USA > Michigan > History of Michigan, civil and topographical, in a compendious form; with a view of the surrounding lakes > Part 32
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In ascending Lake Superior, this red sandstone appears at numerous points, and occasionally attains a considerable altitude, as at the Pictured Rocks, where it rises in a mural wall of from two to three hundred feet. In the vicinity of
* The genera Terebratula, Producta, and Cyathophyllum, were observed both in the eastern and western portions of the state : Orthoccra, Bellerophon, Sarcinula, Spirifer, Natica, Encrinus, Gorgonia, Madrepora, Reterpora, Caly- mene and Asaphus at Monguagon, and Pecten at Grand rapids.
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Granite Point, it is seen, scarcely disturbed, resting upon nobs of primary rocks ; while in the Trap regions of Lake Superior, as in the vicinity of the Porcupine mountains, it is seen dipping irregularly at a high angle from the elevated dis- trict of country, and is there of a deep reddish-brown color.
These sandstones are, for the most part, sufficiently compact to furnish a tolerably enduring material for building.
Coal.
Since that rock formation occupying the central portion of the peninsula, as has already been stated, may be referred to the carboniferous formation, I was early led to conclude that examinations for coal might be conducted with a pro- bability of success ; and as far as these examinations have been carried, I have not been disappointed in these conclusions. For the reason that the outcrop- ping edge of the rock is almost invariably covered with soil, but few points oc- curring where it can be seen, these examinations are attended with the greatest difficulties ; and, much time will, in all probability, be required to test the ques- tion of the existence of very extensive beds. Loose pieces of bituminous coal are found quite universally, in excavating the sand and gravel of the counties enumerated as bounding the carboniferous formation, and, no doubt, have their origin from the disintegration of the coal-bearing rock, and they occur over a district of country considerably more extensive than that now occupied by that formation.
Indications of coal were more particularly noticed at several places in Jack- son, Ingham, Eaton, and Shiawassee counties, and it was occasionally seen in beds, rarely exceeding two or three inches in thickness. On Grindstone creek, in Eaton county, and in the immediate vicinity, a bed, having an average thick- ness of eighteen inches, and not exceeding two feet at any point, was examined along the base of the hills for about three fourths of a mile, where, in conse- qnence of its dipping below the surface, I was unable to trace it farther. This bed is embraced in a succession of compact sandstones and fissile shales, vary- ing in thickness from five to thirty feet. In consequence of the shattered con- dition of the sandstone at one point, I was enabled to remove some twenty or thirty bushels of the coal, which proved to be highly bituminous, and of a very good quality, though occasional pieces were observed slightly contaminated with iron pyrites. It ignites easily, burns with a bright flame, and leaves only a small quantity of carthy residuum.
The difficulties which surrounded the investigation of this important subject, it is to be hoped, will in a measure be overcome as the country becomes more settled ; and we may look for much valuable information from the construction of our contemplated internal improvements, and more particularly that of the proposed canal, which will cross the coal formation at a point where we have reason to hope that beds of this mineral will be brought to light.
Gypsum.
Near Grand rapids, in Kent county, a bed of gypsum occurs, apparently of considerable extent. It is embraced in a bed of gypseous marl, and overlays the limestone before noticed as occurring in this neighborhood. Although the gypsum is only seen upon the surface at two or three points, and the beds have never been opened, I became satisfied, after a somewhat cursory examination, that it exists, covered with a few feet of soil, over a considerable district of country,
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APPENDIX.
and that it cannot fail to prove a subject of much value to the agricultural inte- rests of this and the adjoining parts of the state.
The gypsum is of the fibrous variety, nearly free from earthy matter, and is well adapted to nearly all the uses to which this valuable mineral is applied. The bed is distinctly stratafied, the layers varying from twelve to fifteen inches in thickness, and they are separated from each other by argillaceous matter and earthy gypsum.
Plaster is also known to exist at several other points in our state, but suffi- cient examinations have not yet been made to throw any light upon the proba- ble extent of the beds.
