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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

FIRST REPORT

OF A

GHOLOGICATSRECOIN OISSANCE

OF THE NORTHERN COUNTIES OF
AHRK AN SAS,
MADE DURING THE YEARS 1857 AND 1858,

BY

s DAVID DALE OWEN,

PRINCIPAL GEOLOGIST,
ASSISTED BY

WILLIAM ELDERHORST, Chemical Assistant;
EDWARD T. COX, Assistant Geologist.

LITTLE ROCK:
JOHNSON & YERKES, STATE PRINTERS.

1858.

[ UNIVERSITY)
LIBRARY 7

INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

To His Excellency, E. N. Conway,
Governor of Arkansas:

Sm—In conformity to an act approved 15th January, 1857, entitled “an
act to provide for a geological survey of the State of Arkansas,” I had
the honor of being appointed by you State Geologist of the State of
Arkansas, which office I accepted with the proviso that I was to commence
the geological survey of the state as early as my engagements in Ken-
tucky permitted, say about the Ist of October, or as soon thereafter as
possible, it being, however, expressly understood that my salary as Geolo-
gist of the State of Arkansas, was not to commence until I entered upon
the duties of that office, as will appear from the following letter of your
Excellency, addressed to me on the 20th April, 1857:

Executive OFEice,
Litile Rock, Arks.,
20th April, 1857.
Dr. D. D. Owen—

Sir: [have appointed you State Geologist of the State of Arkansas,
under the act of the 15th January, 1857, as shown by the enclosed com-
mission, which will take effect from and after the Ist day of October, 1857;
and your salary is to commence upon your qualification, on or before the
15th October, 1857, that is, as soon as you shall enter upon your duties as
State Geologist of Arkansas, under said law, and not before then. I hope
by the first day of October, you will have completed your present engage-
ments in the State of Kentucky, and that you will accept the commission
which I send you upon the terms stated in it.

As a measure of economy, as far as this state is concerned, I was pleased

6 INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

to learn that the chemical work could all be done in your laboratory at
New Harmony, and would be pleased to learn what annual expense this
state will incur under such an arrangement, and for all instruments which
I presume you have and can use in the prosecution of the work, including
office-rent and fuel, whilst doing the office-work at New Harmony.

As you know best the kind of wagons and camp equipage you will
require to suit you, I presume it would be better for you to procure and
ship them to Jacksonport, Arkansas, than to obtain them in this state.
The horses and mules which you would require, could, perhaps, be
obtained in Arkansas, as well as common laborers.

We shall have to be confined to the amount of appropriation by the
law, and that is so small for such an important work, we will have to use
economy to accomplish much good, and I shall depend greatly on your
experience and good management in the whole matter.

When you qualify before an officer of this state, you will have to take
and subscribe and have authenticated and filed with the governor of
Arkansas, a duplicate of the official oath which will be indorsed on your
commission.

Most respectfully, your ob’t serv’t,
(Signed) ELIAS N. CONWAY.

In conformity with the above appointment and instructions, I com-
menced on the Ist October, 1857, making preparations for carrying out
the provisions of said act, by procuring the necessary instruments, outfit,
wagons, and means of transportation, for executing the field-work with
as much dispatch as possible.

By organising two corps for field-duty, and continuing the work as late
in the season as the weather permitted, I have, with the limited appropria-
tion at my command, been enabled to accomplish nearly as much as I
could have done with a single corps, during the summer and autumn
months; taking into consideration that the means at my disposal would
only have kept a single corps in the field during six or seven months in
the year.

On account of the low stage of the Ohio river in October, 1857, the
Mississippi and Ohio packets, plying along the coast of Arkansas, were
not running; I therefore found it would be more expeditious to proceed
by land to Arkansas, especially as by the most direct route, I would reach
the north-eastern confines of that state, which your instructions designated
as the portion of the state where I should commence the geological
survey, so that, as soon as I reached the borders of Arkansas, the work
could be immediately commenced.

INTRODUCTORY LETTER. 7

The point where I first entered the State of Arkansas, and where I,
therefore, commenced the field-work, was Chalk Bluffs, in Greene county.

The following report begins, for this reason, with that county.

My geological observations through the northern counties have been of
a general character, with the view of gaining a knowledge of the leading
geological formations, rather than of entering into minute local details;
though I have made it a point, at the same time, to visit such localities as
gave promise of important discoveries, even though they were, some-
times, situated a considerable distance out of the direct line of travel
which would have suited the general objects I had proposed to myself.

This plan of commencing the geological survey of the state has been
adopted for several reasons.

The wording of section 2, of the act providing for the survey, states:
“ Tt shall be the duty of the state geologist to make a reconnoissance of
the state.” This implies a general survey in the beginning; and this, in
any case, I consider the proper course to pursue in conducting the survey
of a new state; because, unless the geologist acquires, as soon as possible,
a general knowledge of the areas and boundaries of the various forma-
tions, he cannot direct the operations of the corps to advantage.

Again, by this method, every county can receive the benefits of such a
survey, in a period of time, comparatively short to that required to carry
a special, detailed survey over the state—unless, indeed, very large
appropriations are made, to put numerous corps in the field at the same
time.

Following the instructions contained in your letter, dated the 16th
September, 1857, with regard to the part of the state where you desired
the survey to commence, I have devoted the first season’s operations to a
reconnoissance of the northern counties adjacent to the Missouri line, and
those counties lying between the St. Francis and White rivers, as far
south as the northern boundary of the tier of townships 10 north. I found
it, however, impossible, before the close of the season, to extend the
survey to the western boundary of Arkansas. The extreme limits of my °
western obervations of last December, only reached the confines of
Carroll county.

INTRODUCTION.

(>)

The citizens of Arkansas, so far as I have had an opportunity of
ascertaining by intercourse with them, are so well aware of the impor-
tance and utility of a geological survey of their state, that it is hardly
necessary for me to enlarge upon the subject. But a few remarks of
paramount interest suggest themselves.

It has been justly inferred, from the history of nations, that the people
who have reached the highest state of civilization and intelligence, and
who possess the greatest wealth and influence, are those who enjoy the
most extensive facilities of commercial interchange, who possess within
themselves the largest means of producing the staple articles of food, and
who manufacture the substantial fabrics supplying wearing apparel, the
implements of husbandry, and all kinds of useful machinery.

To accomplish these vast objects to the greatest advantage, the country
itself should not only be possessed of those natural resources in soil and
mineral productions, which supply the raw material for all kind of staples,
but must be sufficiently populous to supply the labor necessary for carry-
ing on those manufactures, without too great a drain upon the agricultural
community. These two classes of society, under a liberal and enlightened
form of government, become mutually dependent on each other, the
one producing the necessaries of life, the other fashioning the implements
which enable the cultivator of the soil to afford his means of subsistence
at a cheap rate, and supplying, not only to the artizan but to the whole
community such articles of comfort and convenience as give to life its
zest, and to our home their charms.

Hence, to be in the most flourishing condition, a country should not only
possess, at least, a fair average soil, but those mineral resources which

10 INTRODUCTION.

contribute most essentially to the attainment of a high state of perfection
in the mechanic arts.

Foremost in the list of utility, stand coal and iron ores; then platinum,
gold and silver, copper, lead, tin, zinc: all producing metals for which
there is a regular and constant demand in every land of active industry;
ores of antimony, manganese, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, aluminum, arsenic,
bismuth, sodium, yielding metals which, though in use to only a limited
extent, are, many of them, very essential in the arts, and generally com-
mand high prices, on account either of their partial diffusion within the
reach of the miner, or the expense of reduction.

Every commercial and civilized nation also demands a supply of a
variety of saline substances and earthy minerals, found either on the
surface of the earth or interstratified in its geological formations; such as
common salt; alum, nitre, carbonates of soda and potash, sal-ammoniac,
gypsum, potter’s and other clays, ochres, and other paints, also, an abun-
dant supply of limestone, and all the various rocks, useful as building
materials and for all kinds of ornamental work, hydraulic cements, mate-
rials suitable for the manufacture of glass, fluxes for the metallurgist,
are some of the most useful materials that may be enumerated as required
to supply the wants of a progressive, commercial, manufacturing people:
while the agricultarist, in his vocation, derives many valuable mineral
manures from the strata constituting the earth’s crust, such as marls, bone-
earth, argillaceous and ferruginous earths, and saline deposits and
efflorescences, which often form the most accessible, the cheapest and
most available materials for the renovation of his land.

Such being universally recognized facts in the history of mankind from
the earliest period up to the present time, is it not incumbent on every
country and every state of this Union, to adopt measures calculated, first to
develop their resources in the various raw materials necessary for their
welfare and progress, and having done so, to direct public attention to
their stores of mineral wealth; so that the capitalist, seeking prefitable
investments, and the skillful artizan business and employment, may take
cognizance of their peculiar advantages? and, at the same time, proclaim
before the immigrant farmer their agricultural resources...

What better method can a state adopt for this purpose, than to institute
and support with liberality a well-conducted and judiciously managed
geological survey of her territory and publish the results to the world in
reliable, creditable and attractive geological reports, emanating from
sources in which the public generally have full confidence.

This is forcibly brought home to us by a recent communication from our
enlightened Minister to Prussia, writing to his friend Judge Law of Indiana,

Lest a

be

INTRODUCTION. 11

which is so pertinent to the subject that I here extract a few paragraphs
bearing on the question:

“ Beruw, February 6th, 1858.”

“ Dear Str: I have often made the remark to you and to our people,
that there is less known, both at home and abroad, of Indiana, her capa-
bilities and resources, than of any state of the Union. Of the truth of this
fact, 1am more and more convinced. I am daily brought in contact with
men of intelligence who feel a great interest in obtaining information
about our country, especially how money may be invested there, so as to
bring the largest return. They wish to learn, what are the most desirable
portions for manufactures and trade.

Questions are often put to me about the mineral resources of Indiana,
and thesurprise expressed thata state, so rich in that respect, has not taken
pains to let its wealth be known to the world. A few have heard of the
partial survey, and the report thereon, made by Mr. Owen, some years
ago, but have not seen it—and I doubt whether you can find half a dozen
copies in the state, or even one in the state-library. I could distribute
hundreds of those reports, imperfect as they are, with great advantage to
our state.

I know the great interest you take, living as you do in the midst of the
coal and iron region of the western world, in the development of the min-
eral resources of Indianagand I cannot forbear urging upon you renewed
exertions in this matter. Our statesmen, our literary men, our men of
wealth may come to Europe and talk of the resources of the country, her
mineral wealth, her capacities for improvement; but when the capitalist
and intelligent mechanic desire to know, where they shall use their capital
of money or mind, where they shall establish their manufactories or locate
their mining operations, they wish to see the survey and report of the man
of science, who can tell them where they may certainly find remuneration
for their labor, and what it shall be.

To develop the resources of a country, the combined action of capital
and labor is required. Capital and labor are annually coming to our
country from Europe; but much too large a proportion passes directly
through our state and finds its home and employment in Wisconsin, I]li-
nois, lowa and Missouri. If our state were better known, if its capacities
‘were published abroad in a manner which could command the confidence
of the capitalist and the emigrant, this would not be so.

That we have mineral wealth, we know. Coal, iron, lead, zinc, building
stone and slate, are found in abundance, and clays useful in the arts are
extensively distributed. But in how great an abundance these may be

12 INTRODUCTION.

found, and how profitably the capitalist may invest his means for their
development, can only be determined and made known in a manner to
command the confidence of the public at home and abroad, by a careful
survey under the direction of the state.

The importance of these surveys is more highly appreciated on this con-
tinent than with us. Here the necessity of developing all the resources of
the country is felt, and attention is given to the subject. It is this develop-
ment and the wealth which necessarily comes from it, which enables many
of these countries to maintain their position and influence in the world.
Money judiciously expended in these investigations yields a sure return.

In Bavaria, with less territory than the state of Indiana, millions have
been expended in complete geological and topographical surveys of that
country, and for a few pennies every farmer or land-owner can obtain a
copy of the survey of his land, a chemical analysis of its soil, and a knowl-
edge of the minerals which enrich it.

In Belgium, they are excavating coal at a depth of 1,500 to 1,800 feet
below the surface, working veins only 18 inchs thick at an angle of 45 deg.,
and this coal, too, of an inferior quality, such as we would not use, and in
that country, notwithstanding the amount already expended, preparations
are being made for a still more thorough survey. Might not much capital
thus laboriously expended be attracted towards our rich coal fields, were
their existence and extent known and believed?

But it is not only in the discovery and locati@n of the mineral resources
of the state, that such a survey would be advantageous. It would call
attention to the fact that all these minerals can be worked and made into
manufactured articles at home, instead of being sent abroad and returned
to us at an advanced price, as we know is now done, not only with our
pig iron, zinc and other metals, but even with our walnut and cherry.
Copper is shipped from Tennessee to England, and returned to us in the
manufactured state at an advance of more than 200 per cent. I believe
that zinc is not manufactured in any considerable quantities in the Mis-
sissippi valley, and yet it is well known among us, that it is found in great
abundance in the north-west, equal to any in the world. How profitably
to our people might the money be expended in manufacturing at home
the zinc used among us for painting, for roofing, telegraphing, and in the
daily employments of our mechanics. But this will not be until the atten-
tion of capital is drawn to our resources.

It may be mentioned as a striking fact, showing the extent to which we
look across the water for supplies, that in South Wales and Staffordshire,
England, alone, tin plates are manufactured to the amount of 900,000

INTRODUCTION. 13

boxes annually, to the value of over five millions of money, and that more
than two-thirds of these are exported to the United States.

Such a survey as ought to be made, would exhibit another thing which
may soon be of vital importance to the state; a thing which comes home
especially to the farmers. It is well known that the supply of water is
yearly becoming less abundant. Such a survey would show where arte-
sian wells could be sunk, from which a never-failing supply of water
could be obtained. This may be determined by the scientific man with
as much certainty as the character of the underlying soil. A few years
ago, in Paris, when water was very much needed, an artesian well was
sunk under the direction of scientific men, and water was found—an
everlasting fountain—though it was after eight years of labor, and at a
depth of 1,900 feet.

It is said that the French ii conquering Algiers, took with them men of
science, and as they progressed, they established villages and sunk arte-
sian wells, finding water even in the desert. The wandering Arabs
exclaimed, ‘what can we do with a people who make water rise out of the
ground wherever they please?’ And they conquered, perhaps, as much by
the impressions made by their scientific knowledge, as by the force of

their arms.” * * * *

Let us look now to a few of the results of the geological survey of
Kentucky, which has been in progress since 1855.

In some of the counties, where the labors of the geologist have estab-
lished the existence of beds of good workable coal, the intrinsic value of
the land rose, in a single season, twenty-five per cent. all over the county;
while the value of the land, in many locations of the same county, offer-
ing peculiar advantages adjacent to navigable streams, rose, in the course
of the same period of time, from five to ten dollars per acre, up to fifty
and sixty dollars. And these prices have remained firm and permanent
up to the present time, showing that the valuation was real, intrinsic and
substantial.

Where the simultaneous occurrence of both coal and abundant beds of
rich iron ore has been proved, the rise in the value of the property has
been proportionally greater. These are, indeed, direct and tangible
advantages, which all can appreciate and comprehend, and which come
home to the owners of property, and to the citizens of the state.

It will be apparent, that capital and labor must speedily flow towards
localities where such valuable mineral resources have been demonstrated

to exist.
Further: the elaborate, comparative chemical analyses of the soils col-

14 INTRODUCTION.

lected from various parts of the state, now numbering between two and
three hundred, have developed such important, interesting and practically
useful results, and thrown so much insight into the peculiar constitution of
the soils, derived from particular geological formations, and the individual
members of these formations, that all the well-informed and intelligent
part of the farming community, whose soils yet remain unexamined for
want of adequate time, is already calling loudly for an extension of the
same system of chemico-agricultural investigation over their portion of
the state.

Again, the iron-master, for want of a knowledge of the chemical con-
stitution of ores easily accessible and conveniently situated to his furnace,
has often been rejecting his richest and best ores, which, now that he has
become aware of their composition and productiveness, through the dis-
closures of the geological survey, he works with greater profit and advan-
tage than any of those ores previously employed.

Numerous instances have occurred in which deluded men, ignorant of
the nature of minerals, have expended their labor and means in mining
after ores, either comparatively of little value, or containing none of the
metal they confidently expected to extract from them, and have only been
persuaded to desist from their ruinous proceedings by the demonstrations
and counsel given them by the geologist.

The capitalist, miner and business man have had their attention called
to various parts of the state, and are either examining the various sections
of the state in person, or sending out their agents for the purpose of mak-
ing locations for future mining or manufacturing operations.

Moreover: it is incumbent on every state in the confederacy, to contri-
bute her utmost to prevent the enormous drain made on this country, at
the present time, for manufactured products imported into this country.
In the article of iron, alone, and that chiefly railroad iron, recent statistics
show that this country is importing upwards of 500,000 tons, at a cost of
over $3,000,000 annually. Such a drain on our moneyed resources—such
a serious balance of trade against us—should certainly be put an end to
as speedily as possible; and this is only to be accomplished by the imme-
diate increase in the manufacture of iron throughout the different states
of the Union.

It can be shown by the most reliable calculations, that iron can be pro-
duced in the western states, where facilities exist for its manufacture, by
the simultaneous occurrence of good iron ore and coal, suitable for its
reduction, convenient to navigation on our larger streams, not only as
cheaply as in England, but, in consequence of the duty on imported iron,
and the greater cost of carriage and commission, at a cheaper rate than

INTRODUCTION. 15

foreign iron can be delivered in this country, even at $15 to $20 less cost
per ton; and still leave the handsome profit of twenty-five per cent. to the
manufacturer, notwithstanding the advantages which Great Britain pos-
sesses in her cheap labor and in her capital. If this is true—and any one
conversant with the business can satisfy himself of its correctness by
investigating the subject—is it not inevitable, not only that establishments
for the production of iron must rapidly spring up in the western country,
where, in a year or two, four-fifths of the great demand for iron will be,
and at those points that offer the greatest inducements in the required
mineral resources, but it is moreover true, that the business’can hardly be
overdone; since the increased production, for years to come, can hardly
keep even pace with the annually increased consumption in railroad iron.

So universally important is it to the interests of the United States, that
this branch of business should be cherished, that it has recently called
forth remarks from the executive.

The same is true, to a certain extent, in very many other branches of
metallurgy, and applies, indeed, more or less, to all manufactures.

REPORT

OF A

GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

OF PART OF

ARKANSAS.

PART FIRST.

In proceeding to record the geological observations of 1857, I shall
follow nearly my line of travel through the various counties from the
north-east corner of the state, towards the west, and give the results of
my observations under the heads of the different counties through which
the geological corps passed.

GREENE COUNTY.

The so-called Chalk Bluffs form the extreme north-east boundary of
Crowley’s ridge, where it abuts on the St. Francis river, a very short dis-
tance below where that stream leaves tbe State of Missouri and enters
Arkansas, and constitute, therefore, the north-east termina‘ion of that
extensive ridge of land which extends from Helena, on the Mississippi, in
Phillips county, through St. Francis, Poinsett and Greene counties, divid-
ing the waters of the St. Francis from those of White river, and giving
origin to the heads of the western tributaries of the former, and the east-
ern tributaries of the latter streams.

This ridge, so far as it has yet been explored, i. e., to the north line of
township 10 north, is composed of, comparatively, very recent deposits,
mostly of incoherent or but very partially indurated materials belonging
to the age of the so-called quarternary formation, with the exception of a
few very limited areas where hard quartzose sandstones of very ancient
date protrude through these beds.

The base of the quarternary deposits, forming the northern terminus of
the Crowley Ridge, is a potter’s clay of considerable purity, and nearly as
white as chalk; hence the name of the Chalk Bluffs, where this white clay
is exposed on the banks of the St. Francis river, afew feet above low
water of that stream, in the north-east extremity of Greene county.

20 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The section of the quarternary beds at the Chalk Bluffs, as far as they
can be seen, is as follows:

Height
above ; Thick-
135. Hill on which the ferryman’s house stands-++++++++++ +++
Soil and sub-soil +++ ee eee eee tere ce ee ee ee ee ener eee eerene ;
Chert and hornstone gravel.++-+++eesseeee eee eee e eens 25
110. Lowest point to which the upper gravel bed could be traced.
105. Top of the first bench below the main gravel bed------- “ee
Pink and variegated sand; locally indurated into a soft
crumbling sandstone 96 feet or more in thickness. --.----- 96
30. White siliceous clay shale or marly earth, slightly indurated
atthe upper parte +--+ setts eee ere eee Bb Bre us iapik: Sea a arena Ve a
6. Fine white potter’s clay 5 to 6 feet. +++ + see cree cece cence 6

0. Low water of the St. Francis river.

The materials which compose the gravel bed which underlies the sub-
soil, seem to have been derived from the destruction of beds of carbon-
iferous date, lying to the north in the State of Missouri. At this locality,
it appears to be from 25 to 30 feet in thickness. It occupies the highest
position of the beds of quarternary date at this locality.

No solid beds of rock have been observed in this north-east termination
of Crowley’s ridge. In sinking wells at levels below the gravel bed, they
pass through sand, then streaks of clay and shaly materials, below which
the sand continues. In this lower bed of sand the water is usually struck,
which must be retained there by the lower beds of clay of the preceding

‘section. Sometimes, in low situations, they pass through beds of clay in
‘digging for water.

A few chert and hornstone pebbles were observed disseminated amongst
the sand at 40 feet above the river, but the principal gravel deposit of
this part of Crowley’s ridge is in high situations above the great mass of
sand.

The growth on the high ground is mostly black and white oak; in the
bottoms, a mixed growth. Considerable groves of cypress timber flourish
in the bottoms of St. Francisriver, a short distance above Chalk Bluffs.

An erratic mass of hornstone, weighing upwards of 50 pounds, was
‘observed on the slope of the river bluff, near the ferry; and near by are

. chalybeate oozings from the bank, originating, probably, from some scaly
oxide of iron, sparingly disseminated in the adjacent bank.

The potter’s clay at the base of the Chalk Bluffs is nearly white, or of a
‘eream color; variegated, however, here and there, with flesh tints. Its

OF ARKANSAS. a1

texture is fine, and forms a plastic mass with water. Its composition is
shown by the following chemical analysis:

Moisture «+. -.eee eee eee 01.10 (Silica-.-+.+-.0+ eevee ees 69.7
Insoluble siliceous earth... 89.75 < Alumina tinged with oxide of
Oxide of iron. ...eeeee ees 3.86 ae) | i i a 19.0
TW se a sear) oben leee 8 Ree 88 Sina: gece ee are oe eer eree ert 2
Magnesia Oe ee ee ee eee 33 Magnesia - sss rreseeneeenee wl
Potash s<8a4066ioskeewe. oes 15 Potash. sock ese.saaee wage: Sy
Carbonic acids .++++1eeees 1.00 | Soda +--+. eee. Fees ee rece .05
Chlorine. 60.2 eaaecw eee se .60 =F
Phosphoric acid. +. ++.+++e+ 075 | 89.75

Water of hydration (not dri-
ven off at 300 deg. F.,)
trace of ammonia and loss 8.255

100.000

This clay contains 4.79 per cent. less alumina than the Hickman county
clay belonging to the same geological era; about 0-701 per cent. less lime,
and 0-34 less alkalies. It will, therefore, make a whiter ware, be less
fusible, and less liable to crack.

Ihave manufactured small crucibles out of this clay, and find that it
produces an excellent and strong article. The moulded clay is not liable
to crack in drying, without addition of silica or siliceous earth, nor during
the burning; and the crucibles manufactured therefrom resist sudden
changes of temperature without cracking. The burnt biscuit ware is even
rather lighter colored than the original clay, which is of avery light cream
color. It resists fusion at a high temperature.

Besides being valuable for the above purposes, this clay would, proba-
bly, be found of excellent quality for modelling, and various other uses; it
is, therefore, well worthy the attention of the potter and the artist.

The section at Chalk Bluffs, does not extend low enough to enable the
observer to see what underlies this clay; but from the position of beds of
clay of, apparently, the same age, found in other western and southern
states, it is probably interstratificd amongst the orange and ferruginous
sands, that are subordinate to the shell marls, which constitute the upper
member of the quarternary; occupying, therefore, the same geological
horizon, as the white clays at the base of the section described in the first
volume of the geological report of Kentucky, on pages 20, 21 and 22 of
that volume, and the corresponding clays which, I understand from Dr. E.
W. Hilgard, geologist of Mississippi, are interstratified in the “orange
sand,” of the state of Mississippi; on this account it is probable that ferru-
ginous, orange-colored sands occur in this part of Arkansas still beneath
this clay; but concealed from view under the drainage of the country.

2»

92 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The quaternary beds of the northern part of Greene county afford, lo-
cally, a yellow ochre suitable both for a pigment and a dye-stuff.

One of the localities, where I had an opportunity of viewing it in place,
is about one mile west of south of the “ Pine,” between the Gainsville and
Pocahontas road, near township 21 north, range 8, east of the 5th princi-
pal meridian. It is exposed here in a steep bank, near the bottom of a
hollow where a spring branch takes its rise on the north side of the ridge,
3 to 4 miles from Levi Boyd’s farm. It lies a considerable distance under
the main upper gravel bed which shows itself in various places near the
top of this ridge and beneath underlying beds of pink, variegated, and fer-
ruginous sands. Its original color at the bank isa yellow, but by exposure
to heat, it acquires a red color, in which condition it has been used, by
some of the inhabitants of this part of the county, as a dye-stuff for woolen
goods.

