PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. 7 
to disseminate a knowledge of the natural sciences, with their application to agriculture and 
the arts of life. 
Besides the publications of Prof. Eaton, few have appeared in a separate form upon the 
geology of the State. The other records of observation consist mostly of notices and com¬ 
munications made to scientific journals and learned societies, and published in their transac¬ 
tions. In these are preserved a very numerous collection of facts relating to the mineralogy 
and geology of the State.* 
Having been a pupil of Prof. Eaton in the Rensselaer Institute, and receiving there my 
first instruction in Geology, it was natural to speak of him and his labors, as a tribute of 
respect as well to himself as to Mr. Van Rensselaer, than whom no man more desired the 
amelioration of human evils and the extension of knowledge. 
To speak of all whose labors deserve the grateful remembrance of the student of nature, 
would carry me beyond the proper limits of my subject; but two names which preeminently 
claim a notice, are those of Dr. Mitchill, the father of natural history in this State, and to 
whom we owe the first collection of minerals brought to this country from Europe ; and De 
Witt Clinton, who, to every other distinction of greatness and excellence, added the most 
enlarged views for the advancement of scientific knowledge. 
We now come to the condition of the subject in New-York, previous to the commencement 
of the survey in 1836 . 
Very little detailed knowledge of the strata was possessed ; a general idea of the order 
among the principal rocks, with a more particular description of some places, being all that 
was taught. The intimate relations and connexions of our series with the great Coal forma¬ 
tion was not understood, and doubt and anxiety prevailed regarding the probability of finding 
coal within the State. 
The attempt at subdivisions among the strata had not been attended with entire success. 
The slates and sandstones of the Hudson river group had been considered as the lowest rocks 
of the Transition system ; while the calciferous sandrock, and the limestones of the Champlain 
and Mohawk valleys were supposed to lie above. This error arose from the influence of the 
disturbing force, which has operated so extensively along the eastern border of the State; 
dislocating, overturning and altering the strata to a great extent, and so disguising the lowest 
stratified masses as to render it, at that time, extremely difficult or impossible to identify them 
with the undisturbed and highly fossiliferous strata of the same group farther west. At that 
time few observers had attempted to elucidate the order of superposition, and thus the subject 
of their actual relations remained involved in doubt and obscurity. 
The origin of the brine springs of the central and western part of the State was unexplained ; 
and the search after stronger water, or fossil salt, was conducted at hazard, regardless of the 
conditions or situation of the materials giving rise to the springs. The position of the salife- 
* A very complete list of these may be found in the Report on the Geological Survey, made by the Hon. J. A. Dix to the 
Legislature in 1836. 
