USA > Iowa > Marion County > The History of Marion County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, & C. > Part 34
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GEOLOGY.
The geological characteristics of the county are varied and 'form an in- teresting subject of study and investigation. In this progressive age, and owing to the present advanced stage of scientific research, the intelligent people of Marion county will not fail to be interested by a somewhat elab- orate dissertation upon the subject of local geology as applied to the for- mation of their own lands, the constituents of their own soil, and the com- parisons and contrasts which will be made with other and adjoining coun- ties. In discussing this subject we draw not only upon facts of our own observation, but avail ourselves of the best authorities at our command.
The geological formations of Marion county belong to the post-tertiary and coal-measure periods, and are of the simplest character. Post-tertiary drift is spread generally over the county and is of variable thickness, esti- mated at from fifteen to twenty feet. The bluffs along the streams are largely composed of these deposits.
The drift is made up of clays representing the original glacial deposits, and gravel-beds; besides boulders, pebbles and "sand-pockets," with occa- sional fragments of coniferous wood.
The deposit to which the name drift is applied has a far wider distribu- tion than any other surface deposit. In the language of Prof. White: "It meets our eyes almost everywhere covering the earth like a mantle and hiding the stratified rocks from view, except where they are exposed by the removal of drift through the erosive action of water. It forms the soil and subsoil of the greater part of the State, and in it alone many of our wells are dug and our forests take root." The drift is composed of clay, and, gravel, pebbles, and sometimes boulders, promiscuously intermixed, with stratification or regular arrangement of its materials.
866
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
The clay is always impure and is disseminated through the whole de: posit; not unfrequently, however, irregular masses of it are separated from the other materials and at such places the, best material is procured for pottery and brick. The color of the clay when found in its purest con- dition is yellow, arising from the presence of peroxide of iron; it is the presence of this constituent which imparts to brick their peculiar color.
The proportion of lime in the drift is not so great in the drift of Marion county as farther south; the proportion of sand is much greater, although it is seldom found separated from the other materials in any degree of purity; it is not unfrequently the case, however, that sand exists in excess of the other materials and in some cases accumulations or "pockets " are found having a considerable degree of purity. The large proportion of sand in the soil and subsoil of Marion county is what imparts to it the pe- onliar quality of withstanding drouth or excessive moisture, before ex- plained.
Alluvium-The deposits strictly referable to this formation in Marion county, are: the soil everywhere covering the surface, and narrow belts of alluvial bottom-lands skirting the principal streams; these consist of ir- regularly stratified deposits of sand, gravel and decomposed vegetable mat- ter, the whole seldom exceeding ten or twelve feet in thickness. The reader will understand that the original surface of the land consisted of rock; portions of these rocks having been detached by the action of the elements by chemical causes and the action of glaciers in prehistoric times were afterward transported by subsequent floods; this constitutes the soil and is alluvivm or drift, according to its pecular formation.
The entire county is referable to the formation known as the middle and lower coal-treasure. With regard to the economic value of this formation Prof. White says:
" No other formation in the whole State possesses anything near the economic value that the lower coal-measures do, nor is there one which will have so great an influence upon its future prosperity. These remarka, of course, refer to the coal which the formation contains; for although the middle coal-measures will furnish no inconsiderable quantities of coal, and the upper coal-measures also small quantities, far the greater part of that indispenable element of material prosperity is contained in the strata of the lower coal-measure."
With regard to the coal formation of Marion county, Prof. White, the geologist, makes the following observations:
" Marion is without doubt, one of the best coal counties of the State. Indeed, except in the immediate valley of the Des Moines, and in the lower portions of some of its tributary creeks, a shaft of two hundred, or three hnudred feet depth at most, could hardly fail to pass through one or more coal beds.
" At least three different beds of coal exist in the county, but the neces- sary details about them have not been marked out, so that it is not certainly known whether the principal bed of each particular locality where it is ob- served, constitutes one continnous bed, and the other beds always unim- portant, or, what is more likely the case whether each is in its turn the principal bed in some localities, the other two being either absent or unim- portant.
