REPORTS AND INFO l{ M A T I O N CONCKKNINU THK ^aije Ulreton 4%rl]rle !40K MAII-. IST'S- e II ikARBtE MOUNTAIN, N. 6,, February 10th, 1879. Bib, Referring to the Nf.t,ionil Pv^licr of the Dominion toow shortly t.o coino betor« von ia the Rouse of ComDaODi, wo take the libert/ of cdlli^ig yoav atfceation to the leqiiiremeDts of one of our home etifcerprises and aolicitiug your favourable tToDSideration of th'i sarue. T hd M>»rble Q,'i:irries of Mai bis Mcimt^-in ai-e aituated oi the shore, of the Brae! d'Or Lilfc, v»ithm a fu*! miles of the St. Peters Canal, and have been so fai developed as to hiive been pr-jnoiinoed by competeut aufhority «{< least not inferior in tjuality, quantity and faoillUoa for quarrying and Shipj^mg to anything ypt discovered in Amwica. (See accompanj/ing report) and roquirc but the fostering caie of .Government to raake them one of the largest enfcei'orisc* and employers of labour in thy Iiomlcioa. The Aruevicfia duty is |(5.2:'> per ton, which completely prohibits U3 enteiing their Market. Whilst thoy with their woii devt^loped Quarrios, immense Capital and immunity from duties, hold control cf the Markets of the Dominion, com- pletely ^Jar&lyzing any new euterprise of ours struggling inio existence. \V« ask protection for Marble to tbj extent cf the American duit/, Bind trust we have the sympathy cf a lar^e majority ot our Representatives. ItlE CAPE BRETON, MARBLE COMPANY* y,^2^^4.„ 53103 ■^ ■] \ } e 11 • ..' ■.t'l'-.i-^iv .j^iH KKPORT . t»x Till-: A S B: u. E W ® O ¥ E. E; 1- ¥ OK ilHESSRS, N. J. BROW^J & CO., AT NOUTII, «);; MARIJLE MOUNTAIN, INVKHNKsS CO., (APE BUHTON, BY HENKY HOW, 1). C. I.., /'lofi ssor of' Cheinititnj and Noiural History, Clnivtivsifi/ of King's College, Windsor, N. S. SITUATION, EXTENT, AND GENEKAL CHAKACTEK OF THE PKOPKKTY. 'I'lie Marbie.s of .Messrs. Brown & Co. art? situated on the north side of the \\ i's;t |)ay iual right of woiking witiiiii the area named for periods of time vary- ing from lot) to 999 years. Tiie arna is of most convenient shape, as it ex- tendi for 9 1-4 miles along the shore of tiie lake, and abouc 1 1-2 miles back Irom the water; about 3000 acres have been proved to consist of marble. Tlie nHHintaiii averages 700 leet in height, and openings in more than 40 ulaces have shown the existence of luarble, and that only, from the top of the moun- tain to the margin ot the hike. As the mountain is very steep opei'ations in opening and draining are easily conducted; in September last three quarries had been openevl down to the solid marble, and others were in course of de- velopment. There is good bold water (cr shipping at the Marble Quarry Wliart on the property, and a railway has been made from tiie quarries to the wluirf. >Vithin a few miles is the St. Peter's Canal, opened last autumn, b}' which communication is readily obtained with the outer waters; with a fair wind a ve.ssel will reach Canso Light iu four Iiours. • 2 QUALITY OF THK MAUBLES. Mr. Hrovvti enumerates tliirteei) varieties of tuurbles differing in siiade ol colour and quality ; tlie most esffet-med is a pure wliite -valued for nioiiu- inciitH This ami tfeveral others I txauiiiied lust antuiii'i ; the colours in the latter are grey, near)}' hlac^k, hluo, and pale red, intcrniixed with white in clouds, hands, and streaks ; in one varitty the {)revailing tint is pink, and variegation is produced by a little blue, in another these colours are about reversed and white streaks are added. The result of the nii.xing of the tints is the j>roductiou of varieties very pleasing to the eye. As regards quality the samples forwarded to me seemetl excellent, considering they were for the most part obtained duriiig the earlier oi)erations : I thought them especially adapted for building purposes and monuments. Prof. IJ. Y. Hind concurred with me in the favorable opinion formed. It was particularly mentioned with reference to the white marble sent tiiat ihe specimens had been taken a tew feet only bel iw the surface, and tiiat the quality was found to improve very much in depth. Samples had been sent to the United States, all of which were pronounced equal to Italian marble for building, and three or four kinds wore found equally good tor other purposeb. The Boston Travel- ler, Dec. 12, 1tessrs. U. \\ . Uoss and Co., .Marbh; Workers, l*:i;toii, N. S , wiite to Mes.srs. N. A. l)i(>wu and Co. : "I'ictou, .Jan. 6tli, 1870. We are in receipt of yours wisliiiii: to know how w« like your tiiarlile .le, and we believe it Will be mare du.