134 
GEOLOGY OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT. 
Minerals. — The principal mineral of this group in the Fourth District, is gypsum, of which 
many thousand tons are annually used. Sulphate of strontian, the sulphurets of zinc and lead, 
or galena and blende, with rhomb spar, occur in the higher division of the group. The gypsum 
is the only one of importance, all the others occurring merely in small specimens fit for the 
cabinet. 
Sulphuric acid. — This substance, which is usually regarded as a volcanic product, occurs 
in this formation in numerous localities. The most productive, and the best known, is the 
“Acid Spring,” in the southwest corner of Byron in Genesee county. This place was exa¬ 
mined many years since by Prof. Eaton, and his account corresponds with its present condi¬ 
tion. The place presents a low blackened mound of vegetable earth, charred by the acid, and 
entirely destitute of vegetation. At the time of my examination, there was no water flowing 
from it, though the soil a few inches below the surface is quite damp. The surface is com¬ 
posed of vegetable matter intensely sour to the taste ; this is underlaid by a clay or sandy 
clay, also intensely sour. It presents this character for the distance of several rods around, 
and during the driest part of the season, is always moist. Several large stumps of trees stand 
upon this mound, the roots of which, and perhaps the trunks themselves, have furnished the 
vegetable matter. I was informed, that in the early settlement of the country, a copious spring 
of intensely sour water issued from the top of the mound ; that in digging about it for the 
purpose of making it deeper, the whole was lost, and since that time it has only flowed in 
the spring of the year. The water is considered a specific in many diseases, and is carefully 
preserved, and even carried many miles to be used as medicine.* 
Several wells in the town of Bergen yield a slightly acidulated water, particularly in the 
dry season of the year. One of these, belonging to Mr. Gifford, and wdiich was mentioned in 
the Annual Report of 1840, contains so much acid as to coagulate milk, and is unfit for culi¬ 
nary purposes. Several other similar instances occur in this part of the county, where wells 
are rendered useless by the presence of this acid. I was also informed of two other springs 
of the same kind, which I did not visit. One of these, Dr. Beck has examined, and finds the 
water a dilute sulphuric acid, and the earth of the Byron spring yields scarcely any other 
product. 
Brine Springs, or Salines. — This formation, as before remarked, is the one which gives 
origin to all the productive salines of the State. Thus far no valuable ones have been found 
west of Cayuga lake, though borings have been made at different points. As was remarked 
in a previous page, the hopper cavities are not found in any degree of perfection in the Fourth 
District, though they are of frequent occurrence in imperfect forms ; and if their perfection or 
abundance be relied on as the indication of strength or quantity of brine, it may be inferred 
that the springs of Onondaga are superior to any that will be found to the west of this point. 
From what is already known, it is not impossible that in some favorable situation, springs 
may be found which will repay the labor and expense of working. Still, while the brine of 
Annual Report of 1840. 
