The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-24
asses into Hands of John
TroW at Auction
Sale
LATTER'S INTENTION
is NOT DISCLOSED
Sale Was Made by Receiver
on Consent from the u
Court

Wheaton's quarry, deposit Of light
gray building granite on. Cohble hill that
is linked with the earliest history OF
stone development in Barre, has been
sold at auction to John Trow for $ls, 500.
The transfer of the quarrying property,
which comprises several acres of land
owned by the Barre White Granite CO.,
was made by Virgil +. Ayers, receiver
for the company. In the offices of the
Wells-Lamson company, a number of
bidders gathered and several prices were
named on the property before it was
finally knocked down to Mr. Trow. Most
of those who put in bids on the quarry
were stockholders in the company.
When interviewed Mr. Trow said he had
not completed any plans for the disposi
tion Of his purchase. 1t is not generally
believed that operations in the deposit
are to be resumed at this time.
The sale is the outcome of a chancel-
lor's decree in the case of Jones Bros
va. the Barre White Granite Co. ct al,
now pending in chancery. Last April,
Y. q. Ayers was appointed receiver and
to sell the property to the
highest bidder before September /.
Among those who were interested in the
Cobble hill quarrying project were DON
aid Smith John Trow, Granite Savings
Bank & Trust Co., Quarry Savings Bank
& Trust Co., Barre Savings Bank & Trust
Co., H. A. Phelps. Mildred l. Phelps,
Evelyn z, Phelps, Katherine r. Phelps,
Aland g. Fay, George Straiton and Fay
atte T. Cutler of Barre and Richard r.
Storer OF Chicago. In the deal there fig
lres a small quantity of equipment The
quarry has not been worked for eight
years or more.
Although it may not be matter of
common knowledge. Barre's position in
he stone working world to-day had its
beginnings in the Wheaton quarry, so.
allied, on Cobble hill Robert Parker. a
older OF the American revolution and
veteran of Bunker Hill, together with
thomas Courser formed partnership In
he early part of the last century and
egan quarrying there on small scale
iranite underpinning for number OF
rick houses in this locality came from
that is now known as the Wheaton
uarry and as the years went by the
emand for the product grew apace
rom 1888 to 1897, the state OF Vermont
argained to pay the owners 500 per
ear for the privilege of quarrying stone
, be used in the capitol at Montpelier.
is not to be understood that all Of
ie stone in the earlier capitol camo
om Cobbe hill. as much of il was tax
l from the deposit on Milestone hill
ow owned by the Barre Granite &
uarry Co. From the Wheaton quarry.
,wever. came the stone that was used
the underpining for the Barre Congre-
Itional church in 1870, the Washington
unity courthouse at Montpelier in ls4i
ID the Barre academy in 1851.
For many years the quarry continued
produce excellent building stone.
ith the coming Of the railroad to the
her quarry lands not far distant, op-
ations on Cobble hill began to slacken.
d in the last few decades, quarrying
ere has been on the decline. Wherever
G stone is known its merits as build
Z material are recognized, but the diff
ulty attending transportation from
e hill makes the operation less attrac-
e. Not until some way is contrived
r introducing the railroad into that
'tion can the quarry be put on a good
sis, il is said. THIS is the opinion held
men familiar with the situation and
, latter-day history OF operations there
stains that opinion.