A quarry worker preparing to be lowered into the quarry by the hoister operator. The Monson Pond Quarry was owned by the Monson Maine Slate Company and this hoister house was located on the East end of that quarry.

The wooden box, shown with the quarry worker standing inside of it, was used to lower the workers down into the pit and then hoist them back out again, by the chain attached to the top of the apparatus. Once in the pit the box was taken off and the same chain was used to bring up the slate.

In the background are two slate cars on wheels which were also used to bring the slate into the mill from the pit.