New-York daily tribune., 1843-02-27
THE RIB N e..
osirrraI Resources of Rem xork

.,siect was delivered before the Mechanics
.;,o,e in Chambers-st. Friday evening by Prof.
who is we'll known to our citizens from bis
..,, scientific ability and especially from hi.
..,tOn with the recently finished State Geolo-
tS,tyey 1t is only within the last few years
,hs mineral resources Of Newly ork have been
]. the object of Investigation; and it is mainly
i, labor Of the gentlemen connected with the
,,s,. that we are indebted for our knowledge of
l.n The account which Pref BECK gave of our
n,sl wealth was of course general and con-
,..sd; but enough was presented to convince all
a., Sesyd him that the most useful mineral SUBJ
.r,ss are found within our borders in the great
,rufusion and that their development alone
,.eded to render us independent of foreign coun-
liz for many Of those articles of which we r.,w
g,s abroad for our chief supply.
/, ascending the Hudson we come at once u,.on
sds granitic region, abounding in primeva lime
g,s and in magnetic iron ores; and in going far
/ y nonh, in the counties of Saratoga, Herkimer,
,sis, Warren Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence
! ), ore is found in great abundance and purity
| rs;e districts abound likewise in the fuel needed
the manufacture of these ores; and thus all the
s.,ss are provided for the speedy developement
the mineral wealth of this great graaitic region
he State. In parts of this section are also
5sad beds Of red iron ore. From these sources
ray easily be manufactured an amount Of iron
b.ou.ely inexhaustible; and yet, strange as il,
n.y appear, the largest proportion ef the lion con-
rgned in this country is the product Of foreign
arnaces. For this fact two reasons may be as-
igrsd. The first is found in the geographical sit
is,on and character Of the mining districts, be-
1g rugged and mountainous tracts, at consider
bic distance from the markets. And the fact is
ill farther explained by the mode of manufacture;
Or in all the principal furnaces the Catalan forge
in use, the effect of which is to increase the
rice of the iron while its quality is not improved.
Dc mining district in Orange county will be found
be free from some of these objections. 1t abounds
The richest iron ore and in the highest facilities
rits manufacture, being situated only 40 or so
lies from this city which would afford il per-
anent market.
Another circumstance which has had On injuri-
IS edsc, upon the mining operations Of this State
tue unsteadiness of purpose which character
IS cur people aud induces them te give up mode
tie gains for the chance Of greater and more sud-
N wealth. This tendency exhibits itself in the
iner in his constantly searching for new veins OF
e-leaving those upon which he has already ex-
nded large amount Of money and labor for the
ecarous chance Of greater success elsewhere.
But the mineral resources of the State are not
nfned to IRON Lead has been found in large
antilles in the Northern and South Western
its of the State, in St. Lawrence and Sullivan
unties, where it exists in veins of calcareous
artraversipg the primary rcck. Other veins less
ougly marked are diaused through the limestone
ths Shawangunk section, The failures which
yc heretofore attended the attempts to work
csc mines have not arisen from want OF ore,
from other causes; and especially from the
actice of employing foreign miners in the work,
10, though skilful in the modes used in their own
unlres, are ignorant of those adapted to our land
character To the same cause may ba attri-
ted the failure fthe English miners in Mexico
The oxide of manganese also abounds in Dutch
and Columbia counties, in 8 quantity which
lst al some day enable US to be independent of
oign importation. Neither coal nor anthracite
9 found in the State, and after the explorations
at have been made, it is evidently useless TO ex-
ct them. Still this deficiency is abundantly
neded by tho great amount of peat turf, an
ler fossil fuel which is found to exist in iney-
ustible quantities in the Southern and South
estern portions of the State. 1t burns freely,
ay EASILY be cOllccted, preserved and transport
and after combustion forms a most excellent
inutc.
Lime stones are also found in the State in great
undance, many of them susceptible of ahigh polish
d most useful for architectural purposes. They
{ found in Dutchess and Westches,er counties,
ON The last of which alone not far from 200 900
lb;c feet have been annually quarred and sold at
ON one to four dollars per foot Other varieties
pound in Putnam, Lewis and ST Lawrence coun-
es, where transition marble of all varieties and
Il cslors ia freely met. If specimen of all the
lerbles Of the State could be collected, it would
'em to be a matter of surprise that single block
+ single slab should ever be imported. But
Ill stranger fact is that lime IS no'c brought from
'staat parts Of the United States. Thus tuel
now taken from New-Y ork to Maine, and the
me made of 1t there is sold in this State, at less
rice than i, can be bought for on the Hudson
his is certainly much like sending Goals to New
as'le or warming.pans TO the coast of Africa
" we have here an abundance of limestone for all
ar wants. Nor can the fact be explained by
nperior,y in the quality of the stone, but proba-
y tlom q more speedy and less expensive method
manufacture; Just cotton is now brought
ON India to Great Britain, where it is manufac-
lred and the goods taken thence to India and sold
here for less than that which is made at home can
C afforded for.