The Lusk Herald, April 18, 1946

Jay Em Stone & Gem Corp. Reorganized for Expansion

The newly incorporated Jay Em Stone & Gem Corporation expects to begin production within the next month, Coy Jennewein, executive vice president and manage announced Monday when in Lusk.

Originally the Jay Em Onyx and Gem Co., owned and operated by Lake Harris, the firm has now been incorporated with an authorized capital stock of $100,000 and with increased production as the goal.

Coy Jennewein, former Manville resident and owner of the Manville Crude Oil Co., and now owner of a drugstore at Douglas, and E. H. Potter, former executive vice president of the Douglas National Bank, join Lake Harris in the new corporation.

Mr. Harris is president, Mr. Jennewein executive vice president and manager and Mr. Potter, secretary-treasurer.

Considerable new equipment has been purchased, and an additional building leased. Three buildings were included in the purchase of the business. 

EXPERIENCED MEN EMPLOYED

In addition an experienced monument man from Omaha and two quarry men from Minnesota have been employed, and a California man comes to Jay Em this week to look over the opportunity with a view to becoming manager of operations.

The enlarged business venture  is based on what is believed one of the finest and most unique raw material supplies in the Rocky Mountain region. Within a radius of 15 miles, some in Platte County and in Goshen, marble and onyx are found.

QUARRIES EXTENSIVE

C.S. Dietz in an industrial report for the State Department of Education in 1940, said the Rawhide Butte in Niobrara County is a monolith of solid granite remarkably free from fractures and the color tone and graining pattern of the uniform and freshly appearing rock is exceptionally pleasing. He said from above-ground exposures, Grade A granite can be quarried at the lowest possible cost in literally exhaustless volumes. 

Of the marble deposits in the upper reaches of Muskrat Canyon in Goshen County he said there are large belts of fancy colored marbles outcropping to the surface in exhaustless volumes. He described the marbles as very fine-grained, and in joint-free blocks of all dimensions required by the building trade. Varieties include the Wyoming Bluebird, Pink Velvet and Black Nubian.

The onyx deposits, according to Mr. Dietz' report, are near Hartville and are suitable for both building materials and gem work, which the former Jay Em concern has specialized in under such designations as the Lavender, Translucent Green, and Honey Amber.

More recently Homer T. Darlington, engineer for an eastern firm buying building stone, inspected the quarries near Jay Em and praised they highly for the quantity of material easily available and for its uniform quality.

A more recent state industrial survey was also made of the area, praising it highly, but details of this survey were not available at this writing. 

MAY MOVE TO LUSK

For the time being at least diesel power will be used  and the plant located at Jay Em. There has been consideration of moving the  the granite works to Lusk where electric power would be available, though as yet an adequate building has not been secured. Alternative would be to leave the entire plant in Jay Em and utilize REA power, though when this will be available is still indefinite.

Mr. Jennewein and Mr. Potter have just recently returned from an extensive trip to California, Chicago and Minnesota where they have investigated markets and secured the workmen who are coming to Jay Em. Markets are unlimited, they report, "our only problem being to get into production." They already have orders to take up production for considerable time.

Products to be manufactured will include monuments, marble and granite building materials, and products of all kinds.

Mr. Jennewein and Mr. Potter are now both working at Jay Em cleaning up the plant and completing other details, and if living accommodations can be arranged both men will probably move their families here for the summer at least. 

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The Lusk Herald, January 16, 1946

Jay Em Stone & Gem Corp. in Production

The Jay Em Stone & Gem Corp. is increasing operations this week to meet the increasing demand for onyx and granite articles now being manufactured by that concern.

Reorganized last April with Coye Jennewein and E.H. Potter directing operation, the firm has had considerable difficulty in getting equipment and experienced men. 

In fact the family of an experienced stone worker refused to live in the small Wyoming town and returned to the city. Thus Mr. Jennewein and Mr. Potter have had to build from the ground up, with the help of Lake Harris who established the original firm and is associated in the new firm. But now they believe they are in a better position than when they would have otherwise because they have learned the business as they went along.

With considerable new equipment added and the plant powered by diesel electric, the Jay Em products kept the plant busy up thru the holidays as retailers in Lusk, Torrington, Douglas and thru the Jay Em plant sold all that could be produced. Book ends, picture frames, lamps, pen bases, candle sticks and souvenir paper weights were in high demand. Peculiarly, more of the products were sold right out of Jay Em than any other single place. 

