CHAPTER LII. 



REPORT ON THE GEOLOGY OP NOBLE COUNTY. 



This county is quite irregular in outline. It is bounded on the north 

 by Guernsey, on the east by Belmont and Monroe, on the south by Wash- 

 ington, and on the west by Morgan and Muskingum. The southern part 

 of the county is drained by the waters of Duck Creek, which flows south 

 to meet the Ohio at Marietta, and the northern part by the waters of 

 Will's Creek, which flows northward and empties into the Muskingum. 

 The soil in the valleys is generally rich and productive, and in many 

 townships are abundant limestones, which greatly enrich the soil of the 

 hill-sides. 



The county lies wholly within the Coal Measures, and is rich in coal. 

 The high lands almost every where contain the upper Salem, or Cum- 

 berland seam, and the Cambridge seam is known to exist beneath the 

 surface in fine development in the northern part of the county. Some 

 excellent iron ores have been found at different points. Brine for the 

 manufacture of salt will be found almost every where by boring, and 

 salt can be made cheaply with the small and refuse coals of the mines. 

 Petroleum in considerable quantities has been obtained in the southern 

 part of the county. Now that a railroad has been constructed through 

 the Duck Creek valley, we may hope for a large increase of production 

 of. oil whenever the price will render production remunerative. The 

 Marietta, Pittsburgh and Cleveland Railroad, extending through the 

 . whole length of the county from south to north, is destined to prove of 

 incalculable benefit to the people of the county by aiding the develop- 

 ment of their vast mineral resources. 



BEOOKFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



This township lies in the north-west corner of the county. The land 

 is generally high, and the water drains in several directions. In the 

 north-west part the streams flow northward into Will's Creek, on the 

 east they flow into Duck Creek, and in the south-western part into a 



