The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-06-29

Wayne ge.entsy.


In THE FIELD, June 81, 1866.
ENRON OF HkwkT Err lis Hh6SS. Who's
homes are in less beautiful lands than Iowa
and who desire TO uh0eaGsdnd Nj Xh its broas
expansiveness the meaning Of the word sprsi
RE, should visit Wayne counts, far Ire til,
beautiful iihe6ments ID the features Of oul
mother earth are to be seen in all their lots
hness. It's difficult for one who has nevei
seen them 10 form correct idea of, thei,
chafeceef, end indeed To do this one must SET
them in many different regions, for they vary
much In this respect, slthough in genera ap-
pearance they are 90 much alike. Scientific
men have entertained various opinions con-
corning their origin, many Of which were
circumscribed BY their want Of opportunity e
observe all their varieties. Those of Iowa
are nearly all such as are known as ssrollina
prairies, and yet those Of the northern and
western part of the State differ from each
other in character. This difference is due,
IN part. at least, to the more complete drain.
age Of the southern portion, and this drainage
Is dse to the deeper erosion of the river
valleys than those Of their tributaries farther
to the northward. When the continent vas
finally raised from the diluvial sea, that por-
ton Of it which is now our State doubtless
presented surface which was only slightly
undulating, the longitudinal depressions Of
which we're in the same direction OF, and
gave origin to, the course of the rivers and
streams.
Wayne county presents an excellent exam.
pie of we'll drained prairie region, and as /
stand upon any of the higher parts, sweeping
the clearly defined ocean like horizon with my
level, the bubble invariably rests upon the
cross wire at every point, save where the dark
line of foliage Of the forest trees tell me of
the presence of one of the larger streams
which drain the country. Here the leyelzlne
passes little above the surface, for In this
direction the waters are carried away which
are gathered up from the surface by the null
titude Of gently sloping, and generally deep
ening ravines which diversity the surface,
and give it its CHARACTERISTIC rolling appear
ance.
The fact that the Medicine and the south
fork of Charlton rivers take their rise in this
county, indicates considerable elevation, hut
which | have not yet definitely ascertained.
That Of Gordon is probably not far from the
came as Charlton, the county seat of Lucas
county, which is 624 feet above the level of
the Mississippi at low water At Burlington.
This added to 4S4 feet, the elevation OF that
point above the level Of the Gulf Of Mexico,
would give to Corydon an elevation in round
numbers Of about 900 feet above the level
o. .ae sea.
The soil of Wayne county is of the finest
quality, and very much doubt whether an
equal area cen be found having so little waste
aud unt,llabe ground The only elements Of
prosperity wanting here are a sufficient sup
ply Of stone and timber. The heavy deposit
Of drift which an9eslies the deep soil renders
the beds of stone inaccessible which no doubt
exist at too great depth to be probably
quarried. Hence this want must be supplied
from other places and by the manufacture Of
brick.
Timber can be proftably cultivated, as has
Keen demonstrated very extensively i'll differ
cit parts Of the State. besides which the nat
ural growth OF forest trees will rapidly en-
croach upon the praires as soon rs the fires
are kept out. Coal Of good quality has been
found in a number of places in this county,
ard a few exposures of stone are also seen in
Wright and South Fork townships, but de-
pending on these alone, little could be said
OF ,ne geology OF Tue whole county. A
general knowledge. however, of the counties
which bound il on every side enables me to
say definitely that it lies wholly within the
great Iowa and Missouri coal bed, as do also
Eli Of those which surround it. This renders
It entirely reasonable to prospect for coal by
boring at almost any point within it. Owing
to thesmall number of exposures OF the series
of strata which regeneraly found associated
with the beds of coal, can do but little more
than to make some general suggestions re-
garding the searchfor it, and this can be done
in very few words. l would suggest that
horings be made at almost any points in the
county. There are some faint indications
that a coal bed exists at a higher level than
the beds Of the streams around Corydon, but
Think the prospect for obtaining workable
bed of coal is much better below the beds Of
these streams than above them. 1t is my
present opinion that boring Of I'D feet,
commenced in the valleys, will reach the coal
If found at all. Commencing there / should
expectthe drill to pass through alternate beds
of shale. clay and limestone. Dark colored
shale will probably be found everything The
coal, and this bed of shale may be found o.
considerable thickness.
C. A. WHITE,
State Geologist.