Such other work as the making of a pink marble fire place for the Roscoe Kilmer home, and the manufacture of granite gravestones has also been done, hardly to meet local demand let alone putting the Jay Em products into national circulation.

But now the firm is getting ready to branch out and with the employing of three additional men this week, a more systematic production line will be established. Whereas before manufacture was by individual items, now a large number of one article will be manufactured in production line style.

With increased production, the operators believe new markets can be developed that will enable the business to grow rapidly. 

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The Lusk Herald, October 23, 1947

Engineer Urges Establishment of Granite Processing Plant at Lusk

An industrial engineer who has been in the stone and quarry business all of his life, told a group of business men here Saturday night that he say a great future in the developing of the granite business of the Rawhide Buttes area.

He was invited here in conjunction with an attempt by the Jay Em Stone and Gem Corporation, in cooperation with Lusk men, to raise the capital necessary to build a processing plant at Lusk and develop the quarry on the south border of Niobrara County.

While the engineer asked that his name not yet be used in publicity in conjunction with the project, he has assured that he thinks enough of the project to become one of the largest investors, and to give up his present position with a large company to become plant superintendent here. 

For two hours he answered questions of Lusk men regarding the proposed business. He had previously visited here and taken samples of the Niobrara granite for testing, and he said it is superior to any granite in this district. By "this district" he explained that he meant Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming, the only area in the United States producing red granite in quantity. 

FINE QUALITY GRANITE

As a man whose father was in the stone business, and he himself growing up in it, the visitor said, "I see a future in this far beyond anything you can see." This granite has a finer, more uniform grain, equal to any in durability, and takes a high finish.

He urged thorough investigation of himself and the granite business  by the Lusk group., but emphasized that the granite business has been one of the strongest, weathering depressions better than many other business, and making a return of between 7.5 and 10% on investment.

The demand for monument material and building stone is now such that no producer will guarantee delivery under six months, he said. Our market would be the area from Chicago west, he said. He recommended that any plant established here manufacture semi-finished monuments, and "tailor-made" building stone.

One of the attractive features of the Niobrara granite supply is that it is available in large enough pieces to manufacture economically and he explained that the butte is one gigantic boulder from which to cut.

The engineer estimated that between $70,000 and $80,000 would be raised to add to the present approximate $40,000 capital in the Jay Em firm. This would be  used to construct machinery for here and at the quarry and provide working capital. He said he would consider coming into the plan for additional capital as low as $50,000, but cautioned that earnings for several years would then have to be used to build up the plant.

TO EMPLOY 20 TO 60 MEN

He estimated that to start with the plant would employ approximately 20 men and that when fully developed would employ as many as 60.

The present Jay Em Stone and Gem Corporation has an authorized capital of $100,000. Lake Harris of Jay Em is president. Coye Jennewien, vice president and general manager, E.H. Potter, secretary-treasurer. On the enlarged scale several of the new investors would be put on the board of directors. 

Lusk is considered the only feasible site for the new plant, because of its proximity to the quarry, 14 miles south. Railroad facilities are available, and the visiting engineer said the central location to points of demand was very favorable.

A committee of the Lusk Lions Club has been discussing the proposition with the Jay Em men for some time, and at present a survey is being made to determine the amount of capital that can be raised. Further details may be  secured from any of the Jay Em officers, or from Roscoe Kilmer, Roy Chamberlain, Mayor George Earl Peet or Thomas O. Miller of Lusk.

The name of the engineer can be secured and every phase of the project is open to thorough investigation.

One Lusk man who had pledged $2,000 said after the Saturday nigh meeting that he would rather take $5,000 in stock if it would mean establishing the business on a scale large enough to move right into production.

It is considered important to move as rapidly as possible on the project. For one reason there is some machinery now available at a reasonable price. Another factor is that the present demand for building stone is high. 

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The Lusk Herald, January 8, 1948

Jay Em Stone & Gem Corp. Meeting to Be Held Tuesday

The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Jay Em Stone and Gem Corporation will be held next Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Jay Em starting at 10 a.m. at which time the reorganization of the business will be accomplished.

Through efforts of Lusk Business men over $50,000 in additional capital has been raised to construct a granite processing plant at Lusk for the fabricating of granite from Rawhide Butte quarry.

The board of directors will be enlarged and elected at the annual meeting and other business attended to preliminary to starting the construction of the plant at Lusk. The present management is urging all of the new investors to attend the meeting.

