A14 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 
ment of Mercer county has been, and still is, retarded by the lack of rail- 
road communication. The common roads are almost impassable in the 
wet seasons of the year, and the shipment of the products of the farm 
through the Miami Canal is not only difficult, but also expensive. Thus 
the income of the farm is often not pushed beyond the necessities of the 
occupant. Improvements are retarded, and the growth of the county 
correspondingly slow. The rock which underlies the county will answer 
for common use in foundations and walls, and will be a great conveni- 
ence in the manufacture of lime for the local market.’ When the facili- 
ties for shipment become greater, there is no reason why the Niagara in 
Mercer county may not be extensively and profitably burned into quick- 
lime. It will. certainly compare favorably with any manufactured in 
north-western Ohio. At the present time the quarries in the Niagara at 
Piqua furnish most of the building stone used in the county. Gravel 
and sand are taken from the St. John’s Ridge, near Fort Recovery, and 
from the St. Mary’s Ridge, near Shanesville. At the latter place it is on 
the land of Jeremiah 8. Decker. At the same place a bed of bog ore is 
said to occur on Squier Dilbone’s land. 
For brick, tiling, and common red pottery, the surface of the Drift is 
generally well adapted, and a number of establishments of that kind are 
already in existence. The following were noted in the survey of the 
county : 
Gast and Gaken Se uo sew ese ewan sree se corer cece ee are ee eae ae ane Brick. 
John Hargedorn, section 20, Marion township ......... ....2c.00 ssssceseecesenes Tiling. 
Antony, Horst; section’ 30, Marion’ township). :... 2. <00..c+c.sesecctoercrsscceees Brick. 
Herr Von der Bush, section 24, Granville township............ Brick and. Tiling. 
Jacob Myers, section 22, Republic township. ................0 ccsersesceooeseonee os 
Hdward Jones, section’ 16; (Gibson) Township acc.scssssc-cscen ccceeseeestecseeees Brick. 
Se EA fel oto) Kenny (CRITE Aas ale eaccts noosa couoddene cadbodGed HoseG0G00 bogods onoodoenodooo0Ne8 a 
Baker and) larner, Celina aicaectaccms scocssleccacaeselendoemecneneetiso eceen aes 
