Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-10
Report OF Ge0IGgiCas survey on
Marion COUnty--E0nFinucd.
By W. p. FOX, GEoLoGIsr.
EDITOR VOTER:

EDITOR VOTER:
As we have just made a second trip
on the Des Moiues river, up to War
rem County, we will therefore confne
this Report to the general geology OF
the chain Of bluff which winds its
course along this peculiar stream.
We have explored this grand chain
at several points, from Lddyville in
Wapello County, to Warren County,
touching various points through
Marion County; and the most inter-
esting point for geological investiga-
ton along the whole chain is near
Bennington, Perry Township, with
the exception Of q section near Eddy.
vile. Here is a belt or chain of
bluffs extending for fifty-one miles
from Eddyville, through one corner
of Mahaska County, thence passing
entirely through Marion County. and
some ten miles into Warren County
following the Des Moincs in its zig
gag course, where heavy coal banks
have been worked, Tor rather, heavy
veins or beds Of coal, in various
places along the whole belt, at both
ends and between, the coal ranging
from three to seven and eight feet in
thickness.
Upon the south side Of the river,
above Bennington, we have a mag
niticent view Of the high banks on
the north side. Here the banks are
almost perpendicular for nearly a
mile, being from 80 to 60 feet in
hight. The river here, which has
been splurging and tearing away for
ages, displays the ravages of its
tluctuating foods and torrents while
upon its periodical blenders fora few
centuries past. Here we have q full
view for nearly mile at one point.
At the upper end Of the bank, nearly
touching the line of Warren County,
the stratification seems to be regular
or natural, exposing to view astratum
of coal, some 10 feet above the river
in the bank, which undoubtedly
occupies its natural position, being
from . to feet in thickness. This
seems to run natural for a quarter OF
a mile, when an interruption takes
place--a heavy fault, wash and break
combined setting in, and extending
for about a quarter Of mile farther
down the river, where the natural
stratum again assumes its .position.
Here the outsider can easily under
stand what is meant by fault and a
wash. Here the rock and the whole
strata down the waters edge have
been turned 'topsy-turvy" by the
wearing and tearing away Of this
destructive river. Exposed to view
can be seen sandstones weighing
tons, tipped on end and sideWay,
some having slid down in massive
proportions, where heavy freshets,
floods and torrents have washed
through the breaks, crevicos and
assures, cutting its way and carrying
in its wake coal, clay, sand and rock
into the swift waters Of the Des
Moines. Here we also find the n.y.
draulic rock (which is the hardest
rock the miner has 10 contend with
cut in two By the slow wearing pro-
cess Of the water, as smooth as a
cheese could be cut with q knife.
Traces Of the coal stratum can be
traced here and there, sometimes at
the rivers edge, some 10 feet below
its natural position, where the whole
mass from above has been sunk.
Again we see it where it belongs,
and then again down it goes, and 30
on until we reach the end Of the fault
and break, when the whole strata
assume again their natural position.
Again, in the bed Of the river at
this point another bed Of coal exists,
which any one can shovel into at
low-water mark, where load after
load Of excellent Goa. has been dug
out by different persons for years
past. This is the second bed or vein
of coal, which goes to show conciu-
sively that this grand chain Of bluffs
at one period Of time extended from
shore to shore Of this river, and was
one vast body Of land, and that the
river has cut its way through gradu-
ally, for ages upon ages, until 1t has
cut this body OF land in two, and now
makes up river which is almost as
treacherous as the Mississippi. That
this is true, we have every evidence
that God can possibly give to man.
The coal formation on the north
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