CUNTON COUNTY. 307 



McIntyre ^'ein. • 



This vein, thouHi siliialed on tlie same hill as the Palmer ore, cannot be considered as a part 

 of the Palmer vein. It is on the soutli face of the liill, and has a course about northwest. It is 

 a new vein, and has been explored to a small extent only ; but from its appearance, the indi- 

 cations for a valuable ore, and abundance of it, can not be doubted. It has a width of from 

 six to ten feet. Many parts of it, as now exposed, are the soft granular varieties. So far as 

 I observed, sulphurct of iron is not present in the ore. It is associated with black mica, 

 hornblende and quartz. For reduction, it requires either separation of the earthy matter by 

 washing, or by the magnetic machine. 



Entire width of the vei7is in the Clintonville district. 



The preceding account of the iron ores in the vicinity of Clintonville, is drawn from facts 

 and observations which were made during the summer of 1839. The entire width of all the 

 veins which I then examined amoifnt to one hundred and thirty-six feet, after excluding the 

 Burt and Winter veins. Some of them arc new, and have not been opened sufficiently deep 

 to reach their most valuable parts. Many of them are the richest ores in this country, the 

 Arnold alone being sufficiently so to be reduced directly without a separation of earthy matter. 

 Those which have been described, are in the circuit of six or eight miles of Clintonville. 



It must be confessed, however, that in consequence of the consumption of wood, the pro- 

 spect for the future is not so cheering to the enterprising manufacturer of iron, as could be 

 wished. Unless means of communication are furnished to the wooded districts of the Saranac 

 and Upper Ausable, the present higldy flourishing establishments for the manufacture of iron 

 must in time be abandoned, and, as it would appear, at a period when the demand for it will 

 be greater, and when every attending circumstance will be favorable to the production of a 

 better material at a diminished cost. 



The amount of ore is inexhaustible, and it is quite accessible. Its value at the mine, alter 

 it is raised and dressed, varies from four to six dollars. The establishments for this manu- 

 facture are increasing. Though they are generally small, still they are profitable ; and could 

 the forest at the western boundary of the county become more accessible, it would be all that 

 is required to give perpetuity to the present establishments, and also encourage many more, 

 all of which could not fail of making this district one of the most flourishing in the State. 



Veins of Iron Ore west of Plattsburgh. 



An important vein of magnetic oxide of iron exists about twenty miles west of Plattsburgh, 

 and seven northwest of Cadyville. It is a distinct vein in reddish granite, whose structure is 

 unusually coarse for the granite of this region. It is black, and quite pure ; in parft of the 

 vein, the outside is mixed largely with decomposing feldspar. The ore itself is coarse, and 



