Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-08
GREAT Is TEXAS.
The Finest Building Stone in America
Found in Texas.
The Now Famous PecOs Red Sand stone Being
Placed on the Narket-A Splendid Fire
Proof Building Material.

While Texas had granite, marble and
sand and limestone in abundance, those
who desired to use the beautiful red
sandstone in buildings found it necessary
TO 20 TO Lake Superior or to Colorado to
get what they wanted. Men who had
gone over the state said there was no
such stone in this state. That they we're
mistaken is now known, for immense
beds of a red sandstone, finer in every
particular than that brought from Mich
igan or Colorado, have been found on
the line of the Texas and Pacific, ten
miles from Pecos, 1856 miles west of
Fort Worth, in such quantities that the
present generation will not see the last OF
this splendid building material taken
from the earth.
Messrs. Mozart, Durack and Rogers
of Fort Worth are the gentlemen who
own the quarries where the stone is
found, and who deserve the credit for
developing the same, in the face of the
fact that they were told the stone was
not there.
After careful investigation the gentle
men satisfied themselves fully that Tex
as, great in everything else, was also
great in Its wealth of building material,
and at once began Che expenditure of
large sums of money to develop
their property. Eight immense
derriokf and tons of quarrying tools were
bought and brought from the North,
this part of the business being in charge
of Mr.. p. Durack, whose experience in
this line is equal to that of any man in
the country. With energy the work has
been pushed and fisty men are now az
work at the quarries, while number of
others have been sent to join them. The
present output at the quarries is forty
carloads a day, and this will soon be
greatly increased, for the demand prom
ises TO be very great.
THE SPRING PALACE FIRE
tested the Pecos red sandstone in most
satisfactory manner, for large block OF
this beautiful stone was in theSAottest of
tina fire, and came out unscgehed, not
oraeas or a orumble, whilSother stone
was Pinned The color of{thls stone was
unchgnged. and since theHre the block
which &as in the Palaee bas been moved
to VACANT lot on MRft street, between
Sixth aHa SeventttssSswhere two other
large blocss of thisi&tone can be seen,
and it is asRolid tgAsay as when it was
taken from BE bsBels of the earth.
fHEBesToN FIRE
nrst brought So sandstone into notice
as a fre-proof;3sRding material. Gran
tie, limestouSS bawn stone and iron
melted as If severe b much lead, but
the red sanSfone RETAINED intact hav-
ing passed Through tie ordeal of fire
without mStation. ReaEs sandstone at
once came into favor, slncsSyhich time it
is being used in all the inetsbuildings of
the country. This quality of being fire.
proof comes from the fact that there is
nc foreign substance whatever in
the stone, it is in no sense a
composite and cannot be melted or
softened.
Since samples of the stone have been
brought here nearly all the expert stone
cutters now in the city have inspected it,
making q critical examination, and with
out exception all pronounce it the finest
building stone they have ever seen in
America. Expert geologists pronounce
it first-class, and the state geologist, who
tested its crushing strength, states that
it will bear a pressure of 1886 pounds to
the cubic inch, while Lake Superior
stone brushes at 800 pounds to the cubic
inch making the Texas red sandstone
1900 pounds more durable.
In color this stone is from what
might be termed a dark pink to rich
seal brown, and in the different stratas
is absolutely uniform ID color. 1t dresses
well and easily and does not break ex-
cept under great pressure.
Mr. Rogers, who is thoroughly up on
the subject, says the Peeos red sandstone
can be bought in the rough dressed and
put into the wall nearly as cheap as the
rough stone costs brought from the North
and simply laid down. The red stone in
the board of trade building cost about
twice as much as this stone would have
cost had it been found and used when
the building was erected. This new stone
will probably be used in st. Andrews |
new church and other fine buildings to
go up in this city.