The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-04
THE KING EDWARD STATUE.
Interesting Account of Raising the IN
chiseled Rock at Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen tSeotland) Weekly
Journal of December Is, 1911, has an nc.
count OF the raising of the granite block
which is to be used in the King Edward
VII. statue, which is of interest to To-
cal granite men because of the com
paratively small size Of the stone and
the Importance Of the operation to Aber-
deem people, The article reads as fol-
lows:
"The large solid block of white KEN
nay granite for the statue OF King Ed
ward VII. in Aberdeen, was successfully
raised from the bottom Of Kemnay No.
quarry on Saturday afternoon to the
top OF the quarry, distance of some 800
feet, and set on wooden blocks ready
Tor placing on the bogie wagon which
is to convey it to Aberdeen.
considering the enormous size and
weight of the solid block of some II
tons of granite, the most careful prep
arations were necessary to ensure the
raising of the stone from the quarry and
having it conveyed to the yard of Mr..
Arthur Taylor, sculptor, Jute street, to
whom the work of cutting the granite,
from the model of Mr.. Drury, A. r. A.,
London has been entrusted The rails
ing of the great block from the bottom
OF No. ! quarry was attended with no
little difficulty, and even danger. but so
perfectly had the arrangements been
made that not the slightest hitch oc-
Cured. 1t took twelve minutes of a
steady pull by the wire ropes of pow
ertul crane to raise the stone from the
bottom of the quarry,
"The Preparations.
1T was shortly after one O'Clock that
the block was raised BY that time the
quarry had been cleared Of all work
men, but they remained at the top to
witness the operations, in which they
manifested keen interest. Among
others who had come to see the granite
raised We're Mr.. Arthur Taylor, sculptor,
Aberdeen, who was naturally interest
e9 in seeing the block of stone on which
he Is TO expend his artistic and praeti-
cal skill brought into a position ready
for conveyance to his yard; Mr.. George
Stewart, manager for Messrs John Fyfe
Ltd, Aberdeen; MIR George Garvie, man
ager of Mr.. Charles Macdonald's gran
lite works, Jute street, Aberdeen Mr.
William d. Moir, clerk of works at
Kcmnay. All those engaged in the
operations were at their posts in read
ness to do their parts, and. as stated, the
operations were carried out in a thor
eugh, quiet, workmanlike manner, which
was, as much az anything a tribute to
the Messrs, Fyfe's firms standing in
the granite industry. There was consid
cradle interests in the operations, but
NO excitement or fuss. II may be men
toned that although no new machinery
was required for the occasion apart from
that which has been in operation for
several years, it was deemed advisable to /
ret new steel ropes thoroughly tested 4
before the lifting Of the statue block /
was undertaken.
ITO make assurance doublv sure, the 4
.tane was also strengthened by an adj
iitional stay rope Of wire fastened to
IN iron socket embedded in the rock 4
some distance from the edge Of the
marry This was deemed desirable con
idering the enormous strain there must
necessarily have been on n crane with
jib 90 feet in length overhanging a
lrecipiee OF over 800 feet, and raising
rom that depth weight of about IL
ems The mathematical calculations
Necessary for undertaking a task if this
lind had. OF course to be made with
treat care. Then, again, it was decided
o have double power working through
pinion, and not driving direct from the
haft, the operation of having the pow
y through a pinion giving the double
trength, though the time taken in rails
ny the block was thus lengthed by sew
raj minutes.
Departmental Arrangements.