History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I, Part 26

Author: Howell, J. M., ed; Smith, Heman Conoman, 1850-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 350


USA > Iowa > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 26


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26


FEET


3. Limestone, ash gray to brown, fine-grained, thin- bedded, with courses up to 1 foot in thickness and shale partings 6-10


269


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


FEET


2. Shale, drab, imperfectly exposed, but showing 1 foot of black slate. 10


1. Limestone, brecciated or fragmental type, firmly cemented and apparently non-fossiliferous. . 4


It is the upper roek which is quarried and which carries Athyris subtilita (abundant) Productus cora, Productus cameratus, Pro- ductus costatus, Rhynchonella uta, Hustedia mormoni (rare) and the usual stems and spines of erinoids. The rock dips to the west, and the Winterset present in the hills above is exposed farther up the stream.


Near Davis City there are quarries both north and southwest of town. The main quarry north of town is the S. Radnick, which is opened in the Earlham. The quarries southwest of town are along Dickerson branch and include the W. Rickards, Hugh Sutherland. Jos. Boswell, and C. Noble openings. These are all small openings in the Earlham.


As seen at the Boswell quarry the section is as given below.


6. Stripping, loess-loam


FEET INCHES 2-4


5. Limestone 1


4. Rotten stone and shale. 2


3. Limestone, 14-inch ledge carrying a 3-inch ledge below 1


2. Shale and rotten stone. 1


1. Limestone, with wavy bedding, ledges run- ning from 3 to 16 inches. 0


The bedding in the lower stone is quite irregular. The courses are persistent but vary rapidly in thickness so that the surface lines are wavy. In the roadway, about ten feet below the stone, are traces of a black slate; and in the stream, about twenty feet below the quarry. the Fragmental rock outcrops. It is unfossiliferous except for the presence of Productus cora, is loosely cemented and crumbles so readily that it does not form a ledge. The Winterset limestone is present higher in the hills and possibly also the De Kalb.


The location of the various outerops in the southeastern portion of the county and the character of the stone has already been suffi- ciently indicated.


270


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


Lime


In the earlier years of the settlement of the county lime was burned at several points. The roek is not, however, adapted to the manufacture of the best grade of lime, owing to its non-magnesian character, and with the better transportation facilities now enjoyed by the region the trade has passed into the hands of producers in other sections of the country. The non-magnesian rocks burn to a clear white lime of good appearance, but which really affords a weaker bond than that furnished by the magnesian lime. It is also difficult to handle and can only be worked by exercising great care in slacking and by using an abundance of water. For these reasons it would compete upon unequal terms with the lime now on the mar- ket, and except in especial instances the old industry is not apt to be revived. The purity of the stone suggests that it would be an excellent source of lime for cement production whenever it becomes economical to grind limestone for that purpose. For the present the chalks and marls shut it out of that field.


A partial analysis made for the survey by Dr. J. B. Weems gave the following results.


Ca CO2


91.96


Mg CO3


1.99


H2O


.07


This sample was from the De Kalb limestone as shown at the type locality. It emphasizes the fact of the purity of the stone which is essentially calcium carbonate and would yield 51.25 per cent of lime (Ca O). While, as has been stated, this would be a non-mag- nesian lime, it may be remembered that the St. Louis and other Mis- souri limes, which enjoy a large trade, are of this character. Analyses of several of these are given below.38


Carbonate of lime.


I. 99.815


II.


Magnesia


Oxide of magnesia.


Tr. Tr.


92.75 3.26


III. 97.76 .12


IV. 98.80 .02


Alumna


.054


.48


1


Oxide of Iron ..


.011


.40 .495


.20 } .26


.08


Phosphoric acid


None.


Sulphuric acid


Tr.


Calcium sulphate


Tr.


Water


.675


. . .


.....


Alkalis and loss


1.94


.. . ..


. . . . . .


Total


100.00


100.00


98.34


99.30


I. Ash Grove white lime.


II. Champion white limestone, Ash Grove, Mo.


III. Limestone from St. Louis County.


IV. Limestone from Marion County, Mo.


ss Minn. Res. U. S., 1889-90, pp. 406-107.


