INDUSTRIES 



in length and breadth, and are squared both 

 sides and at one end, but are much larger, only 

 about 130 being required to a square. These 

 until recently were used for cattle sheds and 

 farm buildings. The slater in using the scantle 

 and rags has to shape them according to require- 

 ments. The rags make a stronger roof than 

 sizes, being thicker and generally rather coarser. 

 The roof does not present so even a surface as 

 when made of sizes, and this is a feature which 

 some architects have of late years been favouring. 

 During the last five years they have been used 

 in various parts of the country on large build- 

 ings not of the class named. Slate is used for 

 many purposes besides roofing, such as floors for 

 kitchens, halls, and lighthouses, for dowels to 

 connect granite blocks in lighthouses, for win- 

 dow sills, corn chests, brewers' vats, ridge rolls, 

 urinals, chimney-pieces, and for water cisterns 

 up to 2,000 gallons. These goods are prepared 

 in sheds which are distinct from those for the 

 manufacture of roofing slate, and furnished with 

 the necessary sawing machines, planes, and other 

 appliances. 



The veins or beds of slate-rock run in various 

 thicknesses, from 2 ft. to 10 ft. with a dip from 

 east to west of about 3 in. in a foot, with a 

 slight inclination from north to south. In some 

 beds a small quantity of quartz is found mixed 

 with the slate, and sometimes this prevails to 

 such an extent as to render the slate useless for 

 commercial purposes. The colour of the slate 

 is grey blue, and the quality continues to be 

 good and quite maintains its former prestige. 

 Twelve and a half cubic feet weigh one ton. 



The number of persons employed from time 

 to time has varied. In 1850 it was about 600. 

 Five years later a reduction took place by the 

 discharge of the women and girls who up to 

 that time had been employed as slate-splitters. 

 In justice to the women it may be said that as 

 regards ability they were equal to the men. Up 

 to 1871 the number of employes had nearly 

 reached 600, but in that and the two following 

 years the number was reduced to 466, and with 

 slight variations so it has continued, the number 

 at the present time being 463. 



The output of rubble and rock has varied con- 

 siderably from time to time. The earliest date 

 for which it can be given is 1873, when the 

 total quantity was 242,146 tons. In 1880 it 

 was 359,549 tons, which is the largest on record. 

 In 1893 it was 147,093 tons, and in 1903 it 

 was 274,105 tons. The value of the products 

 for the past three years may be reckoned as ap- 

 proaching 34,000 a year. The price has 

 varied considerably during the last 50 years, and 

 has quite if not more than doubled. 



There are now eight stationary steam engines, 

 two of which are used for hauling rubble and 

 rock over the inclines. Arrangements are in 

 progress for adding another engine to the main 

 incline, which is about 1,000 ft. long, and has 



521 



an inclination of 5 in 12. One engine will 

 continue to be used for hauling to the parapet- 

 head, one for pumping water, and three for 

 driving the machinery in the manufacturing 

 sheds and in the engineering, carpenters', and 

 smiths' shops. Two locomotives take the wagons 

 to the manufacturing sheds and rubble tips. 

 Cranes and derricks are used in various parts of 

 the works. 



The general method adopted in the produc- 

 tion of roofing slate, in the working department, 

 is as follows : The men who blast or raise the 

 slate-rock in the quarry and the splitters and 

 dressers in the sheds are partners and usually 

 share equally, so that the more care and good 

 judgement, exercised in preparing the blocks the 

 better for each man, and also for the shareholders. 

 Many comparatively rough blocks are refused by 

 the contract men, and these are passed on to 

 men and boys called cullers, who are paid a 

 fixed price, and make as much out of them as 

 they can. The sawing and planing are paid for 

 by the foot. Filling the wagons in the quarry, 

 landing at the parapet-heads and incline, and tip- 

 ping at the deposit end are performed at so 

 much per ton. Everything taken from the 

 quarry passes over a weighbridge. A quarry- 

 man's wages average about 2is. per week. 

 Fillers and others earn about I Ji, 



It should be observed that it is only during 

 the last fifteen years that circular saws have been 

 gradually introduced for cutting the large pieces 

 of slate, which is done at right angles to the cleav- 

 age, after they have been divided into thicknesses 

 of two or three inches. When the saws are not 

 used the slate is cut by a process called flerrying. 

 In this the stone is laid flat, and with a gouge a 

 small groove is chipped in one side ; a chisel is 

 then placed in the centre of the groove and is 

 struck with the hammer until the effect of the 

 blows is seen in a small crack dividing it into 

 two pieces. The disadvantage of this method 

 is that the split frequently goes in the wrong 

 direction and waste follows. This plan is still 

 pursued to some extent at Delabole, and alto- 

 gether in the other two quarries. Until the 

 introduction of saws it was the only method 

 employed in this and all other quarries in Corn- 

 wall. So far no machinery has been introduced 

 for the splitting of slate, but slate-dressing ma- 

 chines have been used for some years at Delabole, 

 and are now in general use. 



Previous to the construction of the London 

 and South Western railway line to Wadebridge, 

 the slate, sent by water, was shipped at Port 

 Gavorne, about five miles distant from the quarry. 

 The wagons were brought alongside the vessels, 

 and the slate was passed from the wagons to the 

 vessel by women and men. Sixty years ago the 

 wagons were drawn by two bullocks and a horse, 

 afterwards by horses owned principally by small 

 farmers, who did this in connexion with their 

 farm work. The London and South Western 



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