44 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The size of the stones marketed ranges from 15 to 90 inches. The 

 greater demand is for the smaller and medium sizes, with diameters 

 of 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 inches. A pair of 30-inch millstones com- 

 monly sells for $15, while $50 may be paid for a single stone 60 

 inches in diameter. The largest sizes bring from $50 to $100. 

 Besides the cominon type of millstones, disks are furnished which 

 are employed in a roll type of crusher known as a chaser. The 

 pavement of such crushers is also supplied by the quarrymen, in the 

 form of blocks. Quartz, feldspar and barytes are corrimonly ground 

 in chasers. 



Most of the Ulster county quarries are situated along the north- 

 ern edge of the Shawangunk mountain. Kyserike, St Josen, Granite 

 and Kerhonkson are the principal centers of the industry while the 

 distributing points include New Paltz and Kingston in addition to 

 those named. The industry is carried on intermittently, many of 

 the producers engaging in other occupations during a part of the 

 year. 



The market for millstones has been curtailed of late years by the 

 introduction of rolls, ball mills and other improved forms of grind- 

 ing machinery. The roller mill process has displaced the old type 

 of cereal mills, particularly in grinding wheat. The small corn 

 mills distributed throughout the southern states, however, still use 

 millstones and furnish one of the important markets for the New 

 York quarries. A part of the product is sold also to cement and 

 talc manufacturers. 



The production of millstones in 1906 amounted to a value of 

 $22,442, or nearly the same as in the previous year when a valuation 

 of $22,944 was reported. The production in 1904 was valued at 

 $21,476. 



MINERAL PAINT 



The term mineral paint is here used to designate the natural min- 

 eral colors obtained by grinding an ore or rock. The materials 

 suitable for this purpose that are found in New York State include 

 iron ore, shale, slate and ocher. 



For metallic paint and mortar colors some form of iron ore, gen- 

 erally hematite or limonite, is commonly employed, but only a few 

 localities are known wjiere the ore possesses the requisite qualities 

 of color and durability. The fossil hematite from the Clinton forma- 

 tion is perhaps most widely used in this country. The mines owned 

 by C. A. Borst at Clinton, Oneida co., and those of the Fumaceville 

 Iron Co. at Ontario, Wayne co., supply much of the crude material. 



