USA > Iowa > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882 > Part 63
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Higher up, the rock becomes more compact and less distinctly strati- fied. It is almost a pure carbonate of lime, containing hardly more than one per cent of other substances. It forms a durable building stone, although not splitting or dressing handsomely. When polished, the large coraline masses which it contains, especially the Lithostrotion*, are very beautiful, and pieces have been worked up into small ornaments, such as paper-weights, and are well known under the name of "Iowa marble." Unfortunately the layers are not sufficiently free from flaws to be manu- factured into objects of any considerable size. The same rocks may be observed at various points up the Iowa for a distance of ten or twelve miles from Iowa City. Within the limits of Johnson and Iowa counties we have not been able to find any other outcrop of the Hamilton rocks, than those on the Iowa river along this part of its course. Beyond T. 81, R. 7, there are no rocks seen in place, except a few patches of sandstone, until we reach Tama county. Not a single exposure of rock was discovered on any of the smaller streams to the south of the Iowa, although diligent search was made along the valleys of Old Man's creek, and the north fork of the English river. Through Iowa county low bluffs border the river at a distance of from half a mile to a mile from the stream, but they are made up of finely comminuted materials without even so much as a loose
*This is a mistake. Later authorities say that the genus Lithostrotion is not found here, but that the genera Acervularia and Philipsastrea were mistaken for Lithostrotion by Prof. Owen, U. S. geologist, here in 1849, and again by Prof. Hall in 1857-58. [See Prof. Calvin's list of Johnson county fossils further on.]
545
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
slab or fragment of rock to indicate the character of the underlying strata.
Although it would appear from the general direction of the lines of outcrop in this region, so far as they can be ascertained, that rocks of Hamilton age predominate over the large surface in Iowa and Benton counties, over which no exposures of the strata are visible, still there is good reason to believe that there may be considerable patches of carbon- iferous strata existing beneath the superficial covering of detritus. These may be either the remains of a deposit once spread continuously over a large extent of surface, or more probably, limited deposits in pre-exist- ing depressions of the Hamilton strata. Near Iowa City, on the left bank of the river, is one of these limited patches of rock belonging to the coal measures, which appears to have been a deposit over a very small space, perhaps in a trough-shaped depression or cavity of the limestone. The horizontal extension of the beds which belong to the coal measures is very limited, and from their position would appear that they must have originally occupied a pre-existing depression in the limestone.
There are also considerable patches of sandstone, which appear to belong to the coal measures on the Iowa, near the line between Iowa and Johnson counties, forming low bluffs, but not accompanied, as far as has yet been ascertained, by any coal or Coal-measure fossils, by which it might be possibly assigned to this place in the series. That these patches are isolated, and not continuous with the strata of the same age farther west, on the borders of Powesheik and Jasper counties, the nearest point where the Coal-measures are positively known to exist, cannot be posi- tively affirmed, but is rendered probable by the occurrence of the carboni- ferous limestone farther up the Iowa, in Tama county. At all events, there is little encouragement for explorations for coal in the region in question; as even if small deposits of it should be met with, they are hardly likely to be of sufficient extent or of a good enough quality to be profitably worked.
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEYORS IN JOHNSON COUNTY.
In 1839 David Dale Owen, of New Harmony, Indiana, was appointed to the then new and by many ridiculed position of United States Geologist, under authority of the land office. He had served the State of Indiana as state geologist, by appointment of the legislature in 1837; and he was the first man who ever engaged in that sort of work as a specialty under authority of the Federal government, although Major Long as early as 1823, and Lewis and Clark still earlier, and other general explorers, had made some casual observations in accordance with the very meager knowledge of geology then in vogue.
In 1839 Prof. Owen surveyed the Mineral Point District of Wisconsin and the Dubuque District of Iowa. The grand object aimed 'at by the Federal authorities in authorizing the appointment of a national geologist was to determine the limits and boundaries and specific locations and probable value of certain mineral lands, such as of lead, copper, iron, coal, etc .. in the then western wilds, which were still more or less in possession of Indian tribes. During his labors in the great lead district of Min- eral Point, Wis., Galena, Ill., and Dubuque, Iowa, in 1839, he made a short
546
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
visit to Iowa City, being here in September or October of that year. One of his assistants was John Brophy of Clinton, who was afterwards a mem- ber of the legislature, but finally went to California. They spent about two weeks in Johnson county, and it is remembered that Mr. Brophy swapped horses with Philip Clark. This horse-trade interested the set- tlers a good deal more than the mysterious business of measuring and squinting at rocks; but after all, they don't remember which man “ got the tail end " of that horse trade.
