330 



Report of the State Geologist. 



the surface of the lake. The 600-foot contour line from this point passes 

 through Niagara square, keeps within a block of Niagara street on the east 

 side as far as Maryland street, and there bends toward the lake again. It is 

 quite evident that the sand deposits to the eastward of this are dimes formed 

 by the wind, like those seen at Crystal beach, on the Canadian side, and may 

 have travelled some distance from the original beach. The gravel deposits 

 at West Seneca street and the Terrace, indicate that as an approximate 

 ancient shore line and go to show that the lake has not subsided more than 

 fifteen feet within the recent period. It is a curious fact that no shells or 

 animal remains are found in any of the sand or gravel beds about the city. 



Modern Geologic Changes. 



Mr. David F. Day informs me that old maps and prints of the vicinity 

 of Buffalo show islands near the head of the Niagara river between 

 Horse-Shoe Beef lighthouse and the site of the present breakwater. The 

 existence of such islands is also confirmed by the testimony of an acquaintance 

 of his, an old resident, who remembered seeing them. At present, their site 

 is marked by shoals covered by three to five feet of water. It is probable 

 that the wind was the most active agent in effecting their destruction. 



Economic i Geolo< J V. 

 Stone Quarries. 



The geologic formations which furnish stone suitable for building or 

 bridge work within the limits of the county, are the following : 



(1) The Hydraulic limestones. 



(2) The Onondaga limestone. 

 (-3) The Corniferous limestone. 



(4) The Stafford limestone of the Marcellus beds. 



(5) The Encrinal limestone of the Hamilton beds. 



(6) The sandstones of the upper Portage. 



The Hydraulic Limestones. The northern edge of the Corniferous lime- 

 stone, together with the Onondaga limestone and the underlying water-lime, 

 forms a more or less well-defined escarpment, extending from Buffalo through 

 Willianisville, Clarence and Akron to the Genesee county line. In this whole 

 distance there is hardly a mile in which stone has not been quarried for sale 

 or local use. Since the face of the escarpment show s all three formations, 

 they are usually quarried and sold together, so that the amount of hydraulic 

 and Onondaga limestone used for building purposes cannot be separately 



