954 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



blocks and curbstone. Westchester county was the argest 

 producer with an output valued at $125,150. The value of the 

 production in the other counties was as follows: Orange and 

 Rockland $83,520; Jefferson $8412; Clinton and Fulton $4800. 



Limestone 



The limestone quarries are the most important in New York 

 State. Compared with sandstone, which ranks second in value 

 of output, limestone is not especially prominent as a building 

 material, but it is more generally used as road metal and concrete. 

 Its wide occurrence, in connection with its natural fitness for the 

 purpose, has favored the development of an extensive crushed 

 stone trade that covers nearly every section of the State. The 

 manufacture of lime also calls for a large part of the product. 



Distribution. Among the geologic formations of the New 

 York series, limestone appears frequently 1 . In the Precambrian 

 strata of the Adirondacks and in southeastern New York it has 

 been metamorphosed and has the crystalline character of marble. 

 The noncrystalline limestones, to which the present discussion 

 is limited, are associated with the Lower Siluric, Upper Siluric 

 and Devonic systems. Those chiefly exploited will be briefly 

 described. 



The Beekmantown limestone or calciferous sandrock, as it 

 has been commonly called, occurs in isolated areas along the 

 Mohawk and Champlain valleys. There are quarries in Warren, 

 Montgomery, Fulton and Herkimer counties. It is a fine grained, 

 massive stone of grayish color and normally contains more or less 

 magnesia. This constituent sometimes occurs in sufficient amount 

 to characterize the rock as dolomite. Owing to its prevailing 

 silicious nature, the limestone can seldom be used for other than 

 building purposes. 



The Chazy limestone is of local importance. It is found along 

 a narrow belt bordering the Adirondacks from Saratoga county 

 north to Clinton county. In composition it is a typical lime- 

 stone, containing little magnesia or impurities. For this reason 

 it is adapted to the manufacture of lime. The stone has a finely 

 crystalline texture, and at Chazy and Plattsburg has been quarried 

 for marble. It supplies also some building stone and furnace 

 flux. 



In the Mohawkian or Trenton group are included the Lowville 

 (Birdseye), Black river and Trenton limestones, which occupy 



*For fuller details as to the distribution and character of the limestones of New York refer- 

 ence is made to State Museum Bulletin 44, Lime and Cement Industries of New York, by Hein- 



rich Ries. - - 



