190 



Repokt of the State Geologist. 



The discovery of rock salt at Wyoming revived the interest in the 

 search for the bed that geologists had asserted must exist in the higher lands 

 south of Syracuse, and in 1881 a well was sunk at Jamesville, seven miles 

 south-east from the head of Onondaga lake. 



The mouth of the well is 621 feet A. T. and begins in the water-lime- 

 stones. The well was sunk 1040 feet, ending in the red shales, but no rock salt 

 was found. 



In 1882, a well was put down at Cedarvale, seven and one-half miles ssw. 

 from the reservation. The surface level is 702 feet A. T., the geologic 

 horizon near the top of the Coniferous limestone. The total depth of the 

 well is 1151 feet. The bottom of the well was in red Salina shales. No rock 

 salt Avas found. 



In 1884, two deep wells were put down near the Onondaga Salt Springs 

 in search of the deposit of rock salt that was believed to lie somewhere 

 beneath the reservation. The first of these was drilled at the expense of 

 Thomas Gale, Esq., one of the prominent salt manufacturers of Syracuse, 

 and was located near his solar salt fields on the north side of Onondaga lake 

 about three miles northwest from Syracuse. The mouth of the well is 430 

 feet A. T. 



One hundred and seventeen samples of the rock passed through were 

 submitted to Dr. F. Englehardt, and from them a record of the rock section 

 was made and published in the report of the Superintendent of the Onondaga 

 Salt Springs for 1884. From this record it appears that the drill penetrated — 



Red shales of Salina group - - - - 522 feet. 



Limestones and shales of Niagara and Clinton groups ■ 483 " 



Sandstones and shales of Medina group - • - 595 " 



Total ■-. . 1600 " 



Brine was found in Red shales (Salina) at - ■ 485 " 



Dark grey shales and magnesian limestones (Niagara) - 532 " 



Light brown sandstone (Medina) at ... 1395 " 



Light brown sandstone (Medina) at . - 1500 " 



These brines were all valueless for the manufacture of salt on account of 

 the excessive amount of the chlorides of calcium and magnesium found xn 

 them. No crystals of salt were found. 