Brine Springs.
Looking upon every thing connected with the manufacture of salt as of the most vital importance to the interests of the state, and also bearing in mind the necessity of designating those springs selected for state purposes at as early a day as possible,* most of my minute examinations during the past season have been devoted to the brine springs of the peninsula ; and since the most of these occur in those counties which are but sparsely populated, the examinations have been attended with labor of the most severe kind. Little or nothing of a definite character has hitherto been known respecting either the location or quality of these springs, and nothing of the geological circumstances under which they occur.
It has been known, from the earliest settlement of the country, that' the In- dians formerly supplied themselves with salt from springs occurring on the pe- ninsula ; numerous reservations of lands supposed to contain salt springs, have been made by the United States ; and many years ago several unsuccessful attempts were made by individuals to manufacture salt. But after all, the fact that most of the springs reserved by the United States contain little else than some of the salts of lime and iron, and the failure in the original attempt to manufacture salt had, with much reason, given rise to doubts as to the exist- ence of saline springs to any extent. In the examinations which have been made during the past season, I have endeavored, so far as has been in my pow- er, to determine the southerly boundary of the saline district, the geological and geographical position of the different springs which have come under my ob- servation, together with the comparative strength and purity of their waters. As these examinations, from the short time which has elapsed, have only been partial, and the deductions must necessarily be crude, I shall only offer at this time such observations and suggestions as I conceive to be of immediate prac- tical importance, or as may tend to a better understanding of the general facts connected with the subject.
Saline indications of any importance have not been noticed south of a line drawn from Monroe, in Monroe county, to Granville, in Kent county ; and al- though there are several indications in Wayne county, if the eastern point were removed to Mount Clemens, in Macomb county, the country lying north of that line would embrace all of much, or, in fact, of any consequence, with the exception of those on Saline river in Washtenaw county This will be more
* It will be recollected, that by the act of admission, our state was permitted to select seventy-two sections of salt spring lands.
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APPENDIX.
easily understood by reference to the location of the springs enumerated in Table No. 1,* which includes the most important springs examined.
These may be conveniently described as occurring in five somewhat distinct groups. First, those on Grand river, town six north : second, those on Maple river, towns eight and nine north : third, those on the Tittabawassa river, town fifteen north : fourth, those of Macomb county, town three nortli : fifth, those on Saline river, Washtenaw county, town four south. Several other groups are already known, and some additional springs have been partially examined ; but in consequence of the imperfect nature of the present information, the dc- tails will not be set forth at this time.
The relative strength and purity of the waters of these springs will be seen at a glance by reference to the accompanying tables, numbered one and two ; but this is by no means to be taken as a standard of the amount of solid matter which they would under ordinary circumstances be found to contain. The wa- ters, with the exception of those taken from the springs numbered eighteen and nineteen, were invariably taken from the surface, and with the single exception of that numbered fifteen, under the most unfavorable circumstances. In conse- quence of the heavy rains of the past summer, most of the marshes in which the salines occur, have been deluged with fresh water ; the streams have been so high that much difficulty has occurred in procuring even the diluted water, which has been the subject of this analysis, and in more than one instance has the high state of the water compelled me to abandon the examination.
In ascending Grand river from its mouth, we first notice the appearance of brine springs some three to four miles below the rapids in Kent county. These indications occur in the small marshes in the valley on either side of the river. The river is here bounded by hills having a considerable elevation, and which give to the country a somewhat rugged aspect.
It has already been mentioned that the bed of the river, at the rapids, is of lime rock, and it does not lie at any great depth in the neighboring portions of the valley. The gypsum, before noticed, occurs in the immediate vicinity of the more important springs.
Since the springs numbered four, five, six, seven, and eight, in Table No. 1, (although of a superior quality,) may be taken as the type of the others, my descriptions will be confined to these alone. From these the Indians in the surrounding country are reputed to have procured their salt at an early day, and these springs have been known from the earliest settlement of the country.