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The Lusk Herald, January 15, 1948

Granite Company Reorganized To Set Up Plant at Lusk

Directors of the reorganized Jay Em Stone and Gem Corporation were elected at the annual meeting in Jay Em, Tuesday, and action definitely taken to move the industry to Lusk under new and expanded facilities. 

Elected directors were C.D. Jennewein, E.H. Potter and Lake Harris, of the old firm, and Roscoe Kilmer, Thomas O. Miller and Oscar Bostrum of Lusk representing new capital, as well as Charles Coutts of Raymond, Cal., who will come here to direct the industry. 

Because three of the men elected directors were not able to attend the stockholders meeting, the reorganization of the new 7-man board was adjourned to January 22. 

The board of directors was increased from five to seven men to give more representation to the new capital, and the new board was instructed by the annual meeting to proceed in changing the articles of incorporation to include seven, as well as to change the name of the business to one which will promote and advertise the Niobrara Mahogany granite to the best advantage.

Board Action Awaited

It will now take action of the board to determine the next immediate steps in the erection of a plant at Lusk and start operations. However, Mr. Potter and Mr. Jennewein have recently been in California, and Mr. Jennewein is still there, looking up machinery and contacting Mr. Coutts on further matters. 

Under the new setup the stock of the holders in the former Jay Em business was considerably reduced to $25,000 for consideration of present assets and at present $36,500 in additional capital has been raised, with another  $9,000 pledged and some other expected.

The reorganized granite processing business is based on what Mr. Coutts, a recognized stone and quarry operator, says is an inexhaustible supply of fine red granite in the Rawhide Butte in southern Niobrara County.

Mr. Potter reaffirmed at the Stockholder meeting Tuesday that the demand for building and monumental granite is still far from satisfied and that one processor stated that he alone could use all that could be produced here for years.

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The Lusk Herald, February 12, 1948

Coutts Not to participate in Granite Development, But Project Moves Ahead

Charles Coutts, stone and granite engineer who has been named in connection with the reorganized Jay Em Stone Corp., made known this week that he was severing  his connection with the project.

However, the officers of the organization have assurance from Daniel McCarthy, operator of the Raymond Granite Quarries in California, that he will join the new Niobrara project and will see that engineering help is secured to erect the plant there and get the quarry and plant into operation.

Mr. McCarthy is expected here this weekend to go over matters. It is his equipment that is still in the Rawhide Butte quarry and it is understood he will turn this equipment over to the business for stock. Mr. McCarthy is one of the largest operators on the Coast and has large outlets for all kinds of stone.

Board of Directors at the Lusk firm believe that a misunderstanding regarding salary, and their reluctance to give Coutts the complete control of operations that he deemed necessary, were responsible for his decision not to come here, even though he had purchased a block of stock. Mr. Coutts criticized some of the procedure thus far and said that he would not want to face the stockholders at some future date with an alibi instead of results. 

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The Lusk Herald, March 25, 1948

Work to Progress on New Granite Industry

The work of constructing the plant for the re-organized Jay Em and Gem Corporation is expected to be under way by mid-April, when Charles Coutts, stone and quarry engineer, comes here to direct and manage the new industry.

Mr. Coutts was in Lusk over the week and conferring with officials of the re-organized firm and an understanding was reached over difficulties that previously caused Mr. Coutts to sever connections with the firm. 

One 18x18 building has already been moved from Jay Em to the plant location in Lusk and work is progressing in the moving of a war surplus building in Alliance. the will be the main plant building. This will be the main plant building.

The plant is to be located on lots procured from the town of Lusk and leased railroad property northeast of the Lusk Elevator.

Mr. Coutts plans to come to Lusk between the 10th and 15th of April and will will be started shortly thereafter at the Rawhide Butte quarry getting out stone as well as erecting a plant.

Among other matters decided upon at the Saturday night meeting of directors, was the changing of the name of the firm to Wyoming Quarries, Inc., in the belief that this name will have a broader and more general advertising value. Then name of the product will then be given a localized name; such as Jay Em or Niobrara granite.

While here Mr. Coutts re-emphasized his firm belief in the possibilities of the Niobrara granite industry. 

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The Lusk Herald, April 22, 1948

Work is Started on Plant of Wyoming Quarries at Lusk

Footings were being set this week as the start on the construction of the plant of the Wyoming Quarries, Inc., on lots secured from the town and leased from the C & W. Railroad several yards east of the Lusk Elevator.

