CUNTON COUNTY. 291 



Iron Ores. 



In the ores of this county, we have the same general arrangements as in tliose of Moriah 

 in Essex. They are all distinctly veins, pursuing in general a strike very nearly coinciding with 

 tliat of the strata enclosing them. They are not, however, coincident with the dipping planes, 

 but cross them very obliquely. The walls are most regular, well defined, and the width well 

 maintained. Their surfaces are often striated, or as if strongly pressed by a mass of the ore 

 when pushed upwards. The veins are found both in granite and gneiss ; and so far as observa- 

 tion proves, their qualities are not altered by the rock. If any differences prevail in this county 

 as it regards the constitution of the ores, they arise from the great amount of oxygen they con- 

 tain ; as when taken as a whole, the veins more generally contain a greater proportion of the 

 peroxide than of the protoxide. Some, in fact, are composed almost wholly of the former; and 

 as most of the veins in this neighborhood are easily wrought, I have reason for believing that 

 they are constituted very uniformly of a large amount of liighly oxidated ores. I have not. 

 however, turned my attention particularly to this fact ; for it is a subject which did not present 

 itself till recently, when the field work of the survey was closed, and I came to examine the 

 specimens in the State Collection. One vein only had been examined with a view to test the 

 question of its state of oxidation, and this was the Arnold vein, which, as it exhibited on mere 

 inspection evidences of its chemical condition, I had satisfied myself in regard to it at the 

 earliest opportunity presented for examination. But I have found that many of the decidedly 

 black ores give a brown or reddish brown powder, an indication of a high state of oxidation. 

 A fact which the bloomers always looked upon as an indication of good ore, is a red stain 

 upon the rocks, or a reddish powder upon tlie surface of the ore ; and all experience amply 

 confirms this fact, that it is a good ore. 



I shall now take up in detail most of the important veins in Clinton county ; they are mostly 

 in the south part, adjacent to Essex. 



Arnold Veins. 



There are four parallel veins crossing a high and commanding hill, the ores of which are 

 known as the Arnold ore. It appears that the vein which was first opened was the richest, 

 and gave in the first place celebrity to the ore. This became known as the Old blue vein, 

 and probably, from its purity and value, has been of great use in giving an impulse to the 

 manufacture of iron in this vicinity ; and so high does this ore stand in market, that the veins 

 are leased at the rate of six thousand dollars per year. 



The four veins are nearly, if not quite, parallel, but differ in width : the old blue vein varies 

 from two to eight feet. It is readily distinguished by the eye from the other veins, being 

 always of a bluish tinge, and very frequently iridescent with purple hues. Its streak or 

 powder is red ; a fact which shows the state of oxidation. This vein has been worked to the 

 depth of two hundred and sixty feet, and in length about eighty rods. Its course is north- 



