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Preface. The work herewith presented is based upon the author's handbook and catalogue of the collection of building and ornamental stones in the United States National Museum at Washington. It differs from that work, however, in many important particulars, several new chapters having been added, others rewritten and the whole so far as possible brought down to date, A portion of the added matter is essentially the same, though in a somewhat different form, as originally appeared in the columns of Stone, the American Architect, the Scientific American Supplement, and other of our industrial journals. The writer's experience in preparing the extensive collection in the National Museum, at Washington, as well as its partial duplicate in the American Museum in New York City, has afforded him ample opportunity for becoming acquainted with the quarry products of the country at large, while extensive field trips, particularly in the eastern and extreme western United States, have given him -a practical insight into the resources of the regions as well as some knowledge concerning the usual methods of quarrying and working. That there is a demand for a comprehensive and not too technical a work on this subject has been emphatically impressed upon the writer many times during the past few years. How far the pages herewith presented shall supply this demand, it is left for the public to decide. The alphabetical arrangement of States adopted in Part II. will very likely at first be subject to criticism as unscientific. Such an arrangement for purposes of rapid reference, has however, been found so much superior to the usual geographic method, that excuses are not deemed necessary. The work, it should be stated, has been written from an American standpoint, and treats principally of stones found within the limits of the United States, or imported from other sources. In but few instances are stones mentioned that are of purely historical interest. The full-page plates illustrating quarry views, were, with a single exception, drawn from photographs taken by the author. They may, therefore, be considered as reasonably accurate. Thanks are due the authorities of the Smithsonian Institution for the privilege of electrotyping such of the engravings in the original handbook as it was desired to reproduce here. GEORGE P. MERRILL SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON, D. C., JUNE, 1891. TABLE of CONTENTS PART I. I. HISTORICAL II. THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF BUILDING-STONES IN THE UNITED STATES III. THE MINERALS OF BUILDING-STONES IV. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF BUILDING-STONES V. ROCK CLASSIFICATION VI. GEOLOGICAL RECORD PART II. THE ROCKS, QUARRIES AND QUARRY REGIONS. I. STEATITE: SOAPSTONE. 1. Composition and Uses 2. Soapstones of the Various States and Territories II. SERPENTINE : VERDANTIQUE MARBLE 1. Composition, Origin and Uses of 2. Serpentines of the various States and Territories 3. Foreign Serpentines III. GYPSUM : ALABASTER 1. Composition and Uses of 2. Localities of Gypsum in the United States 3. Foreign Alabasters IV. LIMESTONES AND DOLOMITES 1. Chemical Composition and Origin 2. Varieties of 3. Limestones and Dolomites: Marbles 4. The Onyx Marbles, or Travertines 5. Limestones and Dolomites other than Marbles 6. Foreign Limestones and Marbles V. SOME MINOR ORNAMENTAL STONES VI. THE GRANITES AND GNEISSES 1. Composition and General Properties 2. Geological Age and Mode of Occurrence 3. Varieties of Granite 4. Uses of Granite 5. Granites and Gneisses of the various States and Territories 6. Foreign Granites VII. THE PORPHYRIES: PORPHYRITIC FELSITES 1. Composition and Origin 2. Varieties of Porphyry 3. Uses of Porphyry 4. Porphyries of the Various States and Territories 5. Foreign Porphyries VIII. THE LIPARITES 1. Adaptability of Tertiary and Post-Tertiary Rocks to Purposes of Construction 2. Mineral and Chemical Composition of the Liparites 3. Varieties of Liparite 4. Liparites of the Various States and Territories IX. SYENITES, TRACHYTES AND PHONOLITES 1. Definition of Syenite 2. Localities of Syenite 3. Trachytes and Phonolites X. AUGITE (ENSTATITE, HYPERSTHENE) PLAGIOCLASE ROCKS (TRAP AND GREENSTONE IN PART); 1. Diabase 2. Gabbro and Norite 3. Melaphyr 4. Basalt XI. AMPHIBOLE PLAGIOCLASE ROCKS (TRAP AND GREENSTONE IN PART) 1. Diorites and Kersantites 2. The Andesites XII. SCHISTOSE, OR FOLIATED ROCKS 1. The Gneisses 2. The Schists XIII. FRAGMENTAL Rocks 1. Sandstones, Breccias and Conglomerates (a) Composition and Origin (b) Varieties of Sandstone (c) Sandstones of the various States and Territories (d) Foreign Sandstones 2. Volcanic Fragmental Rocks (a) Definition, Origin and Composition (b) Varieties of (c) Localities and Uses of 3. Argillaceous Fragmental Rocks (Clay Slates) (a) Composition, Structure and Origin (b) Uses of (c) Slates of the various States and Territories (d) Foreign Slates PART III. I. METHODS OF QUARRYING AND DRESSING STONE II. MACHINES AND IMPLEMENTS USED IN STONE-WORKING III. THE WEATHERING OF BUILDING-STONE IV. ON THE SELECTION AND TESTING OF BUILDING-STONE V. METHODS OF PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION PART IV. APPENDICES. I. THE QUALITIES OF STONE AS SHOWN BY THEIR CRUSHING STRENGTH, WEIGHT, RATIO OF ABSORPTION, AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION II. THE PRICES OF STONE AND COST OF DRESSING III. LIST OF STONE BUILDINGS AND DATE OF ERECTION IV. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS ON BUILDING-STONE V. GLOSSARY OF TERMS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FULL PAGE PLATES. PLATE I. General view of Marble Quarries and works at West Rutland, Vermont End of Preview.
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