Nearly all material is now on hand and erection of the building will proceed rapidly.

Charles Coutts, stone and granite engineer, who has encouraged the expansion of the former Jay Em firm to process the Niobrara granite, arrived in Lusk last week to supervise construction of the plant. He will manage the industry once it is established.

The Lusk Herald, July 22, 1948

At a well attended meeting held Friday evening, July 16, the Wyoming Quarries Co., Inc., successor to the Jay Em Stone and Gem Corporation, the stockholders heard a very interesting and encouraging report from the officers of the company.

The plant in Lusk, where the stone will be processed in nearing completion, and already some of the heavy machinery has been set on foundations. Workmen are busy now putting a roof on the large structure, and a railroad track will be run into the building so there will be no lost motion in loading the finished product for shipment.

Estimates have been submitted on one large contract totaling close to a half million dollars for granite and limestone for a large building on the West Coast, and there is a good chance the local company will be the successful bidder.

Construction was started Saturday on a new road leading to the granite quarry at the Rawhide Butte, and some new machinery is to be installed so as to enable a more expeditious handling of the raw material and transporting it to the Lusk plant. New limestone deposits are being inspected with a view of processing limestone as well as granite for large buildings. 

At the present rate of progress the company will have its plant in Lusk completed and all machinery installed and ready for operation sometime in August. Work has been delayed considerably because of a lack of skilled workmen in the construction work of the plant. 

Pictured above is the recently completed processing plant of Wyoming Quarries, Inc., at Lusk. The first granite was put under the polishers there last week. Extending to the right beyond the building may be seen the high track on which the overhead crane moves heavy blocks of granite through the building. The black lean-to in the center of the picture is the office and drafting room. Just to the left of it is the lean-to which houses the blacksmith shop and compressor machinery. The lean-to at the extreme left houses the heavy motors and drive shafts which operate the two drag saws, first cutting operation in processing the granite.

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The Lusk Herald, December 2, 1948

The wheels began turning in the plant of Wyoming Quarries, Inc., here Monday. Actually the saws started last week cutting through the heavy blocks of granite, but Monday the polishers were put into action for the first time so that one could see what the new Niobrara County product looks like.

The erection of the plant and operation of the industry is under the general management of Charles  Coutts, industrial engineer, who came  here from California in April. More recently Frank Wagner of Ortonville, Minn., has been employed as quarry foreman, and work is progressing satisfactorily there in getting out stone.

At the quarry as well as at the plant it has been necessary to start with an inexperienced crew and gradually train them. However, an attempt is now being made to secure a sawyer and a shop foreman as added help. Present problem of the business is to get into production so that some revenue starts coming in to meet the heavy payroll that thus far has been taken out of original capital subscribed. 

ORGANIZED IN JANUARY

The new corporation was formally organized in January as Wyoming Quarries, Inc., after taking over the lease and minor assets of the former Jay Em Stone & Gem Corp. The corporation has a perpetual lease on the quarry which is located on land owned by Menno Kaan.

Officers of the corporation are C.D. Jennewein, president; Roscoe Kilmer, vice president; Blanche Spencer, secretary; Thomas O. Miller, treasurer,; and Lake Harris, Oscar Bostrom and Charles Coutts the other directors.

The plant, which is located west of Highway 85 and just north of the C. & N. W. railroad tracks, was constructed during the summer. Besides the office, it includes an engineering and drawing room, blacksmith shop, and main processing room.  It is so constructed, that railroad track can later be laid into the building to permit expeditious handling of large orders. A power overhead crane is used to move and handle the stone.

USE TWO SAWS

Two straight-cut drag motors operated by electric motors and now in operation. These giant machines will cut a block of granite into numerous slabs through and action of the saw blades aided by steel shot and water. While the rate of cutting ins now only about three inches an hour, it is expected that this will be increased to as much as six inches late on. To give some idea of the size of the saws, they are each set on an 85-ton concrete base.

Three polishers have now been installed and a fourth will be installed shortly to allow slabs to move through the four processes of polishing without re-handling. The slabs are placed on steel carts and moved from one polisher to the other. The first polishing process again utilizes shot; second is coarse carborundum; and fourth is a buffer.

Compressed air is  used to a great extent in various processes, this necessitating a heavy compressor and piped outlets throughout the building. A sandblast room is now being prepared for carving, lettering and scroll work.

