Limestones. 115 



horizontal, probably dipping very slightly, southward. An open 

 seam or joint, somewhat irregular, runs across this quarry and across 

 the creek to the opposite quarry in a course north 83° east. These 

 seams are wide apart. A set of tight seams or joints, nearly vertical, 

 runs south 17° west; and these latter are of * great service in the 

 excavation of the stone. The average thickness of the quarry beds 

 is from 10 to 12 inches, but at the south end there is one that is 2 

 feet thick. Northward the same bed splits into two layers. The top 

 stone is sold or given away for foundation and common walls. The 

 quarry beds are worked up into cut stone, and mostly for house trim- 

 mings, but a part is used for monumental purposes. The principal 

 market is Utica, and recently some of this stone has been used as rock- 

 ashlar for building fronts in that city. 



On account of the light covering of earth on the rock ; the ease with 

 which the waste, cap-rock and dirt is removed ; the natural drainage 

 and the convenient thickness of the quarry beds for cut stone, these 

 Prospect quarries are worked with economy and profit. The stone 

 is carted by teams to Prospect station, from one to two miles distant 

 from the quarries. About 20 men are employed in the four quarries. 

 The stone is known as the Trenton gray limestone. It has been 

 employed very largely in Utica for ax-hammered, bush-hammered 

 and fine-pointed house trimmings, and also for platforms and curb- 

 ing. A single objection to it is in its fading on long exposure to 

 the atmosphere. 



Talcottville, Lewis County. — Limestone was formerly quar- 

 ried to a considerable extent near Talcottville, on the Sugar river. 

 There is said to be a fine exposure of rock along the stream and of 

 excellent stone for heavy masonry. The locality was not visited. 



Other quarries in blue limestone are in the same town of Ley den. 

 The strata are thick, and are suited for heavy work. And. stone 

 has been quarried there in the past year for canal lock construction. 



Lowville, Lewis County. — Two quarries are here opened in the 

 blue (Trenton and Birdseye) limestone. 



Hiram Gowdy's quarry is a few rods east of the railroad and a 

 quarter of a mile south of the station. The face, as worked, is about 

 250 feet long from north-east to south-west, and it is 10 feet high. 

 The stone is covered by soil only. There are three beds, which are 

 two to three feet thick, and they lie nearly horizontal. The mass is 

 traversed by one vertical system of joints, which runs east-north-east» 



