VAN WERT COUNTY., 319 
it contains the common hard-pan Drift only, the same as that which pre- 
vails on either side of the ridge. This occurs in some wells at Van 
Wert. Water of excellent quality for domestic use is almost invariably 
found in penetrating the gravel of the ridge, and occasionally an artesian 
well is obtained, having a depth of but few feet. Such are usually on 
the northward slope. The underlying hard-pan clay being impervious 
to water, and the ridge lying in a slight depression of its surface, the 
water of surface drainage naturally gathers in the trough, and is held as 
in a reservoir by the gravel, by which it is also filtered and cleansed from 
impurities injurious to health, while it is apt to take up the salts of the 
protoxide of iron. Capillary attraction also serves to hold the water 
within the gravel,.thus preventing it from completely draining off at 
the low places, or into the streams that intersect it. If wells find no 
water in this gravel, they are necessarily sunk below the hard-pan ; and 
at Van Wert a second water-bearing stratum of sand and gravel isfound 
lying on the bed-rock. From this a number of artesian wells are derived. 
Their head’and source must be several miles further south, the descent 
being to the north, and the county being very flat. The confining stra- 
tum is the hard-pan Drift. In west Delphos wells are shallow. Some 
are in gravel, probably penetrating the Van Wert ridge. Such are eleven 
or twelve feet deep. Others are fifteen to eighteen feet, striking the 
rock. At Middlepoint, and southward, in Washington and Jennings 
townships, wells are twenty to twenty-five feet deep, frequently going to 
the rock. At Van Wert, in the central part of the city, some of the cel- 
lars which are dug in the gravel of the ridge have springs of good water. 
One man walled his well by inserting two flour barrels. The following 
is a record of a well drilled by the city corporation, at Van Wert, reported 
by Mayor Geo. C. Wells: 
Sollenmn meee amine Mur amitaimae) Galina nun astnmaltc apenas aher eae dedeeeuiss at anten 1) it: 
FSUOLLOSNONL scot eye eeatst Ses WAG ANTI UI NO ALOT ae er a er Dees 
Yellowish-brown clay ; traces of iron and sand .............seeeceee core La 
Derk lolmnrs tis OMA VRAIN bse jhee ee akc Unk OR COL Re ee ca icas saben vecnecesneny Deven’ 
Sky-blue clay, little or no stone, including two inches of gravelly 
J OERICI[ORID .oodcc ot yoy KORG IR De MRR SECA EOCES ERASE SET CORE EEE CEE E cae ARAMA TH OAaeNiet 
Bowlders and gravel, with water which rose to within eal or 
CISMLCCMBIM CME SLOMUMEISTITIACE) seecensrcsscicsscoecsecessacs acesehtcslreceaemrles Oe 
TEMES LOM Me meee ses ee Mecca tats WUC Js Sven elcecedsicemicnecutuatedn/ctaecs Lae He 
AWiacun nlite NC LAyWeem dened ech a Use Se ydcsecoes wedebeleeee cases eeeemstuie ces Sees 
Crystalline, compact or slightly porous, dark-drab limestone, ap- 
CARMA TVE NGL LeH Ome TU AT annateaueuersiscseed) saves es wes ceuke eleaseuetesigener ede ees Bay se 
' Fine-grained drab waterlime, very hard drilling ................. .......+ PAS aN ahs 
BIWCRCLAV ARV CLYMWAR aM UNO LUM Cra cecsvs/ccccesnseevenscerstevcsersececeees eos gee (Oia a 