Prof. Owen came here again in 1849. Col. Trowbridge was then keep- ing a drug store, with other goods besides, and Dr. Morsman had his medical office in a room at the back end of the store. Prof. Owen arranged to occupy this room as his headquarters, and it was so used in June, July, August and September of that year. The geological party were constantly making expeditions up and down the Iowa river and its most important tributaries, including Cedar river. Hon. Geo. Paul of Clear Creek township, who was then a young man, made a trip with Prof. Owen in a canoe, from Marengo down to Iowa City.
Their field instruments not in use were kept stored here; and here was written some of that masterful report which was published in 1852, a perpetual monument to the conscientious thoroughness, the clear, deep and broad scientific attainments, the plain, terse literary vigor and the artis- tic skill of that first United States Geologist. This publication covered Owen's entire fieldwork during the years 1847-'48-'49-'50, and Iowa City and Johnson county thus claim a share both in the subject matter and in the writing of it.
May 17th of that year (1849) one of his men named Gobert died of cholera, at Muscatine. One of the assistant geologists at that time was B. C. Macy, cousin to Prot. James S. Macy, now of Iowa College at Grinnell, and likewise to Prof. W. P. Macy, now of Drake University at Des Moines. They gathered in great loads of rocks, and when they went away they carried off many boxes of fossils, minerals, soils, plants for further analysis, microscopic examination, determination of species, etc.
Prof. Owen's Report was published in a large quarto volume, by Lip- pincott, Grambo & Co., of Philadelphia, in 1852. It was a grand sympo- sium of scientific zeal, devotion and skill, which has scarcely been excelled even for accuracy of knowledge or correctness of theory by any of our later explorers; and it was elaborately and beautifully illustrated. From this noble work, commencing at its 84th page, we quote all that was said of Iowa City and vicinity and also of the Iowa river country, by this first live geologist who ever gauged Johnson county's place in the geological scale. But first we present a "Chart " which will greatly aid the reader in understanding what is meant by the geological scale, and the relative place in that scale of the different " ages" of the earth as classified and named by geologists:
547
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
GEOLOGICAL CHART;
Including the Rock Scale of Geological Pertods and the " Zoic Calendar of Creation." Compiled from the works of Agassiz, Lyell, Huxley, Hackel, Dana, LeConte, and other first rank anthorities in Science at the present time. By HIRAM A. REID, Secretary State Academy of Sciences at Des Moines, Iowa. [Published by permission of the Anthor.]
EXPLANATION. - The side line at the left shows what portions of geological time are comprehended in the terms "eozoic," " paleo- zoic," etc. The first column shows the periods or "Ages" of geological time during which the different successive types of ani- mal life predominated, or were the highest types then in existence. And these two divisions form the "Zoic Calendar of Creation."
The second column shows the great general groupings of rock strata,in which are found the fossil remains of the corresponding ani- mal types named in the first col- umn. But. at the "Age of Rep- tiles" occurs a grand divergement, for it was during this age that an- imal life pushed out into its most wonderful developments; and there came Into existence strange and marvelous forms of swimming reptiles, four-footed and two-foot- ed walking reptiles, and two-foot- ed and four-footed flying reptiles. Here also the true birds began to appear, though with reptilian pe- culiarities; and likewise the mar- supial animals, which are a tran- sitional type, between reptiles that produce their young by laying eggs and the true mammals, that bring forth their young weli ma- tured and then suckle them.
The third column shows the les- ser groupings of rock beds as clas- sified by our American geologists ; hut many minor subdivisions and local groups are omitted for want of space. At the top of this col- nmn are shown the geological pe- riods of first appearance of races of man, so far as now authentica- ted by competent scientific au- thorities .*
The fourth column shows the number of feet in thickness of the different groups of rock layers as indicated by the braces.
This Chart is the most compre- hensive and thorough in its de- tails, and yet the most systemati- cally and graphically presented to the eye, of anything in its line that has ever yet been published. Here is the whole story of geol- ogy and the ascent of life con- densed into the space of a few inches, yet so plainly set forth as to readily fix itself in the memory like an outline map. Scientific terms in newspapers and maga- zines often catch the reader at a disadvantage; but a reference to this chart will at once show the relative place or period in crea- tional progress to which the best anthorized geological terms apply. It reaches, like a Jacob's ladder, from the lowest inklings to the highest ideals of life on the earth, as tanght by modern science and the Christian Bible.
