IRON ORES OF NEW-JERSEY. 329 



mense demand of iron for railroads and other purpo- 

 ses, and also the high price that bar iron com- 

 mands,* it is remarkable that the attention of capi- 

 talists is not more directed to the manufacture of 

 this important article. The value of iron and steel 

 imported into the United States during the vear 

 1836, was $7,717,910 ; and in 1835, $5,000,000. 

 During the seven years previous to 1836, the im- 

 portation of iron was seven per cent, over the sev- 

 en years from 1821 to 1828. The demand for rail- 

 road iron during the next ten years will probably be 

 greater, by far, than during the last ten. 



IRON ORES OF NEW- JERSEY. 



The whole of the primary region of Jersey, 

 which we have already pointed out, abounds in 

 iron ore, which constitutes three lodes or veins of 

 vast longitudinal extent, always in the direction 

 of the strata including them. They occur, as in 

 the State of New-York, in the granitic gneiss rock, 

 ranging and dipping with it. These veins are usu- 

 ally from six to twelve feet thick, but they have no- 

 where been expk^red at a greater depth below the 

 surface than 212 feet. The ore is generally the 

 magnetic oxide, containing about 07 per cent, of 

 metallic iron. Bergen, Sussex, and Morris coun- 

 ties are rich in iron deposites* In 1830 there were 

 28 furnaces and 108 forges in the state ; and the 

 value of the iron manufactures was $1,000,000. 

 Since then they have much increased. 



IRON ORES OF PENNSYLVANIA AND OHIO. 



Few regions of similar extent, in any country on 

 the globe, possess this invaluable mineral in such 

 quantity and variety as these two states. The lime- 



* Dr. Jackson states that at Woodstock, Me., bar iron com- 

 mands ^120 a ton ; generally in Maine, {^100 per ton ; and cast- 

 ings, ^75 per ton ; and, while it can be manufactured for ^35 

 piir ton, the profit may easily be calculated 



Co- 



