QQQ REPORTS OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 



beds lie more level and undisturbed. This, however, is certain— that by the old 

 method employed by Captain Towson, dimension stone from Aquia creek has hitherto 

 cost $6 per ton of 15 cubic feet, or 40 cents per foot ; and even these prices have not 

 afforded an extravagant profit to the owners of quarries ; whilst there can be little 

 doubt that dimension stone can be furnished from Seneca creek for half that .amount. 

 If good material could be obtained near the line of the railroad, either in the 

 neighborhood of Potomac run, or, still nearer, the mouth of Aquia creek, transpor- 

 tation would certainly not cost as much as from the quarries on the Island and Eocky 

 run. There are several obstructions between the quarry and the mouth of the creek, 

 which render it often necessary to lighten the vessels by means of scows, over these 

 bars, and none of the vessels of suitable draught for the navigation of Aquia creek 

 carry over 80 to 100 tons ; whereas, if laden at the terminus of the railroad, they 

 could easily carry double that amount, requiring but the same number of bands. 



From all the workable beds of freestone of Stafford county, so far as they had been 

 opened, a very considerable portion must be rejected on account of flaws and stains ; 

 but, as a general rule, there is less than in the Seneca quarries. 



The general appearance of the lighter (buff-colored) beds of the freestones of Staf- 

 ford county, Virginia, laid up in range work, may be seen by inspecting the east 

 gateway of the President's House, the entrances to the Capitol grounds, and the 

 inside work of the Post Office. 



Under the magnifier, minute dark specks may be observed of the color of black- 

 smiths' scales, which are probably small grains of a mixture of the protoxide and 

 peroxide of iron. If this be their composition, they will, doubtless, in peroxidating, 

 acquire a yellowish or reddish color. Still, in many specimens these are so minute, 

 that the effect would be only to mellow the color, without materially affecting the 

 durability of the mass. That a proportion of this stone is free from material blemish 

 and is a durable material, is confirmed by an inspection of the ledges and blocks in 

 sio-ht, and in the structures composed of the best rock, long exposed to atmospheric 

 vicissitudes ; by the glistening particles disseminated on the face of fresh fractures ; 

 by the action of the rock on the edge of the dressing tool, indicative of a tolerably 

 pure grit-stone, free from argillaceous admixture ; by the heavy solid bed in which 

 it lies in the quarry, generally free from interlamination ; and, finally, by the hard- 

 ening of the mass by exposure. 



I incline to believe that the sample of Aquia creek freestone furnished to Dr. Page 

 for examination was not equal to the average quality of the better quarries in Stafford 

 county. 



Mr. Dixon, the contractor, is of opinion that the general run of the freestones 

 will be somewhat but not very much more expensive to work and carve than the 

 Seneca sandstones. 



As the result of my examination of these quarries, in connection with those of the 

 upper Potomac, I state my belief, that the Stafford county region can furnish an 

 unlimited supply of freestone, of which, by dint of careful selection, a portion may 

 be obtained both sound and durable ; not, indeed, free from yellowish or gray streaks, 

 nor, certainly, of as fine a grain as the lilac-gray of Seneca creek, but not disfigured 

 by conspicuous holes, pebbles, or stains, such as are almost universal in the blocks to 

 ~be seen in the public buildings in Washington, where this material has been used. 



I think it owes its present bad character as much to indiscriminate selection as to 

 inherent defects. Its color, occasionally approaching that of marble, is in its favor, 

 though time and the weather change it for the worse. (See specimen No. 32, on the 

 face where marked.) 



It would make a lighter and more airy looking building than the lilac-gray. But 

 I am convinced that it could not be delivered in "Washington nearly as cheap as the 

 latter ; especially if, as the owners of the Aquia creek quarries thought, slave labor 

 only could be employed there. And I feel assured that, even with reasonable care 

 in selection, the chance of procuring the white sandstones unblemished by disfiguring 

 spots or stains, is uncertain ; far more so than in the case of the lilac-gray. 



Upon the whole, this latter material, as found in the middle beds of Bull Eun 

 quarry, seems to me the safest and best of the Potomac freestones ; somewhat darker, 

 indeed, than one would desire, if the choice were free, but uniform in color, improv- 

 ing in its tint by the bleaching effect of time, not liable to be disfigured by accumu- 

 lation of smoke and dust, and of unquestionable solidity and durability. 



I annex to this report a rough chart of the freestone quarries of Aquia creek, 

 drawn by the eye, without actual measurement. It will give a general idea of their 

 relative situation. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. DAVID DALE OWEN. 



Washington, March SO, 1847. 



