Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-08-12
NO. 4.

20 @oP~"' i"ouRh Tue pldins are
much diversified by the effects of denudine
agencies, and present in ditferen. portions
striking characteristics, yet they are as .
whole a great uniform surface gradually
rising towards the mountains, at the base
Of which they attain an elevation varying
between 5000 and 5000 feet above the
level of the sea- IL line be drawn from
Fort Randall to Fort Kearny, and contin.
ed south to the Kanzas boundary, it will
have on the east nearly all the arabic lands
of these plains, and considerable tracts of
this west of the 80 meridian cannot be
cultivated. In this eastern section will be
found the fertile and wooded valley of the
Elk Horn river, and all the wooded parts
of the valley Of the river Platte. In the
southern portion Of it good building stone
is furnished by the carboniferous rocks.
l will quote from the report Of DR.. Hay.
ien in relation to the coal of this section:
"The town of De Soto is the highest point
known on the Missouri where these lime.
stones are exposed. Ascending the valley
Of the Platte river, we find them quite we'll
developed as far Is the mouth Of the Elk
Horn; where they pass beneath the bed Of
the river, and the sand stone, No. !. occu.
pies the country. Several small seams Of
coal have been found in these limestones
at Bellevue and other localities, and in tn.
valley of the Platte. About ten miles q.
bove its mouth l noticed bed of very dark
carbonsceous shale, two feet in thickness,
cropping out near the waters edge. This
was considered BY the inhabitants as suf.
icient proof Of the existence of workable
bed Of coal in the vicinity. The evidence
now points to the conclusion that though
these limestones belong to the true coal
measures, they hold position above the
workable beds of coal, and that it is not
probable valuable seam of coal will be
found north of the southern line Of Ne.
braska. A bed of coal Of inferior quality
has been wrought near Lcavenworth city,
Kanzas territory, but it holds lower &c.
ological position than the limestones Of the
southern portion Of Nebraska, the dip Of
, the strata being toward the northeast. -
As our examinations we're always somewhat
hurried there Is room to expect that work.
able beds OF coal may yet be found here,
but at presen, we know of no facts against
the opinion given by DR.. Hayden.
The seam Of very inferior Ignite found
in the neighborhood Of Sioux City in the
cretaeeous rocks may possibly in some
places furnish fuel Of value, but where seen
by US as exposed, it gives but little prom.
Use. In this eas,, as we'll as the coal seams
in the Platte mentioned above, it may be
that on penetrating to the interior portions
Of those beds, they will improve in quality.
In the portion Of country to the west of
the meridian of Fort kearney, wood and
arabic land will be found only along the
valleys Of the rivers or in the mountains.
The plains have three distinct portions.
as determined by their geological forma-
ton LIST. The pleiocene and miocens ter
tiary; I'd. The cretaceons; and Sd. The
Ignite tertiary.
The first section extends from the south
ern boundary north nearly continuous to
the 44ih parallel, and contains q large
portion Of the valleys of the Platte, Loup
fork, Niobrara and White rivers. Here,
except in the immediate valleys of the
streams, which are composed of good soil.
naturally irrigated By springs from the
bluffs, or susceptible of irrigation, the
country as whole is sandy and unfit for
cultivation, under any conditions Of eli.
mate. No valuable mineral or good build.
ing stone have been discovered in it. Here
are to be found the Sand hills, which oc.
cupy an area north Of the Platte Of not
less than 10000 square miles. These hills
on the north begin between the White and
Niobrara rivers, and extend south proba-
bly, beyond the Arkansas. Where We have
visited them, they vary in height from 10
feet to 200 feet, and in the western portion
are ranged in ridges running east and
west but in travelling you are obliged fre.
qnently to cross them, as the intermediate
valleys, which are also sand. are not con.
tinuous. About the sources Of Loup fork
many Of the lakes Of water found in them
are impregnated with salts and UNFIT to
drink, and our sufferings in exploring them
will always hold prominent place in our
memories. The present form Of these hills
is mainly if not wholly due to the wind.
Where the grass protects the surface tho
sand does not drift, but If this 10 removed
the wind whirls the sand ia the air, and
often excayates deep holes. therefore
look upon them as utterly impractio cable
for any line Of railroad, for should any q.
tempt be made to grade the surface, whsch
would be necessary, the wind would gil up
the cuts with sand as with drifting snow.
The second section 10 the cretacsous for.
nation, forming the level country u the
base Of the Black hills, the valley Of The
Shyennc river and the immediate valley Of
the Missouri river, from Heart river 10 Tie
Big Sioux. In this section The coil n
clayey, and wherever there 10 suificisncy
OF rain, or streams can bs found 10 irri.
gate the land, il will be productive. The
grea. drawback TO il fertility is : waat Of
timely rAins. ln this section, 100, ahsss