326 



IRON ORES OF NEW-YORK. 



known extent of country. The ore is the compact 

 red hematite, and yields 44 per cent, of pure metal- 

 lic iron, and 50 per cent, of cast iron. By a simple 

 calculation, it can be shown that, as a cubic foot of 

 the ore weighs 200 lbs., if the bed were wrought to 

 the depth of 100 feet, and 500 feet in length, it would 

 yield 45,000,000 cubic feet of ore. A vein of mag- 

 netic iron ore exists on Marshall's Island, about 

 three feet wide; and on the Aroostook River is a 

 bed of red hematite iron of the best quality, 36 feet 

 wide, and of immense and unknown length. 



In New-Ham,pshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, 

 iron ore is also abundant; and in Connecticut, at 

 Salisbury, is the most valuable kind of iron ore 

 wrought in this country, of which more than 3000 

 tons of pig iron are annually manufactured. The 

 mnlleable iron obtained from this region is highly 

 valued for its toughness and softness, and is exten- 

 sively employed in making anchors, musket and pis- 

 tol-barrels, wire, and all kinds of hollow ware. The 

 public armory at Springfield is supplied with this 

 iron, and from it are made most of the large anchors 

 for the United States' navy. 



IRON ORE OF NEW-YORK. 



The State of New- York also furnishes an abun- 

 dance of this useful metal. In Columbia and Dutch- 

 ess counties the mines are numerous and easily 

 worked, and free from water. These beds yield 

 annually about 20,000 tons of ore, which is worth 

 at the spot from $1 50 to $2 50 per ton. Within 12 

 miles of Amenia there are 10 furnaces, which make 

 10,000 tons of iron per annum, and afford employ- 

 ment to 1000 men. There are several other furna- 

 ces in Columbia and Dutchess counties ; and the 

 aggregate value of the pig iron made at them all is 

 estimated at $500,000 per annum. Much of this 

 iron, especially that made from the bed in Amenia, 

 which yields 5000 tons of ore per annum, is said to 



