Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-30
MEssRs. GALES <, sEAToN.
Capitol, jan. l9, 1917.
GENTLEMEN,


riegated marble which is now III the lower yes
tibule of the south wing of the Capitol, and is
part OF d plaster OF the House of Rerresen-
tatives, has occasioned so MANY enquiries, that
beg you to insert the following account of it.
for general intorma: ION.
Its Tow about - years ago, since observ-
ed, in visiting that part OF Virginia which lies
Immediately below the south west mountain, a
Breccia Bedding stone, scattered in large
masses, as well as in small humps, and having
range parallel to the general range of our
mountains. also observed the same Breccia
OH the south side of AppomattoX III Virginia,
and was informed that it was also common III
the same range on the banks of the Roanoke.
4 nave only IA curSorynouce III my lournd. o.
its appearance in the southern parts of Vii gin
ia, with memorandum. that some o. the peb-
hles of which it is composed were calcaieouS.
had then no better test than common vine
gar. A few years afterwards the same stone
occurred To me near Fredericktowu in Mary
land, and attracted more notice, for | sent
block of il to Philadelphia l there analysed
1T, with the assistance of MIR Thomas Smith,
"A chemist, aud natural philosopher, whose I'M
timely death at sea on his return from Europe,
deprived our country OF one oGits most valu-
able citizens. 1t proved To he composed OF
pebbles OF various kinds Of marble combined
bya cement, caicareo rs, but less pure andmiX-
cd with alnninc and sick (clay and fint.)-
The same Breccia afterwards discovered i'll
immense quantity, and still III the same range
or country, III the neighbourhood of Reading,
| aud on trial it was found TO receive an admi-
rahic polish. This was about the year 1889 or
! 1900.
The pressureof professional! avocations post
poned any pointed attention 10 this stone for
many years, although il was my determination
! often revived and often disappointed, To
| bring it into use for the public buildings,
| soon as possible Those who see only the ease
| with which the benefits OF new Improvement,
or of a new material for building manutac-
| ture, are enjoyed and extended, know nothing
of the perseverinS Industry and the endurance
| of ridcue, of contempt, Of ignorant or inter
estedoppositon, and of the veXatious delays OF
| honest caution, which are necessary TO intro
| duce them. This remark is elected by the re-
| collection OF the labor which, at the END of Is
| or 20 years, has been at last successful in
| bringing into public use one OF the. most mag
nllicent, and AT the same time the most plenu
| full, marbles OF our country.
When the Capitol of the United States was
| TO be restored, i'll passing by four different
| routes across the mountains, TO, and from the
westward, l observed the same marble always
in the same range of country, on both sides of
| the Potomac.
The public buildings had hitherto been con-
structed with the free stone found in the neigh
bourliood ofAquia Creek. The same quarrles
were resorted TO, for their re-establishment,
but has singuarly happened, that neither i'll
the old quarries, nor in the new ones which
| have been opened, stone, of a texture fit fer
| the finer works of the buildings, has as vet
been discovered. Although formerly no diff
| Guilty was found in procuring stone of every
quality required, for the columns of the House
4 OF representatives, ana senate CudmDcr paftt-
| cularly. no fine stone could be got. This gave
| an opportunity of recommending a trial of the
new marble. On exploring the ueighborhood
| of the Potomac, in Virginia and Maryland, in
| August, 1915, enabled TO report that
masses OF any size might be procured close to
| the water's-edge, and TO bring with me many
| very beautiful specimens of the stone. In
| March, 1916, again visited that country, and
returned still more assured Of tile success of
| the attempt to bring the marble into use-and
! in June, tSiG, a contract was made by the pre-
seat Commissioner, (COl. Lane with Mr.. Hart
net.an experienced marble mason, torall the
| lumny& piIasters of the House Of Representa-
| tives and although only one polished block
has yet been delivered, great progress has
been made at the quarry, iDprocuring all that
will be required. In this undertaking, every
| species of difficulty hes been encountered, in
! opening the quarry, in collecting laborers,
Quarters and marble masors. in providing
dwellings, shops and tools and in organizing a
great undertaking on the banks of the river,
where no habitaton before existed.
L now proceed to give some account of the
situation of this great range of marble upon
the map of our country which will be better
understood by referring to the maps of Virgin
ia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Whether
however, the facts which shall state, will he
found accurately applicable to the country
south west of the Rappahannock, and north
cast of FredericktOwn1 cannot undertake to
say, because have infinitely and often exam
med only that part of country which lies be-
tween these two points, but thattt is generally
so, have no manner OF doubt. l shall, howe
yer. confne my description 10 that range com
prehending in length about go miles from g. w.
TO n. T..
The Blue Ridge is this range of mountains
through which the Potomacb AXIS al Harper'S
Ferry. About 20 miles n. L. of Frederick
town, il sends off in more souhwardly dircc-
ton than its general course, spur of broken
hills and mountains, which gradually unite into
one regular ridge, and assume the name of the
CoiOctin mountain. This ridge, though much
less elevated than the Blue Ridge, is composed
of the same materials has the same geological
character, and is in It's general appearance we
~ similar 10 il. On each side of the Cotocfin
mountains is limestone valley of the same
character and containing limestone Of the same
variety, from white stratifed marble, to veiued.
| blue, and almost black limestone. Immediate
~ below, o. e. s. " y Of the Cotockt tin noun
tain, but still much elevated, is found, blue
limestone, luminous near The surface and o.
penng like book more solid however at
greater depth. Immediately below this range
secondary formation OF the earth succeeds tho
Breccia marble, occupying the lowest part Of
the valley in a parallel range OF about half a
mile in width. It's S. T.. as well as y. w bouu-
dairy appears 10 be very regular. On the &
j.. line of marble is found again the blue limo
stone of the valley " lich extends to the noun
famous range, Of which the Sugar-lOaf iuoun-
tain is the only elevated peak a mountain a.
bounding in very curious subjects Of .,eologi
cal enquiry, but Of which, no rther notice can
be taken in this place. This mountainous
range bounds the valley regularly on tile south
cast.y
TO render the above description more infel-
nglole imagine q valley about four miles wide.