The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-21
LEAVES FROM BIOLOGISTS
pORE-EOEEO.
The Age Of the Marble Deposit Of
Vermont.

The vast deposit of statuary marble for
which Vermont is SO famous enters the
State at Pownal and passes thence northly
and slightly to the east through Benning
ton, Manchester. Dorset. Dandy, Claren-
don, Rutland, Pittsford Brandon, Lei
cester, AIddlebury and New Haven, when
it disappears. Reappearing again in Shell
burne it is traced for the last time in Mil
ton. This formation, called the "Eoian
Limestone in the State Geological Survey,
consists of Il compact siliceous limestone
interstratiied with states and shale, Mag
nesian limestone and the marble proper in
all its shades Of white, cloudcd, variegated
and black. 1t lies between the Quartz
rock range on the cast and the Talcord
schistS, Hudson River states, Chazy and
Trenton limestOnes on the west. The
division of pure marble is usually found
underlying soft Magnetism limestoncs that
disintegrate very rapidly and variety of
siliceous limestone coarsely granular and
compact. The average dip in the northern
region is about so east with strike
from north u : west long, north 10o east.
The age of this formation is usually
classed as lower Siluan Trenton limestone.
1t has been supposed to be only Trenton
limestone mctamorphosed and crystallzcd
the fossils of which were obliterated by
metamorphism at the time of the great APP
palachian Revolution that so changed the
character of eastern North America at the
close of the Paleozoic Age.
Now on the east side of this marble for
nation as before stated is found belt of
Quartz rock with siiceous limestone sue
ceeded by Potsdam sandstone of the Pots
dam age, whose identity cannot be doubted
Then on the west side of the marble range
we find in the town of Leicester Il dark
blue fossilfcrous limestone containing fos-
sils of the genus orthis, distinctly of Pots
dam age, also thus proving that the marble
deposit is included between rocks of the
Potsdam age. Then as there are evidences
of faults or intrusions the conclusion is in
cvtablc that the included rock is of the
same age as its boundaries. Therefore we
! find that instead of being a metamorphosed
Trenton Limestone it is an unfossliferous--
except in instances -rock Of the Potsdam
age and the calciicrous division. 1t is
thus much older rock. and was mainly
deposited before the introduction of ami
nal life. These rocks are now in an in
verted position; as for instance, the quartz
rock lies above, and conformably on the
Marble although an older rock. SO also
the Magnesium limestone, while the rock
next below the Marble is the fOssliferous
limestone which marks the transition from
the Azoic to the Zoc epochs of geological
history.
At the time, then, that the Marble was
being deposited Vermont lay deeply be-
meath the Primordial seas. Its liieless
waters were highly charged with carbonic
acid, and its crystal dispositions We're des-
tined to prove in the far distant future, one
of mans greatest behests-one of the great
benevolent designs of an infinite Creator
for manifestations lord. And to-day as
we reflect upon its numberless uses and in
eXhaustible quantity, we are led INSTINCT
vely back to that early morn OF creation
when the earth was yet without form and
void, and darkness was upon the face of
the deep! I" j. II. n.
Leicester. Vt.