ORIGIN OF BRINE SPRINGS. 
123 
tofore seen from this State, the fibres being often more than two inches in length. But by far 
the largest proportion of the gypsum at this locality is in thin layers of the fibrous or foliated 
kind, alternating with the dark coloured earthy variety, which is indeed nothing more than a 
gypseous clay. It may also be stated that both the rock and the clay associated with this 
mineral effervesce strongly with acids, and contain a large proportion of carbonate of lime. 
In digging a salt well at Liverpool, three miles north of Syracuse, fibrous gypsum was found 
twelve feet below the surface, in strata of black mud intermixed with slate ; both above and 
below the strata, was found soft red rock, or indurated clay, full of seams, through which the 
salt water passes.* 
Simeon Ford, Esq. for several years engineer of the pump works at Salina, in describing 
the well which had been sunk in the marsh by the Syracuse and Onondaga Salt Company, 
says, “The strata of earth, to the depth of thirty-four feet, consisted of hardpan and chocolate- 
coloured clay, intermixed with thin layers of sand. In the clay were found imbedded stones 
of different sizes, from half a pound to half a hundred in weight, consisting of granite, quartz, 
red and white sandstone, grey and blue limestone, sulphate of lime and slate, together with 
pieces of fine potter’s clay.”t 
In another part of this communication, Mr. Ford states, that “ salt water is found flowing 
in small veins on the marsh, the whole distance round the south end of the lake, from Liver¬ 
pool to the mouth of Nine-mile creek, a distance of nine miles. In any part of the marsh for 
that distance, by digging down two feet, salt water will be found, though of very inferior qua¬ 
lity, and will rise above the ordinary level of the lake at low water. The marsh is composed 
of a stratum of common shell marl; passing through the marl, the next stratum is hardpan, 
and next chocolate-coloured clay. In the hardpan and clay, small veins of salt are found ; 
some rising perpendicularly, and others running in horizontal lines. A horizontal vein of salt 
water enters the well now used, about two feet from the bottom, five inches in diameter. 
Through this, a stream is constantly pouring into the well; the coating of the vein appears to 
be sulphate of lime, and forms a perfect tube for conducting the salt water.”! 
The description here given agrees generally with the section of the boring of the Geddes 
well, a hundred and seventy feet below the level of the Onondaga lake. A copy of this sec¬ 
tion was furnished to me by Mr. J. J. Rice, who conducted the work, under the direction of 
Mr. Earll, in 1831. The red and blue marly clay alternated at various depths, and the brine 
increased in strength from 11° to 48°, by an instrument on which the point of saturation was 
at 60°. 
I might add to the above, the description of the strata passed through in boring for brine at 
Montezuma in Cayuga county,§ where these various coloured clays, conglomerates and gyp¬ 
seous veins, were also observed; but their close resemblance to the strata near Salina and 
Syracuse renders it unnecessary. And it may be as well to state here, that all the clays around 
Salina and Syracuse contain large proportions of carbonate of lime. In a one specimen from 
the vicinity of Syracuse, I found 
* American Journal of Science, XVI. 377. f Legislative Documents, February 3, 1826. t Ibid. 
lj The details on this subject are given by Mr. T. Conrad. New-York Geological Reports, 1837. 
