REPORT OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST ON THE Mineral Industries and Geology of Certain Areas OF VERMONT. 1905- (906. FIFTH OF THIS SERIES. GEORGE H. PERKINS, Ph. D. State Geologist and Professor of Geology., University of Vermont MONTFELIER, VT.. ARGUS AND PATRIOT PiIsSS. 19(R. List of Plates. PAGE 8 I. Typical Slate Quarry, Pawlet ................................ H. Slate Quarry .................. .... ... ... ..... ...... ......... 14 III. Carriers in use in Slate Quarry ........................... CONTENTS. IV. Slate Carriers (Omitted) ............. ..... ..... ............. .ii V. Machine for Trimming Roofing Slate ... ....... ........ ..... 17 VI. Machine for Sawing Slate ......................... .......... 18 VII. Machine for Planing Slate ................................. 18 VIII. Chain Planer for Slate .................................... PAGE 21 INTRODUCTION . ............................................. IX. BoutwellMilne.VarnUm Company's Quarry, Barre, No. I Vi 22 MINERAL RE5OTjiçps ............................................. X. BoutwellMilne-Var11um Company's Quarry, Barre, No. 2 1 24 BUILDING ANT) & Morse Granite Quarry. Barre . .................. ORNAMENTAl, Svoxrs ...................... 4 XI. Wetmore Woodbury ...................... 26 Marble.................. ..................................... XII. Fletcher Granite Quarry, 4 49 Limestol] e Photomicrograph of Aniphibolite ......................... ............................... 7 XIII. Sl Photomicrograph of Amphibolite ......................... 50 ate........................................................ 8 XIV. Photomicrograph of Serpentine ............................ 53 Granite.................................. 19 XV. PhotomicrographOf Serpentine ............................ 5 1 Clays ............................ .......................... XVI. 28 63 Marl............................. .... .......... ...... . XVII. Sections across a Portion of Northern Vermont .......... 29 68 Talc.. ......................................................... .10 XVIII. Barnet Falls ...... ................................. ..... Soa psto River ............................ 70 ne.................................................... 31 XIX. Falls in the Passumpsic Peat.. Valley of the PassunipsiC River............................. 71 ....................................................... 31 XX. the Passunipsic River .......................... 72 Asbestos... .................................................... XXI. Rapids in aa' - . 35 r Falls ....................................... 74 AREAL AND EcoNoMIc GEor,oGv OF NORTHES'1ERN VERMONT, XXII. Sleeper River C. H. Richardson Dune .............................................. 76 ............................................... 63 XXIII. Sand Mountain ........................................ 78 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE CAMBR.AN AGE AS RKLATEI) TO VER- XXIV. Lowell 80 MONT GEOLOGy, G. E. Fdson. / ............... Lunenbnrg Schist in Railroad Cut ...................... 117 XXV. GEOLOGy or ST. 80 AI,BANS AND VICINITy, G. E. Edson. ,..-......... 133 XXVI. Barnett Cliff ........................ ....... ............. CRVI'TOZOA OF THE Nearly Vertical Hornblende Schist .................... 8 2 EARLy CHAMPI,AIN SEA, H. M. Seely ........ 155 XXVII. Limestone and Shale ... ....... ...... ..86 BENKMANTO\VN AND CHAZV FORMATIONS IN THE CHAMPLAIN XXVIII. Interstratified VALLEy, H. M. Seely.......................... ... .............. Limestone, Showing Easterly Dip ....................... 88 174 XXIX. LIGNITE OR BROWN COAL, Horizontal Limestone, Railroad cut ...................... 90 G. H. lrkins ......................... 188 XXX. THE LIGNITUS OF BRANDON, Kirby Mountain ....................... 104 F. C. Jeffrey, M. A. Chrysler ....... 195 XXXI. Grarnte Quarry. FOSSILS OF THE LIGNITE, G. H. Feldspar Crystal, Orhicular Granite .................... 106 Perkins .......................... 202 XXXII. 110 SURFACIAL GEOLOGy or REGION ABOUT BURLINGTON, C. H. Hitch- XXXIII. Eruptive Rock, Brecciated Veins of GrIulh.e ........... 159 cock................ ........................................... XXXIV. Steele's Original Figure of CryptOZooll ............... 232 161 CHAMPLAIN DEPOSITS n. s.................................. OF NORTHERN VERMONT, C. H. Hitchcock. 236 XXXV. Cryptozoon steeli, s ........................... 162 DRINKING WATER OF VERMONT, G. H. Perkins ................... XXXVI. Cryptozoon saxiroseum, ti 254 162 XXXVII. Photomicrographs of CryptoZoon ..................... 164 XXXVIII. Cryptozoon wingi, n. s ............................... XXXIX. Wingia CorlglomerEte ................................. iv REPORT OF THE VERMONT STATE GEOLOGIST. XL. Wingia lapilla, ......................................... n. 179 XLI. Lingula limitaris, . n ................................. 