Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 52

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 52
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 52

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

A chemical analysis shows its composition to be :

Carbonate of Lime 51.65

Carbonate of Magnesia. 42.15

Oxide of Iron and Aluminum a mere trace.

Silica

3.70

Water and loss 2.50

100.00

Its resistance to pressure or crushing strength is 12,692 pounds per square inch ; its weight is 169.99 pounds per cubic foot.

This truly valuable marble, although existing in almost unlimited quantities and cropping out in innumerable places in this vicinity, was utilized only for ordinary rough wall purposes until the year 1825, when Jasper C. Clark, of Hailesboro, town of Fowler, extemporized a small mill at that place for sawing this material, which was then known as "gray lime-stone.". This mill stood on "Mill Creek," near the spot occupied by the Agalite Fiber Company's first talc mill in Hailes- boro. Mr. Clark was succeeded by Addison Giles in the marble-sawing business.

This industry continued in a small way for several years, but lacking a demand which warranted its continuance, was abandoned in the year 1837. Numerous headstones there sawed are still standing in the cemeteries of this vicinity. Their almost perfect state of preservation

561

THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

are enduring monuments not only to the virtues of the dead whose resting places they mark, but also to the excellent qualities of the marble, which seems to defy the " ruthless tooth of time." Water tables, window-sills and caps, mantels, fire jambs, and other articles which the times demanded, were also sawed and placed upon the mar- ket. The old Spencer House, erected in 1825, was trimmed with this marble. The late Isaac Starbuck's residence, the old Eager House, and the Gouverneur Seminary still show samples of this marble which was sawed in Hailesboro

About the year 1838, Hermon Rice, of Wegatchie, town of Rossie, constructed a mill for sawing this marble at that village. His mill stood on the bank of the Oswegatchie River, on the spot now vacant, between the woolen and saw mills. The stone for sawing was quarried on what is now the Elias Teal and Titus Downey farms, near Wegatchie vil- lage. This business was continued with small success and in a desultory manner for about ten years, when it was abandoned. Although over fifty years have elapsed since the business was given up there are many grave stones still standing in the Wegatchie and neighboring cemeteries, besides pieces of sawed marble in some of the older dwellings of that town, which testify to the prior existence of that dead industry.

Early in the year the firm of " Whitneys ( D. J. and T. J.) & Honey- comb " ( John S.) was formed in Gouverneur for the purpose of doing the mason work for the erection of the present Main street bridge across the Oswegatchie River in Gouverneur village. In searching for suita- ble stone for piers and abutments, they found on what was then known as the J. C. Barney dwelling-house lot on Somerville street, near the village, marble in layers of convenient thickness for quarrying. This marble was cap rock of a light color. The company readily procured a sufficient quantity for their purpose. This was practically the initial step toward the revival of the marble industry, which had been aban- doned many years before.

Outside of the bridge contract D. J. & T. J. Whitney had contracts for building work in 1876, among which was the marble trimmings for the Presbyterian church at Canton, N. Y., the quarried marble in the rough being purchased by them of the firm of " Whitneys and Honey- comb."

562

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

This firm was dissolved in 1877, the Whitneys continuing the quarry in connection with their monumental marble business. The same year they furnished marble trimmings for the County Clerk's office in Canton and dressed and furnished the marble for the fronts of the Draper and Van Namee blocks, now standing on Main street in Gouverneur.

Up to this time the only marble ever quarried or sawed in this vicin- ity had been the cap rock, or light colored variety. In December, 1877, the Whitneys quarried a few blocks of the dark colored variety on the" Barney lot," the opening being made on the south side of the Somerville road, nearly opposite the northeasterly end of the present St. Lawrence Marble Company's mill. In 1878 the first dark colored Gouv- erneur marble monument was finished by the Whitney Brothers and was subsequently erected on the Joseph E. McAllaster lot in the River Side Cemetery, Gouverneur.

