No. 200.] 
181 
traces of any metal except a few particles of pyrites, and the money 
made there was probably " out of pocket." 
Silver mines have often been mentioned to me as occurring in parti- 
cular localities, but investigation showed, in at least nine cases in ten, 
that pyrites was the deceptive mineral. A silver mine is reported to 
exist in Hillsdale, on Barney Overhizer's farm. It is probably pyrites. 
Too many are still believers in the mineral rod, and suffer themselves 
to be duped by the designing; but there are some who use the mineral 
rod and are ignorant of the cause of its motion, who firmly believe in 
its virtues. It is time that this faith in the mineral rod should be ex- 
ploded. 
Iron Ores, 
The iron ore of Columbia and Dutchess county is very abundant, 
and makes iron of the best quality. The mines are numerous, and in 
general they are easily worked and free from water. The ore consists 
principally of limonite, which varies in its state of aggregations from a 
yellow pulverulent mass to a compact brown iron stone. It is mam- 
millary, botryoidal, spongiform, and with stalactical forms, some of 
which have hemispherical and others acicular terminations, others are 
like bunches of pendant moss. The solid stalactical forms are fibrous, 
with diverging radii from the centre. The specimens are beautiful, and 
highly ornamental as curiosities and as minerals. The mines yield an 
aggregate of about 20,000 tons of ore per annum, which is worth at 
the bed $1.50 to $2.50 per ton. There are ten furnaces, it is said, 
within twelve miles of Amenia, which make, in the aggregate, about 
10,000 tons of iron per annum. They afford employment to about one 
thousand men as ore diggers, coal men, teamsters, smelters, limestone dig- 
gers, &c. Some of these furnaces are in Connecticut, near the line, and 
it is about as well for New- York as if they were within her own limits. 
All the iron is carried to the Hudson river, and then shipped to various 
parts. There are two furnaces in Columbia and Dutchess counties not 
included in the above number, viz. Ancram and Hopewell furnaces. It 
is estimated that the aggregate annual value of the pig iron made at 
these twelve furnaces, is $400,000 to $500,000 per annum. Manu- 
factories of malleable iron in various forms, are attached to some of these 
furnaces, as the Columbia furnace in Kent, the Ancram furnace, and 
some others. The malleable iron from these furnaces is highly valued 
for its toughness and softness, and is extensively employed in making 
anchors, musket and pistol barrels, wire, &c. 
