676 GEOLOGY OF OHIO 
shows a large quantity of good ore in small nodules, mingled with 
nodules of calcareous ore; the exposure is made by sinking a pit near 
the outcrop, and the condition of the opening was such when visited 
that an accurate measurement could not be made. About fifteen feet 
above it is a limestone from one to one and a half feet thick, of good 
quality, and by analysis said to contain eighty per cent. of lime carbon- 
ate. This ore I regard as the equivalent of Prof. Andrews’ Latta ore, 
which he locates fifteen feet above the Stallsmith coal; it is found in 
nodules or blocks sometimes two feet in thickness, and he traces it 
through all the hills of this region. If this is correct, the Iron Point 
ore, when exposed, is not as rich in this neighborhood as about Shawnee, 
and the gray ore below it, which is largely developed and of excellent 
character, will be of the most importance. I have, however, noticed 
various outcrops of ore about twenty feet above the horizon of the Latta 
ore, of fine quality, and explorations will doubtless be rewarded by impor- 
tant and valuable developments. This is regarded by local explorers as 
the true horizon of the Iron Pointore. The “Moxahala Iron Company” 
has been organized for the manufacture of iron at Moxahala. A shaft 
has })ca sunk to the coal, the thick bed of ore, above described, opened, 
_ and ; reparations made for the immediate erection of the furnace. There 
is nv question as to the abundance and excellence of the materials for 
iron-making in this neighborhood, provided the ore opened on the slip 
shall be found of similar character on its true horizon. The coal at the 
shaft is slightly melting, and will probably produce the best results if 
used with a moderate quantity of coke. This is to be determined by trial, 
and J think everywhere in the Great Vein region, where coke is required, 
it can be supplied by coking a part of the two lower benches of that 
seam. One fact ought to be considered and one caution regarded in this 
whole territory. lIron-making is yet every where largely conducted by 
what is called “‘the rule of thumb,” and in a region where there is so 
great variety in the character of the ores and limestones, the first trials 
should be made with some care; should be rather tentative until by prac- 
tical tests 14 is determined what ores, or what mixture of ores, work the 
best and produce the best results. One temporary failure in the begin- 
ning of enterprises of such importance, and when success is practicable, 
is a public calamity which ought by all means to be avoided, and can 
easily be, if proper care is observed in the first experiments. 
These remarks are not made because of any special danger in this 
locality, where all the material appears to be of excellent quality, but 
arc ipplicable to the whole territory, and because of the tendency to con- 
clud». when experiments have been successful in one part of the field, 
