64 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The statistics of production which have been collected from year 

 to year show that the industry in general remains practically 

 stationary; in fact lately it has taken a downward trend, falling 

 below the average level of earlier years. This has been due in part 

 to the recent business reaction that has affected practically all in- 

 dustries and in part undoubtedly to the gaining favor of cement 

 and concrete for certain construction purposes. The latter has 

 manifested itself particularly in the loss of trade among the blue- 

 stone quarries which supply flagstone to New York and other 

 eastern cities. This branch of the industry has shown a decline of 

 over 50 per cent in the last four years. 



The total value of the stone quarried in 1911 was $5,455,312, as 

 compared with a reported value of $6,193,252 in 1910. The de- 

 crease thus indicated was $737,940 or 12 per cent. The output for 

 1909 had a value of $7,061,580, showing that a falling off of about 

 30 per cent has taken place in the interval. It should be noted that 

 the above figures do not include slate, millstones, or limestone used 

 for cement manufacture, which are reported separately. 



The output of granite participated in the decline to a marked 

 extent, falling from a value of $244,763 in 1910 to $148,633 last 

 year. The quarries in the Adirondacks and on the St Lawrence 

 river reported a reduced business, and those in southeastern New 

 York were less active than heretofore. New developments in the 

 syenite and anorthosite areas of Clinton and Essex counties have 

 been under way but have not yet reached the stage that enables 

 large shipments to be made. 



No great change occurred in the limestone production ; the quar- 

 ries of that material reported a value of $3,174,161 against $3,245,- 

 807 in the preceding year. The wide use of limestone for concrete 

 and road work has steadied the market, though conditions in some 

 branches were rather unfavorable. 



The value of the marble that was quarried last year amounted to 

 $278,041 against $341,880 in 1910. The main decrease was in 

 building marble from the Dutchess county quarries. The output 

 of monumental marble from (iouverneur was fairly well main- 

 tained. The sandstone quarries registered a large falling off in 

 production, returning a total value of only $955,063, less than re- 

 ported in any recent year. The output in 1910 had a value of 

 $1,451,796. Most of the decrease came from the bluestone 

 quarries. 



The trap quarries in the Palisades section produced about as 

 usual, though the reduction or extinction of the present industry 