.40


Silicic and insol


.12


271


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


In the preparation of this report the author has received informa- tion and other courtesies from a large number of persons both within and without the county. It is impossible to mention everyone but especial reference must be made to Prof. T. J. Fitzpatrick of Grace- land College who furnished the list of forest trees appended and to Mr. F. M. Smith with him for the photographs from which Plate xxiii and Figure 2, Plate xxiv, were prepared. To Professor Calvin is due the determination of the fossils and to Mr. William Haven of Ottumwa, is due certain valuable suggestions used in discussing the coal. To Mr. Morgan G. Thomas, state mine inspector, the author is particularly indebted for reviewing the latter section of the report and checking the cost estimates there made.


FOREST TREES AND SHRUBS OF DECATUR COUNTY


By T. J. Fitzpatrick


Decatur County is essentially an expanse of prairie with narrow sinuous belts of timber stretched along Grand River and its tribu- taries. Unbroken prairie is being slowly occupied by forests. In such places the hazelnut, ground oak, laurel oak, red oak, bur oak, white oak, and the elms are slowly establishing themselves. Many of these embryo forests exist and are annually drawn upon for fenc- ing material and firewood. While perhaps the larger number of such forests are being reduced in size or destroyed, in order to increase the area of tillable soil or of pasture, yet these forests, if carefully hus- banded, would be sufficient for future needs. The older forests are confined to the main water courses and are of limited extent. Here the soft timber predominates. The white oak, hard maple and other trees of like character are too few in number to be of consequence in the manufacture of lumber. A few sawmills are located in the county and produce annually a small amount chiefly of soft lumber which is used locally.


The nomenclature of the following list of trees and shrubs is that of the sixth edition of Gray's Manual.


TILIACEÆ


Tilia americana L. Basswood, Linden or Linn. Common in river bottoms and frequent in rich uplands.


272


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


RUTACEÆE


Xanthoxylum americana Mill. Northern Prickly Ash. Frequent in woods.


CELASTRACEÆE


Celastrus scandens L. Climbing Bitter Sweet. Frequent in upland woods.


Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. Burning-Bush. Rich woods, infrequent.


RHAMNACEÆE


Rhamnus lanceolata Pursh. Buckthorn. Common along fence rows bordering woods; frequent in thickets along highways.


Oeanothus americanus L. New Jersey Tea. Prairies and upland woods, rather rare.


C. ovatus Desf. Prairies and roadsides, common.


VITACEJE


Vitis riparia Mx. Wild Grape. Rich woods, common.


V. cinerea Englm. Downy Grape. Waste places, rare.


Ampelopsis quinquefolia Mx. Virginian Creeper. Rich woods, frequent.


SAPINDACEJE


AEsculusglabra Willd. Ohio or Fetid Buckeye. Rich woods. com- mon but less so than formerly.


Acer saccharinum Wang. Hard or Sugar Maple. Frequent along Grand River but disappearing. Frequent in cultivation.


A. dasycarpum Ehrh. Soft Maple. Common in river bottoms. a frequent grove tree.


Negundo aceroides Moench. Box-Elder. Rich woods. common. Frequent in cultivation.


ANACARDIACEÆE


Rhus glabra L. Smooth Sumach. Upland open woods, common. R. toxicodendron L. Poison Ivy. Fence rows, woods : frequent.


273


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


LEGUMINOSÆE


Amorpha canescens Nutt. Lead-Plant. Prairies and open woods, common.


A. fruticosa L. False Indigo. Rich soil in sloughs and low places, common.


Robinia pseudacacia L. Common Locust. A frequent tree along roadsides and in waste places.


Cercis canadensis L. Red-bud. Wooded bluff's. Frequent along Grand River below Woodmansee bridge.


Gymnocladus canadensis Lam. Kentucky Coffee-tree. A few in low woods below Woodmansee bridge.


Gleditschia triacanthos L. Honey-Locust. River bottoms and rich uplands, frequent.


ROSACEÆE


Prunus americana Marsh. Wild Plum. Upland woods, common.


P. serotina Ehrh. Wild Black Cherry. Upland woods, fre- quent.


P. virginiana L. Choke-cherry. Rich woods, common.


Physocarpus opulifolius Max. Nine-bark. Rocky banks; infre- quent.


