AUGLAIZE COUNTY. 405 
western part of the county that, by the action of the Wabash Ridge, 
they unite to form the St. Mary’s River. Such streams are less influ- 
enced by seasons of drouth, and are more reliable for water-power. They 
are, however, so small in Auglaize county that, with the exception of the 
St. Mary’s and some parts of the Auglaize, they cannot be extensively 
utilized in that way. The Miami Canal furnishes good water-power at 
its various locks, which is generally improved for flouring or manufac- 
turing purposes. The aggregate descent in the grade of the Dayton and 
Michigan Railroad from Botkin’s Station, near the southern boundary of 
the county,'to Criderville, near the northern, is one hundred and twenty- 
seven feet. 
SURFACE FEATURES AND SOIL. 
Auglaize county, although showing many of the features of the Black 
Swamp, both in surface contour and soil, has many exceptional features 
that indicate its border situation. The townships of Salem, Noble, 
Moulton, and Logan may, perhaps, be strictly included within the scope 
of that term; but the most of the county is more undulating, and the 
Drift is more gravelly, and more frequently shows an assortment of its 
materials than the level tract usually embraced in that designation. 
The features of the Black Swamp fade out gradually toward the south, 
and the characters which prevail in the various moraine-like ridges 
which cross it are spread more generally over the whole country. These 
changes become very perceptible in crossing the ridges at right angles 
from the center outward. Auglaize county is affected by three of these 
ridges. The outer and older is characterized by a succession of gravelly 
knolls and short ridges, having often a very rolling surface. It has a 
width which varies from one-half mile to three miles. It crosses German 
township, the north-west corner of Shelby county, Pusheta, Clay, and 
Union townships. New Bremen, Botkins, and St. John’s are situated on 
it. Owing to its remarkable development at the last-named place, it has 
been named the St. John’s Ridge. Another gravelly ridge, called the Wabash 
Ridge, intersects the county in a similar way, passing through St. Mary’s, 
Moulton, and Duchouquet townships. It is intersected by the Auglaize 
at Wapakoneta. ‘The third passes through the northern part of Salem 
township. This is simply a broad, gentle undulation, or thickening of 
the Drift, and seems to consist of clay. If it contains gravel, it lies at 
considerable depth, as seen at Lima, where the Ottawa River makes 
through it. It has been fully described in a preceding chapter, under 
the name of the St. Mary’s Ridge. Between these ridges the country is 
sometimes quite flat, but more frequently undulating in Auglaize county. 