-able fur ont>ide work. It takes as ij^ooil a polish as any marbht we iver used. Tlie Veiniout is not a cireumstanee to it. Your marble will no doubt soon run all others oi:t ol our market." .Mr. Jaine.-. McGratii, .\larl)le Worker, Si. Stephen, N. B., wiio has been in ihe marble quarries of Italy, writes to his effect: — ".Ian. 2i, 1S70. \o\v I have a s^mali monument of a late desi;.;n finished and stanaing (.ui>ide in the )prin(i])al street in St. .^teplien ; every one seems to like it, and I am in hopes that vDurs will t:ik the lead of the marble he>'e, at least for all lar^e monuments. (3ne thini' I ean iissure yon, that I am fully satisfied with if You will plea-e let me know your price for monument stock, as there are many inquirin<; about it." .Ml. C A. Santord, Marble VVoikei. Halifax, N. S., says : — •Man. 20, 1870. I have this day completed a monumental headstone of your marble, and have very ^reat pleasure in i)ron(iuucing its quality as a weather stone good. The samples forwarded have quite a number of face fractures, wiiich can only be perceived when the mar- ble is ]iolished, but .is \ on go into it, I have ]io doubt they will disappear entirely. It works as free as Italian marble, takes as hiihiant a polish, and I believe will stand the cli- inale fully better. It resembles the New York building marble in texture, but some of the small specimens are equal to the finest statuary. I set up the monument in my yard to-day; it has attracted great attention and is much admired iis the finish is equal to glass surface. Give me something like a price per ton of sizes snitabl" lor steps, sills and landings ; if it can be produced at anything like grani.e prices, I think a large trade might be lone, and as jtoon a« yon can produce tboroughiy sound blocks it would command full market unce." Mr. J. Pliili|)!i, Marble Worker. (Jliarlottetown, P K. I., made ii iirfc linl« )io'islieii inonuiiienf, iniuih ai^.mireil l>v many peoplft from diffureiit partu of the (!oiiiifry, hon one of tlie 1»1k;I<.s first yot out iit tlie clos ' <>t last veir, not tlion 'lit lij ^'r. lirowii to be so i^oo I a-* tliose sent clsewlierc Wbile Mr. Pliilipj* thoii^lit some of tlie specimens banl. be s:ii(l otbers were equal to aiir lUMrl)!.'. His former [cirtiier. Mr. Wells, of 'I'riiro. N. 8.. lie describeil as bav- inijj bad more expei idiee aii, Xoirni (>K M\';i:l-K VfoUN TAIX, !5I{.\s I):>!! !,\K|-, !'\!'1': IJ.'KI'iN in HENRY HOW. D. C. (_., Professor reton. I am quite satisfied iliat tlieir imjidrtinu'e vti\s not overrated m my jM-cvions re- port, wliicdi was founded on documentary cvidtMice trom varii^iis Miunes, and contained my owi' opinion of tlie quality ot tin- stones submitted to me for examination. I was acconij»anieq.. t'le discoverer ol the de|v wa« sufficient to convince me tliat lie is in possession of a very valuable nropertv ; indeed, no one wlio visits the phu-e can fail t(t he strongly impres.sed by rhe sight ot tiie marble already taken out, and that laid hare, and the evident aed of soft yellow earth ahont 8 feet thick a<;ainst the fare of the inarhle. This beint,' reiaoveij the rock will he readily quarried out and c.trried tlirouj^h the tunnel, which is 120 feet long and runs throujjh solid self-8Upportinlored varieties are found in considerable bands, and may doub'less l)e utilizeiiil wliitc, wA slit^aked with blut- anil wliitc. 6. — Fine flesli-foloied Marble at east end of Gr:i:id Qiianv, and a<,'ain I'ast of tlie Statuary Quarry, wliero it <;lian<^('s to darker marbles, about. 100 yards disraiit, viz: blue and bine mixed with red ; tin' last seen in this direction had ratlier deep red «rains, mixed witli .