Niles.] 274 [ApriL5, 



characteristics, its geological relations and its economic value, are 

 ably presented in the Reports of the Geological Survey of the State . 

 by Dr. J. S. Newberry, with additional descriptions of its appearance 

 at some other localities, by his assistant, Mr. M. C. Read. The stone 

 at Berea has a fine, homogeneous texture, and its prevailing color is 

 gray. It is well known as a flagging and building stone, and still 

 further by the grindstones which are extensively manufactured from 

 it. The beds are of different thicknesses, and are nearly horizontal 

 in position. An important part of the work of quarrying is the cut- 

 ting of trenches in the beds, which are just wide enough for the 

 men to work in. Where the quarries are well opened, these are 

 usually cut perpendicularly into the working face. There are quar- 

 ries at Berea which have an easterly and westerly working face, but 

 I was not able to make any satisfactory observations there at the 

 time of my visit. In the quarries here described, the course of their 

 working faces is northerly and southerly, hence the trenches referred 

 to in this description had an easterly and westerly course. 



In contracting for this work it is necessary to stipulate that the 

 trenches shall not be begun or deepened throughout their entire 

 lengths at the same time. When this has been attempted, it has 

 been found that on approaching the lower surface of a bed with, a 

 long cutting, the stone remaining at the bottom of the channel has 

 been broken or crushed, and portions of the stone desired for use 

 have been so fractured as to be rendered worthless. Such a method 

 would lessen the work of the trenchers, as they are called, for they 

 would have some of the stone broken for them without labor. But 

 desirable as such a utilization of a geological force might be to the 

 contracting workmen, it would be disastrous to the proprietors. It is, 

 therefore, necessary to stipulate that the trenches shall be cut in short 

 horizontal sections, and that each, section shall be cut through to the 

 bottom of the bed before extending the length of the channel by 

 deepening another section. Even then the pressure is apparent and 

 often materially assists the workmen in excavating that part of the 

 stone in the channels which forms the lower portion of the bed. 

 But this method prevents the laterally acting force from being greatly 

 concentrated along any considerable portion of the lower edge of the 

 bed, and the desirable stone is in this way saved from destruction. 

 I give a more detailed account of the method of quarrying, for the 

 purpose of illustrating how somewhat conflicting interests lead both 

 workmen and proprietors to a careful and constant recognition of the 



