CANADIAN ROOFING SLATE. 869 



surface area in this neigborhood of about a hundred acres. Such 

 a volume of slate is practically inexhaustible, and judging from ap- 

 pearance it is all of a uniformly good quality. Mr. "Walton con- 

 templates manufacturing writing and slab slates at bis quarry, for 

 both of which the Melbourne band is admirably adapted. 



It may not be out of place here to describe the process of man- 

 ufacturing the roofing slates at the Walton Q.uarry. The rock is 

 blasted by experienced workmen, in such a way as to give regular- 

 ly shaped masses, which are conveyed on a tram-way to the 

 dressing sheds. Here, the blocks, fresh from the quarry, are split 

 by a mallet and chizel into sheets of the required thickness 

 and thrown into a heap ready for trimming. The slate dresser,, 

 who is seated, places the sheet upon a horizontal steel bar in front 

 of him, and with a thick-bladed knife or cleaver, cuts off at a blow 

 the part projecting over the edge of the bar, the knife and the bar 

 forming, as it were, a pair of shears. The undressed sheets are 

 received on the left side, and the finished slates piled on the right, 

 each size being kept separate. Mr. Walton has adopted sixteen 

 sizes, varying from 6 by 12 to 14 by 24 inches. From long ex- 

 perience, the slate dresser perceives at a glance the largest size 

 that a sheet will produce, and in a second, trims two of its edges, 

 and having marked off the other two with a measuring gage,- 

 squares them with two blows, the whole process being performed 

 in a twinkling. 



Mr. Walton commenced opening his quarry in 1860, and hav- 

 ing himself every confidence in the undertaking, pushed it steadily 

 forward, in the face of m&ny obstacles, to the present successful re- 

 sult. The outlay incurred in buying and developing the property, 

 amounted to about $36,000, but the quarry and all its machinery 

 are now in a condition for profitable working for a long time to 

 come. At first it yielded no adequate returns, and Mr. Walton 

 was obliged to work on through many a dreary day, without sym- 

 pathy or encouragement. It must therefore be a great satisfac- 

 tion to him, that his most sanguine hopes have been realized. 

 The quality of the slate has proved to be all that could be desired 

 and the demand is already in excess of the supply, the proprietor 

 having been obliged, just the other day, to refuse, amongst others, 

 an order for a thousand squares. We admire the enterprise and 

 perseverance, and rejoice at the success of the gentleman, who enr 

 barked his fortune, and bestowed his time and attention, to develop 

 so important, but hitherto untried source of wealth to our country- 

 Melbourne, Canada East, October 8, 1863. 



