To the Editor:

People who buy houses on the Ridge that have basements may not realize that they are sitting on extremely hard rock that requires blasting. Because we built our own house (or had it built while we watched), we were aware that it sat on solid rock (basaltic magma, I believe) that required blasting in order to put in the basement foundation. The blasting crew charged $50 a blasting minute (50 or more years ago) so we have a lovely basement with high windows on two sides. (That was in an era when $50 was a much bigger number than it is today.)

At any rate, it might be wise to consider the ramifications of blasting through the Ridge before making a commitment.

Carolyn Q. Wilson

Stuart Road