Divine Stone

Granite by the Sea

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date April 10, 2020

Block of Granite from Wharff Quarry, Vinalhaven,ME — Block of Granite quarried for the Cathedral St. John the Divine column. Merrithew Glass Plate Collection, Vinalhaven Historical Society

Maine Granite

A mammoth shelf of granite exists in Penobscot Bay off the coastal city of Rockland, Maine. As a result, on the many islands in the bay, granite quarries began to spring up around 1826. Fox Island, later named Vinalhaven, is practically a huge granite ledge 9 miles long and 2 miles wide. Several of the Bodwell Granite Company’s quarries were located here. The 1899 order from architects Heins & LaFarge for eight massive columns came here. They were to be 6 ft. in diameter and 54 ft. high standing on 15 ft. high pedestals. As a result, the Wharff Quarry on Vinalhaven began the work on this granite from the sea.

Because of granite, towns like those on Vinalhaven grew rapidly. Vinalhaven had 1200-1500 men working at its peak. Demand for granite quarrymen encouraged immigration from Sweden, Finland, Scotland, Ireland, Spain and Italy. Being close to water gave Penobscot Bay’s granite industry an advantage. Shipping granite was cheaper and more efficient by schooner, sloop and barges. This was true until the end of the nineteenth century. Improving rail service allowed other states to participate in the granite trade. Finally, greater transportation options ended Maine’s 100 year dominance in granite production.

Wharff Quarry, Blocks for Cathedral St. John the Divine — Wharff Quarry, Vinalhaven. Merrithew Glass Plate Collection, Vinalhaven Historical Society.

Vinalhaven’s Wharff Quarry

The quarry from which the the columns were obtained is remarkable. The production of pinkish-grey granite of great transverse strength and freedom from seams, checks and flaws was possible. Certainly these would be fatal to columns of such large dimensions. Consequently, it was thought to be about the only quarry in the United States that could produce monoliths of the size required. There is only one instance of larger columns worldwide. The Cathedral of St. Issac at St. Petersburg, Russia columns are 55 ft. high and 7 ft. 3 inches in diameter. Above all, the quarrying of such huge masses is an operation requiring the greatest care. Any false movement would readily ruin the work of weeks. The efforts in Vinalhaven to produce this granite by the sea were followed by the engineering and scientific community of the day for their unique challenges.

granite stone blanks, Wharff Quarry, Vinalhaven, Maine — Granite stone blanks, Wharff Quarry, 1901. Merrithew Glass Plate Collection, Vinalhaven Historical Society.

Quarrying

The quarrying is accomplished entirely by drilling and wedging. No blasting is possible for the reason that the stone would be shattered and flaws produced that would affect the integrity of the finished work. For the same reason quarrying cannot be carried on during cold weather. The holes are drilled from the top and side of the mass to be loosened, and in the direction of the grain of the granite. Most noteworthy, the only defect likely to be encountered is a black knot or a “growing fast” which spoils a stone.

The block in the featured image above is 64′ x 8.5′ x 7′. It weighs 300 tons. From the quarry face, which is at about ground level, the stone blank is moved about one quarter mile, slightly downhill to the lathe on steel rollers, drawn by steel cables and a hoisting engine. Furthermore it is held back by cables to prevent “running away”. Near the lathe, the blocks are rounded by hand to within 3 inches of the finished surface.

Quarry face and lathe — Lathe in operation, partially rounded block and quarry face in background. Merrithew Glass Plate Collection, Vinalhaven Historical Society

Next Week – Part II of Granite by the Sea will take a closer look at the unusual lathe that turned and polished the columns. Also, an unforeseen problem will be reviewed.

-Engineering News, Vol. No.23, Dec. 3 1903

-Vinalhaven Historical Society

Divine Stone

Milestone Reached

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date April 2, 2020

Apprentices gather around milestone 1000th stone — Manny Alvarado, Jose Tapia, Bishop Paul Moore, Jr. Nelson Otero. Cynie Linton, Pony Baptiste, Dean Morton – May 1981

The 1,000th stone cut became a milestone reached by the stone yard. Therefore church and diocesan officials and the apprentices celebrated the event. The completion of the towers of St. Peter and St. Paul requires 24,000 stones in all. These two towers are on the cathedral’s west front. The 1,000th stone will go up on the southwest tower. It sits here on Timothy Smith’s banker.

Apprentice Timothy Smith, who had some prior experience working with stone, won the lottery to carve the 1,000th stone. He cut it from a block of Indiana limestone. It is an intricately carved pier stone with base. The stone weighs about 1,350 pounds.

The following photo appeared in The Living Church. It is the 130 year old publication of the Episcopal Church in America.

Under the guidance of the master builder and the master mason, the 12 apprentices are learning to cut and “boast” the stones. The boasting patterns, used on the exposed exterior surfaces, are individual and unique to the style of each stone cutter. A boasted finish is also called a droved finish. This type of finish contains intermittent parallel lines which are horizontal or vertical or inclined. A boaster chisel creates the finish. The chisel has a width of approximately 60mm. As a result this finish allows the small play of light and shadow on the highly placed stone that is more significant than a smooth surface.

The Proud Dean

Timothy Smith, Phillipe Petit, Dean Morton look over 1000th stone

Dean Morton took advantage of opportunities to show off the stone yard. One such opportunity was the recent milestone reached with the cutting of the 1,000th stone. At left, tight rope walker and celebrity Phillipe Petit is looking over the stone with the dean and Timothy Smith in his favorite red hat.

