314 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



CALIFORNIA MARBLE. 



Sacramento, January 2d, 1866. 

 Mr. I. N. HoAG, 



Secretary of the State x\gricultural Society: 



Sir: — In compliance with your request, I give you some information 

 in regard to our marble quarries. The quarries from which we procure 

 the marble. known as " Indian Diggings marble," are located in El Dorado 

 County, about three miles from the line that divides El Dorado from 

 Amador County, twentj'-five miles east of south from Placervillc, thirty- 

 two miles east of Latrobe. and sixty-two miles from Sacramento City. 

 A branch of the new Amador road from Virginia City, Silver Mountain, 

 etc., leads within one half mile of the quarries. 



These quarries were first seen by me in the winter of eighteen hundred 

 and fifty-three and four; at that time there was nothing to attract atten- 

 tion to them except the quality of the marble, which was as fine as the 

 best Italian. 



In the winter of eighteen hundred and fifty-six and seven, the solid 

 ledges were uncovered by hydraulic mining, from which we have been 

 taking marble since the summer following, from eighteen hundred and 

 fifty-seven to eighteen hundred and sixty-one. "We quarried only for 

 monumental work. In eighteen hundred and sixtj'-one we erected a 

 steam mill, with three gangs of saws, by which we have been able to 

 supply the increasing demand for this material. 



The marble is more easilj^ worked, more free from iron, fiint, or other 

 outside matter, and as it is as susceptible of as high a polish as the best 

 Italian, there is no reason why it should not, in a few years, supersede 

 the use of imported marble altogether. For general purposes, there is 

 no marble in the United States that can compete with it; and, as j'ou 

 are well aware, we have exhibited it at all the State fairs since eighteen 

 hundred and fifty-eight, in competition with foreign or domestic pro- 

 duction. And we have the proud satisfaction of knowing that California 

 has carried off the palm in marble, as she has in everything else in which 

 she has come in competition with other parts of the world. 



In view of the above facts, it seems that this part of the production of 

 the State has been almost entirely overlooked, and has not received the 

 fostering care and encouragement from your society or the State Govern- 

 ment that its importance demands. Knowing the deep interest that you 

 take in developing all the resources of the State, I have placed the above 

 at your disposal, hoping that it may assist j'ou in your good work. 



I remain, respectfully. 



Your obedient servant, 



ISRAEL LUCE. 



