Railroad, a branch of the New York Central, on which at this point are situated the main factory buildings. The deposits lie in alternating veins, extending nearly north and south about 3,000 feet, and east and west about 640 feet, varying in width from a few feet to several rods. The depth of the beds is unknown, but they have been worked more than fifty feet."

The above items have been kindly sent me in response to inquiries by Mr. A. W. Perkins, president of the company. Plates VII, VIII and IX show the mill storehouse and some of the clay pits of this company. There are several other buildings and clay banks not shown. In all there are over twenty buildings used in carrying on the work. The sales have increased 114 per cent during the year 1907, and thus far during 1908, that is, for the first six months, there has been a further increase of 47 per cent. The mill is well equipped for carrying on the manufacture of the materials sold by the company and is sufficient to produce them in much greater quantity. The wall plaster which is manufactured here appears to be very successful, and has received the highest commendation from arIchitects and builders who have used it. Mr. Perkins has also furnished me with a copy of a report on the property of the company made in June, 1908, by Mr. I. K. Pierson, Engineer, New York City, from which I take the following extracts:

"Clay Pits. The clay is deposited in beds of unknown depths at the beginning of the steeper mountain slopes, nearly southeast about two and one-half miles from Rutland. Two pits, about 1,600 feet apart, are opened and under exploitation, and from all visible evidence, lying on about the same level, and the deposits are connected, being one and the same vein.

Fol

"These pits are both opened from the sides of small gullies. lowing the runs or creeks flowing from the hillsides, the surface outcroppings can be traced for a hundred feet, more or less, both above and below where laid bare by the water.

"The smaller, more northerly pit, is about 100 feet in diameter. It has been excavated to a depth of 30 feet.

"The second and larger pit has an average width of over 100 feet, and an east by west extension of about 400. The same conditions obtain here as in the smaller working, except that this mine shows a working depth of about 40 feet.

"The stripping of overlying material: This being so far of little

depth, it is a comparative light expense, ample dumping space being conveniently near.

"The clay is now taken out with pick and shovel and carried to the drying sheds in wagons.

"Steam shovel work and the introduction of tracks would simplify and cheapen the cost of extraction of material. A working surface, in this event, of between 50 to 60 feet in depth can be obtained.

"This deposit appears to reach into the hillside for an indeterminate distance, probably to the main rock strata of the mountain. It is 50 feet or more in depth, and I am satisfied from all visible evidence that it covers a large area. There are probably millions of tons of material, and I think that the estimate formed by the company, both as to quantity, about 5,000,000 tons, and its value, 10 cents per ton, is within the limits in both instances.

"Copy of two analyses of material on the property of the Rutland Fire Clay Company:

The business thus far has been carried on in a comparatively small way and without many needed appliances. It seems well nigh cer

tain that with more machinery at the pits and some sort of a tramway from them to the factory a much larger business could be done.

TALC.

This material occurs in many localities in this state, but often in only small quantities, and therefore of no special value. There are, however, several that have been more or less extensively worked during the past two years. Deposits of talc have been found large enough to attract some notice in Roxbury, Bridgewater, Lowell, Newfane, Rochester, East Granville, Chester, Moretown and John

son.

At Moretown there is probably the most extensive plant for mining and working talc there is in the state, but there are mines worked at East Granville, Johnson, Rochester, and Windham.

The International Mineral Company have dug and ground a large amount of talc at their mine at Moretown. The Eastern Talc Company get out the material which is sent to mills elsewhere to be ground. The President, Mr. Freeland Jewett, writes me that they get out about 5,000 tons annually. He says:

"There is no doubt but that the Vermont talc is the smoothest and softest of any produced in this country, as the users constantly give it preference on this account to a product which is found further south. The whole problem of producing talc in a profitable way is governed by two points: one of which is getting rid of impurities and the other, having proper transportation facilities."

At Johnson, the American Mineral Company are vigorously mining a talc which appears to be of unusually good quality. The plant is able to turn out 2,000 tons annually. The enterprise has only recently been so far equipped that finished product could be turned out. Several hundred tons have been mined, ground and all of it sold since starting the machinery. The deposit appears to be extensive and the talc very free from grit.

The United States Talc Corporation have talc deposits at Rochester, but are not doing much as yet beyond the prospecting stage. Talc is also being mined at Windham.

SOAPSTONE.

Inasmuch as soapstone and talc are substantially the same, the former being a more compact and harder form of the mineral, they