In the fall of 1878 the Whitney Brothers dissolved and the business was continued by Daniel J. Whitney, and he in, 1879, sold and shipped small quantities of the dark colored, and unfinished marble to dealers in several different States and Canada. In the latter part of this year he shipped several car loads of rough blocks to marble- sawing mills in South- erland Falls, Vt., and Cleveland, Ohio, where they were prepared and sold to the trade for monumental purposes. In the spring of 1880 the demand for this marble was largely in excess of Mr. Whitney's limited financial ability to produce. By reason of legal complications between Mr. Barney and the Barney heirs, Mr. Whitney abandoned his quarry and moving his tools and machinery directly across the road to the Pres- ton farm he opened what is now the famous St. Lawrence Marble Com- pany's quarry. At this time Joseph E. McAllaster of Gouverneur, who, having become financially and otherwise interested in the enterprise, se- cured a lease of the about nine acre triangular piece of the J. B. Preston farm, which comes to a point at the intersection of the R., W. and O. rail- road with the Somerville road, and July 1, 1880, under the name of the " Whitney Granite and Gouverneur Marble Company," the marble busi- ness was begun on a scale more commensurate with the importance of this very promising industry. In the fall of this year the system of quarrying by cutting channels with hand drills was introduced. This method proved too slow for practical purposes and in March, 1882, a

563

THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

diamond- drill channeling machine, run by steam, was put in operation. A little later a large derrick was erected and steam pumps were intro- duced to clear the quarry of water. Thus equipped, the getting out of large blocks was vigorously pushed, and as fast as raised, were shipped by rail to Lyman Strong & Son, Cleveland, Ohio, where they were sawed, finished and sold to the trade. D. J. Whitney was interested in and continued as superintendent of this quarry and business until it changed hands.

After extended negotiations, this plant was sold to capitalists of New York city, and in May, 1884, the " St. Lawrence Marble Company" was organized with a capital stock of $250,000. The officers are : John Benham, president and treasurer ; J. W. Griswold, first vice-president ; M. M. Belding, jr., second vice-president ; John R. Emery, secretary ; and T. J. Whitney, superintendent. The present 16-gang mill was erected and sawing began the following November. The mill is one story high, 82x221 feet in size, and stands half a mile southwest of the corporate limits of Gouverneur village. The mill, which is substan- tially built, is equipped with rubbing beds, turning lathes and every other labor-saving appliance. A branch of the R., W. and O. railroad runs into their stock yard alongside a wharf of the right height for con- venience in loading cars. The motive power, which is steam, is gener- ated by a battery of four boilers and runs a 150 horse-power Water- town steam engine, which drives the almost endless machinery of mill, quarry, pumps and derricks. An artesian well, 450 feet deep, furnishes abundant water for all desired purposes.

Quarry No. I, which has a surface opening of 110x200 feet, has reached a depth of 95 feet, and yet huge blocks weighing 20 tons are readily raised to the surface by their mighty derricks. The stock list of this and all other companies here includes building stone in all forms, rough, dressed, turned and polished, as well as monumental material.

The first rough, broken ashler of a dark color, was used by J. T. Rey- nolds in 1884 for the front of the four- story Reynolds Block, on Main street, Gouverneur.

Gouverneur Marble Company .- The present officers are : Daniel Peck, president ; A. Z. Turnbull, vice-president; Lewis Eckman, treas- urer ; and George P. Ormiston, secretary. The capital stock is $75,000.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

In November, 1881, the following citizens of Gouverneur, locally named " the Twelve Apostles," viz .: S. B. Van Duzee, John S. Honey- comb, John W. Tracy, Daniel Peck, Henry E. Gates, George P. Ormis- ton, Abel Godard, T. J. Whitney, Austin Meyeur, Fred Haile, E. H. Neary and Lewis Eckman, purchased thirty acres of land of William McKean, near the southwest limits of Gouverneur village, and January 3, 1882 organized the " Whitney Marble Company" with a capital stock of $750,000. A quarry was at once opened, a four gang mill erected and equipped, and sawing begun the following fall. The busi- ness prospered until May 3, 1884, when the mill and machinery were wrecked by the explosion of a boiler, which killed the following per- sons : Joseph Oliver and Oliver Dashneau, boiler makers of Watertown, N. Y. ( who were making repairs ) ; W. Frank Newcomb, Eli Jackson, W. T. Miller and Charles Murray, employees. The company's loss was $20,000. The mill was at once rebuilt and business was continued until 1888, when, owing to financial complications, the company was placed in the hands of D. G. Wood, as receiver, who continued opera- tions until the following fall, when matters were adjusted and the com- pany was reorganized August 23, 1888, as the " Gouverneur Marble Company."

