6(3 MINERAL RESOURCES OF ALABAMA. 



signal benefit upon the soils of that state, and there can be no 

 doubt but that the application of these marls to the soils of Ala- 

 bama, where such application can be effected without too great 

 cost, would bring about a similar improvement with us. 



At the summit of the Selma chalk occurs another bed of phos- 

 phatic green sand, with large percentage of carbonate of lime, 

 which outcrops at least half across the state along the southern 

 border of the Chalk, passing near Livingston, Coatopa, Linden, 

 and other points eastward. 



A few field tests have been made with both these marls and 

 with most decided good results. We can, however, never ex- 

 pect their use to become general till the railroads are ready to 

 transport them to points within the state at minimum rates. 



Tertiary Formation. Phosphatic nodules are known to oc- 

 cur in several of the divisions of the Tertiary, but in none as 

 yet in quantity to make them of commercial importance. Shell 

 marls, however, are abundant, and of easy access at many points 

 in this region, and have been locally utilized. 



Building Stones. 



Limestones. The best of these for building purposes are to 

 be found in the Lower Carboniferous and Trenton formations, 

 and quarries have been opened in Marshall, Colbert, Franklin, 

 Bibb, Shelby, Jefferson, St. Clair, Talladega, Calhoun, DeKalb, 

 and Etowah counties. 



The best known are the quarries of T. L. Fossick & Co., at 

 Rockwood, in Franklin county. The equipment at these quar- 

 ries is very complete and extensive. The stone is from the 

 Lower Carboniferous formation and it has been very largely 

 used in the construction of the locks on the Tennessee River. 

 The LaGarde Lime & Stone Company, at Anniston, have also 

 an extensive plant, using the Trenton limestone, and there are 

 several other quarries of less importance. The Trenton lime- 

 stone has been used in the construction of the locks at Greens- 

 port, and the other sites on the Coosa river. 



In the Tertiary formation of South Alabama some of the ma- 

 terials of the Lower Claiborne formation, especially an alumin- 

 ous sandstone, have been utilized as rough building stones at 

 many points. The St. Stephens limestone also is still more ex- 

 tensively used. This formation holds some beds many feet in 



