The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-10-09
Banquet and Addresses
Last Night and Excur-
sion To-day
BARRE INDUSTRIES
WERE INSPECTED
Automobiles Carried Mem
bers and Wives to Gran
ite Quarries

tHHH wives OF tne vermont CocletN q
Engineers, seated themselves on bot
sides of two lines of tables, shortly aft
er 80. The society was opening its an
nual fall meeting and excursion, an
by no better way than by enjoying
good substantial and we'll seasone-
supper could the organization bring it
members together.
With the supper over, the real thing
in engineering were introduced, chief,
engineering feats of the granite indus
try; and, indeed, the discussion o
these by the several speakers was high
| " educational as well ss intensely in
| teresting.
First introduced BIZ Dean J. W
| Notey of the University of Vermont
president of the Vermont Society o
Engineers. was City Clerk and Treasur
el. James Mackay, one OF the best in
1 formed citizens of Barre of the grant,
| industry in general, who impaired
/ facts that brought admiration for tn,
pioneer granite manufacturers and tht
| engineers. whose skill has made posi-
bic Barre as il is to day
From 1880, when Barre was char
tered, to 1888, little was done, said Mr.
/ Msckay. with granite discovered here
aside from utilizing it for underpin
| ing. window caps, sills, door caps
steps and stones for mill grinding. But
in 1888 the, state capitol was built al
Montpelier of granite from the Whea-
ton quarry on Cobble hill After that
| II was used for monumental purposes
until, in 1880, a business employing
30 men on the quarries and 80 in the
cutting sheds at the village had been
established. The hardships and bar
riers, which deter progress faced this
industry, but with the aid Of engi-
neers who could construct roads from
Barre to the quarry district that made
possible the transportation of loads of
granite, weighing from 20 to 80 tons,
and later who could CONSTRUCT one of
the steepest railroad beds east of the
Mississippi, Barre granite was enabled
to reach ports at all corners Of the
globe Other obstacles confronted de.
yelopment, some still existing but for
the most part the chief of these have
been mastered, said the speaker
Mr.. Mackay was followed by Frank
G Rowland, president of the Barre Saw.
ings Bank and Trust Co Mr.. Rowland
greeted the assemblage with an EN-
phatic appellation of "felfow voters"
for the women. When Mr. Howland,
as boy, came TO Barre and began the
banking business by sweeping side
walks outside the only bank in Barre,
an institution which claimed total de-
posits OF $4,000, Barre was then, as
Mr.. Msckay had found it, in infancy.
He recalled clearly the check which
purchased the property, now world
famed as the Boutwell,, Milne & Var
mum quarries That check bore figures
that to him in those days was an enor-
nous amount of money, $500
And still later another tract in that
district. including a large farm was
sold for 5000. but which to-day.
could not be secured for S300O.0O0. Mr..
Howland paid tribute to MIR. Mackay
as a man much responsible in the de
velopment of Barre and the industry
that has brought into existence four
banks instead of one. He admired the
city fathers who insisted that the
main thoroughfsre be paved with gran
ite blocks, 80 well preserved after p
years of heavy traffic.
Prof G. H. Perkins. state gcologist.
explained as clearly as possible in his
limited time the formation Of Barre
granite. Barre granite, he explained.
is composed of three minerals. quartz,
feldspar and mica, the components
that are necessary in true granite.
1t is of a mixture, effected in the dark
ages of geology. perhaps a million
years back. that the large deposits Of
granite were formed on Milestone hill
A volcanic rock. or molten mass.
came near the surface of the earth but
with the monstrous pressure of other |
masses of rock was compressed. conse |
quently cooled and formed granite. The 1
mass of rock on the surface. chiefly /
limestone, has since been almost com
pletoly worn away by frost and wa
Ter. There is little land in the world" |
Prof. Perkins declared. older than 4
Vermont hills, and there is no bettcr 4
granite in the world than Barre s,an-
tie. and little as good.
Douglas Barclay, owner of the Stand 1
ard Granite Co, explained the meth
lds and machines for quarrying aud
'utting granite. Leading a mental
Journey. Mr.. Barclay went from the
MOTEL to the Peerless knitting mills
IN South Main street, a striking ca
lmple of skilful engineering, built dur
NC one Of Nerinont's coolest winters;
hen to the two-span granite arch
he Barclay Bros shed: and an inspec
ion Of the Boutwell,. Milne & Narnum
compressor and extensive qusrryingl
works The mental journey taking the
listeners to these various places was \
n reality the one which the group be
an this morning BY automobiles.
During This version Mr.. Barclay re-
erred chiefly 20 the tools used in the
,ioneer days Of the industry compared
sith those Of the present day. He
old of the advance made with der
ieks. from the ox-driven power 70 the
lectr1caIly moving travelling crane:
( the cumbersome heavy workmsn's
ools TO the present day pneumatic air
ools. bow artistic designs were cut ,
n ssnd blast machines instead Of by /
lghly paid osrvers, how granite blocks
Here sawed BY machinery instead Of
riIied ard wedged By manual labor.
: in DAYS q Old; how large granite
fiars rsrolved ard diminished under
Be tempered steel hisdes q THE lathes.
"a hos the rough stone gained