Evansville, Indiana – the Empire Stone Works & Quarries, Joseph Albaker & F. R. Caden, Proprietors (Business Card)

Jos. Albaker - F. R. Caden
Albaker & Caden, Proprietors of the Empire Stone Workers,
Corner of Vine and Fourth Streets
Letter Box 591 – Evansville, Ind.

Contractors for all kinds of Stone Work.  Stone Fronts and other elaborate work executed according to Drawings and Specifications.  We use nothing but the celebrated White and Imperishable Green River Lime Stone, Out Of Our Own Quarries.

“A short time ago Granite Marble & Bronze sent out a questionnaire to thousands of retail monument dealers throughout the country for information regarding the part the motor truck plays in the retail monument business….”

“Of course, the real interest in connection with this digest is in quoting what the dealers have to say about the subject, for the sayings are many and various….”

“F. J. Scholz & Son, Evansville, Ind.:

“‘We have a one-ton Ford and a 3 ½-ton G. M. C. truck, and find them a great convenience, a time-saver and a splendid advertisement for our business. They are working from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., hauling shipments to depot, receiving stock coming in, hauling to local cemeteries, etc. Repairs have been below expectations. We use solid Firestone tires, for a 3 ½-ton truck is too heavy for pneumatic.’”

(See: Evansville, Indiana – F. J. Scholz & Sons (Monument Dealer) )

“Greenburg, or Flat Rock, Stone. – This is a light-colored, close-grained, magnesian limestone, belonging, geologically, to the Niagara group, which underlies the Hamilton.  It is extensively quarried at various localities in Dearborn county, but principally in the vicinity of Greenburg, on San Creek, and St. Paul, on Flat Rock Creek, in Decatur county.  The crop is from 20 to 30 feet thick, the layers varying in thickness from 4 inches to 2 feet.  Flagging may be obtained of this stone in flags 50 by 200 feet, and from 6 to 7 inches thick, without break or flaw, and which will not vary one inch in thickness over the entire surface.  Stone 22 inches thick may be had of equal superfices, if it were possible to handle such masses.  An analysis of samples from the Greensburg Stone Company’s quarries gave as its composition 74.2 per cent carbonate of lime, with approximately 74.2 per cent carbonate of lime, with approximately 10 per cent of carbonate of magnesia, 6 percent of insoluble silicates, 6 ½ per cent of oxide of iron and alumina, and about 2 percent of chlorides of the alkalies.  Gen. Gilmore gives the weight of a cubic foot as 169.98 pounds; the crushing strength of one cubic inch as 16,875 pounds; and ratio of absorption, 1 : 117.”

“Building-Stone. - The conglomerate sandstone in this county furnishes an abundance of good freestone for building purposes. In color it ranges from whitish-gray to a brownish-red.

“Quarries of this stone have been opened near Attica, on the Toledo, Wabash and Western railroad, in Logan township, and afford a coarse-grained, grayish-brown, durable sandstone, that can be quarried in blocks from one to four feet or more in thickness, and of any required length and width. Other quarries have also been opened at Portland, on the Wabash and Erie Canal, where a stone similar to that from Attica is obtained.”

“Building Materials.

“Stone, known usually as the ‘blue Cincinnati limestone,’ is abundant everywhere, and is the surface-rock, as has been said elsewhere, in the southeastern third of the county. It is a valuable and very durable stone, but, unfortunately, there are but few strata, of sufficient firmness to work well, which exceed six inches in thickness. The thinner layers are used in walling cellars, and all other rough work where beauty is not essential. Many of the thicker strata are so shelly, and composed of broken corals and fossil shells, that they are not suited to ordinary stonework. Every stone which is sufficiently firm to bear hammer-dressing, may be relied upon as being sufficiently durable for any description of masonry. The thin strata are extensively used for flagging the sidewalks in the town, and have proved to be durable, and will, no doubt, outlast several successive pavements of brick.