Other equipment includes a portable diamond saw, copping and molding machine and a surfacing machine. 

It is expected that once the plant is fully underway and open house will be held so that the public may view the workings of the new industry. 

QUARRY SOUTH OF LUSK (straight west from Highway 85). The quarry is reached by going on the south county line road. The quarry may be seen from the highway, on the east side of the rock butte.

As yet the quarry has been worked only to a shallow depth. A machine and blacksmith shop building have been erected there to house the compressor and hoist machinery.

Quarry work this far has been confined to clearing away surface rock and other damaged by previous faulty shooting, though sufficient blocks are being taken out to keep the plant busy. Mr. Wagner said that before long, however, the quarry will be cleared so that it can be effectively operated.

Mr. Wagner, who is a quarry operator of many years experience in Minnesota, says this is one of the finest deposits of granite to be found, and in limitless quantity. He points out its fine, uniform grain that makes it especially valuable for building stone, and says that it can be taken out in blocks as large as needed. 

Now working at the shop besides Mr. Coutts are C.D. Jennewein, Bert Gibson, Roy Garrett, Ralph Olafson, Jack Dee Ray, LeRoy Holder, and Ernst Weigand. Ian Lewis is employed in the office. 

At the quarry working with Mr. Wagner are Merle Tucker, Joe Vondra, Gerald Greenly and Brent Bruch. Mr. Wagner's family is remaining in Minnesota until he finds living accommodations in Lusk. He has a son 17, a daughter 14 and another 5. 

The Lusk Herald, March 23, 1950

Early Morning Fired Damages Quarries Bldg.

Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the office of the Wyoming Quarries building in north Lusk at 4:30 Tuesday morning, damaged the main building and for a time threatened to destroy it in the most spectacular blaze in Lusk for years.

Except for the efficient and tireless work of the Lusk Volunteer Fire Department, the all-wood building and thousands of dollars worth of machinery would have been destroyed.

As it was none of the machinery is believed to have been damaged, both wiring through the ceiling of the giant structure was burned.

Leonard Seegrist, night policeman, discovered the blaze while making one of his periodic rounds in the town patrol car. He was just turning around near the Lusk Elevator when he saw the blaze break out. A second alarm was turned in shortly later by Firemen and this one thoroughly aroused the town. The blaze by then had raised to such heights that it could be seen from many parts of town and a large number of people turned out.

DRAG HOSE LONG DISTANCE

Hose had to be dragged nearly 300 yards across the creek bottom from the north to reach the fire and the first few firemen on the scene had a terrific struggle to get this accomplished. Both the county and town firetrucks were put into use.

To bring the fire under control one group of firemen had to take one hose inside the smoke filled structure to get at the ceiling blaze, and this feat was responsible for stopping the fire before it got over the machinery.

The office annex was completely destroyed. Records kept in a safe were found in good condition when the safe was opened Wednesday. However, it was discovered that someone  had tried to open the safe Tuesday night, and dropped tools there apparently when the night police made a periodic check of the premises.

Some $1500 in completed monuments were set next to the office annex, were destroyed from the heat. However, little of the completed stone inside , or other stacked outside was damaged. A truck set near the building caught fire, but was finally pushed away and the blaze extinguished.

Fortunately there was no wind as it is believed the fire could not have been stopped. 

 . It was cold enough, however, that the clothes of firemen froze and ice formed on their heads.

The building and equipment are covered by insurance, and the building is being boarded up awaiting insurance adjustments.

Completed monuments, however, were not insured and are a loss.

Lake Harris has  had the plant under lease producing moments and working on the war memorial to be placed in the Lusk City park.

The Lusk Herald, June 15, 1950

Blanche Spencer Buys in Wyoming Quarries Property

Under a foreclosure proceeding, Mrs. Blanche Spencer of Lusk bid on the property and assets of the Wyoming Quarries, Inc., last Friday, and took over all the property of the corporation, including the granite quarry and equipment at Rawhide Buttes.

Final disposition of the property at this time is uncertain. Mrs. Spencer expressed the hope that she will be able to keep the property intact and that an experienced stone operator will be found to operate the concern so that it will yet be an industrial asset to the community, which was the original intention of those who invested in the enterprise.

The concern did not fail because of a lack of demand for the product, but the affairs of the corporation became so involved, and the process of getting into production was so slow that the foreclosure proceedings seemed to be the only way out in order to satisfy the mortgage holders and salvage the assets of the corporation.