This section is from the book "Building Construction And Superintendence", by F. E. Kidder. Also available from Amazon: Building Construction And Superintendence.
The following tables relating to the properties and chemical composition of building stones, and to stone buildings, have been compiled by the author from various sources (principally from several volumes of Stone and Merrill's Stones for Building and Decoration), and are believed to be reliable:
Kind of Stone. | Locality. | Approximate size of cube in inches. | Position. | Weight per cubic foot. | Ratio of Absorption. | |
Granite (Biotite)..... | Vinalhaven, Me........ | 2 | Bed | 15,698 | 163 | ..... |
" | Dix Island, Me....... | 2 | .... | 15,000* | 166.5 | .... |
" | Hurricane Island, Me.... | 2 | Bed | 14,425* | 166.9 | .... |
" | " "....... | 2 | Edge | 14,937* | 166.9 | ..... |
" | Fox Island, Me....... | 2 | ........ | 14,875* | 164.1 | ..... |
" | Keene, N. H........ | 2 | Bed | 10,375 | 166 | 1/800 |
Granite (Hornblende) | Cape Ann, Mass....... | 2 | Bed | 12,423* | ............ | ........ |
" | " "........... | 2 | Bed | 19,500* | ............ | ........ |
Rockport, Mass........ | 2 | Bed | 16,300 | 163.2 | 1/152 | |
Edge | 19,750 | |||||
" | Quincy, Mass..... | 2 | ........ | 17,750† | 166.2 | ........ |
" | "................ | 2 | .......... | 14,750† | 168.7 | ........ |
Granite (Biotite).......... | Milford, Conn..... | 6 | ........ | 22,610 | ......... | ........ |
" | Westerly, R.I............ | 2 | ....... | 17.500 | 165.6 | ........ |
" | "............... | 2 | Edge | 14,937* | 166.9 | ........ |
" | Huron Island, Mich...... | 2 | Bed | 18,125 | 164.4 | 1/659 |
" | " "............ | 2 | Edge | 14,425 | 163.7 | 1/363 |
Granite (Hornblende) | East Saint Cloud, Minn. | 2 | Bed | 28,000 | 168.2 | • • • • |
Edge | 26,250 | |||||
" | Saint Cloud, Minn...... | 2 | Bed | 16,000 | 168.2 | 1/239 |
Edge | 18,500 | |||||
Granite (Gabbro)............ | Duluth, Minn........ | 2 | Bed | 17,631 | 175 | • • • |
Granite (Biotite).... | Tarrytown, N.Y........ | 2 | Bed | 18,250† | 162.2 | • • • • |
" | Staten Island, N. Y...... | 2 | Bed | 22,250} | 178.8 | • • • • |
" | Gunnison, Colo....... | 2 | Bed | 12,976 | .006 | • • • • |
Edge | 15,594 | |||||
" | Platte Canon, Colo.... | 2 | Bed | 14,585 | .006 | • • • • |
Edge | 14,634 | |||||
Limestone (Dolomite) | Joliet, Ill....... | 2 | Bed | 14,775* | 160 | 1/94 |
" | Lemont, Ill......... | 2 | Bed | 12,000* | 165.3 | 1/89 |
" | Quincy, Ill........... | 2 | Bed | 9.687* | 160.6 | 1/180 |
Limestone (Oolitic) | Bedford, Ind......... | . . | • • • • | 6,500 | 147 | 1/24 |
" | "............ | . . | • • • • | 10,125 | 152.4 | 1/32 |
" | " (buff).......... | .... | .......... | 14,000‡ | ........ | ........ |
" | Salem, Ind........ | . . | .... | 8,625 | 144.3 | 1/22 |
Limestone (Dolomite) | Stillwater, Minn....... | 2 | Bed | 25,000 | 172.6 | 1/251 |
Edge | 25,000 | |||||
" | ".................. | 2 | Bed | 10,750 | 160.4 | 1/40 |
Edge | 12,750 |
* Burst suddenly. † Cracked before bursting ‡ Tests made at U. S. Arsenal, Watertown, Mass.
TABLE A, - (Continued.)
