96 REPORT OF THE 



from Mr. C. II. Whittemore. He says that a "slate rock" can 

 be seen off White Stone Pt., extending out a mile from shore 

 into 12 to IS feet of water. He has traced this north to the 

 neighborhood of Wheeler's (630), where it approaches within 

 8 or 10 feet of the surface, and disappears beneath the sand. 

 Mr. Whittemore lias bored 30 feet at Tawas City, to strike it, 

 but thinks he has not succeeded. " It appears like a blue rock. 

 Chailis says it is iron ore." Mr. Whittemore bored 24 feet in 

 the pure clay at the foot of the bluff, back of Wheeler's He 

 bored in several other places, including* the top of the bluff, 

 and found nothing but soft clay. It will be noticed that the 

 statements of Mr. Whittemore are at variance with those of 

 Mr. Wheeler. In the present state of the case, while it is ob- 

 vious that gypsum occurs in considerable quantity along the 

 shore of Tawas Bay, it is necessary that borings should be 

 carefully made in several places, under the direction of a compe- 

 tent geologist — by which I do not mean one of those who search 

 in the Michigan Salt Group for coal, iron and copper. 



The rocks of the Salt Group should be found gradually ris- 

 ing toward the north along the shore of Tawas Bay. The 

 gradual rise of the ridge, back of Wheeler's, conforms to this 

 condition. If this is the case, the gypsum of Plaster Bluff and 

 Whitestone Pt., should be found in this ridge. The limestone 

 shown by Wheeler as taken from the ridge by Chailis, belongs 

 to one of the beds exposed at Plaster Bluff. In spite, therefore, 

 of the negative results said to be obtained by Mr. Whittemore, 

 I cannot resist the conviction that adequate explorations along 

 this shore would be amply rewarded. 



A short distance south of Tawas City, this ridge is cut 

 through by Dead Creek, which has very high banks. Though 

 no rocks are seen in place, numerous angular fragments are 

 said to occur. In town 23, range 7, on the Ottawa river, are 

 some hills 200 feet high, cut throng]] by the river. 



The region between the head of Tawas Bay and Kent county, 

 has not yet been geologically explored It is likely that nu- 

 merous valuable (acts could be gleaned from the notes of the 



