MI-RPHREE'S VALLEY; ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 43 



cut had only been driven in far enough to show decomposed 

 ore above the parting, and 18 inches of hard dark steel grey 

 ore beneath it. It was inferred from the usual arrangement 

 of this seam, that it carried here three feet of ore. This ore 

 is limy and crystallized, but low in Silica hence a valuable 

 ore of iron, as it not only furnishes its own flux, but carries 

 probably enough lime besides to flux an equal weight of 

 soft ore. It can be very economically smelted in connection 

 with certain other ores. This bed is of this quality in many 

 places as will be hereafter shown. 



Another opening on the same bed was found S. W. of 

 N. W. i of S. 35. same T., ore about the same quality, but 

 not quite so thick. This was on the lands of J. H. Vanzandt. 

 This opening like the former one had only exposed one half 

 of the bed. and was not cut far enough in to show the full 

 thickness of the seam, or a fair sample of its ore. 



Outcroppings of iron were seen here, above, and below this 

 bed, probably from beds 1 or 2,and4, of the General Section, 

 Owing to the smoothness of the face of the mountain the 

 edges of the Clinton strata are not exposed they are covered 

 over deeply with earthy matter, making the positions of the 

 iron ore beds hard to locate. The general absence of roofing 

 rocks has caused decomposition of the ores near the surface. 

 Enough surface specimens were seen, to warrant belief that 

 the beds are all here, but the rocks are generally soft and 

 shaly, and few of them come to the surface. 



In S. 34, T. 10, R. 4, E., a large outcrop of iron lime- 

 stone was seen it carries very little iron, and no indication 

 of a bed of ore was found in connection with it. It lies near 

 the S. E. base of the mountain, almost at the level of the 

 valley. It is evidently near the horizon of bed No. 5 of the 

 General Section. 



In the adjoining Section 33, higher up the mountain, 

 several pits had been dug many years ago for iron ore, and 

 beds 1, 2 and 3 of the General Section had been found. 

 The excavations had not been made deep enough to reach 

 good ore, or even to find the thickness of the beds. It was 



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