^reen ami striped with nearl}' black lines. Uein-e it appears that abui dant materials exist for varied iida3ing ami other applica' ions of colored marbles. U itii regard to the opinions ex pressed as to the quality ol the marble ij;ot out last auiumn, '■ hicli was de- cidedly not equal to that now being quarried, i need merely state that favorable certificates were given in my former report Irom f jur maride wdikers in this provim^e and elsewhere. To this it may be added that a few blocks were sent to one of the uj)per provinces, from a quarry near the i»ase of ihi' mountain, and were well spoken of. and thai aliout t!ie beginning of his operations, Mr. Bri.wn sent niu'' small specimens of white and coloured marbles to Sir Jame« Malcolm in England, tliey were polished tliere, and five were returned with questions as to price, as they were approved as sale- able, -ince my report was published, two nnirble workers have visiiteil the quart ies and expres.'^ed very iavonrable opinion- of what they saw ; one of them indeed purcliased the SO tons for l)nilding |)nr[iuses be*"ore mentioned. I fiave also quite recently seen statemi'iirs in writing, tiiat some (»f the marbles have been called good in the United States. .■\s compared with. New York or Vesinont marbles, the rock, wdiile some- what similar in appearance, is tougher and takes i: nch ^harper cutting. Mr. Sanlord. of Halifax, informs me that the rock in blocks has greater resistance to crushing {)ower than any stone except iiranife, and lie calls it a tough tenicious material. The Liniestoiio, which is found a little above the level of the lake, and at a short distaiice from tlie shore, in a band of lming so much a favorite, that it may be made important in the operations of a, company working the Marble Mountain. j\lr Krown has tin* exclusive right of (iisposiiig of all limestone as well (is maride found on his area, and vessels ma}' be loaded at the wharf. The order- lor the limestone are already more tlian can be tilled with present arrangements. One order for 2000 tons is from a dealer who imported a small cargo to Prince Edward Island last autumn. A letter just i*eceiveil from anotht^r dealer, states that the limestone is [referred to that of Piigwash. From what is here detailed, I have no hesitation in repealing my convic- tion that Mr. Hrown has a very valuable property, and iii saying that a pro- per expenditure of money will doubtless place the Marble Mountain Quarries among the largest and most important existing mining operatiotis. (•^ign-d) HENRY HOW. Halieax, July 14th, 1870. FURTHER INFORMATION. S -ce the above ref.orLs In Profe-isor ll„w, the leases of the land in which the marhlo is touml have passed tiito the p-Mscssioii of the Uap.? Breton Marble Company, Limited. The C(jmi ■ -v h:ive continued the work of deveh>pin^' for the last two years, have finisiied the tunn.d reft • i to, and have found tiiat i\v niarbie at tlie end of the tunnel wsls of mod quality. " Alon-j the whole surface exposed to vii-w, there i.s abundant evidence that marble in im- mense quantities is easilv a\ailal)le. In siiort, the dovelonments now made justifv the i»re- sent lessees in e.xj.re.ssin!.' flieir Hrm convicrion that the variety aud extent cir the" limestone and marble rocks croi.pinir out in such profusion in every direction on the e-state, are of >uch a nature that a judicious investment of capital on a .scale commensurate with it.s importance would render it a mine of wealth to its fortunate jiossessors. It is believed that the variety of shade riid texture, and the great extent of the formation >viil prove on further developments to equal the quariie.s at Garrara and Massa in Italy while the facilities for qiiairyinj; and shipment, and the manufacture of lime are 'so obvious that they only require to be seen to be appreciated. Halifax, N. S., 1st July, 1873. ; '^ ' !