Rich Hill,  Bates County,  Missouri

“This quarry, which is operated by C.H. and E. E. Robinson, is located west of the Missouri Pacific railroad, between 6^th and 7^th streets, just north of Cedar street.  It was opened in 1880 and has been worked intermittently since that time.  It has been opened a distance of 240 feet east and west and 150 feet north and south.   The Lower Coal Measure sandstone at Rich Hill supplies the local demand for stone used in rough masonry. 

The Robinson Quarry – Rich Hill, Missouri

 The following is a description of the beds from top to bottom:

4-6 ft Thin beds interstratified with shale and sandstone 3 ft Interstratified beds of shale and sandstone from two to four inches in thickness.  The sandstone is fine grained and micaceous.  Contains leaf-like impressions along bedding planes.  Some of these beds are used for light flagging. 1 ft 4 in Light buff to gray, fine grained, micaceous sandstone. Contains numerous stratification planes, on account of which it cannot be safely laid on edge in a wall 10 in Very sandy shale 2 ft 3 in inFine grained, micaceous sandstone impregnated with bitumen or asphalt.  The stone is cross-bedded and shelly in pieces 8 ft Massive, fine grained, dark colored sandstone impregnated with bitumen or asphalt 3 ft Stone similar to the eight foot bed above

 

The lower portion of the quarry was under water when visited. 

The bitumen contained in the sandstone in the lower part of this quarry decreases the absorption and increases the strength, making the stone more desirable for places in which there is danger of injury from alternate freezing and thawing.  The one foot four inch bed splits with a straight fracture and works well in the quarry.

The beds at the east end of the quarry dip N.E. 5”.  Along the bedding planes, there are leaf-like impressions of carbonaceous material, similar to those observed in the Warrensburg quarries.

The quarry is equipped with a hand derrick and horse power pump.”

 Source: Quarrying Industry of Missouri, Vol. 2, 1904.