938 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



mining plant. The ore varied from phosphoric to Bessemer 

 in quality, but special attention was given to the latter. A rail- 

 way 3^ miles long conveyed the ore to the Hudson river near 

 Catskill Station, where it was roasted and shipped to furnaces in 

 New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 



MILLSTONES 



The quarries of Ulster county continue to furnish the chief 

 supply of millstones made in the United States. At one time the 

 output from this section amounted to over $100,000 annually, but 

 recently it has averaged much less. The introduction of rollers, 

 ball mills and other improved types of grinding machinery has 

 baen responsible for the decreased use of millstones. 



The Ulster county or Esopus millstones are quarried from the 

 Shawangunk grit, a light gray quartz conglomerate found along 

 the Shawangunk moimtains from near High Falls southwest 

 towards the Pennsylvania border. In thickness and texture 

 the rock varies greatly from place to place. The inclosed pebbles 

 range from pea size up to an inch and more in diameter. The 

 matrix is silicious paste of gritty character. Though of wide 

 extent, only a small portion of the conglomerate is so situated 

 that it can be utilized economically. Most of the stone is pro- 

 duced along the northern edge of the mountain where it lies close 

 to the surface. The greater number of quarries are located in 

 the vicinity of Kyserike, St Josen, Granite and Kerhonkson, 

 while the distributing points for the finished product include 

 New Paltz and Kingston in. addition to those named. . The in- 

 dustry is carried on intermittently, many of the producers en- 

 gaging in other occupations during a part of the year. 



The blocks obtained b}/ quarrying are first roughly shaped by 

 wedges and then dressed to size. The diameter of the millstones 

 as marketed ranges from 15 to 90 inches. The greater demand is 

 for the small and medium sizes with diameters of 24^ 30, 36, 42 

 and 48 inches. A pair of 30 inch stones commonly sells for $15, 

 while $50 may be paid for a single stone 60 inches in diameter. 

 Besides the ordinar}^ millstones a portion of the product is worked 

 up into disks, which are used in a roll type of crusher known as 

 a chaser. The pavement of such crushers is also supplied from 

 the quarries in the form of blocks measuring 12 x 12 x 10 inches. 

 The chasers are employed in grinding quartz, feldspar and.barytes. 

 , Though the demand for millstones has shown a decided falling 

 off since the introduction of the roller mill process for grinding 