-> THE MAKBLES OF AMEJMCA. From fhe Daii-y IIkpoktku am> Timks, NovnnOer 14//<,187(). A geiitleniiiii interested in marble, wlio vvlio has been on a visit to tbe Unit- ed Strifes, and wbile there made it his business to visit the principal marble (piarries ot Vermont and New Yorlt, and by pei-sonal in>*pection and enqniry ascertained their extent, resources. &v., gives us some of tlie results of bis ob- servations and liie experience thus acquired. 'l he principal quarries of fine marl>le are Incited within four miles of tlie town ol Kuthind, V'ermoKt, distant about one hundred and twenty miles to the north-west ot Boston. Tliey aie five in number, and are located in diflierent sections of a vein of marble, which is not in any place more than sixty-tive f^iet wide. Tiiis vein, or stratum, runs in an east and west direction for several miles, but it is only in the vicinity of the quarries, (which altogether do not exceed an acre in length of over six hundred feet.) that white inarl>le is found, 'riie exnensc of opening quarries in this place, being a wi-t fiat surface, has been immense, huge masses of foreign rock underneath having to be removed bolore marble of paying quality could be reached. Beyond tiie limit named there has l)een found no white marble, but the product seems to degenerate into a dark or bluish marlde ot very inferior (piality, whi( h it will haraly pay to open up. Of the luarble itself there are some peculiarities which are not ^eiicially apnreciated. It is not in realitv a marble in the true sense of the tt rir., being rather in the form ot n percipitated white sand or sediment, and resembles, more than nnything else, loaf sugar; iiut it is so brittle that it can be powdered in the fingers like chalk, and has only its pure whitemess of color toreccomend it. It does not occur in large masses like the marble in Italy and Cape P>reton, but is found in narrow vertical seams, with a dip to south- ward between other strata ot darker colored marble, mostly white and green colored. It is about 2o years since this ileposit of marble was discovered, l»ut it is only within, say, eight or nine years since these quarries have been woiketl with success. Some of the men — the pioneers — engaged in opening up these quarries, thoujh starting wKh considerable capital, were so reduced m means before the quarries were opened up, that they were on the verge of bankruptcy more than once. But success came at last, and with it immense fortunes for all engaged in the enterprise. As a curious instance ol how these quarries are appreciated in value,wegive the history in brief of one of them, communicated by the principal party con- cerned in it. About six years ago Gen. H. H. Baxter, of Vermont, bought one of the quarries in West Rutland for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars. He worked it for two years very succe>sftilly, and then sold it to Mr. Jerome, a New York capitalist, for two huiulreii and fifty thousand dollars. Jerome ution taking possession of the quarry, put it Mito a Joint Stock Com- pany, witii a capital of five hundred thousand dollars. Since that time the issue has been doubled and the stock is held at one million dollars. This stock is mostly owned in New York City, the name of tbe corporation being the iiutland Marble Company. The dimensions of the pro{)ert\' of this Company, that is the quarry, are only about one hundred feet by sixty feet on the surface — an area of about six thousand feet. There are two other cotr.panie.s, or concerns, also working marble in the vein, and two have had to stop work, the quarries beiug flooijed with water ; their united area, including that occupied by mills, yards, &c , being not over eiglit acres in extent. There is connected with these works one of the largest steam saw- ing mills in the United States or the world, t'.ie gangs of saws (24 in number) and other machinery, beiug all driven by an immense engine of two hundred horse uower. 9 To slioa tlii' woiiilerfi:! success of tliis Yankee marble enterprise, it may he iiece.