Exhibit (24)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The undersigned director of Vulcan Materials Company, a New Jersey corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints William F. Denson, III, and Amy M. Tucker, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 of said corporation to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

     The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Vulcan Materials Company has executed this Power of Attorney this 15th day of February, 2006.

/s/ Philip J. Carroll, Jr.  

Philip J. Carroll, Jr. 

/s/ Livio D. DeSimone  

Livio D. DeSimone 

/s/ Phillip W. Farmer  

Phillip W. Farmer 

/s/ H. Allen Franklin  

H. Allen Franklin 

/s/ Douglas J. McGregor  

Douglas J. McGregor 

/s/ James V. Napier  

James V. Napier 

/s/ Donald B. Rice  

Donald B. Rice 

/s/ Orin R. Smith  

Orin R. Smith 

/s/ Vincent J. Trosino  

Vincent J. Trosino