The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1880-12-25

polished and the veins of CRYSTALS run
ming through it in every direction
canscs it TO no easly fractured. and il
does not weather we'll This variety,
when en'ircly free from quartz or other
Impurities, constitutes the finer kind
Of photographic stone, the most useful
aud expensive Of all the limestones or
marbles. 1t is sold by the pound, and.
like the diamond, its value increases
with the increase of its size. From il
all liihographic pictures, and all chro-
NOS aro printed, ns we'll asmost of the
Ornamental blanks, bill heads, mans.
etc, etc. Most Of the lithograpiic
stone used in the United States il
shipped from Europe. 1t ia very rarely
found sufficiently free from impnri.
tes to WORK we'll The entire mn,s
must he perfectly homogeneous-the
least imperfection wonld spoil the pic-
ture. The material for the finest
quality has been deposited all over tbi.
country il immense quantities. but
with very raro exceptions, it has been
accompanied with impurities sufficient
To destroy its qualities for lithographic
purposes. The writer, after years of
dlligsnt seatch, has found in a siprle
locality a limited quantity of litho-
graphic stone Of superior quality.
Whilst in search of this stone. he fonnd
concealed under II calco-siicious in.
crusation tho outcrop of a thick
etatum of beautiful dAlomite. n mar
ble entirely different in coinposition.
color and consistency from the above
deacfibed, and al great value for all
purposes Tor wliCdmAIblesa reused. ex.
cept that ni statunry and perhaps even
Tor that pulpUse It may he used, though
1t might lie objected 10 10y the faAtid.
IONS, 40 IL is mostly flesh culored md
would ptrhaps initiate nature too
closely II wofked up into statues mod
eled from tile old masters.
thls marble varies In color from al
most Inte White, with the slightest
lush OF delicate peach bloom, to flesh.
color. u Is sniiiciently compact in
texture 10 weather we'll aud to bear
hnt pfessur, 10 which marble ID ever
submitted. II is free from grit, works
well under the ,hisel, and when frat
phtlitd 1t may be sawu with fncility
10y au ordinary saw. 1t il admirably
adupted to the construction OF tomb
stones, table tops, mnutlcs, etc. For
he construction of ornamental public
buildings or private residences il
would perhaps rirpnss anything of the
Kind found in Texns
Beautiful varirgated marble of ex-
celleut quality is alsD found ia the
close vicinity with tho above. Its
is quite different. 1t con.
ihins no magnetism, bnt lisa true COM
pact marble containing carbonate of
lime, and col0red, vcincd and clouded
beautifully 10y other mineral sub
stances. Though containing some sill
"a (gfitl. il works we'll, takes n fine
polish, aud IS very beautiful. The
ground coloiS are unusually rich, and
the >cinines exceedingly delicate and
The origin, structure and manner of
It's formation il an interesting study.
The conditions are briefly these; lst.
a deep silnran sea, nc the bottom of
which ~ being constantly deposited
carbon from sea weeds, combined with
lime from sea shells, corals, otc.-these
two ingredients constitute tho prinei-
pal hudy al the deposit. From time
10 time the clear waters of the sea are
by an nnusnal rise in river.
.ho estuary of which may be many
miles distant The conrser matetinl ia
soon deposited, but tho finer particles
are carried far out into the sea and IN
.ermiXed with the natural sediment of
he sea water. The character of this
unusual sediment determines the char
1cteristics of the deposit formed Mt that
lime. In case OF The formation of these
'Olmrcl deposits, the mineral incre-
iients producing the colors (of which
ron was the princinall lad been
Washed nut of the soil by rains and
down from the headwaters of
river or rivers during flood to DO
deposited in strata At the bottom. At
! subsequent time. after becoming So
idiiied it became fractured irreenlnrly
uto fragments Of MI sizes from tho
lie Of grain ct wheat to a cubic foot
'r mure. These Fragments were held
II close proximity n cnch other hy tho
deposits until again
irmiy united 10y cement composed of
material very different In color and
u composition from tho original de-
'nSit -thcse cemen;ed seams form the
ems 50 much admired In this kind of
lnthe.
OF this vnriegated marhla thare IL