MAKING A SPLASH
their established operations in Worcester , Massachusetts , Providence , Rhode Island , and Tuckahoe , New York . Quarrying operations in South Dorset kicked off promptly , while ground grading for the new mill in Manchester Depot commenced in October 1901 . By the end of November , the foundation was set . The framing swiftly followed suit , with the building ’ s completion achieved by late January of 1902 . Equipped with a steam boiler , engine , eight gangs of saws , rubbing beds , and a sizable overhead traveling crane , the mill was primed for efficient marble processing . While the mill primarily employed local laborers , Norcross Brothers drafted supervisors from their other ventures . Workforce fluctuations were common , ranging from a large team of 300 workers during peak periods to a skeletal crew during quieter times . To optimize their investment , Norcross Brothers pursued
additional contracts as the mill ramped up operations . Plans for expanding the mill and doubling its initial size were unveiled in June of 1902 , with heavy timber supplies sourced from Hapgood ’ s lumber mill in nearby Peru .
However , the conventional method of transporting marble from the quarry to the mill using manual labor proved cumbersome . This hindered the timely supply of blocks needed to fulfill contracts . The proposition of constructing a company railroad gained traction , yet the project faced resistance from Norcross , who deemed it excessively costly . Nevertheless , construction commenced on the new Manchester , Dorset , and Granville Railroad in November 1902 , with passenger services opening to the public on September 2 , 1903 . Operating from the station situated north of the mill at the Depot Street crossing , the service made one stop before concluding its journey at the South Dorset quarry station . The locomotives shuttled empty flatcars and a passenger coach from the mill to the quarry and back , loaded with marble on the return journey .
At the apex of the booming marble market , Norcross ’ ill-fated ventures in outside investments cast a shadow over the Northshire in July 1903 . Uncertainty gripped Manchester , dominating both newspaper columns and local discussions . However , by the end of August , reassurance arrived from the Massachusetts Supreme Court that the Norcross Brothers ’ assignment would not impact the Norcross-West Marble Company or the railroad .
Initially operating around the clock , seven days a week , the mill sustained a hectic pace , fueled by orders from new
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