"The following are notices of some of the principal mines and natural exposures of coal in the county. Near Otley Station, on the Des Moines
267
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Valley Railroad, about seven miles westward from Pella, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fisher and Mr. Barnes have each opened mines in the valley of a tributary creek of the Des Moines, where the coal, evidently the same bed, varies from four to six feet in thickness within a half mile. Four miles south- ward from Pella Mr. Nossaman has opened and worked a three foot bed of coal. This is without doubt the lowest bed in the series, since the subcar- boniferous limestone is exposed at the same point twenty-five feet beneath the coal bed.
" At Coalport, a little village some four or five miles from Pella, there is a natural exposure of two beds of coal. They appear one above the other in the face of a bluff immediately upon the right bank of the Des Moines River. They are only ten feet apart, the lower being about two feet thick, and hardly workable, while the other is between six and seven feet thick, the coal being excellent. Mr. H. F. Bousquet has opened a mine in the latter bed.
" About two miles north of Knoxville Mr. O'Neal has opened a mine in the valley side of Whitebreast Creek. Here two beds of coal have come so nearly together as to be conveniently mined as one. Just upon the southern border of Knoxville Mr. Brobst has opened a mine in a four foot bed of coal, which, no doubt, underlies the whole town. Along the valley of' English Creek, from a point immediately south of Knoxville to where it merges with the Des Moines, coal is found exposed in the valley sides. The thickness of the coal varies from three to seven feet, evidently thicken- ing to the eastward, so that near Bussing's mill it reaches the last named thickness. Near this mill, which is about four miles east of Knoxville, an- other bed of coal appears which is about fifteen feet beneath the principal one, but which is only abont one and a half feet thick.
" Coal from five to seven feet thick is found at various intervals in the valley sides of the North and South Cedar Creeks, ranging from the point where they enter the county to where they enter the valley of the Des Moines. Just where South Cedar Creek crosses the southern boundary of the county, the coal is exposed by the creek, showing a thickness of be- tween six and seven feet. A mile above Marysville Mr. Jacob Kline has opened a mine in which the coal has a thickness of nearly ten feet, but looking closely it is seen to consist of two separate beds, with only a thin parting of shale between. The lower one is nearly seven feet thick, and the upper one nearly three feet, the lower being evidently the better coal. At Marysville John Yenser, D. F. Leiby, and the Mill Company, have all opened mines in the same bed, which there measures from five to six feet thick. A couple of miles below the village, G. F. Clemons has opened the mame bed, where it has about the same thickness. Daniel Sherwood has opened a four foot bed a couple of miles southeastward from Attica. A natural exposure of coal appears in the bluff bank of North Cedar, on sec- tion 16, township 74, range 18. A. B. Lyman, Esq., has also made some openings further down the creek.
" These are only references to the principal mines and natural exposures of coal in Marion county. Many others are already known and there is hardly a limit to the number of mines that may be conveniently opened within its limits. Besides its coal, it is also one of the best timbered coun- ties in the State.
" It is also well supplied with stone, compared with most other counties of the State. The subcarboniferous limestone is exposed at intervals near
968
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
and within the valley of the Des Moines River, from a point a few miles above Pella to the south boundary of the county. Just north of Pella, Philip Mathes has quarried much of this rock for both common and dressed work, principally the latter. The material is of good quality for capa, sills, lintels, dressed walls, etc., and is much used for such purposes. Wherever the limestone is found it may be made to produce excellent lime and much is already burned in various places.
"At Red Rock, the coal-measure sandstone has a full bluff exposure upon the left bank of the Des Moines. It is here mostly of a light, brick-red color, and much of it is hard and firm enough for use in good buildings. It may be quarried in almost any desired shape, size or quantity."
We herewith give the analysis of some of the coal of Marion county as made a few years since by the State Geologist. Before giving the analysis it will be proper to state that there are four conditions which must be taken into consideration in estimating the comparative value of coal. They are given as follows:
First. The value of coal as a fuel is inversely proportional to the amount of moisture contained in it, that is the more water it contains the less is its value. Moisture is a damage to the coal, not only because it takes the place of what would otherwise be combustible matter, but also because it requires some of the heat generated by the burning of the com- bustible matter to transform it into steam and thus expel it. It will thus be seen that the presence of large quantities of moisture in coal seriously impairs its value. In looking over the analysis given it should be remem- bered that some of the coals were taken fresh from the mine, others had been kept for some time in a damp room, while others had been subjected to the high temperature of a heated room for a considerable length of time.
