466 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886. 



(c) Slates of the Various States and Territories. 



Georgia. — Slates sufficiently cleavable to be applicable for roofing pur- 

 poses are stated * to exist in great quantities along or near the line of 

 contact between the Silurian and Metainorphic Groups, near the Co- 

 hutta, Silicoa, Pine Log, and Dug Down Mountains in this State. The 

 most noted locality for roofing slates is on the eastern side of Polk 

 County. The outcrops are in steep hills and are apparently of great 

 thickness. They have been worked quite extensively at Eock Mart, 

 though in a crude and itinerant manner, siuce as early as 1859, the ma- 

 terial being shipped chiefly to Atlanta and neighboring towns. Other 

 dark-colored slates are found in Bartow, Gordon, Murray, and Fannin 

 Gounties, while buff and light green varieties are found in large quan. 

 tities in the northwestern portion of Bartow County. None of the above 

 are to be found in the general market, nor nave we received samples ot 

 the same. 



Maine.— According to Dr. Jackson t inexhaustible quantities of slate 

 occur along the banks of the Piscataquis Biver from Williamsburgh to 

 Foxcroft. Professor Hitchcock J also reports excellent sites for quarries 

 of this material as occurring on the Kennebec Biver from Patten to 

 Pleasant Bidge. At various times quarries have been opened at differ- 

 ent points in these localities, but the principal ones at this time are in 

 the towns of Monson, Blanchard, and Brownville, Piscataquis County. 

 The slates here produced are all of a blue-black color and are reported 

 by Mr. J. E. Wolff as of most excellent quality, being hard, with a line 

 cleavage surface, not subject to discoloration, and giving forth a clear 

 ringing sound when struck. Although seemingly susceptible of being- 

 used for all purposes to which slates are usually applied, they are at 

 present utilized almost altogether for roofing. 



Maryland. — The principal quarries of slate in this State are in Har- 

 ford County, adjoining Pennsylvania. The ridge upon which the quar- 

 ries are situated extends across the State line into York County, where 

 several other quarries are worked within a radius of about 1 mile. As 

 the Harfoid and York County stones are practically identical we will 

 reserve a complete description of their qualities until we come to speak of 

 the latter. Other quarries were formerly worked in the town of Ijams- 

 ville, in Frederick County. The stone here is of a blue black color and 

 is represented to be of good quality, but for some reason unknown to 

 the writer the quarries are no longer worked. 



Massachusetts. — Although, as already noted, slate was one of the stones 

 to be earliest quarried in eastern Massachusetts, the material was ot 

 such a nature as to be of little value except for rough construction, and 

 hence the industry has always remained of slight importance. The 

 only quarries now worked from which slate suitable for roofing or other 



* Commonwealth of Georgia, p. 137. 



+ Second Report on Geology of Maine, 1838, p. 11(>. 



I Second Ann. Rep. Geol. and Nat. Hist, of Maine, 1862, \k 429. 