Kind of Stone. | Locality. | Approximate size of cube in inches. | Position. | Strength per square inch. | Weight per cubic foot. | Ratio of Absorption. |
Limestone (Dolomite).... | Red Wing, Minn....... | 2 | Bed | 23,000 | 162.2 | 1/40 |
Edge | 23,250 | |||||
Limestone (Magnesian)... | Glens Falls, N. Y........ | 2 | Bed | 11,475 | 168.8 | .... |
Edge | 10,750 | |||||
" | Lake Champlain, N. Y. | 2 | Bed | 25,000 | 171.9 | .... |
Edge | 21,500 | |||||
Marble (Dolomite)..... | Lee, Mass............ | 6 | Bed | 22,900 | ...... | |
" ...... | Centre Rutland, Vt...... | 6 ‡ | .... | 10,746 | 166.6 | ......... |
" .......... | Dorset, Vt........... | 2 | Edge | 8,670 | 167.8 | .......... |
" .......... | "Cherokee," Georgia..... | 6 | 10,976 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4‡ | 13,415 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 11,822 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | "Creole," Georgia..... | 6 | 12,078 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 11,420 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 15,512 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | "Etowah," Georgia........ | 6 | 10,642 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 14,217 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 13,888 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " Kennesaw," Georgia | 4 ‡ | 8,354 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 10,771 | ...... | ...... | |
Marble (Pink)...... | East Tennessee....... | 2 | 15,750 | ...... | 1/1220 | |
Marble (White)....... | " .......... | 2 | 17,212 | ...... | 1/1240 | |
" .......... | " .......... | 2 | 14,812 | ...... | 1/1480 | |
Marble (Dark Pink)....... | " .......... | 1 | I3.750 | ...... | 1/1070 | |
Sandstone (Brownstone)...... | Portland, Conn......... | 2½‡ | 13,980 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 2½‡ | 13,330 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 3 ‡ | 13,920 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 3 ‡ | 15,020 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 2½‡ | 9,900 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | Cromwell, Conn........ | 2½‡ | Bed | 12,250 | Average of 6 tests | |
Sandstone (Con.)...... | ||||||
" Brown (soft)... | East Longmeadow, Mass | 4‡ | 8,437 | ...... | ...... | |
(hard).. | " .......... | 4 ‡ | 14,085 | ...... | ...... | |
" (Kibbe)..... | " .......... | 6 ‡ | 12,619 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | Potsdam, N. Y......... | 2 ‡ | 18,401 | ...... | ...... | |
" .......... | " .......... | 2‡ | 42,000 | ...... | ...... | |
" (lilac color)..... | Medina, N. Y........ | 2 | Bed | 17,250 | 150.6 | 1/55 |
" (light)....... | North Amherst, Ohio....... | 2 | Edge | 5,450 | 133.7 | 1/19 |
" "............ | " "......... | 2 | Bed | 6,212 | 135.8 | 1/19 |
" "........ | Berea, Ohio......... | 6 | Bed | 6,510 | ...... | ...... |
" "............. | " .......... | 2 | Bed | 8,222 | 134 | 1/21 |
" "........... | Cleveland, Ohio.......... | 2 | Bed | 6,800 | 140 | 1/37 |
" "............ | Hummelstown, Pa........ | 6 | Bed | 12,810 | ...... | ...... |
" "............ | Fond du Lac, Wis....... | 2 | Bed | 6,237 | 138.8 | 1/22 |
" (hard, red)....... | Saint Vrains, Colo........ | 2 | Bed | 11,505 | 149.3* | .061 |
" (hard, gray)....... | Fort Collins, Colo....... | 2 | Bed | 11,707 | 140.7 | .072 |
" "........ | Stout, Colo.......... | 2 | Bed | 10,514 | 141.2 | . 066 |
(light red)....... | Manitou, Colo............ | 2 ‡ | Bed | 11,000 | 140 | .... |
" "............. | " ........... | 2 | Bed | 6,000 | ...... | .... |
*Burst suddenly. † Cracked before bursting.
‡ Tests made at U. S. Arsenal, Watertown, Mass.
TABLE A. - (Continued.) SLATE.
