The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-07-24

A Beautiful Material Formed by
the Action Of Water
Grave stones Are Made OF Onyx
in One Virginia County.

beautiful multi-colored material is
found In caves IN that section of the
state, and local stonecuttor hewod
some Of the stalactites and stalagmites
into headstones for graves. In spite
Of their exposure to the weather the
onyx gravestones retain all their orig
inal markings and oolora The onyx
marbles, which have given a unique
reputation TO the cemeteries Of Rock
bridge county, are similar to the onyx
which, in the last few years, has be-
come popular as a material for inte-
rior decorations. 1t isfound In many
parts Of the United States.
According to George P. Merrill,
curator of the department Of geology
Of the United States national museum,
Washington, D. c., its origin is purely
chemical. He made q careful study of
the onyx marbles and their origin and
composition, and visited most of the
quarries in the United States and
Mexico. The onyx mOrblesare formed
by the flow OF water, which slowly
forms, by capitalization, a layer or
crust, succeeded by another and
others. Each layer, under different
physical conditions, will take a new
form and color, SO that a slab of onyx
presents many colors and varied phys
ical properties which are brought out
when the stone is polished.
Several deposits of oynx have been
found in Arizona, aud in the Arizona
exhibit at the Worlds fair several re-
markable slabs were shown. One OF
the deposits occurs on the western
side Of dry rayine, which becomes
Bigbug creek in rainy weather. The
quarry is located in Yayapal county,
and some specimens from it, polished
to a high degree, resemble pieces of
antique tapestry. The prevailing
colors are brown and red, while those
in another quarry, Cave creek, in the
same county, are green and yellow,
with veins OF brown and red.
Some Of the onyx from Cave creek
has all of the texture and appearance
of petrihed wood, but they are formed
by the slow process of deposition. In
many instances the beauties of the
hues have become enhanced by oxida-
ton and through the development Of
veins of small size, due to breaking
and cracks into which the water has
brought new coIoring solutions.
Until within the last few years Mex
leo supplied the United States with
most of the onyx used for building
and ornamental purposes, The prin-
cipal source OF supply has been in the
region southeast of Puebla.
These quarries are very ancient, for,
it is believed, they were worked be-
fore the Spaniards conquered the
Aztecs. The Aztecs valued the stone
highly for its beauties, but held it
sacred and used it solely for orna-
menting temples and in the manufact-
ure of sacrifcial vessels.
The size of the blocks govern the
value of the oynx. Itsprice per cubic
foot increases with the size of the
slabs. A piece containing one or two
cubic feet is worth about SO, Mexi'
can money, a cubic foot, but pieces
containing twenty-five to thirty cubic
feet are worth about Is a cubic foot.
Where the colors and markings are ex
ceptional, ordinary valuations are los
sight Of.
The valuable quarries in Mexico arr
small. The most famous one, II
Padrara, in the district of Tecah
twenty.one miles from Puebla, does
not cover three acres, and the averag,
depth OF the working is not sever
feet.
The value OF American onyx wa
not appreciated until few years ago
The French architects began usine
onyx for interior work before Ameri
cans appreciated its many beauties
But recently onyx has come promi
nently to the front. Unlike mos
ornamental stones it will bear clos
inspection, and, in some onyx marbles
the real beauty of the markings anC
oolors does not appear to the casua