THIS CALENDAR IS TO BE READ FROM THE BOTTOM UPWARD.
AGE OF ANGELS.
See Psalms 8:5 Luke 20:36 Mark 12:25 1 Cor.15:44 Heb.2:2 to 9 Rev.22:8,9
HISTORIC PERIOD.
Spiritual Man of
MegalithicMan the BIBLE.
Hunter Tribes.
Age of MAN.
Recent.
MYTHIC PERIOD.
Rude Agricul- ture.
Moundbuilders.
Cave Man.
AGE OF
Quaternary.
Champlain Epoch.
500
GLACIAL EPOCH.
Pliocene.
MAMMALS.
TERTIARY.
Miocene.
Y
Eocene.
AGE OF
Bipes-Alares ..
Birds.
CRETACEOUS.
9,000
REPTILES.
Aquates-Quadrupes-
Marsupials.
JURASSIC.
800 to 1,000
TRIASSIC.
(3,000 to 5,000
AGE OF
CARBONIFEROUS
Coal Measures.
1 6,000 to 14,570
AMPHIBIANS.
Sub-Carboniferous.
Catskill.
AGE OF FISHES.
Devonian.
Hamilton.
9,050 to 14,400
Corniferous.
AGE
Upper Silurian.
Helderberg.
Salina.
Niagara.
IN VERTEBRATES
Lower Silurian.
Canadian.
12,000to 15,000
AGE OF ZOOLITHS "Thle Age alone was probably longer in dura- tion than all enbsequent geological time."-PROF. LECONTE.
Eozoon Rocks.
Laurentian.
80,000
Primordial Vegetation
Graphite Beds.
Metamorphic Granites.
Unstrati- fed.
AZOIC AGE.
Igneous
350,000,000 years in cooling down to 200° F. at the sur- face [PROF. HELMHOLTZ], > temperature at which very low forms of vegetation can exist.
Depth un knowl.
Copyright 1879 :: H.A. Reid
Rocks.
FIRE CRUST.
* " The existence of Pliocene man in Tuscany is, thea, in my opinion, an acquired scientific fact."; - See Appletons' Internationa! Scientias Series, Vol. XXVII, p. 151. "The Miocene man of La Beauce already knew the use of fire, and worked flint." - Ib. p. 243. See also, Prof. Winchell's "Pie-Adamites," pp. 426-7-8. " The baman race in America is snown to be at least of as ancient a date &s that of the European Pliocene."-Prof. J. D. Whitney. Similar vlewe are held by Profe. Leldy, Marsh, Cope, Morse, Wyman, and other scientists of highest ropote.
Feet in. thickness of the geological groupe of rock form- ations.
Terrace Epoch.
" Paleolithic Man.
8,000
. No Life .-- - Eozoro TIME ---- PALEOZOIC TIME .--- MESOZOIC TIME .-- CENOZOICTIME -- PSYCHOZOIC TIME .... OF
Oriskany
6,000 $0 10,000
Trenton.
Huropisn.
10,000to 20,000
Cambrian.
PERMIAN.
Chemung.
548
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
PROF. DAVID DALE OWEN'S REPORT-UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1849.
The stone-cutters of Iowa City are supplied from a quarry of cream- colored limestone, which lies in thin, even-bedded layers, to the height of from thirty to forty feet above Cedar river, in the south part of township, eighty-two north, range five west, of the fifth principal meridian. The lowest strata, which are the thickest, hardly exceed eight inches. In some of the layers, small hemispherical concretions run in the joints of the strata, as well as through the substance of the rock itself. The best of the slabs approximate in character to lithographic limestone. They are, however, of rather too coarse a texture for fine work. The upper strata are striped with yellow, obliquely to the bedding. On section 28, town- ship 81 north, range 4 west, where the south line of the section strikes the river, above Washington Ferry, the rocks are of the same character as at the last described quarry, only in rather thicker layers of a yet coarser texture. The lowest layers have very much the aspect of the beds observed on the west side of Clear Creek. A north and south crevice traverses the rock at this place, containing some calcareous spar and fer- ruginous clay ; but no metallic ores have been discovered, the crevice being filled with tumbled wall-rock intermixed with red clay. The strata have a southerly dip of 3º. A corresponding wall of rock is also on the opposite side of the river, which would form solid natural abutments for a bridge.