Profiles in Stone

Chris Hannaway

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date March 26, 2020

Chris Hannaway, Master Mason, handles all the day to day issues at the building site. It is October 1979. Hannaway was tempted away from his job completing the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool to come to New York. Starting in July, he began training his work force of five apprentices. They are learning the stone mason’s trade in a way little changed since the Middle Ages.

“They are doing very well”
-Chris Hannaway

The Indiana Limestone blocks arriving at the worksite are of enormous proportions. They weigh in at over six tons each, fourteen feet long, five or six feet wide and either ten or fourteen inches thick. A stone cutting saw is the only machine on the site, apart from electromechanical hoists. The machine cuts the stone into manageable proportions. The saw, like the master mason, came from England and has been cutting stone for about 40 years. After this, the trainee masons have to cut the blocks into the right shapes using chisels. In the beginning, they have concentrated on the easiest stones which are rectangular cuboids. These stones have notches in them so they fit with the adjacent stones when they are fixed in place on the tower.

Later, the apprentices will progress to more elaborate shapes that will be needed for the complicated geometry of the towers. The work rate at this point is very slow while the trainees are learning the trade. To finish one stone can take several days.

Profiles in Stone

The Starting Five

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date March 19, 2020

The Starting Five apprentices are pictured above with Chris Hannaway, Master Mason. Starting in December of 1978, hundreds of applications and inquiries poured in to Dean Morton’s office. Questions about the hiring of apprentices for the soon to be opened stone yard tied up 3 phone lines in the office, according to Odessa Elliot. They came out of the neighborhoods and they approached the Dean on the street. He recruited five young people, including two former street gang members, for the first class. After a hiatus of 37 years, construction would begin again. James Bambridge, Master Builder, secured Chris Hannaway to train the apprentices.

“I don’t worry about experience. I look for character, integrity and desire to learn”
– James Bambridge

First Stone Arrives

On June 21, 1979 a celebration marked the delivery of several gigantic blocks of Indiana Limestone. Bishop Paul Moore of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, The Very Rev. James Parks Morton, the dean of the cathedral and a host of community leaders including Mayor Koch spoke at the ceremony. They voiced a common message. The renewal of construction heralded a renaissance for the church, the community of Harlem, and the city.

“I pray that these two towers on the edge of Harlem will remind New Yorkers that we cannot rebuild our city at the expense of the poor, the aged and the sick. I pray that they will become symbols of our compassion, sympathy and yearning for peace.”
-Bishop Moore

The initial cost of resuming construction would be met by $2 million already available in the cathedral’s building fund. Therefore Bishop Moore estimated that this was sufficient money to set up the stone shop, purchase or rent the necessary equipment and pay the workers salaries for 5 years. An intensive fundraising campaign would supplement the initial amount. The Harlem Commonwealth Council would select 3 apprentices and finally the Diocese would pick two.

Cutting shed starting five — Early days in the cutting shed – First Five Apprentices, Chris Hannaway watching

The Starting Five –

Dean Morton recruited Jose Tapia from a Harlem group called the Harlem Renigades. (They didn’t like too many e’s). James Jamerson’s previous job was installing refrigeration equipment. He said he hoped to start his own business in stone masonry once the job at the cathedral is finished. Manuel Alvarado was a museum keeper before he found work in the yard. Timothy Smith used to build stone walls in Vermont. Thus he had some experience. There is one woman so far in the workforce, Linda Peer, who said there is no reason women should not be stone masons and wishes there were more.

-Photos contributed by Timothy Smith

Tags first five apprentices

Profiles in Stone

Bambridge – Master Builder

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date March 12, 2020

James Bambridge – Master Builder was recruited in 1979 by the Very Rev. James Parks Morton to begin the construction of the two towers on the west front of the cathedral. He was recommended to Dean Morton by colleagues at the Liverpool Cathedral. No one could have been better at the task of drawing out each of the 24,000 stones required to finish the two 80 meter towers. Bambridge supervised the recent completion of the Liverpool Cathedral. He arrived in New York with sterling credentials.

Before 10 years at Liverpool, there were repairs to the bomb damaged buildings in England, including the Houses of Parliament. He also worked in Canada and was the Master Mason for restoration work at the Anglican Cathedral in St. Johns, Newfoundland. He often related stories of work in sub zero temperatures getting a stone set before the mortar froze. After Liverpool he worked on the Wells Cathedral, where he served as master mason.

Early in his career, he served a stone masonry apprenticeship with Trollop & Colls in London. Bambridge worked through all the tasks as mason (banker mason/stone cutter) fixer (stone setter) and then extensively as a “Setter Out”. This entailed working drawings, layout, template making and job tickets. He was apprenticed to the legendary Harry Biggs. He spoke often of what he had learned from him and other craftsmen of extraordinary ability like Bert Possey and Fred Lowne.

Initial Tasks

Initially the 1929 revised drawings were reviewed by Jim Bambridge – Master Builder. These were the plans of architect Ralph Adams Cram whose firm took over design in 1907 from Heins & LaFarge. He was also searching for a professional foreman who could train the soon to be hired apprentices.

“It’s a mighty satisfying kind of work, a lad can look up at a building years later and point to a stone he shaped. We number all the stones and the lad actually knows which ones he did.”
-James Bambridge

Applications for the initial five apprentice jobs were mounting at Dean Morton’s office. Telephone lines were jammed said Odessa Elliot, secretary to the Dean. The list would eventually go to Mr. Bambridge. He commented, “It’s a mighty satisfying kind of work, a lad can look up at a building years later and point to a stone he shaped. We number all the stones and the lad actually knows which ones he did.” In Liverpool, Mr. Bambridge trained eight young men to be journeyman masons, a three year process. Many others stayed for shorter periods.