290 



CONDITIONS BY COUNTIES. 



course of tlie stream is fast approaching to the base level with 

 the Ohio. 



"Like Fishing creek its channel possesses many features of 

 inherited maturity along with those of early youth. The 

 stream in some instances meanders over 2 miles from its general 

 course which is northwest until the latitude of Middlebourne is 

 reached when it changes to southwest. This would seem to in- 

 dicate that it flowed into the preglacial Marietta river. The 

 famous "jug" of Middle Island creek is located about 2 miles 

 above Middlebourne. Here the creek made a great bend or 

 loop to the south 3.5 miles around same and came back within 

 50 feet of itself. Within recent years an attempt has been 

 made to utilize the difference in level, about 10 feet between the 

 two portions of the stream for water power by digging a cut 

 across the low, narrow neck of the peninsula. Floods of course 

 have greatly enlarged this cut and at the present time, when the 

 water is low, the entire discharge flows through the new chan- 

 nel. The peninsula is now an island, and not many years in 

 the future very little of- the stream's output, even in time of 

 floods will go around this bend. 



"At two other prominent points in Tyler county, Middle 

 Island creek has made similar cut-offs, as evidenced by the old, 

 well-marked channels at slightly higher elevations than the 

 present stream level at the points in question. The first of these 

 abandoned loops is located about one-half mile above Josephs 

 Mills, and at the present time Little Camp Mistake run follows 

 the old north channel of the last 0.8 of a mile of its course. The 

 highest point of this old channel is barely 30 feet above the 

 present level of the stream at the neck of the cut-off. 



"The other abandoned loop which is also easily observed 

 on the ground is found at the point where Middle Island crosses 

 the Tyler-Pleasants boundary line. At this point the creek at 

 one time made a great bend of almost a mile to the south. The 

 old channel is plainly visible, the elevation of the highest point 

 of which is about 690 feet above tide. The present level of the 

 creek at the neck of the cut-off is about 610' A. T. 



"Many old terraces are found along the enclosing valley 

 and its tributaries. These terraces no doubt owe their origin 