Locality. | Modulus of Rupture. | Weight per cubic foot. | Porosity. | Corrodibility. | |
Albion, Penn............................. | 7,150 | lbs. | 173.2 | 0.238 | 0.547 |
Old Bangor, Penn....................... | 9,810 | " | 173.5 | 0.145 | 0.446 |
Peach bottom region, Penn.................. | 11,260 | " | 180.4 | 0.224 | 0.226 |
Description. | Locality. | Silica. | Alumina. | Iron Oxides. | Lime. | Potash and Soda. |
Light......... | Monson, Mass............... | 73.47 | 15.07 | 1.15 | 4.48 | 5.97 |
Dark............ | "........................... | 69.35 | 18.83 | 2.00 | 5.94 | 3.78 |
Hornblende........ | East Saint Cloud, Minn. | 65.12 | 16.96 | 4.69 | 4.77 | 5.25 |
" .............................. | "..................... | 74.43 | 12.68 | 3.82 | 1.28 | 3.88 |
Diabose............. | Duluth, Minn.................... | 50.43 | 23.83 | 17.63 | 4.79 | 2.40 |
Gabbro.............. | ................................ | 48.51 | 13.79 | 19.34 | 8.34 | t.86 |
Description. | Locality. | Silica. | Alumina. | Iron Oxides. | Lime. | Water and Loss. |
Maynard (red)..... | E. Longmeadow, Mass.. | 79.38 | 8.75 | 2.43 | 2.57 | 2.79 |
Worcester (red)............ | " ".. | 88.89 | 5.95 | 1.79 | .27 | 1.83 |
Kibbe quartz....... | " " .. | 81.38 | 9.44 | 3.54 | .76 | 4.49 |
Brownstone.......... | Portland, Conn | 69.94 | 13.15 | 2.48 | 3.09 | 1.01 |
" ................... | " ................... | 70.11 | 13.49 | 4.85 | 2.39 | 7.37† |
Sandstone | Stony Point, Mich | 84.57 | 5.90 | 6.48 | 1.92 | |
Portage Entry (red)... | Lake Superior, Mich | 94.73 | 0.36 | 2.64 | 0.69 | .83 |
Quartzite........ | Pipestone, Minn | 84.52 | 12.33 | 2.12 | 0.31 | 2.31 |
Buff | Amherst, Ohio | 97.00 | 1.00 | 1.15 | .21 | |
Berea....... | Berea, Ohio......... | 96.90 | 1.68 | . 55 | .32 | |
Euclid Bluestone.......... | Euclid County, Ohio | 95.00 | 2.50 | 1.00 | 1.50 | |
Columbia | Columbia, Ohio | 96.50 | 2.00 | |||
Red | Laurel Run, Pa | 94.00 | 1.90 | 1.10 | 1.92 | |
Elyria.......... | Grafton, Ohio | 87.66 | 1.72 | 3.52 | . 17 | 2.03 |
Sandstone | Fond du Lac, Minn | 78.24 | 10.88 | 3.83 | .95 | .... |
" ................... | Flagstaff, Arizona | 79.19 | 3.75 | 7.76 | 3.26 | |
" ................... | Dorchester, N. Brunsw'k | 82.52 | 7.07 | 3.55 | 1.83 | 3.61 |
*Some minor elements occurring in very small quantities and not affecting the durability of the stone are omitted.
† Potash and soda.
Description. | Locality. | Carbonate of Lime. | Carbonate of Magnesia. | Oxides of Iron. | Oxide of Aluminium. | Silica and insoluble residue. | Water and Loss. |
Dolomite............. | Lemont, Ill............... | 45.80 | .......... | 2.30 | 7.00 | 15.90 | 6.90 |
Oolitic.............. | Bedford, Ind.......... | 96.60 | 0.13 | 0.98 | 0.50 | 0.96 | |
" .............................. | " .............................. | 97.26 | o.37 | 0.49 | .... | 1.69 | 0.19 |
" (buff)............... | " .............................. | 98.20 | o.39 | o.39 | .... | 0.63 | |
" (blue)............... | " .............................. | 97.26 | o.37 | 0.49 | .... | 1.69 | |
" .............................. | Spencer, Ind.............. | 96.80 | 0.11 | 0.91 | .... | 0.70 | 0.92 |
Oolitic.................. | Bowling Green, Ky.... | 95.31 | 1.12 | o.39 | 1.42 | 1.76 | |
Dolomite.................... | Minneapolis, Minn........... | 54.53 | 36 | 0.90 | 3.16 | 16.22 | o.375 |
" .............................. | " .............................. | 41.88 | 24.55 | 4.03 | .... | 29.93 | |
" .............................. | " .............................. | 75.48 | 6.81 | 1.70 | .... | 14.45 | 1.60 |
" .............................. | Kasota, Minn.............. | 49.16 | 37.53 | 1.09 | 13.06 | ||
" .............................. | Stillwater, Minn............ | 50.22 | 37.39 | 0.78 | 0.64 | 8.54 | |
" .............................. | Frontenac, Minn.......... | 54.78 | 42.53 | 0.36 | 0.31 | 2.93 | |
Limestone........... | Dayton, Ohio.......... | 92.40 | 1.10 | 0.58 | 1.70 | 1.08 | |
