Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-06-22
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10000
with sufficient supply Of ore like this, ac-
companIed with the advantage Of u she'll
limestone, sometimes beautifully crystalline,
IN IT'S immediate vicinity, the manufacture
oi IRON would promise high degree of pro.
duciivene.s." :
In Essex particularly, and in some other
places chiefly upon The ridge lands. beds OF
ferruginous sand>stone ere iuund of suffi cient
extent Ia be used IN building; and which
diiIer materially from the sand stone border
ing the primary region.
The matter generally resting ON the shells
Is vi yeiiowish brown, frequently contain
- u large portion of clay. Particles OF
green sand, or silicaie Of iron and potash, are
more or less disseminated through this mass
These particles liz the immediate vicinity Of
the shells are generally condensed into mar.
row stripes, Conforming ia Aexure to the
irregularities of the bed beneath In none
oi the strata above described have fossils OF
ANY description been discovered
The materials intermixed with the shells,
or IN "hich they are imbedded, are various
sometimes of nearly white sand--and a
gain the argillaceous matter predominales
Oxide vi iron sometimes mikes with the ear
thy matter, and 9 ives it more or less vel
low brown appearance, The aspect usually
presented by the upper beds. Tho lowest
Visible iossiiitcrous stratum, is generally of Il
green sllIcious sand and blueish clay, moist,
s0it and tenacious, of dark blue or black
color. In the James and York river cliffs,
ms stratum may he continuously traced,
rarely rising more than two or three leei a.
bove the level 0! the water, presenting hor-
lzontal outline. Ia deep ravinss, and low
down in the she'll banks of this region, the
dark blueish argillacehus sand is observed
enclosing great number md variety ofsheIis
This is " hal is denominated B!ue JE.rl, and
is highly valued.
The general prevalence OF the lower stra-
ium above described, is most important
feature OF the geology of the Miocene Teriia>
ny districts of Virginia, and also OF Mary
land. Greenish black grains of SiI,cate Of
Potash, are found in The areiliacious beds
ard upper iossiliisrons strata having the form
and composition of the granules contained a.
bundaniiy IN an Older formation in this coun-
try aud Europe. Specimens from James
City and York, exhibit as much as thirty
five per cent. Of the green sand
The surface of The strata containing shells
Is irregular-some iimeS isiDg abruptly III the
shape of mound or hllock and then sort
OF depression as II il we're sconped out. One
the original form Of the deposile and the
other produced b. denuding action on the
surface. Frequent deep aud irregular iur-
rows and cavities occur "as would naturally
arise from The action Of currents and eddie.
OF large mass of water in rapid movement. +"
Condition Of the Shells an the Territory
Deposites.
Professor Rogers says that the position
and arrangement of the shells indicate their
tranquil deposition al the spots in which they
are found. The corresponding valves are
Il,
Many Of the smaller shells found thus, are
often entirely empty, or contain small
quantity OF isnpalpabIe clay, Indicating that
they have been exposed IL no violence, and
that only such matter as could pass between
the edges OF the closed valves had found ac
cess. II the she'll had been previously drill
ed, as ~ often The case, it is found filled with
sand, clay, green sand and small fragments
Oi she'll In most cases, the larger species
are thus filled, even when the valves are in
jnXta position. In this case the supp0slion
that the contained mailer entered through
the drilled holes does not hold good, since
smaller shells are often confined within The
larger. y fer the animals death, the she'll
remained open, and received the contents
from the action of the waves "The iiga.
Inent at the hinge" says Professor r., "in
The mean time would decay, until al length
yielding 10 the weight of accommodating mat
ter above, II collapsed into its natural closed
condition"
| The common occurrence Of juxia position
OF the valves is striking proof that during
or since the deposition, no violent agencie:
( have operated on them-Tbe Pannpea re-
! fiexa is in almost every instance found will
its valves united. The most fragile specie,
Of Natica, delicate Telline, Maclra, TeIlin
oides, The shell and processes oil the Cfepidu
Ia, the minute and sharp angle OF the Fetu
| Eetricus, the thin and hollow Fissarclla, arr
found in perfect preservation in many places
All OF which prove The absence Of violence.
! The state of the shells depend upon tn,
texture aud chemical character Of the male
rails with which they are mixed and imbed
died., and If the oyeriaying stratum. 10 mois
blue clay, the shells are generally so(t--ir