BUILDING STONE. 619 
is very easily worked, and the larger part of which is durable. These 
quarries are upon the same horizon as the Springfield quarries, and pro- 
duce stone of the same nature. The courses vary in thickness from 4 
to 14 inches, and some of them answer very well for cutting stone. The 
same qualified commendation ‘can be given to them for flagging, but 
the quarries have not been extensively developed with the end in view 
of producing this material. For general masonry the stone has proved 
very serviceable, and for economy is not surpassed by any stone in the 
state. ‘There are two colors, which are obtained from different courses, 
and which are denominated as blue and drab ; the blue courses weather 
to drab in exposed places, but it is not certain that all of the drab 
beds have been made by oxidation of blue layers. The blue beds 
sometimes prove treacherous, and even the firm and massive appear- 
ance ‘of the stone furnishes no safe guide in judging of its power to 
withstand the atmosphere. By far the larger portion, however, is 
excellent in this respect, and the drab courses are almost without excep- 
tion satisfactory. | 
Three-quarters of the gross earnings of these quarries are, on an 
average, obtained from the sale of lime, sent to market under the name 
of the Springfield lime, which is the standard for southwestern Ohio. 
A section of the quarry shows at the bottom some layers of building 
and cutting stone, above which is a 10-foot bed of solid limestone con- 
taining the well-known fossils Pentamerus oblongus, and above are 18 
feet of the “shelly” limestone, which is burned. The principal quarry 
at this place produces stone for bridges, steps, and sills, which are 
principally used in the vicinity of Yellow Springs. The composition of 
the stone from this quarry is indicated by the following analysis by 
Professor Wormley: (a) 
Per cent. 
Salim CAT MOOMALC Ms eaiere sche ke ace se Oucee seca saeeeen tecsencaceee walreve sensor enaecues 51.10 
Magnesium Carbonate ..........s0sessccssecesssceestaeee ce AHN aia ie wha hc Wh 41.12 
SAMOPAINGUSIT CAmsreccis care twacincssecc ccs some coset et aecceut sees sassanee Soa saeoasaee 5.40 
AMIN as witha Grace OlITONY OXI Crs cesecesastete re csccosescorcencse! crosses 1.40 
MG Gas Sea eres eer sec aminaan ce seat piece waicleeee's clobeielae cosaiald cautere sien abibis wets 99.02 
Several quarries in Miami county resemble those at Springfield, and 
are located in the same geological stratum. ‘They are rendered valuable 
(a) Report of the Geolcgical Survey of Ohio, Vol. II, Part i, p. 672. 
