 hours day.
 W. A. Beattie, secretary and treasurer os the Company is in immediate charge of the business. He isa thorough "stone man" having been brought up in the business, and he knows it from top to bottom.
 George Hall superintendent, has. supervision of the working of the plant, and is another thoroughly competent stone man, who has turued ont and erected some fine monuments from the product of the Company's own quarry on the grounds, for many people in different parts of New England.