Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01
OTHER MINERALS.
CALIFORNIA MARBLE.


Discovery of a Ledge Of Finest Quality
in fnyo County.
Marble is known to exist in a number of
counties in this State. More than twenty
years ago some specimens were procured in
Lake county and an effort made to open
quarries, but the stone proved to be too
hard to be profitably worked. There is
also ledge of marble of fair quality in the
vicinity of Bridgeport, Solano county, but
for some reason it has not been worked to
any great extent. In Placer, Calayeras.
Amador, Tuolumne and other mountain
counties lodges have for many years been
known to exist. The Tuolumne marble
has been quarried in considerable quaint
ties and worked into monuments, head
stones, ETC., in this city and elsewhere
THE LATEST DISCOVERY
OF marble, however, and the most import
ant of all, is that made few months ago
in lnyo county, near Owens lake 1t is
virtually mountain of marble, rising to
nearly thousand feet above the level of
Owens River Valley. Whether or not its
existence had before attracted attention is
not known, but about four months ago d.
a. Bender, of the Nevada and Colorado
Railroad Company, procured piece of the
marble and sent it to Israel Luce. a we'll
known and experienced marble-worker f
Sacramento, to be tested as to its quality.
Mr. Luce, after making several tests be-
came convinced that ii was of a superior
quality. He then visited the Owens lake
section and satisfied himself of the fact
that the ledge, or mountain, was practically
ineXhaustible and the marble extra fine
throughout-by all odds the best ever
found on the coast. Further tests con-
WINGED him that it was better even than the
famed Italian marble, and for these rea-
sons
1. 1t is whittier, clearer and of better
uniform color throughout.
.. 1t is stronger, having double the pow
er OF resistance to crushing weight.
3. 1t is free from flint
l. 1t will not stain as readily as Italian
or other marbles.
5. 1t will not effervesce by the applica-
ton of muriatic acid, and if acid will not
work on it is but reasonable to suppose
that atmosphere will not. Geology teaches
that dolomite (marble) or magnetism lime
stone, is the most durable stone of the see
ondary formation; also, that being burned
into quick-lime it makes more desirable
cement than common limestone owing to
the fact that it absorbs less carbonic acid
from the atmosphere than the latter. The
eminent geoiogist, Won Bach, maintains
that this peculiar quality of dolonii,c has
be given it by volcanic vapor or gas
Some deny this, but give no better-nor
indeed, any other-cause for this change in
the nature of the marble
OTHER MARBLE LEDGEs
State Mineralogist Hanks, in his annual
report for 1884. refers also to the recent dis
covery in Humboldt county of beautiful
mottled- gray marble, specimens of which
have been polished and placed in the State
collection of minerals. 1t is soluble in
acids, leaving but a small residue, contains
but little magnesia, takes high polish, has
uniform texture, and seems to be an ex-
cellent marble.
The Calayeras marble is pearl-gray in
color, with dark markings, receives high
polish and exists in large quantities.
Professor Hanks also calls attention to a
cropping of very compact, black limestone
(marble), veined with white. within a few
feet of the Central Pacific Railroad, near
the high trestle, mile or so beyond Col
fax, Placer county. He states that this is
not only beautiful ornamental marble
but is good and accessible building stone
The museum specimen has been cut in
cubic form and polished There is fine
cropping of limestone. light gray, with
darker gray marking half a mile below
Auburn, on the American river. 1t is
singular that no attempt has been made to
utilize the beautiful stone found in this
quarry, for building purposes; all the con
ditions for cheap working are found com
binei. The river, running few hundred
feet below. could furnish unlimited watel
power and pure quartz sand. The same
power would lower the rough blocks from
the quarry to the works at the river, ant
elevate the finished work to the level 0
the railroad above the quarry, by tramwa,
and cable. There seems to be no reason
why works should not be constructed 70
| the manufacture of marble slabs, mantels
plumbers goods, etc. to be shipped by raj
to market in a finished state.