Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-01-05
Suggestions on the Geology of South
 Eastern Arkansas

6dotSiu AIAduodo
 BY VIM D. KERsH, M. D., OF RELF's BLUFF, DREW COUNTY.
 Before the institution of the present geological survey, the only examination of this state that has been published is the very imperfect sketch by ules Marcau of Switzerland. The only reliable light reflected upon it, is from the explorations in our north western territories, made under the supervision of our present able state geologist, also from the geology of Texas, by Ferdinand Roemer, of Tennessee, by Froost, Stafford & Curry, and from the general impressions of Sir Charles Lyell and others The bluffs of the Mississippi, are well known to belong to the Post Pocene period and it is very probable, that close observation of the deposits on the western bank of the Mssis- sippi, will assist in unraveing some points in this extremely recent part of the earth'S history. The time, at which most of "the hills" and "hats'' of southeastern Arkansas were deposited under the waters of the great Loess lake, was after the creation of all the existing species of the marine and fresh water shell-fish. The land shells of that day, also still all living, but the other animals, Megatherium, Megalo- l nyx, Myodon, Mastodon, Ilalanus, etc., are extinct. All the existing continents of the | globe were either elevated entirely from the | depths of the ocean, or have had their confgu- ration greatly modified by subtcrranean move menis, since the beginning of the tertiary ge- ological ages Even after the present hydro graphical basin in the Mississippi had assum- ed its present form in the latter part tertiary, | depression of the surface occurred, slower but | on much grander scale than that which lately | submerged the St. Francis Our hills or flats were produced during the first part of the great oscillation of level, and before the surface was restored to its former and present position. This formation, called Loess, from strata form ed about the same time, and under exactly si- m lar circumstances, on the banks of the Rhine, | is understood to be of the same age as the river terraces of the north, and the valley drift of the west etc., and more recent than the lauren- tian and the post pliocence of the southern At lantic states. If the Loess be included with the alluvium, three distinct ages of it may be recognised in Arkansas. Proceeding west from Napoleon, across Red Fork to "the hills" the first fifteen miles represents that part of alluvi
 um which is undergoing the process of accu- mutation, at the present; on Amo,'s Boyou and all the vicinity of Bayou Bartholomew, the soil is somewhat different in Pathological characters, is entirely above all overflow, and dips under the most recent deposit. The bluff of the hiHs represent, the true Loess. What propor- tions of "the hills," belong to the Loess and what to older formations will rot now attempt to decide, but will venture some suggestions.- In digging we'll on the headwaters of Able's creek, the first twenty feet was through clay soil nterspersed, Gas most of the earths surface also is (with water-worn pebbles, many of them bearing iudstinct fossil impressions; you then enter blue. muddy, adhesive clay, from which were obtained some fossil shell, iron pyrites lignte, and specimens of coal resembling an- thracite in appearance; said coal melted and burned with good flame; it is not probable that this coal will be found in considerable quan. l tities
 There is a locality on Saline river, fifteen miles southwest of Monticello, which was ad- vertised as coal mine, but doubt the develop ment of the carbonferous in this part of the state. It is very much more probably devel- opment of the strata called Lignite group" by the Tennessee geologist, which dips under the Loess and is supposed to be member of the 1 forf, th, nj the Eocene or oldest of tertiary, is known to dip under the Loess. It is not certain that there is difference iu the ages of the strata, where there is such marked difference in the
 in digging wells in this part of the state; indeed the difference may be accounted for in differ ent manner. Throughout many sections of this part of the state the water Is very variable being in many places impregnated with either sulphate of aumina or sulphate of iron or other salts, while near by you may obtain wa ter free from impregnation.
 The occurrance of pyrites or suphuret of iron has been noticed in different places. This mi neral in undergoing decomposition under differ ens circumstances. has sometimes produced sul phuric acid which combined with the alumi. na, and potassa of the soil mpregnated the wa ter with alum; at other places, the iron. after the decomposition of the sulphuret, oxidized and recombined with the sulphuric acid, and hence the copperas taste of other waters. | The difference in color and conscience of soil results in part from different conditions of the iron, aumina and carbonacous matters of which ] it is composed. The soil of the high ridges,