These salines occur separated only a few rods from each other, near the edge of a marsh containing about twenty acres, and their waters are discharged from small tumuli, in general appearance not unlike flattened ant hills. They are almost completely surrounded by an exuberant growth of Chara, upon the roots and stems of which is a pulverulent deposite of lime, which is usually conside- rably colored by iron. The calcareous deposite has not produced any indura- tion, and the marsh is so completely softened in the immediate vicinity of the springs, that they are only approached by using the utmost caution. Small streams of water are constantly discharged from these several springs, which uniting at a short distance, and being joined by numerous springs of fresh wa-
* These Tables are to be found in the Report of Dr. Houghton, the State Geologist in 1838.
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APPENDIX.
ter, give rise to an inconsiderable but permanent brook, which enters Grand river at a distance of a little less than eighty rods. Upon examining the several springs more closely, they are found to have a variable depth of from a few inches to two or three feet, and to vary in diameter from two to three feet. When the bottom is not concealed by the loose vegetable and ferruginous mat- ter, which is sometimes retained by the exuberant growth of plants by which these springs are surrounded, it is seen to be composed of yellow sand with coniminuted shells chiefly of Lymnea, Melanea, and Pupa, portions of which are kept in constant and rapid motion by the jets of water. This yellow sand is found to be based upon, or to contain, numerous boulders of primary rocks, at a very slight depth. The water discharged is perfectly transparent, with a slightly bluish tinge, and contains sufficient carbonic acid to give it a flavor not disagreeable. In only one spring was sulphuretted hydrogen observed, and it was in that instance regarded as purely accidental. The temperature of the different springs was found to range from 48° to 51º Fah., while the springs of fresh water in the vicinity would not vary very much from 52º.
The salines being situated at a lower level than most of the surrounding country, must necessarily be liable to great variation in strength and purity, ac- cording as the lateral springs are more or less increased or diminished. The sandy soil with calcareous gravel being superimposed upon lime rock, and con- taining small quantities of both sulphuret and carbonate of iron, must be a con- stant source of contamination, more particularly during, and immediately after, heavy rains ; and to this admixture of substances perfectly foreign, must be ascribed the great variation shown by the analysis to exist in the mineral con- tents of waters taken at a distance of only a few rods from each other, and evi- dently having a common source.
Slight indications of saline waters are seen in the valley of Grand river near Ionia, but none were observed. on that river above that point.
In ascending Maple river, saline indications were first observed in town eight north, range four west ; and were seen to occur at distant intervals between that point and what may be considered as the head of navigation of the stream not far from the line between ranges one and two west. The Maple river be- tween these points is a sluggish stream, having so slight a current as to resem- ble a succession of narrow lakes; while the alluvial shores, scarcely rising above the water, even when lowest, are covered with a dense forest of soft maple, giving to the whole stream, at first, rather a forbidding aspect. But in passing from this valley, which varies from half a mile to two or three miles in width, we come upon a beautifully elevated and undulating country, for the most part heavily timbered, and well adapted to the purposes of agriculture. The bottom of the stream is seen to be composed of a yellowish sand, as is also the alluvial deposite which bounds it on either side, with which are frequently seen bould- ers of primary rocks, but no rock was seen in place at any point upon the river.
In Clinton county,* and where, by a somewhat sudden turn, the river ap- proaches near to the elevated boundary of the valley just described, saline indi- cations of a decided character appear in the narrow marsh or alluvial bottom which bounds the river upon its northern side. Two marshes, scarcely elevate.
* Town eight north, range four west, section fifteen.
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APPENDIX.
ed above the surface of the river, and partially separated from each other, occur in the lower, of which no distinct spring can be said to exist ; but the water is seen at several points oozing through the sandy soil in connexion with the wa- ter of the river ; and although no means could be devised for preventing the con- stant accession of fresh water and foreign matter, it will be seen by reference to spring 14, Tables No. 1 and 2, a much more favorable result was obtained than could under those circumstances have been anticipated. At the upper marsh, an excavation had been made to the depth of a few feet, but not suffi- cient to prevent the free ingress of fresh water. There was a constant discharge of water in small quantities perfectly transparent, and having a temperature of 46°, and, as was also the case with that at the lower marsh, having a slight odor of sulphuretted hydrogen. The result of an examination of the water, taken under these favorable circumstances, is given in Tables No. 1 and 2, spring No. 13.
