LEVERRIER AND HIS WORK. 491 



then formed an island 1,000 feet high above its present level ; and this 

 sedimentary matter has been taken up by the Gulf Stream and carried out 

 and spread over the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, where, in comparatively 

 still water, it has settled and formed stratified rocks ; and here we now see 

 the causes in action that at one time prevailed, and which laid down upon 

 the ocean's floor the sedimentary matter to form the Potsdam sandstone, 

 now bored in the bottom of this artesian well, and all the strata above to 

 6,000 feet were afterward piled on the floors of subsequent seas. The history 

 or chronology of these strata is written in the fossils, salt and oil flows and 

 coal plants which grew in successive floras, and were laid down and are now 

 carbonized in mineral fuel in these great continental coal basins. The Iron 

 Mountain lead, zinc and copper veins belong to a later era, a comparatively 

 recent geological epoch, as there was no necessity for the existence of these 

 ores until men had come to have dominion on the earth and to be conditioned 

 to utilize these metals. 



When standing on the floor of Potsdam sandstone, we may safely say 

 that in this early day of the chronology of the strata navies did not ride 

 upon the bosom of the deep to founder and go down with all their armature 

 of war, as would be found if Atlantic's floor should be dried land. 



The fossils tell us that the nautilus and ammonite were the only sails 

 then seen ; that these early voyagers its compeer then on the waves of this 

 Silurian sea then did hail. — ;S'^. Louis Republican. 



A FOURTH OIL ROCK. 



The existence of a regular fourth sand, south of Bradford, has been 

 conclusively demonstrated by the tests made on the Big Shanty Avell, located 

 on the Dent track. This well, it will be remembered, was drilled several 

 months ago to a depth of 1,598 feet, striking the third sand at 1,545 feet. 

 The sand was about forty feet thick, and the well has been producing five 

 barrels a day ever since, up to a few weeks ago, when the company decided 

 to drill the well deeper. This was done, and at a depth of 1,645 feet a 

 fourth sand was found, twelve feet in thickness and of a good quality. 

 Pumping has already been started and the supply will be improved. 



ASTRONOMY. 



LEVERRIER AND HIS V/ORK. 



In the death of Leverrier the world loses its most eminent astronomer; 

 but unlike many disciples of science, he bequeaths to posterity not unfin- 

 ished work which none but a master mind equal to his own could complete, 



