784 [Assembly 



great demand. The deposit is believed to be extensive and very 

 valuable. The bed is situated about seven milts from the lake. 



The " Conro'* and " Miller" beds are rich and important veins. 

 The former occurs a few rods north of the " Old Sandford bed," 

 and is very similar to that bed in the general appearance and 

 quality of the ore. It has been opened about a hundred feet in 

 length, and presents a breast of about 16 feet. The Miller bed 

 has not been sufhciently opened to fully esiablish its extent and 

 character. It has been traced nearly a mile by the magnet. The 

 ore is said to possess some very distinct and desirable qualities. 



The ^' felspar iron ore bed" indicates and appears to possess pe- 

 culiar combinations with felspar, that greatly enhance its VMkie. 

 This mixture much facilitates its reduction. The Moriali dis- 

 trict comprehends two other mines of great value, situated near 

 the boundary of Crown Point and Schroon. Both appear to pos- 

 sess inexhaustible quantities of ore. They are of the magnetic 

 type. The Penfield mine was discovered in the year 1824, and 

 has been in constant working from that period, with no percepti- 

 ble exhaustion. This evidence of capacity is indicated univer- 

 sally by every ore bed in this region, which, for a long series of 

 years has been opened. The existence of the Hammond ere bed 

 was ascertained in 1827, but it was not extensively excavated 

 until 1846. This bed lies within half a mile of the Penfield 

 mine. They do not essentially differ in their characteristics and 

 qualities, and are probably an extension of the same vein. These 

 beds are about ten miles in the interior, and are situated upon 

 elevated land, before it rises into mountains. The Penfield ore 

 produces a very superior bloom iron. The Hammond ore pos- 

 sesses the highest qualities, of peculiar strength and softness, and 

 is eminently adapted to the purposes of the foundry and the fa- 

 brication of machinery. The harder parts of ^ the pig metal are 

 particularly calculated for the manufacture of car axels and 

 malleable articles. The extreme fluidity of this iron, and the 

 long time it remains fluid; renders it highly valuable in the 

 manufacture of these fabrics.* The pig metal made at the fur- 

 nace of Hammond & Co., is of the first quality, and is unsur- 



•C. F. Hammond, Esq, 



