MINERAL AND GASEOUS SPRINGS. 
311 
The village of Fredonia is lighted with this gas, which issues from fissures in the shale 
forming the bed of the stream at this place. During the day, it is collected in a reservoir, 
and furnishes sufficient for purposes required. 
At Portland harbor, the Light-house is illuminated with this gas, supplied from the margin 
of a small stream on the lake shore, half a mile northeast of the harbor. The quantity at this 
place is so great that no reservoir is required ; and I was informed, that during the night, as 
much passed off by the “escape pipe” as was consumed. 
Large quantities of this gas issue from the waters of the lake near the shore, for three miles 
northeast of Portland harbor, and in numerous other places farther north and east. At Buf¬ 
fington’s well,* it is constantly rising from the lake near the shore, apparently sufficient in the 
space of a few rods to illuminate a city. This product will doubtless be turned to important 
account when the population shall increase, and villages be formed in the vicinity. It could 
even at the present time be used in the village of Portland harbor, and with small expense 
conducted to Westfield. The only requisite expense will be the fixtures for collecting and 
purifying : the supply is constant, and probably inexhaustible. 
This gas doubtless issues from the earth in equal quantities in other places, but they cannot 
be readily detected except on the presence of water. Along the sheltered banks of the lake, 
the odor of the gas is constantly perceptible for miles, and its presence is thus manifest when 
the water is too rough to render its escape perceptible. 
Numerous other localities of minor importance might be noticed, but the foregoing are 
sufficient, as its existence and uses are well known. 
3. Sulphuretted Hydrogen Springs. 
These springs are numerous, and occur in almost every rock in the district; but those which 
are copious in water, and highly charged with gas, are confined to few situations. The most 
important springs are those issuing from the rocks of the upper part of the Onondaga salt 
group; these being almost the only ones resorted to for the medicinal properties of their waters. 
They contain, besides the gas, carbonate and sulphate of lime, which are deposited upon the 
stones and twigs over which the water flows. At some there is a considerable formation of 
calcareous tufa, often covered with a yellow coating, which apparently consists of sulphur and 
sulphate of lime. The water is usually perfectly limpid, though sometimes it has a whitish 
or chalky appearance when first flowing from the spring. 
Springs of this nature which issue from different rocks, have an aspect and general character 
which indicate their relative geological positions. In the shales of the Niagara group, the 
water has usually a dark appearance in the spring, though limpid, and differs essentially from 
those of the Salt group; while those in the higher rocks are not only less copious, but are 
* This is a deep boring (642 feet), made in search of salt water, on the supposition that if the level of tide water was reached, 
the salt water would be found. This is not the only similar ignis fatuus which has been followed in searching for coal, salt water 
and the precious metals; neither have these visionary projects ended at the present time. 
