, 1879-06-29
COURTHOUSE STONE.
The Trip Of the Council Commit
tee to Bedford.
Shall Another Quarry Be Substituted
= for thu Exhausted One?

of the stone question in connection with the
new City-Hall returned yesterday morning, and
all Of them expressed themselves Us well pleas
ed With their visit They were under the direc-
ton OF George ". Cook, the General Agent OF
the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad,
which corporation has large Interest in the
development of the Indiana quarrfes and the
sale OF Bedford stone, and along the route were
Joined by ]. II. Reynolds, Vice-Prestdent and
General Manager, a. B. Southland, General
Freight Agent. Col. Friedley, late Chairman OF
the Indiana State, Republican Committee, and
sundry other gentlemen.
The party left Chicago Thursday afternoon,
and reached Bedford at an early hour the next
morning.. Bedford Is a village of stone, and ut
the hour of O'Clock, when the visitors reached
there, very little else was visible. unless pigs
are to be counted, which seemed to have the
right of way on all the streets. Certainly they
were numerous enough to impede lqeomotlon in
almost any direction, but vigorous kicking
awakened them, and the visitors soon had CON-
mand of the sidewalks. The town is one Of
stone. On all sides there are eimmense hills, and
they are composed OF stone, and glance vas
enough to satisfy one on the question Of the
sufficiency Of that material to complete the
City-Hall, or q hundred such buildings. The
vlsitory had gone for information, so, soon after
their arrival, they repaired to what is known as
the
ouARR1Es OF The BEDFORD STONE COMPANY,
the concern which is furnishing the City-Hall
stone. The ouarries we're accessible BY rail-
and located half a mile east OF the village in
quite q romantic spot, and we're found to be
1arpe hut partially worked: An examination OF
them showed that their yield was uncertain rs
to evcnness Of color, and an 1nEest1gatlon
demonstrated that the owners naa , oeen alsap,
reference to the variety Of color in the stone
used in the City-Ha1 was attributable TO the
variety Of hues in the stone there pr9ouced.
On all hands were seen cords OF material "hlc1
color. md inquiry elected the TACT that
the uuarrying Of Suitable stone had been
attended with SO great an expense that
il the Citv-Han's completion depended upon
that quarry alone its early finishing p wonla os
had deprecated in color and texture MS Inc
opening up of the stone-6eld had progressed,
and that, while the blue stone was dih'cult OF
access, 1t, too, had not kept nD Its color OF It's
texture. These facts presented to the visitors
scrious question, and, it would seem, tended to
confirm the stories Of 3 wear or more ago, that
Bradford could not yield sufficient stone. In
vestigation, however, brought out the tact tnat
the trouble With the quarry ID questlon was
QG1t1Gr L0t 4uauC!I9 LII t4C4AAA9HJ ~ S%t~
but tue expense Of getting it ont, it being
demonstrated that not more than one 1901
out Of every ten quarrlcd vas bit to nut into tne
building, not, however, on account OF any @e-
fects except want Of harmony OF color' 1ue
buff stone wes found inaccessible and uncertain,
and tile blue to be streaked and entirely unht
for use as pilasters and columns, much TO the
disappointment OF the contractors, rs well as
the visitors, who had been led to expect nothing
short of absolute perfection In the stone. Inc
riS- ~ Y3nf1 fmnrESSE0
Committee, but while thus acting it sersed to
completely refute the charge of the enemies OF
Bedford stone that the contractors hao mad 70
get stone frotno other quarries to carry on tne
work, and to satisfy them that in the matter OF
variety: Of color what is known as the Bedford
quarry was adequate to meet all de-
mauds. There were blue and butt IN any
and every variety, but to quarry ten teet to ret
the desirable color in one foot was an unaertak,
Ing the contractors said they were not prepared
to carry on to any great extent, especially since
thev had already erected SIC, ,0o0 worth oL ma
chincry anti sunk SIS, 900 to carry the work for
ward as far as it had gone.
After this point had been Inspected the Vasll-
ors we're taken to what is known as
80 THE DARE HOLLOW QuARR1Es,
which are several miles west Of the village and
accessible only by q narrow~gauge road. This
point was found to far excel the other quarry IN
picturesque surroundings. The edges OF the
bills we're lined with immense rocks, and on
every mana L1ltIE Wa6 Eh tACAlII " LILY -AS"o~
abundance of stone, and Of most excellent quail
ty. Why the spot had been visited was Tor some
time euigmatical, but it did not take long to
solve the problem, for it transpired that the
stone was being exhibited with no other purpose
than to get pcrmissiou from the Council to use
it Instead Of the Bedford quarry product to as
siss in completing the City-Hall. !he stone
was found to be somewhat coarser In texture
than the Bedford proper, and by some It was
nut down as lighter in color, ret it Was regard
:x,r. md 3f4nvhAT1EfihfA
in quantity. Certainly, the hills around afford
ed eycrY evidence Of the quantity, and the quail
it7: by comparison, was said to be unob]ectlon-
able, and superior to the bull stone contraceea
for : and now, being used. AZ least
the visitors so pronounced it,, and
the Committee we're especially pleased. Such OF
them as EXPRESSED themselves said they were in
favor of allowing it to be used lnstead OF the
Bedford. and they believed it would correspond
in color. and, on account OF It's apparent unl-
formity. add great deal 70 -tne peau1s u ll1e
City-HalI when finished.
After this Ihe Committee visited Louisville
md examined several buildings there mace OF
the Bedford stone. and, WhateSef NAV DC salo Of
the variety of colors. they we're unanimous IN
expressing preference for. Bedford over any
other stone, and in agreeing thatag only added
to its beauty. They did not tormally meet to
give any expression Of opinion, but it may be
set down that they will
FAVOR ALLOWING TIE CONTRACTORS
to use the Dark Hollow stone to forward the
work. and the changing Of the material for col
umns and pilasters,- since the blue-stoue
contracted for cannot be gotten of sufficient
uniformity. The facts are, as near as could BE-
gained BY q reporter, that the Bedford quarry,
to put 1t plainly, is failure, that is. that 1t
docs not yield stone suited for building like
the Courthouse, as it Was expected it would;
and the completion OF tile City-Hall at an early
day depends upon substituting Dark Hollow for
Bedford stone. This Is the light III which
and, losing sight Of all outside issues, such as
are being raised by Lawler and bis crowd, which
have no bearing whatever, they will, no doubt,
rerort to the Council and recommend that the
contractors b3 allowed to furnish stone from
tic new quarry, and that the columns and
ptlasters be made OF granite, provided the e1-