A quarter of a mile lower down, near the middle of section 34, of the same township and range, below Washington ferry, there is a fine quarry of heavy beds of subcrystalline magnesian limestone. This rock, which is of the Upper Silurian period, [See Geological chart, on page 547] dips southwesterly under the thin-bedded limestones above the ferry. The latter appear, from their chemical composition, to belong to the Devonian System, although no evidence was derived from organic remains, which are very scarce at both localities. Some well-known Devonian forms are however, in the debris of the river near by.
In Hickory Grove, on the southeast corner of section 34, township 80 north, range 4 west, of the 5th principal meridian, both magnesian limestone and white limestone lie within two yards of each other; the latter con- taining Spirifer euruteines, Gorgonia retiformis (?), and a Stromatopora of the same species as that found in the Winnebago Reserve.
No boulders were found near Cedar river, in townships 79, 80, and 81. A few only were noticed in the east part of Johnson county, eight miles from Iowa City, near the Dubuque road.
The inferences to be deducted from the foregoing observations made in Iowa on both sides of Cedar river, in Muscatine, Johnson, Cedar and Linn counties, are as follows:
All the rocks, as well those referable to the Upper Silurian, as to the Devonian and Carboniferous periods, have been subjected to disturbances subsequent to the carboniferous era. These disturbances have been chiefly dislocations, through which the strata have been displaced more by abrupt vertical depressions and elevations, than by prolonged, arched, and waved movements.
The sub-carboniferous limestone, which forms a zone around the coal- measures, and occupies the valley of the Mississippi, between latitude 40 degrees and 41 degrees, is lost to view, for forty miles beyond latitude 41 degrees 25 minutes ; re-appearing, however, in Tama county. Even those
549
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
local beds of limestone mentioned in my report of 1839, containing reticu- lated lamelliferous corals, and Cyathopora Iowensis, which it was thought might be of that age, prove, on a more minute investigation, to be of a type indicative of the period of the Hamilton group of New York.
The calcareous beds, which constitute a conspicuous feature of the lower coal-measures in the Des Moines valley, are not traceable here; the base of the carboniferous system of Muscatine county being arenaceous and argenaceous grits, characterized by different species of Lepidodendron, and very large globular concretions.
The Devonian rocks consist chiefly of close-textured white or gray limestones, sometimes brecciated, or of argillaceous limestones, both varie- ties containing a much smaller percentage of magnesia than the adjacent dolomitic rocks of upper Silurian date. The farmer are of no great thick- ness, probably not exceeding seventy feet.
Rocks of the Iowa River .- On section 10, township 79 north, range 6 west, of the 5th principal meridian, on the east side of the Iowa river, on the town plot of Iowa City, there is a good section of light-coloured, brownish-gray limestone, mostly of compact texture, forming a mural exposure of from thirty to forty-five feet. The lower beds lie in layers of from six to. fifteen inches thick; the upper are in rugged, concretionary masses, very imperfectly stratified, and reticulated with a network of thin, siliceous, calcareous, and gypseous seams, and much lighter coloured than the beds below them.
These rocks, but particularly the upper beds, have an interlocking, suture-like structure of the joints. Towards the base of the exposure, from twenty to thirty feet above the Iowa river, is a bed of brownish limestone, mottled with gray, studded with fossil coral of the species Favosites Gothlandica, [the same specimen often shows both a double and single row of pores perforating the partition wall], Favosites polymor pha (varieties ramosa and tuberosa), Farosites fibrosa( ?), Stromatopora concen- trica, S. polymorpha, Lithostrotion* pentagonum, L. ananas,* [the speci- mens of Iowa City marble, often seen polished, and called "bird's eye," are composed of this species], Cyathophyllum flexuosum, C. turbinatum( ?), and others. This bed seems to be the representative of the upper coral- line beds of the Falls of Ohio; the corresponding beds at Utica, Indiana; the coralline burrstone on the high ground between Madison and Vernon, in the same State, and the Onondaga limestone of New York. At this locality on the Iowa river, above these coralline beds, one hundred yards from the foot of the exposure, is a seam, three inches thick, of an earthy, carbonaceous substance, a kind of coal of humus, and adjoining it, a fis- sure or rent in the strata, running down nearly vertically, and having a southeast bearing; but no kind of metallic ore was detected among the crevice earth. A similar substance runs between some of the strata, and in the joints of the rock. The "black stratum " included in the upper coralline beds of the Falls of Ohio, probably owes its color to an impreg- nation with a substance analogous to that found on the Iowa, where it exists in a loose, earthy, friable condition, while in Kentucky it is more intimately blended with the rock.