“The Localities where this rock is found are so numerous, and so generally known that to point them out would be superfluous. North of Brookville, one mile and a half in a direct line, the rock of which we have been speaking disappears under a stratum of (probably) magnesian limestone, which varies from six to twenty inches in thickness. This stone is extensively used for heavy masonry, and range-work, of various kinds; its qualities have been mentioned in a former part of this report and need not be repeated here. It is extensively quarried by Mr. Schrichte, on the south-east quarter of section 17, town 9, range 2 west; also an (sic) the lands of Jane McCarty, sections 8 and 9; and W. W. Butler’s, section 8; on the farm of W. J. Peck, sections 13 and 14; on Josiah Allen’s, and James Gavin’s section 15; on the lands of John Skinner, Wm. Brier, and Samuel Shepperd, section 7; William Frank’s, section 18; on lands of Z. B. Reed and J. P. Shiltz, sections 17 and 18 also on the lands of C. T. Gordon, section 32; and those of M. H. Gordon, section 30, town 12 north, range 13 east. It is also found on H. H. Seal’s farm, section 36, town 10, range 2 west. South of Brookville it is found on the lands of Hon. A. B. Line, J. H. Lanning and John Althero - all in section 28, town 11 north, range 13 east; also on lands of E. Krause and P. Conrad, section 17, town 10 north, range 13 east. It is found in and around the town of Oldenburg, in great abundance, section 4, town 10 north, range 12 east; also on H. Schwegmann’s farm, section 1, same town.

“Besides the localities already mentioned, there are many others which might be named; but to enumerate them all would render this report tedious and unnecessarily long.

“The most valuable building-stone in the county, or probably in the State, is found in Laurel and Posey townships. It is of the same character, and belongs to the same formation as the Dayton stone so extensively used in Cincinnati and other places, and the same as that found at Greensburg and St. Paul. This group has generally been referred to the Niagara series, and probably correctly so, but I am of opinion that the upper strata, at least, belong to the Devonian formation. The few fossils I have been able to find in them (the upper members) are referable, in my opinion, to that group. Let this be as it may, the rocks are without doubt of great value as a building material, and when they come to be generally known will be extensively used.

“Two miles north-west of Laurel, D. H. Mook owns a valuable quarry, which has been extensively worked. The strata are generally blue, especially the lower series, are hard, easily worked to a fine edge, are durable, and may be obtained of any required size or thickness. It is situated on the south-east quarter of section 5, town 12 north, range 12 east. Immediately west, in the same section, there is a fine outcrop of the same rock upon the land of Wm. Depperman; this has not been worked to the same extent as Mook’s, but it contains a vast amount of valuable material.

“On section 17, town 12 north, range 12 east, Messrs. Kemble & Payne own a quarry of very fine quality of stone. In this quarry the upper members are cream-colored cherty limestone. Stone of any desirable thickness may be obtained there.

“John H. Faurot has a fine quarry on the southwest quarter of section 18, town 12, range 12; it has been but little worked. James Murphy also has a fine quarry in the same section. Thomas B. and William D. Adams, whose farm is on section 1, town 12, range 11 east, have a good quarry of the same character of stone. It is upon this farm where gold has been found in greater quantity than in any other locality in the neighborhood.

“To these gentlemen, and especially to Thomas B. Adams, Esq., I am generally indebted for assistance in prosecuting my examinations in that section of the county; and to the Rev. Wm. B. Adams my acknowledgements are due for hospitable treatment and entertainment at his residence.

“Martha Plow owns a quarry in section 6, town 12, range 12, which promises well, but has not been worked to any considerable extent. J. A. Derbyshire has a fine quarry on section 20, town 12, range 12, and G. W. Kimble another in section 19.

“Alfred Deter has, adjoining the village of Bulltown, in Posey township, a good quarry in section 13, town 12, range 11 east. This is the most western quarry I have seen.

