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GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



The Valley of the Stillwater. — The geological formation of the country- 

 bordering the Stillwater has been already pretty fully described. The 

 dip of the rocks being for the most part south-easterly, and the Stillwater 

 running north-westerly, it crosses in its course a large number of strata, 

 and affords an unusually complete section, reaching from the Upper Coal 

 Measures above the Pittsburgh seam, in Belmont county, to the horizon 

 of Coal No. 4, near Eastport. Where it enters Tuscarawas county. Coal 

 No. 7 is the highest important member of the series, here of unusual 

 excellence. With this coal extending from Stillwater to Newport, and 

 No. 6, so well developed about Uhrichsville, the valley is well supplied 

 with coal, and it is also probable that in Rush township valuable depos- 

 its of blackband will hereafter be discovered. 



The Valley of the Conotton. — The Conotton, in its descent from Leesburg 

 to Zoar Station, passes down from Coal No. 7 to Coal No. 3, and in a large 

 part of its course it opens what promises to be excellent developments of 

 Coal No. 6. In places. Coal No. 5 is also found, of good thickness, while 

 the hills on both sides contain more or less important deposits of black- 

 band and mountain ore. The extension of a railroad through this val- 

 ley will certainly develop a large amount of mineral wealth, and make 

 this, which has hitherto been barren ground, an important contributor 

 to the business of the county. 



The Valley of Sugar Creek. — But little has been said on the preceding 

 pages in regard to the country bordering Sugar Creek, inasmuch as its 

 resources have been, up to the present time, imperfectly developed. In 

 its northward course, from Auburn to Deardofl's Mills, Sugar Creek drains 

 a district which is generally high, and where the hills rise high enough 

 to include the blackband ore. Recent explorations lead to the convic- 

 tion that on both sides of the county line ore-beds exist which will prove 

 to be of great value. Coal No. 6 is freely opened in the lower part of the 

 valley, and in many places is specially good. At Deardoflf's Mills the 

 stream cuts down nearly or quite to the base of the Coal Measures, and 

 exposes a bed of coal which has been supposed to be No. 1. No explora- 

 tions have been made to determine this question, but it seems to me very 

 doubtful whether this is the Massillon seam, for several reasons, viz. : 

 1st. It lies too near the overlying coals. 2d. It is overlain by a black 

 fossiliferous shale, which, though containing a peculiar group of shells, 

 most of which are new, is, apparently, a coal-measure bed. 3d. A little 

 way east from Deardoff's Mill the Zoar limestone is seen lying but little 

 above the level of the bed of coal in question. 



The hills south of Deardofl's Mill rise above Coal No. 7, within two 



