ORES OF THE CHAMPLAIN, TACONIC AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS. 
497 
is hematite, in detached nodules, alternating with ochre and fragments of decomposed slate 
rock. The hematite increases and the ochre diminishes in quantity as you descend. The 
ore has been penetrated, according to Mr, Prescott’s statement, thirty-two feet, y'ithout finding 
bottom. This ore yields thirty-three per centum of bar iron when worked in the forge, and 
at least fifty per centum of pig iron, when smelted in the high furnace. Another ore bed is 
located three-quarters of a mile south of the above, -also on the east side of the limestone, 
which was opened by Mr, Prescott in 1822, and which he has since sold to a furnace com¬ 
pany in Salisbury, Connecticut. Mr. Prescott has made from his ore bed two hundred and 
seventy-five tons of yellow ochre, which has been sent to market and sold. 
In Argyle, between Reed’s mineral spring and South-Argyle post-office, limonite, but rather 
impure, was observed by the road-side ; and judging from surface indications, there may be a 
body of it. It lies near the limestone. Similar indications were seen in many places near 
the broken ranges of limestone, where they are associated with the Calciferous sandstone and 
Potsdam sandstone, in Greenwich, Argyle, Hartford, Cambridge and Jackson; but the indi¬ 
cations were not kich as to lead me to believe there was iron ore in any great quantity, or of 
very good quality. 
“ The iron region which has just been described is undoubtedly a part of the great series of 
deposits which has been traced in a nearly northern direction through the States of Connecti¬ 
cut, Massachusetts and Vermont. Thus this ore is known to occur at Kent and Salisbury in 
Connecticut, at Lenox and Richmond in Massachusetts, and at Bennington, Pittsford and 
Monkton in Vermont, At almost all these localities it is accompanied by an ore of zinc, 
although in proportions too small to be detected by ordinary analysis ; and in Vermont, it is 
associated with the oxide of manganese. At the Ancram furnace in Columbia county, where 
the Salisbury ore is employed, layers of oxide of zinc are formed in the chimney, and the 
same thing is also observed at other furnaces Avhere this ore is used. A specimen of this 
substance, which I obtained at Ancram, having a yellowish color, gave upon analysis the fol¬ 
lowing results in 100 parts, viz : 
Carbon_ 1.00 
Oxide of iron_ 2.90 
Oxide of zinc_ 96*10 
100 . 00 .”* 
The localities which have been described, are openings made in a few places, in extensive 
deposits of ore ; and small quantities comparatively have been taken from them, while they 
are capable of yielding millions of tons to the enterprise of our citizens. The beds are un¬ 
doubtedly continuous for great distances, and are a part of the great chain of iron deposits 
which extend from Canada to the Carolinas. 
Although in the First geological district, we have not mountains of iron ore, we have beds 
Geol. 1st Dist. 
Dr. Beck’s Report of 1837. 
63 