Since my visit to that place, I am informed a shaft has been sunk through al- ternating beds of sand and coarse gravel, to a depth of about forty feet, and has been attended by a considerable increase of the saline contents of the water .*
As we continue to ascend the Maple River, indications of saline water occa- sionally appear until we arrive near the source of navigation of that streamn in Gratiot county, some fifteen to twenty miles above those already described. Here two saline marshes occur, one upon each side of, and scarcely elevated above the water of the stream at its medium height. That upon the northern side was estimated to contain between forty and fifty acres. They are simi- lar in appearance, consisting of a deposite of sand, intermixed with vegetable matter. Numerous small pools of brackish water arc irregularly distributed over them, and the soil is apparently saturated through their whole extent of it ; but as the looseness of the earthy material admits the free percolation of the water of the river, the results of the analysis given in Tables No. 1 and 2, springs 11 and 12, can only be looked upon as an approximation to the present strength and purity of the surface water. In a single instance, upon the south- ern side, and where the soil becomes slightly argillaceous, the water was seen rising to the surface, and running off in small quantities ; but after minute ex- amination, I was led to infer that a large amount of water, which would under other circumstances rise to the surface, is discharged laterally through the sand
* Since writing the above, I have received, through the politeness of Messrs. Parks and Warner, the proprietors of the spring, several bottles of the water taken since the shaft was sunk. One hundred cubic inches (three and a half wine pints, nearly) of the water subjected to the analysis, gave the following results :
Muriate of soda,
143.88 grains.
Muriate of lime,
4.30
Muriate of magnesia,
12.83
Carbonate of lime,
6.23
Carbonate of iron,
.09
Sulphate of lime,
13.47
Total solid matter,
180.80 grains.
By a comparison of this analysis with that numbered 13, in Table 1, it will be seen that there has been an increase of 92.42 grains of solid matter, and 77.05 grains of salt, in one hundred cubic inches of the water, in consequence of the shaft which has been sunk.
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APPENDIX.
and gravel, into the river. These marshes are the favorite resort of wild ani- mals ; and paths, deeply worn by deer, were seen in every direction.
On the Tittabawassa River in Midland County, numerous indications of the existence of brine springs were noticed, extending from near the mouth of Chip- pewa River as far as I ascended the former stream, being a few miles above the mouth of Salt River. Upon either side of the Tittabawassa, between the points noted, small pools of brackish water were observed, as also, occasionally, springs discharging a similar water in small quantites; and although an ex- amination showed the waters to contain large quantities of the salts of lime, and occasionally of iron, they were never destitute of more or less salt.
Springs of a more decided character occur in the vicinity of the mouth of Salt river. The first observed occurs in the stream near the banks of, the Tit- tabawassa, a little below Salt river, and at the time of my visit was covered by some two to two and a half feet of water. After much labor, by partly encir- cling the spring with two rows of stakes, and filling around with earth, I was enabled so far to exclude the fresh water as to make an imperfect examination ; but the loose nature of the material composing the bed of the stream, (it being sand and gravel,) together with the imperfect manner in which the crib sur- rounding the spring was constructed, did not prevent the constant accession of considerable quantities of fresh water ; for which reason the result of the ex- amination given in Tables No. 1 and 2, spring No. 1, must be considered as nothing more than an approximation to the real quantity of solid matter the water would contain were it taken under more favorable circumstances.
The spring was found by actual admeasurement to discharge about seventy gallons of water per hour, free from all sedimentary matter, perfectly transpa- rent, and to have a temperature of 47º, while the temperature of the river was 51° Fah. A small quantity of some gaseous matter was discharged at inter- vals of several minutes, which, although I had no means of determining to a certainty, was supposed to be carburetted hydrogen.
