138 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



sometimes impinges against them in the spring floods. After an unsuc- 

 cessful attempt to contract for Joliet or Athens limestone, the persons 

 having the work in charge made arrangements to build the hea\y work 

 necessary to be constructed out of the layers of massive Galena near 

 the city. To this end Dement's quarry, about a mile north-west of the 

 bridge, has been heavily worked during the past summer. Massive 

 stones have been quarried in great quantities and dressed into proper 

 shape. The result is highly satisfactory. It would be hard to find mason 

 work anywhere which, for warmth and softness of color, massive 

 strength, and the quality to season harder as the work grows older, can 

 excel that now being completed for the iron bridge at Dixon. Not 

 only does this stone answer well for marine masonry, but for building 

 private residences, whether dressed or bush hammered, it is all that 

 could be desired. For foundations, wells, and the many other uses for 

 which a stone is required, it also answers well. 



Lime. Both the Trenton and Galena limestone burn into an excellent 

 article of common lime. The kilns below Dixon, along the Trenton out- 

 crops, some years ago seemed to prefer this latter limestone. At that 

 time and now they turned out a good article of this very necessary ma- 

 terial. But at the present time the quarry near the mills in Dixon seems 

 to be preferred, and a large kiln here is in constant operation. The top 

 of the quarry is mostly used at the present time. The quarry men take- 

 up the stone nearly on a level with the top of the kiln. This is a com- 

 pact limestone and makes both a strong and a white lime. The lower 

 layers, the harder, subcrystaline layers between the Galena in the top 

 and the Trenton in the bottom of the quarry, a sort of transition rock 

 between the two, are equally good for the same purpose. 



Great quantities of lime can here be easily manufactured. It might 

 be produced for the home market and for shipment, and ought to become 

 a source of material wealth, and one of the elements of the city's pros- 

 perity. Coal, lime, and clay for brick and pottery-ware, are great re- 

 sources for the production of wealth and the enlargement of human 

 happiness. 



Common Clays and Sands. These exist in abundance in every part of 

 the county. From them a good article of common red brick and mortar 

 for building purposes may be obtained. Fine gravel exists in the bed 

 and banks of Rock river, and can easily be obtained in any quantity 

 desired for economical purposes. 



Other deposits. The softer and whiter limpid quartz sands obtained 

 from the St. Peter's sandstone would furnish a good glass sand, and 

 will be in demand some day for such uses. The subcrystaline strata of 

 the Buff limestone would probably burn into a fair hydraulic lime ; and 

 if so, would add materially to the resources of the county. 



