SOAPSTONE quarry in the northeast part of Middlefield. The stone which lay in a bed several hundred feet in length with a width of thirty feet was the best quality for building purposes. In 1853 the “Metropolitan Soapstone Company of New York City” was incorporated with a cpital of $200,000 which was afterward increased to $300,000. This company commenced operations opening two extensive quarries near the top of Smith Hollow Hill and marketing at one time 100 tons per week. Gen. Charles B. Stuart was president of the company. They had two mills for sawing the stone and grinding a portion into powder. They had a yard in New York City an acre large. In Middlefield they employed 18 or 20 hands who did the teaming of large blocks of stone over the hills and through the valleys to the Middlefield “Switch” where they were shipped to New York. There were two or three buildings at the quarry for boarding and tenements but none is standing now. The company conducted quarrying operations for a few years and finally abandoned the whole business in 1860-61. It failed to be as prosperous as was expected because of the expense of quarrying, manufacture and shipment.

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