* Besides the two species of Lithostrotion here named by Prof. Owen, he also in another place names Lithostrotion hexagonum, but marks it doubtful. Our present authorities, however, classify these fossil corals as Acervularia and Philipsastrea. Hence it appears that Prof. Owen was mistaken on this name; but it is thirty-three years since he was here, and many new discoveries and classifications have been made in geology during that time.
35
550
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
The rocks at this section on the Iowa have a local northerly dip of from two to three feet in a hundred yards, so that in the hollow at the head of the exposure, the coralline beds are at a higher level. There they can be seen to the depth of ten feet, composed throughout of a com- plete agglutination of the various species of coral above mentioned, afford- ing evidence that the whole mass must have been an ancient coral reef, of greater thickness and extent than is usually seen displayed in the strata of the palæozoic period, when the zoophytes did not rear such stupendous structures as at the present day; perhaps owing to interruptions from change of temperature of the ocean, as well as oscillations of its bed. Five feet above the coralline bed is a shell-bed, composed almost entirely of Gasteropoda, of the genera Euomphalus, Murchisonia, and Pleuroto- maria, but being casts [the shelly part is sometimes converted into sul- phate of lime] which do not weather out of the rocks, and which are only seen as sections on the fractured face of the bed, it is difficult to determine their specific characters. In the concretionary and brecciated calcareous portion above, no well-defined fossils were discovered.
A few rods higher up, a small ravine runs from the high ground towards the river, and interrupts the continuity of the strata for the dis- tance of about fifty paces. On crossing this hollow a soft brown sandstone sev- eral feet thick with vegetable impressions is exposed in a low arch, fifteen feet lower than the top of the limestone. This appears to be another out- line of coal sandstone so frequently met with in this portion of the Iowa river, which by a fault or slip of the beds has sunk into a depression. Thirty paces beyond the sandstones, up stream, the white limestone is again in place at nearly the same elevation as the sandstones. In the two adjacent exposures of limestone there are no intercalations of sandstone.
About two miles and a half from Iowa City, on section 36, township 80, north range 6 west of the 5th principal meridian, a schistose, marly lime- stone, about twenty feet thick, is exposed on the east bank of Rapid creek opposite Felkner's mill*, surmounted by a decomposing bed from which loose corals of the following genera and species have become detached and lie scattered on the surface: Lithostrotion hexagonum (?) L. ananas, Cyathophyllum turbinatum, C. ceratites (?), C. dianthus (?), C. vermiculare (?), Cystiphyllum Devoniensis, Chætetes (species undeter- mined), and Favosites polymorpha. The beds beneath contain chiefly shells of the following species: Terebratuea reticularis, Orthis resupinata, Spirifer euruteines, Terebratula concinna (?).
On the same creek, on section 30, township 80, north range 5 west of the 5th principal meridian, sandstone with vegetable impresssions, occurs in a similar position with reference to the coraline limestone as near Iowa City.
On section 4, township 79 north, range 6 west, of the 5th principal meridian, two or three feet above the level of the Iowa river, limestone is found containing coraline beds similar to those near Iowa City, the latter extending to the height of from twelve to fifteen feet.
In ascending the Iowa the above described limestones occur at intervals for the distance of about twenty miles by the meanders of the river, and twelve to fourteen miles by direct line.
The principal exposures are as follows: Near the line between sections 32 and 33, township 80 north, range 6 west, of the 5th principal meridian, .
*Our well-known pioneer, Henry Felkner, had a water-wheel saw-mill here when this geological survey was made-1849.
551
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
on the west side of the river; above and below the mouth of Newcomb's creek, on sections 33 and 34, same township and rang, on both sides of the river, having a slight westerly dip; on section 27, township 80 north, range G west, in a cliff of about 27 feet, on the left bank. where the strata dip 3 or 4 degrees to the south-west. Here some of the beds are full of fossil shells, viz: Terebratula aspera (very abundant), Terebratula reticu- laris (large variety), Orthis resupinata, Spirifer curuteines: Spirifer with a highly extended cardinal area, measuring sometimes five inches from angle to angle; Leptena (sp .? ), Phacops macropthalma, several reticulated lamelliferous corals, Cyathophyllum ceratites (?). It is at this locality that much of the rock used in the construction of the State House has been procured. The lower beds are rather schistose, but the upper are more solid and substantial, and may be obtained in blocks of from nine inches to two feet. The upper eight feet contain but few fossils.
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