Its chemical composition is presented in the following analysis:

Water (hygrometric)---+-» ++ 2.99 (Silicas +... -see seers eens - 68.64
Insoluble silicates--..--.-- 81.00< Alumina tinged with oxide
Peroxide of irons + +++ +e+eees 10.00 Of T1rOMs eee eee eee eee 10.00
Protoxide of iron: ++-++seeee .78 Lime, same. Bes wae ere a elee .44
Oxide of manganese: ----- .20 | Magnesia++.+++eee reer eee 18
ATi iia sin so seo Ste tts 6 Gree ae nie tate GS | Potash. sesicivadessanwaiws 1.20
Lime «06s evans arava} 6b setae Wives (Sede ites aap ERE Bes trace
Magnesia «+... eee cence 14
Potash ss:- ox te warvet eee eee 31 80.46
Carbonic acid. -.........08. 70
Chlorine «- se. ee eeecscccuce 02
Phosphoric acid: -.+.+..+++. 14
Sulphuric acid...-....-...- trace
Water of hydration, loss, and

AMMONIA+ sere eeeeveveves 1.70

100.00

This ochre contains seven and ahalf per cent of iron: it has a good
body and color; better than that of the French spruce yellow, and could ge
used as a pigment for brick work, and outside work, even without washing,
as the texture is fine, and there is very little grit in it when carefully
selected. When burnt, it acquires a light red color; this change appears
to be due, more to the loss of its water of hydration, than to the peroxida-
tion of the fraction’ of a per cent of protoxide of iron, which it contains.

For the purposes of dying, it it used, by the country people, in its burnt
condition.

At the “ Pine,” near by, diggings have been attempted in search of an
ore, supposed to contain silver; but with no success. The gravel and sand

OF ARKANSAS. 93

beds, which constitute the main mass of the Crowley ridge at the “ Pine,”
is altogether unfavorable for the discovery of ore of this description.

A qualitative chemical analysis was made of the water of the St. Francis
river, in the north-east part of Greene county, which proves it to be a
remarkably soft water, containing only a small quantity of carbonate of
magnesia and lime, and a trace of sulphates and chlorides. It is remark-
able, too, for the small proportion of lime compared with magnesia. In
most river waters, the lime is in much larger proportion than the magnesia:
The saline matter, altogether, is in much smaller quantity than is usually
found in our western rivers; hence, the softness of the water. It is well
adapted for domestic purposes. The same is true of most of the spring
water in the northern part of the Crowley ridge. The spring at A.S.
Stewart’s was tested, qualitatively, and found to contain only a trace of
lime and a very small quantity of bi-carbonate and chloride of magnesia.
It is almost as soft as rain water.

Samples of soils of the northern part of the Crowley ridge, were collected
from the farm of W. Raeburn, where the growth is black-oak, hickory,
black and white walnut, and large poplar. Also, a sample of the genuine
“black sand land,” from the flat lands, at the foot of the eastern slope of
the ridge, from the farm of H. W. Granada.

The ridge lands, where these soils were collected, produce from 40 to 50
bushels of corn to the acre, and 20 to 30 bushels of wheat. It would, no
doubt, produce tolerably good crops of tobacco and cotton, but these have
not been raised to any extent in this vicinity as yet.

The black sand soil is remarkably deep and rich, and will yield, on new
land, 80 to 100 bushels of cora to the acre. It produces very fine vege-
tables, and appears to be especially congenial to peach trees. Itisa
quick warm soil, and stands both dry and wet seasons well. The growth
on this land is poplar, oak, walnut, and gum, with an undergrowth of spice
and papaw. This black-sand-land represents a large proportion of the
flat lands, lying between Crowley’s ridge and the Mississippi river, in
Arkansas.

The south-western part of township 19 north, range 7 east, and the
northern part of township 18 north, range 6 east, support mostly a growth
of barren oak, with the upper quaternary gravel bed generally near the
surface. In some of the deep hoHows, 80 to 90 feet below the gravel bed,
the quaternary clay is occasionally recognizable; the intervening deposi-
tion of 90 to 100 feet being mostly ferruginous orange sand, where it is
exposed to view, with perhaps some subordinate interstratified beds of
clay. But there are but few good sections where the quaternary sand can

24 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

be satisfactorily seen. The subsoil is generally ferruginous. The surface
of the country is undulating; and the growth almost universally oak.

The water of this region of Arkansas is remarkably pure, especially
that which comes through the gravel beds, containing less earthy salts than
I have found in any spring-waters in the western country. It lies, how-
ever, often deep, since it filters away through the porous beds of gravel
and sand to the depth, sometimes, of 90 feet, except where arrested by
local beds of interstratified impervious clays that lie, sometimes, at the
depth of 30 to 50 feet. :

In the neighborhood of Gainesville, some lead ore has been picked up,
but there is very little probability that it is connected with any bodies of
this species of ore, accessible to the miner, since such ores rarely, if ever,
occur in the loose quaternary deposits, such as above described as pre-
vailing through this part of Greene county. It is much more probable
that they have either been brought there, and deposited, by the Indians at
some of their camping grounds, or been transported along with the gravel
from lead regions, lying to the north-west, either in Arkansas or Missouri.
A bed of lignite of quaternary date, craps out in the bed of the Beech
branch of Cache river, in Greene county, near the crossing of the Chalk
Bluff road, which runs on the Cache side of the Crowley ridge. It is partly
concealed under the water. It is overlaid by red and pink ferruginous
sand, and underlaid by clay.

The succession and superposition, as far as they can be seen for vegeta-
tion and debris concealing the upper members of the quaternary beds, on
the Beech branch at this. lignite locality, are as follows:

Upper gravel bed 15 to 20 or 25 feet: ++ see see e eee ee ee ence eeeeens 20
Red, tenacious, ferruginous clay 7 to 10 feet in thickness.........- 10
Second or lower gravel bed, 5 to 10 feet thick. ....-+..sesseeeeeee 6
Pink and variegated sand, with some disseminated gravel, passing
downwards into reddish white sand, overlying the lignite bed. -...- 25?
Lignite bed partly concealed, 3 to 4 feet in thickness. .+-++.+.+..0. 3?

Some of the sand is cemented, by the infiltration of ferruginous waters,
into a partially indurated rock.

This lignite is of a blackish brown color. Part of it exhibits the woody
structure, and part has a more homogeneous earthy aspect, and lighter
blackish brown color.

Both varieties are very similar in their character to the lignites of the

same age which occur in the quaternary deposits of the western part of
Ballard county, Kentucky.

OF ARKANSAS. 95

4

The chemical analysis of this lignite, has not yet been undertaken, but
will be made hereafter.*

Its appearance, however, hardly justifies the expectation that it will be
found sufficiently rich in carbon and hydro-carbons, to be valuable as a
fuel, even if the deposit should prove to be extensive. Lignite of a similar
character occurs seven miles a little west of south form the above locality,
on the Beech Fork of Cache; also, one mile north, two miles north, and
four miles south.

If it be a continuous bed between all the different out-crops known at
present, it would occupy an area of some seventy square miles, but this is
by no means certain, since these lignite beds are often quite partial and
local. Future detailed examinations in Greene county may throw farther
light on its extent.

It is worthy of remark, that there occurs disseminated in this lignite a
yellow pyrites, which contains a small per centage of copper, the exact
amount of which will be reported on, as soon as the chemical analysis
shall be completed.

‘wo miles from Gainesville, near Jones’, the quaternary sand is indu-
rated into a soft sandstone, which is used in the construction of chimneys.
It contains impressions of leaves, one of which appears to belong to the
magnolias, and others to some species of water-oak, or willows. When
these have been more fully investigated, and more extensive collections
made from other localities, we shall then be better able to report in
specific detail.

About two-thirds of the flat Cache lands are “black sand lands,” and
one-third post-oak lands. The latter are too wet for cultivation, without
a complete system of drainage. The highest of the former are cultivated,
and are very productive. Hereafter, if the agricultural department of
the survey be provided for, we hope to be able to supply comparative
chemical analyses of these soils, which will give more insight into their
relative productiveness, than we are able to supply in their absence.

If the flat post-oak lands of the Cache country of Arkansas, could be
drained, and subsequently cultivated with profit, it would greatly increase
the agricultural resources of Greene, Randolph, and Independence counties,
and contribute materially to the settlement of this part of the state.

Near David Schultz’s place, on the east or St. Francis side of the
Crowley ridge,and about 2 miles from the St. Francis bottom, near the
line between townships 18 and 19 north, range 8 east, there is a deposit
of yellow ochre, similar to that previously described as occurring at the
«“ Pine,” on the other side of this ridge.*

*See Chemical Report.

!

26 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Some of the geological maps, which profess to give approximate boun-
daries to the cretaceous formation of the United States, have indicated its
northern boundary in Arkansas, as running with a north-easterly course
into Greene county, passing near Lorado and Crowley. While in that
vicinity, I searched for evidence of the existence of this formation above
the drainage of the country, as well as in the materials penetrated in
sinking wells. Since, in the western district of Tennessee, the member
of this formation which reaches the surface, is a kind of chalk-marl, or
soft argillaceous limestone, known popularly amongst the inhabitants as
“rotten limestone,” I made especial enquiry for a rock of this description
in that part of Greene county. I was informed that though they knew
of no “rotten limestone,” some of the neighbors had obtained a different
kind of water in their wells than that usually struck, all ranging in a
north-east and south-west direction, which they called “rotten limestone
water.” I was referred particularly to J. P. Harris’ well, on section 25,
township 16 north, range 3 east, and accordingly made a point of examin-
ing the.material removed from said well. That proved, however, to be
the quaternary shell-marl; which, containing a notable quantity of lime
and magnesia, imparted a harder quality to the water passing through it,
than in the waters of the neighboring wells, filtering through only gravel
and sand.

The quaternary marl of this part of Greene county, is of a light grey
ashy appearance, and contains, disseminated, some small shells, which
seem to be mostly Heliz and Planorbis, but the earth was so disintegrated
that no perfect specimens could be obtained.

The composition of this shell-marl, as will appear from the subjoined
chemical analysis, is more siliceous and less calcareous than the Hickman
county shell-marl of the same date, and is, therefore, less adapted as a
mineral fertilizer of land; though it would be of some advantage to stiff
clay land, improving it both physically and chemically. It could be

employed, probably, to advantage in reclaiming the post-oak lands of the
adjacent flats.

OF ARKANSAS. 7

Chemical analysis of shell-marl, from T. P. Harris’ well, Greene county,

Arkansas.
STC os sigeeoecepoin g Gauss aoeceve es 72.8

Water. -sereesees seeeeeees 1.8 | Alumina tinged with iron-- 6.8
Insoluble silicates--..+++. «+ B4.9 J Lime ceseee see eeseeueees 8
Carbonic acid -.+++++e+eee+ 2.7 | Magnesia. .+-+seereeeeees 3
Peroxide of iron--+.++++++- 8.6 | Potashe sss eeee eect eeeeee 9
Alumina « 65 se 6 eos eee ws 2.0 SOG Aik ow wai hneie eee a Capes Ge 3.2
Lime... ee eee ee aoe see 29 Manganese «esses seeseees trace
Magnesia +++-++.eeeeeeeees 1.2
Phosphoric agile veer ee eee 45 84.8
Potash--...- eee 8 Gide: wy WS we 3)
Loss: -+.> C4 Ae MLR RR Ae RS 45

100.00

For comparison, is subjoined the chemical analysis of the corresponding
shell-marl of Hickman county, Kentucky:

Water eter ee. ei acetic EK Rares 1235-7 Silicas sis @ iws wane Bee 60.6
Organic matter sol. in water- 80 | Alumina++++cee eee eee eeee 7.4
Insoluble silicates.-.---+++-- 78.304 Lime- sect ee cere ee eeeeees 1.1
Carbonic acid... -iseeeeeees 10.00 | Magnesia «+--+ +++ eees . 4
Lime - eee ee cece cece eens 6.8 | Loss, alk, and a trace of
Magnesia «-++e tee cree eeee 3.78 oxide of iron not esti-
Alumina and peroxide ofiron 2.8 mated: ++sserereeeeee 3.8
Chlorine «eee e sce eer eeeee 12 ;
Loss, alkalies and phospho- 73.3
ric acid, not determined: 1.55 :
100.00

From the best information obtained, the materials passed through in
digging this well, were:

Soil and mule Role aca esas nav aramelweset aes 3 feet.
Dark-red under-clay+++++e+eeee eee e eee e cee en eens 14 «
Siegal anaes ewe Re eee Me Mee NOK eewReNard atEwA Seas 99
Gravel and white coarse sand, mixed. +--++++++seeees Oe Eke

The water was obtained in the last member, viz: the white coarse
gravel and sand.

At James Lamb’s, three quarters of a mile east of Harris’, the shell-
marl was struck in sinking his well at 54 feet; at Henry Cook’s, 48 feet;
and at Daniel Martins’ (where Lindley now lives), water was obtained at
18 feet in the shell-marl.

Thus I have, even to the depth of 54 feet beneath the surface, not been
able to obtain the least evidence of the existence of any of the members
of the cretaceous formation, as far north in the north-eastern part of
Arkansas, as they have been laid down by some geological map-makers;

98 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

who, in fact, never visited the country, but plotted the boundary of that
formation from what they imagined its probable bearings would be through
Arkansas.

Between Gainsville and Walcott, a distance of 13 miles, the country is
mostly a succession of oak and pine ridges, forming a continuation of
Crowley’s ridge, to the south.

On the small Colton map of Arkansas, the Walcott post-office is laid
down 8 miles too far to the north, and Crowley 5 miles too far south.

The bluff below Dr. Mellon’s house, Walcott post-office, is composed of
the following materials:

Red ferruginous tenacious clays +++es steerer eee e eee eee 10 to 15 feet.
Light-colored sand and clay, mixed. ++ +--+ ++ seers eee ei eee 5.
Gravel, cemented by oxide of iron into a conglomerate or

pudding-stone Bh iuikl Brecon eee “BEA arbiters eas srw lee: wi ace ar aS BIG Saige i ee
White, quartzose, fine-grained sand, with streaks of yellow

and black sand, running irregularly through it----.+.--- 5 &
Indurated sandy shale, with pink and yellow streaks--.--- 14 «
“Hard pan;” indurated dark-grey shale, with impressions

OE. TRG di cute aca acle ag ode Ae oa arses ati soya b saat acing ouside: team orcas) Buenas noe 1 foot.

It is probable that the post-oak soil of the Cache flats is derived from
the disintegration of the indurated sandy shale, reposing on the impervious
“hard-pan.”

Clover does not succeed well in this part of Greene county; not even
on the “black-sand lands.” Herd’s grass and timothy do much better, and
oats and rye grow very finely —especially on the “ black-sand land.”
This variety of soil seems, also, peculiarly well adapted to the growth of
the peach-tree, which comes to perfection very rapidly. It produces both
a very large and sweet peach.

‘Wheat succeeds best on the ridge-land; it runs too much to straw in
the “ black-sand land.”

On section 10, township 17 north, range 4 east, near Sugar creek, in
Greene county, there is a remarkable protrusion of hard quartzose sand-
stone through the quaternary deposits. This sandstone has all the litho-
logical character of the Potsdam, or lowest sandstone of silurian date, as
it occurs on the Minnesota and Wisconsin rivers in the north-west. It
forms a hill of considerable elevation; which, however, I had no opportu-
nity of measuring, as I examined it in the midst of that most severe
thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and high wind, which occurred
on the 7th of November, 1857, in that part of Arkansas. I would estimate

the height, by the eye, at 100 to 110 feet above the general drainage of
the country.

OF ARKANSAS. 99

The angle of dip of the sandstone is somewhat irregular, varying from
10 deg. to 12 deg., in the direction a little east of north, the bearing being
nearly coincident with the direction of the Crowley ridge—i. e.: north-east
and south-west.

These protusions of quartzose sandstone can be traced for 3 miles in a
south-west direction. At W. Lane’s, the quaternary deposits on the west
side of the hard sandstone protrusion, are tilted at the rate of 12 feet in
20,—judging from the inclined beds passed through by him in digging his
well. .

These strata, passed through, were:

Red, ferruginous, tenacious clay: ++ ++ +s see cree steer eee seer eee 20 feet.
Gravel - Ge RAEN EBC AC RSS Sisky BATT GL WOT BSUS TN Gg eal og tae aca He 5“
Ledges of sandstone:-+-+> CHER RAS EEA CREE ES AE HERE REAR HK GSO a ©
Sand and clay PKA SRR WE Sew aaah oh ake Yarrey anaes w Gerse Gites ao nies we 45

The water of Lane’s well was tested, qualitatively, and found to be
soft, containing only a trace of earthy carbonates, and slightly reddening
litmus paper from the presence of free carbonic acid.

Though the protruding sandstone is, as we have said, very hard, still it
can be quarried without a great deal of difficulty in certain directions. It
will not stand fire, and, when heated and drenched with water, it crumbles
to sand; proving its semicrystalline structure.

~The color of this sandstone is mostly of a light grey or pale red tint;
occasionally brown. It is of so hard and quartzose a character that it
strikes fire at almost every blow of the hammer.

One or more of the violent commotions to which this part of Arkansas
has been subject, evinced by the coarseness of fhe gravel beds, their
thickness, and their wide distribution, may have been cotemporaneous
with the elevation of this sandstone.

On section 9, township 15 north, range 3 east, close to William Lane’s
house, there is also a low range of quartzose sandstone, probably of the
same date; but thissandstone lies in juxtaposition on the south-west, with
a softer sandstone, containing impressions of plants, which is, no doubt,
an indurated portion of the quarternary sand, through which the older,
harder sandstone has protruded, and bursting it asunder, has entangled
‘portions of this newer sandstone in the crevices and rents, so that they
often appear as if of the same origin; but a close inspection of the litho-
logical character of the rock, together with the vegetable remains, will
generally serve to distinguish them.

Overlying the hard vitreous sandstone, but only partially covering it at
this locality, there is also a peculiar, fine-textured, siliceous rock with ver-
micular or ramose-tabular perforations, either empty or partially filled

30 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

with a core, and stained red with oxide of iron where these ramify the
rock, while the rock itself is of a light grey. These markings have a good
deal the appearance of those found in the calciferous sandstone of New
York, and noted in the reports of that state under the name of Palaeo-
phycus tubularis; but they are too indefinite to enable me to pronounce
positively on their identity. They impart to the rock, however, a
remarkable vermicular structure; and though they resemble, still probably
differ from ‘those impressions of plants in the soft, white, quaternary sand-
stone of the same locality.

One mile below Lane’s on section 29, township 15 north, range 3 east,
a similar hard standstone shows itself in a hollow.

Some lead ore has been picked up in the fields in the vicinity of Wal-
cott; but so far as I have been able to trace the localities, invariably on
the sites of Indian villages, along with other relics of the aborigenes, who,
undoubtedly, brought the ore from the northwest part of the state or from
Missouri.

The growth onthe genuine black-sand lands of Cache and of the St.
Francis river bottoms, is sweet gum, black hickory, walnut, poplar, dog-
wood, and occasionally box-elder and hackberry; undergrowth, papaw,
spice-wood, and large grape vines. The subsoil, under the black sand, is
generally clay, seldom a quicksand. About one-third of the Cache bottom
is “ post-oak land.”

Four sets of soils were collected for chemical analysis from Abraham
Tennison’s farm, on Crowley’s ridge, one mile from Walcott; No. 1, being
the virgin or uncultivated soil; No. 2, the same soil from an old field, 35
years in cultivation, almost exclusively in corn; No. 3, subsoil, from the
same old field; No. 4, the red under-clay. The growth on this land is
sweet-gum, white and black-oak, with an undergrowth of dog-wood.

Should the chemical analyses of these hereafter be provided for, they
will be reported.

POINSETT COUNTY.

The narrowest part of the Crowley ridge, is not far from the line between
Greene and Poinsett, where it is hardly half a mile across from the St.
Francis bottom to the L’Anguille bottom.

The L’Anguille bottom is mostly a bluish clay, and on the “ Crab-apple
barrens” a white clay. The prevalent timber in L’Anguille bottom, is
red and white-oak, small scattering sweet-gum and post-oak on the “ post-
oak land,” which, however, is not cultivated at present. The growth on
the adjacent ridges is white and black-oak, poplar, and, occasionally, some
pine; on the branches, poplar, gum, ash, elm, and dog-wood.

OF ARKANSAS. 31

There is a stream called the St. Francis bayou, which runs from Mrs.
Stott’s farm, nearly parallel with the Crowley ridge, which is not laid
‘down on the maps of Arkansas. This stream empties into the St. Francis
river in the northern part of St. Francis county. The traces of earth-
cracks and sandblows are numerous, almost every where in the St. Francis
bottom, especially near the Morell prairie; some of the earth-cracks are
eight to ten feet wide and six to eight deep. Lignite has frequently been
thrown out of these rents in the earth, showing that there must be a con-
siderable area of that mineral not far from the surface, running through
the St. Francis country.

There is a peculiar soil of extraordinary fertility, occupying part of the
St. Francis bottom, particularly in townships 8, 9,10 and 11, ranges 5 and
6 east, known as the “black wax land,” which was formerly overflowed
by the back water of the Mississippi, but is now partly in cultivation.
This soil will produce from 50 to 75 bushels of corn to the acre. The soil
of the Morell prairie is sandy, but is also good corn land, yielding 40 to
50 bushels of corn to the acre, while the adjacent uplands of the Crowley
ridge produce from 30 to 40 bushels.

From the Narrows of the Crowley ridge to Bolivar and Harrisburg, the
new county seat, the quaternary gravel is quite conspicuous on the higher
grounds, and of a very coarse character; some pieces would weigh several
pounds. On Spencer creek, some little sandstone is seen underlying the
gravel and resting on sandy clay.

At Hurricane creek, near Harrisburg, the Crowley ridge is about three
miles wide. There are considerable cotton plantations in this part of
Greene county, especially at B. Harris’ and Judge Hall’s, just at the edge
of the L’Anguille and St. Francis bottoms.

Some specimens of amber are said to have been found on Hurricane
creek. As this is sometimes an accompaniment of lignite, which occurs
on the waters of this creek, it is not improbable that such a mineral
may have been found, but probably only in small, isolated, disseminated
lumps.

The material passed through, in sinking wells in the L’Anguille bottom,
is usually 20 feet of yellow clay, underlaid by 30 to 40 feet of light-colored
sand, a moderately soft water being generally obtained at 60 feet.

Immediately at the foot of the ridge, water is often obtained at 12 feet,
the water gradually getting deeper for one mile into the bottom, where it
is, generally, the deepest seated.

So far as I have yet been able to learn, no rotten limestone, green sand,
or shell beds, referable to the cretaceous formation, have ever been reached,

32 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

even in the lowest positions and excavations made in the northern part
of Poinsett county.

My observations in this county have, as yet, only extended as far south
as the vicinity of the northern line of township 10; but from the best
information obtained from Judge Hall and others, best acquainted with
this county, it seems very doubtful whether any of the members of this
formation reach the surface even in the southern part of Poinsett.

In crossing the Crowley ridge from Benjamin Harris’ to Judge Hall’s,
(a distance of three to three and a half miles,) gravel is found mostly in
the high situations underlaid by sand and clay. _ At the foot of the ridge,
near Judge Hall’s, there is some soft sandstone, which is, no doubt, a local,
partial cementation of the quaternary sand already referred to.

Samples of the cotton soil were collected for chemical analysis from
Judge Hall’s farm; No. 1, being the virgin soil; No. 2, twenty-four years
in cultivation. The land lies just at the foot of the Crowley ridge, as it
insensibly slopes down to the flats of the St. Francis bottom. This soil
has a good deal of gravel mixed through it.

In passing from Judge Hall’s, up the eastern edge of the Crowley ridge,
the same succession of deposits prevails; the gravel occupying, as usual,
the higher ground and being for the most part quite coarse.

From the west edge of the Crowley ridge, to the crossing of Cache
river, by way of the Santa Fe post-office, is some eighteen miles. Of this
about 8 miles is slush land, not very miry, but covered more or less with
water, with only dry land enough for a few farms in the vicinity of Santa
Fe post-office, and a small tract 6 miles from the crossing.

The best land of the Cache bottom for cultivation, is the sweet-gum
land and red-elm, with an undergrowth of slippery-elm and dog-wood.
This soil is somewhat of the nature of the black-sand land heretofore
spoken of, with narrow strips of clay land running here and there through
it. This soil is best adapted for corn and cotton.

JACKSON COUNTY.

There is no hill land proper in this county; the whole of the county
being level land, with the farming lands bordering on White river being
elevated only some 6 to 8 feet above the Cache flats.

A sample of the black sandy land was collected for analysis from land
adjoining Thomas Maclerath’s farm, 3 or 4 miles east of Cache river.
This kind of soil forms about one-third or one-fourth of the Cache bottom.
‘The other two-thirds are post-oak and black spice land. This latter soil
‘is very rich when drained and reclaimed, but, in its natural state, is wet
and miry. It supports a growth of large timber, viz: gum, fine ash, pen-

OF ARKANSAS. 33

oak, and hackberry, besides the black-spice. This land lies generally
lower, if anything, than the post-oak land.

Near Driver’s farm, on the Cache bottom, a specimen was collected for
chemical analysis, of the higher and dryer variety of oak land which sup-
ports a growth of white-oak and gum, with only a few post-oaks.

The best farming lands in Jackson lie between Village creek and White
river, occupying a low ridge rising several feet above the adjacent flats,
and elevated about 10 feet above high water of White river. It supports
a growth of hickory, poplar, oak, and black walnut. It is on these lands
where the principal cotton crops of Jackson county are raised, and where
the wealthiest portion of the population is located.*

Samples of this soil were selected for chemical analysis from two differ-
ent localities; one taken from the vicinity of Jacksonport, from M. L.
Robinson’s farm, the other from H. J. Dowd’s farm, 14 miles from Jack-
sonport.

