806 J. F. NEWSOM 



covered with forest trees at the time of the explosion. There 

 were also a few trees of considerable size bordering the creek on 

 the side across from the bluff. 



Geologic relations. — Most of the area affected by the explo- 

 sion is covered by alluvial soil or gravel ; only one exposure of 

 rock in place occurs (viz., at L. S., Fig. i). Rock in place 

 (belonging to the Niagara group) outcrops one-fourth mile up 

 stream from the area of the main explosion, and in the affected 

 area the limestone is probably only ten or twenty feet below the 

 surface. The strata of this region lie approximately flat. 



The rocks which underlie the region are shown by the follow- 

 ing section of the strata passed through in drilling the gas well 

 at C. J. Bickhart's mill, about two miles east of Ogden Cemetery. 



SECTION AT BICKHART'S MILL. 1 



i. Clay - - 4 feet 



2. Limestone (Niagara, in part at least) - - 86 



3. Shale (Hudson River) ... - 774 



4. Limestone (Trenton) ----- 22 



Total - - - 886 



Gas with a pressure of 335 lbs to the square inch was struck 

 at nine feet in the Trenton limestone. 



An irregularly bedded, porous conglomerate which gives off 

 a fetid odor from a freshly broken surface is exposed for 150 

 feet along the east bank of the river about 150 yards above the 

 area in which the main explosion occurred. This conglomerate 

 is made up for the most part of coarse sand and small pebbles, 

 but it contains some bowlders at least eight inches in diameter ; 

 it dips 30 , N.30°E., and is overlain by soft glacial .clay and 

 gravel. This is probably a locally hardened glacial deposit, 

 and, if there is any connection between it and the gas explosion, 

 that connection is not apparent to the writer. 



Character and results of the explosio?i. — The explosion occurred 

 about 9 o'clock, on the morning of August 1 1 ; it does not 

 appear to have been accompanied by any violent report, for the 

 attention of the people living in the neighborhood was first 



* Reported by C. J. Bickhart in 1902. 



