The Harrison times., 1901-03-02
CHAPTER vi.
All Rights Reserved.

All Rights Reserved.
An attempt has been made TO
show that Northern Arkansas is
occupied by a series of Marine
deposits that extend in the Geo
logical scale from the eSubcaroniferous
period down to the Granite 1t also
has been explained that the Upper
Silurian and Devonian series of rocks
Mu0Insunuusvuuls4sDs1zay
not have been deposited, or if they
were they must have been completely
removed by erosion, prior to the
time that succeeding strata were
formed-the former being apparently
the more probable. We, therefore,
are dealing with a book, quite a
number of pages of which are gone,
although, with the exception of the
Trenton limestone, they are Of lesser
Importance, since they mostly are
thinly bedded, more or less shaly,
argillaceous or calcareous in
character, and not known nor
recognized as being mineral bearing
formations of value.
Trenton limestone which is the
principle missing leaf in the Geo
logical Record of Northern Arkansas
is, in other states, a highly
important member and constitutes
the base of the Upper Silurian
division. 1t is the Galena or, lead
producing limestone of southwestern
Wisconsin. The zinc mines near
Bethlehem and in Lancaster county,
PENNSYLVANIA, are said to be in the
same horizon, and also the lead
mines of Wythe county Virginia.
Very few fossils have ever been
found in these .ower limestones and
sandstones of Missouri and Ark
ansas to enable geologists to estab-
lish their equivalents as found is
other parts of the world, and some
of them are of a species peculiar TO
themselves. When we consider the
great assistance that has been
rendered by these forms in other
portions of the earth, it is almost a
wonder that so faithful an assign
ment of the different rocks to their
proper places was accomplished at
the beginning. To those less versed
in geology it must be remembered
that the various rock layers, or
strata, always occupy the same
position relative to each other, il
they have not been physically disar-
ranged,-a fact which in great
measure will also apply to metallic
minerals. Coal is found with the
rocks constituting the Coal Measures
lead and zinc, copper, mercury and
cobalt are more confined to the
Lower Silurian and Cambrian lime
stones, while gold, silver, nickle,
antimony and tin are liable to be
found throughout the latter, and
also occupying the primary and
transition rocks. such as quartz,
syenite and porphyry. Fossils then
are a principal guide, not only to
any one particular rock formation
but also to where the different ores
are most likely to be found. They
constitute the geological alphabet
and individually or collectively v
comprise chapters in the earth's
history, dating back cycles anterior
to Pre-adamantine time and up to
the pesent; they serve as a great
guidance in the search for minera
wealth. They also mark progressiv,
stages or series of evolution; tol
the first types of life, compared will
| the present, were diminutive anc
| simple.
| SUBCARBoNIFEROUs RoCKS-CHERT
All that appears of this formation
in Boone and Marion counties is tn,
fragmentary ebert which still
remains as a surface accumulation
on the SUBMITS and upper slopes o
the loftier hills. To the stranger /
presents forbidding appearance
and causes him to exclaim, 81 would
not buy such land at ten cents ar
acre." while the real truth of th
! matter is the soil of the subcar
oniferous ebert is superior for tn
growth of the apple and other fruits
for berries of various kinds, and il
the great nourisher of the vine. Will
proper care and cultivation it will
produce excellent crops of wheat an,
corn, and is capable of yielding
superior growth of timothy an,
clover. The vigorous and quit
extensive forest of pine that lies t
the east and southeast of Dodd Cit
owes its thrift to the cherty sub