The waters of White river were tested qualitatively; the sample
being taken below the mouth of Black river. They were found to be soft,
containing but a trace of earthy carbonates; as will be seen by consult-
ing Dr. Elderhorst’s report.

INDEPENDENCE COUNTY.

In passing from Jacksonport up the valley of White river, to examine
the locality of the so-called “black marble,” I traversed the “ Oil-trough
Bottom.” This is a tract of very rich alluvial land, lying on the south-
west side of White river, in the south-east part of Independence county.
The fresh soil is very dark colored, even to the depth of five or six feet in
some situations; the sub-soil being nearly as black as the soil, but more
tenacious. This soil is particularly adapted for wheat.

On 8. M. Cobb’s farm, where samples of this soil were collected for
future chemical analysis, an average crop of wheat is considered thirty
bushels, the grain weighing 64 pounds to the bushel. It is also good corn
land, yielding, on an average, 50 bushels, and would, no doubt, be excel-
lent for tobacco.

The palma christi, or castor bean, grows here very large, and could, in
all probability, be cultivated to great advantage, if an oil-press were
established in the vicinity for the expression of the oil. The principal
growth of timber on this land is pin-oak, red oak (yellow butt), water oak,

* For further particulars in regard to this tract of land, see E. T. Cox’s report.

3

34 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

elm, pecan,’ black walnut, sweet-gum, hackberry, and buckeye, with an
undergrowth of very large papaw, cane, grape vines, and a little spice-
wood.

Rye flourishes well on this soil; but it is too rich for cotton, which grows
too rank and runs too much to stalk and leaf. Timothy succeeds well;
clover has not been tried. It is, however, especially adapted for small
grain, for which, indeed, it is celebrated. The explanation of this will,
no doubt, be found in a geological cause which will hereafter be adverted
to. Since the wheat does not freeze out of this soil, and the weevil is
unknown in the country, the farmers are most favorably situated for rais-
ing this grain, and the natural resources of the country would justify the
erection of extensive flouring mills.

The water obtained by digging wells in the Oil-trough bottom is quite
soft.

The Oil-trough bottom is about 15 miles long. At its head, the first
ridge encountered is known as the Oil-trough ridge. Here I found the
first ledges of solid rock which I had seen since leaving Greene county.
These proved to belong to the upper members of the subcarboniferous
limestone formation. At 70 feet above the Oil-trough bottom, I found
one of the members of this formation which marks most decisively a most
impartant geological horizon, viz: the Archimedes limestone. This rock
occupies a position below the lowest workable coal throughout the western
states of North America. No exception has yet been found to this geolo-
gical axiom; it, therefore, serves as a sure and safe guide in pronouncing
as to the existence or non-existence of coal in the vicinity, and furnishes
the clue to the geologist, in connection with the dip and strike, of the for-
mations of the country, in what direction he must search for coal.

The total height of the Oil-trough ridge was found to be 152 feet, and
the following members of the upper subcarboniferous group of rocks
were observed at the different elevations herewith subjoined in the
approximate section of that ridge:

At 152 feet, Sandstone.

“145 “ Third bench of protruding limestone; exposed for 15 feet.
“115 “ Limestone shale.
“ 92 “ Second bench of protruding limestone; exposed for 15 feet.

“ 75 “ Productal black limestone.
“ 70 ‘“ Archimedes limestone.
“ 56 “ First projecting ledge of limestone seen in this part of the
ridge.
The Archimedes limestone, as above remarked, is the index to the dis-
covery of coal. Where the sub-carboniferous limestone is fully developed

OF ARKANSAS. 35

in the west, upper and lower beds of Archimedes limestone exist, lying,
sometimes, more than fifty feet apart. The upper Archimedes limestone
is usually found immediately below, or within a few feet of the bottom of
the conglomerate or pebbly sandstone, which lies at the base of the coal
measures. This rock being of very variable thickness, from a few feet to
ninety or one hundred feet or more, or even entirely absent, the space
between the Archimedes limestone and lowest workable coal which usu-
ally overlies the conglomerate, may vary from 15 to 150 feet; but the first
bed of workable coal never underlies this peculiar and well-marked fossil-
iferous limestone. This rule holds good so universally throughout the
western states, viz: Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, and
Missouri, that it may be applied with perfect confidence to Arkansas.

The sandstone observed capping the Oil-trough ridge, is undoubtedly
the sandstone occupying the base of the coal measures, and if this ridge
were 25 to 50 feet higher, we might hope to find workable coal. As it is,
the south-west dip of the strata which prevails here, indicates to the
geologist that he must look in that direction for coal; since the Archimedes
limestone and overlying sandstone, pitching lower and lower in that course,
give room for the true coal measures to come in on the hills above the
drainage of the country.

We anticipate, therefore,in the farther prosecution of the survey to-
wards Van Buren and Searcy counties, to discover coal. Whether it may
be thick enough and of a good quality, are questions that can only be
answered after the beds have been fairly opened and specimens obtained
for chemical analysis.

The productal limestone, at 75 feet, in the preceding section of Oil-
trough ridge, is of a fine black color, and is capable of receiving a polish,
so that, if it can be quarried in sufficiently large slabs, free from cracks,
imperfections and flaws, it nay be employed for mantel-pieces and other
ornamental inside work. For outside work, I fear it will be too liable to
crack and split by the influence of the sun* and atmospheric agencies.

The great fertility of the soil of the Oil-trough bottom, and its adapta-
bility, especially to small grain, is, no doubt, explained by the fact of its
being bounded on the. north and west by these limestone ridges, from
which it has received calcareous and fertilizing washings for ages, impart-
ing to it chemical elements found in much smaller proportions in the soil
east of White river, in Jackson county.

I had again an opportunity of observing these members of the subcar-
boniferous limestone, in connection with some lower members, in a con-

* Some black bituminous limestones absorb heat so rapidly in the direct rays of the sun, that,
from unequal expansion, they are very apt to split and crack.

36 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

spicuous hill of upwards of 500 feet, which forms a bold headland on the
south side of White river, about 5 miles above Batesville, known as
“ Shield’s Bluff,” or White river mountain. It seems to be the most ele-
vated part of a ridge which runs off to the south, forming a kind of geo-
logical culminating axis on its summit, whence the strata dip both to the
south-west and north-east.

In this bluff I found the Archimedes limestone again, but in a much
more elevated position than in the Oil-trough ridge, being 350 feet- above
the Dean farm, and some 400 feet above White river.

The total height of Shields’ bluff is about 570 to 580 feet above White
river. The lower 50 or 60 feet above the Dean farm is dark calcareous
shale and shaly limestones; above which are some 330 to 340 feet of grey
and bluish limestones with some alternations of sandstone; the summit
being capped with from 80 to 100 feet of sandstone, occupying the place
of the millstone grit and conglomerates that intervene between the Archi-
medes limestones and the coal measures.

The following are the elevations of the principal members of the sub-
carboniferous group observed in Shields’ bluff above the Dean farm:

At 520 feet, Top of escarpment of sandstone, capping the ridge.
“ 475 “ Foot of do.

“ 395 “ Ledge of sandstone.

“ 385 “ Limestone.

“ 350 “ Archimedes limestone.
“ 345 “ Encrinital limestone.
“340 “ Ledge of sandstone.

“ 325 “ Grey limestone.
“ 315 “ Sandstone (in place?)

“ 300 “ Top of ledges of limestone.

“ 200 “ Grey limestone.

“170 “ Offset of hill-side with black limestone.
“ 145 “ Black limestone.

“ 120 “ 8d bench of limestone.

* 100 “ 2d bench of limestone.

“ 55 “ Ist bench of limestone.

Limestone shales and shaly limestone at the foot of the hill
down to the Dean farm.

Shield’s bluff, where this approximate section was obtained, is a noted
land-mark in Arkansas, as having been the point where the old Cherokee
line commenced at White river, and ran south-west along the dividing
ridge, of which it forms the terminating bluff on White river.

Eight miles south-east of Batesville, on the north-side of White river, I

OF ARKANSAS. a7

had a better opportunity of inspecting the shaly rocks of the subcarbo-
niferous group, than in Shield’s bluff, where they are too much concealed
by debris washed from above. At this locality, I found the following suc-
cession under a ledge of sandstone:

Buff, earthy limestone... -++++sseeeeeeeeeeeee 10 feet thick.
Miudstone ssi asi) ate eee aes See e Vewe Suse Gate 6 inches thick.
Brow shales sae oy eke wie wae Wee te eae eee “
Black: shalevovens ceed oe bi ese eh Sai eee 38 « “ce
Limestone in pavement form: +++++sseeeeeueeee ae «
Brownshales 2siskiescecas sieve dawn ee eee Slee A 5 “
Bilaicle: Shiai isc ese do's 5a ecw ae eco a 8 ge gee Aes alas 1 « ¢e
Brown mudstone: +++. sree ss ce cece cere rece enee 4 “ 6inches “
Bilaiele Shiaileiewe asin wae Geeirerat ease er'ep oa Seve, Ge te ae as seca 5 6“
Calcareous septaria (hydraulic). -.++++.+es sees 1 “ 6inches “
Brown shales oe % oe soa Gwe Sates sie ea alee Sue ar ee 3 « 66

Black shale at base (thickness?) at an elevation 20 to 25 feet above the
adjacent bottom.

Above these strata is apparently mostly sandstone, but much of it is
out of place, having rolled down from a former higher elevation; there is
evidently, however, a great thickness of millstone grit in the upper part
of the adjoining ridges of 150 to 200 feet.

Four miles south-east of Batesville, a great mass of red shale crops out,
which disintegrates rapidly to red clay. This underlies the above mill-
atone grit rock.

The hills increase in height from the locality where the preceding sec-
tion was taken towards Batesville; there a lower mass of intercalated
sandstone rises from beneath these shales, shaly limestone, and septaria.
The soil immediately over this sandstone is, as usual, thin, and supports a
growth of stunted oak.

From Miller’s creek up to Batesville, the hills are from 130 to 240 feet
in height. Red shales, running downwards into brown and black shales,
with calcareous septaria, occupy the base of the hills around Batesville;
these shales are surmounted by 150 to 180 feet of sandstone.

The black shales of the above series have given rise to expectations for
the discovery of coal in their vicinity; but, occupying, as they do, a geo-
logical position in the subcarboniferous group entirely below the millstone
grit, and Archimedes limestone, there is no prospect of finding any thing
but perhaps a few inches of coal associated with these shales, which can
be of no practical value.

Between Batesville and the “ Big Spring,” there are high ridges elevated
about 450 feet above White river, composed in their upper part of both

38 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

compact and cellular chert; the latter partaking of the character of buhr-
stone. This chert is, in all probability, of subcarboniferous date. The
surface being much encumbered with blocks and protruding masses of
these siliceous rocks, the soil is necessarily thin, and supports a growth
almost exclusively of small oak. Nevertheless, the soil is capable of pro-
ducing much better than the forbidding nature of the rocky surface would
lead one to suppose.

The descent from these chert ridges to the “ Big Spring,” is about 260.
feet. Here, a noble volume of the clearest water silently rises from some
cavernous passage at the foot of an amphitheatre of hills of cherty, sili-
ceous limestones, sufficient in quantity to supply the wantsof a small grist-
mill. Like all those streams having a subterranean origin, it never freezes
in winter. This Big spring is quite a noted locality in Independence
county. The water-power it affords, and the improvement in the soil of
the country, watered by its branches, has attracted agriculturists, who
have opened several good farms three miles south of the Big spring; but
north-east, towards the Rocky bayou, the country is mostly rocky oak-bar-
rens, with a broken surface, where few settlers have located.

The cavernous or barren limestone group, capped with chert, prevails
to Lafferty creek, where it is underlaid in many places by a very white
sandstone, some of which is sufficiently pure to make glass.

The dip is irregular; at one place the inclination was observed to be 10
deg. S. W.

I examined a salt-petre cave situated from half to three quarters of a
mile north-west from Tosches’ farm, and about 250 to 300 feet up ina
ridge of subcarboniferous limestone. This cave is known as the “ Salt-
petre cave,” and is owned by Col. John Miller.

It has passages from 200 to 300 yards long, and 8 to 10 feet wide. The
sack~ containing the earth from this cave have, unfortunately, never come
to hand, so that we cannot report upon the per centage of salt-petre it
contains, until a further supply is obtained.

At Peter Moser’s, on Lafferty creek, the mixture of the soil, derived, in
part, from the cavernous limestone, and in part from the white sandstone,
produces excellent oats, and is capable of yielding 40 to 50 bushels of corn
to the acre, and 800 to 1000 pounds of raw cotton in the seed, and in very
favorable seasons even as high as 1500 pounds.

As the cotton loses about two-thirds in cleaning and freeing it from seed,
the land may be said to yield from 250 to 350 pounds of clean ginned cot-
ton to the acre. It is the washings from the adjacent hills of limestone
that cause the land to produce so much better than its first appearance,

OF ARKANSAS. 39

and stunted trees of oak and pine which grow upon it, would lead one to
suspect.

The cavernous limestone of Lafferty creek, is traversed by veins of dif-
ferent varieties of manganese ore. The most interesting locality is on the
west branch of Lafferty creek, two miles above its mouth. Here, there
appear to be regular veins with well-defined walls, traversing the caver-
nous limestone, containing the manganese ores. The course of the
main vein, with probably some subordinate cross courses, runs N. N. W.
and 8.58. E.

I measured the space between the faces of the walls of the veins at
different places where excavations had been made for the ore, and found
them to vary from 14 feet 9 inches to 8} feet. These ran down through
an encrinital bed of limestone, which is elevated about 200 feet above the
mouth of Lafferty creek. —

The masses of manganese ore taken out of these crevices vary in weight
from a few ounces to 30 or 40 pounds. From the most productive part of
the vein a man could raise from 300 to 400 pounds per day.

Judging from the specimens taken out, and which lay strewed in abund-
ant heaps on the hill-side near the crevices, there appear to be two varie-
ties of manganese ore obtained at these mines, in the depth to which the
superficial and partial mining operations have yet been carried; one a
compact, close-textured ore of a dark steel-grey color, and a hardness of
about 54 to 6, having the physical aspect of that variety of compact
manganese ore described in works on mineralogy under the name of
“ psilomelane,” composed of mixtures of the oxides of manganese, with,
usually, some baryta and potash; but from a partial qualitative examina-
tion made of this Lafferty creek manganese ore, it appears to contain but
a trace of baryta.

The other variety is more crystalline in its structure, brighter in its
lustre, and of a lighter steel-grey color; but in hardness, streak, and color
of the powdered mineral (blackish brown), differs but little from the
former more compact variety.*

Whether these two varieties differ only from some admixture of acci-
dental ingredients, or have a decidedly different atomic proportion of
manganese and oygen, will appear when the quantitative chemical analy-
ses are completed and recorded in the Chemical Report; then the ques-
tions bearing on the commercial value of these ores will be decided.

So far as I can learn, the company who own these mineral lands on
Lafferty creek, in Independence county, and who made an attempt to

*The analysis of these ores, recorded in the Chemical Report, proves these two varieties to be
essentially of the same constitution, the first containing, however, 3 or 4 more per cent of silica.

40 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

mine and ship the ore to the eastern cities, did not find as ready a sale or
as high a price for their ore as they anticipated, and seem to have sus-
pended operations, for the present, on this account.

The explanation of this want of success in this their first enterprise on
these manganese ores,is probably to be found in the fact, that the
larger part, at least, of the ore which they obtained, was of this hard
variety, affording rather less than one-third of its weight of oxygen; and,
therefore, capable of eliminating only a proportional quantity of chlo-
rine, for which purpose it is chiefly valuable in the arts; while they raised
little or none of the soft black manganese ore; i. e. bin, or peroxide of
manganese, known to mineralogists under the name of “ pyrolusite,” which
is not only much easier to grind to powder, by reason of its greater soft-
ness, but contains about 36 per cent of oxygen, and will, therefore, evolve
a larger proportion of chlorine from a given weight of the ore.

It is to be remarked, however, in this connection, that this pyrolusite or
binoxide, the most valuable in commerce of the ores of manganese, is fre-
quently associated, and even in alternating layers of different thickness,
with ores of compact, grey oxide of manganese, similar to that of which
there is so great an abundance on Lafferty creek and its vicinity. Hence,
either a neglect to make the proper selection for the market of the ores
raised, or not mining sufficiently deep to reach the best quality of ore,
may be assigned as causes of the present abandonment of the mines.*

Similar ores of manganese have been found on the south-east quarter of
section 25, township 15 north, range 8 west, and west of north of Bates-
ville;t besides, at many other localities on the waters of Lafferty creek, in
the north-west part of Independence county, so thatif the owners of these
mineral lands can obtain, by a thorough exploration of the veins, the
soft black (pyrolusite) ore of manganese, there is a fair prospect of reach-
ing well filled veins, which might return them a handsome profit.

Associated with the manganese ores of Lafferty creek, is some excellent
red oxide of iron. The qualitative chemical examination, shows it to be
nearly pure peroxide of iron, with but a very small per centage of foreign
matter; the quantiative analysis will, therefore, no doubt, yield between
65 and 70 per cent of iron.

The lands which are most valuable for cultivation, in the north-west

part of Independence county, are, first, the bottom lands supporting a
growth of walnut, large Spanish-oak, ash, and overcup-oak, with an un-

* By consulting the chemical report of Dr. Elderhorst, farther information on the commercial value
of these manganese ores will be obtained.

+ See Ed. T. Cox’s report for a description of the geological position, aud external aspect of the
manganese ore, which occurs three miles west of north of Batesville.

OF ARKANSAS. Al

dergrowth of spice and large grape vines. These bottoms are, however,
of limited extent. Secondly, the black-oak, hickory, large white-oak, and
dogwood upland. Thirdly, the hazlenut and sumach thickets.

The soil of some of the hill-sides, on the slopes of the cavernous lime-
stone, is often remarkably rich, and could be cultivated to great advantage,
where not too abrupt and not too much encumbered with rock.

IT examined a cave situated near the top of a ridge composed of the
cavernous limestone, and reposing on the white sandstone, towards the
base of the ridges. This cave is situated between Peter and Samuel
Moser’s farms, in the eastern part of Independence county. The entrance
to this cave is very low, so that it is difficult to enter. Itis only of limited
extent and has but little disintegrated earth distributed through it. What
little there is, is near the entrance to the cave.

A sample of this earth was collected for chemical analysis, and will be
reported on when this latter is completed.

A characteristic soil of the cavernous limestone formation, was also col-
lected for chemical analysis, from south-east half of section 25, town-
ship 15 north, range 8 west, from Peter Moser’s farm, on the waters of
Lafferty creek, in Independence county. The growth of timber on this
land is hickory, post-oak, white-oak, persimmon, and dogwood.

This soil is said to produce 30 bushels of wheat to the acre, 20 to 25
bushels of oats, and 40 to 50 bushels of corn. The soil has some chert
gravel intermixed with it; the subsoil is a dark yellowish clay.

The same geological formation prevails between Lafferty creek and
Rocky bayou; white sandstone in the base of the ridges, surmounted by
cavernous limestone: the ridges rising from 300 to 400 feet above the prin-
cipal water courses.

For farther information in regard to the geology of this county, consult
the report of the assistant geologist, Edward Cox.

IZARD COUNTY.

Five miles from Rocky bayou, the white sandstone was found to be 116
feet below the summits of the ridge, passed over in the eastern part of
Izard county.

At the forks of the road leading to Mt. Olive, and the North fork, and
7 miles from the Rocky bayou, in the bed of a dry branch, about 197 feet
below the level of the observation, on the above mentioned sandstone, is a
bed of dark-grey compact limestone, charged with minute cytherea, which,
probably, belongs to the silurian period. The adjacent ridge, bounding

43 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

the valley of the branch on the north, has a sandstone near its summit,
which is probably the same sandstone seen in the base of the ridges on
Lafferty creek, and which is found at an elevation of 467 feet above low
water of White river, at Calico Rock, and was afterwards traced through
Izard county, to the high pine ridge, at the head of Sugar Loaf creek, and
which is usually marked by a growth of pine, as may be observed in plate
No. 1 of the Sugar Loaf mountain of Izard county, the site of that sketch
being on the plateau of that pine-bearing sandstone.

No organic remains have yet been found inthis sandstone, to indicate
its geological position; but, taking the lithological character and order of
superposition as a guide, it will probably be found to belong at the base
of the subcarboniferous series of Izard and Marion counties, resting on
limestones, which belong probably to the silurian period; it is, probably,
the equivalent of the “ Saccharoidal standstone,” of the Missouri report,
underlying the Cooper marble of the south-western part of that state.

This sandstone seems to increase in thickness to the north-west, towards
the Lees mountain range.

Two miles from Calico, this sandstone is some 160 feet in thickness,
with perhaps some intercalated layers of limestone. Most of the beds of
the standstone, in this part of Izard, seem to be white or of pale yellow
colors, and soft.

The dip is irregular, and often undulating, and conformable to the gen-
eral contour of the country. However, the prevalent dip is to the south-
west.

The limestones of this region, are of light and dark grey hues, and often
singularly weathered into small furrows, radiating from a centre, and
often intersected with veins of calc-spar.

The ridge of cellular buhrstone, which I passed over, before descending
to the North Fork, was found, by the aneroid barometer, to be 537 feet
above that river.

Before reaching Athens, the Sugar-loaf mountain of the south-eastern
part of Izard county is in view, conspicuous above the intervening ridges.
[See plate No. 1.] :

At the mouth of the Pine bayou, the cliffs capped with sandstone are
about 200 feet. ;

The soil of this part of Izard county, is best adapted for corn; it will
yield about 30 bushels to the acre of this grain; 15 of wheat, and about
the same of oats, and 800 pounds of cotton in the seed. The season for
cotton is rather too short in this high, northern part of Arkansas.

The growth on the lands above cited is black-oak, hickory, and some
red-oak. The sample of this soil collected for analysis may be considered

OF ARKANSAS. 43

an average of a large proportion of that part of Izard county, lying north-
east of White river, and between that stream and Strawberry river.

Between Calico and the North Fork, the white and yellow sandstone
occupies, for the first 8 miles, a position towards the summits of the ridges.
Its upper layers are generally coarse-grained, and present glistening
reflections. This sandstone is underlaid by the cherty limestones which
form the varigated cliffs on White river, known by the name of the “Calico
Pock.” [See plate No. 2.]

Six miles from Calico, on the road from Calico to the North Fork, the
plateau of sandstone, from which sketch No. 1 was taken, is at an eleva-
tion of 380 to 390 feet above White river.

At the widow Lafferty’s farm, where a soil was collected from Izard
county, for chemical analysis, the sandstone is overlaid by limestone.

In the vicinity of Friend’s creek, the sandstone becomes harder and
more charty; it may be designated there, a porous and cellular, cherty
sandstone.

{ passing over the ridges about Friend’s creek, a high knob is seen off
towards the south, known by the name of “ Naked Joe.” This hill ap-
pears to be some 150 to 200 feet higher than the main ridges of the country,
and formed a conspicuous land-mark, in early times, for the guidance of
hunters and explorers. 7

The country around Friend’s creek, where there is so much cellular
chert on the surface of the ground, has much the aspect of the iron region
of south-western Kentucky, and though no body of iron ore has yet been
discovered on the waters of this stream, the detailed survey may, perhaps,
hereafter develop such.

Four miles before reaching the North Fork, the ridges at the same ele-
vation (i.e., 880 to 390 feet) as the sandstone platform, 6 miles from Calico,
are composed of cellular buhrstone chert.

The summit level, passed over about 3 miles before reaching the North
Fork, and where the descent to that stream commences, is about 445 feet
above Major Jacob Wolf’s house, and 537 feet above the North Fork, ac-
cording to observations taken with the aneroid barometer.

Beyond the North Fork, there is another high conspicuous hill, towering
above the rest of the main ridges, called “‘ Mattener’s Knob,” which I was
told by Maj. Jacob Wolf, was reported by surveyor Smith, to be 1,100 feet
high.

Maj. Jacob Wolf reports a small piece of ore, found in digging the
foundation of a mill, near the North Fork, which was pronounced to be
silver ore by some one, who professed to have examined it, but whose
name I did not learn. I have little faith in silver occurring in the forma-
tions which prevail along the North Fork, towards its confluence with

44 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

White river, unless it be in small quantities, associated with the lead and
zine ores of this country.

The grey and red varigated limestones, which will be hereafter spoken
of, under the head of Marion county, occur in the bluffs of White river, 5
or 6 miles above the mouth of the North Fork, and a mile above Big creek;
but they lie under a heavy mass of superincumbent rock, which makes
them difficult of access. ‘

The cherty magnesian, and other varieties of limestones, of which the
base of the hills is composed, and which form bold cliffs on the North Fork,
and at Ware’s mill, appear to be of silurian date, but the sandstone chert
and limestones towards the tops of the ridges, must belong to the subcar-
boniferous group, judging from the few imperfect fossils found.

J. E. Ware showed me some ores of manganese, which he says came
from the bluffs of White river, below the mouth of Big creek.

On the south side of the North Fork, the chert frequently assumes the
character of hornstone and agate.

There are very fine buhr millstone rocks in the ridges of the North Fork,
not far from Ware’s mill, but on the opposite side of the river, according
to J. E. Ware; he also found small particles of copper ore and some Terra
Sienna on a prong of Morton creek, on section 17, township 18 north, range
12 west; but though he has searched a great deal for ores, adjacent to the
surrounding country in Izard, he never discovered any deposit or vein of
copper worth following by drifts or adit levels.

