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Hancock Herald - August 20th, 1959 Transcribed by B.J. Shawd, October 26, 2002
(Ed. Note: Sherman R. Lewis of Washingtonville, Orange County, who writes a column entitled "The Listening Post," for the Orange County Post, has written the following article concerning "The Big Quarry" at Tyler Switch which is now very active following many years of silence and has kindly forwarded this newspaper a copy for the enjoyment of our readers).
The Big Quarry
One recess period, as we looked up toward the Big Quarry which seemed to touch the sky, we saw a man with his horse and dump cart back a load of rubbish stone to the brink of the hill where it was customary to dump the cart and let the rubbish go tumbling down the mountain side. From this quarry, the production of fine blue flag stone and curbing had been carried on so long that the rubbish dump had obliterated and completely buried the large forest trees to the very foot of the mountain so that nothing obstructed the view.
A Near Tragedy
Native Ingenuity
Big Quarry Active Again
However, after many years of silence and inactivity, the Big Quarry has again sprung into new life. New improved roads, dams, the New York City aquaducts, and modern building construction have created tremendous demands for sand, gravel, crushed stone and their by- products.
The Big Quarry, close to old 17 which is becoming the "Quickway" and midway between Binghamton and Orange County, with its millions of tons of blue sand stone for crushing fits right into the middle of this picture.
Cooney Brothers have acquired a ten year lease on the "Big Quarry" and have established headquarters not far from it's base. The valley again echoes with the blasts from the quarry. Most of the old dump stones have been carted away and crushed. A large crusher is now located just below the quarry and a new road built from there to the screening and processing plant on the lower ground to the west. Water is pumped from the river for washing and the dust and waste is gradually filling "sunken lake" not far away. This was a small deep lake with neither inlet or outlet, but always filled with sparking cold water fresh as from a good spring. This small lake had, down through the centuries, crusted over with moss and other debris until it was more like a bog than a lake. On the bog surface of this lake grew a few cranberries of which I have myelf picked a few. One could poke a long pole down through this bog crust and find no bottom. In spots the crust was three to four feet thick.
Still Serving Mankind
Sad to relate, the old District School House is tumbling down and soon will have passed forever down the back entries of time.
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