40 Mineral Resources of JVew York. [July, 



next series above the Niagara group. It is a thin-bedded lime- 

 stone, situate below the Niagara or Wenlock limestone and above 

 the green or Wenlock shales. It is quarried for ten shillings per 

 cord, and is the rock from which has been obtained the stone for 

 all the public and private dwellings in Rochester. It is an indif- 

 ferent flagging stone; and, as a general rule, limestones are too 

 uneven and thick-bedded to be employed for this use. The best 

 flagging which we know of, and which are calcareous, are obtained 

 from the Manlius waterlime series. In the eastern part of the 

 state this mass is too deeply concealed by the pentamerus lime- 

 stone, but in Onondaga county, where this rock is thin and unim- 

 portant, the flags may be reached and quarried to advantage. 



The most valuable flags, however, are found near the superior 

 part of the Erie division of the New York system, near the top 

 of the Helderberg range. These flags are the most beautiful in 

 the world. They are thin and even-bedded, firm and extremely 

 well adapted for side walks; their evenness making it extremely 

 easy for walking, while their hardness gives them great durability. 

 Quarries of this stone may be opened from near New Scotland in 

 Albany county, to Madison in Greene county. The distance of 

 the quarries from the river varies from six to fifteen miles. Albany, 

 Coeymans, New Baltimore and Coxsackie are the principal points 

 to which this fine flagging is brought to the river. The three 

 last named places are points from which it is shipped for New 

 York and other places. The principal streets in Albany are now 

 being relaid with this fine rock. Some of the pieces are eight and 

 ten feet long and five or six wide; forming so much of the entire 

 walk. The old pavements of brick or stone are removed to give 

 place to the Helderberg flagging. The cost of this material is from 

 ten to fourteen cents per foot. In the quarries the strata are 

 nearly horizontal, and hence, when the slate and w^orthless rock is 

 removed, which sometimes amounts to eight or ten feet, they are 

 raised with facility by means of iron and wooden wedges. The 

 same rock is also beginning to be used for cisterns, a purpose for 

 which it is also well adapted. Five flat stones, cemented, form 



