196] BUILDING STONES — GRINDSTONES 57 



a glossy lustre, which are formed by the broken heads of a fossil, 

 of about the size and shape of an acorn of the Red Oak (Pentre- 

 mites) consisting of pure crystallized carbonate of lime or calca- 

 reous spar. The lime burnt from these ledges would he pure 

 enough for any purpose. 



There is no lack of fuel in the regions where these rocks occur ; 

 and abundance of fireclay to serve for the construction of the 

 inner lining of the permanant "perpetual" kilns. 



96. Building Stones, Grindstones and Flagstones. — The 

 sandstone which has been mentioned as cropping out on Big Bear 

 Creek, where its course lies through Mississippi, as also in the 

 southern portion of the territory of the Carboniferous generally, 

 is a very durable rock in almost all cases where it can be obtained 

 in blocks of suitable size. It is only some of the slaty and calca- 

 reous varieties, like those mentioned as occurring at the Cypress 

 Pond (185), which are subject to a considerable degree, to weath- 

 ering. Large uniform blocks can be obtained below Scott's mill 

 on Big Bear Creek, for several miles (188) ; at Gardner's (188), 

 at Bay Spring (189), and at several points on Rock Creek. 



The locality first mentioned, viz : the long bluff extending, chief- 

 ly on the E. side of Big Bear Creek, for several miles below Scott's 

 mill, is of interest in another point of view. The rock occurring 

 here is a sharp sandstone, of the proper degree of hai dness for 

 grindstones, and of great uniformity throughout ; moreover, the 

 ledges cleave with facility and with very straight and smooth sur- 

 face, into slabs of various thicknesses, from an inch to several feet ; 

 so that all the labor needed to transform them into grindstones, 

 would consist in cutting them round ; while the thinner ledges 

 might serve for whetstones. Bear Creek, in times of high water, 

 would afford a most convenient means of shipment, but for the dis- 

 agreement existing between the States of Mississippi and Alabama 

 as to its navigability — Alabama having declared it a navigable 

 stream, whereas in Mississippi, numerous mill-dams have been built 

 across it. 



The rock near Gardner's, which is of a similar quality, but less 

 uniform, might also furnish grindstones. That at Bay Spring is 

 too hard for the purpose. 



Flagstones of large size, and of various thicknesses, can, of 

 course, be also obtained at these localities. 



