USE OF THE TERM BEDFORD LIMESTONE 235 



may be noted here that in the Bedford region the formation is 

 practically homogeneous and is quarried from top to bottom. 



The reports of the Indiana Survey for 1869, 1870, and 1872 

 deal exclusively with the coal deposits. The report for 1873 

 mentions Bedford stone on pages 276, 280, 282-284, and 312. 

 The report for [874 does not touch upon the formation. The 

 report for 1875 alludes to the oolitic limestone of Owen county 

 as white quarry sto?ie. In the report for 1878 an analysis of stone 

 from Bedford is referred to in the index as Bedford stone. 



The reports from 1880 to 1895 inclusive speak of this stone 

 as Indiana oolitic limestone, though that from Bedford is called 

 Bedford stone (1881, p. 31), and, as mentioned in the preceding 

 article, that from Salem is called Salem stone (1885-6, pp. 1 43— 

 146). So, too, it had been called Salem stone in the preceding 

 report (1884, pp. 76-78). 



In the report by T. C. Hopkins and the writer (1896, pp. 

 289-427) the oolitic limestone of the different quarries was for 

 the first time shown to be not only equivalent but actually con- 

 tinuous. A single name became imperative. It was at hand. 

 The name Bedford oolitic limestone was adopted rather than pro- 

 posed as a new name. To have proposed a name would have 

 raised the question of priority, and White River limestone would 

 clearly have been entitled to precedence. Under the title Bed- 

 ford stone this limestone was as well known as a geologic forma- 

 tion can be, over more than half the United States. The term 

 which had been originally applied to the whole formation at 

 one place was now extended to the formation throughout its 

 extent. 



We think that these facts justify the prior claims of Indiana 

 to Bedford as a formation name, and that it will not be neces- 

 sary to drop the term. But drop it we could not if we would, 

 for, to the trade, Bedford stone it will be to the end of the chapter. 



C. E. SlEBENTHAL. 