“One of the finest quarries in this formation belongs to Jesse Cloud, and is situate in the south-west quarter of section 7, town 12, range 12 east. The strata vary in thickness from two inches to ten. The thin flags are yellow, very hard, and upon being struck with a hammer give out a clear sharp ring, similar to glass; they are very durable, notwithstanding their argillaceous character.

“Flagging, or stone for any other purpose, may be obtained here, or at any of the neighboring quarries, of uniform thickness and of any dimensions.

“Besides these quarries there are a number of others in the vicinity which might be mentioned, but I deem it unnecessary to name them all, as they may be found in a belt two and a half miles in width by five or six in length.”

The Yoder Monument works was listed as one of the customers of the Mount Brothers of Memphis Missouri, who sold their Air Take-off Device used in carving cemetery stones.

“Greenburg, or Flat Rock, Stone. – This is a light-colored, close-grained, magnesian limestone, belonging, geologically, to the Niagara group, which underlies the Hamilton.  It is extensively quarried at various localities in Dearborn county, but principally in the vicinity of Greenburg, on San Creek, and St. Paul, on Flat Rock Creek, in Decatur county.  The crop is from 20 to 30 feet thick, the layers varying in thickness from 4 inches to 2 feet.  Flagging may be obtained of this stone in flags 50 by 200 feet, and from 6 to 7 inches thick, without break or flaw, and which will not vary one inch in thickness over the entire surface.  Stone 22 inches thick may be had of equal superfices, if it were possible to handle such masses.  An analysis of samples from the Greensburg Stone Company’s quarries gave as its composition 74.2 per cent carbonate of lime, with approximately 74.2 per cent carbonate of lime, with approximately 10 per cent of carbonate of magnesia, 6 percent of insoluble silicates, 6 ½ per cent of oxide of iron and alumina, and about 2 percent of chlorides of the alkalies.  Gen. Gilmore gives the weight of a cubic foot as 169.98 pounds; the crushing strength of one cubic inch as 16,875 pounds; and ratio of absorption, 1 : 117.”

“Hanson (PLC) donated 182 hectares including abandoned rock quarries and wooded areas valued at $5 million to DePauw University near Greencastle in Putnam County. It will become the DePauw University Nature Park, and rock climbing may be allowed on the quarry walls.

“Building-Stone. - Excellent quarries of sandstone and limestone are now being opened and worked on Mr. Watson’s land, on the line of the Indianapolis & Vincennes railroad, on section 6, town 8, range 4, and on section 14, town 8, range 5.

“At the time of my examination, about six feet of rock was exposed at the latter quarry, still leaving a considerable depth of good stone undeveloped. It is a fine-grained, brownish-gray sandstone, with small specks of protoxide of iron, and lies in strata that range from six to sixteen inches in thickness, and may be taken up in slabs of any required length and breadth.

“Sandstone quarries have also been opened by Mr. Hamlin, on section 25, town 7, range 4, and at Mrs. Faucett’s, on Plummer’s creek, on section 4, town 6 range 4.

“The stone at the latter quarry is moderately fine-grained, has a cream color, can readily be split to any required thickness, and is mined on large slabs from six to thirty inches thick. Stone from Hamlin’s quarry is used in Bloomfield for foundations to buildings, door-steps, door and window lintels and sills, chimneys, copings, etc., etc. In quality and in color it is similar to the stone at Mrs. Faucett’s quarry.

“Good sandstone for building purposes is also found on Mr. Lahr’s land, and at various other localities in Wright township, in the north-western part of the county. In fact there is no scarcity of good building-stone in Greene county.

“Quick Lime. - The subcarboniferous limestone along the I. & V. railroad, and in the ridge skirting Richland creek and Ore-branch, will furnish material for an abundance of good white lime. The limestone which overlies coal K, in the western part of the county, will at many places furnish a dark-colored but good strong lime, in every respect suitable for making mortar.”

