VAN WERT COUNTY. 323 



MATERIAL RESOURCES. 



The rocks of the county hold no minerals of economical value. They 

 can only he used for quicklime and for ordinary foundations. The wealth 

 of the county will always be largely agricultural. The soil is very fertile 

 and enduring, but is rather heavy and wet for the quick growth of crops. 

 The farms of the county are undergoing more or less thorough artificial 

 drainage, and will be valuable in a corresponding ratio. The heavy 

 forest with which the surface is largely covered is an important item of 

 wealth, which, although retarding the opening of farms and the occu- 

 pancy of the county, is yet destined to be of great benefit to the county. 

 Extensive stave manufactories are established at Van Wert and Delphos. 



Lime. — The lime-kilns at Streughn and on section 8, Union township, 

 are the only important establishments of the kind in the county. They 

 are of the old style, and have to be emptied after burning before filling 

 again. At Streughn two cords of wood burn sufficiently one hundred 

 bushels of. lime, requiring forty-five hours, at the cost of two dollars per 

 cord. Lime sells at twenty-five cents per bushel. Most of it goes to Fort 

 Wayne, and thence is shipped throughout Indiana. Stone at the quarry 

 brings $1.50 per perch. These kilns are worked by William Wehrs. 

 Two constant draw-kilns were formerly run at the same place by Mr. J. 

 E. Noble, consuming one and a half cords of wood per one hundred bushels. 



Messrs. Bohnert & Co., in Union township, ship lime, via Convoy, to 

 Van Wert, Fort Wayne, and Chicago, at twenty cents per bushel, whole- 

 sale. It retails at thirty cents per bushel. There are six kilns here of 

 the common kind, burning two and a half cords of mixed wood per one 

 hundred bushels of lime, at $1.50 per cord. From the kilns a wooden 

 railroad conveys the lime about six miles to the station at Convoy. 



Brick and Tile. — The Drift clay of the county is well fitted for the 

 manufacture of red brick and tile, and the following list embraces all 

 known establishments of this kind : 



Joseph Fetter, Delphos Brick. 



Hummel & Metzker " 



Steinmetz Brothers, three miles north-west of Delphos " 



Samuel Norris, Van Wert Brick and tile. 



Thomas Lahue, " •■ Brick. 



Amos Price, " " 



Tucker Brothers Tile. 



