rlT8 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



strippings. Mr Severance claims that he has to remove only 

 ^bout one third of the stripped rock. 



When quarrying the gypsum, three beds are recognized by the 

 quarrymen. The upper bed is the lightest of the three and is 

 about 30 feet thick. The lower beds are of darker color, showing 

 more marked strata of light and dark gypsum. The lowest bed 

 is not always taken out, on account of its poorer quality. The 

 product of this quarry is sold entirely to four firms: Mr T. W. 

 Sheedy, and Bangs & Gaynor of Fayetteville, Gage, Porter & Co., 

 Pulton N. Y., and Craig & Ballanger of Canajoharie N. Y. 



The local mills- are furnished with gypsum rock in the winter 

 time, and the outsiders during canal navigation. The rock has 

 to be hauled about IJ miles to the canal. The quarry is operated 

 the year round, and the cost of mining is about 25c to 30c a ton. 

 The teamster hauls five loads a day, averaging four to five tons 

 to the load. Mr Severance's quarry and gypsum deposit occupies 

 about 3 acres. F. F. black powder is used in blasting. The rocks 

 sell, delivered at the canal to the local mills, for 90c a ton. The 

 largest output for any one year was 7000 tons; the average would 

 be about 5000 tons. From four to 12 men are employed at the 

 quarry, depending on the demand for gypsum. 



Immediately adjoining Mr Severance's quarry are the quarries 

 of the National wall plaster co. The gypsum deposit in these 

 quarries is the same as that in Mr Severance's bed. The method 

 of quarrying, however, differs slightly. The gypsum is quarried 

 so as to cut under the overhanging rock, which then falls into the 

 place from which the gypsum has been taken. This necessitates 

 moving a greater amount of rock than the method employed by 

 Mr Severance. In these quarries dynamite and Climax blasting 

 powder are used. From 12 to 20 men are employed at the quar- 

 ries. 



The product is hauled 1-| miles to the canal, and to the mill 

 which is located at the canal. 



The top layers are used for making calcined plaster. The bot- 

 tom bed is usually not taken out. In the strippings some hydrau- 

 lic limestone is found, which is sold to cement manufacturers. 

 The beds owned by the National plaster co. occupy about 5 acres. 



