184 (LOGICAL REPORT. [1306, 307, 308 



however, the eye, and still better the lens, detects a considerable amount of 

 greensand grains, which will render the product especially valuable for agricul- 

 tural purposes. 



300. Whether or not the limestone occurring at Old Fort St. Peters, above 

 Ticksburg, on the Yazoo, resembles the Vicksburg rock in this respect, 1 am not 

 informed. It appears that in this locality, the ledges are heavier than at 

 Ticksburg, so that blocks of considerable size can be obtained. — The clay seams 

 mentioned as overlying the best of the rock at Vicksburg (H220), seem to 

 accompany the same pretty generally, and may serve as a convenient landmark 

 in opening quarries. It would seem that lime might be manufactured to great 

 advantage at several points in the Walnut Hills, on the Yazoo Eiver, where 

 timber is so abundant; and so near to the great highway of the West, at all whose 

 ports are annually landed immense quantities of lime, transported at enormous 

 expense from Portland, Maine, to be distributed and consumed in the valley of 

 the Mississippi. 



I am not aware that any limestone appears on the Big Black, in Warren or 

 Hinds counties ; it would seem that such must be the case at some point E. and 

 >T. E. of Vicksburg, although it might be covered at present by the surface 

 materials. 



307. The rock occurring in the town of Brownsville (11221) is 

 rather impure, but would yield lime suitable for mortar, and 

 agricultural purposes. 



Of the limestone occurring on Baker's Creek, below Bolton's 

 Depot, I have not seen any specimen, nor am I aware of the thickness 

 •r character of the strata, which are, no doubt, a continuation of 

 those at Steward's quarry, 3 miles W. of Clinton, and could prob- 

 ably be found at corresponding depths in other localities. The 

 rock at Steward's quarry is purer than that at Vicksburg, and 

 well suited for building purposes, as well as for lime burning, being 

 rery similar to that of Yost's Lime-kiln. The same is true of most 

 •f the rock at Marshall's Quarry ; that occurring near the former 

 residence of Mr. Long ; and 3 miles S. of By ram, on the R. R. 

 At the latter place, it does not, however, form solid ledges, but 

 strata of disjointed, cavernous blocks ; which circumstance, while 

 Tendering it less valuable as a building stone, in no way impairs 

 its quality for lime-burning. The stratum can no doubt be found 

 in many other localities, and with the exception of N. E. Tishomin- 

 go, I know of no region in the State so well supplied with this 

 aseful material, and so accessible on all sides, as that lying S. of 

 the Southern R. R., between Brandon and Bolton, and indicated 

 •n the map by the pale bluish gray. 



308. At Byram Station itself, as shown in the profile (1280), no 

 limestone occurs, but only soft marls. But within a mile above, 

 the ledges of rock represented in Sec. 32 (1223), cropping out on 

 the banks of the river, offer a fine opportunity of obtaining, not 

 •nly good limestone, but also very durable building stones, at the 

 same time with the first quality of marls; 



The smooth, water- worn surfaces of the rock in ledges Nos. 2, 4 and 6, 

 plainly show that it is not likely to give way under atmospheric influences alone. 

 Considering in general, the great resistance of these limestones to decay, which 

 may be seen abundantly illustrated at their outcrops, it is much to be regretted 

 that the soft, easily decaying sandstone of S. Hinds should have altogether 

 superseded it in the erection of public buildings at Jackson. 