Employment of Cranes by Contracts Insures Greater Production with Minimum Cost Greatly Increasing Profits. Will insure such results. Designed and built to give continuous service with least maintenance cost. Catalog No. 18 sent on application

• Indiana Limestone by John R. Hill  (history) - IGS Industry Partnerships.

• According to the BloombergBusiness web site:  “Victor Oolitic Stone Company, Inc., doing business as Indiana Limestone Company, Inc., provides limestone building stones.  The company’s products include blocks and slabs, trim and accent products, building veneers, and landscape materials…As of May 2, 2014, Victor Oolitic Stone Company, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Indiana Commercial Finance, LLC.”

• About the Company.
• About Indiana Limestone...

In this advertisement, the Star Stone Company is listed as the Sales gent and Secretary for the company Franklin T. Brodix (successor to Brodix & Malone), Building Stone, 112 West Adams Street, Chicago, Ill.

“Building Materials.

“Stone, known usually as the ‘blue Cincinnati limestone,’ is abundant everywhere, and is the surface-rock, as has been said elsewhere, in the southeastern third of the county. It is a valuable and very durable stone, but, unfortunately, there are but few strata, of sufficient firmness to work well, which exceed six inches in thickness. The thinner layers are used in walling cellars, and all other rough work where beauty is not essential. Many of the thicker strata are so shelly, and composed of broken corals and fossil shells, that they are not suited to ordinary stonework. Every stone which is sufficiently firm to bear hammer-dressing, may be relied upon as being sufficiently durable for any description of masonry. The thin strata are extensively used for flagging the sidewalks in the town, and have proved to be durable, and will, no doubt, outlast several successive pavements of brick....”

“The most valuable building-stone in the county, or probably in the State, is found in Laurel and Posey townships. It is of the same character, and belongs to the same formation as the Dayton stone so extensively used in Cincinnati and other places, and the same as that found at Greensburg and St. Pau. This group has generally been referred to the Niagara series, and probably correctly so, but I am of opinion that the upper strata, at least, belong to the Devonian formation. The few fossils I have been able to find in them (the upper members) are referable, in my opinion, to that group. Let this be as it may, the rocks are without doubt of great value as a building material, and when they come to be generally known will be extensively used....”

“Building Materials.

“Stone, known usually as the ‘blue Cincinnati limestone,’ is abundant everywhere, and is the surface-rock, as has been said elsewhere, in the southeastern third of the county. It is a valuable and very durable stone, but, unfortunately, there are but few strata, of sufficient firmness to work well, which exceed six inches in thickness. The thinner layers are used in walling cellars, and all other rough work where beauty is not essential. Many of the thicker strata are so shelly, and composed of broken corals and fossil shells, that they are not suited to ordinary stonework. Every stone which is sufficiently firm to bear hammer-dressing, may be relied upon as being sufficiently durable for any description of masonry. The thin strata are extensively used for flagging the sidewalks in the town, and have proved to be durable, and will, no doubt, outlast several successive pavements of brick....”

“The most valuable building-stone in the county, or probably in the State, is found in Laurel and Posey townships. It is of the same character, and belongs to the same formation as the Dayton stone so extensively used in Cincinnati and other places, and the same as that found at Greensburg and St. Paul. This group has generally been referred to the Niagara series, and probably correctly so, but I am of opinion that the upper strata, at least, belong to the Devonian formation. The few fossils I have been able to find in them (the upper members) are referable, in my opinion, to that group. Let this be as it may, the rocks are without doubt of great value as a building material, and when they come to be generally known will be extensively used.

“Two miles north-west of Laurel, D. H. Mook owns a valuable quarry, which has been extensively worked. The strata are generally blue, especially the lower series, are hard, easily worked to a fine edge, are durable, and may be obtained of any required size or thickness. It is situated on the south-east quarter of section 5, town 12 north, range 12 east. Immediately west, in the same section, there is a fine outcrop of the same rock upon the land of Wm. Depperman; this has not been worked to the same extent as Mook’s, but it contains a vast amount of valuable material....”