«sitry to state ti)at. in adiiition to the disailvantajres of having a meagre suitaet^ vein of white niaihle of iiuiitetl extent and poor quality, comparttivelv speaking, tlie (tost ol tian^poitation by rail t:> any of llie great marts of tiie Union is from tbiriy to sevent^'-five per cent. !»rejiter than the freiglit costs pel ton (.r !narl>'e InouLtbt acr )So tlie Atlantic Ocean from Italy. Yet, not- witlistanding ail tliis, tliere lias been an immense prosperity, as may be seen fron) tlu- facts given, wbicb ivonld not be facts were they not borne out by solid results ; m otlier words, the increase of s-tock has been fully justified by tbe large diviilends paid by ilie marble taken out of the quarries Of tbe marble depo'^its in Xew York there need not lie a great deal said. Tlie vein of marl !e, wbi.li is vertical with a Southern dip, and runs in tieveral miles in length during which it dips and crops out in several places, all of which, however, except where tbe quarries are now located, being of a dark color and inferior quality. It is a coars(-grairied, brittle marble, more like a sort ( f granite, but very white, only fit for building purposes, being largely used in this manner both in Bos- ton and New York. There are only two quarries opened in tin's vein — one by A. T. Stewart, the New York niillionaire, wlio is building and has budt lar<;e palaces in Nev, York, and another by Messrs. Masferton & Hall, who have a quarry and saw mill in op.eration and employ sculptors on the spot. They also have lime kilns, burn the refuse marble, and send the lime in bar- rels to the New York market. Such is a brief statement of the principal marble quarries of the United States, which employ thousands of men and mdlio.is of dollars in cap.ital and machinery. They are n> doubt larye affairs, when it is taken into account that there are no larger in that country ; but when compared with the im- .mense deposit in the marble mountain of Cape Breton, they dwindle down into utter insignificance, both as regards quantity and quality', as well as variety and texture of grain. Our informant, having heard so much of these quarries, conceived the idea that the}' were immense in extent, but a careful inspection convinces him that they are only immense in one thing — the re- sult> already acb'eved. For all tlie natural advantages of easy access to market, facility, cheapness of cost in quarrying, &c., they are no more to be compared to the deposits in Cape Breton than they can compete with it in extent and quality. Enterprise and capital have made tlieni successes. If this has been achieved in the instances noted, under all the disadvantages mentioned, what will not the marble mountain of Cape Breton realize in time? The lesult niu>t, under favorable circumstances, be so vast that we ' will not challenge the credulity of our readers by stating our conviction 0/ what that will be. * -<»!*:< .if»i U MARBLES. ' F7-om the New Orleans Times. Among the inorganic products of the earth marble takes high rank. This is owing to its durability, the fine polish of which it is susceptible, and its use from time immemorial in works of art. Ot lute j^ears its sphere of uses hai 10 been greatly exteiirovin^ in quality all the time, till it .struck the wall face 170 (eet helow the surface, con- sisting of ch'ar white, seamhss marhle, .su[ierior to any vet met with in the quarries, and seen or traced for nearly a iiumlred feet. The »hnft is 18 feet / along the wall face and 10 feet wide. The qiiairies have ht-en visitedj)y Mr.^ " Fletcher of the Geological Surve}', and thoroughly inspected, ami, although no or)inion can he had fiom iiim till the publication of hi.s official report, there is no fear entertained but what this will lully bear out all that I have wiitten on the subject and that the specimens which he has had selected undei;_ his own eye, to be cut, and polished, and pi. iced in the museum of the Survey, will be found to surpass my former destrriptions. The quarries have also been visit-d and examined by Mr. Underhill, a marble worker of 30 years ex- perience, and the following letter from him will give a practical mai.'s evidence which is highly favorable and agrees with my former reports. N. J. BROWN West Rutland, March 16th, 1877. Dear Sir : — Your letter is received asking