This photograph shows a Monson-Maine Company employee operating a mechanized saw for slate cutting around the turn of the 20th century.

For this operation slate would be loaded onto a cutting table. The saw would come directly in front of the slate and the operator would guide it as it cut the slate. Once the slate has been cut the saw could be retracted to the vertical slot seen in the upper end of the machine. If the saw had not cut the slate through completely a hammer could be used to finish the cut.