MAGNETITE IRON DEPOSITS OF SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK 19 
along this fault line. This is especially successful on the margin of 
the down-faulted block, so that, in Peekskill Creek valley and the 
next small valley to the southeast, these formations may be seen. 
But because of the oversight of this profound structural break, the 
identification of the formations of this district has been confused with 
the older group.” Additional valuable contributions to the geology 
of this region appear in later New York State Museum Bulletins.” 
The State of New York began to manifest some interest in the 
iron ore deposits within its borders with the publication of the 
Tenth Census report, and in the summer of 1888 work was begun 
on the preparation of a report on the iron mines and iron ore dis- 
tricts of the State. The report ** was published the following year. 
But nine pages are devoted to very brief descriptions of the magnetite 
mines in operation in southeastern New York, while those not in 
operation are dismissed with a paragraph or two. In 1880 there 
were twenty-six mines in operation in Orange and Putnam counties, 
New York, with a total output of 184,187 tons. During the 
succeeding 8 years all but four of the mines were abandoned so that 
when Smock’s report appeared the only producing mines in south- 
eastern New York were those operated by the Sterling Iron and 
Railway Co., the Forest of Dean Iron Co., the Mahopac Iron Ore 
Co., and the Tilly Foster Iron mine. Until the papers by Wendt * 
and by Ruttman,*® already referred to, were published, no adequate 
description of the magnetite ore bodies of southeastern New York 
had ever been written; indeed, there is a singular dearth of litera- 
ture descriptive of the magnetite bodies in this area. Ries *’ 
described very briefly the magnetic ore deposits in Orange county 
but offered no comment as to the origin of the ore. His observa- 
tions on the Highland area of the county are equally brief and “ are 
to be considered as merely preliminary and in the nature of a 
reconnaissance.” But little has been added to our knowledge of the 
magnetite ores of Orange county since that time. Five years later 
83 Berkey, C. P. and Marion Rice. The Geology of the West Point Quad- 
rangle. N. Y. State Mus. Bul. 225-226. The Geology of the Newburgh 
Quadrangle, by Charles P. Berkey and Florrie Holzwasser. (Prepared) 
84 Smock, J. C. First Report on the Iron Mines and Iron Ore Districts 
in the State of New York. N. Y. State Mus. Bul. June 7, 1880. Idem, 
Review of the Iron Mining Industry of New York for the Past Decade. 
Trans. A. I. M. E. v. 17. 1888-80. 
35 Wendt, A. F. The Iron Mines of Putnam County, New York. Trans. 
A. I. M. E, v. 13. 1884-85. 
36 Ruttman, F. S. Notes on the Geology of the Tilly Foster Ore body, 
Putnam County, New York. Trans. A. I. M. E. v. 15, 1886-87. 
87 Ries, Heinrich. Report on the Geology of Orange County. Report of 
the State Geologist, New York, p. 395-476. 1805. 
