PRELIMINARY REPORT. 



[Communicated to the Commissioners of the New Capitol in 186S.] 



Hon. HAinLTON Harris, 



Chairman of New Capitol Commissioners : 



Dear Sir — According to instructions received from yourself and 

 Hon. J. Y. L. Pruyn in June, 1867, I proceeded to examine the 

 quarries of building stone within the limits of the State of New 

 York, and also those in adjacent States from which materials had 

 been, or were proposed to be offered for the building of the New 

 Capitol. . 



To this object I devoted the greater part of my time during the 

 remainder of the season, returning from my last journey on the 4th 

 of December; leaving the investigation, however, very far from 

 being completed. During this time I visited many of the quarries 

 within the State of New York and others in the State of Massa- 

 chusetts, and some in Connecticut, Yermont, New Hampshire, 

 Maine, and Ohio. 



In order to have before you the tangible results of this investiga- 

 tion, I have brought to Albanj^, and deposited in the Geological 

 Ruoms, specimens from the greater part of the quarries examined. 

 In nearly all cases the specimens were freely contributed by the 

 proprietors of the quarries, and some of them in the most liberal and 

 handsome manner, as I shall have occasion to mention in the course 

 of my report. Other specimens have likewise been promised for 

 the collection, from quarries examined, and from others not visited. 

 The materials now arranged in the Hall of the Geological Rooms, 

 though far from complete, constitute a valuable and instructive 

 series of building stones ; from among which, I believe, satisfactory 

 selections may be made, not only for the construction of the New 

 Capitol, in its foundations and superstructure, but they will serve as 

 a guide for architects and others in the selection of materials for 

 other purposes. 



I had hoped to be able to finish my observations upon the quar- 

 ries, and the general distribution of building material, during the 

 present season ; but other duties have prevented this, and I would 

 respectfully suggest that some further examination, particularly in 

 some parts of New York, be authorized by the Commissioners before 

 the Report shall be considered complete. I venture to suggest this, 



