MAGNETITE IRON DEPOSITS OF SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK 7 
DHE STPEREPING GROW E 
The Sterling group, in Orange county, consists of the Lake, 
Sterling, Steele, Crawford, Upper California, Lower California, 
Summit, Tip-top, Brennan and Whitehead mines. These are con- 
trolled by the Ramapo Ore Company. Of the group of mines men- 
tioned, the Lake, Scott and Cook have been dewatered and are now 
being operated. A large amount of development work has been 
done, many improvements have been made, considerable exploratory 
work has been undertaken and the mines have been equipped with 
modern machinery; the prospects are excellent for the production 
of a considerable tonnage of ore in the near future. The other 
mines of this group have not been reopened, nor have the Cross- 
way, Mountain, Smith, Long, Augusta, Red-back, Bering or More- 
head mines, likewise under lease by the Ramapo Ore Company, been 
reopened. 
The Lake and Sterling mines. At the south end of Sterling 
lake, and occupying what seems to be the parabola-shaped end of an 
emerging syncline pitching to the northeast, are two separate and 
distinct ore-horizons, Along the lower of these were opened the 
Summit, Upper California, Lower California and Whitehead mines, 
lying in the order named from west to east. A number of prospect 
pits were opened in rock along this same line, so that the changing 
directions of dip and strike may be easily followed. Reference to 
the map, fig. 6, will make clear the general situation; structures 
are indicated where measurements were made. 
On the upper ore-horizon were opened the Tip-top, Lake and 
Sterling mines. 
The Sterling mine. A large outcrop of magnetite, on the north 
slope of the hill lying at the south end of Sterling lake was dis- 
covered in 1750, and a mine was opened on this outcrop. The mine 
was named the Sterling after Lord Sterling, who was the proprietor 
of the land. He sold the property, and a blast furnace was imme- 
diately erected and put into operation, producing the first iron ever 
manufactured in the State of New York. This spot is of historic 
interest not only for this reason, but also because the great chain, 
which was extended across the Hudson river at West Point in 
order to impede the progress of the British warships up the river 
during the Revolution, was made at Sterling furnace in 1788 by 
Peter Townsend. The iron of this chain was made from equal parts 
of ore from the Sterling and the Long mines. The weight of each 
link was 140 to 150 pounds and the whole chain weighed 186 tons; 
