462 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



fine buildings of it erected within a few years, are exliibiting signs of decay. 

 Our climate is more destructive of this stone than that of Boston, or of 

 cities farther south than ours, for here there is almost constant freezing 

 and thawing during the winter, and not continued cold or warmth. And it 

 is well known that alternations of freezing and thawing will disintegrate 

 sandstone or any porous stone. 



Professor Hedrick. — The architect's design for a building of sand- 

 stone will not do for one of marble. Our large sandstone stoops would not 

 look well executed in marble. But a whole street may be constructed of 

 marble and be in excellent taste and of noble design. Park Place is an 

 instance of this. With its marble warehouses it will always look well and 

 be a noble street. 



Professor Mason. — A few years since, I, too, was led astray as to the 

 durability of sandstone, while aiding to select a building for Dr. Pott's 

 church- I now find how important more accurate knowledge on the subject 

 is, for had I then the knowledge I now possess, we would not have selected 

 sandstone. Short though the time is since it was erected, decay of the 

 building stone is but too evident. The stone used for the " Times Build- 

 ing" and "Historical Society's Library," are worthy of observation. 

 Watch them and you will see that long after other buildings are dry these 

 stones retain the moisture — a sure indication that they will crumble and 

 disintegrate. 



Mr. Garvey. — I am proud of American architects. There is a boldness 

 in their designs worthy of our admiration and encouragement. Witness 

 Fifth Avenue as a street, and the marble hotels and St. Germain hotel as 

 individual buildins:s. 



Dr. Stevens. — All our sandstones contain iron, which is liable to be 

 acted upon by air and moisture. It is important then to have some correct 

 means of judging of the durability of stone as a building material for any 

 purpose. Our canal locks were destroyed for want of this knowledge. 

 Caen stone is a limestone and not a sandstone. Sandstone from Cleve- 

 land appeai-s to be an excellent building stone. The dolomites are fine 

 building stones if properly selected. To select them, however, requires 

 considerable knowledge of geology, and of them in particular. Professor 

 Henry's experiments on dolomites are satisfactory The marbles at Hast- 

 ings have been thoroughly tested before using, and all have proved to be 

 of the best quality for building stone ; and they are dolomites, i. e., they 

 contain magnesia. Those containing sand are unfit for building purposes. 

 The red sandstones all decompose by the action of the weather, and are 

 also affected by the vital action of lichens and mosses. It was claimed at 

 Little Falls, N. Y., that the dyke of basalt had hardened their sandstone. 

 It had certainly done so, but at the same time it had so changed its char- 

 acter, that they had to advance towards the unchanged part to find a work- 

 able vein. The sandstone of southern Illinois, on the Drury river, is one 

 of the most beautiful building stones in the country. It is of a warm red 

 color, and is well suited for architectural display. There are quarries of 



