Col.  Pierce gave an account of the Body of Lime-Stone discovered at Newburv, and the order of the Selectmen published by James Brown, I)eputy Sheriff, to prohibit any persons from carrying any more away under the penalty of twenty shillings. it seems they have begun  to come with Teams by 30 in a day.  The Town will have a meeting, and bring it to some Regulation.  Our Mumford saith 'tis good Marble.  Ens.  Jaynes Noyes found it out.

 Coffin, in his History of Newburv, says that the town chose Sept. 22, 1697, "Major Daniel Davison, Corporal George March, and ensign James Noyes, as a committee, who shall inspect into all matters concerning the limestones in any of the undivided lands in the town, who shalt have the sole ordering, disposing, and importing said limestones for the town's use in what way and manner they shall judg shall most conduce to the benefit of the town." This committee were required to keep a strict and accurate account of all receipts and expenditures, to be reported to the town every six months, and all persons were prohibited from taking any of this limestone for their own personal use under a penalty of twenty shillings for each and every hogshead so taken.

 The town also voted that "the kiln for burning said lime shall be built at or near the end of Muzzie's lane, next the Merrimack river." This kiln, located at the foot of what is now known as Marlborough Street, was used exclusively for the burning of lime by the committee appointed on the part of the town, to attend to that duty.

 Other kilns, however, were constructed within the limit of Newbury by private individuals, and limestone was purchased from the town at a fixed rate, and manufactured into lime at a good profit. In 1698, the town "voted that four shillings per ton shall be paid for lime stones for transportation, and that no more shall be sold out of the towne till further order." Jan. 5, 1704, "the town voted that two shillings and six pence per ton shall be paid for lime stone, provided that they buy them, dig them, and burn them in Newbury."

 Meanwhile, another quarry had been discovered on the road leading to Kent's Island ; and the work of drilling, blasting, and removing limestone, was carried on simultaneously in both places.  For many years the business continued prosperous and lucrative; but, at length, the discovery of a superior quality of stone in other parts of New England lessened the demand for the product Of the Newbury quarries, and they gradually fell into disuse, and finally were abandoned altogether.

 Cushing, in his History of Newburyport, published in 1826, describing these limestone pits, says -

 The excavations are still regarded with interest on account of the number of minerals to be found there, some of which are of rare occurrence.  The limestone rock is intersected with strata of serpentine of various shades, from the light green to the darkest variety, of a fine grain, and susceptible of the most beautiful polish.  The serpentine again is frequently traversed by thin veins of asbestos of a short but very delicate and glossy fibre.  Tremolite, also, is found there in abundance, with iron pyrites, sometimes of a large size; and occasionally garnets and other more common minerals.

Long after these quarries had ceased to have a commercial value, pleasure parties were accustomed, during the summer months, to seek rest and recreation there, beguiling the time with marvelous stories in which the Prince of Darkness was given a conspicuous place.  In later years the young and credulous found traces of his Satanic Majesty's footsteps in the solid rock, and discovered other unmistakable signs of his presence in that locality ; and ever since the Devil's Den, the Devil's Basin, and the Devil's Pulpit have been objects of peculiar interest to every native of old Newbury.