Nearly a mile above this spring, upon the same bank, and elevated from eight to ten feet above the water of the river, is a second spring, discharging a some- what larger quantity of water. Its general appearance and temperature are precisely the same as in that already described ; but in strength it is inferior, as will be seen by reference to Table No. 1, spring No. 2.
Near by, but at a greater elevation, several small springs of brackish water were seen issuing from the sloping bank of the river, which, upon examination, were found to contain a notable quantity of salt.
At the distance of about three-fourths of a mile from the locality last men- tioned, and some forty rods from Salt River, on its left bank, several brine springs, closely resembling those before described as occurring near the rapids of Grand River, are seen to issue from a marsh of about an acre in extent. The quantity of water discharged from these springs is small, but when considered in connexion with those already noticed, they become matters of considerable interest, since they serve to show that the salines are not confined to one or two springs, but are widely dispersed over a large district of country. By refer- ence to spring No. 3, Tables 1 and 2, the strength and purity of one of the springs, occurring in this marsh, will be seen ; but since the marsh from which this water was taken, had been completely deluged by the rains that had fallen
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APPENDIX.
the night before, perhaps no greater allowance should be made for any water that was analyzed, than for this.
Brine springs are known to exist near the mouths of the Flint and Cass Rivers in Saginaw county, as also in Sanillac county ; but as they occur in a flat section of country, the unfavorable season compelled me to defer examining them until some future time.
On the eastern declivity of the peninsula, in the counties of St. Clair, Ma- comb, Wayne, and the eastern part of Oakland, numerous indications of saline water occur ; but the waters are in most instances weak, and much contami- nated with the salts of lime, magnesia, and iron. The only exceptions to this, (among those which have been examined,) will be seen by reference to springs numbered 16, 17, 18, and 19, in Tables 1 and 2.
The quantity of water discharged from the brine springs, (so far as examined,) is much greater upon the western and northern than upon the eastern declivity of the peninsula.
The solution of this difference may be looked for, chiefly, from the difference in dip of the rock strata ; but it is also, probably, dependant in part upon the earthy superstratum through which the waters reach the surface. Thus, while the springs enumerated as occurring upon the western and northern declivities rise to the surface through a sandy soil, those in the counties last mentioned chiefly find their way to the surface through beds of tough clay, with occasion- al interstratified beds of sand and gravel, though not unfrequently, for a slight depth, the soil may be sand and loam. A little reflection upon this subject will serve to show the manner in which the water, in rising to the surface, may fol- low the frequently inclined direction of these beds of sand and gravel, and ap- pear at numerous points where least resistance will be offered to its ascent, and not unfrequently at some distance from the real source of the spring. This source of perplexity, which must necessarily at times lead to crroneous conclusions, would be less liable to occur were the earthy matter superimposed upon the rock of a homogeneous character so far as texture is concerned. For this rea- son, as also for the others connected with the position of the rock strata, the certainty of obtaining salt water by boring must be looked upon as less upon the eastern than upon the northern and western slopes of the peninsula.
From the earliest settlement of the country, brine springs have been known to exist in Macomb county, on Salt River, a small stream which is discharged into Lake St. Clair : and many years ago an attempt was made to manufac- ture salt from one of them. But although salt was manufactured in small quan- tities, the water did not prove of sufficient strength to render it a source of pro- fit, in consequence of which the attempt was abandoned. When I visited the spot, an old gum or hollow sycamore, sunk to the depth of a few feet, near the edge of the stream, marked the spot from which the water was taken, and a few remaining bricks the site of the furnace.
No attempt appears to have been made to improve the water any farther than by simply excluding that from the stream. The gum was so far decayed as to permit a free communication with the water of the stream, and that near the surface in the gum was to the taste apparently free from saline matter ; but a bottle sunk to the bottom, about five feet, brought up the water which was the subject of the examination noted as spring No. 16, Tables 1 and 2. No esti-
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