36 Report on Building Stone of New York. 



which was originally bare, and at an elevation of sixty-two feet above 

 the river. Vertical joints traverse the rock in two directions ; north 

 35° west, and north 35° east. The first are known as "headers," 

 and the latter as "grain seams." And the rock splits more readily 

 in lines or planes parallel to the latter. The stone is coarse- crystal- 

 line, bright red in color, very hard and strong.* Its mineral constit- 

 uents are feldspar, quartz, brown-black mica, hornblende and some 

 calcite. Scattering crystals of pyrite are seen in places, with 

 hornblende. "Knots" of the red-gray, gneissic rock, occur here 

 also, imbedded in the red, coarse-crystalline matrix. Its dura- 

 bility is witnessed by the unaltered or scarcely altered rock, 

 which is exposed on all sides of this rocky promontory. It breaks 

 readily into sizes for paving blocks. In the process of quarrying the 

 practice is to put in deep holes, and with a large blast throw out 

 great masses of rock, which are then worked up into building stone 

 and paving blocks. Blocks twenty feet long, six by six feet, are 

 readily obtained. In fact, the limit in size is the shipping capacity 

 and the means for handling. Three quarry derricks and one loading 

 derrick are worked by steam. Tracks run from the quarries to the 

 dressing levels, and then to the dock. There is eighteen feet depth 

 of water at the dock. The greater part of the product of this quarry 

 is shipped to western cities, principally Cincinnati and Chicago ; and 

 mostly for paving streets. f A great deal is shipped to Montreal for 

 monumental work and for building stone. The price ranges from 

 $1.00 to $2.00 per cubic foot, in ' sizes under 20 cubic feet. The 

 waste is used at Montreal for granulyte pavement. The stone from 

 this quarry can be seen in the columns in the Senate chamber of the 

 new capitol at Albany. They were quarried at the end of the bluff, 

 and not far from the original surface. At present the workings are 

 deeper, and the stone is better. This quarry has been opened seven 

 years. The granite is apparently inexhaustible. 



All of the stone from these quarries on Grindstone island is 

 shipped by boat to Chicago, Toledo, Montreal or other points of 

 destination. 



MARBLES. 



New York City. — The white limestone was quarried for marble 

 on Manhattan island near Kin^sbrid^e, and used in the construction 



* The resemblance to the Scotch granite, has given the name of "International 

 Scotch granite " to this stone. 



t One million paving blocks were sold last year (1887). And 100 to 120 men are 

 employed all the year. 



