The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-06-06
DYKE OF TRAP ROCK.
Has Lain UnnOtices for Years Near
Yarmouth Village.

A mile to the east of Yarmouth viii
lage, located in the town of Yarmouth
and to the north of the main road
is big ledge. To the average per-
son, 1t looks like an ordinary ledge
1t Is only rock. to be. sure. but If a
close examination Is made, 1t will be
found to be no ordinary species of
mineral.
This big ledge Is a dyke OF trap
rock. (Basalu.
Now trap rock means little or moth
Ing to the ordinary person. But to
the railroad and structural engineer.
1t means everything that is good in
rock formation. Trap rock Is a pc
culiar form of natural deposit that is
not often met with and Is greatly
priced when it is found.
This dyke of trap rock In Yarmouth
Is one of the largest in the country.
1t is also regarded as possessing the
finest supply of the material to be met
with anywhere. Never has there been
found a substance that possesses the
properties of this trap rock, that Is
SO good for road and bridge construct
ion and all concrete work. 1t with
stands heat and cold, runs evenly,
never breaks and cannot be cut except
by the hardest of steel drills. 1t has
to be quarred with dynamite and then
broken up in specially constructed
crushers, for the ordinary kind would
make no impression on 1t.
So far as 1t Is known, there is no
other deposit Of trap rock in the
whole State of Maine besides the one
at Yarmouth. This dyke has been
opened up, and solid wall of the
rock. 5000 feet long, ITO feet wide and
SIS feet above the road has been dis
closed. Conservative estimates show
that this dyke. when quarried, will
yield nearly 100000 tons. And every
ton of this trap rock will be used for
1t is wanted for road work, for the
construction of buildings, railroads.
and many other uses.
For years this immense asset to the
wealth of the State has lain unnoticed
and unattended to. Thousands of pee
pie have passed by the lodges on their
way to the nearby farms Automo-
bilists have casually glanced at the
big ledge, may have admired the out
cropping of the rock and then passed
on. People in the neighbOrhood have
picked up scattered fragments of the
rock and used it In building the old
fashioned stone fences, as coverings
for their wells and even in the foun-
dations of their houses. And these
pieces of rock have stood the test of
time. They have been little discolored
led away. but have preserved their
shape and their strength from the
first. Granite is a grand material.
but compared with trap rock it is as
cheese Is to ordinary brick
Thanks to the Maine Trap Rock and
Contracting CO.. this great natural
wealth of Maine is to be brought to
use and Will prove of value in all
kinds of construction work of the
State. This corporation was formed
under the laws of Maine, with Maine
men at its head and 1t Is going to use
Maine labor In the prosecuting of its
work. 1t ia backed by Maine capital
and Ia to engage In the constructio
and building of State and city roads
and streets of all kinds More espe-
cially. will 1t make permanent roads
from the specifications of the COM
pany with just the materials found on
the Yarmouth property being brought
into use.