The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-07-21
MATERIAL FOR CAPITOL BuILD1xG.
The Report OF the Commissioners to the
Building Board.

1
The Report OF the Commissioners to tn.
| building Board.
Gov. o. NJ. Roberts, Chairman Capitol Board
| SIR :-Agreeable to the lnstruc.
tions of this board we have made
renewed and extended investiga.
tions respecting the several classes Of
material necessary in the construc.
ton of the new capitol to which end
we have visited a great number OF
stone quarries in Travis, Williamson
and Burnet counties. Re.examinine
in frequent instances those previous.
ly inspected. On Onion creek
twelve miles south of Austin neaI
the line of the International road
are several quarries of very good
magnetism limestone with stfatas
varying from two to six feet in thick.
ness. Also on the Mckinney farm
nine miles southeast as well as
at several intervening points a SINH.
lar quality exists in large quantities
The evidences of early discoloring by
atmospheric influence apparent in
these and other rocks having SO
great a per centage of magne-
STA, has seemed to us a suffi-
cient reason to give them a
comparatively passing notice."
Near the Nichols place, on BartOn's
creek, on the west side are large
bluffs containing numerous lodges,
ranging from one TO four feet thick
of slightly harder rock and coarse
texture. There is almost continu-
Gus quarry down this creek, running
through Walsh's Il Shelley's lands.
There is seemingly an increased per
centage of the carbonate of lime
which proportionately increases
their value fer heavy work. All
| these quarries are Overlaid with a
single strata one to two feet thick
of hard calcarious formation, spe-
cially adapted for foundation uses.
These quarries are perhaps three
and a half to six and half miles
from the city which distance in
cludes also the crossing of the Colo
RADIO river. A large quarry near
Manchac, on Slaughter creek, has
been opened by the railroad compa-
ny and provided with a switch con-
nection. This material is perhaps well
calculated Tor bridge construction
but could hardly be desired in finer
works. There are massive lodges
of stone along the southern banks of
of the Colorado river, ranging from
McGill's ford to the vicinity of Bee
Springs, the character of which varies
with the different stratas and often
lacks uniformity of texture. Flints
carbonates and magnetism deposites
being strangely blended in appar-
emily single formation. Notwith-
standing the peculiar hardness of
these stones the great frequency
with which the lodges are sent by
vertical assures or Interlarded with
flint, it is deemed impracticable for
the uses designed, On the north
side of the Colorado, beginning with
Col. Cooks farm, we observe the
fossiliferous stone, classed mar
BILE by experts and which nnder-
lIes the lands of MeSsrs. johnson,
Finlay, Glenn, Mrs. Martin, Messrs.
LOOMS & Christian, Everett, Brad
ley Gov. Pease and others, in a sim
gle strata sixteen to thirty inches
thick. This rock is reported to have
been tested by Gen. Q. A. Gilmore,
of New York city, and strongly en-
dorsed by him for use in the United
States court house and postoffice.
Its color and capacity for receiving
a fine polish makes it specially
valuable. Under the above named
strata are also immense beds of ru-
BILE rock in layers of three to five
inches thick which are specially
valuable for backings and interior
walks.
Near Taylor's lime kilns and about
Mount Bonnell are fair white mag
nesian limestones, all subject, how
ever, to the same objections as those
of similar character heretofore men
toned. Beyond the Dry creek
bridge, and on the same side of the
river, are extensive Outcroppings of
a similar, perhaps somewhat better
stone. Along Bull creek canon are
immense hills of magnetism lime
stone of very fine texture and excel
lent susceptibulature under the CHS
ell. The excavations made at Cham
pion's quarry, about a mile from the
mouth of the canon and nine miles
from Austin, expose lodges ranging
from one to two feet in depth.
Among other objections to these
several later named rocks is the cost
and labor involved in their trans
portation to the capitol grounds. |
Several quarries along the base of
the mountain running north and
parallel with the International rail-
road have been examined, but there |
is such irregularity in the proper
tions employed in their composition
that they are not considered desira-
BILE for ashlar purposes. In the i'm
mediate vicinity of Duval station |
are the most extensive and accessi- |
BILE quarries of limestone we have |
found. One half mile south of this |
along the cut of the railroad,
on the Gault survey, is the quarry |
from which the specimen was taken |
which forms the basis of the APP
pended report from the Smith |
sonian Institute. About the same |
distance west. on the lands of Selim |
is similar stone in great |
Near the section house
on the east branch of the spring
branch, is another quarry, while
within a radius of three-fo1rths of n
mile are three other points, each in
equally good qualities, etc.
and almost limitless amounts
The lodges in these several local
ties vary from sixteen inches to
Jour feet thick ; they have light.
cream tinge, and are therefore
deemed preferable to the clear
white. The good character of these
and the assured means of
cheap transportation from these To-
,alities recommends them to special
There are numerous
Iuarries on both Main and Lake
3rushy creeks, within one-quarter
o two miles of the Round Rock de-
'ot, in which the supply is ample
md lodges sufficient for any reason
bile use, but the quality is inferior
o those last named. There is a small
leposit of nearly pure carbonate
lear Freeman's lime kiln, but not
Efficiently extensive to be relied
Ipon as a source of supply. There
5 also very superior stone under
wing parts of old Round Rock and
ONE of the adjacenty country
which has been found in digging
7ells in that region Its great depth
the surface would make its
se quite expensive. Its quality is
We have found many apparently |
ne quarries of marble, granite and I
and stone in Burnet county. Three
Al