ESSEX COUNTY. 245 



myself mostly to the statement of plain facts, giving details of veins and beds, measurements, 

 etc., under the impression that in such a form, every reader would be able to appreciate their 

 value, not only as individual property, but as an interest from which the public at large must 

 derive a great benefit. In this matter, I did suppose that my statements were received as 

 true ; and in this belief I should have remained, had it not been for the fact, that a variety of 

 circumstances liave, at ditferent times within the last year, called intelligent men into this 

 region, who have been induced to examine the subject of these ores for themselves. The 

 result of all this has been, that these individuals have declared that they were entirely de- 

 ceived ; they had not supposed that such an amount of ore actually existed ; they had formed 

 a vague idea that large beds of ore had been discovered, but were wholly unprepared to see 

 it in mountain masses. But that the public, and especially individuals who feel an interest 

 in the subject, may have no cause for saying that the whole truth was not told, I propose to 

 give as full a report as will comport with the main objects of the survey. For, however 

 others may regard the matter, I am fully satisfied that the mines in question are a subject of 

 national interest. My convictions of this fact were strong from my earliest investigations, and 

 they have strengthened with every examination which I have subsequently made. 



The iron ores of Adirondack all belong to the magnetic oxide ; all are black in the mass, and 

 give the same streak, or the same colored powder. Chemically considered, they are mixtures 

 of the protoxide and peroxide, in the proportion of one atom of the former to two of the latter. 

 They appear less disposed to pass to a state of peroxidation than those in the easterly part 

 of the county, as part of the latter furnish a large proportion of the iron in this high state of 

 oxidation. Now this fact is always an indication of a ready disposition to be reduced ; or, in 

 other words, it appears that the state of peroxidation conduces to an easy reduction in the 

 forge. Experience proves conclusively, that when an ore possesses a brilliant lustre, and is 

 not diposed to crumble, but is tough and hard, it does not reduce readily in the forge ; and 

 these are the ores, too, which are the farthest removed from a high state of oxidation. 



The ores of Adirondack cannot be arranged among the bright metallic ones, and none of 

 them appear to be undergoing chemical changes which might change their lustre, which in 

 general is dull, except in points where a granule is broken. Their texture varies from fine to 

 coarse granular, and they are never more than moderately tough. There are three veins in 

 which we have the principal grades of texture, and each will be noticed in its proper place. 

 As far as examinations have been made, it appears that each mass preserves, as a whole, a 

 uniform texture ; that is, if it is coarse upon the surface where it is exposed, we have reason 

 to suppose that such will be its state throughout ; and on the contrary, if the upper portion 

 is fine, the mass will continue so. In every vein there will be exceptions ; fine-grained masses 

 occur in the midst of coarse-grained veins ; and veins which are termed fine-grained, some- 

 times contain coarse masses. 



There is another fact, too, which is important to be stated, and by means of which it may 

 be very easily known what the general nature of an ore is : If, for example, it is what is 

 called a hard ore at the surface, there are very slight grounds for believing that it will change 

 into a soft ore as it is explored. It is true, however, that veins are not absolutely uniform 



