THE MIXING AND OUARKV INDUSTRY I908 7 



reduction in market values. The combined output of brick, tile, 

 fireproofing and terra cotta used for building purposes was valued 

 at $6,071,850 as against $8,909,392 in 1907. -In 1906 these 

 materials represented a value of $11,063,433. The number of 

 building brick made last year was 1,066,533,000 of which 817,- 

 459,000, or about three fourths, represented common brick from the 

 Hudson river region. Along with the decline in building materials 

 there was a large decrease in the ceramic industry, the value of the 

 pottery manufactures amounting to $1,653,241 as compared with 

 $2,240,895 in 1907. The number of plants that were engaged in 

 clay manufacturing of all kinds was 240, or two less than in 1907. 



The value of the quarry products for 1908 was $6,615,614 against 

 $7,890,327 in the preceding year, a falling off of 16 per cent. The 

 total was divided according to the various uses into : building stone 

 $1,264,403; monumental stone $139,077; curb and flagstone 

 $928,511; crushed stone $2,659,016; other uses $1,624,607. The 

 output of slate, millstones and limestone used in making hydraulic 

 cement is not included in the figures. Of the different kinds of 

 stone, granite was the one to show a gain and this was accounted 

 for by its increased use for paving blocks and crushed stone. The 

 quarries of the State are able to supply almost every variety of 

 rock for building and other purposes, though there is a large im- 

 portation from other states. 



The manufactures of hydraulic cement contributed a production 

 last year valued at $2,254,758. In 1907 the value amounted to 

 $2,971,820. Of the product last year 1,988,874 barrels valued at 

 $1,813,622 consisted of portland cement and 623,588 barrels valued 

 at $441,136 of natural rock cement. The latter industry has shown 

 a steady decline for a number of years past due to general con- 

 ditions in the trade. On the other hand the situation in the portland 

 cement industry may be expected to improve and there is every 

 prospect that the State will soon have a much larger share in the 

 production than at present. 



From the salt mines and wells there was obtained last year 

 9,005,311 barrels valued at $2,136,736. The showing was better 

 relatively than in many other branches of the mineral industry ; as 

 compared with the figures for 1907 (9,657,543 barrels valued at 

 $2,449,178) there was a falling ofif in production of less than 7 per 

 cent. For many years the output of the State increased very rapidly 

 and it now amounts to about one third of the total for the entire 

 country. Onondaga county where salt making was first introduced 



