62 
GEOLOGY OF THE SECOND DISTRICT. 
then at numerous places along the eastern shore of Black lake. At Mineral Point, a lead 
vein is connected with this rock. In a district seven miles north of Rossie, are beds of the 
same, at the Wilson settlement. This portion of the belt of limestone disappears farther 
north, under the transition rocks of Lisbon, Madrid and Norfolk. Eight miles to the east of 
Rossie, in the neighborhood of the Oxbow, there are numerous beds of primitive limestone, 
bearing in general the same characters and the same relations to other rocks as at Grass lake. 
They appear in low indistinct ridges, bearing a direction east of north, with granite or gneiss 
on both sides, but frequently so intermingled together that it is difficult to find distinct lines of 
demarcation between them. Still farther east, as we travel from Oxbow to Gouverneur, 
insulated beds often appear. At the latter place, one of the largest of the beds of this rock 
makes its appearance about three-fourths of a mile south of the village. It may be traced, 
with few interruptions, south to Antwerp. Following down the Osvvegatchie, numerous bluffs 
arise, and form its banks. This portion of the limestone belt is lost, or passes beneath the 
transition rocks, in its progress onward, as it meets the southeastern edge of the Potsdam 
sandstone, near Parishville, Hopkinton and Dickinson. 
Another partial belt runs nearly parallel with the preceding, touching the eastern bounds of 
Antwerp, and extending to Fowler, Edwards, and then into the unsettled parts of the county. 
If the section of country I have just described, embraces one belt of limestone only, it may 
be estimated as bearing an average width of about thirty miles, or from Black lake to Pitcairn 
or, the eastern part of Russell. I am to state, however, that beds of limestone appear at 
intervals from Black lake to Champlain lake. They are not as common upon the high table 
land of Racket and Long lakes. 
I now pass to the eastern slope of the mountainous region which stretches diagonally across 
this portion of the State, dividing St. Lawrence from Essex county. 
The most important belt of limestone on the eastern slope, commences at Johnsburgh and 
Athol, and pursues a northeast course along Brant and Paradox lakes, through to Port Henry 
on Lake Champlain. In some portions-of this belt, the rock is highly crystalline, forming 
the variety usually called calcareous’spar ; in others, it is merely granular. It is connected 
with serpentine wherever the mass is large, and with which it is intimately blended, forming 
by its mixture a beautiful compound rock. Extensive portions of this limestone are thus 
intermingled at Johnsburgh and Port Henry. 
There are only slight differences between this belt of limestone, and that already described 
as passing through Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. There are fewer beds of granite 
with which it is intermingled ; and as a whole, it contains fewer of those interesting minerals 
which are so abundant at Rossie and Gouverneur. Near Port Henry, there are masses of 
rose quartz, veins of asbestus, green coccolite, blood-red mica, spinelle, etc. 
There are still several insulated beds which require a passing notice. On Lake Newcomb, 
in the western part of the county of Essex, limestone appears, surrounded as usual by gneiss 
and granite. Most of this mass is impure, being a mixture of coccolite and quartz. Lime¬ 
stone of a. very good quality exists at Pendleton; it is very similar to the beds at Port Henry. 
In Hamilton county, at Lake Pleasant, there are several beds associated with serpentine ; 
