New-York tribune., 1897-08-22

VALUABLE DISCOVERY NADE-AN UN.
USUAL FIND.
From The st. Louis Star.

FROM / II" ~ LOUIS Stdf
1t has been discovered that there are in the
State of kentucky the riches ara most extern
sive beds Of onyx ever known to exist. Their
value is billions of dollars. As soon as the work.
ing thereof is begun thousands Of persons Will
be given employment. The man through whom
the existence of this fabulous wealth has been
revealed is Professor :. :. GoIby. formerly state
GeOlogst of Indiana
Itn idea of the richness Of these beds may bc
gained from the Fact that in one tract alone
3O0,OOO cubic feet Of onyx that is unsurpassed
in texture is visible The color Of the stone
varies greatly and in shades hitherto unknown.
The average value of onyx ranges from $3 10
SD cubic foot. and as this cryX is of the su-
perlatve degree a child can see its immense
value
Up to the present time onyx beds have been
known to exist in Arizona. Arkansas and Nir-
giria. In Arizona. whore the richest beds are
located. they were a consd arablc distance from
the railroad. making the securing Of the onyx
an expensive matter. The KCrtucky beds are
easily accessible, and it is an actual fact that
il will be possible 10 land the onyx in New-York
City for u sum less per cubic foot than the duty
onyx is to-day. WondrOus tales of what the
oryx beds in Old Mexico formerly yielded have
been told
1t was calculated that from the Pedrara
quarry. in NJ 'xico. which covered three or four
acres Of ground. more than fifty million dollars
worth of onyx had been taken previous TO 1882.
when the beds were exhausted. The onyx
ported from Mexico is comparatively small in
amount and the duty is great that it makes
it eXcet dinghy high priced. 1t nay easily be
seen that the prospects of the Kentucky beds
marvellous.
The onyx fields Of Kentucky lie about eighty
miles south of Louisville, and embrace the
southeast part Of Hart, southwest part of Gree1
and northern par: Of Metcalfe counties. They arc
sixteen miles east Of Horse Can, on the main
line of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
and twelve miles southwest Of Greensbulg, a
station on branch Of the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad.
The onyx area IS irregularly oval in form,
its lor ger axis having a northeast-southwest
direction. 1t is from twenty 90 twenty-five miles
in length, and from twelve to fifteen miles in
width. Outside of this area some small out
crops Of onyx occur, but have examined none
so far that promise to be Of very great value.
The surface of the region throughout which
the onyx occurs is quite rough and much broken
by high peaks called knobs" numerous hills
and many bowl-like depressicns in the surface
called sinks" These occur from Horse Can
eastward until Little Barren River is reached.
This stream runs nOrthward through the centt
of the onyx area and emptieS its waters inA
Green River. which limits the onyx field on the
north. Eastward from Little Barren River the
country is much rougher. being broken by many
streams and deep ravines with precpitous or
sloping bluffs
The region is one confirming many caves.
some cf great extent and sui tcrranean streains
are numerous. These uldcrgrcund streams
break out in places in the form Of immense
springs. flow for short distance on the sur
face. and then sink into the ground again to
follow the course of some underground channel
to their confluence with tn waters Of Green
River.
This great onyx field practically unknown as
yet, IS certainly most important one. 1t covers
a most extended area and contains large num-
Der of most promising deposits. That the stone
is in vast quantities is without question. 1t may
be quarred in blocks as large can possibly he
handled. and from those slabs blocks or columns
may be made as large as may be desired for any
purpose.
The colors If the stone are varied. in
tense and unique. In texture it IS fine firm and
No clay concretions occur in it. and it
is remarkably fine from the small interstices in
cident to imperfect capitalization called sand
holes" 50 common In fine marbles and other
crystalline rocks.
Onyx is found in this region from the vicinity
Of Knohlick. in Metcalfe County northeastery to
the neighhOrhOOd of the village Of brentwood. IN
Green County: and from the vicinity of Lie
town. in Green County. to ana beyond the village
Of Monroe. in Hart County. y line from Lilo
town to Monroe crosses the onyx fields in
northwest direction.
In the vicinity Of KnobliclI two promising out
crops occur. one on the Brown farm ana ne
other on the Markham tract. both adjoining. The
deposits here occur on the s. ping sides Of
ridge running from Pilot Knob down toward
branch Of Little Barren River. But little devel-
opncnt work has been done on either of these
tricks but the outcrops and the work done
bovlders and a most promising pro spect for
vast amount Of stone. The texture IF the stone
is fine the color intense red. Nariegat'd ana
white
The Robinson tract is on the south side Of n
ridge running southeast from inot Knob to
Iitll, Barren River. No work has been done on
tlis tract bat The outcrops are prominent and
indicate several acres Of due stone. Many
bovldors Of large size may hc seen the coors
are red amber variegated and white TT But
Ter tract is on the eastern scre OF Pllot hnop.
NJ work has been done on II. but the outcr"pS
sbov some fine hoWii.rs Of l.f f-e size. Nnc text
ure and beautiful rod colorA
The Jones tract. the largest in the field lies
on the south side. running in a northeast direc-
to-, from, pil,t Enob to Little Barron River. and