Dolomite................ | Springfield, Ohio......... | 54.70 | 44.93 | 0.20 | .... | 0.10 | |
Limestone (Caen)......... | Aubigney, France......... | 97.60 | 1.70 | ||||
"(Oolitic)....... | Portland, England......... | 95.16 | 1.20 | 0.50 | .... | 1.20 | 1.94 |
Description. | Locality. | Carbonate of Lime. | Carbonate of Magnesia. | Oxides of Iron and Aluminum. | Insoluble Residue. |
Dolomite............. | Hastings, N. Y....... | 52.82 | 45.78 | .... | |
" (white)........... | Sing Sing, N. Y............ | 53.24 | 45.89 | ... | |
" .............................. | Tuckahoe, N. Y........... | 61.75 | 38.25 | .... | |
" (white) | Pleasantville, N.Y...... | 54.62 | 45.04 | 0.23 | |
" .............................. | Lee, Mass............. | 54.62 | 43.93 | . 365 | |
Limestone (whit | Rutland, Vt............ | 97.73 | .59 | 1.68 | |
" (greenish) | " .............................. | 85.45 | 14.55 | .... | |
" (white)...... | West Rutland, Vt........ | 98.00 | .......... | 0.57 | |
" (bluish gray)..... | Proctor, Vt............ | 98.37 | 0.79 | 0.005 | 0.63 |
"(light colored). | " .............................. | 96.30 | 306 | .... | 0.63 |
" .............................. | East Tennessee....... | 98.78 | 0.67 | 0.26 | .08 |
Georgia Marble Co..... | Georgia.......... | 97.32 | 1.60 | .26 | • ............... |
Southern Marble Co...... | " .............................. | 98.96 | 0.13 | .22 | • • . • |
" .............................. | " .............................. | 98.52 | 0.88 | .... | • • • • |
Carrara (white).......... | Italy.......... | 99.24 | 0.28 | .... | • • . • |
" .............................. | " .............................. | 98.76 | 0.9 | 1.08 | 0.16 |
Source. | Color. | Weight per cubic foot. | Carbonate of Lime. | Carbonate of Magnesia. | Carbonate of Iron. |
Hacienda del Carmen, Mexico.......... | Light green | 171.87 | 89.36 | 3.00 | 5.24 |
Mayer's Station, Arizona.............. | " ........................... | 171.87 | 93.93 | 0.56 | 5.50 |
" " .............................. | Red brown.......... | 166.87 | 93.82 | o.53 | 4.06 |
Cave Creek, Arizona.................. | Light green.............. | 171.87 | 93.48 | 1.07 | 5.19 |
Suisin City, California................ | Dark amber............ | 170.62 | 95.48 | 2.20 | .... |
Sulphur Creek,................. | " ........................... | 167.5 | ..... | ......... | .... |
San Luis Obispo, California.............. | White............... | 170 | 93.68 | 1.43 | 3.93 |
Rio Puerco, Valencia County, New Mexico............................... | Light green.............. | 179.37 | ....... | ..... | ....... |
New Pedrara, Lower California........... | Faintly green.............. | 174.37 | 90.16 | 1.66 | 6.97 |
" " .............................. | White, rose tinted........ | 173 | 93.48 | 1.68 | 4.19 |
" " .............................. | White...................... | 174 | 96.86 | 0.24 | 2.79 |
" " .............................. | Faintly green............... | 174.37 | 91.09 | 0.64 | 7.49 |
Near Lehi, Utah.............................. | Yellow................... | 170 | 97.61 | 0.23 | .... |
Source. | Silica.* | Alumina.* | Protoxide of Iron.* | Peroxide of Iron.* | Magnesia. | Alkalies. |
Rutland County, Vt. (sea green).......... | 65.02 | 16.02 | 5.44 | 2.99 | 2.00 | 4.16 |
" (unfading green)........ | 64.71 | 7.84 | 5.44 | 7.23 | 1.63 | 6.92 |
" (purple)......... | 62.37 | 13.40 | 4.21 | 7.66 | 0.90 | 7.20 |
Granville, N. Y. (red).............. | 73.97 | 5.16 | 1.74 | 10.17 | 1.43 | 3.92 |
Old Bangor, Penn. (dark)............... | 56.97 | 26.05 | 2.69 | 2.31 | ||
Albion, Penn. (dark)...................... | 55.18 | ........ | 25.57 | carbon | 2.10 | 4.00 |
Peach Bottom Region, Penn. (dark)......... | 58.37 | 21.98 | 10.66 | 0.93 | 1.20 | 1.93 |
* These are the valuable constituents. " Peroxide of iron is probably the coloring matter."
 
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