Second. The greater the per cent of ash, the less the value of the coal. Third. The more fixed carbon which the coal contains, the greater its value.
Fourth. The same holds true with regard to the volatile combustible matter, to a certain extent, the precise limits of which cannot be de ter- mined until we know the composition of this combustible matter.
In analyzing Marion county coals the State Geologist first took two sam- ples from Bousquet's mine at Coalport.
No. 1. Sample from the bottom of the mine. The coal was found to be hard and brittle. Strata were quite irregular. Numerous thin seams of calcareous matter traversed the coal transversely to planes of stratification. Some mineral charcoal was found upon one of its planes. The sample was glossy upon its edges. The coke was found to be compact and had a me- tallic luster. The ash was of a red color, slightly tinged with yellow.
No. 2. Sample from the top of the same mine. This coal was not as glossy as that from the bottom of the mine. The seams of calcareons matter were not so distinct, and upon being broken scarcely any impurity appeared. The coke was of a dull lead color and had a semi-metallic color. The ash was of a chocolate color.
ANALYSIS.
No. 1.
No. 3.
Moisture.
5.89
5.95
Volatile combustible.
49.25
34.97
Fixed carbon.
47.54
43.63
Ash.
3.32
15.45
Total
100.00 100.00
869
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Calculated on dry coal:
Volatile combustible
45.94
37.18
Fixed carbon.
50.59
46.99
Total
100.00
100.00
Composition of coke:
Carton
93.47
73.90
Ask ..
6.53
26.10
Total.
100.00
100.00
The next samples were from a mine four miles east of Knoxville.
No. 1. Sample from top of the mine; coal hard and compact; well lam- inated, glossy and clean; but little calcareous matter; coke of metallic lus- ter and quite porus.
No. 2. Sample from bottom of same mine. The appearance very simi- lar to sample No. 1. Same pyrite was found on its face.
ANALYSIS.
No. 1.
No. 2.
Moisture
8.56
5.72
Volatile combustible.
45.29
46.90
Fixed carbon.
44 25
45.46
Aab
3.90
2.58
Total
100.00
100.00
Dry coal:
Volatile combustible
48.44
40.11
Fixed carbon ..
47.37
48.22
Ach ..
4.19
2.67
Total
100.00
100.00
Composition of coke:
Carbon
91,87
94.75
Amb ..
8.13
5.25
Total
100.00 100.00
The next samples are taken from a mine near Marysville.
No. 1. Sample from top of mine was found to be composed of lamina of a thickness ranging from one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch, and sepa- rated from each other by thin layers of mineral charcoal.
No. 2. Sample from bottom of same mine; coal more compact than from top.
ANALYSIS.
No. 1.
No. 2.
Moisture ..
5.56
5 8%
Volatile combustible.
40.98
39.56
Fixed carbon.
50.16
48.58
Ach ..
3.9
7.04
Total
100.00
100.00
3.53
16.43
270
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY:
Dry coal:
Volatile combustible.
42.75
40.94
Fixed carbon ..
53.11
51.59
Ash
4.14
7.47
Total.
100.00
100.00
Composition of coke:
Carbon
92.76
87.95
Ash
7.24
12.65
Total
100.00
100.00
We herewith append an article originally published in the Knoxville Voter in 1871, written by W. P. Fox:
"EDITOR VOTER-After explorations made during the past two weeks, throughout this section of Marion county, I herewith submit the result of the same to the public:
"That Marion county is one of the heaviest coal counties in the State there cannot be the slightest doubt. The carboniferous system-the great coal-bearing system of the earth's crust-is the foundation upon which Knoxville rests. This system attains to a great depth throughout this sec- tion of the county, and must necessarily bear from three to five beds of coal. We are positive as to three beds, or veins, and from all indications we believe there must certainly be all of two veins more underlying the other three beds. Although this county is underlaid with such vast depos- its of coal, yet it is the least developed (as far as known) of any coal county in the State-there not being a large mining company in operation in the county.
