664: GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF THE LEAD REGION. 



great deal of sand was seen at an elevation of 150 feet above the top 

 of the St. Peters; numerous concretions of iron were also found, sim- 

 ilar to those usually found in the upper bed of that formation. East 

 of the center of sec. 34, T. 3, R. 6 E., is another sandy ridge. 



The agencies of the glacial period do not appear to have had any- 

 thing to do with transporting the component materials of the soil, 

 and although a slight transportation has taken place, it is always 

 merely local. For instance, in the valleys of the creeks which lie in 

 the St. Peters sandstone, the soil is usually a rich clay loam, richer 

 in fact than that of the adjacent ridges, because the best parts of the 

 upland soils have been washed down, and distributed over the surface 

 of the valley. 



A similar transportation may be observed in passing up any long, 

 and moderately steep hill, which includes several formations; such 

 hills being very common north of the principal watershed. Let us 

 suppose one, whose summit is composed of Galena limestone, and 

 whose base lies in the Lower Magnesian. Scattered about the base 

 will be seen many loose pieces of Lower Magnesian limestone, mixed 

 with less numerous bowlders of St. Peters sandstone; still less nu- 

 merous and smaller pieces of the Buff and Blue (Trenton) limestone, 

 while fragments of the Galena limestone will be comparatively rare. 

 On ascending the hill and arriving at the St. Peters, fragments of 

 Lower Magnesian will no longer be seen ; while those of the upper 

 formation will become larger and more numerous. On arriving at 

 the Buff limestone, the fragments of St. Peters sandstone will also 

 have disappeared, fragments of Blue limestone will be very numerous 

 and easily recognized by their white color, and their general rounded 

 and v/orn appearance. On reaching the summit of the hill, no frag- 

 ments of stone will be found, except such as are derived from the 

 subjacent Galena limestone. One prominent feature of the soil will 

 be the prevalence of flints, which are nearly indestructible, and often 

 form a large component part. From the arrangement of the surface 

 soil and fragmentary rock, it is evident that the rock of any formation 

 is never found above the level from which it was detached. 



Peat. While on the subject of surface soil and subsoil, it is de- 

 sired to 'report two places in Green county which afford the only ap- 

 proach to this useful article, which has been observed in the Lead 

 region. The first is situated on Jordan creek, in the E. hf. of Sees. 

 21 and 28, T. 2, R. 6 E., and comprises f roni one hundred and fifty to 

 two hundred acres. The other locality is on the Little Sugar river, 

 near the center of Sec. 11, T. 3, R 7 E. As the conditions under 

 which they exist are similar, one description will serve for both. 



