The New York herald., 1875-09-29
A SIJBTERRANEAN RIVER.
Remarkable Geological Discovery at
Garden City, L. l.
PECULIARITlES OF THE PLACE
A Record Of Two Centuries Ex-
huIned and Verified.

Some very interesting and really surprising discover.
ies have been made recently concerning the pecuari-
ties Of the region Long Island, known Homptoad
Plains Those who all well informed concern
ing the levol lands of Long Island, know that,
aside from their varying soil and sand tho
source of their always plentiful water supply has been
involved in mystery claiming that the water
found simply teaching from the surrounding sea-
and others that, elsewhere common it came from
springs having their Ike other springs other
lands. But even the best informed remained unsats-
ned and inquistve in regard TO IT, and even dis
tlnguished geoogss fet that full and satisfactory
explanation of the conditions known to exist was
beyond their power. This mystery, it may here be
sad grew until demand for its explanation
among geologists at home and abroad from
the time when General John A. Dix made
known tho fact that even tho seemingly unfruitfl
sands of the levels far the eastward of Hampstead
Plains, showed, under the careful analysis made
by distinguished agricultural chemists, precisely the
ingredients and in the same proportions as the
black and wonderfully fertile soil of the Western pra
ries In these researches the venerable DR.. Peck
of Brooklyn, has spent many years OF his life while st
the time giving such attention he could the
curious fact that the points at which pure, cold
ingy spring water found seemed to be all nearly
the same level and the water nearly all Of the
really remarkable purity In passing from the east to
tho west Ton It's southern border this popularity
is most clearly discernole), about in
milc frequently, you proceed
west you to manifest depression in
tho surface, with considerable elevated embank-
ment the These valleys if they may be so
called, appear to proceed from tho middle the
plain, constantly growing deeper toward the south; ;
and the conviction has seemed irresistible that they
were formed by torrent of retiring water. They all
run nearly parallel with each other, their uniform
course being little to the west Of SOUTH and what
not the least remarkable s that almost every one of
these valleys is the OF permanent brooks some
Of which proceed from considerable distance up the
plain, and furnish mill seats on the south
side Of the island.
GEOLOGICAL PEcULTARITGEs.
In communication in progress of preparation
for Professor j. D. Dana of Massachusetts, has bo-
cDme greatly interested in the geological pecuiarities
Of the region Of Hampstead Plains, Mr. W. r. Hnsdale
superintendent in charge Of the improvements in
course Of completion at Garden City, says:-
In reference to the water supply the vicinity of the
5ay knoll near Bothpage, concerning which you have
made inquiry, am quite certain that 1t is carried by
the substratum OF clay. II held frequently the
surface and many ponds of from ono to two or three
acres area TO be found along the higher points OF
the surrounding country, furnishing supply for
numerous springs lower down the valley, many Of
which are short lived when the droughs OF summer
come This, however, should be expected. the clay
reservoirs have very little of watershed to keep
nary summer rainfall
The clay beds of Long Island arc not usually of any
great extent, but are broken up by sandy ridges and
hills or rather, the clay deposits seem to have been
made in the dopressions along the higher sand hills
Az Bethpage, where you visited the we'll connected
with knoll near the brick house. the knoll seemed
to be capped with hard ochrcy clay, mixed to
extent with gravel After passing through about
eighteen feet of such material sand was reached and
continued the whole depth
excavation made about eight feet square, cutting
through the clay at ten feet below the present bottom
OF the pit where beach sand found to underlie tho
As I have ntinated, the height of the springs
is very irregular being dependent upon the
sometimes pushed upon the sand hills of
former sea beach, ranging from thirty to ninety feet
or four feet deep by as many rods often
found in excavations in the gravel of Hampstead
Plains, but here have difficulty in determining
beforehand the precise depth to which we have to 60
for water, and we always find an abundant supply.
furnish New York and Brooklyn. Taking tho line OF
the Central Railroad at Garden City, which is within
threequarters OF mile to the north of Hampstead vii
agc found water At twenty feet below the surface
AT that depth the gravels perfectly urated and
take out quantity yoa find the space filled up in
stanty with water and you may continue drawing
from II without lessenlng the supply; you lower
the surface level Of the water by removing still of
Tho gravel from the bottom. You are, in fact, simply
removing gravel from river of water This Is liter
ally true This Is
a SHEET WATER FLOWING SOUTHWARK CONTINUALLY,
with descent of eight feet to the mile Its motion is
retarded to be sure by the gravel but is neverthc
less moving and as unceusing the flow OF The Hud-
onor of tho Mississippi rivers
Just to the westward of Garden City there runs
valley, from north to SOUTH the plains. It is
bridgcd by the railroad, fourteen feet above the
valley. We have excavated eleven feet in the valloy
and found river flowing souhward. Three miles 10
the eastward of Garden City much deeper valloy has
been formed out of the gravel from the north TO tho
SOUTH through the bottom OF which brook clear
crystal In this case the surface has only been cut
enough to expose much of our river or sheet Of
water is needed The thing might be done
artidcialy at any other point have taken the level
of this brook and find it to correspond with the water
Ia our wells ard also with that IN inc
valley 10 the westward Wo have observed
the slightest diminution of the volume of watcr at
"Meadow Brook, call 1t, and the oldest inhabt
ant makes declaration that II has always been so in his
time We have tested tho depth Of this water 10 ten
feet only cannot therefore, give reliable jnforma
ton of beyond that depth present but intend TO make
The surface OF The ground at Garden City nlnetyGvo
feet above the tide level with inclination north TO
south of fifteen feet per mile II is believed that the
clay OF which have written has been deposited by in
filtration.
SOURCE or WATER.
From the above important communication it will be
seen that tho of the everabundant supply
is really surprising than any of the other pecu
liarities of the island which has for many years
excited the minds Of observing from all portions
Of the globe And the same true Of the water sup
y in all the length of the Barrens In order that the
reader may have knowledge Of the pccularities Of
this remarkably strange locality even more than two
centuries ago the reporter has obtained from Dr. Peck
the use of an ancient pamphlet which the Doctor
has had carefully bound, copies of which
are now and have been long exceedingly rare
Its declarations concerning tho conditions, socially
end otherwise, Of New York, formerly New Neither
lands aEe presented uniquely and extracts from u will
be read with interest by all having curiosity concc'n
ing the lives and times of the men Of the past IN this
region, and the they made of Hampstead Plains
. tha n Of tn.da
BEARING.
or the long past OF these same plains there sin
"Denton's Description Of New York. Formerly New
Netherlands" published so long ago as in 1870, g mum
ber of interesting facts, which valuable fo' tho
that they show thai hn Hennsinad pains Ayero