Near the line between Izard and Marion counties, at Camp spring, there
is a bed of brown ochreous clay, which produces a color similar to Terra
Sienna. The bed is in a ravine, about 6 or 8 feet under the spring. It is
of various shades at the outcrop, mostly on account of admixtures of
earths washed over it. Farther in the bank it could, probably, be obtained
in greater purity, and of deeper and more uniform tints. .

Lower down, on the same branch, are extensive beds of buhr millstone
in “Camp creek hollow,’ some of which are of excellent texture and
hardness for grinding corn, while other varieties are equally good for
wheat. This buhrstone lies some 200 feet below the level of the ridge
over which the Yellville road runs, above the Camp spring.

In consequence of the vegetation and debris of rock concealing the
strata, no very satisfactory section could be obtained of the whole of the
members composing the hills forming the Camp creek hollow; but the

following is the succession from above, downwards, of those which can

be seen:

’
1. Carboniferous limestone and chert.

2. Sandstone.

OF ARKANSAS. 45

()

Sandstone, hard and quartzose.

Variegated shales, including the Terra Sienna earth and segregations
_of hydraulic (?) limestone, and some mudstone shale interstratified.
Thin-bedded, light-grey limestone.

Buhrstone, 6 to 8 feet thick.

Light-colored magnesian limestone, of silurian date?

Compact, flinty siliceous rocks.

J. E. Ware is of opinion, the best quality of buhrstones, of any required
dimensions, can be obtained either in Camp creek hollow or the ridges
opposite his flouring mill, on the North Fork, equal in quality to the
French buhr. .

Small particles of sulphuret of copper have been picked up by J. E.
Ware, in the Camp creek hollow, disseminated sparingly in a gangue of
calc-spar; but no regular vein has, as yet, been detected.

=

Dissty On. oe

MARION COUNTY.

The prevailing rocks of this county are varieties of magnesian lime-
stones, which crop out in terraces and low cliffs on the sides of the hills.

Some sandstone is intercalated, chiefly towards the upper and lower
part of the hills. The upper sandstone is of variable thickness, from a
few inches to 50 or 60 feet. It appears, in many places, as if the under-
lying magnesian limestone had suffered from irregular denudation; having
been locally scooped out into deep hollows, into which sand was subse-
quently swept, and became, afterwards, indurated into a hard, solid rock.

The lower sandstone I have only had a good opportunity of examining,
as yet, in the adjacent county of Carroll, on township 20 north, range 18
west, of the 5th principal meridian, where it has the hard quartzose
character of the lowest sandstone of Wisconsin and Minnesota, as it
occurs on the Minnesota, Baraboo, and Wisconsin rivers.

The upper sandstone is generally overlaid by limestones, capable of
receiving a good polish. Some of the beds are pink, variegated with
white, or light grey; others, nearly white, or light grey, and often studded
with entrochites: that is, the disjointed stems of those singular flower-like
animals, known by the name of encrinites, which flourished in such pro-
fusion in the ancient seas, in which the deposits and chemical precipitates
were accumulating, that produced the so-called silurian, devonian, and
carboniferous rocks. 1g These contribute greatly to the beauty of the
marble of which they form a part; appearing, often, of different shades of
color from the matrix in which they are enclosed, and giving to the rock

A6 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

that variety of tint so agreeable to the eye, and so much esteemed by the
worker in marble.

In the middle and north-west part of Marion county, these marble layers
lie high in the hills; generally 20 to 50 feet below the tops of the ridges
in which they occur.

In the high Pine ridge, which forms the water-shed between Sugar-loaf,
Crooked, George’s, and Jennings’ creeks, there is a considerable mass of
chert capping its summit, which is, probably, referable to the subcarbo-
niferous period; judging from the few casts of crinoidea observed in it.
This ridge is, at least, 200 to 250 feet higher than the subordinate ridges
bounding the water courses of Sugar-loaf creek.

The summit of this high ridge is composed of chert sandstone, under-
laid by limestones, dolomitic and calciferous sand-rock.

The siliceous soil, in which the pine trees flourish, is derived from the
chert and sandstone, on which it is based.

The above-described marble rocks, which occur in these ridges, are,
probably, the representative of the so-called “Cooper marble,”-of Missouri
which has been referred to the age of the Onondaga limestone of the New
York system.

At present, we have not sufficient paleontological evidence to decide
on its exact equivalency with rocks of other states; but in the future
progress of the survey, further light will, no doubt, be thrown on the age
of these beds, which intervene between the subcarboniferous and silurian
rocks of northern Arkansas, and which, on account of their economical
value, are of great interest.

Suificient evidence has already been obtained to establish the age of
the 300 feet of magnesian limestones and silico-calcareous rock, that
underlie the marble strata, forming about 250 to 300 feet of the lower and
main body of the ridges of Marion county, as of lower silurian date, and,
in all probability, to that subdivision known as the calciferous sandrock of
the New York system. This is the lead and zinc-bearing formation of
north-western Arkansas.

Sulphuret of lead, or galena, has been found, more or less abundantly,
at numerous localities, both in Marion and Carroll counties. The most
noted ones, in the former county, are on the waters of Sugar-loaf, High-
tower, and Jennings’ creeks. No regular or systematic mining operations
have yet been undertaken in Marion county, so that an opinion of the
exact character and dimensions of these mineral deposits, cannot be
formed; they occur, however, evidently, much in the same manner as
those which were subsequently examined in the eastern part of Carroll
county, at the Coka and Mitchell diggings. One partial drift, and a few

OF ARKANSAS. AT

prospect holes on township 20 north, range 17 east, and township 20 north,
range 19 east, of the 5th principal meridian, are all that has been done in
Marion county, near the head of Sugar-loaf creek, to prove this lead
region. r

The principal entry on township 20 north, range 17 west, on the lands
of the New York company, was only carried about 8 or 10 feet into the
hill-side, with a width of about 4feet. Judge Brickey, who superintended
this excavation, informs me that there were taken out of this drift from
4,500 to 5,000 pounds of lead ore; two hands obtained at the rate of about
1,000 pounds in two days. A space of about one foot deep, and three feet
wide, yielded from 100 to 150 pounds. This ground was, no doubt,
sufficiently productive to pay well for working; but it must be borne in
mind, that this drift was entirely too limited to give a just idea of how
productive the rock might prove, by regular mining operations; since it is
evident from all that is at present known of this lead region, that the ore
occurs irregularly disseminated in “ pockets,” “ sheets,” “joints,” and
crevices; the pockets being cavernous spaces of various dimensions,
occurring only occasionally in the rock by local expansions of the crevice.

When ore is disseminated in this manner, it is always necessary to
prove the richness of each locality, by especial trial drifts and shafts.
Hence, those owning mineral lands, in this part of Arkansas, would do
well, if they wish to establish the value of their mines, and induce
smelters to erect furnaces, without which the mining business cannot be
carried on to any advantage, to sink shafts and run drifts a sufficient depth
and distance to test, satisfactorily, the productiveness of their mines.

On section 19, township 20 north, range 17 east of the 5th principal
meridian, Armsted Hudson has sunk a few shallow pits on a hill, east of
his house, and west 6 deg. to 8 deg. south of the New York drift. Here
he discovered, likewise, more or less lead ore, and, on the opposite side of
the hollow, to the west, as far as Wood’s pit, where lead ore was reached
at 45 feet, then two and a half miles to the south-west, near Grit’s mills;
while the Short mountain location of Mitchell and Walker, lies two and a
half miles to the north-east.

There appear to be two sets of lead-bearing crevices, or irregular veins,
traversing the magnesian limestones of Marion county; one set running
nearly north-east and south-west; the other east 6 deg. to 8 deg. north;
but so little has yet been done, even in the way of digging ‘“ prospect
holes,” that it is difficult, at present, to form a correct opinion on this
subject.

Some detached pieces of lead ore have also been discovered at the
junction of the magnesian limestones and underlying quartzose sandstone,

48 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

on township 20 north, range 18 east of the 5th principal meridian, at what
is known as McCarty’s diggings; but the ore lies too close to the lower
hard sandstone to give much prospect of productiveness in this rock. In
the upper sections of the ridges, lying between these McCarty’s diggings
and the New York location, amongst the magnesian limestones, more or
less ore may be expected to occur; more especially, since pieces of “ float-
mineral” have been found, at intervals, between the two locations.

A vein of galena of several inches traverses the limestone forming the
bed of Jennings’ creek, about one-and-a-half miles above the forks of
that stream, at what is known as the “ Molton or Sewell diggings.” Here
the course of the vein appears to be nearly north-west and south-east.
Several shallow pits have also been sunk on the adjacent hill-side, where,
I understand, small pieces of lead ore were discovered. The rock here,
is a close-textured, cherty limestone, very irregular in its fracture and bed-
ding, and is a member of the same formation in which the lead ore occurs
on Sugar Loaf creek, but modified in its lithological character; since, at
the latter locality, the limestone is an easily decomposing rock, weather-
ing and splitting up like hydraulic limestone. The composition of this
rock will be seen by the analysis in the Chemical Report.

There is considerable variety in the lithological character of the differ-
ent strata composing the hills in the lead region of Marion county, on the
waters of Sugar Loaf creek, as may be seen by the following section,
taken about half way between the Hudson farm and the head of Sugar
Loaf creek.

SECTION OF STRATA OF LOWER SILURIAN DATE ’ .
IN THE LEAD REGION OF MARION COUNTY; WA-| It will be observed by
TERS OF SUGAR LOAF CREEK. Per miesate

the subjoined section, in

als « [8 {the lead region of Marion
o Io ae ee . :
Fomel = |&|county, taken in the hills
307) |_ca_cH adjacent to the head of
—— Sugar Loaf creek, that
cH CH Space concealed with fragments of chert, : 8 ; ;
cH hornstone, and other varieties of flinty in the space of 307 feet
“cu cu | Silic kg. . ‘ , ‘
ee a) eee of the section, considera-
cH . . .
ee tie a ble variation is observa-~

ble in the composition of
the various beds of which
it is made up.

Lu “ u|White encrinital marble rock.

—= =~ Space concealed with fragments of chert whe: iprialtGn, os
cH and hornstone on the slope. whole, is perfectly analo-

gous to the strata north
“ . s .
908} | cH on gg} jof the Wisconsin river,

OF ARKANSAS. 49

in the State of Wiscon-
sin, except that the beds
of magnesian limestone

SECTION OF MARION COUNTY—Conrimuep.

ig @ |s|are thinner-bedded and
a & ‘

pols es —-|#Flless massive, and hence,
Z| 1 [Red and variegated limestone or marble do not appear in as bold

_ rock. D : .
ode [ cliffs in Arkansas ‘as on
5 ee
193 +e > the upper Mississippi.

L

wey ; The fossils in the lime-

ia {Whi inital li tone or marble ,
| x | os Pe Reet ens stone, at an elevation of
mE: 161 feet above Sugar

194} |_| leet k
‘Suse oaf creek, are, mostly,
_ [st casts and imperfect im-
7 | mere siliceous limestone. bedded impressions, so
sL

rare that even the genera
194) |_[st 16 |can hardly be made out;

but, so far as they are
1881 [gost coarse-grained sandstone.

recognizable, they, as
178) ss | ss 8 : :
ML ML well as the lithological

Thin-bedded magnesian limestone.
character of the strata,

indicate the geological

169 re i
L White fossiliferous limestone, close-tex-
161 ured, brittle.

Pe Birds-eye structured limestone,

horizon of these rocks as

159 5 |cotemporaneous with the
L . .
4 +1 * Ifagnesian limestone. . “lower magnesian lime-
147 .
SL | sL stone and interstratified
Tita] Btltecous tnecatone: sandstones” of northern
L a . .
= a 10, |Wisconsin, the “ calcifer-
“Les | ous sandrock” of the New
“es | ¢s Calcareous sandstone. York system, and the
ie | tel MW |« 2nd magnesian lime-
ML ML
ME stone and sandstone, and
‘ML ML . nesian limestone”
~~ Baff, checkered magnesian limestone. 3d magnes ;
of the Geological Report
ML ML ¥
ga) | a 35, [on south-western Mis-
saree Light-colored limestone with chert, so- sour.
__&R _| called ‘cotton rock.”
71 CR CR 12
67 mL |Grey rough-weathering mag. limestone.| 4
eremeata
Liou
_1 1 light-colored limestone in beds from 6
Lu | L]| to 8 inches in thickness.
ag | 1! at

50 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

SECTION OF MARION COUNTY—Centinvep.
av a
. vo Vv
c=) a 3 fe
® |g 3 |g
Ey fleraba ta
42 —\Bench of grey magnesian limestone.
‘ 2 4
iL |Thin-bedded, light-colored magnesian|
31, | mn mi | Hmestone. 12
‘mi mu |Bench of solid, grey magnesian limest.
20) |__ ML i
ML ML
__MUL _|Thin-bedded magnesian limestone, in
ML ML|_ beds of a few inches in thickness, ex-
err? tending down into the bed of Sugar|
Loaf creek.
ML ML
ML
ML ML 20
307

Three quarters of a mile south of the Mitchell farm, the following sec-
tion was obtained in a hill known as “ Mitchell’s Hill:”

Height. : Thickness.
a Sn ey
148 feet. : :

142 « Top of the loose pieces of chert and sandstone--..+--- 6

Hard, light-grey magnesian limestone, with occasional
beds of chalcedonic chert, most abundant in the

76 +6 lower part seers cree eee eee eee eee ee eee eee eee 76
5G Quartzose sandstone and chert----+ ++ sees ee eee eens 10
26 « Magnesian limestone +++ este ee rece cee eee eee eens 40
25 “ Intercalated bed of siliceous magnesian limestone: ---- 1

5 Magnesian limestone, with red and yellow bands--.--. 15

Slope and bank extending down to the bed of upper

0 Sugar-loaf creek- bs hs ios ties Wis saiet gts Gta ele" te ak ahaa’ toner ahs 0

Plate 3 represents a distant view of Sugar-loaf hill, of ene a
conspicuous land-mark, lying in the eastern part of Sugar-loaf prairie.
This hill is 800 feet above the level of Sugar-loaf creek, near the Coka
farm.

It is composed of thin-bedded magnesian limestones, overlaid by chert
at top, and underlaid by light-colored earthy limestone, like the so-called
“Cotton Rock,” of Missouri.

A voluminous spring issues from the cavernous spaces in the rocks on
the east side of lower Sugar-loaf creek, affording a valuable water-power,
available at all seasons of the year, with but little variation as to quantity

OF ARKANSAS. 51

and temperature, and capable of supplying a considerable amount of
machinery.

The high Pine ridge, capped with subcarboniferous chert, resting on
the sandstone previously mentioned, extends for four miles between the
heads of Sugar-loaf creek and those of George’s creek; the pine being
co-extensive with the area occupied by these higher siliceous rocks.

The white encrinital and marble rock of this region, may be very con-
veniently quarried in a hill just beyond this pine ridge, near Wood’s mill,
where it outcrops towards the top of the hill, with a gentle slope, which
affords an opportunity of quarrying it with but little stripping. Also in
some of the ridges, near the Hudson farm and the “ New York Location,”
on the waters of Sugar-loaf creek.

The strata composing the lower part of the hills between Yellville and
Wood’s mill, are chiefly marly, earthy and hydraulic-looking calcareous
rocks, very retentive of water, which flows out along the surface of the
plane of dip in numerous springs. The country has a glady aspect, and
the roads are soft and miry, except where they run on the bare rock.

These strata have much the character of marly, shaly limestones,
described as intervening between the subcarboniferous rocks and the
strata of silurian date in south-western Missouri, and may be of the same
age, but, as yet, we have no positive evidence of equivalency, in the
absence of the necessary paleontological evidence. The fossil nautili
which have been found in chert near Mickersham’s mill, about 2 miles 8S.
W. of Yellville, indicate rocks of the subcarboniferous era, proving the
south-westerly inclination of the strata, which may account for rocks of
devonian (?) and subcarboniferous age being found here low in the hills,
while they occupy high ‘situations in the north and north-eastern part of
Marion county.

Lee’s mountain was found to be, by measurement with the aneroid
barometer, 350 feet above our camp, near John Osburn’s farms, on Jen-
ning’s creek.*

The ascent of this mountain from Fallen Timber creek, on the east, is
very steep. Towards the summit level of the road, there are alternations
of sandstone amongst the limestone, and higher up, near the summit of
the ridge to the south, the marble rock is in place. The sandstone below
this rock must be much thicker here than in the ridges along Sugar-loaf
creek, and the rocks elevated some fifty feet higher above the drainage of
the country than on Sugar-loaf creek.

The “ Molton Diggings,” on Jennings’ creek, are a mile and a half above

*T his observation was taken on the 4th of December, at noon, in the midst of a heavy shower of
rain, and, therefore, may be liable to some correction hereafter.

52 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

the forks, and half a mile below John Osburn’s, on both sides of the creek.
The ore has been found, as yet, only in lumps and pockets, except in one
place, where some blasting has been done in the limestone forming the
bed of the creek. Here the ore was said to have been found in a solid
vein of 4 to 6 inches wide, though this statement is not corroborated by
John Osburn. Where I examined it, the work has been carried for a few
yards in a N. W. and S. E. course diagonally across the bed of the Jen-
nings’ creek; but the excavations were, at the time of my exploration,
completely submerged, so that little opportunity offered for seeing the
vein, if suchZexists; but about half a pound of lead ore was found dis-
seminated in detached pieces through the adjacent rock. Some diggings
and prospect-holes have been opened along the hill-side, in a north and
south course, but these are too shallow to enable any one to form an opin-
ion as to the manner in which the ore is disseminated or concerning the
true course of the ore-bearing crevice. All that can be said at present in
‘vegard to this locality, is that the formation is similar to those in the north-
ern part of Marion, heretofore described, and the surface indications of
ore probably equally as good for mining asin that part of the country
from its head to the forks of the creek.

About 200 pounds of lead ore were taken out of one of the holes dug
on the adjacent hill-side, three quarters of a mile above the forks of Jen-
nings’ creek. Considerable lead ore was found in lumps and small frag-
ments by John Osburn, about a mile and a half northwest of the Molton
diggings. The prevailing character of the rock on Jennings’ creek, near
the forks, is that of a close-textured, cherty, dark-grey limestone, very
irregular in its fracture and bedding, and often fragmentary.

Below the forks of Jennings’ creek, the rocks are mostly rugged ledges
of magnesian and other varieties of limestone, with some alternations of
marl and marly limestones, with frequent imbedded segregations of chal-
cedonic chert.

The principal Sewell diggings are 4 miles below the Molton diggings,
township 19 north, range 16 west, of the fifth principal meridian.

Several pits and prospect-holes have been dug here in search of ore,
near the tops of the ridges, and two or three tons of ore obtained. In
some of the excavations crevices have been reached running in the mag-
nesian limestone, north 30 deg. west, and lead ore is found attached to
the wall-rock, and running in veins of about an inch thick.

Mr. Sewell undertook to smelt about 4 tons of this ore in a rude log
furnace, but the greatest part of it oxydized and ran to slag and was lost
amongst the cinders and ashes.

OF ARKANSAS. 53

Small quantities of zinc ore have also been found here, associated with
the lead ore at the Sewell diggings.

Some sandstones are intercalated with the magnesian limestones of
this part of Jennings’ creek valley.

The tops of ridges are mostly strewed over with masses of porous chert.
In some of the ridges the red marble rock is in place.

The surface indications of lead ore are frequent. Mr. McCracken,
whose farm adjoins the Sewell diggings, found a lump of lead ore, one
foot below the surface, in digging the foundation for his chimney, and
pieces weighing several pounds on the hill-sides opposite his house, on the
northern side of Jennings’ creek. In the tops of some of the ridges, the
marble rock occurs in the vicinity of Mr. McCracken’s, which appears to
have generally a reddish cast.

In the valley through which the road passes up from Mr. McCracken’s
to the Flippen barrens, chert and buhrstone are very abundant, lying in
large blocks on the surface and along the beds of the creeks, rendering
the road very rough and disagreeable to travel over. There are also some
glady hill-sides where marly and shaly limestones crop out, like those men-
tioned as occurring on the road between Yellville and Wood’s mill, in this
county.

The bottom lands of Jennings’ creek, are of good quality, but they are
narrow and limited in extent.

The high grounds at the Flippen barrens are chiefly composed of chert
belonging to the subcarboniferous era, as indicated by the fossils found
there, both tHose collected by the corps and those generously presented by

Mr. William B. Flippen.
Amongst the cliffs adjacent to the west bank of White river, five or six

miles from the Flippen barrens, under overhanging ledges of magnesian
limestones in the “ Rock House,” known by the name of Bean’s cave, pecu-
liar nitre earths have formed in large quantities.

At this locality there are large quantities of red ferruginous dry nitre
earth, above and below the red laminated layers, containing nitre salts,
which, if all converted, by the usual process of manufacture, into salt-
petre, would yield about 6.2 per cent. The composition of this nitre
earth, is shown by the following chemical analyses, made both of the
whole earth by digestion with hydrochloric acid and of the saline portion
soluble in water, which extract contains the nitre salts convertible into
salt-petre.

One sample of red, ferruginous, dry nitre earth gave, after being air-
dried, the following result by chemical analysis:

54 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

First. By treatment with hydrochloric acid.

Hygrometric water expelled at 300 dege ++ +--+ reer seer te erence 3.15
Silicates insoluble in hydrochloric or nitric acid-+-++++-++++e++- 64.68
ATU NA e Goes COS Aekwed eee Shee dareawe Seow swine de tee ween 10.00
Peroxidesol TiO Nw eiiie 8 hoe aie ok ere a ee Awe Meg ae wa Ree es 7.68
Teri Oss esowaiwo Sad oreo hs oi cents eeatigf Sea sear eee va thew hw rane Serie Wat eMaLA ead Glia Sw 8.65
Magnesia Bee Syn nt Henn, ata apa oa dni) ea sigh “asta carat cay Beta Gh WSS ee ats, ed 1.50
Pa Cerslna oa ess coe eae lia aa EG es ordeal eaten aan le RR craete 945
Soda sieve Waa Geese Hee he Reena Ga see Aare 650
Manganese Les oe eek SESE Oe EE ROR ERE AE KE ORR HERO ROE RE .080
Sulphuric LCV ease iaseng Giese eitate bighe. seas lo ntene Wiles Ore ete Oe “Maree ee Dead ea .360
Phosphoric acids +.-eeeee cece eee e eee tence cece nent e teens 015
CGarbGniG: ACW ss sa sis saps we wh eis iia Sere alee SEW Sra OA SDS Who de acer .050
GTi citi ea tancsact ssertsendealirala eon catsescdakevans amacsegambaa etait nfs oho manta! 198
Organic matter, water of hydration not expelled at 300 deg., and
AWVATHTO TLL oce: a ciouacecanciiin haale dae ow odie ore edi. aseies Hea toudonr ar duidoaey auras 2.428
INGEEIC, ACId a TORS: a sicsi oi sees See ep ss Bled Ritowne ag oe oes, Sew a Somat 4.614
100.000

The saline matter extracted by water, was equal to 7 per cent of the
whole, and contained the following bases and acids:

Alumina tinged with irom... esse eee ec cee eee cece eee eens 0.32
Lines: cece sxe sated Bese Mad ha eet ang WAtwha Sa ewido 0.76
Magnesia «creer cece ee eee eee e ieee eee ee ee tne eee eee ees 0.40
Potash, cae bow ssies ascii ees TPR e ee een eee ee eens 0.282
IS OLE iseior ti coiig ade a ihe Ree SE ees aig ea ea WRN Raa Ce lis Ladiw acolo el amcne's 0.068
Chlorine seis vei o05 Se eneuiew eed dear ours alee wa eisk eaten eee mages 0.196
Sulslinmiy welds sce ssen token gen Wee beneeenaed ates Beee aes aua 0.360
Nini! <aeidisi0hi ded bee Reraienaracntewn el Wes date M SReed wher sleus acer ors 83.210
Water of crystallization, loss and organic matter.+...-...+...- 1.404
7.000

Another of the nitre earths formed in Bean’s cave, is a very regularly
laminated moist earth, variegated with thin bands of dark and light red
of a very fine texture, and capable of being divided into thin. flexible
laminae, like sheets of dough.

This nitre earth, when air dried, yielded by analysis about 1.3 per
cent of nitric acid, which when converted into nitrate of potash or salt-
petre, by the usual process of leaching and saturation, with carbonate of
potash, or the ley from ashes, would give about 2.5 per cent of salt-
petre.

OF ARKANSAS. 55

The artificial nitre plantations of France, afford, by a similar process,
on an average, about four per cent of salt-petre. The dry nitre earths of
Beans cave, which are abundant, ought, therefore, to be profitable to work.

There is a very large amount of said earths available at the cave, par-
ticularly of the laminated variety, as will be seen by reference to the
Report of Mr. E. T. Cox, who was detailed to survey that locality.

It will be observed also from that Report, that this saltpetre cave is
favorably situated for the transportation of its saline and other products to
market, as it is located on the immediate bank of White river.

It is worthy, moreover, of note, that the red earthy residuum is of suf
ficiently fine texture and contains enough coloring principle, from the per
centage of oxide of iron which it contains, to afford a good, durable, red
ochre paint, having a good body, and being especially well adapted for
painting brick walls and outdoor work generally; while the finer earths
that remain long suspended in water, afford a species of polishing powder
free from grit, but not rich enough in siliceous earth, to be rapid and
efficient in its effects.

The magnesian limestones of lower silurian date of Marion county,
afford, besides the lead ores already made mention of, some fine zinc ores.

