The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-08-26

are inherently symbolical Of beau
ty. strength and permanence. They
preserve the tradition of something
stable and enduring. Mans use OF
marble and granite has, Of course,
dated from the days Of antiquity; in
deed. of all components Of the earth's
crust no two. perhaps, have been
more universally pressed into the sery-
Ice Of construction and decoration.
The worlds yield OF It's finer classes
OF marble proceeds from many coun-
tries, Italy, France, Belgium, Norway,
Sweden and America being especially
prolific In deposits.
Apart from the British Isles, where,
in particular, the gray Aberdeen and
red Peterhead varieties are Justly
famed, granite occurs In Sweden. the
Tyrol. Italy Sardinia, North America
and other districts.
Qualities Of Marble and Granite.
In chemical composition marble 10
essentially calcium-carbonate, or car
onate OF lime. As a consequence, the
stone is very sensitive to the action
Of chemical agents present In the at
mosphere. On the other hand, while
marble Is In this way more rapidly at
tackled than many other stones, It's
power to resist the mechanical agents
OF weathering, which are generally the
most destructive, makes ii q compare
lively durable substance. The great
variety of colors shown by marble Ia
due mainly to the presence of compan-
ion minerals. Iron, when present In
the ferrous state. produces color vary
ing from light to dark green; manga
les and cobalt involve pinkish hues.
Accessory minerals, in short, give rise
to an almost endless association and
blending Of colors, shades, veins and
patterns.
Granite is a crystalline-grannlar az
gregate Of quartz, felspar and mica,
and comprises all varieties Of texture.
Generally it is the constituent felspar
which gives the rudy or the gray ap
pearance differentiating the rock. I'M
like marble, granite cannot be split up
with saws. and hence the expense and
labor OF q~uarrying and preparing the
latter material for building and other
purposes is relatively much greater.
According to the state g~eologist Of
Georgia, probably no building stone In
the United States has In recent years
met with such universal favor and
given greater satisfaction than Geor-
gia marble. 1t Is, however, curious
to learn that. Notwithstanding the
enormous quantity of native marble
capable of being quarried, and the
large number of u~ndeveloped deposits
which the United States as q whole
Possesses. considerable supplies Of the
material are imported (mostly from
italy, for statuary purposes and in
terror decoration. The growth of the
use OF Georgia marble for public
buildings in America Is, however, pro-
ceeding on satisfactory lines, and its
merits r becoming generally known.
The imposing Minnesota state capitol
was built of white marble from the
Amicalola quarriess Pickcns county;
the Rhooe Island state capitol. the Car
negte public library, Atlanta. and the
Corcoran art gallery. Washington. OF
stone from the Quarries of a southern
marble company.
Greek Marbles.
In recen years the extensive quar-
RI of Mount Pentelicus, a range situ.
ated eight miles northeast of Athens.
have been re-explored, and are being
worked by a British company. From
this classical center came the material
used in the erection OF some of the
worlds most famous buildings, anon
them the Parthenon and the Propy.
laea. Pentelikon marble Is almost pure
carbonate OF lime. Owing, however. 10
the presence OF minute grains Of nv
rites, the marble, which Is a clear
white on being worked, assumes a
soft ivory tint after exposure, = fea-
ture which materially adds to its value
10. decorative purposes. Blocks al
immense size. up to 1000 tons, III fsct
are frequently dislodged from ths
quarry bed. and. with suitable ma
chinery. may be cut to any required
dimensions. The priyats railway Of