492 
GEOLOGY OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT. 
The conglomerate is the highest rock in the series that has yet been observed in the State. 
Immense blocks of it are found at Chipmuck ripple on the Allegany river, and near Judge 
Wright ? s, southeast of Ellicottville; also between Napoli and Little-valley, on the James¬ 
town and Ellicottville stage road, near Judge Leavenworth’s, and at numerous other loca¬ 
lities. But the places where it is seen in situ are comparatively few, and only upon the 
very highest points of land. One, five miles south of Olean; two between Great-valley and 
Little-valley, and several south of the Allegany, comprise all in this county concerning which 
information was obtained. The locality best known is about seven miles south of Ellicottville, 
and one and a’half west of Great-valley post-office. It is known as the Rock city. It is 
approached along a ridge extending from the base to the top of the hill, of gradual ascent, and 
terminating at an elevation of not less than six hundred feet. Other hills, upon the opposite 
side of the valley, and of less altitude, were determined by Col. Hawley to be above six hun¬ 
dred feet in height. 
From the abundance of timber in Cattaraugus, little need of good building stone has 
hitherto been felt, and, consequently, little exploration has been made for valuable quarries. 
Of those opened in different parts of the county, the greater part will be found noticed in 
the list which follows. 
The quarries at Olean contain micaceous sandstone, and an olive shale, which is concre¬ 
tionary. The stone at the lower quarry are coarse; while at the one some fifty feet above, 
they are of a finer grain. The underpinnings and cellar walls of many buildings in Olean 
have been obtained from them. A quarry owned by Mr. Pratt, in a small alluvial hill, a hun¬ 
dred rods down the river from the quarries above noticed, is nearly exhausted. In a ravine 
which is entered just south of Pratt’s quarry, there are found masses of a coarse sandstone, 
like that alternating with the conglomerate which is seen a few miles farther south. These 
masses are strewn along the ravine its entire length. The same rock occurs in several places 
along the Allegany, in huge fragments, and is seen to be of the most durable character, from 
the angular form of the masses, notwithstanding their long exposure to the action of the cur¬ 
rent. From examinations made in Pennsylvania, its true place is ascertained to be in the 
lower part of the conglomerate. 
Nine miles below Olean, sandstone, slightly concretionary, has been quarried for the filling 
up of dams and other purposes. 
The Ischua stone quarries, lying almost wholly in the town of Machias, contain stone with 
which there are none other in the county to be compared, either for beauty when dressed, for 
the facility of quarrying, or for durability. They are a coarse sandstone, disposed in massive 
and in thin layers, of such thickness, that blocks for every desirable purpose, from heavy 
columns to thin flagging stone, may be easily procured. Butler’s quarries, three miles north 
of Franklinville, have been most extensively worked. The foundation walls of-Irvine Hall, 
Ellicottville, were here procured. The quarries are in the visible outcrop, which extends for 
a considerable distance. 