“Building Materials.

“Stone, known usually as the ‘blue Cincinnati limestone,’ is abundant everywhere, and is the surface-rock, as has been said elsewhere, in the southeastern third of the county. It is a valuable and very durable stone, but, unfortunately, there are but few strata, of sufficient firmness to work well, which exceed six inches in thickness. The thinner layers are used in walling cellars, and all other rough work where beauty is not essential. Many of the thicker strata are so shelly, and composed of broken corals and fossil shells, that they are not suited to ordinary stonework. Every stone which is sufficiently firm to bear hammer-dressing, may be relied upon as being sufficiently durable for any description of masonry. The thin strata are extensively used for flagging the sidewalks in the town, and have proved to be durable, and will, no doubt, outlast several successive pavements of brick....”

“The most valuable building-stone in the county, or probably in the State, is found in Laurel and Posey townships. It is of the same character, and belongs to the same formation as the Dayton stone so extensively used in Cincinnati and other places, and the same as that found at Greensburg and St. Paul. This group has generally been referred to the Niagara series, and probably correctly so, but I am of opinion that the upper strata, at least, belong to the Devonian formation. The few fossils I have been able to find in them (the upper members) are referable, in my opinion, to that group. Let this be as it may, the rocks are without doubt of great value as a building material, and when they come to be generally known will be extensively used.

“Two miles north-west of Laurel, D. H. Mook owns a valuable quarry, which has been extensively worked. The strata are generally blue, especially the lower series, are hard, easily worked to a fine edge, are durable, and may be obtained of any required size or thickness. It is situated on the south-east quarter of section 5, town 12 north, range 12 east. Immediately west, in the same section, there is a fine outcrop of the same rock upon the land of Wm. Depperman; this has not been worked to the same extent as Mook’s, but it contains a vast amount of valuable material....”

• Lawrence County, Indiana – the Elliott Stone Co., Inc. Limestone Quarry. In 1995 this company was operating a limestone quarry in Lawrence County. At that time the company headquarters was in Bedford, Indiana. (from United States Geological Survey, Mineral Industries Surveys - Directory of Principal Dimension Stone Producers in the United States in 1995, prepared in January 1997.)

The article discusses the Indiana limestone and limestone quarries in addition to other subjects in Lawrence County including tours, et al.

Perry, Matthews and Buskirk Quarry

John Torphy, superintendent of the Perry, Matthews and Buskirk quarries, at Bedford, has secured options on 1,500 acres of stone land in Lawrence County, Ind. Mr. Torphy says that the stripping is not heavy and that the land is easy of access from railroad. He thinks the stone is fully equal to any in the Bedford region.

“Building-Stone. - The conglomerate sandstone in this county furnishes an abundance of good freestone for building purposes. In color it ranges from whitish-gray to a brownish-red.

“Quarries of this stone have been opened near Attica, on the Toledo, Wabash and Western railroad, in Logan township, and afford a coarse-grained, grayish-brown, durable sandstone, that can be quarried in blocks from one to four feet or more in thickness, and of any required length and width. Other quarries have also been opened at Portland, on the Wabash and Erie Canal, where a stone similar to that from Attica is obtained....”

“Building-Stone. - The conglomerate sandstone, which forms high cliffs on Big Raccoon, Little Raccoon and Sugar creeks, may be quarried in blocks of any required dimensions, and will make a handsome and durable building stone. At Mansfield, on Big Raccoon creek, this rock is a beautiful reddish-brown color, closely resembling in appearance the brown sandstone of which the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, D.C., is built. It has been used in the construction of abutments to the bridge which crosses the creek at Mansfield, where it has been exposed to the weather for several years, and gives evidence of being a durable stone.

“A similar colored sandstone, from the conglomerate bluff on the Little Racoon (sic) creek, was used in the foundation of the largest bank building in Rockville, and is very highly spoken of as a building stone.”

