CLINTON COUNTY. 393 



From what has been said, it will be seen that the quantity of ore which the Cook vein is 

 capable of furnishing, is all that can be wished. Its breadth and prolongation northwards 

 show conclusively that, for a long time, it will be accessible without deep excavation. 



This consideration I have thought proper to introduce, inasmuch as it bears on the perma- 

 nence and stability of the manufacture of iron, and the expediency of permanent improve- 

 ments. If the veins of ore in a given section of country are soon to be exhausted, then there 

 is no occasion or no propriety in making extra expenditures to facilitate the transportation of 

 hea\7 articles. On the contrary, if these collections are inexhaustible, then they constitute 

 a permanent source of wealth and income to the country, and which may be increased by 

 facilities for transportation, without danger of finally losing value from want of articles to 

 transport. 



The Cook veins, in their northern prolongation, are traversed by several dykes ; and though 

 the ore in this prolongation appears only in disseminated particles, sometimes more and some- 

 times less, still, in my mind, there is little doubt of the real prolongation of the principal vein. 

 The dykes appear to be parallel to each other, and pursue a course about N. 50=^ E. 



After leaving the site where these veins are more successfully explored, we rise to a hio-her 

 level. Now, in many instances, when ore is disseminated in the manner we find it north of 

 the actual veins, they have been found to be continued by a sufficient removal of rock ; and 

 the probability of finding it in a body at any point along this range, is strengthened by the 

 fact, that the Battle vein crops out to the north at a lower level ; for the vein appears to tra- 

 verse the ridge rather obliquely, making a continual westing till it reaches the western slope, 

 when, at a considerably lower position, the veins appear in the rock. Now it is probable that 

 at any point between the Battie and Cook veins, the ore will be found by sinking a shaft to 

 the level of either, or by removing what is called by miners the cap of the vein. 



Battie Ore. 



The Battie vein is to be considered as a part of the Cook vein. It is distant from the latter 

 one and a half miles, and from which it may be traced by surface ore. The vein has been 

 exposed in two places ; the most southerly was mixed largely with iron pyrites, especially 

 the portion adjacent to the eastern wall. It is not so highly charged as to prevent its use 

 in the furnace ; but for bar iron, it proves brittle. On account of the injurious mixture of 

 pyrites in the southerly opening, the vein was sought for twenty or twenty-five rods further 

 north, when it was found to be well developed near the surface. This last opening was just 

 made at the time of my examination, and the true character of the vem could not be deter- 

 mined ; still, there was a width of thirteen or fourteen feet of vein, mixed with rock com- 

 posed of flint, hornblende and black mica. Thick solid masses of ore, free from pyrites, 

 were found traversing the vein longitudinally, somewhat wedge-form in shape, with the thicker 

 portion downward, indicating an increase of ore in tliat direction, and the disappearance of 

 rock from the vein. It is proved by reduction to make an iron similar to that made from the 

 Cook ore ; which, as has abeady been stated, is of the best quality. 



