PREFACE. 



Economic geology, as a division of the New York State Museum, 

 has for its work the examination and description of the mineral staples 

 which occur in the State. An account of the building stones, and a 

 notice of them, in the form of a bulletin, was proposed in the autumn 

 of 1886. The work of visiting the quarry districts and collecting the 

 necessary data was begun in October of that year, and occupied parts 

 of two field seasons. All of the large quarries were visited, and notes 

 of their location, extent and business were gathered. Many rock speci- 

 mens, representative of the varieties of stone quarried, were obtained. 

 It was impossible to go to all the localities ; and circular letters, 

 asking for information, were sent to them, so far as they were known. 

 The many answers which have come from quarry owners and mana- 

 gers, have filled, in part, the gaps in the field notes, and furnished the 

 material for the descriptions of these localities. 



The scope of the work, as planned, included the location, extent, 

 geological relations and ownership of the quarries, and their statistics 

 of capital, plant, labor, product, markets and prices. It was soon found 

 that full and accurate data from each individual owner, in answer to 

 all of the inquiries, were not to be had. The statistics, relating more 

 particularly to the business, were then sought from the large property 

 owners and managers, who could give close estimates for their own 

 districts. Their answers came promptly ; and the information from 

 them is more nearly accurate than any census made up* of the indi- 

 vidual statements of quarry men. 



Another aim in the work was to make collections of specimens, 

 and to have the microscopic examinations, chemical analyses and 

 physical tests made of them, which would show their composition, 

 structure, hardness, strength, durability, and comparative value as 

 constructive material. The field collections are yet too incomplete ; 

 and the examination and study of specimens is reserved, necessarily, 

 .or a subsequent bulletin. 



