IRON ORE OF MAINE. 



325 



*ess quantity in every state of the Union. It is im- 

 possible to glance even at its most important local- 

 ities ; we shall, however, designate some of them, 

 and add such considerations as naturally suggest 

 themselves in connexion with this subject. 



" Iron," says Dr. Jackson, " is one of the essen- 

 tial requisites in all the arts of civilized society, and 

 is the strong arm of national prosperity. It is a 

 knowledge of the art of working this metal that dis- 

 tinguishes the more powerful civilized races of man- 

 kind, and gives them the means of withstanding the 

 encroachments of barbarians. Iron is the metal 

 that gives us the power of subduing nature to our 

 will. It forms the plough that tills our fields, and 

 the sword, spear, and gun which defend them. On 

 the one hand it is employed as culinary utensils, in 

 which our food is prepared, and on the other it is 

 made to hurl cannon-balls at our foes. From the 

 plough to the penknife, it is the most universal metal 

 employed in the arts of life. Its magnetic proper- 

 ties directed Columbus across the ocean and dis- 

 covered this continent ; the same property serves 

 now to direct our course through the midst of path- 

 less seas and tangled forests, while it also serves 

 to point out the boundary of our landed estates."* 

 It has been computed that the real amount of ac- 

 tual value received from iron mines is ten times as 

 much as is obtained from those of gold and silver, 

 and half of the whole value of the metals known 

 and wrought in the world. 



IRON ORE IN MAINE. 



In the State^of Maine the ores of iron are valua- 

 ble and abundant ; and at Woodstock, in the north 

 ern part of the state, bordering on the British Prov- 

 inces, there is one of the most extensive veins of 

 this metal ever discovered. Dr. Jackson states that 

 it is nearly 900 feet wide, and runs through an un- 

 * Second Report on the Geology of Maine. 



