128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



plates in Owen's '62 report, these were the first full page illustrations showing 

 features connected with the geology or resources of Indiana. 



In the introduction, Cox states that the summer's work "proves the con- 

 tinuance of the Block or iron smelting coal from the northern limits of the 

 Indiana coal basin to the Ohio River, a geological discovery of incalculable 

 advantage to the State, as the day cannot be far distant when this coal, 

 which is unequalled for smelting iron, wiU induce the building of blast furnaces 

 along the entire eastern margin of the coal basin." Subsequent survey's have 

 proven this statement to be wrong, the true "block coal field" being limited 

 to Clay and the southern third of Parke Counties and a small area near Pat- 

 ricksburgh, Owen County. 



In the introduction Ave find also the first mention of a new assistant who, 

 for a number of years thereafter, was closely connected with the history and 

 development of Indiana Geology. Of him Mr. Cox says: "To Prof. John 

 Collett, of Vermillion County, was assigned the duty of making a detailed 

 survey of Sullivan County, a labor which he has performed in a highly 

 satisfactory manner, as the able and minute report of the geology of that 

 countj', puV)lished in this volume, will liear testimony. He has made known 

 manj'^ interesting facts in the stratigraphy of the coals, and collected a large 

 number of organic remains, which serve to increase our knowledge of the 

 vertical range of the fauna and flora of the coal measures." 



Several railways had by this time been constructed or were being built 

 through portions of the coal area. Among these was a part of what is now 

 known as the Evansville and Indianapolis railway. Col. J. W. Foster of 

 Chicago had made an examination and report of the resources along this 

 proposed line, and Prof. Cox felicitates himself regarding this as follows: 

 "It is highly flattering to me that this able report bears testimony to the 

 accuracy of my previous geological work, and fully confirms all that 1 have said 

 in regard to the value of the block coal for the manufacture of iron and steel, 

 and sets forth the incalculable advantages possessed by Indiana for controlling 

 the iron market of the new West, and for conducting the most gigantic met- 

 allurgical operations in the country." 



The body of Cox's second (1S70) report is devoted almost wholly to the 

 geology of the coal districts, the reports on Daviess, Martin and Sullivan 

 Counties being in detail and accompanied by maps, while several other coun- 

 ties were treated more briefly. A full account of the mineral waters at Indian, 

 Trinity, French Lick and West Baden springs, including quantitative analyses, 

 was given. There is also a section of an artesian well, 1(529 feet in depth, 

 put down on the river bank at Terre Haute, and a statement regarding two 

 oil wells in the same city, as follows: "The first, or Rose well, was sunk to 

 a depth of seventeen hundred and ninety-three feet. It was bored for water, 

 and strict attention was not paid to the character of the rocks after passing 

 through the coals in the upper part of the section. At 1,629 feet a vein of oil 

 was struck which yielded about two barrels per day. The oil was shut out 

 and the bore continued to a depth of 1,793 feet, having reached an abundant 



