86 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



of west from the town, an even bedded sandstone is quarried for build- 

 ing purposes similar to that at Hoag's quarry north of Xenia. This 

 sandstone probably underlays the shales outcropping at the Williams 

 place three or four miles to the westward, and the coal there is either 

 a local deposit or else represents coal No. 14 of the general section. 



Ou sec. 21, T. 2 K, R. 6 E , in the bluffs of Bear ere 'k, near the north 

 line of the county, a massive sandstone outcrops for some distance 

 along the bluffs of the stream in perpendicular cliffs from twenty to 

 thirty feet in hight. This sandstone was struck in the boring at Flora 

 at the depth of about sixty feet, and was penetrated to the depth of 

 eighty-four feet. The outcrops on Bear creek probably represent only 

 the lower portion of the bed. 



On sec. 27, T. 2 N, E. 6 E., argillaceous and sandy shales with bands 

 of kidney iron ore crop out in the slopes of the hills at various points, 

 showing an aggregate thickness of twenty feet or more, with a bitumi- 

 nous shale or impure coal near the top of the exposure. A well sunk 

 here struck a vein of water at the depth of twenty-one feet so strong 

 that it soon rose to the surface and has beeu flowing freely to the pres- 

 ent time. It has a strong taste of epsom salts, and produces an effect 

 similar to that drug upon those who use it. At Mr. Eli McDaniel's 

 place, adjoining the above, a spring of the same kind of water is found, 

 somewhat stronger in mineral properties than that in the well. The 

 water here seems to derive its mineral properties from the bed of argil- 

 laceous shale which forms the bed rock in this vicinity, as wells sunk in 

 the overlaying sandstone afford pure water. 



The following additional notes and sections are reported by Prof. Cos 

 in this county : "At Liberty they pass through sandstone in digging 

 wells from ten to forty feet, and obtain good water. On sec. 30, T. 2, 

 E. 7, limestone is obtained for building and for lime. Bed three feet 

 thick, upper part shaly, contains Productus longispirms, Macrocheilus 

 inhabilis, Athyris sicbtilita, Productus costatus and joints of Crinoidea. 

 ■ The same limestone is exposed at Whitaker's, on sec. 25, T. 2, E. 7. 

 A thin coal is usually found beneath the limestone, and a thin, impure 

 coal or bitumiuous shale is frequently seen in the shales above it. Clay 

 iron ore occurs in a grayish shale seven miles north of Fairfield, 

 exposed by a wash on a hill side. On sec. 34, T. 1 S., E. 9 E., the fol- 

 lowing beds are seen : 



Ft. In. 



Heavy bedded sandstone 25 



Arenaceous shale - 10 



Black, slaty shale 2 



Pyritiferous shale, with fragments of shells 3 



Fire clay (good quality) 1 



Clay shale 8 



Shaly sandstone in river hed 2 " 