The richest and best locality of these zinc ores, that Ihave yet examined
in this county, is on section 13, township 19 north, range 17 west, of the
5th principal meridian, on the waters of the east branch of George’s creek.
The surface indications here are quite encouraging, and lead to the infer-
ence that considerable bodies of both the carbonate and sulphuret of zinc
exist more deeply seated in the crevices of the rock; indeed, these ores
seem to occur here in veins between well-defined walls of rock, the main
vein running north 30 deg. east and south, 30 deg. west, besides some cross
courses north 70 deg. to 80 deg. west. These veins or crevices are ex-
posed in one place on George’s creek, 8 feet 9 inches across from wall to
wall. Several shallow openings have been made, at different points, a
few hundred yards apart, on George’s Creek, in all of which good speci-
mens of these zinc ores have been exposed, associated, occasionally, with
some sulphuret of lead and small quantities of sulphuret of copper.

I would particularly designate this place, as worthy of the attention and
exploration of the zinc manufacturer, as the locality gives promise, as far
as can be judged, from the partial openings made, of affording good rich
zinc ores in sufficient quantities to supply a furnace. :

There is more sulphuret of zinc at these than at the zinc mines of Law-
rence county; but still there are large quantities of carbonate also, which
yield from 48 to 52 per cent of zinc, as may be seen by consulting the an-
alysis of these ores, in the Report of the Chemical Assistant. The sulphuret,

56 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

it is true, contains a higher percentage of metal than the carbonate; but it
is much more difficult and expensive to work, and hence a less profitable
ore to mine than the carbonates, with a less per centage of zinc in their
composition.

The higher points of the hills in this part of Marion county, are capped
with cherty rocks of subcarboniferous date, but the lower part of the hills
belongs to the same age as the members exhibited in the geological section
on Sugar-loaf creek, previously given.

The pine and other timber on the high ridge, mentioned as intervening
between the head of Sugar-loaf creek and the waters of George’s creek,
will afford good coaling grounds for the use of zinc furnaces, which might
be located some where in the vicinity of these zinc mines, as well as for
the reduction of the lead ore that may be raised towards the head of
Sugar-loaf creek.

, CARROLL COUNTY.

As yet, only the eastern portion of this county has been examined.
The lead ore of this county, occurs in the cotemporaneous formations of
magnesian limestones, with occasional interstratification of sandstone and
siliceous limestones, overlaid, towards the summits of the hills, by the en-
crinital limestones and marble rock, capped with chert. The diggings
have been somewhat deeper in Carroll than in Marion county, but still
quite limited, consisting of a few shallow trenches on the hill-side, and
one shaft of 40 feet. These have exposed several lead-bearing crevices in
the rocks, sometimes expanded into cavernous spaces forming occasional
“ pockets” filled with lead ore; at other times compressed in the joints of
of the wall-rock, almost in contact, or only affording space enough for
small “ strings,” and thin “ sheets” of ore, irregularly distributed along its
course.

In sinking the main shaft, the first layer of rock passed through, beneath
the subsoil and under-clay, was:

Light grey shale. +... ee cecees sees cece ence eveeseeee 4 feet

Dark “ BOO gare whale tesa Gee ee ore a eae 8 «

Magnesian lead-bearing limestone: +++ +++. eee ee eeee 28
Total depth sunk... -+-seeeceeeeees +» 40 «

A hole carried a few feet further, by means of a “ churn auger,” passed
mostly through good solid galena disseminated in the adjacent magnesian
limestone.

OF ARKANSAS. 57

More or less lead ore has been found at different points, over about two-
thirds of township 20 north, range 19 west of the 5th principal meridian»
according to the representations of Judge Brickey, who had been formerly
extensively engaged in the lead business in Missouri, and has been recently
employed by Coka &Mitchell, the owners of these mineral lands, to en-
deavor to follow the course of the veins on their property.

The ore discovered has been sometimes float or gravel ore, scattered on
the surface or partially imbedded through the bare surface rock, in “strings,”
“sheets,” thin veins, and occasional “ pockets;” also in the interstices, cre-
vices, and even horizontally between the layers of the bedded rock.

The lead-bearing Magnesian limestone, which commence., usually,
about 80 to 100 feet beneath the summits of the ridges, has, in general, a
capping of hard, white, quartzose sandstone, 4 to 16 inches in thickness,
with intervening beds of ferruginous and argillaceous shales of, usually,
only a few inches or a foot or two in thickness.

The section of the upper 90 to 100 feet of the ridges, in this lead region,
may be represented approximately by the following section:

Chert.....-- es atecdenas Apdo ROO Re Ce ee me ee ae -. 50 feet
Thin-bedded magnesian limestone------ seen eee eee 15 “«
Encrinital limestone and marble rock-++-++.-++++ 25to380 “

Sandstone, mostly hard, white and quartzose, bedded 6

to 9 or sometimes 16 inches: average say, the “cap

rock” of the lead miner of Carroll county.-.--- vere]
Ferruginous and argillaceous shales 1 to--+++-+++++++: Ore
Lead-bearing magnesian limestone with some alterna-

tions of siliceous rocks extending for 200 to 250 feet

down to the beds of the streams and general drainage

Of the COUNLTY. sere reer ee tee eee ee ee eens sree 250

These latter rocks are, lithologically, much of the same character as the
atrata represented in the 250 feet of the lower part of the section, on Su-
gar-loaf creek, in Marion county.

It appears that the surface of the magnesian limestone, under the sand-
stone, has suffered from irregular denudation, previous to the deposition
of the sand, which went to form the succeeding stratum, which is, in con-
sequence, sometimes quite irregular in its thickness, even in short distances,
where the sand has been swept into the eroded cavities; such an action
has taken place close to where the 40 feet shaft has been sunk in this
county. There, a great mass of isolated sandstone, which has resisted the
action of decomposing agencies, beyond that of the adjacent members,
stands out as a bold mass, as if it might have been a wall or dike, form-

58 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

erly enclosed between walls of the adjacent magnesian limestone, and now
forms a conspicuous feature in the landscape of that region. (See plate
No. 4.)

The lead ore of this locality of Carroll county, may be expected to
occur in following it, with its downward hade, through the different members
of this formation, in irregular masses, “ pockets,” sheets, strings, and thin
veins in the magnesian limestones; but probably sparingly, if at all, inter-
spersed in the occasional layers of sandstone, which rock has, perhaps, not
retained the openness of fissure, necessary for the reception of the infil-
trated or insinuated ore.*

About 20,000 pounds of lead ore have been raised, in all, at these “ dig-
gings,” the excavations being, however, for the most part, only 5 to 15
feet in depth.

About 500 to 600 pounds were raised at the 40 feet, “ Brickey’s” shaft,
adjacent to the isolated mass of sandstone, represented on plate No. 4.

Judge Brickey, who has had long experience in the lead business, in
Washington county, Missouri, is of opinion that the surface indications in
township 20 north, range 19 west, of the 5th principal meridian, are fully
as encouraging as in that part of Missouri, perhaps even more so, for
profitable mining.

The great difficulty in pursuing lead-mining in this part of Arkansas, at
present, is the Want of furnaces for the reduction of ore which the miner
could raise.

For want of these, the ore has either to be smelted in heaps or log fur-
naces at considerable loss and disadvantage, or transported at a cost which
would consume the profits of the miner, to distant localities in Missouri,
where smelting furnaces have been already erected.

The most common vein-stone of this region is calcareous spar; some
“ pozzin” is occasionally seen in the crevices; but oftener, near the surface,
the materials filling the interstices of the magnesian limestones, are buff
and grey argillaceous and shaly earths. ;

The distance from these mines to navigation on White river, at Du
Buque, is from 8 to 10 miles. The growth is, mostly, small sized black
and post-oak and hickory.

It will be observed, by the Chemical Report, that the lead ores, both of
Carroll, Marion, and Independence counties, are, when freed from adhering
gangue and rock, remarkable for their purity. The most important of
them have been cupelled, to ascertain the amount of silver, but only one
variety examined, up to the present time, viz: that from the Sewell

* In some few instances, in Missouri, lead ore has been found in sufficient quantity in the sand-
stone to pay for working.

OF ARKANSAS. 59

diggings, on Jemmy’s creek, promises to afford sufficient silver to pay the
expense of extraction.

The rocks of the lead region of Carroll county, near the Coka and
Mitchell diggings, dip to the south-west, so that the encrinital limestones
descend, in that direction, at the rate of about 100 feet to the mile; and
are near the level of the creeks, two miles south-west of the locality
represented in plate No. 4.

FULTON COUNTY.

In the townships of land, situated in the north-western part of this
county, the highest knobs are composed, like those in Marion and Izard
counties, of cherty masses, referable, probably, to the subcarboniferous
era, resting upon earthy, hydraulic-looking marls, limestones and shales,
on which the principal tracts of arable land are based. Such is the nature
of the strata in the “Rapp Barrens,” between White river and the North
Fork, at an elevation of about 130 or 150 feet above these streams; and
corresponding in their lithological character to the strata of Marion county,
formerly made mention of, occurring 4 or 5 miles north-east of Yellville,
between the waters of Crooked, Jemmy’s, and Fallen Timber creeks.

The following strata were observed at elevations in ascending from the
North Fork to the general level of the country, in the vicinity of the Rapp
barrens, in the upper 80 feet of the ridge, which overlooks the Ripple of
the North Fork, near the Rapp barrens:

At 380 feet: above the North Fork, varieties of crisp and agatized chert

prevail.

At 375 feet: white-weathering magnesian limestone.

At 370 feet: coarse-grained magnesian limestone and chert.

At 365 feet: porous buhrstone and chert.

At 300 feet: hard blocks of coarse-grained, glistening, siliceous rock,

intermediate between chert and sandstone.

The strata of the lower part of the cliffs, along the North Fork, in the
vicinity of these barrens, are mostly composed of different varieties of
magnesian limestones and silico-calcareous rocks, which are remarkable
for the great differences which they exhibit in their capabilities of resisting
atmospheric vicissitudes; some layers being hard, compact and durable,
stand out prominently in overhanging ledges; others, crumbling away,
recede, even under the shelter and protection of more durable strata.*
Some of the layers possess a fine oolitic structure.

* See Chemical Report for the analyses of these two different kinds of rocks.

60 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The ridges, 150 to 160 feet above the white sandstone, which crops out
near Sander’s store, and elsewhere in the Barrens, are mostly strewed with
agatized and chalcedonized chert. These are either destitute of timber
or overgrown with thickets of low scrubby timber, while the narrow, tor-
tuous vallies or “coves,” enclosed between the ridges, are, for the most
part, meadow prairie.

Though rocky and rather forbidding, at first view, the land produces
well; particularly oats, wheat, wool, and honey. The crops of maize may
be considered average. The country is well watered, and possesses many
fine water-powers, even at the very fountain head of some of its numerous
limpid calcareous streams, which frequently burst forth from amongst the
ledges of rock.

One of the most remarkable of these, forms the fountain-head of the
main fork of Spring river, known as the “Mammoth Spring,” welling up
on the south side of a low rocky ridge, from a submerged abyss beneath
of sixty-four feet, and constituting, at its very source, a respectable lake
of about one-sixteenth of a mile from north to south, and one-fifth to one-
sixth of that distance from east to west.

It is said, by those that have sounded the bottom, that there are large
cavities and crevices in the rock, and that the main body of the water
issues from a large cavernous opening of some forty yards in circumfer-
ence. It has been estimated that it boils up at the rate of about eight
thousand barrels per minute; the correctness of this estimate, we had no
means of verifying; but it may be safely estimated, that the average
constant flow would be at least sufficient to propel from 12 to 15 run of
stones.

The uniform temperature and composition of the water, is peculiarly
congenial to the growth of a variety of cryptogamic, aquatic plants, pos-
sessing highly nutritive qualities, both for herbiverous animals and birds.

In the early settlement of the country, herds of herbiverous wild
animals traveled from great distances to this fountain, of both food and
water, as well as flocks of wild fowl. Now, the cattle of the neighboring
farms may be seen wading in its waters, up to their middle, and browsing
on the herbage, which appears peculiarly congenial to their tastes; it is,
also, a general resort of ducks, geese, and other aquatic birds.

This mammoth spring is located just south of the east and west line
between Missouri and Arkansas, on section 5, township 21 north, range 7
west of the 5th principal meridian, and forms the most interesting feature
of this section of country, since it affords a water-power, which, if properly
improved, might supply valuable mill-sites, and water-privileges, for
manufacturing purposes in general. Small and rude as the-present grist-

OF ARKANSAS. 61

millis, at this point, with its two run of 40 inch stones, it attracts the
custom of farmers living 30 or 40 miles distant, who throng to its door—
even though they may have to wait days and nights for their turn to come
round. ‘

The accompanying sketch [plate No. 5,] represents the present mill,
looking north over the expanse of water, forming the source of this cele-
brated spring.

The water of this remarkable fountain, remains at a nearly uniform
temperature, never freezing in winter. On the 17th of December, 1857,
the temperature of the air being 17 deg. Fahrenheit, the spring showed
only 57 deg. Fahrenheit. But the average temperature, when the ther-
mometer is sunk deep in the spring, will probably be found to be 60 deg.

The extent of the range of extreme low and high water, is but 3 to 4
inches, so that the variation in the supply of water is very slight.

A large proportion of the water now runs to waste, the present mill
only requiring a limited supply; but, if it were all saved, which it could
very easily be, there would be enough for many grist-mills, as well as
woolen factories, which would be well adapted to the resources of’ the
country; since both the climate and herbage seem to be well suited to
raising sheep. At least, the small flocks of sheep, seen in the range,
appeared both healthy and vigorous.

The water is generally clear and limpid; it only becomes slightly muddy
after long continued rains. From 10 to 11 feet of fall can be obtained
between the fountain-head and the present site of the dam.

The principal outcrop of rock, is a white silico-calcareous rock, splitting
with a slaty fracture, and presenting dendritic markings on its surface.
Locally, large quantities of calcareous tufa have accumulated, and are
still forming in creeks and recesses around the head of the spring;
deposited from the water, partly on account of the loss of a portion of
its carbonic acid, which is dissipated into the atmosphere as these calca-
reous waters reach the surface, and partly by gradual evaporation.

Varieties of chert, hornstone, and porous buhrstones, form the most con-
spicuous rocks in the ridges of the northern part of Fulton county: these
repose on limestones, mostly of a siliceous character, with segregations
and interpolations of chert, sandstone and calciferous sandrocks.

It is supposed that the original source of the Mammoth spring is
Howel’s valley, Oregon county, Missouri, since the waters of this valley,
which is eight miles wide and thirty miles long, are not known to have
any external outlet, losing themselves in sink-holes and subterranean
caverns and passages. Uniting, as is supposed, near the southern boun-
dary of Missouri, they again burst forth to the day through caverns and

62 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

a

crevices in the rock, on the extreme northern confines of Arkansas, and
form this immense spring, which constitutes the head of the principal
branch of Spring river, watering the north-east corner of Fulton county;
and then, entering Lawrence, it forms one of the main streams of that
county; flowing, finally, into Black river, above Smithville.

Since the death of the former proprietor, Mr. Mills, the ownership of
the spring, and the land around, has reverted to his heirs.

For the sake of the interests of the country, we hope this water-privilege,
possessing so many natural advantages, will soon be improved in the
manner its intrinsic value justifies, and that it may fall into the hands of
enterprizing and practical manufacturers, who will give an impetus to
profitable and useful branches of manufacturing industry, suited to the
resources of the country, which soon attract around them an industrious,
progressive, and intelligent population.

Extensive deposits of iron ore have been reported as occurring in
the vicinity of the Mammoth spring. I found some superficial specimens
of good ore in the north part of Fulton county, but have not seen any
extensive beds; those referred to by Mr. Mills, in a notice issued of his
property, before his death, are, probably, situated north of the state line,
on the western fork, in Missouri. The geological formation is such as{to
justify the expectation that a detailed survey of Fulton county may dis-
close bodies of ore that might warrant the erection of furnaces.

Descending south from the head of Main Spring river, I found the
country mostly constructed of low chert ridges, with prairie coves between
them; the timber being, chiefly, on the ridges, of a small growth of oak
and hickory. e

Two miles east of the Mammoth spring, a fine, white sandstone* crops
out on a slope on the Missouri side of the line.

On Jaynes’ creek, the same kind of country prevails. In the valley of
that stream, low benches of rugged, weathering magnesian limestone are
seen projecting from the slopes of the ridges, which are mostly strewed
with chert blocks, and gravel in the upper portions. The highest of these
chert ridges are from 250 to 280 feet above the water courses, but the most
of them are considerably lower.

* This is probably the equivalent of the sandstone represented on No. 4, which underlies the
marble limestones of Carroll county.

OF ARKANSAS. 63

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Near the forks of the Jackson and Smithville road, some chert ridges,
measured, were found to have an elevation of about 80 to 100 feet above
the drainage of the country.

On Morton’s creek, near Morgan’s mill, there is some zinc, which may
prove valuable, if fairly opened and exposed, as the surface indications
are somewhat encouraging. .

The chert of the ridges along Morton’s creek is mostly dull and impure,
with little or no true chalcedony.

In the cuts of the stream, grey and white varieties of magnesian lime-
stones crop out, associated with a white rock, which has the appearance
of a calciferous sandrock.

The same character of rocks prevails to the Big Lick. South of that
locality, some porous buhrstones are intermixed with the dull, impure,
earthy chert, and a white magnesian limestone was observed cropping
out, approaching, in its character, the so-called “ Cotton Rock.”

On Machine creek, some zinc ore has been discovered, and a few loads
hauled over to the zine furnace, in Lawrence. i

E. W. Houghton explored for lead ore on Stennett’s creek, in this
county, and obtained considerable lead ore, but abandoned the diggings,
probably, because there was no lead furnace to smelt the ore.

The main zinc deposits of Lawrence county, on which the principal
dependence is placed for supplying ore to the furnace now erected at
Calamine, are the so-called Hoppe diggings, on section 19, township 16
north, range 2 west.

The ore here is very accessible, being, in some places, only one foot
beneath the surface. Jt has been followed down 18 feet, and found occu-
pying interstices between isolated corroded masses of limestone, and inter-
mixed with, and imbedded in red clay. The width of the excavation was
about 25 feet. The associate limestone is of a light grey color, with
strings and thin veins of disseminated ore, which comprises mostly those
different varieties of carbonate of zinc, described in works on mineralogy,
under the name of “calamine” and “smithsonite.”

The chemical analyses of these ores, made by Dr. Elderhorst, in my
laboratory, gives an average yield of 51.7 per cent. of oxide, which is
equal to 41.5 per cent. of metallic zinc in these carbonates.

Intermixed with the carbonates there is also some zinc blende, which
will yield, when freed from adhering gangue, nearly 66 per cent. of metal-
lic zinc; but this ore, though containing a larger proportion of zine than

64 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

the carbonates, is less valuable as an ore, since it is more expensive and
difficult to roast, smelt, and reduce to the metallic state.

The chemical analyses even of the associate dolomitic rocks and red
clay, filling the interstices between the rock and ore, afford a small per
centage of zinc, viz: two per cent of carbonate of zinc, in the magnesian
limestone taken from the Hoppe mine, and about one-thirdfof one per
cent. in the red clay.

For the details of analysis, consult the Chemical Report of Dr. Elder-
horst, where a statement will be found of the value of the Arkansas zine
ores, compared with those of the most productive zinc districts of Europe.

Since all the zinc at present consumed in this country is imported from
Europe, and subject to a duty of 4 per cent. on crude zinc, and 24 per
cent. on all manufactured articles, the establishment of furnaces for the
smelting of these very productive ores of zinc of Arkansas, would, indeed,
be a national benefit, since the quantity of crude and manufactured zinc,
imported into the United States, according to the last published state-
ments, amounts very nearly to nine hundred thousand dollars worth of
this useful metal.

REPORT

OF A

GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

OF PART OF

ARKANSAS.

PART SECOND.

In proceeding to record the observations made during the surveys of
1858, I shall commence with

WHITE COUNTY.

No. 6.—CLIFFS OF THE “BEE ROCK,” OF WHITE COUNTY, ON LITTLE RED RIVER.

The most conspicuous geological feature of this county, is the escarp-
ment of sandstone along the bluffs of Little Red river, known as the “ Bee
rock.” The sketch in the wood-cut at the head of this section, is taken
from the summit of those rocks, looking over the valley of Little Red
river, and the distant low ground to the north. The sandstone forming

68 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

the cliffs in the foreground of this landscape, is part of the conglomerate
and millstone grit formation that intervenes between the overlying coal
measures proper, and the underlying subcarboniferous limestone.

When water-worn pebbles are disseminated through such sandstones,
subordinate to the coal measures, they have received the name of conglo-
merates or pebbly sandstones ; when pebbles are absent, and the rock con-
stitutes merely a coarse-textured sandstone, it is called millstone grit.
Both these varieties occur in White county, along the escarpments of Lit-
tle Red river, which attain a thickness of 150 to 200 feet, imparting wild
and romantic scenery to the country, for many miles along the bank of
this stream. They constitute, also, the nucleus of the backbone ridge that
runs from the Bee rock to Patterson’s mill. At the latter locality, the
impression of a peculiar extinct plant, characteristic of the early carboni-
ferous era, known as the stigmaria ficoides, was discovered, imbedded in
the sandstone, which would prove conclusively the age of this sandstone
formation, if other evidence were wanting.

A particle of gold, the size of a flaxseed, is said to have been pumped
up with the sand from the bed of Little Red river, at Patterson’s mill.
Even if this is correct information, it is not probable that quantities of
this metal, sufficient to pay for the extraction, could be washed out of the
sands of Tilia Red river, since it does not flow, along any part of its
course, over rocks such as have yielded profitable quantities of this pre-
cious metal in other countries.

The dip of these sandstones on this part of Little Red river, is 14 deg.
to 2 deg. to the south, or a little west of south. The base of this forma-
tion, at this point, is schistose in its structure, i. e., thin bedded, becoming,
however, more solid and massive in its upper part.

Some segregations of iron ore occur about 10 feet above the water of
Little Red river, near the mill, but they are, here, too siliceous to constitute
a good quality of ore for the manufacture of iron.

Three miles north-west of Searcy, at a “bald point,” in the vicinity of
the widow Gilbert’s farm, sixty feet of shaly strata are exposed, dark or
nearly black, in its lower part, and reddish yellow and ferruginous towards
the top. This shale includes numerous segregations of carbonate of iron
and carbonate of lime; the latter containing several fossil marine shells,
amongst which the nautilus ferratus was discovered, a species which
occurs in the ferruginous shales of Nolin, in Edmonson county, Ky.

Until levels are run, which it is contemplated doing hereafter, during
the progress of the detailed surveys in the individual counties, it is difficult
to pronounce positively on the relative geological position of these shales,
with reference to the sandstones of the Bee rock; but, judging from the

OF ARKANSAS. 69

superposition, as observed in Kentucky, of the cotemporaneous shales, I
am, at present, disposed to consider them as immediately following these
sandstones, in the order of superposition. At any rate, the cliffs of sand-
stone and conglomerate of Little Red river, and the Gilbert shales of
White county, Arkansas, are a perfect counterpart of the high escarpment
of the “ Dismal rock,” of which a sketch is given as the frontispiece to the
first volume of the Kentucky Geological Report, and the ferruginous shales
of Nolin are shown in a section at the end of the same volume.

The Gilbert shales are underlaid by heavy sandstones, passing down-
wards into a more schistose rock in the descent towards Panther creek.

The quantity of iron ore at this locality, both of the carbonate and
limonite varieties, would go far towards supplying a furnace, and similar
ores can, no doubt, be discovered in the same geological position in other
parts of the county. Hereafter we shall record the constituents of this
ore when the quantitative chemical analysis is completed.

In digging wells in the vicinity of Searcy, a blackish grey, indurated,
argillo-siliceous shale is encountered, containing small scales of dissemi-
nated mica. This material’is brittle and crumbles, by exposure, to a clay.

Similar shales are struck, usually ten feet below the surface, under the
red lands situated west of Searcy. The first ten feet passed through, gene-
rally consist of soil, subsoil, and gravel overlying these shales. The red
soil of these level farming lands is quite productive, yielding good crops
of cotton, corn, wheat, and the finest oats in ordinary seasons, viz. : 800 to
1,500 pounds of cotton in the seed to the acre, twenty to twenty-five
bushels of wheat, and forty to sixty bushels of oats, when there are sea-
sonable rains.

Samples of this soil have been collected for future chemical analysis, in
case the agricultural department of the Survey should be hereafter pro-
vided for. © .

This description of land must have an area of some 360 square miles,
extending, as it does, about thirty miles from east to west, and twelve
miles from north to south, and appears to have been derived from the dis-
integration of the ferruginous shales, which, at one time, existed over the
dark, argillo-siliceous shales, that now underlie this tract, and which still
are to be seen in the slopes of the hills adjacent to these red lands.

In the southern part of the county, watered by bayou Des Arc and
Caney creek, sandstones and shales of the millstone grit period prevail.

In the Royal Colony settlement, near the line between sections seven and
eight, township five, range ten, a bed of coal, from ten to twelve inches
in thickness, occurs sixty feet up in a. ridge, known as Coal-hill, at the

head of Cypress bayou.

70 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The base of Coal-hill consists of black and ferruginous shales, sur-
mounted by thick-bedded sandstone, capping its summit.

Ferruginous shales are strewed on the slope, under the sandstone, for
seventy-five feet. Beneath this, for the depth of five feet, isa bluish shale,
enclosing oval concretions.

The immediate roof of the coal is a peculiar, rusty, taleous-looking,
scaly shale, unctuous to the touch, and crumbling to pieces with the least
friction.

The coal varies from ten to twelve inches in thickness.

The base of the hill, for 60 feet under the coal, is composed of dark,
bluish-grey shale, including considerable quantities of carbonate of iron.

The same bed of coal crops out on the western declivity of Coal-hill.

