ONONDAGA SALT GROUP. 
99 
The great mass of the deposit, consists of rather soft yellowish or drab and brownish 
colored shale and slate, both argillaceous and calcareous, and of argillaceous and calcareous 
slaty and more compact masses which are hard, a brownish color predominating. The 
whole is usually denominated gypseous marl; being earthy and indurated, slaty and compact. 
Some of the indurated and more solid kind, when weathered, presents a peculiar appearance 
like that of having been hacked by a cutting instrument, and with some regularity ; owing 
to cracks or joints in two directions, giving a rhombic surface ; which by solution and wear 
taking place at the cracks, and those not being continuous or regular as to distance, the ap¬ 
pearance mentioned is produced. The stone readily breaks in the direction of the furrows or 
hacks, and the fracture shows stains or marks of infiltration. 
When an acid is applied to the different associates of the gypsum, they do not effervesce 
in the free manner of purer limestone, but the effect is produced when in powder. It is 
highly probable that the greater number contain magnesia, which may cause the difference. 
This earth was found in considerable amount by Dr. Beck, in the upper part of the mass 
which encloses the lower range of plaster beds, on Nine-mile creek. Its presence is obvious 
from the serpentine near Syracuse, and from the cavities caused by the removal of epsom 
salts, which are numerous sbove the gypsum in several localities. i 
The dark color of the gypsum, and the brownish color of many of its associates, appear 
to be owing to carbonaceous matter, and not to metallic oxides, becoming lighter by long 
exposure. The greenish colored shale, so abundant usually in gypseous deposits, appears 
to be but an inconsiderable portion in the district; owing to the dark color of its gypsum, 
and but few parts of the mass having recently been uncovered, and its ready change of 
color by the action of the weather. 
At the east end of the district, the third deposit crops out of the hill-side to the north of Cherry- 
Valley village, as may be seen upon the road which leads to the Mohawk. The best place 
to examine it, is where the sulphur springs issue, and in the ravine to the west of the springs 
and the road. The lower mass is the thickest; it is of a yellow or drab color, earthy, soft, 
calcareous, divisions not well defined, often with irregular cavities lined with minute crystals 
of carbonate of lime, or partially filled with the same. The mass exposed has evidently 
changed color. The sulphur springs flow from this mass ; above it is a more solid deposit, 
in thin layers, straight and striped like ribbons, bluish when fresh, changing gradually to a 
light brownish color, which finally the whole mass assumes. As the change first takes place 
at the lines of division, it gives a striped appearance to the mass. These two masses appear, 
with more or less variation, to be coextensive with the district. No fossils were'seen in either 
at the east end, excepting a few indistinct fucoids ; but the upper mass is the position of the 
Eurypterus remipes, which is found to the north of Waterville. Above the upper deposit, 
there are irregular light-colored layers with Globuliform columnaria and other fossils, which 
belong to the water-lime group, or to an intermediate one which we do not attempt to esta¬ 
blish. In the road and creek at Mr. Schawl’s, west of the road which leads south to Rich- 
ford springs, the two kinds also appear. 