183 XLII. Whiteld's Figure of Rhinopora prima . 181 XLIII. Monticulipora irisularis. n. s............................ 185 XLIV. Photomicrograph of Monticulipora insulari.;, n. s ........ 185 STATE OF VERMONT. XLV. Prasopora hero, n ....................................... 187 XLVI. Pieces of Brandon Lignite ............................... 191 OFFICE OF STATE GEOLOGiST. XLVII. Pieces of Brandon Lignite . 191 XLVIII. Brandon Lignite with Leaves.......................... 192 BUCLINGTON, VT., October 1st, 1906. XLVIX. Photomicrographs, Laurinoxylon ................ . 201 L. Photomicrograph, Betuloxylon .......................... .. 201 LI. To his Excellency, C. J. Bell, Governor of T7ermont Photomicrograph, Betuloxylon, Pityoxylon . ................ 201 LII. Fossil Fruits, Brandon Lignite ................ ...... ....... 230 LIII. Fossils of Sm :—In accordance with the provisions of Act 6, 1900, 1 here- Brandon Lignite ................................ 230 LIV. Fossils of Brandon Lignite ................................ 230 with respectfully present my Fifth Biennial report as State Geol- LV. Fossils of Brandon Lignite ....................... .......... 230 ogist. The following pages furnish a summary of work carried LVI. Fossils of Bran don Lignite .............................. 230 LVII. Fossils on during the years 1905 and 1906. of Brandon Lignite .............................. 230 LVIII. Fossils of Through the generosity of the authors of the papers included in Brandon Lignite ...... ........... ....... .... 230 this Report a far more valuable collection of material has been obtained than would otherwise have been possible with so limited an appropriation as that which has been available for this work. Text Figures. As has been true heretofore, much of the investigation which has been carried forward has been accomplished with little more expense to the State than the actual outlay for travelling and Figure 1. Section through Belvidere Mountain .................. 38 necessary incidentals. Figure 2. Map of Area about Belvidere Mountain .............. 39 The usual large number of ores and other minerals has been Figure 3. Map of Geological Formations, St. Albans.. ........ 134 examined and reports sent out from this office as to their commer- Figure 4. Map of Lignite Area, Brandon ...................... 189 cial value. Many deposits of supposed valuable rocks and min- Figure 5. Microscopical Structure of Brandon Lignite ..... ..... 194 erals have been visited, and the owners advised respecting their treatment and an extensive correspondence carried on. The introduction which un mediately follows gives further in- formation as to the work of the two years. Respectfully submitted, G. H. PERKINS. REPORT OF THE VERMONT STATE GEOLOGIST Vjl INTRODUCTION. Cllanlplain and work from this, the western side of the State, toward the interior. At the same time quite extensive investi- gation of the northern portion of that part of the State which lies east of the Green Mountains has been carried for ,.varcl for the last The following pages fortii the Fiffli Repoi t of the present State four years. Here wilolly different conditions are found in the Geologist. Besides giving the results of new investigations this rocks and new problems present themselves. Mr. G. E. Edson Report carries forward some of those which have found place in has been working as field Assistant in Franklin County and Doctor previous Volumes. C. H. Richardson of Syracuse University in the eastern part of In the Report immediately preceding this, issued in 1904, the Vermont. Papers by these gentlenlell are amOlIg those that foi- following topics were considered, namely: A Sketch of the Life 1ov. The difficult problems \vllich are found in the study of the and Work of C. B. Adams, a Bibliography of the Geology of Ver- asbestos region about Belvidere Mountain were considered in the mont, A Report of the progress in the Mineral Industries of the previous Report and Illuch time and study, has been given to tilem State during the two years, Papers on The Glaciation of the Green by Professor V. F. Marsters who planned to spend some time in Mountains, The Serpentine Belt of Lamoille and Orleans Counties, the region this season for furtiler investigation the results of which The Geology of Grand Isle County, The Strornatoceria of Isle La were to have formed a part of this Repoit. An unexpected call Motte, The Lignite Deposit of Brandon, and its Associated to Peru as Government Geologist, however, put an end to this Clays, Description of many new fossils from the Lignite, and a work. Nevertheless, it has been possible to suppleilleilt the brief account of the Hydrology of Vermont. former discussion of this