This is Throwback Thursday #134. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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Back in 1957, ESCONI held a field trip to the Bevel Granite Company on Kedzie Ave. in Merrionette Park, IL. Guess what, they are still there! The field trip was announced in the March 1957 edition of the ESCONI newsletter.
FIELD TRIP
-----------------10:00 A.M. Saturday, March 16th
BEVEL GRANITE CO., 11849 So. Kedzie
To study the art of monument making
Please register on or before March 8th, as only twenty can be accommodated at same time.
J. G. Schnizlein
Field Trip Chairman
There was a small report in the April 1957 newsletter. It sounds like they had a great time. There was granite from around the US and even Canada and Norway. They processed granite for a variety of purposes. There was a mirror-like slab of Labradorite that was priced at $128. That doesn't sound like much these days... remember that was 1957!
RESUME BEVEL GRANITE COMPANY FIELD TRIP SATURDAY, MARCH 16TH
Assembling at the "open air show room" we were met by the proprietor who gave a rundown on the geography of each monument. Some from Barre, a profusion of Wausau red granite, beautiful pink from South Carolina, etc., Canada and Norway too.
We then proceeded to the office where "Mirror, Mirror on the wall Who has the biggest but--it wasn't on the wall; it was a beautifully polished slab of Labradorite on a wrought iron bench. One of a pair which had sold for 128 bucks.
We followed the cutting wire which ran from the front yard thru the building to the back, and there found them sawing with force fed grit in water multiple slabs from huge blocks.
We crawled around the old reciprocating machine-saw which is no longer used and then moved on into the polishing room where an artisan had progressed to the tin-oxide stage.
For a building-face contract a man was drilling dowel holes in slab sides.
Next we were conducted into the drafting room where we watched them duplicate on a headstone an intricate floral design copied by a rub-off process using plumbago. In another room were several fonts of type, including Hebrew characters, which could be applied by plumbago to the rubber mask then cut out and sand blasted.
Lastly, we were turned loose in the culm pile with the assurance that we might collect any and everything. What do you think you take it from there.
- G.L.D.
Here are photos of the trip.
