90 
GEOLOGY OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. 
A copious chalybeate spring was observed in the meadow near the brook about two miles 
from Bloomville, on the road to Kortright centre, on land of Nehemiah Every, Delaware county. 
This flows from alluvion overlying the rocks of the Catskill division. 
Chalybeate water flows from the marsh on the Beaver-dam flats, a quarter of a mile above 
the mouth of the Stratton-falls brook. Most of the springs are now covered over, in conse¬ 
quence of a bed of gravel and stones having been swept into and across the Delaware during 
the heavy freshet of the winter of 1838-9, by the Stratton-falls brook, so as to dam the Dela¬ 
ware up about two feet above its former level. The current of the river is not sufficiently 
rapid to sweep away the obstruction, and regain its former level; and above, the water stands 
in a pool, dammed up so as partially to flood the flats in times of high water.* These springs 
flow from the alluvion overlying the rocks of the Catskill division. 
Ferruginous deposits, indicating chalybeate springs, were observed in many places along 
the route of the Erie railroad between Chehocton and Deposite in Delaware county. These 
waters flow from the Catskill division of rocks. 
A chalybeate spring was seen on the farm of James Weed, in the valley of the west branch 
of the Delaware in Walton, three miles above the village, in Delaware county. Bog ore is 
deposited from the water. This is from the Catskill division of rocks. 
In Greene county, three miles from Oak hill, on the road to Freehold, north of the turn¬ 
pike, on the farm of Walter Barlow, a chalybeate spring was examined. This issues from 
the drift overlying the lower part of the Catskill division of rocks, or the Chemung group. 
In Orange county, a mile and a quarter south of West-Point, on Mrs. Kinsley’s farm, is 
a mineral spring containing carbonate of iron in solution. It is said to be a strong chalybeate 
spring at some seasons of the year, but it was only slightly chalybeate at the time of my visit, 
which was after heavy rains. This issues from gneiss rocks. 
In Rensselaer county, in Sandlake township, a chalybeate spring was observed by the 
road-side on the land of Mr. Ricord. It issues from a gravel bank by the road-side, and is 
sufficiently copious to be useful. It is about a mile, perhaps less, eastward from the village 
in the west part of Sandlake township, on the road to Albany from the village of Sandlake. 
It is from the Hudson slate group of rocks. 
Several similar examples to this were observed on the St. Peter’s river, in the autumn of 1835, when making a geological 
exploration of that part of the United States, in company with Mr. G. W. Featherstonhaugh, under the authority of the United 
States. The torrents from the hills had swept in such quantities of gravel, pebbles and boulders, from the drift formation (which 
is so extensive, thick and well characterized in that region), as to dam up the river, or confine it to a narrow channel, and some¬ 
times cause a “ rapid,” with a fall of two or three feet in a hundred yards. This fact seemed to explain the numerous lacustrine 
deposits along that river through which the stream had cut its channel, leaving banks of alluvion, containing sometimes peat and 
lake marl, but more frequently an argillaceous alluvion as fine as clay, but more calcareous and light, containing the Cyclas, Planor- 
bis, Physa, Lymnea, and other small fresh-water lacustrine shells, and probably abounding in the coverings of infusoria. These 
deposits are in some places several miles long and broad. They seemed to have been forming during a long time ; and the ob¬ 
struction that had caused the lake and marsh had been swept away by the greater velocity of the current during some great 
freshet, and then the river had cut its channel through the alluvion it had formed. This process seems to be in operation in the 
Delaware. The beavers, formerly very abundant in the valley of this stream, have dammed it up in many places, and made pools 
of still water. The results from both causes arc similar. 
