THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY I9IO 69 



Of the sedimentary rocks which occur in the State sandstone has 

 the largest areal distribution, while in economic importance it ranks 

 second only to limestone. Nearly all of the recognized formations 

 above the Archean contain sandstones at one or more horizons. 

 The kinds chiefly quarried are the Potsdam, Hudson River, Medina 

 and the Devonic sandstones, A few quarries have been opened 

 also in the Shawangunk conglomerates and the CHnton and Triassic 

 sandstones. 



In western New York the principal quarries are situated within 

 the belt of ^ledina sandstone which outcrops just south of Lake 

 Ontario from Oswego to Niagara county. This is a medium- 

 grained pink or red stone of attractive appearance and good wear- 

 ing qualities. It is extensively employed for building stone, as well 

 as for paving blocks, curbing and such purposes. The largest quarry 

 industry is in Orleans county in the vicinity of Albion, Holley and 

 ^Medina, but there are also quarries at Lockport and Lewiston in 

 Niagara county and at Brockport and Rochester, Monroe county. 

 The product of the Niagara county quarries has a white color differ- 

 ing in this respect from the usual grade which is obtained from the 

 reddish layers higher up in the series. 



Along the northern and southwestern borders of the Adirondacks 

 is the Potsdam sandstone which has been extensively worked for 

 structural material and flagstone. It is red or gray and ranges from 

 hard flinty quartzite to a somewhat loosely cemented sandstone. 

 The principal quarry openings are near Potsdam and Redwood, 

 St Lawrence county, and Malone and Burke, Franklin county. The 

 Potsdam is also exposed in places along the Champlain valley and 

 has been worked to some extent at Port Henry, Whitehall and 

 Fort Ann. The quarries at Burke produce flagstone chiefly for 

 shipment to Montreal and other Canadian cities. 



The Hudson River sandstones .are mainly quarried along the 

 Hudson and Mohawk rivers for local requirements in building and 

 engineering work. There are quarries in Albany, Rensselaer, 

 Greene, Dutchess, and Herkimer counties, but few have been 

 operative in recent years. 



The Devonic sandstones which extend over much of the area in 

 southern New York are commonly grouped under the class of blue- 

 stone, a name first applied to them in Ulster county where they 

 are distinguished by a bluish gray color. They are typically fine- 

 grained, evenly bedded, bluish or gray sandstones, often showing a 



