106 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



On the south side of Eock river, the two streams of most note are 

 Stillman's run and Kite river. The former is a small stream, rising in 

 the eastern prairie townships, and terminating in Eock river, a mile or 

 two above Byron. Those familiar with the history of the Black Hawk 

 war need not be told that this stream took its name from the retreat of 

 a detachment of white soldiers under Major Stillman, after it had been 

 ambushed and defeated by a band of Black Hawk's warriors. Those 

 slain in crossing 1 the stream were buried on a high point of land, near 

 the residence of Joshua White, Esq. So long as the little stream flows, 

 its historic name will preserve the memory of that disgraceful scare and 

 wild retreat from an almost imaginary danger. The latter is a more 

 considerable body of water, originating mostly in the county, and com- 

 ing in from a south-east direction. Its mouth is near the little village 

 of Daysville. It is a slow, lazy stream. 



The country is rough, and more or less rolling, in close proximity to 

 all these streams, except Stillman's run. The rough, hilly part of the 

 county, along the streams, is covered with a fair growth of the usual 

 white and black oak timber. None of it could be called heavy timber, 

 and some of it is brushy barrens. Still, all these streams, with a few 

 isolated groves, furnish a fair supply for fuel and other economical uses. 



The timber soil is thin and w r hite, but under proper cultivation, re- 

 turns good crops of potatoes, fruit, cereal grains, and garden products. 



By far the largest portion of the county, however, is rich, undulating 

 prairie land. All the eastern and south-eastern part, all the western 

 and north-western part, together with much of the northern part, is 

 prairie, as rich and beautiful as the State can produce. Whole town- 

 ships are treeless. These prairies are covered with a soil composed of 

 the fattest prairie loam. In a part of the State, where all the counties 

 are prosperous, Ogle will rank among the foremost in agricultural re- 

 sources, and in the elements of material wealth. The amount of farm 

 products annually raised and sold are enormous, while the real resources 

 of the soil are not yet half developed. When these resources shall be 

 more fully developed, and the vast untouched water powers of Eock 

 river and its tributaries shall be utilized, this county will attain a de- 

 gree of prosperity which will place it foremost in that richest portion 

 of the Prairie State, lying between Eock river and the Mississippi. 



Geological Formations. 



The geology of Ogle county is of a highly interesting character. Be- 

 sides the usual surface deposits, the Galena, Blue and Buff limestones 

 of the Trenton series, and the Cincinnati group, are all developed ;unl 

 outcrop ; while the St. Peter's sandstone for about fourteen, miles along 