"At this point I will give the altitude of various points as taken from railroad surveys. At the great divide between the waters of the Mississippi and Missouri, at a point were the B. & M. Railroad crosses in Union county the elevation is some 800 feet higher than at Burlington, on the Mississippi. At Knoxville it is some 350 feet higher than at Burlington. The altitude is some 250 feet higher at Knoxville than it is at Eddyville, at Jow water mark on the Des Moines. There is a fall from Des Moines to Eddyville of 125 feet, and a fall from Eddyville to the month of the Des Moines River just below Keokuk of 125 feet. Therefore the great rise of the elevation from the Mississippi is to the northwest, making the great dip to the southeast. The table-lands of Knoxville are two hundred feet higher than the bottom-lands of the Cedar at Marysville. Knoxville is some 175 to 185 feet higher than at Amsterdam or the second crossing of the Des Moines River from Knoxville to Pella. By this we arrive at the trend and dip of this section of the country. In Marion county, that is in this section of it, the waters seem to run to the east and north- east. From this we form our base of stratification, etc., and branch out.
" By these altitudes we find that the lands surrounding Knoxville, that is the high lands, stand high in the scale; and from various developments. al- ready made, we are led to conclude that the coal-bearing system of this county is very deep. Near Knoxville there is a very singular little branch or stream, called Competine. The Competine (both branches) heads in section one, about a half mile west from the court-house, and takes a wind-
871.
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY,
ing course southeast, till it reaches the bridge directly south of the city, whence its course is nearly due east for about a half a mile, when it changes to the northeast, and keeps this course till it empties into the White- breast some seven miles northeast of Knoxville, within a mile of its mouth. This stream is what I term a grand 'fault, ' or this stream passes along in the fault, making around on three sides of the city. Again, northwest of the city a small branch heads, passing through land owned by E. Baker, thence northeast and east through land owned by Cunningham and Boyd- ston, just south of Stephen Woodruff's farm, thence through Gregory's farm, and thence to its confluence with the main branch of the Competine, some 14 miles northeast of the city. This is what I term a grand 'wash.' Therefore a fault and a wash entirely surround the city of Knoxville. Thus the Competine virtually drains the whole country for over a mile each way around Knoxville, taking in all the little sloughs, tributaries and branches within a mile. and a half south of the city, beyond which point the little rivalets and branches empty into English Creek, which drains all of that section of the county.
" We therefore have a large body of land where Knoxville stands, which is undisturbed, high and commanding, with a ' fault' and a 'wash' pas- sing entirely around it, exposing the coal formation at every point of the compass, with its clays, shales, slate, soapstone, coal-brasses, oxides, car- bonates, sulphates and all the various essences of the coal itself, which in- dications are God's great Index Book, and cannot lie; which proves to us conclusively that the city of Knoxville stands upon vast deposits of bitu- minous coal. I have visited numerous coal banks along the Des Moines in this county, and explored the saine; also the old and new coal banks around Knoxville in different directions, taking pains in examining the roofing, the number of the vein they were working, or had been working, its quality, and all the points necessary in order to base my conclusions in regard to the extent and vastness of the coal deposits.
" Coal veins are beds, classically speaking, all numbered from the bottom up; but the mining world generally count from the top down. We will therefore count from the top down. The first bed of coal, as far as devel- oped in this section, ranges from one foot to three and four feet in thick.' ness, and has a shaly sandstone substance, intermingled with a soapstone shale, for its roofing. Roofing is generally very poor, and the coal, as a general thing is of an inferior quality and not worth working. The second bed or vein of coal, as developed, is a heavy vein, ranging from four to. seven feet in thickness. Its average is good, yet it could be bettered by. getting farther into the body of the high land. Roofing, steatite slate or black soapstone, with abundance of shaly substance above. Roofing is generally good. The third vein has been but very little developed in this section of the county; yet we readily see the cropping of it in different pla- ces. This vein will prove to be the best and purest coal ever worked in this county. It will range from four to eight feet in thickness, with a sup- erb roofing of bastard lime-rock and hydraulic slate. The best mode of work, ing this vein of coal is by shaft. In this way the heavy body of the coal can be tapped at once, and rooms run off from the bottom of the. shaft in various directions, and the coal and water raised by the same power-either by steam or horse-power. This is the proper way by all odds, and the cheapest in the long run, for working a first-class coal bank, Either in working this or the second vein, I would always advise that it ba
.
