BUILDING AND ORNAMENTAL STONES. 405 



Pennsylvania. — The Lower Silurian formations in Montgomery, Lan- 

 caster, and Chester Counties, which furnish the supply of marble already 

 referred to,* furnish also large quantities of gray or bluish-gray stone of 

 the same composition, but, owing to its color and texture, unsuited for 

 any form of ornamental work. It is, however, extensively quarried for 

 general building, for foundations and bridge abutments. Besides, in 

 Montgomery County, limestone is quarried for local use in Easton, 

 Tuckerton, and Reading, Berks County, and in Annville, Lebanon 

 County; also near LTarrisburg, Dauphin County ; Leaman Place, Lan- 

 caster County; York, York County; Bridgeport, Sliiremanstown, and 

 Carlisle, Cumberland County. The stone from the Lancaster quarries 

 breaks with an irregular fracture; is u plucky," as the stone cutters say, 

 and is hence hard to work. It is, however, very durable, exposure for 

 many years having no other apparent effect than that of a slight fading 

 of the color. 



The York stone is very fine grained, compact, and of a deep blue black 

 color. It takes a high polish, and but for its uneven texture might 

 make a line marble. In Wrights ville, in this same county, a white or 

 bluish crystalline granular stone is quarried, which takes a fair i>olish, 

 and which might perhaps be used for marble. 



At Chambersburg, and in other parts of Franklin County the stone 

 is a calcareous dolomite, dark in color, fine grained, and very durable; 

 buildings which have stood for a century showing only a slight fading. 

 It is used locally for rough building, lime burning, and fertilisers. 



At various localities near South Mountain, a limestone breccia sim- 

 ilar to that of Frederick, Md., occurs, and which perhaps can be made 

 to yield good stone for ornamental work. 



Tennessee. — A compact, finely fossiliferous, light pink spotted lime- 

 stone occurs in the vicinity of Nashville, in this State, and which is 

 quite extensively quarried for use in the near vicinity. The stone is 

 said to be of rather poor quality, but is used on account of its accessi- 

 bility. Near Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, a magnesian limestone 

 of bluish -black color is quarried for local use. The quarry is said to be 

 very favorably located, and the stone cheap and very durable. 



Light pink, finely fossiliferous, semicrystalline limestones occur at 

 Columbia, Maury County; light-colored, similar-textured stones at 

 Carter's Creek; light, almost white, at Morristown ; red, compact fossil- 

 iferous at Springville ; and compact drab and almost black dolomites 

 near Charlotte Pike. A fine grained, compact, and light-colored oolitic 

 stone occurs at Sherwood Station, which cuts to a sharp, smooth edge 

 and seems a most excellent stone. So far as the author is a ware-none 

 of these are quarried for anything more than local use. 



Texas. — Compact, fine-grained Cretaceous (!) limestones of excellent 

 quality occur near San Saba in this State. A portion of these are 



* Seo p. 382. 



