Notice of Steel Mine and Iron Works. 



317 



commences at its southern extremity, immediately after crossing the 

 Shepaug river at the bridge m, is no where difficult on account of 

 steepness ; the roads, however, are extremely rough and much out 

 of repair, having been but little used for the last few years. The 

 mountain is almost entirely clothed with a fine growth of hard wood ; 

 the gneiss cropping out, only here and there, in ledges of moderate 

 extent. Wherever it comes into view, it exhibits a remarkably uni- 

 form disposition. The direction of the strata is from a point, between 

 S.W. and W.S.W. and N.E. and E.N.E., with a regular dip to a point 

 between N.W. and W.N.W. of 25° or 30°. It presents, likewise, di- 

 visions and seams at inconstant intervals, perpendicular to its stratifica- 

 tion. Its color is of a fine greyish white, and the great facility with 

 which it is quarried has caused it to be explored for architectural pur- 

 poses, for the supply of the adjoining country to the distance of thir- 

 ty miles.* 



The vein of Sparry Iron obeys the direction of the cross seams 

 above mentioned ; a representation of V/hich is afforded by the an- 

 nexed sketch : and so direct is it in the course it pursues, that with a 



compass, it is perfectly easy to proceed from any one opening in the 

 vein to all the others. In pursuing the vein from a down the moun- 

 tain, the path does not form the nearest route to the river, as is obvi- 

 ous from an inspection of the map; but proceeds along upon the side 



* See a notice of this quarry and of the ore, in Vol. ii. of this Journal. — Ed. 



Vol. XIX.— No. 2. 41 



