QUARRY CLOSES; ARCHDIOCESE EXAMINES PURCHASE, LEASE OPTIONS

SCOTT CITY -- A spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis said Tuesday discussions have been going on for the possible sale or lease of its limestone rock quarry at Grays Point on the Mississippi River east of Scott City.

The West Lake Quarry at Grays Point and another at Neelys Landing north of Cape Girardeau were closed without notice late last week. But reports of their impending closure had been circulating in the Scott City area for sometime, according to a source who asked not be identified.

The Grays Point and Neelys Landing quarries plus two others in St. Louis and Jefferson counties, are managed by West Lake Quarry of St. Louis. The Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis is the majority stockholder in West Lake Quarry, along with several other Catholic charities.

West Lake Quarry company was founded in 1939 by Vertice Cruse. At the time of his death, control of the company went to his wife, Catherine Cruse. When she died, the company was left to the archdiocese and other Catholic charities in 1982.

"We are not necessarily selling off any of our properties, per se, but are converting our investments into cash," said Vince Jones, spokesman for the diocese. "Only the property at Grays Point is involved in discussions at this time."

Jones declined to identify who was involved in the discussion about the Grays Point quarry. But a spokesman for Luhr Brothers Inc. of Columbia, Ill., confirmed in an interview Tuesday that Luhr Brothers has been meeting off and on for about two months with West Lake officials to discuss the Grays Point quarry.

Luhr Brothers is a well-known marine construction and earth moving company founded in 1948. It specializes in navigational projects for the Army Corps of Engineers on the Mississippi River from St. Louis to the Gulf of Mexico 125 miles south of New Orleans, and along Gulf Coast Intercoastal Waterway from New Orleans to Texas.

The navigation and bank stabilization projects include construction of above-water rock wing dikes and shore revetments, and the new, underwater bendway weirs being built in the river between St. Louis and Cairo.

Luhr Brothers purchases large amounts of rock from quarries along the river for the projects and transports the rock on its fleet of company-owned barges. The company also owns and operates a fleet of towboats to transport other bulk commodities in addition to rock. Its marine division is headquartered at Cape Girardeau.

"We have been talking to West Lake management about the purchase of the Grays Point quarry, but nothing has been signed," said Art Boss, secretary-treasurer of Luhr Brothers, speaking from their Columbia, Ill. offices.

"At this point we cannot even say if or when an agreement will be signed. There is no timeframe. There are no negotiations; just conversations between Luhr Brothers and West Lake management."

Boss said the quarry at Grays Point is the only one involved in their discussions with West Lake. But Jones said the diocese would also consider selling or leasing its other quarries to other interests if the opportunity arises, including the one at Neelys Landing.

William Whitaker, president of West Lake, was out of town Tuesday and not available for comment.

The Southeast Missourian learned the Grays Point and Neelys Landing quarries were closed Friday or Saturday. When an employee arrived for work Monday, he found the gates to the Grays Point quarry were locked. The employee was reportedly told by a company official that the quarry was being sold to Luhr Brothers.

Since 1987, the West Lake Quarry at Grays Point has been involved in several labor disputes that resulted in strikes. The last strike was in 1990.

Cherie Hillman, president of the Scott City Chamber of Commerce, said closing of the quarry will have a major impact on the town.

"Anytime any business shuts down has an impact," she said. Of the approximately 52 people who were employed at the Grays Point quarry, Hillman said a majority lived in or near Scott City.