224 V\ REPORT OF PROGRESS. E. W. OLAYPOLE. 



The Genessee, Portage] and Chemung. 



The southern portion of Howe township is composed r 

 with the small exception already noted, of the rocks of this 

 group cleft into two portions by the great double bend of 

 the Juniata. The hrst portion projects southward and is 

 nearly surrounded by the river. The second portion lies 

 on the east side of the river. The hard sandy shales oppo- 

 site Newport are only a continuation of those in Middle 

 ridge. These same beds are continued again in Middle 

 Bucks valley into Buffalo township. They dip uniformly 

 to the N. by W. 



In this township and crossing into Oliver occurs a calca- 

 reous bed of unusual thickness. It is only exposed so far 

 as I am aware opposite the furnace at Newport and a mile 

 east from this point in the river bank. Apparently it is a 

 lenticular mass composed in great part of fossil shells, or 

 rather casts, and extending over no great distance.. Its 

 composition, as may be seen from the following analyses 

 by Mr. McCreath, varies much : 



Carbonate of lime, 60.214 49.178 33.482 



Carbonate of magnesia, 1.664 1.816 1.967 



Oxide of iron and alumina, 5.384 5.761 8.298 



Phosphorus, 068 .052 .084 



Siliceous matter, 31.520 41.940 53.810 



It is worthy of remark, though rjroperly belonging to 

 Oliver township, that this bed of limestone just mentioned 

 seems to be the chief water-bearing stratum at Newport for 

 the southern part of the town. As a consequence the water 

 yielded by the w T ells is so hard as to be unfit for use in 

 washing. This bed, therefore, has a very important bear- 

 ing on the water supply of the town. 



It may be further observed that in measuring the thick- 

 ness of the different formations in Perry county, this lime- 

 stone band just described has been assumed as a base to the 

 Chemung. It is scarcely necessary to add that, being a 

 mere Lenticular bed, it has no such value, and all measure- 

 ments founded on the assumption are untrustworthy. In- 

 stead of being the base of the Chemung it lies high up in 

 that group. It is crowded with Chemung fossils, especially 