This coal has been partially opened for the use of the’ blacksmiths in
this part of White, and the adjacent portion of Conway county, but where
it has been worked, it has not afforded a coal altogether free from the
pyritiferous impurities required for shop use; the thickness, too, is not
sufficient to warrant the expense of running ‘dvifts into it for any great
distance.

Sandstone occupies the surface at Rocky point, but shale is reached
about eight or nine feet under the surface. A similar sandstone crops out
on the slope descending to Cypress bayou, on the confines of White and
Prairie counties. All these strata are, no doubt, referrible to the millstone
grit series at the base of the coal measures.

Ascending from the waters of the Cadron and Des Arc, in the western
part of White county, a great mass of variegated and ferruginous shales
is encountered, nearly. two hundred feet in thickness, including some inter-
calated bands of sandstone. These are surmounted by some fifty feet of
heavily bedded sandstones, which are again overlapped with shales and
schistose siliceous rocks, capping the mountain near the widow Norman’s:
Four and a half miles beyond, in the neighborhood of Theodore Good-
low’s, the sandstone on the table-land is characterized by peculiar vermi-
cular impressions,* such as were observed in Hancock county, Kentucky,
in the first bench of sandstone under the main Hawesville coal, and about
50 feet above the bench of underlying conglomerate. This bench of
sandstone lies, therefore, at the base of the coal measures, and though
there is a thin bed of coal beneath this sandstone at Haweavlle, it may
be considered as underlying the productive coal measures, since no work-
able bed of coal has yet been found below it.

* These impressions are probably referrible to some species of fucoids or seaweeds. They bear
some resemblance to drawings of Phytogyra, but are apparently single and more simple in their.
structure than that genus. ;

OF ARKANSAS. 71

These sandstones with vermicular (fucoidal?) impressions on the head
of the Cadron, in the extreme south-western part of White county, belong,
doubtless, to the geological horizon beneath the lowest workable coal.

A remarkable dislocation of the strata crosses the Cadron in the vicinity
of Goodlow’s. Where I examined it, on the south bank of that stream,
the tilted slabs of sandstone lie at various angles, from one deg. to 26 deg. ;
at one place, even at 50 deg. Yet the belt of disturbance is quite narrow,
not more than six or eight feet, and some of the broken slabs of rock appear
as if they had partially slipped into the yawning fissure and become
entangled in the closing of the gap. The course of this disturbance runs
obliquely across the bed of the Cadron, with a slightly curved bearing,
south south-west, and forms a kind of artificial dam. This rupture of the
strata can be traced for three-quarters of a mile. In some parts of its
course the fractured Jayers form a complete arch, dipping both ways from
the central axis. ;

Some attempts have been made to discover ore, by sinking pits adjacent
to this disturbance ; but without success, at the depth to which they were
carried. This axis of dislocation may possibly be connected with those
subsequently observed on the Palarm bayou, since its course, if produced
in a south-west direction, would extend to that region of country.

High cliffs of sandstone of the same geological era, appear on the south
side of the Cadron, near the western confines of White county.

The Searcy sulphur water of White county, was tested qualitatively at
the fountain head for its principal constituents, which proved to be as fol-
lows:

Small quantity of free sulphuretted hydrogen.
Bi-carbonate of lime.
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.
Chloride of sodium.
Chloride of magnesium.
‘Small quantity of sulphate of soda.
(74 (73 (7 ce magnesia.

This water will act as a mild alterative and laxative.

It should be remarked, that solution of acetate of lead is darkened more
by the water after being boiled down, than when fresh from the spring;
for this reason, I am disposed to believe, that there must be some portion
of sulphur combined with some organic principle; since the free sulphur-
etted hydrogen would be expelled by boiling. Besides, the fresh water
does not affect acetate of lead as much as the sulphur taste would indi-
cate.

72 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Z

VAN BUREN COUNTY.

'

ania aN CAN TER—HARLEY

No. 7.—SUGAR-LOAF MOUNTAIN OF VAN BUREN COUNTY.

The table-land of the south-western part of this county, on to which we
ascended soon after leaving White county, supports a pine forest on the
siliceous soils, derived from the disintegration of san dstones of the millstone
grit series. This table-land is elevated 400 feet above the general drain-
age of the country, and 875 above a group of dark shales, including car-
bonate of iron, which are well exposed at “ Bald Lick,” near the foot of
the descent, on our route leading to Sugar-loaf springs. This shale, with
its associate ore, has much the appearance of the Gilbert shales of Searcy
county; but these shales of Van Buren County, occupy a position, in all
probability, beneath sandstones, the equivalent of the Bee rock. From
20 to 25 feet of these shales are exposed in the ravines at the Bald Lick,
having a dip to the south-west of 8 deg. ; this dip is, however, local both in
direction and degree, since only a mile ortwo to the north, the strata were
observed to dip east of north at a more gentle angle.

The Sugar-loaf mountain, of which a sketch is given in the wood-cut
that heads this section, is a conspicuous, isolated hill, cut off by denudation
from the main ranges of this county. A measurement with the ancroid
barometer, gave its height 440 feet above the Huntsucker farm. By com-
putation, it must be about 500 feet above Little Red river, which sweeps
around its north-eastern base.

OF ARKANSAS. 73

This well-known land-mark is composed, in its upper part, of about 80
feet of schistose sandstone, forming a bold and conspicuous cliff on the
heights of the mountain, which is contracted in its upper part, so that the
area of the summit is only about 200 feet from north to south, by about
50 feet from east to west, with a dip of a few degrees to the south, as
shown in the accompanying view. Forest and undergrowth conceal, for
the most part, the strata forming the slopes below this escarpment.

The construction of the main ridges, in this part of Van Buren county,
of which this may be regarded as an outlier, together with the partial ex-
posures, here and there observed in the Sugar-loaf mountain itself, lead to
the conclusion that it is composed mostly of earthy varieties of sandstone,
resting on ferruginous and dark shales, similar to those observed at the
Bald Lick, and which seem to exist, almost universally, under the main
mass of the millstone grit of this part of the State of Arkansas.

The Sugar-loaf springs are situated about three miles from the Sugar-
loaf mountain, in a course south of west. There are several fine springs of
mineral water at this place.

The one known as the “Black Sulphur Spring,” but which might be with
more propriety called the White Sulphur Spring, since it deposits a white
fibrous sediment in the trough into which it first flows, though, where it
subsequently dissipates itself over the ground, there is a black precipitate
formed by the mutual action between the sulphur in the water and the
iron contained in the soil. This has generally been regarded as the
strongest mineral water on the premises.

Its principal constituents are :

Free sulphuretted hydrogen.

Bi-carbonate of lime. -

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Chloride of sodium.

Chloride of magnesium.

No appreciable quantity of sulphates could be detected in the unconcen-
trated water.

The “Puce Spring” contains the same ingredients, though it is not so
strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, but contains more
chlorides than the other spring. :

The qualitative examination of the “Eye Spring,” so called because
persons having inflamed eyes have used it most, gave the same reaction
with chemical reagents as the “‘ Puce Spring.”

Besides these springs there is agood chalybeate water, that issues from the
bank a few paces from, the “ Puce Spring,” containing bi-carbonate of the
protoxide of iron and a trace of chlorides, but no appreciable quantity of

74 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

sulphates, in the unconcentrated water; also a spring of ordinary water, in
which bi-carbonates of the alkaline earths are the principal constituents.

The main springs are, therefore, saline sulphuretted waters, possessing
alterative, laxative, diaphoretic, and diuretic effects, well adapted for the
cure of eruptive complaints, as well as of chronic diseases of the digestive
organs. The properties possessed by the chalybeate, are those of a tonic,
suited to cases of a constitutional or temporary debility, in which prepara-
tions containing iron are indicated.

As Little Red river was too high for us to take the river road towards
Clinton, we were prevented from examining any sections of the rocks that
might present themselves along the route, and had again to ascend to the
table-land, in which the waters of the Cadron take their rise.

The aneroid barometer indicated an elevation of 320 feet above the
widow Goff’s farm. ee

For two or three miles we again travelled through a fine pine region,
with a sandy soil, derived from the underlying sandstones of the millstone
grit series, but emerged soon, in township 9 north, range 12 west, on good
tracts of farming lands, watered by the heads of the North Fork of the
Cadron.

On section 13, township 9 north, range 12 west, samples of soils for future
chemical analysis were taken from this table-land on the farm of George
More.

This soil is especially adapted for the growth of oats, and will yield on
an average, 20 to 25 bushels of corn, 15 bushels of wheat, and 800 pounds
of cotton. It stands drought remarkably well, being based on a retentive
ferruginous clayey subsoil.

In digging wells in this part of Van Buren county, a hard reddish blue
shale is penetrated under the subsoil, which overlies the beds of millstone
grit. To the disintegration of these shaly rocks is no doubt to be attributed
the superior fertility of these upland soils, compared with the sandy soils
of the pine lands, which repose immediately on the underlying sand-
stones.

These table-lands are bounded on the south by a ridge, composed of
sandstone and shales, rising some 70 to 100 feet above the waters of the
Cadron. Two or three miles to the northeast of George More’s farm,
dark shaly rocks are exposed. About the same distance to the north-west,
a sandstone region commences, overlaid by gravel supporting a growth of
stunted oak and hickory. This kind of country extends for about six miles
to the descent to the main Cadron, and the Greasy valley, which lies
about 230 feet below the table-land. White, grey, banded and mottled,
schistose sandstone, are exposed in ledges. The ascent on the opposite

OF ARKANSAS. 45

side of the Cadron to the same description of land is only 185 feet, which
indicates a dip in a westerly direction. A further ascent of 255 feet over
schistose argillaceous sandstone, brought us to a table-land with a growth
of black-jack, extending for three miles.

The upper beds of these sandstones are harder and less argillaceous in
their composition than the lower layers.

Oak and hickory are succeeded by oak and pine, which prevail to the
descent to the valley of Little Red river.

The declivity commands an extensive view to the north-west, with high
ranges of hills, both in the middle and back ground.

This elevated country is about 600 feet above Choctaw creek. The
lower ledges of sandstone appear here in a kind of pavement form, dip-
ping 40 to 50 deg. to the south-east, and checkered with segregations of
oxide of iron. Beneath this is a brown massive freestone, which would
make a good building stone. Still lower, near the foot of the hill, are
black, rusty ferruginous shales, the base of which is some 600 feet below
the summit of the ridge. About 10 feet lower, strata of flaggy sandstone
form the bed of Choctaw creek, having a south-westerly dip. This is pro-
bably an intercalated band in the mass of shaly rocks, which appear to
extend even to the banks of Little Red river, in the vicinity of Clinton ;
but since there are no good exposures below the flaggy sandstone of Choc-
taw creek, and the.alluvium of Little Red river, we are left to infer the cha-
racter of the concealed strata from very partial out-crops, and analogy of
structure with other neighboring ridges of Van Buren county.

A few miles north and north-east of Clinton, some beds of coal are
reported to have been partially opened, for the use of blacksmiths ; these I
have not had an opportunity of examining, nor yet the’ coal on the waters
of Sugar Camp creek, said to have been discovered by A. J. Cristopher,
eight miles north-east of Clinton.

The summit level of the ridge, over which the Lebanon road runs, is 1220
feet above the town of Clinton, according to observations made with the
aneroid barometer.

No limestone is visible on the east side of this ridge, as you arise from
the Clinton side; the lowest rocks visible are black, grey, and ferruginous
shales, surmounted by sandstone and conglomerate; the order of succession
being very much the same as had been observed in the principal ridges in
White county. The descent on the west side reveals, however, under
these shaly rocks, Archimedes and encrinital beds of the subcarboniferous
group, which, crop out along the bank of Lesley’s ford, of Little Red river.
Associated with this group is a bed of black limestone, one to one and a

76 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

half feet in thickness, which, as the fossils show white, against a black
ground, will, when polished, produce a beautiful marble.

On section 12, township 13, range 15 west, the subcarboniferous lime-
stone extends to the height of 15 to 20 feet above the bed of Lesley’s
creel, covered by the afore-mentioned shales. This is on the immediate
confines of the western boundary of Van Buren county; the line passes
through the orchard of Hatchet, who resides on the banks of Healey s 8
creek, at the foot of the mountain.

SEARCY COUNTY.

ee

No 8.—KNOB OF SEARCY COUNTY, ti FROM TIE DAWSON FARM, ON FORREST CREEK.

Proceeding towards Wiley’s cove, in this county, from Lesley’s fork of
Little Red river, the Archimedes and encrinital beds of the upper sub-
carboniferous group gradually ascend to a higher level above the water-
courses ; so that there appears, beneath these, in Wiley’s cove, a consider-
able thickness of hard, sheety, black, bituminous shale, which has all the
lithological aspect of the black bituminous shale at the foot of the falls of
the Ohio. But that shale belongs to the devonian period, whereas subse-
quent observation showed this black shale of Searcy county to be a mem-
ber of the subcarboniferous period. |

OF ARKANSAS. V7

Immediately overlying this black shale is a black, bituminous limestone,
much of the same character as that already mentioned as occurring in the
Oil-trough ridge, and occupying very nearly the same geological horizon.

The section in Wiley’s cove is approximately as follows:

1. Archimedes limestones.

2. Encrinital, and Chonetes limestones, alternating with thin shaly
partings.

3. Black, brittle, bituminous limestone, or marble rock.

4, Black, bituminous, hard, sheety shale.

The exact relative thickness of these beds, remains yet to be determined;
the two first members are approximately 50 to 60 feet; the third member,
some 15 feet; and the fourth member, from 40 to 60 feet in thickness.

The superposition in Wiley’s cove, renders it highly probable that the
black limestone of the Oil-trough ridge, is also underlaid by a black shale,
which is concealed, however, beneath the alluvium of White river, the
black soil of which is partly derived from it, and, in part, from the wash-
ings of the subcarboniferous limestones of the Oil. trough ridge. This is
rendered still more probable, from the fact of dark shales and shaly lime-
stones occurring under the same black limestones of the subcarboniferous
group in Shield’s bluff, as may be seen in the section given of that hill, in
a previous part of this Report, under the head of “‘ Independence county.”
In the centre of Wiley’s cove, the grey beds of Archimedes limestone lie
from 100 to 125 feet above the ‘general level of the farms, and the top of the
black shale and base of the black marble at 60 to 70 feet above the same
level.

There is abundance of black chert, strewed in the water-courses of the
cove, which approaches very nearly to the character and appearance of
the black flints, found in the chalk formation of Europe; these appear to
originate as segregations or concretions in the limestones, overlying the
black shales, which, being more difficult of decomposition than their
matrix, remain as gravel, while the imbedding rock, itself, has become a
part of the rich, black soil of the cove. This is derived, in part, from
the sibeatpontfarens limestone, and, in part, from the black shale.

The deep mud holes in the road which leads up through the cove, have
been washed out of and worked into the tenacious clay, derived from the
disintegration of the black slate, and accumulated at the foot of the
surrounding hills.

Half a mile beyond Wiley’s cove, the black slate forms the bed of the
Owl or Middle fork of Little Red river, with hard, heavy, dark, ferruginous

78 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE.

calcareous bands locally interstratified amongst the layers, exposed in the
north-east bank of that stream.

At the crossing of a branch, five miles south-east of Burrowsville, the
subcarboniferous limestones alternate with sandstone and grey fossilifer-
ous shale, underlaid by some 50 feet of flaggy sandstone, resting on the
dark halen which crop out about half a mile down the branch to the left
of the road. The gray fossiliferous shale, to the right of the road, lies
about 85 feet above the base of the flaggy sandstones; above this are
alternations of sandstone and grey limestones, while on the slope of the
adjacent hillsides, gravel of black flinty chert is everywhere strewed.

Four, to four and a half miles south-east of Burrowsville, the sandstone

overlying the black shale has a disposition to split into rectangular, pris-
matic blocks.

At Burrowsville, the present county-seat of Searcy county, there is'a
buff, flaggy sandstone, which is quite fossiliferous; some of the layers are
charged with casts of Producta. The rock has been quarried to a limited
extent, in the immediate vicinity of Burrowsville, and has been used for
foundations and underpinning to buildings, and in the construction of
chimneys.

North-west of Burrowsville, the black shale was not seen; the descent
from the productal flags leads immediately on to chert and light-grey
subcarboniferous limestone; unless, therefore, the black shale is entirely
concealed from view, the productal flags of Burrowsville must underlie
the black shale, so frequently exposed in Wiley’s cove, and between that
and Burrowsville. A black slate is said to be exposed in a ridge west of
Lebanon, where there is an extensive lick; this locality, I have not yet
had an opportunity of examining.

In the vicinity of Lebanon, on the north bank of Bear creek, are
perpendicular cliffs of cherty, subcarboniferous limestone; one bed of
which is nearly white, and of a texture passing from pranlar into sub-
crystalline, with large Spirifers, allied to, but probably distinct from
Spirifer striatus, which occurs in the same position on the Rapids of the
Mississippi, above the mouth of the Des Moines, under the Archimedes
beds, and above the Keokuk cherty limestone containing Orthis erenis-
tria, which is superimposed on the encrinital beds of Burlington. 210
feet of these cherty members of the subcarboniferous limestone is exposed
on Bear creek; above the principal escarpment there is a slope of 100 feet
more, where gril loose pieces of chert:are visible amongst the vegetation.

At the next crossing of Bear creek, vertical walls of cherty limestone
are again seen, where they dip 4 deg. to 5 deg. south-west. Here the

OF ARKANSAS. 79.

white Spirifer bed was found in place 90 feet below the top of the ridge
dividing the waters of Bear creek from those of the Buffalo fork of White
river; which is 360 feet above that stream.

In this ridge, 30 feet of sandstone was found overlying cherty limestones
of the same character, and, no doubt, a continuation of the limestones
forming the Bear creek cliffs.

Greyish-pink beds of this limestone extend down to the water’s edge, on
the north-east side of the Buffalo fork, just above the ford on the road to
Carrollton.

At Spencer Adams’s a Spirifer, allied to the cuspidatus, occurs in the
sandstone, at an elevation of about 360 feet above the bed of the Buffalo
fork.

No black shale was observed, in any of the sections exposed on the
streams, in this part of Searcy county.

A few hundred yards, on the north-west side of Mill creek, an abrupt
dislocation has fractured the strata and thrust up the beds of limestone ;
which may be traced, ascending the hillside, on the north side of the road,
with abrupt mural faces, resembling a dyke of basalt.

Some lead ore has been obtained in the crevices of the subcarboniferous
limestone along this axis of disturbance, and some shallow excavations
have been made; but these did not yield ore sufficient to encourage further
search.

The occurrence of this ore, adjacent to the axis of disturbance above-
mentioned, is, however, a favorable indication for the discovery of a regu-
lar lode, and more thorough and deeper explorations might lead to better
discoveries.

Where the Carrollton road ascends the hill, about a mile further, the
following section is exposed :

Slope, with carboniferous chert gravel.

White limestone, about 20 feet.

Encrinital limestone, 80 feet.

Red and pink limestones, or marble rock, 15 feet.

Vein of ore containing iron and manganese ?

Coarse-textured limestone.

Variegated white and pink beds, some of the lower layers of which,
for 40 to 50 feet, have a structure similar to that of lithographic lime-
stone.

The strata exposed below the chert slope, amount in all to about 120
feet. The summit of the ridge passed over is 470 feet above Mill creek,
but in the 300 feet above the base of the chert slope, little else can be
seen but gravel of this material.

80 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Specimens of soils were collected from this county, on the farm of Albert
Dugger, near the mouth of the Dry fork of Clear creek. The growth is
black-jack and hickory, with an undergrowth of sumach and hazel. This
soil will average about 40 bushels of corn, and 25 bushels of oats to the
acre.

On the divide between the Buffalo fork and the waters of the Dry fork of
Clear creek, the surface is strewed with a sharp chert gravel, overlying a
pinkish limestone, occupying probably the place of the marble rock of Ma-
rion and Carroll counties. Limestones of a similar character reappear in
the descent of the ridge, towards the waters of the Dry fork, associated with
a semi-oolitic variety of calciferous sand rock, perhaps of silurian date.

I have, as yet, found no conclusive evidence to enable me to form a de-
cided opinion as to the age of the marble limestones of north-west Arkan-
sas ; but if they should, by subsequent observations, prove to be the repre-
sentative of the Onondaga limestone of the New York system, then it is
doubtful, whether there are any rocks belonging to the upper silurian divi-
sion in the western part of Searcy county, as the marble formation seems
to rest immediately on rocks of the lower silurian period.

Some sandstone is interstratified with the limestones of the Dry fork of
Clear creek; but these sandstones are older than the productal sandstone
of Burrowsville, in Van Buren county.

The pink limestones are more earthy than the limestones occupying the
same geological horizon in the central portion of Van Buren county.

44

OF ARKANSAS. 81

“NEWTON COUNTY.

No. 9.—ROUND-TOP PEAK OF THE JUDAH MOUNTAIN OF THE BOSTON RANGE, TAKEN FROM JASPER,
THE COUNTY SEAT OF NEWTON COUNTY.

This is one of the most mountainous counties of Arkansas. Several of
the most conspicuous peaks of the Boston range attain here an elevation
of more than 1,000 feet above the general drainage of the country.

The wood-cut sketch at the head of this section, represents one of these
peaks as seen from Jasper, the county seat of Newton County, and known
under the name of the Round-top peak of the Judah mountain of the
Boston range.

On the 21st of June, 1858, I set out with the intention of measuring the
elevation of this peak above the Hudson fork of Buffalo, but was pre-
vented from accomplishing my object by a violent thunderstorm, which I
encountered about one-third of the distance up this mountain, and my

limited time induced me to postpone its further ascent until the detailed
6

82 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

survey was undertaken. The encrinital and marble limestones are well
exposed in the bed of the Dry branch, near the foot of the Judah peak,
north of Jasper.

The strata exposed immediately on the banks of the Hudson fork of
Buffalo, below Jasper, are alternations of limestone and sandstone. The
sandstone has a peculiar porous or honey-comb structure; on this rests a
light bluish-gray limestone. Near the mouth of this stream, a high escarp-
ment of sandstone and limestone forms a prominent feature in the land-
scape; most of the ledges are probably of lower silurian date, but the per-
pendicular nature of this cliff, prevented a critical examination of the
individual members at this point.

Further down Buffalo fork, at the mouth of Cave creek, rocks still lower
in the series, but belonging to the same group, are exposed ; indeed, if the
hard quartzose sandstone, which forms the base of the bluffs at this place,
belongs, as there is reason to believe, to the age of the Potsdam sandstone
of the New York system, then there is, at this point, a greater elevation
of the geological formations than at any locality in northern Arkansas ;
and we must look here for one of the principal anticlinal axes of Searey
county.

By reference to a map of Arkansas, it will be perceived that the two
main branches of White river take their rise amongst these high peaks of
Newton and Madison counties; the longest branch, deflected around this
great axis of upheaval, pursues a circuitous course through the latter
county into Benton county, and thence making a great sweep to the north,
traverses Barry and Taney counties,.in Missouri, before it again waters
the State of Arkansas, in the northeast corner of Carroll; while the
smaller branch, taking a more direct course to the north-east, through
deep gorges of the mountains, empties into the main fork in the south-
west corner of Fulton. The geographical features of the country are
thus strongly impressed by geological forces, that date back to a period
long previous to the existence of the water courses, which now conform to
the contour of this disturbed country.

Lead ore has been found in several places in Newton county, as on Big
creek and other branches of the Buffalo and Hudson fork of White river;
but the only attempt at tracing this ore to its origin in the rock formations,
was undertaken near the line between sections 1 and 2, of township 15
north, range 19 west, not far from the mouth of Cave creek, adjoining
Hill’s mill-tract. At this place Jesse Gunt explored for lead ore, and
finally sunk a shaft of forty-five feet. He obtained some 60 to 70 pounds
of lead ore, but finally abandoned the prospect. He might have been
more successful, had he made search in the calcareous rocks that lie higher

OF ARKANSAS. 83

in the adjacent hills, instead of prospecting, as he did, over the platform
of sandstone which forms the base of the bluffs on this part of the Buffalo
fork of White river, as will appear from the two following sections taken
near the mouth of Cave creek:

545.
500.
440.
480.
415.
400.
370.
335.
300.
270.
255.
250.
200.
130.

90.

50.
25.
15.

6.

1.

Heights above the Buffalo fork of White river.

Top of chert slope.

Slope with chert.

Loose grey chert in continuation of slope. ~
Reddish grey sandstone.

Reddish sandstone with chert segregations.
Reddish sandstone with stalactitic structure.
Chert masses.

Bench of yellowish-white sandstone.

Rolled blocks of sandstone under the above bench.
Obscure ledges of sandstone. .

Hard grey siliceous sandstone.
& «“ ee 6

ie ts se - in loose blocks in slope.

Hard grey sandstone.
Hard, white quartzose sandstone, rusty in the joints, but white inter-
nally in the substance of the mass. *

Hard, white, quartzose sandstone.
“ (73 (79 (73

(74 ce co (73
Grey siliceous (?) limestone.
Hard, white, quartzose sandstone, possessing a sub-oolitic structure.

In this section very little limestone appears, though some ledges may be
concealed in the slope, since about half a mile north-west of the mouth
of Cave creek, the following section was obtained above the main plat-
form of hard, quartzose sandstone, which forms an escarpment on the
north side of Buffalo :

340.
200.
290.
270.
250.
235.
215.
180.

Slope with chert masses of 40 feet.
Bench of brown, ferruginous sandstone.
Encrinital chert and sandstone.

Bench of white sandstone 6 feet exposed..
Slope with chert.

Reddish grey siliceous limestone.

Grey.

Checkered calcareous sandstone.

