No. 50.] 
289 
to wash the ore, and this becomes the more necessary on account of the 
low point at which those two minerals fuse. 
SECTION XVIIL 
Northern and Southern prolongation of the Sandford Vein. 
At the distance of about one mile and a half from the Sandford vein 
there is an out crop of ore, possessing the same characters as the ore 
just described. If this was the only vein in the country, it would be 
considered as very remarkable on account of its extent. It is 32 rods 
in length, and about 15 in width. The mineralogical characters are 
precisely those of the Sandford ore, and probably the qualities of the 
iron will be much the same as those already enumerated. 
Another out crop apparently of the same ore, occurs on the opposite 
side of the lake, in the direction of Hill's island. It disappears under 
the water of the lake, and hence, its actual extent cannot be ascertained; 
that there is a large amount of ore at this locality there can be no doubt, 
and suiSicient in itself, to justify the erection of extensive Avorks. It is 
not easily determined, whether this is really a prolongation of the Sand- 
ford vein ; it appears a few rods too far to the west to be in a line of its 
strike, unless the Sandford vein passes beneath the lake, which is not 
improbable, as the western limit has not been ascertained. The dis- 
tance of the Sandford vein, from the site of the present works, is 2 miles 
and 53 rods, and the whole surface of the ground is such, that a rail- 
way may be constructed which shall have any amount of descent which 
may be desired. 
From these data then, we may estimate the whole length of the Sand- 
ford vein, as about 2\ miles. Intermediate between the several large 
out crops, ore appears at the surface in sufficient abundance to indicate 
the presence of the vein beneath. We have evidence, therefore, in ad- 
dition to that furnished by external characters, that of ore scattered on 
the surface, on the line of the strike of the main vein, an indication 
which rarely if ever has failed, when tested by the only sure method, 
that of excavation. On this subject, I may with propriety remark, far- 
ther, by referring to the experience of miners in the vicinity of the Peru 
Iron Works, who have frequently traced a vein of ore, simply by the 
presence of a few grains in the loose stones on the surface, a distance 
of a mile at least, and have verified their opinion as regards the presence 
of ore beneath, by excavation. The same fact has repeatedly fallen 
vmder my own observation. 
[Assembly, No. 50.] 37 
