The Hudson, from the wilderness to the sea . In 1837 Mr. Tomkins purchased 20 acres of land covering this lime-stone bod for 100 dollars an acre, then considered a verj extravagant price. The stratum where theyare now quarrying is at least 500 feet in thickness. It is estimated tliat an acre of this limestone,worked down to the water level, will yield ti00,000 barrels of lime, upon which a mean profit of 25 centsa barrel is the minimum .Some of this limestone is black and variegated, and makes pleasing orna-mental marbles. Most of it is blue. 280 THE HUDSON. Many vessels are employed in carryi
The Hudson, from the wilderness to the sea . In 1837 Mr. Tomkins purchased 20 acres of land covering this lime-stone bod for 100 dollars an acre, then considered a verj extravagant price. The stratum where theyare now quarrying is at least 500 feet in thickness. It is estimated tliat an acre of this limestone,worked down to the water level, will yield ti00,000 barrels of lime, upon which a mean profit of 25 centsa barrel is the minimum .Some of this limestone is black and variegated, and makes pleasing orna-mental marbles. Most of it is blue. 280 THE HUDSON. Many vessels are employed in carrying away lime, limestone, andgravel (pulverized limestone, not fit for the kiln) from TomkinssCove, for wliose accommodation several small wharves have beenconstructed. One million bushels of lime were produced at the kilns each year. Fromthe quarries, thousands of tons of the stone were sent annually to kilnsin ISew Jersey. From 20,000 to 25,000 tons of the gravel were usedeach year in the construction of macadamised roads. The quarry had. FISHEEMEX, FEOM THE OLD LIME-KILNS. been worked almost twenty-five years. From small beginnings theestablishment had grown to a veiy extensive one. The dwelling of thechief proprietor was upon the hill above the kiln at the upper side ofthe cove; and near the water the houses of the workmen form a pleasantlittle village. The country behind, for many miles, is very wild, andalmost uncultivated. I followed a narrow road along the bank of the river, to the extreme THE HUDSON. 281 southern verge of the limestone cliff, near Stony Point, and theresketched that famous, bold, rocky peninsula from the Lest spot where aview of its entire length may be obtained. The whole Point is a mass ofgranite rock, with patches of evergxeen trees and shrubs, excepting on itsnorthern side (at which we are looking in the sketch), where may be seena black cliff of magnetic iron ore. It is .too limited in quantity to temptlabour or capital to quarry it, and the granit
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjecthudsonrivernyandnjde
