l6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



made up of crystalline rocks. The bordering areas of thin or dis- 

 turbed sediments afford very little chance of productive wells and 

 this is equally true of the great mass of shales and sandstones that 

 constitute the Hudson River formation, between the Adirondacks 

 and the Highlands. Small pockets of gas have been found occa- 

 sionally in the shales, but in every case they have played out quickly 

 when tapped by the drill. The territory immediately west of these 

 areas and extending as far as the meridian running through the 

 middle of Oneida lake is of doubtful value and has been explored 

 only in places ; the results of test wells sO' far have been disap'- 

 pointing as regards the existence of gas in quantity. 



The productive fields of natural gas that have been discovered up 

 tO' the present time are restricted to the central and western counties 

 of which there are 15 or 16 that support an active indust^)^ The 

 extreme easterly localities are in Oswego county, where a few 

 small pools have been found near the shore of Lake Ontario. The 

 largest wells are all in the western section, chiefly in Erie, Chau- 

 tauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, and it is only in that 

 part that the industry has achieved any marked success. 



The oil fields of New York are even more limited. No pools 

 have been found outside of southern Cattaraugus and Allegany 

 counties and a small area in southwestern Steuben county. There 

 has been no notable addition to the producing territory in many 

 years; it seems scarcely probable that the industry Avill ever be ex- 

 tended much beyond the present bounds. 



Another matter which has assumed some importance in relation 

 to the mining industry and should have careful consideration at this 

 time is the reputed presence of gold sands in the Adirondacks. 

 They can not be considered exactly a new development, since a good 

 deal of attention was given them about 12 years ago during the 

 Klondyke excitement; but public interest has been revived recently 

 by attempts to start fresh enterprises which have received frequent 

 notice in the press. 



While discussions of the subject have already appeared from this 

 office, the numerous requests for information indicate a need for 

 further publicity of the facts so far as they can be learned. 



It is well known that the stream valleys and lake basins of the 

 Adirondacks are choked with gravel and sand deposits. These 

 have been formed by the erosive action of water and ice upon the 

 local rock formations, chiefly granites, syenites, gabbros and gneisses, 

 with some much altered sediments. Quartz is naturally the main con- 



