The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-23

devoted to building stone says: AZ
usual, our beautifully endowed common
wealth. rich in everything. Is wealthy IN
the possession Of the finest building, de
mension and rubble stone Of nearly every
known variety from the finest Of marbles
to the sturdiest of GRANTEES and sandstones.
These are TO be found scattered over the
state, from the north to the south and
from the east to the west, and there
has scarcely posed week since assumed
not been apprised of Che discovery OF some
deposit of dimension stone; and may
say here, that out of over forty samples
sent me TO the state laboratory, in not
single instance did the stone 30 sent prove
Of character useless for building pur-
poses. Where less than six years ago
Washington boosted but few stone quar-
ries, they may be found today all over
the state. Prominent among them are
producers of q superior sandstone Of buff,
other varieties. Various granite
and marble quarries have been
discovered since l took Office, and are
being developed as rapidly as circum-
stances will permit Samples Of these gran
ties and marbles sent me showed them to
be of excellent quality. The granite
found to be close grained, free from sand
streaks and shakes. notified with uni
fOrmity and picturesqueness remarkable
and capable Of standing q high degree OF
polish. The marbles / have described in
a previous chapter, but may add here,
that in all my experience, ! have never
and such capability of all hues to stand
treatment and polish as those found in
this state"
Referring to lines and marbles, he says:
Equally valuable and important among
our possessions. IN my estimation, is the
states practically unlimited deposits Of
limestone, that great factor in the produc-
ton of what you must concede to be one
Of Washlngton's greatest industrial items
of manufacture-lime. Imagine an area
ninety miles in length and fully twenty in
width Of almost solid and unserried layers
oflimestone. This statement you may deem
incredible. So did !. Visit our county
of Stevens and your incredibility will GER
tainly be dispelled as was mine. find
limestone deposits existent in phenomen-
ally large proportions in many localities
Of this state. Prominent among them are
Stevens, San Juan, Island, OkanOgan,
Whatcom, King, Pierce, Douglas and
Kittitas counties. The pecuniary value Of
a limestone is its ability to be resolved
into that absolutely necessary requisite in
architectural construction-lime.
1.-THE development of Washington's
marble wealth has been as yet of but in
fantile proportions, and in consequence
but little can be said of it. However, am
prepared to state that samples that have
seen and tested have compared most favor
ably with the many fine Italian and Yer
mont marbles. both of the sculptural and
architectural varieties, which have
come under my inspection during
several years past. have seen Washing
ton marble of close texture, variegated
and of beautiful hue, and which / have
found to be admissible of the highest
polish, dress and tool work. Especially
pleasing to my eye, and of value, in my
opinion, were samples sent to the state
laboratory from the Skagit and Stevens
counties.
ITO me it was likened to the high class
marble for which sunny Italy is famed,
as we'll as our own state of Vermont. The
Skagit product I class dolomite with
hard and fine grain and strength, admissi-
BILE of fine polish, and it is durable and
beautiful variety Of the handsomest stone
formation known to man.
Quantities of different species, many
of them of rarest beauty, have been found
In Stevens county, where, / join in con-
graduation feel you will experience over
the fact, that fulI-fedged, prosperous
and progressive marble quarry and manu-
featuring equipment is in operation today.
Many Of these samples have mentioned
were the pure white, white clouded with
gray, and, grayish black, finely notified
with white. The majority, however, were
of the clouded white variety, and tests
made by me-. which are appended, are.
therefore, with special reference to this
last named variety"
Regarding manufacturing clay the re-
port says: "As different in character even
as Washington's superb resources are her
enormous deposits Of clays, and as the
modern demand for clays Is, and bids
fair to continue to be, enormous
and perpetual, rank among our
possessions in the way Of clays capable of
being manufactured into material suitable
to the uses Of artisan, decorator, potter, in
fact all known craftsmen from builder
down.. Therefore most particular I have
been in my investigations into the char
acter, values and domain of these de-
posits'