The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-06-11
SOMETHING OF LOUISIANA GEOLOGY.

In the geological structure OF lIOOlSl-
ana. none of the primary or mctamor-
phic rock appear, and Of the secondary
only the estacious formation is exhibited
in several limestones found in many of
the parishes. The tertiary and post
tertiary formations form the general
superfices Of the State. Doubtless the
Oldest formations upon which the later
ones are superimposed exist, but lie
very deep. Louisiana, indeed, has as
thick a crust as any known country,
the alluvial formation being alone
estimated at more than 1000 feet in
thickness, therefore, If the theory he
true that earthquakes are caused by
the action of internal fires on the Their
NAL crusts OF the earth, Louisiana
may never have an earthquake. How
ever, in the great commissions of nature,
which have so terribly marred the face
Of the earth, there are indications that
Louisiana has been successfully raised
and lowered, up and down, good
many feet, and there are plain marks
along the sea coast which show that
the last action of this kind was lower
ing, or sinking of the coast several
feet since it was Inhabited by man.
The cretace0us rocks are found in the
deep borings of the sulphur mine :;
in the lowest depths Of this boring is
Il belt of gypsum, sulphate Of lime, or
plaster of Paris, AS it is commonly
called, fully 800 feet thick. The upper
portion of this belt is mixed with
sulphur and on the top Of it lies the
feet thick, and then comes the upper
members of the cretaceous group, as
exhibited in this Stated soft white
crystalline, crumbling limestone. This
limestone, or similar limestone, crops
out at Chicotville, presenting there an
excellent marble. 1t is found at
Deaker's and Kings salt works, and
Robins Lick and near Winfield is a
a limestone hill some fifty or sixty feet
above the drainage OF the country, it
is crystalline horizontally banded, is
very pure and makes most excellent
lime. This hill presents the largest
face of stratitied rocks in the State.
Professors EIilgard and Hopkins attri-
butte the formation of the sulphur
of Petite Anse, to the vast
gypsum bed, and Professor Hilgard
predicts that there is a
cretaceous ridge tr:lvcrsing the State
from north-northwest to south-south
west, both salt and sulphur will be
found at other points than those already
There is Il slight variance between
Professor Hilgard, Of Mississippi, and
Professor Hopkins, of the State Uni
as to the arrangement of the
tertiary and quarterary formation, but,
ut the surface, the following
are indicated in this State;
drift third, the Grand Gulf; fourth,
the Vicksburg; fifth, the jackson and
sixth, tho Mansfield. Some Of these
are mere narrow strips, as the Vicks-
burg group, from seven to twenty
miles in width, extending diagonally
across the upper portion of the State.
The most extensive Is the drift which
Overrides a large portion of the piney
woods region. The drift is generally
rudely stratified, with the pebble
stratum below covered by orangecolor-
Ell sands, and this by white and sandy
red clays. The portions of the State
covered by the Mansfield sands and
the drift are usually poor lands, but
would do well when manfred. Many
Of the lands covered by the Nicksburg
and Jackson groups are really excel
lent lands. The Mansfield group con-
tains the most important materials
though it Is chiefly sand, yet it con-
tains butes of Ignite sometimes seven
teet thick, limestone, and the purest of
iron ore, OF 81 per cent purity, and free
from phosphosrus and sulphur. Pro-
fessor Hilgard pronounccs it superior
iron ore for making steel. Works for
making steel on the Bessimer plan
have been established in the United
States, and it has been found that none
of the ordinary ores of Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee or Missouri
could be used, as they contain too
largea percentage of phosphorus, and
iron from Algeria had to be imported
in order to produce steel containing
not more than five-tenths of one per
cent of phosphorus. The ores of Lou
isiana, though not so rich as some
other ores, are, however, invaluable,
like her salt, sulphur and gympsum,
for their exceeding purity.
The presence of pure plaster of Paris
in such immense beds as have been al
ready discovered underlying the creta-
ceous limestone in the Calcasicu Wells
and the Upper Salines, assure the peo-
pie of Louisiana that they have mex.
haustible supplies OF the best fertilizer
in the world for the very regions in
,rhi oh fhox, bayx, bnnn liarrynrnI