St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-04-21

county district. In the production
and sale of certain kinds of slate
such as unfadfng green and purple
of which there are large deposits in
this state, Vermont has the monop-
oily, this stone being found nowhere
else. Vermont slate is sold in Eng
land, South Africa and other foreign
markets. Nearly every electrical
concern in the country uses slate fol
insulating purposes, such as switch
boards, panel boards, bases, ETC., slate
being an ideal non-conductor.
Largest In United States.
As the next important mineral
stands asbestos. Vermont contains
the largest known deposit of asbestos
in the United States, in fact, it was
the only producer in 1912, aside from
the small quantity reported from
Wyoming. The asbestos regions thus
far developed are in the north of
the state near Lowell, and is appa-
rently the continuation of the Cana
dian vein, the most extensive known
in the world. The asbestos deposits
in northern Vermont are said to
have been discovered in 1899 in the
town of Lowell by a French Canadian
wood chopper in the employ of a
man who owned the lumber tract.
Long residence in the asbestos region
of Canada enabled the man to rec
ognize the fiber. Beyond doubt there
are many other deposits that will
eventually be discovered.
The uses of asbestos are many, and
are constantly increasing.
Asbestos is used as fire proof ma
terial; for roofing states; shingles for
roOfngs or for the sides of houses;
theatrical curtains; gloves and boots
for firemen; deeds and mortgage GER
tifcates, refrigerator Innings and in
the construction of fire proof safes,
vaults and as pipe covering for en-
closing heat pipes, furnaces, and in
locomotives to prevent the loss of heat
by radiation as it is a nonconductor of
heat or cold. 1t is also used in the
composition of a kind of patented
wall plaster and a kind of paint.
The next minerals for US to con-
slider are tale and soapstone which are
somewhat alike. At Chester there is
a vast amount of tale and it is drawn
to Chester Depot where it is ground.
Last year a large grinding mill was
erected at Chester Depot, not a quar-
ter mile distant from my old home.
There is also a deposit of tale in
Windham and the tale from that is
also handled by the same mill that
handles the other. The tale in Ches-
ter is located on the farm of Sidney
Carlton and brings him in a big in
come. Tale is used in the manufac-
ture of paper and rubber, in sizing
and bleaching cotton cloth, in the
of toilet powders, soaps,
shade cloth and curtains, water proof
paint, gypsum wall plasters, in dress
ing skins and leather, in the man
ufacture of insulators and in the ce-
ramic arts.
Only the state of Virginia exceeds |
Vermont in the production of soap
stone. There are many deposits of
throughout the state Near
ly a hundred years ago the soapstone
Dr. freestone quarries at Athens and /
Grafton were opened. At the pres
ent time the product is being mined |
at Chester where there is a good sized |
mill which manufactures wash tubs, |
Dr. as we usually say, set tubs, sinks, |
foot stones, stoves griddles, furnace
Innings and it has been told me that
he ground soapstone is used as base
in cold water paint as we'll as in other
paint.
There is also a quarry being work
ed in Perkinsville in the town of |
Weathersfield, and that quarry is sit
1ated on the eastern side of Hawks
Mountain. Late last fall we visited
that quarry one Sunday afternoon,
and from the looks of the plant it |
that they are not quarrying
now, but using the waste that was
thrown by in the past.
Copper is not mined in Vermont at |
he present time though there are
some low grade deposits in the state
Iron is found scattered through the
state but not of a good enough grade
70 warrant it's development
Limestone is found all through
he state, and the manufacture of
lime in the old lime kilns used to
make quite an industry. In the
own of Plymouth there are stand
ng lime kilns which look in perfect
shape to use, yet are not at this
lay. There are good sized plants To-
lated at Amsden, in the town of
Veathersfeld, at Brandon, Highgate,
leicester Junction, New Haven, South
Burlington, Swanton and Winooski
which handle the limestone in an up
o-date way.
At Brandon and Forestdale there
ire important Industries which use
lay. From the clay is made wall
plaster, stove Innings, and fire brick,
IS we'll as bricks used in building
The clay at Forestdale is called
-aolin and is very white. 1t is dug
rom deep shaft near the mill. This
s ground and after being freed from
he quartz sand, which is mixed with
t, it is ground and dried and shipped
IS a fine white powder, and is used
n the manufacture of China, plas-
er, paper, etc.
Other minerals found in Vermont
re scythe stones, feldspar, recently
discovered in Chester, ochre which
S used in the making of paint and
used as a filler in lineo-
cum.
The so-called precious metals new
r have been found in large quantities
n Vermont, though gold has been
mined at various times in Bridge
Tater and Plymouth, but not enough i
as been obtained to make mining ]
profitable. Small quantities of sill j
IL | ,