Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-24
MARBLE.
SOME ACCOUNT OF CUR BUILDING
STONES.
The Marble OF California, its PIenti-
fulness and it's Worth-A Paper
by Professor Henry G. Hanks.

CtlNcu II lbs ilOI
been heretofore printed. We present a
close synopsis Of it. 1t opens with an ap-
peal for the employment of good material
in building of all kinds, and the grave mis-
take of using poor stone. Good building
stone should resist assaults of water, frost
fire and the atmosphere. 1t should be
beautiful, easily worked and be easily pro-
durable. The rocks most generally used
are granite, syenite, porphyry. diorite or
greensboro; lavas. including basalt and
trachyte, free-stones or sand-stones and
limestoncs, including tufa, traveitine and
dolomite, states, serpentines, etc. All these
are found in California, and most of them
are abundant The crust of the earth con-
tains seven principal minerals. The mix
ture of two or more form rocks. Some
minerals occur in such masses that they
are classified as rocks, as, for example,
limestone, quartz etc. In CALIFORNIA;
chains of mountains building stones
abound. He sketched graphically the
building art of the ancients, and described
in detail the constructions of Philippopolis
and Rome, and the stones employed in the
chief buildings, such as the Coliseum, and
in modern times st. Peters, the Museum
Quirinal and Castle of St. Angelo, etc.
MARBLE
Is generally understood to be carbonate of
lime, either white or colored, uniform or
vanegated, and pleasing to the eve. The
term is also applied to any colored stone
soft enough to be easily cut and hard
enough to bear good polish. Under the
latter meaning may be classed the follow
ing minerals and rocks Dolomite, serpen-
tine, verde antique steatite, ophite and
even diorite and porphyry. Inyo marble,
so-called, is dolomite. The definitions of
marbles as given by several were quoted.
True marble is carbonate of lime, COM
posed OF carbonic acid and the oxide of
calcium or lime, in these proportions: Car
bonic acid A, lime 56=lC0. Edward Clarke
classed Parian marble as the most endur-
ing of stones used in ancient sculpture and
architecture; but Giekie, the English geol-
ogist, says that inscriptions on marble
tombstones in large towns, where coal
smoke and rain are abundant, become
illegible in fifty years. Crystalline lime
stone has been formed artifcially by heat
ing chalk or photographic stone which
seems to prove that marbles are metamor-
phic.
THE ACCOUNTS GIVEN
By travellers and historians, concerning the
WI No u iAiC oiAbtt4lASs are ditlOSL
lble. Clarke describes in pleasing detail
the architectural ruins met with by him in
the Crimea, in Greece and on the plains of
Troy. Nolney has written in the most
charming language of the ruins of PALMYRA.
Pllny informs US that the art Of cutting
marble into slabs dates back to the building
OF the Palace of Mausolus at Halicarnassus
The walls of this celebrated building, one
OF the seven wonders Of the world, were of
brick, covered with Cyzican marble, from
ProcOnnesus. This art was introduced into
Rome, and the described mode of cutting
by the use OF strips of iron, and sand, does
not materially differ from that practiced at
the present day. The same author states
that marble began TO be used in public
buildings in Rome liz the mdileship of
NJ Sacurus. His theater, described by
PIny as the greatest that has ever been
made by the hands of man." was three
stories high, The lower was of marble.
supported by $50 columns of the same ma
terial. The second was of glass and the
highest was of gilded wood This building
was planned to seat 10000 spectators. AT
fer this period there was a rivalry as to
who should erect the most costly and grand
public buildings Interior walls were not
only covered with the most costly imported
marbles, but the stone was richly sculpt-
ured, and even painted or gilded in part
IN THE TIME OF NERO
A method of inserting spots or ornamental
patches of other marbles was invented-a
sort of mosaic or inland work, very costly
and unnatural, but nevertheless much adj
mired. Professor Hanks then describes in
detail the mania for marbles that followed.
and gives the following as the rarer and
most noted OF ancient marbles
White-Parian, pentellic and luna Black
-Lucuilan and Nero anjico Red-Rosso
antico and cottaneilo. Graen-Verde an
tico. Variegated-Lumachella Phrygian.
oriental, alabaster or ONYX. The history
and enduring qualities of these, as tested
by the ages were then graphically detailed.
Lucuilan black marble was supposed to
have been brought from Meroe in Adv
sinla. Ii sometimes showed small spots
and veining of white, but the best quality
was pure black. 4 California marble re-
Gently found near Cclfax and numbered
3,399 in the State Museum catalogue an
swers very nearly to the descriptions of the
LHcullan marble. A marble Of beautiful
rose-color has been found
IN CALIFORNIA.
It is numbered ON the catalogue of the
State Museum 5.344 1t is nearly identical
with rosso antico. Very littleis yetknown
of its occurrence, but IL is likely to be valu-
able and important. Verde antico. or as it
is now called in English verde antique. is
not 2 true marble, but is serpentine COM
bined with carbonate Of lime or magnesia.
1t was much priced by the ancienis, and is
still extensively used. The color is due to
oxide of chrome. As chronic iron and
serpentine are both common and ahund-
ant in California, there is reason to hope that
this beautiful ornamental stone will vet be
found in the State. There are many fine
specimens Of verde antico from Italy in the
State Museum. Giailo antico was consid-
cred one of the most valuable and beautiful
of the ancient marbles. The grain was
very fine ana the coloring beautiful and
rich. Il resembled the Sienna and Verona
marbles, but exceeded them in beauty and
texture. 1t was first found in Numidia in
Northern Africa. and for that reason some
times called NuInidian marble" 1t re-
ceives a high polish. The base, or KEYNOTE
color, was yellow of many shades. from
the deepest to nearly white or pale straw
color. Some varieties We're brecciated and
Others veined or notified. There are num-
Der of examples of this marble still to be
seen in Rome. There are columns at the
Pantheon and the arch of Constantine, and
two columns at the Vatican An ancient
quarry has lately been discovered in AL
giers, which IS supposed to be that worked
by the Romans and afterwards abandoned
and lost. A beautiful yellow brecciated
marble has been found at Tehachipi
IN KERN COUNTY,
California, which resembles some of the
described varieties of gallo antico. II is
certainly a very beautiful marble. 1t is
numbered 10 in the museum catalogue.
Sienna marble, found near Volterra, is
from cream color TO dark yelIow-some-
times yeined with white and even black.
1t is much employed at the present time,
and is durable and beautiful ornamental
stone Nummulitic or Verona marble is
in color from cream color to nearly white.
The amphitheater of Diocletian was built
of it. Oriental alabaster or onyx marble
was held in high esteem by the ancients
1000 years or more ago. The quarries
were lost, and for long time remained
unknown until discovered in Fvvnt II,