The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-03-05
For the Herald Of Freedom.
Geology of Eastern Kansas.


Mr.. EDIToB:-Having taken few notes
of the Geology of Eastern Kansas, give
you statement of my casual observations
on the same. l do SO in the hope of in
ducing some of those who understand the
matter, to give the result of their observa-
tions through the columns of your valuable
journal.
do not know, by my own knowledge,
of any valuable mineral deposits in East
ern Kansas, other than coal; but I have
been told, by persons of veracity, that
sulphuret of lead, or gslena, has been dis
covered near Eldorado, near the head of
Pottowottomie creek, on the Cherokee
neutral lands, on the Saline fork of the
Kansas river, on the Little Blue, and also
near Sugar Mound, in Linn county, where
l understand that lead mining has been
carried on to some extent.
have also seen very fine specimen
of iron ore from south of Enporia.
The following is somewhat imperfect
description of the strata in Eastern Kan
sas, descending series:"
No. !. This is the timber bottom forma-
ton, consisting of fine sand, clay and or
ganic matter, in different proportions, and
generally stratifed. A good expose of this
formation can generally be obtained where
a river has washed into the bottom, SO as
to make steep bank, where there will
usually be seen several distinct alterna-
tions of stratifed sand, clay and vegetable
mould. This formation is very different
on different streams, owing to the fact that
it has been brought down and deposited
by such streams. This formation is an
nually increasing at the expense of the
bottom prairie. An instance of its increase
may be seen in the island Just below the
City of Lawrence. First a bar forms in
the river, then little drift wood lodges
On it, and few willows and cottonwood
spring up; these are sometimes submerged
by high water when the water is usually
quite turbid. They then cause the mud,
held in suspension by the water, to settle
around their roots, and thus increase the
hight of the newly formed land, until it
gets so high that no ordinary freshet can
reach it, but it may still be increased in
hight by great floods like that Of the year
1874, which deposited, in some places on
the Missouri river bottom, five or six feet
of fine sand. Vegetation will, also, during
the course of many years, decay and form
a stratum of vegetable mould, which might,
in an uncommonly high flood, be covered
with stratum of clay, or sand, which
would, Gf circumstances were favorable)
in the course of time, be covered again
with vegetable mould, and thus form sew
eral distinct layers of sand, clay and veg
etable mould. The soil of this forma-
ton produces luxuriant growth of corn,
hemp, and other crops, requiring strong
soil. After it has been cropped number
of years, it produces good crops of wheat
and other small grains, but it generally
contains too much vegetable matter fol
them, when it is first cultivated. Unusually
stands the drouth well, unless it contains
too large q proportion of sand. It il
usually well drained, owing to the layer
of sand which underlie the soil.
i No. 2. The bottom prairie formation
consists Of, First, From three to twenty
five feet of black soil, composed of clay
vegetable mould, and silecious matter
which produces large crops of corn, hemp
and small grains This soil will pay wei
for subsoiling. and in many places 70
undertaking, as it is usually quite heav,
and tenacious. Second, From ten to thirt,
feet of stiff clay. Third, Five feet o
coarse sand. This formation is evident,
, q fresh water deposit but / am unable +
say in what manner It was deposited.
is annually growing smaller, by bein