Show OYSTER SHELL HOUSES they are frequently met with in tefft towns houses built of oyster shells can be seen in a large number of texas towns said G A holland a well known newspaper man recently says the cincinnati gazette the state was at one time undoubtedly a part of the bed of the gulf of mexico how many years ago geologists do not know and natural historians are puzzled at the forms of life so different are they from any to be found elsewhere mr holland then proceeded to unfold a remarkable story running across the state from north to south he said is an immense ledge or sheet of rock formed of oyster shells this ledge averages about twenty feet in thickness and is used for building purposes in bome places while in others it is ground up and placed upon the ground as a fertilizer there is a large quarry near henrietta in the northern part of the state and a number of handsome blocks have been cop strutted ted from it when first taken out of the earth it is white and soft but when exposed to the air it becomes hard and turns to a beautiful buff color it was formerly used for foundations only but during the past few years a great many handsome blocks and residences have been built |