SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. ^^n 



facility, I cannot consider that the two are precisely the same, 

 mineralogically. The ore occurring at the former locality is more 

 compact than the fissile rock found in Aroostook county. When 

 the two specimens are seen on their edges they appear quite nearly 

 alike, although the cleavage gives to one a slaty appearance. 



It is now necessary to present some facts in regard to the facili- 

 ties for reducing the Aroostook iron and bringing it to a market, 

 prefacing what I have to say, by the remark that hematitic ores 

 are most easily and advantageously reduced by charcoal. The pig 

 iron thus obtained is changed into steel with great facility, and is 

 readily affected by the Bessemer process, so called. This will be 

 noticed further on. 



In the first place, the ore is so bedded that it will afford natural 

 drainage for at least 90 feet. This desideratum is often overlooked 

 by those who enter hastily, and without forethought, upon the 

 management of mines. 



2dly. The supply of hard wood for charcoal is certainly sufficient 

 to warrant one in saying that its cost would be trifling. Maple and 

 beech wood are extensively used in charcoal-iron districts, and are 

 here found in abundance. 



3dly. Limestone is found quite near the deposit of iron, and 

 would serve well as a flux in reduction. 



4thly. Distance from navigable water by which the pig-iron can 

 be brought to market. Here occurs the principal difficulty in the 

 profitable management of mining operations in this vicinity. The 

 whole distance, by the windings of the Aroostook river to the river 

 St. John, can be estimated at 45 miles or thereabouts. Much of 

 this way is obstructed by falls, and is rendered entirely impassable 

 to rafts a portion of the year. This is a serious diificulty, but may 

 be in a measure obviated by confining the transportation of the 

 metal to such months as would allow of the safe and rapid convey- 

 ance of the iron down river by rafts. The portages at the falls 

 would be comparatively trivial. 



When the rafts carrying the metal had once reached the St. ' 

 John, the iron could easily find its way, by water, to our eastern 

 ports. 



If it could be shown that ore similar to this was now being used 

 to produce metal for purposes which demand this quality of ore and 

 no other, it is plain that the demand would overcome the few obstacles 

 which stand in the way of rendering the deposit accessible to the 



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