CHAPTER V 



Lawrence Cotxty 



General Description. The stone industry operations in 

 Lawrence county differ qtiite notably from those in ^Monroe 

 county. The size of the quarry openings and the size of the mills 

 is generally greater, and the work is carried on on a much larger 

 scale. There has been a tendency toward consolidation of owner- 

 ship in this district, not seen in the northern part of the stone belt. 



The operators of this cUstrict have been more ready to adopt 

 new methods and more up-to-date machinery, and, as a result, 

 the district as a whole appears to be more advanced than the 

 ^lonroe coimty district. Altho the first openings were made in 

 the northern end of the district, the southern end was opened 

 very soon afterward, and in a short time it had surpassed the 

 northern end and has ever since kept its leadership. The Bed- 

 ford district saw the first electrical power: and the first diamond 

 saws and first electric channelers were put in use in the Bedford 

 Cjiiarries. The labor ciuestion has grown to greater proportions 

 in Lawrence county, and several attempts at organization have 

 been made. There is at the present time a well-organized labor 

 union. 



The stone operations of Lawrence county are all located close 

 to the city of Bedford. Several mills are located in the city, but 

 the Cjuarries are from 2 to 5 miles outside the corporation limits. 

 The majority of the mills and quarries are reached by the ]\Ionon 

 railway, either by its main line or by the Switz City branch. 

 Several others are on the Southern Lidiana and the Baltimore 

 and Ohio Southwestern Railroad. 



The stone in the different districts varies extensively in color, 

 texture, thickne-s. hardness, and coarseness. The kind and 

 ajnount of stripping varies thrtiout the district, but there is a 

 tendency for the stone to appear higher on the hillsides, the 

 farther east the quarry is located. 



The first developments of the lime and crushed stone industries 

 were located in the Horseshoe and Oolitic district. The Ohio 

 and Western Lime Company has 6 kilns at the old P. 2vL and B. 

 Cjuarry. now the property of the Indiana Quarries Company: 

 and the Indiana Products Company has a crushed-stone plant 

 in the town of Oolitic. 



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