No. 275.J 
123 
Peter White has another near the two already mentioned, from which 
he has shipped this year 1,200 tons. 
These localities are about two and a half miles north of Nyack. 
The quantity shipped to New- York this year is only about one-fourth 
the usual quantity. The stone is sold at the quarries in cars, at Is 3d 
per ton, and the boatmen roll the car to the vessel and empty it, and 
draw the car to the quarry again for another load. The stone sells in 
New- York for 4s per ton. 
Red Sandstone. 
The extent of this rock in Rockland county has been described. In 
colour, it varies from chocolate brown, through brick red and gray to 
white; in texture, it varies from pebbly conglomerate, through common 
sandstone, fissile and micacious sandstone, to shale; and in composition, 
from perfectly silicious, to an argillo-calcarious marl. Where the trap- 
pean rocks have cut through these various strata, or have spread late- 
rally between them, their texture and appearance are much modified, 
and appear to have been subjected to the action of heat, which has par- 
tially melted them, or rendered them more compact and hard, like a 
hard burnt brick, or has made them metalliferous.* 
The useful varieties of this rock are the gray and red conglomerate 
sandstone, which is used for the hearths of iron furnaces, and the red 
sandstone or freestone so extensively used for door steps, the corners of 
buildings, and for the caps and sills of windows and doors, in brick 
buildings. Strata of red argillo-calcareous marl, dove-coloured and red- 
dish variegated limestone^ and a reddish calcareous conglomerate or pud- 
ding stone, are associated as subordinate strata; and as they are useful, 
they will be discussed in order. 
Red and Gray Conglomerate, 
This rock is found in almost every part of the sandstone region, and 
many quarries of it have been opened for the purpose of supplying fire 
stone for the hearths of iron furnaces. This stone is shipped to vari- 
ous parts of the country for this purpose, and no stone is known supe- 
rior to it for durability. 
Isaac Van Houten's quarry is one and one-fourth of a mile north of the 
New City. This quarry is the first that was worked for obtaining fur- 
* Micaceous oxide of iron in small brilliant scales, is not uncommonly diffused through those 
ftrata, near their junction with trap. 
