Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-02-28
The st. Peters sandstone differs
very ruuch Ia rs th;al,noas =, J:r.s


pear to be the case so much in the
Lead region as near the northern out.
crop of the formation, where it is in
some places as thin as 40 feet, and in
others, not more than mile or two
distant, it is 100, or even $50, feet
thick, and seemingly depends on the
varying thickness of the underlying
Lower Magnetism limestone. The
layers consist of subordinate parts oil
very various lamination, dipping in
various directions.
Many instances were seen of the
varying thickness Of Lower Magne-
sian and St. Peters sandstone, from
which the following are selected
Q) In the S. +. Or. of Sec 26, Il.
8, r. l, E., is dry run in which the
Potsdam is seen in outcropping cliffs
passing above the top of this, a clay
soil sets in, which indicates the place
of the Lower Magnetism, although it
is not seen. Next the st. Peters is
seen in bold cliffs 100 feet high; the
distance from the lower bed of the
St Peters to the top of the Potsdam
being nowhere over 100 feet
CD In the S. W. ar. of Sec. Is, T.
Z, Il. 4, W., the ST. Peters has a thick
ness of $50 feet, of which the upper
10 feet consist of soft, white, friable
sand, in which the usual connections
and appropriations of iron are want
ing. This is underlaid by 90 feet OF
yellow sandstone, and this again by a
very dark red sandstone.
60 In the n E. or. of Sec. 30, T.
s, r. 2, w, the lower Magnetism lime
stone is just 100 feet thick, and the st.
Peters sandstone $50 feet.
(4) In the s. E or. of Sec. s, T. Z,
r. 2, W., the Lower Magnetism is 200
feet, and the st. Peters 100 feet thick,
its upper surface being nearly hori-
zontal; both formations appear to
have about their average thickness.
60 In the S. E. ar. of Sec. 2, r. 6,
r. ,, W., the sandstone is about 70
feet thick, and the Trenton limestone
about so.
There are several new localities
which were examined in 1874, where
slight upEeayals of the formation ap.
pear TO have taken place. The most
marked example Of this, known as Red
Rock, is situated in the valley of the
Pecatonica, IN T. 2, r. 4, Z. The
sandstone energies from the river near
the center of Sec. 90. 1t reaches its
greatest elevation near the quarter
post of Secs. II and le, where it has
thickness of over 100 feet, and dis.
appears again below the river in the
5. E. or. Of Sec. 7. The average
width of the exposure is about half a
mile. 1t also extends up the valley
Of small creek as far as the center
of Sec. s. This exposure covers about
one and half square miles. The fol.
lowing section Gig 81 through the
railroad cut at this place illustrates
the upheaval: (See Fig. 9. above.)
In the N. E. part of T. 8, r. 5, E.,
there is an upheaval of sandstone, be.
ginning at the creek which flows
nearly due west, south of Secs. IL and
IL The disturbance continues north
for some distance, as the whole ridge
between this creek and the one next
north of it lies in the sandstone as far
north as the Pecatonica river, in T. a,
r. 5, E. The thickness of the sand
stone is here so great that it is hardly
probable that it has its normal posi-
ton. A third disturbance, and the
last which will be cited, is in T.. 2, r.
6, E. The sandstone on the small
branch in Secs 35 and SO slopes gently
toward Skinner creek, which appears
to lie in a slight depression or syn.
clinal valley. Passing over the ridge
was discovered, by means of observa-
tons on the top of the st. Peters,
which was exposed in numerous small
dry runs. The top of the formation
was found to be thirty feet higher on
the ridge than at either of the creeks.
Although disturbances of this kind
are extremely rare and infrequent,
yet, in these instances the variations
from the normal dip are too plain to
be mistaken.
Ores and Minerals. The st. Peters
sandstone has been carefully exam.
ined to find, if possible, any indication
of openings, either vertical or fiat,
such as exist in the Galena limestone.
No evidences were seen, except occa-
sional vertical seams and assures,
which contained neither metallic mat
ter, nor minerals and clay, such as
are found in veins, and which proba-
bly, have no connection with the vein
system of the Galena limestone. The
formation seems to be also perfectly
destitute of organic remains.
The only indication of metal seen
in this formation is the presence Of
small concretions of sandstone, ce.
mented by ferruginous substance.
This is due to the decomposition oil
iron pyrites or marcasite, as is proved
by its existence in various stages oil
decay. These concretions are no,
confined to any particular part of the
formation, but ara much more abun'
dant in the upper beds. They are
frequently perfectly spherical, and
when they occur in the dark-colored
sandstone, are often surrounded by q
white ring, about half an inch in
width, from which the coloring mat
ter seems to have been absorbed
They have been noticed with more oil
less frequency in various places, Blu,
were found most abundantly in the
road near the center of Sec. 3, L. l
r. 6, E. Another place was observed
where the connections were wanting
and their place had been supplied by
a different salt of iron; it was in ths
S. E. or. of Sec. 25, T. 1, r. 8, E., a
the junction of the Buff limestone ani
st. Peters. The lower bed of The
former is full of irregular cavities, ant
small round holes about one-fourth o
an inch in diameter. The upper bee
of the sandstone is colored green by