84 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The chert slope at 340 feet in this section is nearly on a level with the
chert slope of the previous section. This formation seems to cap gene-
rally the subordinate ridges from 500 to 550 feet above Buffalo, but there
are other ridges, off to the south, which must be nearly double this height.

The rocks which constitute the preceding sections, have the lithological
aspect and chemical composition of the rocks which form the hills on both
sides of the Upper Mississippi, between the mouth of the Chippewa and
Black river, and around Lake Pepin, referrible to the age of the Potsdam,
sandstone and calciferous sand-rock of the New York system.

Geology being decidedly a science of comparison and analogy, I may
venture to predict, in the absence of all systematic mining operations,
from my former experience in other similarly constructed countries of the
north-west, as well as from what has already been observed in Marion and
Carroll counties, in Arkansas, that lead ore will be found, to some extent,
in the rocks of Newton county ; but, in all probability, somewhat irr egularly
disseminated in “ pockets,” “ crevices,” “ strings,” and horizontal openings
through the rocks, rather than in regular bodies; hence, mining operations
will be attended with some uncertainty, and considerable labor and
expense; still, where the surface indications are encouraging, and the
calcareous rocks predominate over the sandstones, they may be undertaken
by those having the necessary experience in rocks of this description, with
considerable prospect of success, so soon as the district is supplied with
furnaces for smelting the ore ; but not with as much profit to the miner as
in a cherty limestone, a member of the subcarboniferous formation, which
we shall have occasion to mention hereafter.

In consequence of the southerly dip of the rocks, most of the strata of
the preceding sections disappear in succession beneath the waters of Cave
creek, as we ascend that stream.

On the waters of Cave creek, about six miles above its mouth, a liver-
colored marble-limestone forms the base of a cliff, at an elevation of 10 to
20 feet above the bed of Cave creek, overlaid by cherty limestone. Several
nitre-caves have been formed by the disintegration of the liver-colored
marble limestone under the cherty limestone. The principal nitre-cave is
on the property of J. 8. Thompson, on section 27, township 15 north,
range 19 west.

The dark brown nitre-earth, which forms the floor of this cave, is rich
in salts of nitric acid, owing, no doubt, to the large quantity of organic
matter incorporated with the earth. The nitre-earth has been traced for
50 to 60 yards back into the cave, and for 7 to 8 feet in depth, mixed with
tumbled rock.

Time has permitted, as yet, only a partial qualitative examination of

OF ARKANSAS. 85

this saltpetre earth, which shows it to be rich in nitre salts, associated
with abundance of sulphate of lime.

From a hopper of this earth, containing about 200 bushels, 1000 pounds
of salt-petre have been obtained, after being treated with lye, and crystal-
lized by evaporation in kettles, in a very rude manner. This would be
equal to about 5 pounds to the bushel. Butit is estimated, that there must
have been a loss of at least one-third from leakage, overflow of the receiv-
ing trough during rainy weather, and other causes.

When the quantitative analysis of this earth shall have been completed,
we shall be able to give a more precise estimate of the per centage of
nitre-salts which it actually contains.

It appears that this cave must have been once the habitation of the
aboriginees, since not only bones of men, animals, and birds, such as the
buffalo, deer, and turkey, have been found, on removing the earth ; but even
the entire skeleton of an infant, enveloped in rags, and lying in a willow-
basket. The bones are frequently found under a bed of ashes. A polished
ivory breast dirk, with three holes in it, for the attachment of a handle,
and a long piece of rope, were also found in this cave, together with a
broken sea shell (Pyrula).

There is reason to believe, too, from these and other relics and appear-
ances in the cave, that it has been worked, to a limited extent, for nitre,
in the early settlement of the country.

The accumulation of organic matter, mixed with the earth of this cave,
is so profuse that it emits a strong ammoniacal odor, wherever it has
been stirred up and recently exposed by excavations. Iinfer, from the
presence of animal exuvie—one of the chief requisites for the formation
of nitre-salts—as well as from the approximate results obtained by the
rude method hitherto employed in the manufacture of saltpetre on Cave
creek, that the earth of the Thompson saltpetre cave contains a larger
per centage of nitre-salts than any of the nitre-earths hitherto reported
on; atleast, that part accumulated within 150 feet of the mouth of the
cave. 7

Beyond this, where the cave becomes low and contracted in its dimen-
sions, for a limited distance, the earth will, probably, not be found as
strongly impregnated with organic matter, and, therefore, proportionally
less productive in saltpetre.

This cave has several branches, which have been followed for some
hundred yards; these may also contain some nitre-earth ; but as the floor
is covered with large blocks of tumbled rock, the underlying earths are
not accessible without considerable labor.

86 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

A peculiar fatty or oily principle seems to be extracted with the nitre-
salts, during the leaching of the earth, which, according to J. 8S. Thompson,
rises in the form of a greasy scum to the surface, during the progress of
the evaporation, and is capable of saponification with allcalies.

The quantity of organic matter was too small, in the amount of earth
subjected to qualitative examination in the laboratory, to be appreciable ;
we are, therefore, still left to conjecture, from the accounts given of the
nature of this substance, what it may prove to be.-If it is capable of form-
ing a soap with lye, as represented, we should suppose it to be one of the
oily acids ; but, as these are insoluble in water, they could not be taken up
by the water used to extract the soluble salts from the earth in their un-
combined state, as’ this fatty principle seems to have been; nor do we un-
derstand how it could be so readily washed off the hand by simple water,
as we understand the substance in question to have been. Glycerine, it is
true, is a component of many fats, which, when set free, is miscible with
water ; but this is a basic, organic compound, which does not form true
soaps ; neither has it the greasy feel which the substance contained in the
nitre-earth is said to have. It is more probable that it may be some com-
bination of one of the known oily acids, with ammonia, which is soluble
“in water, as a kind of ammoniacal soap ; from this, when subsequently de-
composed by the addition of lye, the ammonia may be set free, while the
stronger alkali, taking its place, combines with the fatty acid to form a
soap, which finally rises to the surface, when the liquor becomes sufficiently
concentrated. This is rendered more probable, since by the addition of
caustic lye to this earth, ammonia is evolved.

_ It seems likely that the animal matters, present in this earth, may un-
dergo a gradual change in their native bed, similar to that which pro-
duces adipocere, but resulting in the combination of margaric, or some of
the other oily acids, with ammonia, which is more soluble in water than
that substance.

We have several pounds of this earth still on hand, and may be able,
hereafter, to determine the nature of this organic principle, if it exists in
sufficient quantity to be separable, so that it can be subjected to the neces-:
sary tests for its determination ; if not, we must trouble Mr. Thompson to
collect, the next time he has occasion to make saltpetre, some of this sub-
stance from his kettles, for future special investigation.

About a mile below J. 8. Thompson’s, an escarpment of silico-calcareous
beds runs along the western borders of Cave creek, the lower layers of
which, decaying faster than the superincumbent mass, have formed a deep
recess beneath overhanging ledges. One of the early settlers in this part

z
4
é

IAHR

OF ARKANSAS. 87

of Newton county, has taken advantage of this natural rock-house, to
make it serve as a roof, back, and part of the side walls to a house; closing
in the south front with pine slabs, on either side of a stone chimney, and
cutting two doors and windows, he has managed to construct, at little ex-
pense and labor, a long, narrow room, about 8 by 80 feet, in which I found
two families, numbering 8 to 10 persons residing at the time of my visit.
Though somewhat contracted in the back part of the apartment, from the
sloping nature of the ceiling to the north; still as the overhanging ledges
are sound and impervious to water, this half-natural and half-artificial
dwelling, I found more comfortable than many log cabins met with in the
Western States.

Plate. No. 10, is a sketch of this rock-house dwelling, taken from the
south-east.

The primeval forest and vegetation surmounting the entablature of the
vestibule, reminded me forcibly of some of those remarkable habitations
exhumed by the enterprise of Stephens, in Yucatan, which have been so
interestingly and ably described by him, and beautifully depicted by
the artist Catherwood. Many of these, it will be remembered, had large
trees growing on the roof, and were often so completely concealed by dense
jungle, that they were only disclosed by the use of the machete, axe, and
shovel.

CARROLL COUNT Y—Conrinvzp.

The marble limestone is well developed in the southeast corner of Car-
roll county, as well as in adjacent sections of land in Newton, Searcy, and
Marion counties. On Marshall’s creek it is underlaid by a sandstone, mostly
white, soft, and possessing the saccharoidal character of the sandstone
observed under the cavernous limestones of Lafferty creek, in the north-
western part of Independence County, and no doubt, occupies the same
geological horizon as the sandstone represented in plate 4, overlying the
lead-bearing rocks of the eastern part of this county, and the western part
of Marion. | :

The block of marble sent from Arkansas, to be placed in the national
Washington monument, was quarried near the corner of Carroll and
Newton counties.

At a tan-yard on Davis’ creek, I saw a slab of this rock eight feet by two
and a half, which had been got out fora currier’s table. The predomi-
nating color of this rock is gray, mottled and clouded with liver-colored
spots and stains. This slab was dressed smooth, but not polished; when

88 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

wet it exhibited, however, the hues and appearance which it would pos-
sess, if polished, and gave one a better idea of its tints and the variegated
aspect of its surface, than could be obtained from an inspection of the rock
in its native bed. The coloring matter is due to oxide of iron, irregularly
distributed in the mass, and in that high state of oxidation and allotropic
condition in which it is but little disposed to unite with nitric acid, even at
a boiling temperature. At a future period, we intend submitting a chemi-
cal analysis of this marble limestone, which will give the per centage of
metallic oxide that enters as a coloring principle into the composition of
this rock, which may be regarded as one of the most valuable mineral pro-
ductions of this part of Arkansas.

It had been supposed, that oxide of manganese entered into the compo-
sition of this material, but the specimen submitted to a qualitative chemi-
cal examination for this metallic oxide, gave no indication of its presence,
although the test applied is so extremely delicate, that it will distinctly
indicate even the minute trace of manganese found i in some specimens of
white Carrara marble.

The conspicuous range of hills, lying partly in- Carroll and partly i in
Newton county, whose northern terminus bounds the Marshall prairie, on
the south, is composed of two flanking peaks, and a central flat-topped
ridge.

The most southerly of these conical peaks is known ts the name of-the
“Pilot mountain ;’’ the northern one is called the “ Stack mountain ;” while
the middle ridge has received the name of the “ Boat mountain,” from its
fancied resemblance to a boat, rising out of the adjacent prairie, like some
gigantic water-craft resting on the ocean.

The view represented by wood-cut No. 12, was taken on the edge of the
Marshall prairie, near the corner of the three counties of Carroll, Newton,
and Searcy, and exhibits the Boat mountain in the background, flanked
on the left by Pilot mountain, and on the right by the Stack mountain.

The indistinct terrace seen towards the summit of the Boat mountain
is formed by cliffs of conglomerate, partly concealed by trees and vegeta-
tion, and forms ue highest bench of prominent sandstone in this moun-
tain.

The Boat mountain rises to the height of 844 feet above Marshall’s
prairie, at the foot of the principal ascent, and 1,244 feet above our en-
campment of the 23d of June, on Marshall’s creek. By computation, its
summit must be about 1,527 feet above Little Red river, at Clinton.

Black bituminous shale is in great force at the base of the mountain,
extending 70 fect up the slope, resting on light-gray limestone, with segre-
gations or intercalations of chert..

‘SHILLNOOO NOLONIHSV AL

GNV ‘NOSIQVIC ‘NOLNSG JO UANUOO MUL UVAN ‘AONVISIG DNL NI SNIVINQON MOVES ONV “LOTId ‘LYOd THL HLIA “AIIVUd SVVIVHSUVIW

“OL (ON

OF ARKANSAS. 91

The black shale has a slight dip to the north-east, which will reduce
the thickness from 70 feet—the height from its base to its highest observed
out-crop—to 40 or 50 feet of actual thickness. It has concretions of sep-
taria, both calcareous and ferruginous, disseminated especially through
its upper part, some of which contain a considerable per centage of iron.
There are also saline exudations of sulphate of alumina and sulphate of
iron, with, perhaps, some chloride of sodium or common salt; these attract
the game and stock of the country, which resort to it as a “ lick.”

The space between the shale and the millstone grit, that forms the top
of the mountain, is chiefly occupied by alternations of sandstones and
limestone belonging to the upper division of the subcarboniferous group.

The following section exhibits the succession, and relative approximaet

thickness, of the principal rock formation of which the Boat mountain is
composed.

SECTION OF BOAT MOUNTAIN. The upper member of

the millstone grit series
is here pebbly, and un-
— derlaid by grits without
co |] c pebbles; all the members
pases together occupying a
thickness of nearly two

Pe Ba a 40| | Conglomerate, forming the summit of Boat fi
e |e ate mountain, 40 to 50 feet visible. hundred and fty Hels

| Feet.
| Inches.

Eel i These repose upon the
ec |e yellow upper strata of
c the subcarboniferous

bol group, including the Ar-
a chimedesand pentrimital
|_| beds, which are, however,
= mostly concealed by for-
| est and vegetation ; in all,
led : about one hundred and
| 200| | Sandstone of the millstone grit series, two sixty feet in thickness.
1 | hundred feet in thickness. Beneath these, are
coarser - textured, and
| subcrystalline members
| | of the same group, occu-
| pying a space of three
at hundred and ten feet.
| These coarse-textured,
j gubcarboniferous lime-

92 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

SECTION OF BOAT MOUNT AIN—Conrinuep.

| Feet.
| Inches.

| Sandstone of the millstone grit series, two
| | hundred feet in thickness—Continued.

[-

fe

L | ou
|u|
ee
| |
ut |ou
| u |
L |.
| 1 |
Lu [| iL
Ju | Upper yellowish subcarboniferous limestone,
b | © n including the Archimedes and encrinital
ta | 16 limestones, with alternations of shale ; one
ude hundred and sixty feet in thickness.
| |
u|u
| x |
Lou
| xu |
tL |i.
[| x |
Lu |ou
| u |
L | ob
J u |
|

|
|

stones are underlaid by
sixty feet of sandstone,
which repose on the
black bituminous shales
with calcareous and fer-
ruginous _segregations
and septaria, which’ oc-
cupy a space along the
slope of the base of the
mountain, of sixty or
seventy feet. The cor-
rection for dip will, how-
ever, probably reduce its
actual thickness to forty
or fifty feet. This black
shale reposes on the
light-grey cherty lime-
stone, that constitutes
the base rock of Mar-
shall’s prairie, which is
probably referrible to the
subcarboniferous era, be-
ing a part of the cherty
limestone group overly-
ing the marble limestone
on Cave creek, and else-
where, in Newton and
Searcy counties. It is
probable, thatall the high
ranges of hills, constitu-
ting the Boston mountain
range of Newton county,
have a geological struc-
ture analogous to the
section here presented of.
the Boat mountain, with,
probably, some local va-
riations in the relative
thickness of the differ-
ent members; since, in

OF ARKANSAS.

93

SECTION OF BOAT MOUNTAIN—Contrnvep.

[2]
u fu
L
| =e
ees
|
Hed

| -
bel eet 18,
|
L
ee eet
ies

|
||

|
ea
ser
Ce aT:

{ Inches.

Coarse-textured, and subcrystalline mem-
bers of the subearboniferous group ; three
hundred and ten feet in thickness.

many instances, conglo-
merate sandstone has
been found, either in
place, or in loose blocks
on the-slopes and at the
foot of the mountains;
detached masses have,
evidently, rolled either
from the summit of the
adjacent hills, or, at
least, from elevated po-
sitions on their flanks.
The black slate is, per-
haps, not everywhere
present as an important
member of the subcar-
boniferous group, since
it has not everywhere
been found at the base
of these hills; but, being
prone to crumble to clay,
and being, no doubt,

- sometimes locally reduc-

ed in thickness to a few
feet, it is then, generally,
completely concealed by
debris, and thus fre-
quently overlooked.

The scenery in Carroll
county, in the vicinity of
the Boat mountain, as
shown in the wood-cut
No. 12, of Marshall’s—
prairie, has much of the
same character as the
prairie landscapes in
Wisconsin and Iowa. It
is, decidedly, a fine agri-
cultural district. The
distant hills, and the roll-

94 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

ing character of the sur-
face, together with the
interspersed groves of
timber, break the other-
: wise monotonous ap-
eae pearance of some of those
tt; prairiescenes. The prai-
TE | | cormzseznred and sabrrtine mem) ie gil, both of the Mar-
shall and Huzza prairies,
is derived in part from
| the disintegration of’ the
s [8s , subearboniferous _ limie-
| ‘stone, sandstones, and
y shale of the preceding
“s [8 | 60; | Sandstone. | section, and in part of
Pir the cherty limestone on
which itis based. Where
the soil is mostly, or ex-
clusively, derived from
the latter, it usually pro-
duces land supporting
stunted oaks, less rich
than the preceding soil,
and not'so well adapted
for wheat, but excellent
for oats.
Light grey cherty limestone. The descent from Mar-
, shall’s prairie to Crook-
ed creek, is 230 feet, most-
ly over chert derived

‘SECTION OF BOAT MOUNTAIN—Conrinvzp.

Inches.

| Feet.

Black bituminous shale with segregations
and septaria.-

Sandstone.

from the equivalent of the light-grey cherty limestone, that underlies the
black bituminous shale, at the base of the Boat mountain. Between
Marshall’s and the Huzza prairies, 100 to 200 feet of sandstone was passed
over, interstratified amongst the limestone.

The ascent from the Big spring, on Crooked creek, to the Baker prairie,
is 270 feet. The light-grey limestone is here again exposed with segre-
gations of chert, and with some encrinites imbedded ; but the species were
not distinguishable.

One and a half miles south-east of Charles Hutchison’s farm, the fol-
lowing succession was observed in a ravine:

OF ARKANSAS. 95

1. Sandstone.

2. Chert.

3. Light-grey limestone.

The Pilot Knob, near Charles Hutchison’s, has the same general ‘geo-
logical structure as the Boat mountain.

Four and a half miles from Carrollton, the Archimedes limestone was
observed with remains of a dark shale over it. Under this limestone
comes in a sandstone, which has much the appearance of that over the
grey limestone on Crooked creek ; it is not likely that they can occupy the
same geological horizon, unless there has been a great thinning away of
the measures that form the base of the Boat mountain.

Some loose pieces of conglomerate were also seen between four and six
miles from Carrollton.

The descent to Terrapin and Long creeks, is about 890 feet; in the bed
of the former creek, entrochital, cherty limestone was found.

Along with some yellow pyrites, which was submitted to me for exami-
nation by the citizens of Carrollton, there were some specimens of a blu-
ish-black scoriaceous ore, in some of which I detected a notable quantity
of copper. This ore was said to have been obtained in the Childer’s
mountain, about seven miles west of Carrollton, on the waters of Corne-
lius or Dry creek. This ore has the appearance of some of the Duck-
town copper ores of Tennessee; and, as I found samples of that variety of
Tennessee copper ore in the hands of the brother of the individual who
brought the ore into town, I thought it probable that this might be a sam-
ple of Tennessee ore, which, from inadvertency, had been mixed and con-
founded with the pyritiferous ores of the Childer’s mountain. On this
account, and as the locality of this ore was then only known to the indi-
vidual who collected it, and he was from home, I concluded, as my pro-
posed route through Carroll county lay north-west, to request the Hon. W.
W. Watkins, as scon as it was convenient for him, to visit the locality on
Childer’s mountain in company with the discoverer of the ore. This he
afterwards did, and subsequently addressed a letter to me, dated the 6th
of July last, in‘which he states that there was no mistake as to the ore
having come from the locality, since he had now obtained specimens from
the mines himself, viz.: on south-west quarter of section 31, township 19
north, range 23 west, and had forwarded some specimens to await my
arrival at Little Rock. These specimens I received at Little Rock, and
have now had an opportunity of testing them for copper, in my labora-
tory, by the application of the reagents considered most delicate for
the detection of that metal, without obtaining any copper reaction. If
copper is to be found amongst these ores, in the Childer’s mountain, it
can be only sparingly and locally disseminated.

96 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Most of this ore sent to me, from this mountain, is a white iron pyrites,
associated with a hydrated oxide of iron, in which yellow iron pyrites is
diffused.

Where the Berryville road crosses the Childer’s range of mountains, it
is elevated about 870 feet above Terrapin creek. The surface rock, at this
elevation, is sandstone, overlying cherty limestone.

In the gap of the Osage mountain, the sandstone must be at least 130
feet in thickness.

About 11 miles north-west of Carrollton, and three and a half miles from
W. Jones’s, on the divide between Scott’s prairie and Prairie township,
magnesian limestones, probably of lower silurian date, crop out, which
are separated from the limestone and sandstone of the Osage mountain,
by crisp chert. The upper beds of this lower formation have the same
earthy character and checkéred appearance on the surface, as the strata
which form the lower portion of the hills in township 19 north, range 17
west, and on: Fallen-timber creek, in Marion county, and are, no doubt,
of the same age. Some of these limestones probably possess hydraulic
properties. This change in the formations is accompanied by a corre-
sponding change in the growth, which consists of small oaks, interspersed
in groves on the hillsides, with a thick undergrowth of sumach and black-
berries.

Here, as in Marion county, numerous springs of water issue from
amongst these earthy, magnesian limestones, and, Howing down the slopes
render the roads wet and miry.

The crisp chert, ‘which occurs on this side of Scott’s prairie, has a differ-
ent lithological appearance from that associated with the subcarboniferous
rocks on the south-east side of the same prairie, and occupies probably a
lower geological position.

The hills about W. Jones’s are composed of the same description of
magnesian limestones, and crisp chert, with some associate sandstone.
About midway of the hills, the so-called “ cotton rock” is found: a white,
close-textured variety of magnesian limestone, which is used for under-
pinning the houses and building the external walls of chimneys. If placed
exposed to the direct heat of the fire, it is apt to crack and give way;
therefore, for the inside lining of fire-places, another bed is preferred
which lies higher in the hills; this is, however, judging from its external
appearance, a purer limestone, and, though it may not be so liable to
crack by heat, it will certainly be more easily burnt to lime. Hereafter
an analysis of these rocks will be made.

Several intercalated bands of sandstone occur in the hills in this part of
Carroll county ; most of them are below the level of the “ cotton rock.”

OF ARKANSAS. O07

The formations here appear to be of the same character and age as
those in the lead region of the eastern part of this county, and the west-
ern part of Marion, already described in the first part of this Report; it is
probable, from this analogy in the two regions, that lead ore will be found,
to some extent, disseminated in pockets in the calcareous members, in
the same manner as it occurs in the Coka and Mitchell diggings.
Four of the most conspicuous hills of the Osage range, in the north-
west partof Carroll county, insight of Berryville, have received the names
of the “Sister,” “ Grandfather,” and “Indigo” knobs. The Sister hill,
nearest to Berryville, gave a height of 870 feet above the Berryville
branch of King’s river. The summit rocks on this hill are the red, varie-
gated, and encrinital marble limestones; but most of the layers on this hill
appear to be too earthy, and too prone to decomposition for ornamental
outside work.
The “Fire-stone ”’ was found in place about 15 feet from the top, and
the “ Cotton-rock” towards the base of the principal ascent, at an eleva
tion of about 70 to 80 feet above the branch from which the levels were
taken.
In sighting with the level, across from the Sister to the Grand-father
knob, a bench of rock was observed, cropping out about 80 or 100 feet
from the top, corresponding, in level and position, to the red, variegated,
and encrinital limestones that crown the Sister-hill. By computation, the
Grandfather-peak must be nearly 100 feet higher than the Sister-hill.
The succession of the different beds of rock, forming the hills in Prairie
township, as far as they have yet been observed, is as follows:
1, Subcarboniferous chert.

. Sandstone.

Light-grey, subcarboniferous limestone.

Chert.

. Encrinital, pink and red limestones; the place of the marble rock.

. Sandstone; about 70 feet in thickness.

. Chert.

Magnesian limestone and sandstone.

“ Cotton-rock,” a variety of magnesian limestone.

. Magnesian limestones, some of which, probably, possess hydraulic
properties.

Three or four pounds of lead ore are reported to have been found adja-
cent to the town of Berryville, on land owned by Berry. The remarks
previously made in regard to the lead region of the eastern part of Car-
roll county, will apply also to Prairie township.

Five miles north-west of Berryville, on the Osage, is a locality worthy

7

SCUMDWAMA HOD

_

iv

98 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

the attention of the iron manufacturer. Iron is found here in quantities
which might be sufficient to supply a smelting furnace. An attempt was
made, in this vicinity, to establish iron works; but, in consequence of the
death of Belcher, one of the principal parties interested, the enterprise
was never fully carried out.

In the high ridge dividing the waters of the Osage fork of King’s river
from Piney, the succession was as follows:

1. Cherty sandstone.

2. Encrinital limestones.

3. A great mass of chert, replaced sometimes by sandstone.

4. Magnesian limestones, interstratified with some sandstone.

At Stevens’ mill, on Piney creek, the encrinital limestone is underlaid
by 60 to 80 feet of sandstone.

The soil, derived from the cherty sandstone, forming the summit of the
above “divide,” supports a growth of pine.

On the ridge between Piney creek and the Dry fork of King’s river, the
strata of the preceding section appear to have dipped considerably
towards the south-west, so that they lie lower in the ridges, and are capped
with white, subcarboniferous limestone and sandstone, overlying the cherty
sandstone of the preceding section.

In descending from these strata to the Howard farm, on the Dry fork of
King’s river, a great mass of chert was passed over.

No black shale was visible in any of the sections in this part of Carroll
county.