April, 1889, D. J. Whitney became general manager, business pros pered and the mill was enlarged to a capacity of nine gangs of saws, a rubbing bed was added and now the plant is complete and first -class in every particular. The regular force employed is fifty men, and the annual output of stock is about 50,000 cubic feet. The quarry is L shaped, being 100 x 100 feet and 100 x 60 feet.

The Davidson Marble Company was organized July 25, 1890, with Alexander Davidson, president ; John A. Davidson, treasurer ; Charles Stedman, secretary ; A. C. Davis, superintendent of mill ; and Erwin B. Hurlbut, superintendent of quarry. Capital stock, $300,000.

In 1888 Messrs Davidson & Son of Chicago, who are very extensive producers and manufacturers of, and dealers in, marble, having quarries and mills in several States of the Union, purchased of J. B. Preston, ten acres of land lying southwest of the St. Lawrence Marble Company's property, and at once opened a quarry under the supervision of E. B. Hurlbut. This quarry, which is known as No. I, was successfully

565

THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

worked until July, 1893, when a superior quality of marble was uncov- ered on the Milton Barney farm, during the grading of the Gouverneur and Oswegatchie Railroad. This deposit being convenient to the rail- road, the company secured land, transferred their quarry machinery to, and opened quarry No. 2, from which they are taking material for sawing.

The leading members of this company, believing that water power was preferable to steam, and a suitable building site and water power having been tendered them on satisfactory terms on the Black River, near the R., W. and O Railroad, just east of the city of Watertown, N. Y., a splendid 18 gang mill, with two rubbing beds, turning lathes and other finishing works were erected there in 1889 and 1890.

This company advertises its product as " New York marble."

Empire State Marble Company .- The deposit from which this com- pany takes its material is located on the Charles Overacker farm, a little over a mile southwest of Gouverneur village. In 1890 John W. Tracy of Gouvernenr discovered an excellent quality of marble, which crops out as a ledge, and after securing the right to prospect and an option for purchase, induced capitalists to join him in the marble business. The above named company was organized early in 1891, land was pur- chased, a quarry opened and a fine four-gang mill was erected the same year. The company officers are : John R. Wood, president; Gilbert Mollison, secretary ; James Dowdle, treasurer ; and J. M. Esser, super- intendent. The directors are J. R. Wood of Appleton, Wis., G. Molli- son and J. Dowdle of Oswego, N. Y., and J. W. Tracy of Gouverneur. A spur from the R., W. and O. Railroad runs to the mill.

The company employs twenty-five men and is doing a prosperous business.

Northern New York Marble Company .- The late D. G. Wood of Gouverneur was the active agent in organizing this company in Janu- ary, 1891. The officers are ; Samuel H. Beach, president and treas- urer ; and Samuel F. Bagg, vice-president ( both of Watertown, N. Y.) ; and John Webb, jr., of Gouverneur, secretary.

A model eight gang mill, equipped with rubbing bed, turning lathes and all modern conveniences was erected and put in operation the same year. The quarry and mill are located west of and adjoining the Em-

566

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

pire State Marble Company's property on a plot of seventeen acres of land from the William Kitts farm. The company's works are connected with the R , W. and O. Railroad by a side track. This company em- ploys a force of forty men under the superintendence of Peter Finegan, and is doing successful business.

Red Granite .- Red granite, of a superior quality, crops out at Hailesboro, town of Fowler, and Natural Dam, in Gouverneur. Noth- ing has been done towards working the Hailesboro deposit. This granite shows, on the surface, on a rocky ridge running nearly east and west near Natural Dam on a farm of the late Edwin G. Dodge, of Gouverneur. Several years ago specimen pieces were taken out and polished by W. H. Andrews, of Gouverneur, and are now in his collec- tion of polished specimens.

At the time of the erection of the beautiful city hall and opera house in Ogdensburg, Mr. Dodge had two suitable blocks of this granite quarried and donated them to that city. They were turned and pol- ished and now are the column parts of the two main supports for the central portion of the front of said opera house.

Although the material for these columns was taken out from the sur- face of the ledge, their extreme hardness, beauty of color, and suscep- tibility to a high polish demonstrate the value of the material and warrants the general belief that a granite equal to the famous red Scotch variety here awaits development, and will amply reward the enterprise which results in opening up its buried treasures.

