11. OLIVER TOWNSHIP. F 3 . 279 



here has been fully explained in the chapter on the iron 

 ores of the county, Chapter IV, page 91, above. It is 

 sufficient to remark that the ore occurs as usual in a thick 

 mass of white and black clay, occupying the place and per- 

 haps produced by the decay of the Marcellus limestone. 

 These ore works are more advantageously situated than any 

 others in the county that mine this bed. The distance to 

 the furnace is less than two miles, all down hill. Water is 

 sufficient for washing the ore and its extraction is easy. 

 The beds lie nearly vertical and the material is soft. The 

 quantity, however, to be washed is very large as the ore is 

 much scattered through the body of the clay, which is in 

 some places 15 or 20 feet in thickness. 



The black shale is seen in but few places, and presents 

 no unusual feature. 



The Hamilton lower shale beds form a long narrow val- 

 ley on the south side of the Buffalo hills extending across 

 the township. It is not cleared and needs no notice. 



The Hamilton sandstone, (VIII.) 



The Hamilton sandstone of Buffalo hills forms the only 

 rugged ridge in Oliver township, though that portion of 

 Middle ridge near Newport composed of the Chemung up- 

 per shale makes a very near approach to it in steepness and 

 roughness. The Hamilton sandstone enters the township 

 from Miller at the east and runs W. S. W. across the road 

 from Newport to Duncannon, where it crops out at the edge 

 of the wood. It crosses the township line in the narrows 

 and then returns, being thrown out by one of the northern 

 anticlines of Limestone ridge, reenters the township, and 

 again zigzagging westward passes out finally at the lower 

 end of the narrows where it is cut through by Inoculate 

 run. There are no features calling for remarks in this short 

 line. The sandstone shows the same characters as in Cen- 

 tre township, in the account of which full details concern- 

 ing it may be found. Its dip is very steep, about 75° N. N. 

 W. toward the southeast line, but it flattens down towards 

 Inoculate run to 25° or 30°. The steeper dip may be seen 

 between Newport and the Clouser Iron Works at the top 



