THE MONSON QUARRY. 61 



as it does, a detailed liistory of the; most important quarry in western 

 Massachusetts: 



"W. N. Flynt & Co.'s granite quarries, situated a mile north of the 

 village of Monson, on a spur track of the New London Railroad, were first 

 opened eighty years ago by agents of the United States Government, who 

 took from there stone for the foundation of the S})ringfield armory. In 

 1825 Rufus Flynt put four or iive men at work in the quarry to supply the 

 local }narket, and the front of the Chicopee Bank building in this city was 

 soon afterwards bxiilt of this stone. Since 1836 W. N. Flynt, son of Rufus 

 Flynt, has had charge of the work, and has greatly enlarged the business, 

 until at present the yearly output of stone is 20,000 to 30,000 tons, valued 

 at 8150,000 or 8200,000. In 1887 28,700 tons were produced, and in 1888 

 33,460 tons. 



"The quarry land owned by the company amounts to 500 acres, all 

 underlain by granite, only a small part of which, however, has yet been 

 worked. The stone lies in horizontal layers from 1 to 12 feet thick, and 

 wedges are mainly depended upon for getting out even the largest masses 

 of rock, powder being used only to lift the loosened layer from its bed. 

 The largest single piece which has yet been taken out was 354 feet hmg, 

 11 wide, and 4 high, and 1,104 wedges were used in detaching it. 



"The present workings are on the slope of a hill, and although 75 feet 

 below the crest of the hill, are above the surrounding country, so that water 

 gives no trouble and the rock is the more easily handled. From March 

 to December about 100 quan-ymen and 40 stone dressers are employed, 

 and during the winter an almost equal force is kept at work. Last year 

 (1883) 28,403 tons of granite were shipped, and in all branches of the 

 work between 600 and 700 men were employed. 



"Specimens of the Flynts' workmanship are shown in the Monson 

 Library, costing 835,000, and in a memorial hall now being constructed at 

 a cost of 830,000, in both of Avhich the light and dark varieties of granite 

 yielded by the quan'ies are artistically blended. 



"The Church of St. Francis Xavier, in New York City, was also built 

 of this stone, as were also the Walker Hall and the stone churches in 

 Amherst." 



