THE MIXING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY I907 



63 



Limestone 



The limestone quarries are first in importance among the stone- 

 working industries of the State. Compared with sandstone 

 which ranks second in value of output, limestone is not so gen- 

 erally used as building material, but it finds extensive employ- 

 ment for road metal and concrete. Its wide occurrence in con- 

 nection with a natural fitness for the purpose, has favored the 

 development of a large crushed stone business that covers nearly 

 every section of the State. The manufacture of lime is also an 

 important industry, requiring a considerable proportion of the 

 quarry output. 



The noncrystalline limestones, which are considered under this 

 head, comprise a variety of rocks as regards their geological 

 occurrence and physical and chemical characters. They are dis- 

 tributed among the Cambric, Lower Siluric, Siluric and Devonic 

 systems. In a few localities, the crystalline limestones or mar- 

 bles of the Precambric are quarried for lime making and such 

 production is reported as limestone. In their chemical composi- 

 tion the limestones of New York show a range from practically 

 pure lime carbonates to magnesian limestones and dolomites and 

 to silicious, aluminous or ferruginous types in which the carbon- 

 ates play a subordinate role. Light colored and white limestones 

 are not abundant, however, in the State, the prevailing colors 

 being grayish or drab, and for this reason considerable quantities 

 of such stone are brought in from other States, principally Ohio 

 and Indiana. 



Production of limestone 



Crushed stone . . . 



Lime made 



Building stone. . . 

 Furnace flux .... 

 Rubble, riprap . . . 

 Flagging, curbing 

 Miscellaneous. . . . 



193 

 702 



246 



198 



40 



7 

 22 



800 

 684 

 300 

 168 

 664 

 297 



543 



ii 590 205 



795 348 



229 479 



287 816 



32 975 

 8 067 



19 939 



$1 725 203 



888 309 



189 782 



338 127 



14 588 



13 123 



13 135 



Total $2 411 456 ' $2 963 829 $3 1S2 447 



