Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-02-02
ASBESTOS PLANT
TO COST MILLION
Immense Developments Planned
to Mine Deposits in Vermont
Believed Project Will Result in Estab-
lishment of Permanent Industry of
Great Importance.

hshment of Permanent Industry of
Great Importance.
Five miles from Lowell, four miles
from Eden Corners and II miles from
Hyde Park, at Chrysoville, are going
on operations toward the opening of
Vermont s asbestos deposits, the mag
nitude of which few people realize and
which has not yet found its way into
print. The location is in the township
of Lowell at the base of the mountains
and is at the abandoned site of the
"Chrysotile Asbestos corporation, in
which w. G. Gallagher of Lowell was
a moving spirit. This company was
compelled to submit to the so.called
asbestos trust and ceased operations
and developments there after several
years of effort.
1t has been recognized for many
years that there were rich deposits of
crude asbestos in Lowell and Eden.
Government reports have spoken very
favorably of the quantity and quality
of the deposits and many men who
have investigated became convinced
that there were unlimited deposits of
this very valuable rock in the noun
tains of this region, but capital has
been shy and competition from es-
tablished companies sharp, while the
distance from railroad made the
shipping very expensive. Nevertheless,
menl of Mr.. Gallagher's courage still
believed and risked but were unable to
win against the many odds. 70 s7fV
During 1916, however, things began
to happen and the United States Chry-
sotile Asbestos company, a million dol
lar corporation with headquarters at 40
Broadway, New York city, took over
the property and in October began
plans on very large scale to put the
mines and mills in condition for profit
able operation. This company has I'M
limited capital and is managed by ex-
perienced men. 1t is not part
of the asbestos trust. Already the com
pany has felt the "squeeze' of the
trust but won out in a suit and are
fearlessly going ahead with plans of
great magnitude.
In October, last, there came to
Chrysoville a Swiss, by name of John
Ferla, vice president and manager of
the United States Chrysoville Asbestos
company. He is said to own a control
ling interest in the company. A super
intendent, mechanical engineer and
other men also came and construction,
clearing of land, remodelling and i'm
proving existing buildings began.
Since then, 40 to IS men have been en-
plOyed and are being employed there
today, and will be employed until ev-
erything is ready for mining and ship
Ding operations when several hundred
men will be employed. This time will
not come for at least another year as
the plans call for expenditure of $780,
900 before a wheel is turned
The largest building project is the
erection of the mill and crusher build
ing. The cement foundations are now
being put in and the building will be
l2Sx2S5 feet and four stories high.
This building replaces the former mill
which was large building but has been
completely torn down. In the main
building, will be a complete machine
and woodworking shop. A sawmill is al
so a part of the plan and a Diesel en-
CINE of a capacity to create 1000
horse power of electrical energy is to
be installed. This engine will be the
largest, it is said, of its kind in the
east. Crude oil will be burned for Great
ing steam to drive the dynamo. The fly
wheel of the machine weighs 80 tons
and comes in two sections weighing Is
tons each.
(Since information for the above
statement was given the Boston Moni-
tor, state papers announce that the
Central Power corporation of Vermont
has made a contract with New York
people for the furnishing of electrical
energy for the purpose of developing
the asbestos fields at Lowell. 1t is
the intention to have the plant ready
for operation and the company pro-
poses to have electrical energy ready
for delivery on May /, 1917. Energy
will be furnished from the improved
plant at Stevens Mills, subject to the
direction of the public service com.
mission of the state of Vermont.)
A part of the program includes
huge tractors of the caterpillar type
for transportation and one of these
machines will arrive in the spring for
the purpose of transporting the fly
wheel of the engine above mentioned.
The tractor will have a load capacity
of ID tons.
An Office building three stories high
with basement will be erected and
10 dwelling houses for the use of
families will be built this summer in
addition to the nine houses already
there. Every building is to be mod
ern in its heating and plumbing APP
pointments. Frank Paddleford Of
Barton, has completed this winter a
contract on the buildings for plumb
ing alone of between $4,000 and So 900
and this appears to be but begin
ming of the work for this comnanv
Another branch of operations is the
clearing of 100 acres of mountain land.
This contract is let to the Warner
Brothers of Lowell, The timber will be
worked in their own mill and shops
for the erection of buildings this sea
son. A reservoir has been constructed