879
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY .
worked by shaft, as there is more money in it, both for the miner and the owner of the bank.
"The various places where the second vein of coal has been worked in this part of the county, and now abandoned, and also the banks now being worked, have been commenced in most instances in the very poorest places that could have been selected, the roofing being rotten and bad, until they run, at great expense, far into the bluff or hill. The coal is also inferior, until its solidity is reached.
" Much care and judgment should be taken in selecting sinking points for proving and opening coal beds. If a person thinks he can sink a shaft wherever he pleases and strike a bed or vein of coal, he is most wofully de- ceived, and will soon find out his fool-hardiness after being relieved of a few hundred dollars. If a shaft should be sunk in a ' fault, ' or a grand 'wash,' or in a 'creep,' coal never could be reached in paying quantities. And there are numerous other difficulties to encounter in proving coal beds where the coal may be missed altogether by sinking in the wrong place. Good roofing and solid coal, where the thickness will justify working, are the main points of coal-mining. 'Yes,' says one, ' but how can one per- son tell where to open a vein or body of coal, any better than another, 80 38 to tap it in the right place?' For a person to ask this question, proves his ignorance, and lack of good practical, commod sense. How does a doc- tor know any more about medicine and the human system than any one else? How does an astronomer know more about the heavenly bodies that revolve through space than others? Why do some men know more about science than others? Why has not every man a brain as well developed as his neighbor's? For reply to all such questions asked, the questioner will do well to consult his own ignorance.
Experience, joined to common sense, To mortals is a providence.' .
" In the meadow-lot belonging to J. L. McCormack, near his residence, is . good point to tap a heavy body of coal by shaft. Here the coal would be good, and also the roofing-that is, overlying the second and third beds. The first vein would not pay, but the second would pay heavy, and also the third. The depth would not be great to the second bed at this point. This land is in section 7.
" There is also a heavy body of coal underlying a portion of the land owned by E. Baker, Esq., situated a little northwest of the city, being in section 1. There is a very good point here to tap the coal, where it would pay heavy to work, on the south side of the branch. The first vein would be passed through in sinking a shaft to the second vein. The second vein or bed would pay to open here. The roofing would be good. It would have to be opened by shaft; but the depth to the second vein at sinking point would not be great. I have examined several tracts of land with- in three and four miles of Knoxville, of some of which I will briefly speak:
"Underlying a heavy portion of land owned by R. H. Underhill, of Knox- ville, situated some two and a half miles east of the city, on section 10, with- ont doubt three beds of coal exist. A careful survey of lands surrounding this land with the different coal banks already opened leads me to this con- clusion. This land is high and commanding, situated on the line of the A. K. & D. Railroad. The second and third veins or beds of coal underlying
& I Clark
275
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
this land will pay heavy to work. They will have to be worked by shaft. Here a first-class coal-bank could be opened. The roofing over the second and third beds would be superb, consisting in bastard lime-rock, hydraulic slate, soapstone slate or steatite, with sand-rock above, which would make the roofing durable and safe.
"Also underlying land owned by F. C. Barker, being on section 10, some 24 miles east of Knoxville, three beds of coal exist. The first vein has been proven, being some two feet in thickness; and some 35 or 40 feet below on the English Creek bottom, the black steatite slate crops out just above the second vein. This vein must necessarily make to all of six or seven feet in thickness, after penetrating the heavy body of the bluff by an entry. Here is an excellent point for running in a sloping entry where a heavy body of coal can be proven and worked. The third bed would have to be proven by shaft. The second vein, however, is the one to work now. Its roofing would be good, and the coal can be taken out to good advantage. The range runs north and east with the dip to the southeast. There are some twenty acres contained in this piece of land, with the English Creek passing at its base on the south end of the land, with a bluff above to a height of some seventy-five or eighty feet, having a splendid point for proving the second bed of coal by a sloping entry.
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