REPORT ON FIF.I.D WORK IN GEOLOGY. 107 



else the upper one becomes immensly thick, fov according to the best 

 correlation* we can make the heavy limestone at Independence is the 

 same as the Oswego limestone. Here there seems to be but one bed; 

 and it is 30 or 40 feet thick. To the northeast it seems that the 

 Oswego limestone reaches to Fort Scott, and even farther. It caps 

 the high hills on the divide between Fort Scott and Pittsburg, reach- 

 ing an altitude of fully 1000 feet above sea level. The altitude at 

 Oswego is only 889 feet, and the distance about 30 miles, giving the rock 

 a dip to the southwest of 7,^4 feet to the mile. The greatest dip is 

 to the northwest. If our correlation is correct the dip from the 

 highlands north of Pittsburg to Fort Scott is fully 11 feet to the mile, 

 making one of the highest angles known in this part of the state. 



The character of the two strata of the Oswego limestone is very 

 similar. Each stratum is composed of a number of distinct layers; 

 each one, also, is relatively rich is fossils. Brachiopods occur in 

 considerable abundance, and also well preserved fossil coral is plenti- 

 ful. The rock is a compact, solid limestone of a light buff color, and 

 is suitable for building purposes of all kinds when it can be 

 obtained of sufficient dimensions. In addition to the fossils it also 

 contains flint nodules in considerable abundance. 



The shale between the two strata of limestone is intensely black, 

 the most so of any observed in the state. In many places it has little 

 nodular concretions about the size of hickory nuts which weather out 

 in great abundance. When broken open they seem to be homogene- 

 ous, and seem in constitution like the remainder of the shale. The 

 black color of the shale, as well as the nodular concretions, is due 

 of course to carbonaceous matter. 



Passing up the Neosho river from Oswego one finds that the 

 Oswego limestone is observable at or near the surface to the vicinity 

 of Laneville, where it passes beneath the water in the river and is seen 

 no more. We had no exact data from which to calculate the differ- 

 ence of levels. At Oswego the limestone is fully 120 feet above the 

 water in the river. The distance up stream is about twelve miles. 

 Making an estimated allowance of three feet per mile for the fall of 

 the river we have a northerly dip of about seven feet per mile for the 

 limestone. 



Immediately overlying the Oswego limestone there is a bed of shale 

 which in places grades into sandstone. This formation is from 75 to 

 [Qo feet thick. It is unusually important on account of the many 

 beds of excellent sandstone it contains in different places. They are 

 characterized by the thinness of the layers and smoothness of the 



*The evidence upon which this oorrelatiou is based will be given in another division 

 of the present article, this nnniber of the Quarterly. 