Rubus occidentalis L. Raspberry. Fence rows, thickets, not common.


R. villosus Ait. Blackberry. Uplands, not common.


Rosa arkansana Porter. Common Wild Rose. Prairies, com- mon. Determined by Mo. Bot. Gar.


Pyrus coronaria L. Crab-Apple. Thickets, common.


P. malus L. Apple. A frequent escape into fields and waste places.


Cratagus coccinea L. Red Hawthorn. Thickets, common.


C. tomentosa L. Scarlet Thorn. Thickets, frequent.


C. crus-galli L. Cockspur Thorn. Thickets, common.


Amelanchier canadensis T. & G. Service-berry. Wooded bluffs, frequent.


SAXIFRAGACEÆ


Ribes gracile Mx. Missouri Gooseberry. Open low woods. fre- quent.


Vol. 1-18


274


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


CORNACEE


Cornus sericea L. Silky Cornel. Rich soil, frequent. This and the following were determined by the Mo. Bot. Gar.


C. paniculata L'Her. Panicled Cornel. Waysides, thickets, frequent.


CAPRIFOLIACEÆE


Sambucus canadensis L. Elder. Rich soil, frequent.


Symphoricarpos vulgaris Mx. Coral-berry. Rich open woods, common.


RUBIACEÆ


Cephalanthus occidentalis L. Button-bush. Swampy soil, fre- quent.


OLEACEÆE


Fraxinus viridis Mx. Green Ash. A frequent tree in low or rich upland woods. Determined by the Mo. Bot. Gar.


F. americana L. This species is undoubtedly present but has not been observed.


BIGNONIACEÆE


Catalpa speciosa Warder. Catalpa. A frequent tree in cultiva- tion, rarely an escape.


URTICACEÆE


Ulmus fulva Mx. Red or Slippery Elm. Rich woods, frequent. U. americana L. White Elm. Rich woods, common.


Celtis occidentalis L. Hackberry. Low woods, frequent.


Maclura aurantiaca Nutt. Osage Orange. Formerly cultivated for hedge fences, frequently spontaneous.


Morus rubra L. Red Mulberry. Wooded bluffs and low woods, frequent.


PLATANACEÆE


Platanus occidentalis L. Sycamore, Buttonwood. An infre- quent tree along Grand River and its tributaries.


275


HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY


JUGLANDACELE


Juylans nigra L. Black Walnut. Rich woods, frequent.


Carya alba Nutt. White Hickory. Upland woods, common.


C. sulcata Nutt. Shell-bark Hickory. Low woods along Grand River, once frequent but disappearing.


C. amara Nutt. Bitter-nut or Pignut Hickory. Rich woods, common.


CUPULIFERE


Corylus americana Walt. Hazelnut. Uplands, common.


Ostrya virginica Willd. Ironwood, Hop-hornbeam. Wooded bluff's, frequent.


Carpinus caroliniana Walt. Ironwood, American Hornbeam. Wooded bluffs, frequent.


Quercus alba L. White Oak. Uplands, frequent.


Q. macrocarpa Mx. Bur Oak. A large tree in rich woods, shrub- by on the prairies; common.


Q. bicolor Willd. Swamp White Oak. Bottom woods, com- mon near Woodmansee bridge and elsewhere.


Q. muhlenbergii Englm. Chestnut Oak. Upland woods, infre- quent.


Q. prinoides Willd. Ground Oak. Uplands, common.


Q. rubra L. Red Oak. Upland woods, frequent.


Q. coceinea Wang. Scarlet Oak. Upland woods, common.


Q. palustris Du Roi. Pin Oak. Low woods, frequent.


Q. imbricaria Mx. Laurel Oak, Shingle Oak. Upland woods, common.


Q. nigra L. Black Jack or Barren Oak. Uplands, frequent.


SALICACEE


Populus tremuloides Mx. Quaking Asp. Upland woods.


P. monilifera Ait. Cottonwood. Low woods, frequent.


P. alba L. White Poplar. A cultivated variety of this is becom- ing a frequent eseape.


Salix humilis Marsh. Prairie Willow. Prairies, common. Determined by the Mo. Bot. Gar.


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