New-York tribune., 1903-03-01
THIS REGIONS GEOLOGY.
Nezc Maps of Metropolitan District IN
New- York ard NezU-JerSey.

Washington Feb % (SpeciaD-The geology
of New-York City and the vicinity is set forth
in new map issued by the United States Geo
logical Survey, in cooperation with the States
of New-York and New-Jersey. Dividing the
metropolitan districts into four sheets the
geological formation of the districts about Pat
erson, Harlem, Brooklyn and Staten Island is
Illustrated. In these four maps the region
shown comprises parts of the counties OF Pas
sale, Bergen, Essex. Hudson and Union in New
Jersey and Westchester, New-York. Kings,
Queens, Nassau and Richmond in New-York
According to the census of 1900 1850, 800 per-
sons reside in these limits
The central axis about which the population
as well the physical features Of NeW-York
and its vicinity grouped is the channel OF
the Hudson River, which extends southwark
beyond the city. expands into the Upper Bay,
is restricted at the Narrows. again widens out
into the Lower Bay. and passes into the At
Iantic Ocean between the points of Rockaway
and Sandy Hook. The Hue l Is unlike rivers
in general because the tide ebbs and flows for
$50 miles from its mou and the upper branch
es are small as compared with the great arm
OF the sea- which is salt from the ocean 10
Poughkeepsie NETWORKS commerce depends
upon the relation Of land and sea. Were the
land raised a hundred feet the waterways
would become unnavigable streams and the
shore line would retreat far out beyond Sanoy
Hook; were the land sunk few fathoms Man
haitian island would be changed to group or
islets and reefs. In past geologic times the
waters of the East River and OF the Hudson
joined below bold hill where now Is the Bat
terry and flowing out through the Narrows.
crossed a wide plain to the ocean through the
old channel which Is still traceaLic by sound
ings Then the land sank to its present level the
valleys were submerged. and tie harbor Of
New-YorK resul 4. In past still more re-
| mote a salt water sea. the Appalachian. had
| reached from the st. Lawrence embayment,
passing west Of New York. far to the southwest,
afterward extending its northwestern shore TO
| wisconsin, its sourl :Cstern shore probably ly-
inK east Of the present Atlantic coast and then.
where this sea had been there gradoaHy arose
| the present range of the Appalachian Noun
Then there came time when the dominant
| feature was the glaciation Of northern North
| America and Europe Ice sheets spread from
4 different centres not only once, but three or
| more times, and an apprsciaole interval Of
/ nniIdar climate separated each succesding Ice
| ADVANCE from the preceding one The total AREA
| of the North American Ice sheet at the time
/ Of it's maximum development has been estinnAt-
| Al af about four million square miles about
| fen times the estimated area Of the present
| ice field of Greenland. All OF the NewYork
| district except the southernn,Ost part OF the
Brooklyn quadrangle and small area In the
southeastern part Of staten Island was COW
cred by the continental ice sheet OF the last
| glacial epoch; and. though II be old story to
BIOLOGISTS, the average NewYorker will learn
with Interest that the terminal mOraine OF rocks
and other material left by this ice sheet 10 the
backbone Of Long Island; and has controlled
the formation OF the island. What will inter
est him still more than this geologic history Is
| the brief account of the building stone, sand
and clay still quarrted and used within the
limits of this district. and OF the iron ore for
| merry mined on Staten Island. and Of the cop
per ore formerly mined near Arlington