204 THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF CECIL COUNTY 



as to facilitate working of the quarries and blocks containing 3,000 

 to 4,000 cubic feet might easily be obtained. 



The texture of the rock, like that at Port Deposit, is coarsely gran- 

 ular, with a secondary lamination, and is adapted to all ordinary uses 

 in general building, exterior ornamentation, curbing, paving, etc. It 

 is possible, however, that this rock may be a little more " plucky" 

 in working than the larger deposit farther north. Like the rock 

 quarried at Port Deposit, that at Prenchtown frequently appears 

 somewhat disfigured by small black patches or basic segregations of 

 biotite, which often render the stone unavailable for the highest 

 grades of ornamental work. The microscopical characteristics of this 

 rock as well as the color and texture are the same as those of the 

 Port Deposit rock already described. The quarries have not been 

 worked long enough to indicate by the product the durability of the 

 rock or to call for discussions of its specific gravity, crushing strength 

 and other physical features. There is no doubt, however, that the 

 rock will respond readily to all the demands made upon it for ordi- 

 nary building purposes, and that it will resist any pressure or atmos- 

 pheric influences which it would normally encounter. It weighs 

 about 170 pounds to the cubic foot. 



The quarry as yet is small. The transportation facilities, however, 

 are very good, the same as those at Port Deposit. The stone may be 

 loaded directly on the cars for Philadelphia and Baltimore or on 

 barges for these and other coastwise points. 



Clay. 1 

 Second only in importance to the building-stone industry is that 

 supported by the deposits of sands, kaolins and clays found within 

 the limits of Cecil county. Clays suitable for the manufacture of 

 brick or higher grade materials are found in almost every part of 

 the county but are particularly well developed and well situated for 

 use in the area along the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio 



1 Based on H. Ries, Clays of Maryland, Md. Geol. Survey, volume iv, Baltimore, 

 1902. In this report is a complete discussion of the properties of clays, the methods 

 of working and the distribution and character of Maryland clays. 



