Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-09-25
CONCERNING ONYX,
Something About Its Workings ani IT.
Use In House Decoration.

Use In House Decoration.
Onyx is coming into general use for
decorative purposes. With the forma.
tion of syndicate to work the Mexi-
can mines and with tho discovery OF
onyx in other places, It's uses has ex.
tended until it is becoming one OF the
most fashionable decorations in New
York Onyx is peculiar formation
caused by drippings mixed with miner.
al and earthly substances under heat
and pressure. This is not an exact
geological definition of it, but it tells
what it is. Onyx is usually discovered
in caves or other natural openings and
in a mineral neighborhood. The most
beautiful kind of onyx is formed by va
rious kinds of minerals running through
it in streaks and tints.
Onyx is the same Improvement over
fine marble that marble is over ordinary
stone. 1t also costs as much more.
These are two reasons why people who
are putting up fine houses are begin.
ming TO use it. 1t differs from marble
in taking on higher degree of polish,
III Dblup HdiucI, Will BIcduer rclleC'
tion, a firmcr grain, moro refined and
delicate tints and prettier streaks.
Streaked marble is not popular because
II is usually not streaked in a way to
add to decorative effect In onyx the
delicate green fern, reddish and brown
streaks, appear beautifully on an ivory
background.
Onyx is got out in as large blocks as
it can be quarried. The quarrying has
to be done with wedges and saws, as il
can not be blasted or dug out with
safety. The grain and streaks are so
delicate that blast might spoil thou
sands Of dollars worth. One cave of onyx
was ruined by the use of powder. The man
who owned the cave started to get out
the onyx by the slow process OF saws
and wedges. He got out several car
loads, when the thought struck him
that he could tako all tho onyx out OF
the cave at one blast SO he put his
men to work and drilled around the
cave, arranging his blast so that he
would have $40 900 or $50, 900 worth Of
onyx to be shipped at once. The drill
holes were charged and the blast was
exploded. None of the onyx was fit for
use except in mosaics and such work.
There was not sound bit four feet long
In the cave. This taught the other
onyx miners lesson, and no shocks
and blasts or detonations are allowed
in the cave or neigh 1orhood for fear
that the onyx may be cracked or that
some small cracks may be enlarged.
Onyx is worth in the rough from So to
SIS per cubic foot. The price is not
steady, as itdopends on the demand and
the length and shape of the block got
IS well as the appearance of the onyx.
The market for onyx is something
like the market for meerschaum, only
lass regular. man who buys block
Of onyx takes it TO some extent on spec
plation He does not know how it will
saw and polish. There may be crack
inside of it which he docs not see, and
tho grain and streaks on the outside
may not be carried through.
The onyx in its rough state looks
like other stalactites and stalagmites,
though it might be taken for marble by
any one not in the business. 1t il
worked much as marble is, by saving
and polishing, except that more care
has to be exercised and that the polish
ing is more difficult. When it is worked
up it will sell for 81 to S. a square foot
according to is appearance and size.
Some dealers make onyx up in man
' t0!s, but even though an onyx mante
70 costly, the dealers do not like to make
IL up in that shape, as they say that i
vulgarizes the onyx and will end il
caeapening it, Onyx is beautiful fol
tables, mirrors and panels, There ar,
only four or five dealers in it now il
New York, but when the new syndicate
begins shipping here steadily onyx viii
bA pushed. 1t is no more rare now thar
TIE finer marble used to ben. Y. Sun