STONE FOR BUILDING,
Next claims our attention: It is of various kinds and qualities, some about Birstwith is of a strong coarse grit, will bear an immense pressure, is well adapted for bridges, locks, wiers, &c. but is not to be had in blocks large enough for pier works. There is another kind of stone at Dacre-Pasture, of a much finer grit than the last, paler in colour, and well adapted for finer masonry, such as columns, pediments, &c. Blocks of this kind may be had of large dimensions. Another kind of stone is found at Wilsill, in quality similar to that at Birstwith, but may
be risen in much larger blocks. When the Ouse-bridge at York was building, in 1818, the contractors for, or the inspectors of that work, got some stone from this neighbourhood for the piers, and by a letter from Mr. William Craven, one of the inspectors, there is no doubt of its being fit for any kind of public works, as bridges, locks, &c. The expense of land carriage from the quarry to Ripon was the sole cause why a greater quantity was not made use of.
There is another kind of stone found a little way above Pateley-bridge, well adapted for flags, window heads and soles, staircases, landings, tomb-stones, and grind-stones; but owing to the beds being thin, it is not well adapted for general building purposes.
At Fellbeck, near Smelthouse-mill, a slate quarry has lately been opened, which produces a slate of a darker colour than that of Idle, is very sound, lays well on, and will probably improve in fineness, if pursued to a greater depth. A ton of it will cover about ten square yards.
Another Slate-Quarry, at Bouthwaite, near Pateley-Bridge, has recently been discovered; the produce of which is much superior to that of Idle; a ton of it will cover about 14 square yards.
All this stone and slate is immediately upon the adopted line, or can be brought to it for 4¼d. per foot, which, with the expense of carriage to Bolton-Percy will cost at that place as below:—
| £. | s. | d. | |
| Rail-dues 30 miles, at 1¼d. per ton per mile | 0 | 3 | 1½ |
| Waggon-dues, do. do. | 0 | 3 | 1½ |
| 0 | 6 | 3 | |
| Calculating 16 feet of this stone to weigh one ton, it appears the carriage of each foot will cost | 0 | 0 | 4¾ |
| And the original cost delivered on the line | 0 | 0 | 4¼ |
| Cost of this stone at Bolton-Percy per foot | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Which if necessity requires, may experience a little reduction.
At this time the Bramley-fall stone delivered at Selby, costs 1s. per foot; and at York during the building of Ouse-bridge it cost from 15d. to 16d.