THE GEOLOGY OF MINNESOTA. 



[State buildings. 



building was partly erected in 1857, and the rest in 1874-5. The building which accommodates 

 the Agricultural Department was erected in 1874 -5. The former structure is built of the Trenton 

 limestone quarried at Minneapolis, and the latter of cream-colored brick trimmed with Trenton 

 limestone. 



The state prison, at Stillwater. was begun in 1852 and has been enlarged at different times. 

 It is composed almost entirely of the dolomitic stone quarried at Stillwater, but has some trim- 

 mings of the pinkish Kasota stone. 



The insane asylum at St. Peter was begun in 1867. Portions were built in 1868, '69, '71, '73 

 and '74. It is all built of the Kasota and St. Peter stone, and lined with brick. The only con- 

 trast in the trimmings is made by cutting them finer than the other stone. 



The asylum for the deaf and mute, at Faribault, is constructed and trimmed of limestone quar- 

 ried near Faribault. It was erected at intervals of time as money was appropriated by the legis- 

 lature, each addition being five years later than the preceding, beginning in 1866 and ending 

 with 1881. 



The second insane asylum, at Rochester, is made of brick, with windows and chimney- 

 caps of stone quarried about three miles east of Mantorville. The basement is of the Trenton. 

 The building was begun in 1877-8, but was more than doubled in size in 1882. 



The reform school, at St. Paul, was erected in 1862 and consists largely of the Trenton lime- 

 stone, quarried at St. Paul. Some of the subordinate buildings are of brick trimmed with Trenton . 



The school for the blind, at Faribault, is a frame building veneered with red brick, with trim- 

 mings of the same, erected in 1874. 



The school for idiots and imbeciles was erected in 1881. It is located at Faribault, and was 

 built of the Trenton limestone quarried near that city. 



The foregoing pages are intended to give some idea of the quality of 

 Minnesota building stones. All builders and architects of the state ought 

 to have regard for the products of our quarries, and to avoid the importa- 

 tion of foreign stone when suitable material can be got within the limits 

 of Minnesota. There seems to be no reason to believe that the state is de- 

 ficient in stone suitable for all styles and kinds of architecture. On the 

 contrary almost every kind of stone can be got. The stone to be obtained 

 at Dresbach, in Winona county, is so nearly identical in color and grain 

 and all outward characters, to the sandstone imported from Ohio, that it 

 can be employed with it in the same structure. It is to be hoped that the 

 present fashion of using the Ohio stone, at great cost for transportation, 

 will be only temporary, and that influential builders will see to it that our 

 equally good stones are not allowed to remain unused. It cannot be any- 

 thing more than a sentiment that prefers foreign products over domestic. 

 that will cause the continued importation of stone from abroad. 



