No. 112.] 773 



a dense, uninterrupted forest of thirty miles in length. The purpose 

 was pursued with untiring energy and strong enthusiasm, by the 

 proprietors, Archibald Mclntyre, Archibald Robertson and David 

 Henderson, Esqrs. A settlement was soon commenced and an ex- 

 perimtntal furnace constructed. Iron was produced, of rare and 

 valuable qualities, rivaling almost in toughness and strength, the 

 best products of the Swedish furnaces. A small blast furnace 

 was soon afterwards erected, together with several forge fires and 

 a puddling furnace. Bar iron has been more recently fabricated 

 to a ct)nsiderable extent. Iron, produced from this ore has proved 

 admirably adapted to the manufacture of steel, and has been ex- 

 tensively used for that purpose by the steel works of the Adiron- 

 dac Comj^any at Jersey cit}'. (See J. Delafield's address, page 

 14-2, State Agr. Trans. 1851.) I need only refer in addition to 

 the report of Mr. Johnson which exhibits the triumphant display 

 of that steel at the World's Fair. A magnificent blast furnace 

 has recently been completed at the Adirondac works, of the lar- 

 gest dimensions, perfect in its construction and powers and mo^ 

 judiciously adjusted in all its arrangements. 



Numerous ore beds exist within an area of three miles, and 

 nearly all are comprised within half that distrance from the works. 

 They are singularly distinct in the appearance, nature and quality 

 of tlie ores.* The " Mill-pond ore bed " is situated in so immediate 

 proximity with the furnace erected by the company, that its foun- 

 dation rests upon a section of the vi-in. The length of this bed, 

 ascertained by the actual mensuration of Prof. Emmons, is 3,1 C8 

 feet, and the width 700 feet. An opening of 40 feet in depth has 

 been excavated, and at that point, the ore is found more free 

 from r.>ck and richer than at tlie <urface. Its luirdncss is not of 

 that character, which ct>nstitutes, tlie hard iron of the mines, nor 

 does it communicate that quality to iron which it yields. It con- 

 tains in common with most of the ores of lliit^ di^trict a small per 

 cent ui' titu/iium^ which renders it to souie extent refractory in tU© 

 furnace. Slight injections ol* serpentine in irregular veins, crystals 

 of green felspar, seams of carbonate of lime, and the common rocIT 

 ai-e mingled with this ore and incidentally small particles of iiul- 



• I derive muoh of my information relalive to the hintory and mineral? of the AdirondACB, 

 from the raluabl* MSS. prvparoJ at my request by Alex. Ralph and Robt. Clark; "Em^b. 



