Granites, Syenites and Gneisses. 27 



Hastings, Westchester County. — Gneiss rock has been quar- 

 ried on the river bluff, one mile south of the railroad station at Has- 

 tings. The bluff has been worked back to an height of 40 feet and 

 a length of 250 feet. The strata dip 75°, in an east-south-east direc- 

 tion. One system of joints runs with the strike, north 35° east and 

 dips about 15° to the north-west. A second system runs south-east 

 and is vertical. A. third system runs in a south-easterly direction also, 

 but dips at a moderate angle to the south-west. The beds at the 

 south end are thick, and stone of large size can easily be obtained. 

 The more westerly beds, which are at the north end of the quarry, 

 are more schistose and thin. The stone is hard to cut, but splits 

 straight in the planes of the beds. The thick beds afford large blocks 

 for bridge work. The thin strata are worked up into common wall 

 stone and foundations, and these latter are quarried by individuals at 

 intervals. The quarry is owned and worked by the New York Cen- 

 tral Railroad Company, but is not constantly in operation. 



Hastings. — What is known as " Munsorts quarry" is three-quar- 

 ters of a mile east-south-east of Hastings. It is the property of Wm. 

 G. Lefurgy. And it was first opened in 1850. The opening is at 

 the south-west end of a high, rocky ridge of micaceous gneiss, whose 

 beds dip at an angle of 70° to the south-east. It runs about 300 feet 

 into the hill, and has an average width of 100 feet. The bedding is 

 very regular and even, and the beds are nearly all thin. The rock is 

 a biotite gneiss, which has a gray and striped appearance, due to 

 alternate, thin layers of black mica and thicker layers of feldspar and 

 quartz. It is fine crystalline. It is readily split in planes parallel to 

 the bedding or broken crosswise, if not shattered by blasting. There 

 is no water to be pumped, and there is no machinery other than a 

 hoisting crane. The stone is carted to the river. The larger stone 

 is shipped to New York city for foundation walls ; the smaller blocks 

 are used for common walls ; and some is cut into curbing. The gla- 

 ciated, outcropping ledges at the north of the quarry show little signs 

 of weathering. From five to fifteen men are employed steadily in the 

 quarry. 



J. N. Ferguson's quarry is on the same ridge, and about 80 

 rods to the north-east. It has been opened three years. The beds 

 dip at an angle of 70° to the south-east. The stone resembles that 

 of Lefurgy 's quarry. The beds are from 6 to 12 inches thick. 

 And the adjacent outcrops are a proof of the durability of the stone 



