The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-13
Our New jersey Correspondence.

marred, was anticipated, by the sharks, which
it was said caused his death.
Our New jersey Correspondence.
HoNEsDALK, August 4, 1850.
Geological and Typographical VieS of NeS Jersey,
Continued
In my first communication, made three geo.
logical divisions of this State, of the first of which
gave you pretty full description. l will conine
this letter to the second division"
The portion of the State of New Jersey included
in the second geological division, lies between
line drawn from Trenton, and extending north,
past New Brunswick, to Hoboken, and one reach
ing from the Ramapo mountain, curving by the
Highlands, to the Delaware, between Milford and
Alexandra. This tract embraces about seventy
miles in length, and breadth of between twenty
FIVE and thirty miles. The soil is exceedingly
variable, the surface quite rough and broken, and
the only remarkable characteristic of its features
is its geological formation 1t is composed of
secondary or old red sandstone, which rises into
hills of considerable elevation, and which are
crowned with greensboro or trap rock largo
Essex, considerable part Of Morris, two-thrds of
Somerset, about oneh half of Middlesex and three
fourths OF Hunterdon counties, included in its
area, while the sandstone base is found in various
Palisades, on the Hudson nver, in a rather west
erly direction, to Hunterdon county, it is exceed
ingly compact and hard, and, in many places,
affords an excellent quality Of building stone but,
in other parts, IL not unfrequently assumes the
shape and property of puddRg- stone and wacke,
and, in some instances, furnishes organic remains
in considerable quantities. Underlying these hills
and dngles il found a red rock, which assumes
the form Of shsls or slate. This rock, taken from
whatever depths Of surface, disntegrates into a
rich loan quite readily, and affords surface more
valuable than that formed by harder stones, in
consequence OF its clayey constituents. From all
appearances, this whole section would have been
(and, in all probability, was, at some distant day)
rich and vast plain, had II not been for the trap
hills thrown upon il, and the only broken surface
would have been characterized by the meandering
courses OF the streams, as they pursued their
iortuous channels into the sea.
A few exceptions from this general formation
may here be observed The first trap ridge, known
as the Newark mountain, and which lies 10 a
southesstery direction, from Springfield to Bound.
brook. is bordered BY the alluva formations. This
is also the case as IL extends westward TO the Ra-
rtan, below Brunswick, where IL forms the bed of
that river. In the aluvial tract, wherever excava-
tons have been made, strata of gravel, sand and
clay have been discovered in large quantities. An
excellent quality Of white pipe clay containing large
quantities OF allumins, is found between Wood
bridge and Amboy, and in various parts Of the dis
tricts number OF marine shells have also been
y twenty miles in length, and about hive in BREADTH
between the secondary valley and the Bergen ridge,
which has been formed by the deposits Of the Pa
safe and Hackensack rivers. The basis Of this
tract is about fifteen feet below the surface and is
composed Of sand and shells, like the shore of the
sea From the amount OF different kinds of lum-
Der found here buried at considerable depths, Il 10
reasonable 10 conclude that the whole strata was
once covered with wood, as, when the New Jersey
railroad was in course Of construction, whole logs
and trees, excayated from this SOIL were used for
IFS foundation. There is island, which'is some
times called Secaucus, situated about four miles
northwest from Jersey City, and which, like the
adjacent shores is chiefly composed Of red and gray
sandstone AT either end Of this hill is an eleva-
unequslled nseniicence. The elevation on the
south end, which Is recognised by the name OF
snake Hill, assumes coDcal form, and is com.
posed OF trap rock at its southern base, in cubcal
forms. The lover OF the romantic, az he stands
upon its verdure-clad summit, can survey, almost
al Its base the sparkling waters Of the Passaic and
Iackepsack rivers, they drag their slow lengths
along through, as Il were, a sss Of verdsre. lie
can also see, the western side, beautiful ranges
OF mountains and popuous towns on the east, the
noisy, busting, and extensive city Of New York,
and hear Its bells trcmbe the surrounding air,
as their sounds reyerberste from hill to hill and min
gle IN the atmosphere above. On the SOUTH the
broad bosom Of the mighty ocean stretches away
IN all it's magnhcence far the eye can reach
Micaceous iron is found in large quantities abun
dainty dspersed through the gray sandstone Of this
island, and on its very highest point there have
been found pectenites and marine shells Of various
descriptions
In many cases, il is well known that trapstone
has an igneous origin, but, whether II may be as
crihed 10 the same in every instance, has not
as yet, been fully determined. In this place, how
ever, u Is found subsequently TO the sandstone
which underlies II, but, IN what manner, through
what agency or combination OF agencies IL has thus
been spread over such vast area Of country can
not well be sscertaned. IL extends over
the states Of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and
is found also IN Connecticut. The first range
Of mountains in this district begins on
the Hudson nver, and gradually rises from
Bergen Point. and ~ the boundary between this
State and New York for about thirty miles, when
u turns into the latter State about the same dis
lance farther. There is gradual descent from its
western side to the Hackenssck valley; but on its
eastern eide, IL rough, broken, aud exceedingly
at point called Wehawk, this mountain assumes
an elevation Of nearly 30 feet above Underwater,
and presents the appearance Of perpendicular
wall. On the eastern side Of this mountain, where
II crosses the Hudson, rises, in some places, al
most 600 feet In a perpendIcusr bluff, through
which a large number Of vertical fissures pass,
which has gwen /; the name Of Palisades. The
ledge, at this point " almost entirely destitute Of
verdure; but, at times, vegetation may be scen
shooting out from the crevices Of these basaltc
lumns From the edge OF the water OF the Hudson
to the base Of the HILL there Is steep decnaton
covered with stone, apparently fallen from the
Fights above. The greensboro Of tins mountain,
resting sandstone, Is 81 a lighter shade than the
New Haven sandstone, and is aggregated from
hornblende, feldspar and epldote, with which
pact and radsted prehnite is, at times, blended
Secondary srgillsceous shist, gloperate, red,
hite, yellow and purple sandstone, alternate at
the base OF this mountain where II borders the
river. These stones exhibit strauhcst,on nearly
and are sometimes discovered on the
sides 81 the mountain, at considerable elevstioa
sgsegsts OF quartz and fedspsr, often fnable; but
~ tiass, is very firmly united which exhibits IN