THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY 1915 19 



The total output for the year was 211,230,000 with a value of 

 $1,059,000 as compared with 202,366,000 and a value of $895,126 

 for 191 4. 



The Dutchess Junction district made an output of 101,484,000 

 with a value of $448,306 as compared with 88,585,000 and a value 

 of $410,769 for 1914. The output of Dutchess county was 108,- 

 459,000 with a value of $491,156 as compared with 91,580,000 and 

 a value of $430,269 for 1914. The small output outside of Dutchess 

 Junction, as reported from Dutchess county, is mainly produced by 

 horse-power machines. Of the total number of yards in the 

 Dutchess Junction district, 11 were productive as compared with 

 9 for 1914. 



Outside of the three main districts there were thirty-two pro- 

 ductive plants in the Hudson River region with a total production 

 of 295,549,000 and a value of $1,566,797 as compared with 260,- 

 723,000 and a value of $1,246,009 for 1914. 



Long Island and Staten Island Region. The next district of 

 importance during 191 5 was that of Long Island and Staten Island 

 with a total production of 63,224,000 having a value of $330,004 as 

 compared with 57,735,000 and a value of $276,832 for 1914. The 

 increase in this district was due mainly to the production made in 

 Richmond county. As a result of comparative high selling price 

 and short haul to the New York markets the larger yards of this 

 county made a production throughout the winter months. 



The entire product of this district consists of soft-mud building 

 brick. There are at present six active plants using clays of 

 Cretaceous and Quaternary age. Two inactive plants have pits 

 opened in the Quaternary clays. There are three methods of 

 mining in use in this district — pit, bench and scraping. The 

 plants operating in the Quaternary clays use the pit method 

 entirely, with hand labor and caving or making use of steam 

 shovels. This clay is a dark brown to bright red tough material 

 heavily overlain with gravel and sand. Owing to the great amount 

 of gravel found with this clay it is necessary to go over it carefully 

 by hand either in the pit or on a picking belt in order to remove the 

 larger pieces of stone. It is passed through a set of rolls and then 

 to rectangular tempering pits or direct to the machine. Where 

 tempering pits are used the usual charge consists of about 108 cart- 

 loads of clay to 9 cartloads of sand. Where it is not necessary to 

 add tempering sand the clay is sent direct from the rolls to 

 machines equipped with horizontal pug-mills. The yards operating 

 in the Cretaceous clays have very little trouble with gravel and in 



