Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-11-28

the columns. Lying in the yard is
an immense block of granite,
| thirty-two feet long and more than
| five square. For year or more
| Massachusetts quarries have been
| trying to get out that stone, without
success, several being broken in the
attempt. The Fuller Co. was asked
| to see if it could obtain it at this
! quarry In a weeks time the block
! was in the yard. They got it the
| first crack out of the box" which
| is Just another way of saying the first
| blast out of the ledge. That's the
| way we do things in Maine quarries.
| The granite in this quarry is of
! fine grain, and takes a beautiful fin
! ish and polish. The bottom layer or
sheet of granite now being worked
| is sixteen feet in thickness and runs
back for quarter of a mile. Below
! that is another sheet equally as thick
and of as great extent, and below
that more granite, and still more
granite, how thick has not yet been.
ascertained, but probably thicker
than the present exposed layers, as
it is the nature of granite to in
crease in thickness of layers from the
top downward There is granite
enough in sight here to meet de-
mands of the present extent for hun
dreds Of years to come.
This quarry, when operating full
crew with present equipment, en-
ployed about SOC men, with weekly
payroll reaching to $4,000.
From the quarry the visitors went
by the company's steamer, the
George A. Fuller, for a trip about
the harbor and view of the other
quarries on the islands in the vi
entity. Luncheon was served on
board, Mr. Taylor doing the honors.
Then the party landed at Stonington
and visited the office of the company,
where interesting details in the
handling of a granite construction
job were explained
On the walls were large blueprint
plans of the courthouse job, now
nearly completed Every stone in
the job has a number and is indi-
Gated on the plan. The course of
each stone is traced by means of
daily reports, from the quarry,
through the shops and on board the
barge, until it is finally i'll its
designated place in the building in
New York and at the different stages
in its journey it is represented by diff
ferent colors on the plans. 1t is the
simplicity of perfect system.
Senator Fernald's visit here was
to get some first-hand information as
to Maine granite and quarrying. AS
chairman of the Senate committee on
public buildings and grounds, and
also as a member of the special com
mission on the new memorial bridge
across the Potomac at Washington.
he hopes to have Maine granite called
for in the specifications for that
bridge-not granite from any
particular quarry, of course, but
Maine granite. The people of Han
cock county hope that one OF the
Hancock county quarries will land
the contract, but that of course, is
matter of estimates and bids. If
one of the Stonington quarries should
land the contract, it will mean the
expenditure here of one or two
hundred thousands of dollars for new
equipment, and the employment of
large crew of men for many
months.
Mr.. Kicker was interested as
president of the Maine Publicity as
ISOLATION and all-around Maine
booster. We have something more
to say about him in that respect
elsewhere. He was intensely inter
ested in the Stonington quarry, and
his first request was for photo
graph from the top of the ledge,
showing the great industry in the
foreground and the beautiful islands
of Merchants Row in the osfing.
This he wishes to be shown at the
Office of the Maine Publicity as
ISOLATION and to his guests at the
Poland Springs and Samoset hotels,
as showing beauty welded to in
dustry in Maine.
The visit to the quarry was new
experience for him, and his keen
ness of observation, his quick grasp
of essential elements and ready as
similation of details and statistics,
were manifest.
Senator Fernald took the OPP
portunity afforded by this trip for in
| formal greetings with political
friends at Stonington, and at Deer
Isle something like a cracker-box
reception was held at the store of M.
| d. Joyce & Co, with Capt. George l..
| Beck, veteran of fifteen republican
| State conventions. as major domo.
Returning to Ellsworth, the party
was entertained at luncheon by Mr..
and Mrs. Tapley, Senator Fernald
and Mr.. Kicker leaving on the eve
ming train.
|