Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-12-16
TESTING LIMESTONE.
How to Ascertain If TT Will Afford q
Good Quality of Ouick-Lim

How to Ascertain If TT Will Afford q
Good Quality of Quick-Lime.
Deposits of excellent limestone often
exist in portions of the country that
have long been settled, but their value
for making quick-lime is not determined.
If the stone resembles in color and
texture that used for making lime in a
part of the country from which any OF
the settlers came, some one general
makes a kiln and prepares quick-lime
for the market. If it has a different
color and texture, the chances are that
it will not be utilized for many years.
During all this time the people in the
vicinity pay high prices for lime on &C
count of the expense of transporting it,
and often suffer great Inconvenience in
not being able 10 obtain a supply when
they have occasion to use it. Until the
late civil war lime made at the Maine
penitentiary, at Rockland, was used for
making mortar to be used in the cree
ton of buildings in towns in Arkansas,
although the State is most bountifully
supplied with most excellent limestone.
stone and fire-clay suitable for the cree
ton of kilns, and the best of fuel Much
of this stone was black or nearly pure
white, and the people doubtlessly
thought that gray was the color which
stone should have that would produce q
good article of lime. Limestone is o
carbonate of lime, and exists in a great
variety of forms. Marble, whether
white, black, notified or verigated, is
nearly pure carbonate of lime. Com
mon chalk is peculiar form of lime
stone, very common on the south coast
of England, but quite rare in this coun-
try. A large proportion of the lime
stone found in the Western States and
Territories is quite compact and of a
gray color. The color is due to mineral
or vegetable impurities.
Detached stones found on the surface
of the ground or thrown up by blowing
generally indicate the presence of a
large deposit in the vicinity. They
may, however, have been brought from
quite a distance by the water or some
other agency. Available deposits of
limestone do not always crop out of
the ground or show themselves upon
the surface. They are often found sew
eral feet below the surface in digging
wells or making bitches for the purpose
of draining low land. A very valuable
deposit of limestone was recently found
in Champaign County, ILL.,. while work
men were engaged in draining bog.
Limestone can often be quarried to
good advantage if it is several feet be-
low the surface. 1t is no objection to
the stone for making lime that it is
moist. The presence of moisture in it
appears to facilitate the driving off of
the carbonic acid, which is necessary
for converting the stone into quick
lime, or the lime of commerce. This
acid. which ordinarily exists in the
form of gas, does not form very
strong union with the lime base. 1t
can readily be displaced by the use of
any of the common acids. Common
vinegar, which is very dilute acetic
acid. will, if poured on q piece of lime
stone, cause the carbonic acid to es-
cape. The vinegar will appear to boil.
owing to the escape of the bubbles of
gas through it. If gas escapes from a
piece of stone to which vinegar has
been applied, the evidence is nearly
conclusive that it is carbonate of lime.
To test it further it is only necessary to
place q piece of stone as large rs
hens egg in . blacksmith's forge or
upon wood fire or stove where hard
coai or wood is burned, and allow it to
remain five or six hours. If at the end
of that time it will '.slake'' the expert
menter may be assured that the stone
will make quick-lime. BY burning sew.
eral pieces in this way shaking. mix
ing sand with them, and making
mortar in the usual way. the value Of
this lime can be compared With tia. in
the market Chicago TG1ses.