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pg 050: First annual report of the Geological and Agricultural Survey of Texas Publication 36807936.

 
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wheat or any other cakes from sticking. It can be used for fence posts, as is done in some parts of New England. Pounded fine, and mixed with a little grease or tallow, it forms a very durable article to lessen friction in the axles of wagons and carriages. To obtain it for this purpose, wagoners cone trom a distance and consider it to be neater, better, and more lasting for that use than any thing else. Some one will make a fortune by malting axle grease from these soap stones of Llano county.

MARBLES.

The lower silurian rocks of Burnet, Llano and San Saba counties, contain some fine marbles of various shades of color; white, black, flesh color and clouded, which would be extensively used if near railroad or water transportation. These marbles, as far as known, are not equal to the best, but of very fair quality.

OTHER BUILDING ROCKS.

In both Burnet and Llano counties, are fine granites; also, gneissoid rocks, suitable for buildings or monuments, being of a quality equal to the best of any country. Superior limestones for buildings also abound there, and also in San Saba county. The limestones and sandstones of all. the counties in the carboniferous region will furnish an inexhaustible supply of good building material.

In the north-eastern part of San Saba county is a sandrock, which has been used to some extent for the manufacture of grindstones. About eight miles west of Weatherford, in Parker county, is a light gray, compact sandstone, resembling in appearance a fine grained granite. It is manufactured at Weatherford into grindstones, and also, for the foundations of monuments. It is also an excellent building rock. The supply is said to be ample for all purposes.

Many of the cretaceous limestones also furnish an excellent building material. The Austin limestone has been, and is being largely used for building at Austin. This limerock extends northward to the Red River. Last summer it was being used in the building of courthouses at Paris, in Lamar county, at Sherman, in Grayson, and at McKinney, in Collin county.

 

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