1 66 LOWER PENINSULA. 



this, a great waste occurs in getting out the rock, which is altogether 

 done by blasting with powder. Necessarily, therefore, a great pro- 

 portion of the loosened rock is shattered into worthless fragments. 



I trust the managers and workmen of our quarries, most of whom 

 have been at work in the slate quarries of the Eastern States, know 

 how best to do the business ; but I would take the liberty of sug- 

 gesting that, by cutting narrow gangways into the walls, at inter- 

 vals, the intermediate blocks or pillars could be taken out by a 

 crowbar without the use of much powder. This would save a 

 great part of the slate now destroyed, and in the end would be 

 found to be a quicker process than the present. 



At the time of my visit nearly 40 men were engaged in the 

 quarry, turning out daily about 17 squares of roofing slate, which 

 brings in the Chicago market from $7 to $8 per square. 



The slate is of an excellent quality, and bears favorable compari- 

 son with the best slates of the Eastern States. In durability and 

 in color, which is a uniform black with a grayish hue, it excels 

 them all. 



The opening of the quarries in this remote place, in the midst of 

 a wilderness, was attended with great preliminary expense. The 

 building of roads, the transportation of machinery, and the hire of 

 men and constant transportation of supplies, had to be paid for at 

 extra rates ; then a long time was required in which to bring the 

 quarry to a productive condition. I think, however, from all I can 

 observe, that the worst difficulties have been encountered and 

 overcome, and that nothing now stands in the way of the future 

 prosperity of this highly commendable enterprise, undertaken at so 

 great an expense and risk. 



Several other quarries have been recently opened, in close prox- 

 imity to that described above, some of which have produced already 

 small quantities of slate for shipment, equal in quality to that of 

 the first. The masses of good slate already discovered in the dis- 

 trict promise an inexhaustible supply. 



