Limestone mills; Quarries and quarrying; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
Pictured here is the Matthew Brothers stone plant which operated from 1862 until 1978 when it was sold to the Bybee Stone Company, which is still in operation in Ellettsville.
Limestone mills; Quarries and quarrying; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
An exterior shot of the factory, probably dating from the late 19th century. The block is painted with the number that corresponds to the drafting ticket for the mill.
Steam power plants; Quarries and quarrying; Limestone mills; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
The advent of steam registered an enormous impact on the stone industry as steam power was harnessed to existing technologies ranging from the derrick to the saw. By the time this image was taken (ca. 1880), steam had already made deep inroads into...
Employees; Limestone mills; Quarries and quarrying; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
In this exterior shot of an early limestone mill, several figures can be seen posing in front of the workshops in the background. Stacked stone in the gang saws inside bar on the left onto diamond saw, which were inverted for the planer.
Stone-cutting tools--Belt saws; Limestone mills; Employees; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
By 1973, modern belt or block saws like the one pictured here, originally designed by W. F. Myers Inc. and consisting of a belt of neoprene molded around airplane cable and fitted with highly resilient diamond teeth, had almost completely replaced...
Quarries and quarrying; Limestone mills; Employees; Railroads; Dimension stone; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
As this image demonstrates, the railway track often ran directly into the mill to ensure greater transport efficiency and cost effectiveness. The railways often transported the stone properly cutor in the process of being cutlocated on the left...
Stone-cutting tools--Rip saws; Employees; Limestone mills; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
Early saws, because they were made of iron and operated without the assistance of water to help ensure durability, often deteriorated quickly. Later versions, such as the rip saw in this image included hoses to prevent the saw from overheating and...
Stone carving; Employees--Stone carvers; Limestone mills; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
Stone carvers work on the floor of the interior of the factory, adding painstaking detail to these ornately carved basins. This is a fine chisel dowel hole for the iron dowel to lift the stone. Notice the hay in that is ready to pack the stone in...
Stone carving; Employees--Stone carvers; Limestone mills; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
Here, stone carvers can be seen putting the finishing touches on some cherubs adorning panels intended for the facade of a building. Notice the man sitting on an old nail keg. Typically, carvers did not sit but stood.
Dimension stone; Planing-machines; Employees; Limestone mills; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
The planer mill had metal (usually zinc) patterns with each ticket, which specified the size and measurements. You may be able to determine who is working here based on the way the workers are dressed. The man in the white shirt may be quality...
Employees; Limestone mills; Railroads; Dimension stone; Matthews Brothers Stone Company
An interior shot of the Matthews Stone Company factory. Notice the railroad cars in the foreground used to transport stone directly in and out of the factory floor.