Serpentine Marble .- Serpentine marbles in endless quantities are known to exist in Gouverneur. It crops out in all directions, and is encountered very frequently where excavations are made in Gouverneur village ; and, being of fine texture, bearing many shades of color from a rich verde antique green, through various shades of yellow, red and pink, down to a pure white, it is sure, at no distant day, to attract sufficient attention to insure its development as a new source of wealth for this locality.

Porphyry .- Among the many splendid mineralogical specimens of polished stone which has given Mr. Andrews's collection a nation-wide reputation, a piece of polished porphyry from a large rock, found in the village of Gouverneur, holds a position of high honor.

567

THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

Both talc and marble, which are now most eagerly sought as sure sources of wealth, were but recently cursed as a nuisance by the farmer, whose plough they impeded.

But, under the mystic touch of the magic wand of capitalistic enter - prise, present mutterings of disapproval will be changed to pæans of praise, when the owning of a ledge of porphyry, like the discovery of a talc deposit to-day, is equal to the finding of an ample fortune.

GOUVERNEUR TALC.

Talc is a mineral product composed of silica and magnesia. While this material is locally known as talc its chemical properties are sub- stantially the same as asbestos, steatite and soap stone. It has the greasy feeling of soap-stone and the fibrous properties of asbestos.

Talc is found in France, Italy, Scotland, South Carolina and Pennsyl- vania. But little French talc is exported, being mostly used at home. Scotch talc exists in too limited quantities to pay for working. The South Carolina and Pennsylvania varieties are of the non-fibrous nature of soap-stone. The Pennsylvania material is valueless by reason of the large amount of iron mingled with it. The fibrous qualities of the talc of this locality renders it peculiarly valuable as a " filler " in the manu- facture of paper, and, so far as known, these are the only mines in the world from which this species of talc is taken.

Where Found .- This mineral was first discovered in the town of Gouverneur, near Natural Dam and Little Bow, as early as 1867 by Daniel Minthorn, of Watertown, N. Y., who is an expert mineralogist, and to whom this locality is largely indebted for its world-wide fame as one of the richest and most prolific mineral bearing sections, not only of the United States, but of the known world. (For the formid- able list of minerals of Gouverneur and vicinity see "Dand," page 386.)

Taking the village of Gouverneur as a center, talcose indications may be found throughout a radius of ten miles in every direction. The time will doubtless come when this valuable mineral will be found and profitably mined in numerous places at every point of the compass from Gouverneur, where only surface indications now exist to show its pres- ence. Deep digging must be resorted to find it in many places. Past

568

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

experience has demonstrated that talc exists here at great and unknown depths, and improves in quality with the increasing depths of the mines, some of which have already reached a depth of 350 feet with good size veins in sight, which show no signs of exhaustion.

So far as it has been developed in paying quantities, present mining is confined to what is known as " the talc belt," from seven to nine miles long, and from four to five miles wide, in the towns of Fowler and Edwards, and running northeast and southwest.

First Talc Mining .- The first attempt at talc mining in this section was made by Daniel Minthorn at Natural Dam and Little Bow during the winter of 1869 and '70. Enough material was found to warrant the erection of a mill for testing its value. Mr. Minthorn was joined in the enterprise by George W. Goodrich and George Paddock, of Water- town, N.Y. A mill was erected at Natural Dam in 1871 for preparing the material for market. The product lacked fiber, contained grit and other impurities which rendered it unsuitable as a filler in paper- making, and for these reasons the parties interested became so discouraged that the grinding enterprise was temporarily abandoned.

In the winter of 1873 and '74 Mr Minthorn, having discovered foliated talc on the Abner Wight farm, near Little York, town of Fowler, se. cured samples and carried them, with various other mineralogical speci- mens, to New York city, hoping to induce capitalists to join him in opening and developing mines. Among others, he showed his talc specimens to G. A. Menden, who was a partner of A. L. McCrea, sen , in "promoting stock companies." Menden brought the talc to the attention of his partner, who at once became interested and believed this material could be used in place of various clays as a " paper filler." They visited Gouverneur in the spring of 1873, examined the material on the Wight farm, secured a lease covering the right to open and work mines, and in the spring of 1874 McCrea and Menden took pos- session of the old plaster mill, in the basement of what is now the Star- buck and McCarty planing mill, in Gouverneur, and in an experimental way began grinding talc from the Abner Wight farm. These operations continued with encouraging success until the spring of 1875, when James McCrea, of Philadelphia, Pa., became financially interested in the enterprise, and it was decided to enlarge the business.

