238 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 
eral weeks. During later years such freshets have been of rare occur- 
rence, as, temporarily at least, the climate has become much dryer than 
previously. At certain seasons of the year there is sufficient water to 
admit of floating out rafts of timber. In the Muskingum the supply is 
more regular, and though now, during the greater part of the year, not 
sufficient for commercial purposes, a comparatively small outlay would 
render it navigable most of the time, and so afford a cheap outlet for the 
bulky iron and coal. 
The limestone beds of the Lower Coal Measures lie near the surface 
over a large portion of the county, and disintegrating readily, render the 
soil “strong,” so that it yields excellent crops of grass and good crops of 
erain. While the hills are usually sharp and somewhat steep, the val- 
leys are numerous, broad, and fertile. 
The Central Ohio Railroad and the Pittsburgh, Columbus and St. Louis 
Railway cross the county and are connected by a branch road running 
along the Muskingum from Zanesville to Dresden Station. The Ohio 
Canal passes through the north-western portion of the county. Zanes- 
ville, the county-seat, is a flourishing city of about twenty thousand in- 
habitants, and an important manufacturing center. Almost every town- 
ship contains one or more cheerful and prosperous villages. A reasonable 
amount of attention is paid to educational matters, and the county con- 
tains one institution empowered to grant collegiate degrees. 
GENERAL GEOLOGY. 
The consolidated rocks of the county all belong to the Carboniferous 
age, and, for the most part, to the Coal Measures. The following is an 
approximate section: 
FT, IN. 
ADS Wa] © pare ues cect erage orale yet, Pes ne POE hrc eS eT eee 100 0 
SDE) OO AL oe Sens oe Sins Sie See emt So SES Se rw en re este ts Seve eee rafe) een tare 2 to 10 
ay (Oleh BESS GS bs dau bobbod odoeoolodsace os pSaoo CoSCOUSaRs addoobass 3 0 
A swIGHMVESTOMO Wil 1h OS LIS Oe IS ae ae Ss ew WR LES Riavet WAI Ca. aes) ope 1-3 0 
Fis ys neal 6 apace, bi asiye fate g Atal 5 steel yn ee a cree nk en a Ae tr 60 0 
64 (Crinoidal: limestone; os. sss cele ey See eC ree ei ere ae 2-4 0 
(eel iC (eee enna rE Armes A Las tS fry Sty ra ohicts OOOO GOCE LEGeoe 1-35 0 
OP wel OX 0421 Meth 0 yf tan sei ma ee i iinmeee Ni ete, RR AE Bs A) Ao SOY Cs NL 1-2 9 
Mii bg Chee eS a ORR AA Sh Ae Ses ad oben SOAS Shoe SHBBE 2 ) 
LO:.. Sandstone ..22 2k SAR Ss BS ee So ese att gery tera) et nar 45-75 0 
Dba Stale sass akin SESE 2h cereale ae fees Sa ae Ea omen ge een aa te re Arete 3 0 
12 Coal, “Norwich. 200 Vetcrrs he Reyne Neyer pareve err ertn Nt jc 0-2 0 
Sai, Here“ Cl ayes oioeis, sve ok oe Loi aires Seine a 20 OP cee ce a Dect ei We O) 
14. Limestone Seer ey ERP ne ere a eS es Me oy error 8 0 
15 Sandstone and shale osc oc a cameo eitesroeue rareete ee earoreterer ernie ayetrate 100 0 
Oot (COAVNOLT cares Sse ES Se Pa Ie Ir ogee arene a ere rs 1-6 0 
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