50 



Indiana University Studies 



Reed's Station for a number of years but at the present time 

 (1914) the mill is shut down, and a large amount of the 

 machinery is being removed to their plant at Bedford. The 

 company will probably not reopen this mill, since the work can 

 be carried on more economically in a larger plant, and they will 

 probably center their interests at the Bedford plant. 



There are a number of abandoned quarry sites in and around 

 Reed's Station, but no active quarries at this time, and the out- 

 look for opening any at this point is not bright. This dis- 

 trict was first opened by David Reed in 1882, the first quarry 

 operating under the name of the Bedford Quarry Company. 

 Another opening was made in 1885 by Crim Duncan and Com- 

 pany, and was known as the Robin Roost quarry. All these 

 properties were located on the west side of Goose creek and well 

 above the water level. The stone quarried was a good grade of 

 buff stone, but as the quarry face was worked back into the hill 

 the cost of stripping became so great that it became necessary 

 to abandon the undertaking. 



The mill of the Indiana Bedford Stone Company is located 

 just west of the village of Oolitic, across Goose creek. It is one 

 of the older mills of the district and has been in operation since 

 the Robin Roost quarry near it was opened in 1885. The present 

 company has operated the mill smce 1894. The old quarry has 

 long been abandoned, but the mill is still in operation and has 

 just been equipped with electric motors. 



Dark Hollow. Dark Hollow is a depression running north- 

 west from Salt Creek valley where it makes a sharp turn west 

 between the village of Oolitic and the city of Bedford. It is 

 located about 23/2 miles west and about the same distance north 

 of Bedford, making the quarry belt about 6 miles from the city. 

 The location is ideal for quarries, inasmuch as the Harrodsburg 

 stone outcrops in the very lowest portions of the valley, while the 

 Mitchell covers the hilltops around the depression. The Oolitic 

 limestone outcrops along the sides of the hills and it is along these 

 outcrops that the quarries are located. The stone opened up in 

 this valley is remarkable for its fine grain and extremely light 

 color. The finished stone is so light that at a distance it looks 

 white. The valley is occupied by two companies, the Consoli- 

 dated Stone Company, holding most of the openings, and the 

 George Doyle Stone Company, holding two openings along the 

 southwest wall of the hills; and this has tended to spread .the 



