REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR IQII 37 



described is found in the towns of Fine and Pitcairn, St Lawrence 

 county, probably extending also into the adjacent part of Lewis 

 county. It is traversed for several miles by the Carthage and Adi- 

 rondack Railroad, in the stretch from Harrisville to Benson Mines. 

 It is undoubtedly one of the largest bodies of massive granite in 

 the Adirondacks. Compared with the Thousand Islands granite 

 it has a lighter color and more acidic composition. The color and 

 texture vary from place to place, but there is an abundance of sound 

 and uniform material in the exposures which occur on the slopes 

 and summits of ridges that have been denuded of soil by forest 

 fires. Both in its situation and general character the granite seems 

 to offer opportunity for exploitation, at least to supply some of the 

 nearer markets. 



Another characteristic stone of the Adirondacks that has possi- 

 bilities for quarry operations is the green syenite which recent field 

 work has proved to be of very general occurrence. In most outcrops 

 it shows laminated textures, but residual cores with the original 

 massive arrangement of the minerals are found in places. One of 

 these, noted in the report on Adirondack magnetites, outcrops at 

 Ausable Forks where quarry work has been recently undertaken on 

 several properties. The syenite is too somber in color for most 

 building purposes and its sale is practically restricted to the monu- 

 ment trade. Its unusual color, a dark lustrous green when polished, 

 and its capacity for taking the most delicate designs, which it shows 

 in strong relief, have attracted very favorable notice. 



Some varieties of the Adirondack anorthosite, particularly of the 

 granulated lighter-colored phases, are adapted to architectural work, 

 though never used very extensively for such purposes. The vicinity 

 of Keeseville affords many exposures from which most of this 

 material has been taken. An area just south of Ausable Forks, now 

 under development, yields a medium-gray uniform stone resembling 

 granite in its general appearance. The results of experimental tests 

 indicate that the anorthosite of this region is one of the best fire- 

 resisting stones anywhere found. 



In the southeastern crystalline area of the Hudson Highlands 

 there is a considerable range of quarry materials, including granites, 

 diorites, diabase and gneisses, but the better grades suitable for 

 building and ornamental purposes are rather restricted in variety 

 and occurrence. These are found in the local granitic intrusions 

 which have broken through the country gneisses, or else in the 



