DARKE COUNTY. A499 
of. those ancient lakelets, abounding so numerously upon the water-shed 
in several of the counties farther east, remains here, namely, that which 
is known as ‘Black Swamp.” It is situated in the north-eastern part of 
the county, and is fast becoming, through artificial drainage and vast 
accumulations of organic matter, what all will ultimately terminate iIn— 
a2 great bog. a 
Several peat bogs of considerable area exist im different portions of the 
county, which will receive more special attention in speaking of the soil. 
But of one, however, showing their peculiar character, it might be well 
to give a brief history here. Many years ago, in the construction of the 
Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railroad in the 
northern part of the county, the route of the railroad necessitated 
the running over of one of these peat bogs. To the apparently dry loam 
or peat, with its dense growth of vegetation, was added sufficient gravel 
and other material to complete the bed of the road, and in due time the 
track laid and used. But one morning, not long after, as the train came 
along, a great break was espied; the track had evidently disappeared, 
and upon investigation the truth was revealed. The track, instead of 
crossing over a dry peat bog, was the rather crossing over a hidden lake. 
Vast quantities of mosses and aquatic plants, together with branches, 
trunks of trees, and other debris, had collected until they. had formed, as 
it were, a super-aquatic soil of several feet in thickness, and of such a re- 
markable density and buoyancy as to support, for a time, the weight of a 
train. Some idea may be obtained from this incident of the vast accumu- 
lations of organic matter that have been and are now going on to produce 
these peat bogs. No wonder, too, that an occasional mastodon, or the re- 
mains of other extinct animals are exhumed from the extensive organic ~ 
_ deposits, when we meet with such instances as the above. Having now 
enumerated the principal topographical and surface features, we will 
now notice the 
{ll. DRIFT DEPOSITS. 
|The Drift deposits, or Quaternary formation, of Darke county, stands 
preeminent above all other geological features presented within its bor- 
ders. While its structural geology offers but a single simple, rocky for- 
mation, there is afforded in its great Drift deposits not only a variety of 
very interesting phases, but a source of untold wealth and comfort to its 
inhabitants. Through it are to be solved many deep and interesting in- 
dustrial questions, as well as a successful pursuit, or the contrary, of 
numerous other enterprises lying nearest to the hearts of the people. 
As previously. mentioned, the wholé county is underlaid with but one 
geological formation, viz., the Niagara limestone, and of the Upper or 