569

THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

The Agalite Fiber Company was organized with A. L. McCrea, presi- dent ; James McCrea, vice-president; and G. A. Menden, secretary ; suit- able machinery was secured, a small steam mill was erected near the mine on the Wight farm and the business was thus continued until, with a steadily increasing business, experience had demonstrated the folly of using steam as a motive power in a vicinity which was blessed with many water powers which were then unused and could be had at a trifling expense.

In June, 1877, A. L. McCrea, jr., visited Gouverneur on an intended trip from New York city to the Pacific coast. His father and uncle be- ing largely interested in the talc enterprise, he visited their mills and mines. Being a young man of a decidedly practical business turn, he pointed out many expensive mistakes in the business as then conducted and suggested numerous changes and improvements. His ideas met with such favor that he was urged to abandon his western journey, in- vest a considerable sum of money and take a personal interest in the enterprise. To this he consented on condition that he become (as he at once did) the general superintendent of the mines and mills with a potential voice in the general management. From this time the busi- ness moved forward with new and increasing energy. From then until the present time the personal influence of but one other individual (" Gus " McDonald, now superintendent of the International Talc Com- pany) has compared at all favorably with that of "Gus " McCrea in lifting the talc industry to its present enviable height of almost peerless prosperity.

Having purchased the Clark & Howard saw mill, which has one of the best water powers on the Oswegatchie River, and fitted it up with the best machinery then known for their business, they, in 1878, moved their milling operations to Hailesboro where they continued to grind material from the Wight farm until 1879. Experiencing extreme diffi- culty in reducing foliated talc to a degree of fineness required by the trade, this company introduced the Alsing revolving cylinders, which are capable of pulverizing the most refractory rock into an impalpable powder.

After the fibrous talc had been discovered, near Freemansburg, in the town of Edwards, this company secured mineral rights, and having de-

570

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

veloped valuable mines in that locality, they, in 1879, abandoned their mines on the Wight farm, and drew all material for grinding from their new mines. Now their business boomed and orders far exceeding the capacity of their mills being received, the company, in 1880, purchased the old Henry Haile flouring mill, which nearly adjoined their works and when refitted for use their output was increased several fold. The two mills with magnificent water powers and the many improvements added, made an excellent business plant and continued in successful operation until early in 1893 when this company was absorbed or merged in the " International Pulp Company."

Natural Dam Pulp Company .- In 1877 the " Mineral Attrition Mills Company " was organized to grind talc, soapstone, etc., into pulp for papermakers' use. The mill erected at Natural Dam by Minthorn and others, and which had also been used for grinding iron ore for paint, having lain idle for a number of years, was refitted with a milling plant on the attrition plan. For about one year the company ground foliated talc found near Little York, town of Fowler. This material lacked fiber and although ground to an impalpable powder was neither attractive to the paper trade nor remunerative to the company. These things, with the hard times of 1887 and 1888 caused the company to fail. Early in 1879 Mr. W. Bayand of New York city, a large creditor of the company, bought the property and continued the business long enough to become satisfied that neither soapstone nor foliated talc could be made acceptable to the trade with the machinery in his mills. He acquired mines at Freemansburg and continued the business (using fibrous talc) successfully under the able management of A. J. McDon- ald, until 1886, when the property was organized into a stock company under the name and style of the " Natural Dam Pulp Company." Mr. Bayand retaining a controlling interest in its affairs until its transfer to to the " International Pulp Company," in which he is largely interested, being one of its directors.

The plant of the Natural Dam Pulp Company at the time of its trans- fer, consisted of Mill No. I at Natural Dam and their splendid new mill No. 2 at Hailesboro which had just been completed.

Gouverneur Pulp Company .- The name of Col. Henry Palmer stands next to that of Daniel Minthorn on the roll of honor as a discoverer

Amasa Corbin

C. M. Garbin

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571

THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 52

Author: Curtis, Gates Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328