The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-12-19
The stone Quarries Of LeCIaire.


which are still in an undsvsloped state, yet
abounding in promises Of enormous wealth.
We have within our city limits, and within .
semi circle of mile in diameter, enough of
the finest building stone in America to erect
four emporiums Of the size Of New York
The quality 10 30 immense that the REQUIRE.
ments of the whole Mississippi Valley could
not exhaust it in twenty Eve years. These
are broad assertions, and may perhaps aston
ish persons of Incredibly; but they can DO
substantiated with ease, if necessary. Our
whole city is underlaid with Q dense accumu
lation of the finest of magnetism lime stone,
and here are opportunities for wealth t.r an
perior to those afforded by the mines of the
distant and uncivilized territories. In all the
broad states of the west, there are no more
tempting offerings for capital and enterprise.
AS early as lS4l, the erection of buildings of
LeClaire stone was commenced, and these are
still stating-affording proof of the fact that
the longer this stone ls exposed to the action
Of the atmosphere, the frmer and more dura.
Bile it becomes. The first quarry of any size
was opened about twelve years ago, in bluff
bordering On what is known az Psrkhurst's
Creek, short distance above the city Ow-
ing to q want of the necessary capital, and
posslbly.to want of enterprise, this was nev-
or worked to its full capacity, and was design
o3 ~ m0oe VAC Uonsc ok = dfkof e1CbiOu kA an
that immediately surrounding il. The stone
which it furnished, however, was found to be
remarkably we'll adapted to building purpos-
es, both on account of the ease with which
it could be hewn and shaped when first taken
out, and on ascount of subsequent frmness
which it acquired by exposure. Some seven
Or eight years ago Mr. Edward Carroll opened
. quarry ON lots Immediately adjoining the
site on which now stands the Howard House.
and obtained stone equal in all respects to
! that on ParkhuYst's Greek. The stone used
in the construction of the piers of the Rock
Island railroad bridge was obtained from this
| quarry, and if we are not misinformed, the ma
. ssrial for the building of the SCOTT county
jail. After working the quarry for q mum Der
of years, Mr.. Carroll suspended operations,
and subsequently reflled the excavations
Two years ago next February, Mr.. Joseph
Psrkins, q gentleman of wealth, and expsri-
ence in this line purchased the Amos estate
on Main street, near Wisconsin avenue, and
|, in close proximity to the steamboat landing.
, Taxing oil the indications into consideration.
be believed that the prospects before him
warranted any outlay, though there were a
great many who regarded his enterprise with
Indifference. The obstacles which he en-
, ,ountered were many, and of the most dis
,ouraglng character. ID is unnecessary fo.
as to detail them. He was fortunate in &c.
suring MIR. Jno. Ssnthouse, as his foreman.
who had the benefit OF many years. expert
snos in the finest quarries of England, and in
;he tamoas ones of Portland. Connecticut
The first or surface stone was found to be of
IN inferior quality, from whence arose a pre-
udice, now partially dissipated. The farther
he workmsn penetrated, however, the better
The stone became, and the thickes the layers
were found TO be-. Thus encouraged, Mr. Par
gIaa vlrIsh had nrAo
y, and WAS finally rewarded by striking an
, insxhaustable bed of the finest building stone
n the west, and which Chief Engineer Bal
sy OF the Western Union railroad chsrsc-
;srIzed as the best he ever used. In fact. rock
DIT every size can here be found of any thiok-
less, from four inches to four feet, and of n
ME Juss as large as any transportation facili.
lies will admit of. Thus far upwards of
ittsen thousand perch haye been taken
, 'us, and the quarry has scarcely commenced
% be developed During the past two years
Mr.. Parkins has sent over ten thousand feet
Of dimsnsion-out stone for the erection of a
mammoth elevator at Racine, Wisconsin, and
,lso for the erection of st. Luke's Episcopal
;hurch, at the same place. This church is
AID to surpass any one in that state for beau
=, composed as it is of Milwaukee pressed
bricks and LeClaire stone trimmings. The
tone was loaded on flat boats at Mr.. Parkins'
evee, and trsnshipped at the other side, on
ne Western Union railroad. Mr.. Parkins
as also furnished stone for the vicinities of
dubuque, Gsnesso. Musoatine LeClaire, Dav-
IMPORT, all the intervening country, and for |
ne splendid arsenal building Just approach |
ng completion on Rock Island This latter |
aust ever be an unanswerable argument in |
aVor OF these quarries, and an object for the |
dmlratlon of travellers and residents, In |
ne line OF tagging stone, over eighteen thou |
and fset have been taken out, of which ouan- |
ty ten thousand feet will be used on Rock |
alsnd alone, for the flooring of the basement |
Of the arsenal buildings.
The only opposition which these ouarries |
lave received from any quarter has been
rom those at Joliet, Ill. and vet This oppo- |
ltion can live on prejudice alone. In beau. |
y mad color our pure magnetism limestone |
must ever be preferable. In durability the |
same could be said, for in our city there are |
stone buildings twenty-five years old, which |
I'LL retain every marx OF the tools which |
constructed them, and now seem more inper.
'ious to decay than when first erected. In
ne line of cheapnsss our stone has also the |
Preference, as Mr.. Parklns feels able to de.
lVer 1t cut and prepared for building al the
ams COST at which the Joliet stone can he
ieilVered, as taken from tue quarry. This |
dvansage ID too vast to be overlooked by the
aubiic. The two species of stone can be com.
JARED at the residence of Mrs Cook, opposite
ne Pennsylvania House, Davenport. and any
impartial person will decide against that tax
n from the Joliet quarries. The Western
lnion RAILROAD company which has used this
tone very extensively, proposes to procure
Material of Mr.. Parkins hereafter for the
construction of all the bridges and oulverts
IN their road. A new and valuable feature
q this quarry has recently been developed
bed OF rock has been struck, which has
1sen found capable of being manufactured
INTO the finest of cement. This will be found
an Immense addition to the wealth already
proughs to light. At ths present time, the
urfaos OF the quarry Is one hundred and IF
by one hundred and eighty feet, and ia
sboat thirty feet in depth. Employment
8 daily given TO force Of sixty men. Blas,.
ng has been found TO be unnecessarv. tbs
work being done without particle Of waste
BY the use Of drills, wedges, crow bars, and 9
heavy derrick. To facilitate the transpor.a-
ion of rock from the quarry to the river, a
tunnel has been commenced which will pass
under Main street, sixty feet in length, at !
tho end of which will be track of rail three |
hundred feet in length extending to Mr. Par
kin's ieves. In the progress of his improve
msnts, the proprietor has shown an unusual |
oFE Al