The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-10-31
THE GRANTEES OF MAINE.

The granite quarries of Maine pro-
duce annually about 100000 worth
of stone, the value of the output in a
single county reaching 100000. The
location of many, of the quarries near
the seaboard, as well as the character
of their product, has made Maine
granite al important building material
in the cities of the Atlantic coast.
Some of the quarries furnish building
stone and monumental granite of quail
ty so excellent that their product is in
special demand. The granite industry
of Maine is therefore deservedly re-
garded as one of the most valuable as
sets of the State.
Granite is perhaps the most notable
surface rock in Maine. States, schists,
sandstones, and limestoneS of various
types outcrop at many places, but the
mountains and hills of the interior,
from the giant katahdin down, and
many of the islands and headlandS of
the coast, exhibit slopes and cliffs Of
massive granite. Even where other
kinds of rock are exposed, abundant
granite bikes and quartz veins indicate
the presence of granite at no great dis
tauce.
The results of an investigation of the
scientific and economic features of the
! Maine GRANTEES, undertaken by the
United States Geological Survey at the
| request of and in cooperation with the
Maine State Survey Commission, are
embodied in a report just issued by the
National Survey as Bulletin No. 313.
! Purely petrologic discussion of the
GRANTEES and associated rocks forms no
part OF this report, and chemical tests
were made only as the chemical compo-
sition might affect the durability of the
stone. The observations on the rela-
tons of the bands of knots to flow
structure in the granite, on the parallel
ism of banding with sheeting and rift,
on the relation of sheeting to the sur
face Of the rock, and on the spacing
and distribution of the joints, furnish
data of high scientific value, which can
be used by the geologist who is interes-
ted in the physics of intrusion. Sever
al of these same observations can be
For example, the value of a quarry site
is largely dependent on the joint sys-
tenn, and au understanding of the dis
tribution of knots on other Imperfect
lions in the stone will guide quarry op-
erationS. The discussion CT the cause
| of the discoloration termed "sap" also
has practical value, as we'll as the
suggestion as to the use that can be
made of granite so discolored.
The report proper is the work of Prof.
| 7. Nelson Dale, who collected the ma
terial for the local details and descrip-
| tions of quarries in three months in
1905, during which time he visited 129
quarries and prospects. The paper is
preceded by a brief introduction, de-
scribing the geographic distribution
and general geologic relations of the
GRANTEES, by George Otis Smith, now
Director of the Survey, who planned
and directed the investigation. The
arrangement of the data presented by
Professor Dale is believed TO favor its
use by all classes of readers, the broad
er facts set forth in the classification
and description of the GRANTEES being
separated from the local details rela-
{ ting to individual quarries. The en-
deavor has been to present all of the
essential facts relating to the GRANTEES
of Maine, SO that the report will be of
value to geological students as we'll as
to architects, contractors, and quarry
owners.
Similar bulletins, describing the gran
ties of other parts of New England, are
now in preparation by Professor Dale,
and taken together, these will furnish
an authoritative account of the GRANTEES
of this area, which produces over 60 per
cent. of the granite output of the entire
country.