128 
J Assembly 
These quarries may all be opened directly on the shore, and blocks 
of large size may apparently be quarried with ease, and swung directly 
on board vessels by means of cranes. Should these stones prove as good 
as their external aspect would seem to indicate, it w^ould be difficult to 
estimate their value, which would be very great. 
A valuable quarry may be opened on Stony Point, a little west of 
the light-house. This part of Stony Point next the United States' 
land, belongs to Mr. Brewster. There are about 10 acres of granite 
of good quality, and which may be worked to a mean depth of 60 feet 
to high water mark. This place ought to be able to furnish one million 
cubic yards of granite, or 27,000,000 cubic feet. This rock is the 
proper granite, composed of quartz, feldspar and mica. It is darker 
or as dark coloured as the Quincy stone; is as durable, and as easily 
dressed. This quarry ought in the course of working to yield a nett 
profit of $7,000,000, if the stone should prove as sound and easily 
quarried as its appearance would seem to indicate. The aggregate 
amount of workable granite in locations just described on the right 
bank of the Hudson in the Highlands, is estimated at 100,000,000 cubic 
yards, or 2,700,000,000 cubic feet, a quantity that may be considered 
inexhaustible. 
Gneiss. 
This rock is predominant in every part of the Highlands of Rockland 
and Orange counties. Its modifications have already been described, as 
well as its stratification, and allusion has been made to some of the 
transverse upheaves that have changed the dip and line of bearing, to a 
direction nearly perpendicular to the general ones. 
This rock has been quarried in many places, but the quarries can 
scarcely be said to be fairly opened. Many fine locations for quarries 
exist which have not yet been opened. 
Local Details. 
Gneiss, and granitic gneiss, have been quarried from the loose blocks 
at the base of Butter Hill and of the Crow's Nest, on the shore. There 
is a great abundance of durable stone here, which can be easily obtained. 
It is rather hard to dress, but is beautiful and indestructible. 
At West-Point two fine quarries of gneiss have been opened, and 
worked occasionally for many years. Most of the buildings at West- 
Point are constructed of stones from these quarries. They are of a 
