ORIGIN OF BRINE SPRINGS. 123 



tofore seen from this State, the fibres being often more than two inches in length. But by far 

 the largest proportion of the gypsum at this locality is in thin layers of the fibrous or foliated 

 kind, alternating with the dark coloured earthy variety, which is indeed nothing more than a 

 gypseous clay. It may also be stated that both the rock and the clay associated with this 

 mineral effervesce strongly with acids, and contain a large proportion of carbonate of lime. 



In digging a salt well at Liverpool, three miles north of Syracuse, fibrous gypsum was found 

 twelve feet below the surface, in strata of black mud intermixed with slate ; both above and 

 below the strata, was found soft red rock, or indurated clay, full of seams, through which the 

 salt water passes.* 



Simeon Ford, Esq. for several years engineer of the pump works at Salina, in describing 

 the well which had been sunk in the marsli by the Syracuseand Onondaga Salt Company, 

 says, "The strata of earth, to the depth of thirty-four feet, consisted of hardpan and chocolate- 

 coloured clay, intermixed with thin layers of sand. In the clay were found imbedded stones 

 of different sizes, from half a pound to half a hundred in weight, consisting of granite, quartz, 

 red and white sandstone, grey and blue limestone, sulphate of lime and slate, together with 

 pieces of fine potter's clay."t 



In another partof this communication, Mr. Ford states, that " salt water is found flowing 

 in small veins on the marsh, the whole distance round the south end of the lake, from Liver- 

 pool to the mouth of Nine-mile creek, a distance of nine miles. In any part of the marsh for 

 that distance, by digging down two feet, salt water will be found, though of very inferior qua- 

 lity, and will rise above the ordinary level of the lake at low water. The marsh is composed 

 of a stratum of common shell marl ; passing through the marl, the next stratum is hardpan, 

 and next chocolate-coloured clay. In the hardpan and clay, small veins of salt are found ; 

 some rising perpendicularly, and others running in horizontal lines. A horizontal vein of salt 

 water enters the well now used, about two feet from the bottom, five inches in diameter. 

 Through this, a stream is constantly pouring into the well ; the coating of the vein appears to 

 be sulphate of lime, and forms a perfect tube for conducting the salt water. "t 



The description here given agrees generally witli the section of the boring of the Geddes 

 well, a hundred and seventy feet below the level of the Onondaga lake. A copy of this sec- 

 tion was furnished to me by Mr. J. J. Rice, who conducted the work, under the direction of 

 Mr. Earll, in 1831. The red and blue marly clay alternated at various depths, and the brine 

 increased in strength from 11° to 48°, by an instrument on which the point of saturation was 

 at 60°. 



I miglit add to the above, the description of the strata passed through in boring for brine at 

 Montezuma in Cayuga county,^ where these various coloured clays, conglomerates and gyp- 

 seous veins, were also observed ; but their close resemblance to the strata near Salina and 

 Syracuse renders it unnecessary. And it maybe as well to state here, that all the (lays around 

 Salina and Syracuse contain large proportions of carbonate of lime. In one specimen from 

 the vicinity of Syracuse, I found 



* American Jounml of Science, XVI. 377. t Legislative Documents, February 3, 1826. i Ibid. 



ij The details on this subject are given by Mr. T. Conrad. Ncw-YoTk Geological Reports, 1837. 



