BUILDING AND ORNAMENTAL STONES. 4()5 



Penmylranla. — The. Lower Silurian forniations in Montgomery, Lan- 

 caster, and Chester Counties, which fiirnisli the supply of ruarble already 

 referred to,* furnish also lari^e (juantities of gray or bluish-gray stone of 

 the same eomposition, but, owing to its color and texture, unsuited for 

 any form of ornamental worlc. Tt is, however, extensively quarried for 

 general building, for foun<lations and bridge abutments. Besides, in 

 Montgomery Count}', limestone is ([uarrie<l for local use in Easton, 

 Tuckerton, and Reading-, Berks County, and in Annville, Lebanon 

 County; also near ILxrrisburg, ])au[)h in County; Leaman Place, Lan- 

 caster County; York, York County; Bridgeport, Shiremanstown, and 

 ('arlisle, Cumberland County. The stone from the Lancaster quarries 

 breaks with an irregular fracture; is " plucky," as the stone cutters say, 

 and is hence hard to work. It is, however, very durable, exposure for 

 many years having no other apparent ettect than that of a slight fading 

 of the coh)r. 



The York stone is veiy fine grained, compact, and of a deep blue black 

 color. It takes a high polish, and but for its uneven texture might 

 make a line marble, in Wrightsville, in this same county, a white or 

 bluish crystalline granular stone is (piarried, wliich takes a fair polish, 

 and which might perliai>s be used for marble, 



xVt Chambersburg', and in other parts of Franklin County the stone 

 is a calcareous dolomite, dark in color, fiiu^ grained, and very durable; 

 buildings which have stood for a century showing only a slight fading. 

 It is used locally for rough building", lime burning, and I'ertiliy.ers. 



At various localities near South Mountain, a linn^stone breccia sim- 

 ilar to that of Frederick, Md., occurs, and which perhaps can be made 

 to yield good stone for ornamental work. 



TennesscG. — A comi)act, finely fossiliferous, light jiink spotted lime- 

 stone occurs in the vicinity of Nashville, in this State, and which is 

 quite extensively quarried for use in the near vicinity. The stone is 

 said to bo of rather poor quality, but is used on ac<;ount of its a<;(;cssi- 

 biiity. Near Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, a magnesian liriu'stoiui 

 of bluish-black color is quarried for local use. The (piarry is said to be 

 very favorably located, and the stone cheap and very durable. 



Light pink, finely fossiliferous, semicrystalline limestones occur at 

 (>)lumbia, Maury County; light-colored, similar-textured stones at 

 (barter's ('reek ; light, almost white, at Morristown ; red, compact fossil- 

 iferous at SpringvilU; ; and compact drab and almost black dolomites 

 near Charlotte Pike. A fine grained, compact, and light-colored oolitic 

 stone occurs at Sherwood Station, wliicli cuts to a sharp, smooth edge 

 and seems a most excellent stone. So far as the author is awarcnone 

 of these are quarried for anything more than local use. 



l^crtis. — Compact, tine-grained Cretaceous (?) limestones of excellent 

 quality occur near San Saba in this State. A portion of these are 

 * * See p. 382. 