fo'* information in reference to marble saw- ing machinery, and also my ;;t'neral opinion ot your mar'ile deposit, &(•. VVIien I visited and inspected your quarries, in May last, I freely give you my canuid o|)ini()n ot its value, also again wnen I wrote you in June. I have been enj.'a^ed in quarryinji nuirb.e tor over thii'ty (30) years, (I may say the superintendnig the quarrvin^r of marble h;is been my business al- to;;etlier till of late ) I have seen most of the marble dep^-its in the States, but do not know of any to compare eiiher in variety oi- extent with thm of Marble Mountain West Bay, Cape Breton. I have thought nuich about it, and have many pleatau'; recollections of mj short visit to that romantic pluco. 13 In m\ truvcls In^t .•iiiiinner 1 slie'.vf,! _\i»nr iimrlde .■«;imj)lf< to niHiiy ii> irble doalers, thev would sciifi'cly cri'iiit tlie facts when I dt'S(;ii'>i'd worUiii;; order and liuijd you a Mill sufficient to conunence witli, and put evervaliiui;' in full Mast, and with ri^'iit inanai;etneiit I do no*; sec whv, in a verv -liorl time, vour enierprise would not l»e oae of tlie l)iii;;est tliiiii^s out, as it is (juite evident iha: tlie sujiuly is practically inexiiausiiUle, and the more inirlile taken away tliuinore vain- alile will i>econie the quarry. At the same time I uuist must say I think more money hiis iieeii expeii'lfd to no piwpuse tiit-re than would have made the wliohf thin;; self-snstainiii;; loMi: ii^">- should you want my services and let me know in time, 1 will render you any as- sistaiii;e in my power lo put it in ijood workiiii; order. Ilojiin;,' you will succeed, jus it is a iiitv to have such a property lie idle. Hespectfully yours, ■ ' U. M. Unuekiiim. Pmf of tlie inuiiey referreil to hits I»eeii expomie I in tramways, rar.s, deiTic.k.s, wire rope.*i, ami otiier gear, btiildings, etc, wliii-li are till iii gootl order, reaily for (i«)e rat ions. It m;iy lie ineiitioiied iilso tlitit. tliere is a reserve fund of .shares to dispose of for devidojiing [tur|)Oses without calliuij on the liol(l»ir.s of shares at tirst, .iiid the concern is clear of debt. The closiiit: of St. Peter'.s Canal tlie last year or two has kept hack operations, hut it is being mtule !-o exoellent a ship's canal that it will be the means of o[)eniiig a large trtide in the liras d'Or Lake and the .Mountain and add njuoh much to the value of the Alarble property when finished, (|)Ossibly in May, 1880.) Ret'eronce must also be made to trie valuable deposit of blue limestone ly- ing at the base ot tlie iMouiituin ot which an analysis of mine is given in my first Reiiort, where it stated to burn to a very good white lime. It is in fact a coarse blue marble, lorming an immense bed between the shore and the white mtirble. No stone exactly like it has yet been found in North America except at ft'owkliii. .Maine. It tippetir.-i to lesemble this in every re- spect, and has been recognized as similar by persons of that place who compar- ed samples ehesvn tliuiii by Mr N. J. Brown which he took from the bed above mentioned. This ^rooklin blue limestone makes the very finest and whitest of lime. VVhen the facilities mentioned in former reports are remembered, it is not • t all too much ro say that there is no place in North America where a lime-burning business could be carried onto greater advantage than at Marble Mountain. The lime at ^roeklin costs ten cents (10 c.) per cask for privilege of quarrying the lime-toiie, the t]uarries are four (4) miles from shipping, the the stoue is hauled the same distance i^ teams to the kilns at the shore, and the cost ot fuel is al)out three times that at Marble Mountain, and yet a large business is carried on. Everything is seen to be comparatively much to the advantage of Mtirhle Mountain as a lime producing locality. "'•.;•••,: ;.'.'"- ••'»... , .Prof, of Ohemiatry King^s College, Windsor, I^.: Si'' ', ]' ] "''"'.•:' I, Dec7th,1878. = '• • • ••• • •• T. ,.;..'..' ;.. 14 The followinf^ is oopirtl from tho gen<^ral Mining Rppnrt of the Tn«ppotrtr of Mir»»s lor Novn Scolia, hy Ifonry Pool. Esq , F.