Logo Picture Left Side Logo Text at Center Logo Picture Right Side

Home > Quarry Articles, Links and Books > Stone Magazine > The Stone Industry 1894

The Stone Industry 1894. III.

Value of Limestone, Product by States

 

Owing to the widespread distribution of limestone throughout the United States and the number and varied character of the uses to which it is put, the collection of accurate statistics becomes a much more difficult problem than is encountered in the same undertaking with any other kind of stone. In view of the difficulties which present themselves in connection with statistics of limestone, an entire revision of the directory was made, and as a result the original list of names of producers was secured. The method which was found most effective in obtaining knowledge of new names consisted in addressing to postmasters of all offices located in limestone producing counties of the country a double postal card, which enabled them to return to this Bureau names of all persons in their vicinity who quarry limestone for any purpose whatsoever. The results which followed our subsequent request for information addressed to limestone producers are most gratifying, since there was every reason to believe that the returns relating to value of output were so full and complete as to amount of an actual census.

Image of Stone Industry Table No.1

The following table shows the value of lime made, the value of stone used for building and road making, the value of stone used for blast-furnace flux, and the total value for all purposes together:

Image of Stone Industry Table No. 2
It is evident from an inspection of the total that the value of the lime output for the entire country is $8,610,607, or somewhat more than one-half the total value of the total output of limestone for all purposes. Somewhat less than half has been devoted to building and road making, while the remainder has been used for fluxing purposes. For the last-named uses the amount consumed has in the last year been smaller than usual on account of the depression which has existed in the manufacture of iron. A comparison of the figures for 1894 with those of the census year 1890 shows a decline from $19,095,179 to $16,512,904. This, however, is not surprising in view of the exceptional financial depression. The following table shows the value of the limestone output by states for the years 1890 to 1894, inclusive:
Image of Stone Industry Table No. 3

The ancients, according to Palladio, first squared and worked the sides of the stones which were to be placed one upon the other, leaving the other sides rough. The edges of the stones, being beyond the square were then smoothed. But the roses between the modillions and similar ornaments of the cornice, which could not commodiously be done when the stones were fixed, were carved upon the ground. If the works were very great, as the arena of Verona, the amphitheater of Pola and other buildings, to save expense and time, they worked only the imposts of the arches, capitals and cornices; the rest they left rough. But in temples and other buildings which required nice work, they spared no pains in the execution, glazing and smoothing even the very flutes of the columns, and polishing them carefully.



[Top of Page]