526 
GEOLOGY OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. 
which were unknown to their owners, are so convenient to water transport that the blocks can 
be swung directly on board vessels in the Hudson, by means of cranes. When we consider 
the value attached to the quarries in Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut, where, in most 
places, it is necessary to haul the stone, either on a common road, or construct a railway to 
navigable water, a distance from half a mile to six or seven miles, and observe that notwith¬ 
standing all these disadvantages, the great outlay of capital, and the distance to a market, 
they make it a profitable business, we may begin to appreciate the importance of having 
inexhaustible quantities of materials, as good, as beautiful, as durable, and as easily quarried 
and dressed, on our own waters, within forty or sixty miles of the city of New-York, and so 
convenient to shipment that no railroads and hauling are requited; 
Blunt's quarry. This is located on the south side of Breakneck point, near the line between 
Putnam and Dutchess counties. There is an inexhaustible supply of a material of the best 
quality. It is a bluish grey granitic rock, composed mostly of a dark colored felspar, with 
some hornblende, quartz, and occasionally a little mica. It is more properly sienite than 
granite. It is scarcely as dark as the Quincy granite or sienite, while it is as beautiful, has 
about the same strength, splits as well, and is as easily dressed. The stone from this quarry 
has been extensively used in the construction of the Delaware Breakwater, of Fort Calhoun 
and Fortress Monroe. The mountain rock has not been quarried at this place, but only the 
large masses that have tumbled from the cliffs above. It is not possible to.give an accurate 
estimate of the quantity of granite in this vicinity, but there may be in the end of the mountain 
five hundred acres, with an average depth of five hundred feet, or 803,640 cubic yards to the 
acre, or 401,720,000 cubic yards on five hundred acres. 
Blunt’s quarry is located on the immediate shore of the Hudson river; but on account of 
the flats, the stone has been hauled about sixty rods to a landing. This quarry bids fair to 
become valuable; but there is one disadvantage that may perhaps operate as a drawback to 
its advantageous position. It is overhung by a precipice of several hundred feet in height; 
and in the quarrying operations, the heavy blasts may bring down hundreds of thousands of 
tons of rock which can be useful only for dock stone and ballast. 
Highland Granite Company's quarry. This quarry is principally owned by Messrs. Howard 
& Holden. It is located one-fourth of a mile from the Hudson river, and half a mile east of 
Blunt’s quarry near Breakneck point, and about two miles from Coldspring. It is elevated 
about four hundred feet above the Hudson, in full view of the river. The stone is of excel¬ 
lent quality, and splits easily into large blocks. It is composed principally of felspar, with a 
little hornblende, and is indistinctly stratified; or at least it lies in thick heavy beds with pa 
rallel seams six to twelve feet apart, and which are slightly inclined to the horizon. The 
quarry is inexhaustible, and ought to be very valuable. This quarry is on part of the bed of 
granitic rock described under Blunt’s quarry. The stone is now hauled to the landing, about 
one-fourth of a mile, at an expense of three cents per cubic foot, or forty-two cents per ton. 
Much of it is sent to Singsing, for the culverts and aqueduct bridges ; and the freight to that 
place is four cents per foot, or fifty-six cents per ton. It is delivered at Singsing in blocks of 
