The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-11-01
LARGE VALUES IN SLATE.

Production For 1910 over $6,ooo 900,
According to Figures of The United
States Geological survey--More than
Three Quarter Million Dollar In
crease over 1909.
The value of the slate produced in
the United States in 1910 amounted to
$6,236,759, compared with $5,441 AIS
in 1909, an increase of $795,341, ac-
cording to A. T. Coons. in report
just published by the United States
geological survey.
The increase in the production OF
slate for all uses was general in 1910.
There were strikes in some regions,
notably in Virginia, and there were
many slides in the quarries and some
quarry accidents.
Ten states contributed to the com
mercial slate output, Pennsylvania and
Vermont being much the heaviest pro-
ducers About rs per cent Of the
value of the slate produced last year
was in that used for roofing, the out
put being 1.260,621 squares, valued at
$4.S44,664. A square" represents a
sufficient number of pieces Of slate to
n0var 100 couora foot ~ ,oof ,.,ttt, o1
lowance generally for 3-inch lap.
The production represented therefore
over 125,000,000 square feet of roofing.
Slate mill stock was produced in
1910 to the value of $50S,461. Mill
stock includes blackboards, school
states, flooring, wainsoting. vats, tiles.
sinks, laundry tubs. grave vaults, san
itary ware, refrigerator shelves. -four
bins, dough troughs, electrical switch
boards, mantels, hearths. well caps,
and billiard, laboratory, kitchen. and
other table tops This material is
made in the form of slabs, from I
inch to inches or more thick.
Methods of Avoiding Slate Waste.
More than usual attention has lately
been given to the use of the waste
material from slate quarries, which
amounts to about so per cent of the
slate quarried This waste has until
recently always been regarded as a
useless and expensive but unayoid-
able product of the quarry. Within
the last few years, however, it has
been suggested that the quarrymen.
instead of trying to find use for so
large quantity of waste material
might devise some means to avoid
waste through better methods of quar-
rying. AT the present time it is the
general practice of slate quarrymen to
blast out heavy irregular masses of
rock instead of employing such ma
chinery as might obtain blocks of stone
better fitted for use for roofing or in
mills.
Applying Modern Machinery.
During the last two years some
quarries have been opened for the spe-
cial purpose of getting out stone with
modern machinery and working up the
slate in such way as to obtain from
it all possible material of value. The
slate quarries in this country are all
worked from the surface, being strip
ped on top and thus worked down to
the slate from above. Some expert.
ments are, however, being made in
working the slate from below with
modern machinery and using the waste
slate to fill up holes left by the re-
moval of the good slate.
A Pennsylvania firm has been max
ing from waste slate roofing for fiat
roofs or roofs with but slight in
cline, Such a roofing is no longer in
an experimental stage but has been
used successfully on large buildings.
such as factories, train sheds, Office
buildings, power houses, apartment
houses. and private dwellings.
A copy of the report may be OBJ
tanned on application to the Director
of the Geological Survey at Washing
ton, D. G.
RSR& =, w. = \ ~ 80 Sis,g E;ss s,s