The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-06-10
MARYLAND LIMEsTONEs.
Geological Survey Reports Great Val
ne of Deposits.


Geological Survey Reports Great Yal-
ne of Deposits.
The fourth of series of economic
reports by the Maryland Geological
Survey has been recently issued. Il
Is expected that this report will slim
ulate the production OF various KINDS
of lime and the manufacture of Port
land cement IN the same way tnal
previous reports on building stones.
claws and coal have increased Mary.
lands production of those natural re-
sources.
The first part of the report contains
n descriDtfon of the methods of man
ufacture and the uses to which lime
stones are put. lines of various COM
positions. fuxing stones for blast fur
uaces and open hearth processes n
glass manufacture, various chemical
uses and lastly in Portland cement
manufacture.
This part of the report was submit
ted nv the authors to some of the most
notable American experts-men who
had had not only the best technical
training. but also had wide practical
experience In their various lines-so
that the report might contain de-
seriptions of the methods used by the
most modern and successful plants N
America. This report, therefore, con
tains information which is to be had
from no other book on the subject.
The second part of the report de-
seribes In detail the various limestone
areas of the State, giving analysis OF
all duarries that are now being oper-
ated. all possible quarry sites along
the railroads (where necessarily large
operations must be situated1 and
other places which would serve to IN
dictate the character OF the limestone
of the region IN a general way. There
is added to each description short
summary of quarry conditions and
recommendation as 70 les possible
use.
In the back of the report there i
an excellent map OF the State On
which is printed the limestone areas
and numbers showing places from
which samples were taken for chemi-
cal analysis.
A glance at the 900 chemical analY=
ses and the wide areas underiaid b
limestone. as shown By the map, IN
dictate the remarkable wealth Of MARY
land in limestone resources.
The State has llmestones OF every
eomposltion.e the report says. The
uses to which limestone can be put
are metallnrgieal, building, agrieul=
ture. and. in conjunction with clay OF
shale, in the manufacture OF Portland
cement AL consumers of fuxing
stone in Maryland can find suitable
material IN this state. When the
Western Maryland Railway finishes
its extension Into Pittsburg large
and profitable fuxing business should
be established in Washington county.
Building lime in Maryland has
been obtained largely from adjoining
States. Since the report shows that
there are numbers of excellent depos=
its. and as lime burning is profit
able industry the production of build
ing lime IN Maryland will Increase
materially.
There are several deposits Of very
high-grade high calcium limestone
in Maryland which Is suitable for
chemical lime Manufacturers Of
glass have been obtaining their lime
from adjoining States, not knowing Of
these deposits close at hand.
a large and hourishing agrleuI=
Frederick county. Statistics show TINT
this county produces more grain than
any othr county In Maryland. Il II
a significant faet that here lining ef
all lands. limestone as well as Other
types Of soil, Is almost universally
practieed. Washington county. which
is the richest in. limestone. has onlY
two lime burners of any consequence.
l. IIInH mat the
all sides. As 1t has been shown b.
the Maryland Experiment Station TINT
the cost Of fertilizers is much reduced
by the use Of lime there will unqnes=
tionably be great development Of the
agricultural lime industry In this
country. The same might be said for
other counties in the State.
Portland cement Is made by grind
ing a definite mixture of limestone
and clay TO a fine powder. burning
them At high temperature and then Re
grinding 10 an palpable powder
The survey analyses show that there
are a great many places in the staIs
where there Is limestone of suitable
composition, with shale or clay con
yenient. There are. however. many
other factors which must be taken
INTO ny = >
chief Of which are freight rates 10
market and the cost Of suitable coal.
Plants IN Maryland have a great ad=
vantage IN both of these factors. Is
freight rates are very much cheaper
and coal Of a suitable composition
las shown b. the coal report Is alum
dant and considerably lower in price
than In the great Lehigh district Of
Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
There is one cement plant nov act
ually IN operation at Security. near
HagerstoWn. which is manufacturing
100000 barrels year. The COMPANY
at the present time Is increasing is
capacity to 100000 barrels a year.
There Is another plant under erection
at Union Bridge. Their plans con
template the production of 100000
barrels a year. The combined eapa=
city of thse two plants will be ample
to supply al the demands of the mar
kets that can be reached from MARY
land points for the present. The con
sumption Of cement, however, Is IN
creasing so enormously each year thai
we may look for other developments
in the near future. The location Of
these plants In Maryland was due
largely to members OF the Geological