STONES. 



G03 



ing, when thus treated, extensively nsed for wash- 

 stands, mantels, etc. lu the South, Maryland, Vir- 

 ginia, and Georgia have large beds of shite suitable 

 for building purposes. 



The statistics of annual production of building 

 stones in the United States, as given in the Census 

 report for 1880, are as follows : 



Of sandstone-producing States Ohio stands at the 

 head, yielding 33 per cent, of the entire product. 

 Pennsylvania yields 25, New York 12, New Jersey 8, 

 and the other States in rapidly diminishing ratio. II- j Pennsylvania, 

 linois, Iowa, and Pennsylvania are the leading States 



in quantity of limestone and marble produced ; while 

 of the granites, Massachusetts yields 25 of the total 

 product, Connecticut and Pennsylvania 14 each. Of 

 the slates, as wo have already said, Pennsylvania is 

 the principal producer. The above ratio of State 

 production, however, is destined to greatly change 

 in the coming years. Building stones of good re- 

 pute have been carried long distances, though equally 

 good stone, without reputation, lay in the immediate 

 vicinity of the builder. The development of the re- 

 sources of the country will change all this, and tlie 

 several States come more and more to depend on 

 their own deposits for home use. (c. M.) 



STONES, PBECIOOS. Up to the present time the 

 territory of the United States has by no means 

 proved* prolific in the more valuable gems, the pre- 

 cious stones which it possesses in any abundance 

 being of the less esteemed kinds. And though it is 

 quite within the limits of possibility that important 

 deposits may yet be discovered, the 

 against it, so far as the most highly val 



weight was 23J carats, but cutting reduced it to 

 carats. It was held at an extravagant value, and 

 $1500 expended on its cutting, yet it is not con- 

 sidered by experts as worth more than 8300 or $400, 

 it being off-colored and imperfect. Diamonds havo 

 been found in North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, 

 Oregon, and other States ; also in the gravels or 

 gold-washings of California and Nevada, but there is 

 no clew to their place of origin. Of late years there 

 have been observed in Kentucky and Tennessee de- 

 posits of peridotite in association with carbonaceous 

 shales. This is exactly the condition existing at the 

 Kimberley diamond mines, South Africa, and several 

 geologists are of the opinion that the American per- 

 idotite may yet yield diamonds. But it has not yet 

 done so, and the promise is not good. 



Emeralds and beryls stones which are similar in 

 composition but differ in their coloring substance- 

 have been found in small quantities. They are most 

 abundant in North Carolina, but have also been 

 found in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and 

 Many beryls, yellow, green, and 

 white in color, have been picked up in recent years 



probability is 

 lued gems are 



concerned. Of precious stones within the United 

 States over thirty varieties are enumerated, but of 

 these none of great money-value have been dis- 

 covered. In 1884 the sale of native stones brought 



but 828,650, while 

 reached $8,712,315. 



that of foreign importations 

 In 1886 the value of native 



stones sold was $79,056. So far there has been no 

 persistent search for precious stones in this country, 

 those found being generally discovered in the pro- 

 cess of mining for metals and useful minerals. 

 Systematic mining for precious stones is reported 

 from only two places : Mount Mica, Paris, Maine, 

 which in 1886 yielded $5,000 worth of tonrmalinos 

 (cut value) ; and Stony Point, N. C., where in that 

 year nine emeralds were found, valued at over $3,000, 

 the value of the total find being about $4,000. 



Diamonds are found in the United States in very 

 limited quantities and of small size. They are sel- 

 dom of the first water. They have been picked up 

 in widely separated localities, but nowhere in suffi- 

 cient abundance to warrant extended research. Manv 

 of the claimed diamonds, indeed, have proved on 

 testing to be minerals of much less value. They are 

 found in gravel-beds and alluvial soil, no diamond- 

 bearing matrix having been discovered. The find 

 of 1884 was valued at $800 only, and in it the most 

 beautiful stone was worth but $100, the others being 

 generally colored. Itacolumite, or " flexible sand- 

 stone," which is looked upon as a matrix of the dia- 

 mond, occurs in the Carolinas and Georgia, and 

 many small stones have been found in its vicinity. 

 The largest native diamond yet found was dug up in 

 1884 by a laborer at Manchester, Va. Its original 



in Litchfield county, Conn. The 1886 find of that 

 locality, when cut, brought $5,000. An interesting 

 and valuable stone, allied to the emerald, was dis- 

 covered in 1881 in Alexander county, N. C., as yet 

 its only known locality. It is the only gem pecul- 

 iar to the United States, and has been named Hid- 

 denite, from W. E. Hidden, its discoverer. While, 

 like emerald, a silicate of alumina, it differs in hav- 

 ing lithia for its base. In occurs in slender crystals, 

 resembling emerald only in color, and is found in 

 iiests or pockets, often associated with emerald and 

 beryl. Its rarity and beauty have caused it to be 

 greatly in demand, as yet largely for cabinet pur- 

 poses. 



Sapphires and rubies have been found in New 

 Jersey and North Carolina. Macou county, of the 

 latter State, has yielded them of various shades of 

 color, blue, red, yellow, and colorless. In 1872 the 

 Jenks mine, near Franklin, N. C., yielded a sapphire 

 crystal, of 312 Ibs. weight, which is now in the Am- 

 herst College mineral cabinet. In the west they are 

 found in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Mon- 

 tana. Mount Helena, Montana, is the richest local- 

 ity for sapphires in the United States. Topazes are 

 found in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and 

 Arizona. Pike's Peak, Colorado, has yielded some 

 fine light-blue specimens, considered equal to those 

 of the same size from Siberia. The Utah specimens 

 ore small, and generally of a limpid white color. 

 Beautiful fire opals have been found in Georgia and 

 North Carolina, but none possessed of opaline iri- 

 descence. Coarser grades occur in Lebanon county, 

 Pa. In many places of the West opals occur with 

 some play of color. Garnets are widely distributed, 

 and crystals suitable for gems or watch-jewels abound 

 in Colorado. Agates are found in many places along 

 the Connecticut river, in southeastern Pennsylvania, 

 and in North Carolina. They abound around Lake 

 Superior and in the upper Mississippi region, while 

 the Rocky Mountains and California yield beautiful 

 specimens. The favorite variety known as moss- 

 agate is found in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, 

 and is abundant in Humboldt county, Nevada. 



Amethysts occur in many localities in New Eng- 

 land, in Delaware county, Pa., in Georgia, and in 

 many places west. The Lake Superior variety is 

 coated like the moss-agate. In Yellowstone Park 

 they are found as a beautiful lining to the interior 

 of hollow, petrified, or silicated trees. In color 

 they are usually of light purple bordering on pink, 

 and as gems are of little value. Tourmaline is 

 found in Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania. The 

 richest finds are in the Maine locality above-men- 

 tioned, the crystals being usually colorless, but 