Mansfield is known for its sandstone.  The first quarry was opened in 1869, and the covered bridge foundations and other buildings throughout Park County were constructed with this locally quarried stone.  The Chicago Brownstone Company owned the quarry during the 1880s.  The stone was shipped to Chicago as well as to the East coast to be used in the construction of brownstone houses.  A railroad spur was built to the quarry, and, reportedly, a rail car of stone was shipped each day.  Seventy-five men were employed by the quarry at its peak.  In recent years the quarry has been reopened and stone is again being cut.  The stone from the Mansfield quarry comes in a variety of colors and is very durable, and it is easily carved when the stone is first cut.  Due to this the stone is used for decorative work.  The stone becomes harder as it ages.  Stone from the quarry in present time is used for restoration of buildings constructed during the 1800s.  According to this web site, new structures are also being constructed with this sandstone such as the new Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.

• Information about Marengo Limestone Quarry, today the Marengo Warehouse, is available in the “Marengo warehouse” section of Wikipedia.
• History of the Marengo Quarry/Marengo Warehouse and Distribution Center (This link is no longer available, although you can view the site on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.)
  <http://www.marengowarehouse.com/about-us/history>

According to this history, casual quarrying began about 1886.

Roof and Son was listed as one of the customers of the Mount Brothers of Memphis Missouri, who sold their Air Take-off Device used in carving cemetery stones.

Milltown, Indiana – Abandoned Limestone Quarry  (postcard photograph, #79939; Published by Eddleman Publishing Company, Marengo, Indiana; Photography by Harold and Deloris Eddleman; unmailed)

American Quarries Co. Quarry

A contract has been given to J. A. Coleman for the erection of stone mills and 500 feet of elevated tramway for the American Quarries Co., on Fishing Creek, near Mitchell, Ind. When the quarry is fully developed it will be one of the largest in the entire Indiana limestone region.

According to this web site, the former Phillips quarry, which was active until 1917, is today a 2.5-acre lake that is used for diving.

Wardwell Double-Gang Channelers, Knobel Wire Rip Saws. Headers, Saw-gangs, Derricks, Power Hoists, Rubbing Beds. Overhead Cranes (Steam or Electric.) Complete Plants Erected Ready to Run.

• New Albany, Indiana – the New Albany Manufacturing Company  (Advertisement from The Monumental News, Vol. XXI, No. 6, June 1909, pp. 456)

  The New Albany Manufacturing Co., New Albany, Ind.

  We manufacture all kinds of Stone Working Machinery:  planers, headers, saw gangs, rubbing beds, traveling cranes, power hoists, derricks, derrick turners, etc.

“North Vernon Blue Stone. – This stone is a bluish-gray limestone, moderately close-grained, with slightly conchoidal fracture, lying in seams from one to two feet thick.  The principal centers where it is quarried are at North Vernon and Deputy.  The total exposure of the North Vernon blue stone is about 30 feet thick, and the bed covers an extended area in Jennings and Jefferson counties.  Geologically, it belongs in the Hamilton division of the Devonian.  Of the entire exposure, two or three layers are considered of first quality.  This stone has long enjoyed a fine reputation for massive masonry, such as foundations for public buildings, bridge abutments, etc., where great strength and durability are essential requirements.  Chemical analysis shows the stone to contain about 90 per cent of carbonate of lime, with about 2 per cent each of carbonate of magnesia and of alumina and silicates.  Tests of crushing strength by Gen. Q. A. Gillmore gave 15,750 pounds to the square inch.  One cubic foot weights 165 ½ pounds, and the ratio of absorption is 1 : 156 – that is, a cubic foot will absorb less than a pint of water.”

Manufacturers of Rustic Monuments, Vases, Settees, Chairs, Markers, and Log Curving. Statuary and Fine Carving in Bedford Stone. Send your tracings for estimates.