Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-05-07

this useful metal than is here offered to the no.
tee Of the geologist. In country more thick
ly settled, and with skill and capital to spare,
these would speedily cause and justify the
employment of whole villages Of workmen
| 1t is to Incidental causes alone, and not to any
natural deficiency of material, that must be at
tributed the custom of importing annually
such vast quantities of these metals from 9TH
er countries.
How little here in the Vest, at least, we
have hitherto improved our natural resources
in this branch of commerce, is proved by the
thousands of tons of rich ore which lie, unap-
propriated and useless, scattered over the Ter
ritcres of Iowa and Wisconsin.
! CoAL.-The coal-fed lies principally, if
not entirely. south Of the explored district,
where several good seams Of coal have been
discovered, which leave but little doubt but
that any required quantity of this fuel may be
procured in this vicinity, where it is soon to
become valuable, and to be in great demand
| for the reduction Of such ores as are rasedsn
those portions of the district which are def
cert in timber. Several seams on the MlsSis
sipri, between Bloomington and Davenport,
have been opened, and yields fair quality,
which is found to improve as the coal diggngs
are extended.
BUILDING SToSE.-The best building stone
found in the district chiefly occurs in the lower
portion of the upper beds of the cliff lime
stone; it is of a beautiful uniform light yellow
color, compact, ine-grained sharp angled, ca
pable of receiving handsome finish, and if
well selected, calculated to endure, uninjured,
for ages. 1t is very readily quarried. and can
be obtained of almost any required size.
Near Iowa City, and in several other local
tiles, along the junction Of the cliff limestone
and the coal-measures. is found a Uhs'e Time
stone. which is capable Of receiving good
polish, and being studded with beautiful fos-
sill coralline, forms pretty varlagated marble.
In polishing the organic structure Of the coral
line causes cellular imperfectons on It's surface.
It's value as a marble may be considerable,
should it be obtained in blocks of sufficient
size.-'This is tie marble of which it was ru-
mured the new State House at Iowa City was
to be built; but the veins were soon exhaust
ed and the only building erected of this snowy
material was "milk house." built by set
tier, the real lords of the land
| No other minerals of value were found in
the district.
Chacedony, jasper, agate, are found, but
not in great perfection.
| shall, for the present, leave but with the
view, at some future PERIOD Of referring to
the Report Of the Geological Exploration of
part Of Iowa, Wisconsin,, and Illinois, by DR..
| Owen, Z. S. Geologist.
| This survey has resulted in showing our
| Territory in new light have endeayored
to make such eriraet8 from The Report as would
most readily convey to the reader a knowledge
of our immense mineral resources. which to-
gether with the agriculture! facilities he'd
forth by our Territory to the admiriog eye Of
the immigrant. want only to be improved, to
| to make this . lovely Iand'' the garden Of the
West, and the manufacturing region Of our
country. /. 5. L.