Coal Formations in the State of New-York. 



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sures of Europe, where it is the floor of the salt mines and springs. 

 Conglomerate rocks, such as that which underlays the saliferous 

 rock in this state, generally accompany the slate rock which em- 

 braces the coal. 



One of the strongest indications of the presence of coal beneath 

 the saliferous rock, remains to be mentioned. It is the production 

 of carburetted hydrogen gas, which issues from beneath the salif- 

 erous rock in various parts of that district. The most easterly 

 point where this gas has been observed, is near the most easterly 

 salt spring which issues from this rock. The spring is near Ver- 

 non centre, and the place whence the gas issues, is one mile west 

 of Vernon village. The same gas issues from beneath the same 

 rock, at a place called Gasport, six miles east of Lockport, in the 

 bed of the canal, also near the village of Canandaigua, and near 

 Cayuga lake. Several other places have been mentioned, but 

 these have been carefully examined and minutely described. The 

 production of a similar gas is considered by all geologists as re- 

 ferable to no other origin but that of fossil coal. If we are to rea- 

 son from analog)', we may be justified in venturing an opinion, that 

 borings for coal made near the places where this gas issues from 

 beneath the saliferous rock, might be attended with success. And 

 it may be added, that if coal should be found beneath the saliferous 

 rock, it would probably be of the bituminous kind, notwithstanding 

 the same slate rock embraces coal destitute of bitumen in the state 

 of Pennsylvania ; for the European slate rock, which is equiva- 

 lent to this, always contains bituminous coal, when similarly situ- 



It may be proper to add a few remarks upon the probable depth 

 to which borings must be extended, if search is to be made for coal 

 by that method. The only data from which we can deduce proba- 

 ble conclusions, are, the thicknesses of the strata to be perfo- 

 rated at their bassetting edges. As all the borings would of course 

 be commenced on the upper surface of the saliferous rock, the 

 thickness of that rock, of the millstone grit, and of the carbonifer- 

 ous slate, would be the measure of the depth to which the perfora- 

 tions must extend. The thicknesses of these rocks at their basset- 

 ting edges, between Little Falls and Lake Ontario, are as follows : 

 The thickness of the saliferous rock averages about 95 feet— that 

 of the millstone grit about forty feet— that of the carboniferous 

 slate about 150 feet— making in the whole 285 feet. But the sa- 

 liferous rock increases in thickness throughout its whole extent, 