The rock in the bed of the Dry fork of King’s river, at Howard’s farm,
is light-grey limestone and chert, at least 50 feet in thickness, and
apparently of subcarboniferous date; but, if so, there must be a rapid dip
of the strata between the Piney and Dry forks of King’s river.

Some lead ore is said to have been plowed up in Howard’s field.

A large spirifer was found in the limestone of the Dry fork, allied to
Spirifer striatus, and casts of Orthis crinistria in the overlying chert, both
of which species belong to the subcarboniferous era, and, therefore indicate
the age of these rocks. 7

In passing from the Dry fork to the main branch of King’s river, a ridge
of about 330 feet in height was passed over. At the base of this ridge, is
the aforementioned light-grey limestone, 50 feet or more in thickness; over
this is a slope of chert, containing casts of Orthis crinistria, surmounted
by sandstone, which forms the top of the ridge, where we passed over it
into Madison county.

OF ARKANSAS. 99

MADISON COUNTY.

The continuance of the south-west dip, brings in still higher members of
the subcarboniferous group on the Main fork of King’s river.

Five miles below the forks of King’s river, there are alternations of
limestones and sandstones, with some shaly partings, all belonging to the
upper division of the subcarboniferous group. Fifty feet above the high-
est bed of limestone observed at this locality, there are some thirty feet of
shale shown in a sectionin aravine. The lower part of this shale is black
and bituminous, and exhibits, in splitting, curious, conchoidal impressions,
in which, however, no organic structure is discerned; the upper part is
light-grey and encloses flattened concretions of clay ironstone. This
shale is overlaid by sandstones belonging to the millstone grit series.

Ascending the valley of King’s river towards the forks, masses of con-
glomerate sandstone are encountered, which have fallen from the cliffs
above. From the forks of King’s river, a high bluff is seen to the east,
with vertical cliffs of conglomerate and millstone grit, overhanging the
shales, under which are the sandstones, Archimedes, and encrinital lime-
stones of the upper subcarboniferous group.

The soil of the valley of King’s river is black and rich, from the wash-
ings it receives from the limestones and bituminous shales of the adjacent
slopes; but the same cause has operated to produce a miry road, liable to
be washed into deep holes, which makes the traveling disagreeable.

Both the ascent of the valley, and the southerly dip, contribute to bring
the Archimedes limestone and millstone grits gradually lower in the hills
as you proceed up King’s river.

In the ridge, which divides the waters of King’s river from those of
War Eagle and Richland creek, on or near Samuel Rags’ farm, and about
a quarter of a mile to the end of the Clarksville road, a small branch
makes a perpendicular fall over twelve feet of overhanging conglomerate
sandstone; beneath this are about eighteen inches of shale, including six
inches of coal. I traveled fifteen miles from my camp on King’s river, to
see this coal, in the hopes that it might prove to be a workable bed, but
was disappointed in finding it so thin; because a good bed of coal would
be of infinite service to this country, remote from a navigable stream, if
for no other purpose than that of blacksmith’s use.* At considerable
labor a few hundred pounds of this coal were obtained, by taking advan-

*So necessary do blacksmiths find coal in their business, that they often go great distances and
haul a small supply to their shops, although it may be of inferior quality.

100 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

tage of the cavernous opening made by nature, beneath the cliff of con-
clomerate: already the bed is so difficult of access, back in the recesses of
the cliff, that even with all the height, obtainable by the removal of the
whole thickness of the shale, a space of only from 18 to 24 inches is
cleared between the hard sills of sandstone, to work in, and it has become
therefore necessary, in order to obtain any coal, that the workman should
lie on his side and work his pick in this uncomfortable position.

By computation, the coal under this conglomerate is at least 400 feet
above the valley of King’s river. It is underlaid by millstone grit, suc-
ceeded, in the descending order, by a great thickness of marly shales,
under which are the Archimedes, and encrinital limestone and associate
sandstone. No continuous section was obtained where the relative thick-
ness of the different members could be measured.

In summits of the highest ridges, near the head of King’s river, about
200 feet of red and variegated shales and sandstone come in over the
conglomerate. In this space, coals of workable thickness are more likely
to occur than under the conglomerate; and the inhabitants of Madison
county would do well to make diligent search for outcrops of coal, in these
higher measures. As yet, however, no symptoms of coal have been dis-
' covered amongst these superior shales, in the south-eastern part of Madi-

son county.

Some pieces of lead ore are reported to have been picked up in the
valley of King’s river, viz: in the Basham and Roebuck settlement on
Dry creek, three miles above Kingston; also by Burney, higher up the

valley, near the head of King’s river. At the latter locality, the rocks
being mostly conglomerate sandstones and shales, which have not retained
that openness of fissure requisite for the retention of metallic insinuations,
it is not likely that productive lodes should occur, accessible to any rea-
sonable amount of shafting; at the former, where the underlying lime-
stone formations are nearer the surface, the prospect is somewhat more
favorable; but still I do not consider the geological indications, in the
south-east part of Madison county, as encouraging for mining operations
as in the northern part of this county, where the barren and cavernous
cherty limestones immediately underlie the country; the reason for this
conclusion will appear more fully when treating of Benton county.

From the forks of King’s river, we ascended for several miles on the
western branches of that stream, and then rose 460 feet to the divide
between King’s river and,Warton’s creek. In this ridge, the Archimedes,
pentremital, encrinital, and other members of the upper division of the
subcarboniferous limestone group were found in force, with intercalations
and partings of shale and marl, with some alternations of ferruginous

OF ARKANSAS. 101

sandstone, especially on the western declivity, descenling to Warton’s
creek.

& At Dotson’s farm, on that stream, underneath these formations, a black,
bituminous, sheety shale crops out, similar to the shale of Wiley’s Cove, in
Searcy county, of which 15 feet can be seen exposed on the west bank of
the creek. This shale dips at an angle of 5 or 6 deg. down stream, and
is soon lost to view under flagstones, these again dip under argillaceous
shales, including a ferruginous, calcareous band, charged with the remains
of producta and chonetes, of which the P. elegans is the most abundant.

The ridge dividing Warton’s creek and War Eagle, is 290 feet above
the former stream. On the top of this ridge, some 60 to 80 feet of con-
glomerate overlies subcarboniferous limestones, shales, and sandstones.

The succession on Warton’s creek and War Eagle, is as follows:
Ferrugincus and argillaceous shales.

Conglomerate sandstone.

Shales, both black and ferruginous.

Millstone grit and shaly sandstones.

Shales.

Archimedes and pentremital limestones.

Black shale, thin.

Grey shales, including band of productal calcareous rock.
Flagstones.

. Dotson. black sheety shale.

No. 10, the Dotson black shale, is the lowest bed visible in this part of
Madison county.

Five miles above Huntsville, concretionary and schistose beds of Archi-
medes limestone form the bed of War Eagle, and a rugged bench of
harder layers of the same rock borders for some distance its north bank,
like an artificial wall. Some dark shales are intercolated amongst these
upper subcarboniferous limestones on this stream. Here the dip is south-
easterly, so that the flagstones and dark shales soon rise from beneath the
aforementioned limestones, in a north-west course.

The surface of some of the slabs, both of the flagstones and harder
shaly strata, is covered with cylindrical and conical impressions, often in
high relief, some of which are in semi-lunar whorls or coils. These are,
probably, referrible to various species of fossil fucoides, or sea weeds; but
the structure is so obscure that the inference of their origin is, at present
rather problematical.

All the ridges passed over between King’s river and War Eagle, had a
capping of conglomerate, which is separated from the Archimedes lime-
stone by ferruginous shales; these are, however, not as thick as in the val-

Rm CO toe

a

it

102 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

ley of King’s river. The conglomerate has, also, a-considerable mass of
ferruginous shale overlying it; and the associate sandstones of the mill-
stone grit series are also charged with oxide of iron; indeed, some of
these ferruginous layers appear to contain iron enough to be entitled to
rank as ores, and were they not too siliceous, might be profitably reduced
to iron.

A few miles south of Huntsville, the road is in many places strewed
with white water-worn quartzy pebbles, derived from the disintegration
of the conglomerate rock which lies in the hill above.

The soil here is generally red, from the quantity of iron washed into it
from the shales and ferruginous sandstones of the adjacent hillsides.

About 15 feet of black shale are exposed in the banks of the spring
branch of War Eagle, two miles below Huntsville. This shale encloses
hard and heavy kidney-shaped masses of carbonate of iron, in the center
of which particles of white iron pyrites are found, which have been mis-
taken for silver ore. Here, a considerable quantity of good iron ore could
be obtained, though not enough, by itself, to supply a furnace; but, no
doubt, other localities of the same ore can be disclosed, which, together,
might afford sufficient. In fact, the symptoms of the presence of iron are
so general in the rocks of this vicinity, under the conglomerate, as to ren-
der it a locality well worthy the attention of the iron master and the
owners of property. This mass of shale is covered with flaggy sandstone,
and is, most likely, the equivalent of the Dotson black shale and flag-
stone of Warton’s creek. The strata dip, here, to the south-east.

A qualitative analysis of the water obtained at the head of Kimble’s
creek, 4 miles from Huntsville, was made, and gave, as its principal con-
stituents:

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Bi-carbonate of the oxide of iron.

Chloride of sodium.

Chloride of magnesium.

Small quantities of sulphate of soda.

It is a weak, saline chalybeate, possessing mild laxative, and tonic pro-
perties.

At our encampment on Holman’s creek, 2 miles north-west of Hunts-
ville, the Archimedes limestone occurs in ledges on its banks, underlaid
by black shales.

The same limestone, with its accompanying shales, occurs two or three
miles from Phillips’ on the road to Osage spring.

A few inches of coal are said to have been discovered some distance

OF ARKANSAS. 103

up Holman’s creek, associated with this black shale. The rocks, along
this branch, lie too low in the geological formations to contain any work-
able beds of coal.

On this same stream, about nine miles north-west of Huntsville, the
road leads, for half a mile, through barrens with a sandy soil, followed by
prairie in which sandstone crops out about 10 miles from Huntsville.
This prairie is bounded by wooded hills off to the south-west.

Proceeding towards the north-west, the Archimedes limestone and asso-
ciate shale are succeeded by chert and cherty limestone on the edge of the
barrens; after which comes sandstone in the prairie. In the former, casts
of Orthis crinistria? were found about four or five miles from Holman’s
creek.

This cherty limestone, which belongs, doubtless, to the lower division of
the subcarboniferous group, has a considerable area in the northern part
of Madison county, and possesses the peculiar lithological character of the
most productive lead-bearing rocks of the adjacent part of south-western
Missouri.

Some lead ore has been found in the Moudey settlement, about four
miles north of Huntsville; if it had its origin in this formation, it is a
locality which should claim the attention of the miner, as will appear
more fully in the next section, when treating of Benton county.

This cherty limestone, containing a few entrochites, underlies the Brush
creek barrens, and the spring at C. Fitches’, on the edge of these barrens,
and close to the line between this county and Washington, wells up
through the same description of rocks; these are analogous, and most pro-

bably cotemporaneous with, the geological formation that underlies the
barrens of Kentucky.

BENTON COUNTY.

In the extreme south-east corner of this county, along the bluffs of
White river, the barren limestone formation, of which we had occasion to
speak in the previous section, under the head of Madison county, forms
conspicuous cliffs near the crossing of the road from Huntsville to Ben-
tonville. On section 24,? township 18 north, range 19 west, (if this road is
correctly laid down on the maps,) a hard, sheety black shale comes in under
this limestone, having the appearance of the black shale of Wiley’s Cove,
in Searcy county; but, probably, occupying a rather lower geological
position in the subcarboniferous group; since that shale underlies the
Archimedes and encrinital limestones in the upper division of the subcar-

104 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

boniferous group, while this succeeds, in the descending order, the barren
cherty limestone of the lower division. From 30 to 35 feet of this shale
are seen in section, not only along the bluffs of White river, but also on
Hickory creek, about a mile to the west. At both localities, the shale is
overlaid by the barren limestone, which, on White river, forms cliffs of 80
to 100 feet.

I have never seen, in any of my previous surveys in the western states,
amongst the subcarboniferous rocks, shales possessing the solidity and
hardness of the shales of Wiley’s cove, or those of the south-east part of
Benton county, which may be almost entitled to the appellation of slates,
though not durable enough for roofing purposes; in this respect, these
shales resemble, in lithological character, the hard, black, sheety shale or
slate of the Salt river valley, in Kentucky, and at the base of the knobs
of Floyd county, Indiana, belonging to the devonian period; which slates
are the representatives, probably, of the “Gennessee slate” of the New
York Reports. The superposition and association will undoubtedly place
both the shales of Wiley’s Cove and Hickory creek, in Benton county, as
members of the subcarboniferous group. The fossils found, as yet, in
these shales, are too imperfect, and too few, to enable one to judge, from
them alone, of the age of these Arkansas shales; we are, therefore, obliged
to resort, for the present, to order of superposition for a solution of the
preblem.

The ascent from White river, up the ridge, on the west side is 310 feet;
the road runs over chert, derived from the disintegration of the cherty
limestones, overlying the aforementioned black shale. In this chert are
found some of the disjointed disks of oval-shaped stems of platycrinus;
and at the Osage spring, the fountain head of Osage creek, it contains
Productus punctatus, and the same species of reticulated, fossil corallines
which characterize the cherty limestone in the barrens of Kentucky and
Tennessee.

The lands between White river and Bentonville, are mostly oak bar-
rens, interspersed with prairie.

Samples of soil were taken from Benton county, for future chemical
analysis, from the Hon. A. B. Greenwood’s farm, near the town of Ben-
tonville.

The oak and hickory timber which has now sprung up on the borders
of the present prairie, is mostly of a growth as recent as the settlement of
the country; since the greater portion of this part of Benton county was,
before that time, open prairie, with, here and there, thickets of low bushes.
West of Bentonville, there is a mulatto soil, somewhat different in its
character from that immediately around Bentonville, and very productive,

OF ARKANSAS. 105

as most soils of this color proved to be in the analyses of Kentucky soils.

Water is generally obtained, in these prairies, at the depth of 20 to 25
feet, after passing through chert and red clay, such as underlies a consid-
erable area of this county. This underclay will, no doubt, be found an
excellent fertilizer of land; and entering, as it does, largely into the sub-
soils of this country, and therefore accessible by subsoiling, will be a per-
manent store of agricultural wealth to the country.

‘In the valley of Sugar creek, the black shale is again seen under the
limestone, and is in view at intervals along this stream, all the way to the
northern boundary of the state.

At Squires’ mill, 16 feet of black shale is well exposed, with 6 or 8 inches
of marly earth between it and the overlying limestone.

The stripe of the geological formations appears, therefore, to run diag-
onally through Benton county, from Hickory creek, in the south-east cor-
ner, to where Sugar creek crosses the state line into Missouri.

Two and a half miles south of the state line, the limestone, over the
black slate, contains large Spirifer striatus?

The succession in Benton county, so far as yet ascertained, is:

1. Productive and coralline chert, at the head of the Osage and elsewhere.

2. Cherty limestone of the barren limestone group, forming cliffs on White
tiver and elsewhere.

8. Black slate of Hickory and Sugar creeks.

The first and second members of the preceding section, are of the same
age and composition as the lead-bearing formations of the Granby lead
mines, in Newton county, Missouri; and there is every reason to believe, from
analogy of structure, both in the rocks and general surface of the country,
that here, in Benton county, as well as in the northern parts of Madison,
Washington, and western part of Carroll county, discoveries may be made
of lead deposits, similar to those of the Granby mines, in Missouri; there-
fore, it may be well, in this connection, to record some of the facts con-
nected with the mode of occurrence of the lead ores in these mines, which
is, in many respects, peculiar, and particularly worthy the attention of
the inhabitants of north-western Arkansas; since it may be the means of
leading to discoveries that may not only enrich the owner of the land, but
develop the mineral resources of the country.

At the Granby lead mines, the lead ore has not generally been found, as
usual, in fissures and veins, with a more or less perpendicular hade, but
rather running in horizontal sheets between the stratification of the rocks,
and generally beneath the great mass of overlying heterogeneous chert
deposits, where it rests on the underlying limestone, which often possesses
oolitic structure, close to the rich deposits of sulphuret of lead.

106 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The depth at which this junction of chert and limestone takes place, is
from 30 to 80 feet. The average depth of the shafts, before reaching the
main deposits of ore, may be put down at 65 feet. After the shaft has
reached the level of the “ Sheet mineral,” a barrier is often found, which
has to be penetrated before reaching the heaviest beds of ore, known,
technically, by the name of the “bar rocks;” this is usually from 15 to 30
feet through; it seems to be composed of porous calcareous matter, in
which some sulphuret of lead, sulphuret of zine, (black-jack), and bitter
spar, (magnesian limestone), is disseminated. After this barrier is broken
through, the miner reaches the “sheet mineral,” lying, not perfectly level,
but waving somewhat with the irregular, corroded surface of the rock on
which it has been deposited, and mixed, more or less, with a “ tallow
clay,” either red or white, which is a tenaceous, unctuous clay, sometimes
ferruginous, in certain states of dryness cuts like tallow or soap. There
are, also, various minerals, either amorphous (i.e. without any regular
geometrical forms), or crystallized; such as pearlspar, bitter spar, carbonate
of lead, carbonate and silicate of zinc, sulphuret of zinc, with occasionally
crystals of sulphate and phosphate of lead, disseminated with the calc-spar,
the principal vein-stone accompanying the galena. The so-called “ black-
jack rock,” (i.e. a rock in which sulphuret of zinc is largely disseminated),
is considered a good indication of lead ore.

The material passed through in sinking the shaft, is mostly white chert
in displaced and confused masses. This chert is often light and porous—
almost possessing the structure of pumice.

Three tiers of sheet-ore have been successively passed through; that at
an average depth of 65 feet from the “grass,” has proved, as yet, the
most productive. Ore has been reached, however, within 10 and 20 feet
of the surface.

The horizontal sheets of lead ore vary in thickness from a fraction of
an inch to 2 feet, and even, in some extraordinary instances, to 3 feet.
The average thickness may be put down at 6 to 10 inches. They are
often so rich that it is not uncommon, after a shaft has been fairly sunk to
the level of the ore, for two men to raise from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, and
even sometimes 3,000 to 4,000 pounds, in six or eight hours. 30,000 to
50,000 pounds have been raised out of the Hopkins mine by 20 men, each
man averaging from 400 to 300 pounds a day.

At the Frazer shaft, from a quarter acre lot, 10,000 pounds were taken
out; and, from all the Frazer claims, up to the present time, comprising
10 acres, 400,000 pounds of lead ore have been raised. The total amount
of ore raised in the last two years is about 800,000 pounds.

The ore, as has been said, lies mostly in horizontal spaces, conformable

OF ARKANSAS. : 107

with the bedding rock; but, ‘nevertheless, there are crevices having a
connection with the ore, the bearing of which is nearly north and south,
opening occasionally into cavernous spaces, precisely analogous to the
ore-bearing veins in other parts of the state, and in Wisconsin and Iowa;
but these are either entirely barren of ore or contain only small quantities.
My impression is, that the lead ore once occupied these north and south
crevices, and was subsequently removed, in part or in whole, into its
present bed by a transposition, analogous to that known to minerologists
under the name of the pseudomorphous process, by which one mineral is
removed, while another takes its place, assuming often the form of the
first mineral, instead of the usual form belonging to itself. The term
“ analogous” is used, because the lead ore here cannot exactly be consid-
ered to occur in a false form, or one belonging to another mineral; in this
instance, I believe, it only took the place of the amorphous rock; therefore
it was not infiltrated into a pre-existing geometrical mould, if I may so
express it, but had freedom of space sufficient to assume its usual cuboidal
structure. That it should be deposited like a limestone or sandstone, is
altogether improbable and contrary to the usual nature of such ponderous
and difficultly soluble minerals.

The lead-bearing rock is not very fossiliferous, but there can be dis-
tinguished the Orthis crinistria, Productus cora, and other fossils of the
cherty barren limestone division of the subcarboniferous group; not,
however, belonging to the Archimedes and pentremital group, as has been
suggested.

Though the profitable discoveries of lead ore at the Granby mines, have
hitherto been confined to about one mile square; still, they attracted a
population, in two years, of 3,000 people, to a section of land before
almost neglected, even by the farmer, and which now, with the unfavor-
able circumstance under which the mining claims are held, (being part of
a tract conditionally ceded to one of the proposed Pacific railroad routes),
has, nevertheless, in that short space of time, converted a wild prairie into
a populous town, full of enterprise and industry.

It should be observed, too, that the snrface indications were no more
encouraging, at the time the mines were started, than they are in many
localities that may be pointed out in the above counties in Arkansas,
where the same formation exists and where the cherty materials, thrown
out from excavations for wells, cannot be distinguished from the rubbish
rock at the mouth of the Granby shafts. I may add, too, that, in all these
counties, surface ore has occasionally been found under circumstances
similar to that in which they were first discovered in Newton county.
But still the search after lead ore may be precarious, and lead to many

108 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

disappointments; since ore is only locally and not universally distributed
through the rock; hence it requires not only a general knowledge of
minerals, but special experience in this particular rock formation, to sink
a shaft successfully on ore, even though the miner may have surface
indications to guide him.

If the ore should be found in sheets, as in Missouri, the thickness of the
lead-bearing rock is not a matter of so much moment; but if it should
occur in veins or lodes, then that question assumes importance.

In the north-west part of Arkansas I did not find, at any one place,
more than one hundred feet of the cherty, barren limestone exposed; but
this is, probably, not its entire thickness. In Searcy county, solid cliffs of
more than 200 feet of this rock have been observed. In following vertical
veins through this rock, the black shales of Hickory and Sugar creeks will
be encountered; in this rock it is not likely that ore will be found in suffi-
cient quantities to be profitable to work; but this shale is of no great
thickness; 38 feet is the greatest number of feet I have seen exposed, and
it is not likely that the whole mass will exceed 50 feet. This passed
through, solid limestones will be again entered, in which the veins may
also prove productive.

The chances, then, are favorable for the occurrence of productive lead
mines in the north-west part of Arkansas, north of the boundary line of
the millstone grit and its underlying shales. This boundary line will be
hereafter described, and ultimately indicated by a colored geological map,
if the survey be hereafter carried through in detail.

Near the north-east corner of the State of Arkansas, in Benton county,
on Butler creek, black slate, the equivalent of that on Hickory and Sugar
creeks, makes its appearance on the hillsides in the barrens, under a low
cliff of white sub-crystalline limestone. These cliffs are surmounted by
cherty limestone, chert, and cherty sandstone, which underlie the flat
woods of Spavinaw, like those between Indian creek and Oliver’s prairie,
in Missouri, south-west of the Granby lead mines.

A sulphur spring was reported to me on Butler creek, about five miles
east of Maysville; but not until] had passed half a day’s travel to the
south of it, so that I had no opportunity of testing it.

Beatty’s prairie, north-east of Maysville, is a perfect counterpart of
Oliver’s prairie in Newton county, Missouri; the gently undulating surface,
fringed, like it, with groves of oak, small hickory, is also dotted with low
mounds, hearing tofts of rank weeds, and made up of isolated heaps of
chert gravel. These mounds are so uniform in appearance that they
convey the idea of an artificial origin.

In riding over this prairie, about 3 miles from Maysville, the ground

OF ARKANSAS. 109

sounded hollow under the horses feet, marking, no doubt, the roof of some
cavernous space in the underlying limestone. It is not improbable that
this spot may be on the line of some crevice, and, if within the sphere of
action that produced the metalliferous deposits of Newton county, Missouri,
might lead to sources of cotemporaneous ore beds. The apparent west
north-west bearing of the lead mines of south-western Missouri would,
however, rather indicate their course north of this locality.

The cavernous nature of the limestone, of this part of Benton county,
is also indicated by the sinking of a branch of the Corner spring, that
runs by the Burrow farm, beneath the surface, afew hundred yards below
the house on this farm.

The white, soft, decomposing chert of the barrens south of Beatty’s
prairie, has casts and impressions of reticulated corallines, similar to those
of the corresponding formations in Kentucky and Tennessee. These
fossils were also observed, in greater abundance and perfection, near the
centre of township 18 north, range 32 west, in the materials thrown out
of a well.

The soil of this part of Benton county appears to be well adapted for
wheat, and, having a substratum of red clay, which, no doubt, will be
found to have fertilizing effects, the productiveness of the surface-soil, by
judicious management, need not be materially impaired, even by continu-
ous culture. This country is well watered by fine springs, that issue from
the south-west slopes of the cherty limestone.

The greater part of Benton county is, therefore, based on this member
of the subcarboniferous group, except in the higher grounds, where the
flat oak woods prevail; there the barren limestone and chert is overlaid
by shaly rocks and a kind of buhrstone and cherty sandstone.

110 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

WASHINGTON COUNTY.

The geology of the northern townships of this county is very analagous
to that of Benton county. The southern extension of the cherty barren
limestone is here, as there, the base rock of the country, the underlying
shales only showing themselves in the deepest cuts, in the extreme north-
east corner of the county, on White river, near Van Winkle’s mill, and
near Blackburn’s mill, on War Eagle. At the former of these localities,
the limestone is cavernous. Close to the Washington county line, but
probably in the south-east corner of Benton county, a salt-petre cave is
reported which I have not yet seen.

One of the most interesting features of the northern part of Washing-
ton county, consists in the noble springs, which gush forth amongst the
ledges of limestone, in such volume and force as to afford water- powers
for small mills, even at their very source. The Elm springs, forming the
head of one of the branches of the Clear fork of the Illinois river, are
one of the most remarkable of these springs. They are, no doubt, due
to the fissured and cavernous nature of the barren limestone, reposing on
its underlying impermeable shale. Atmospheric water, filtering with
facility through the cavities and rents of the limestone, is arrested by the
impervious shale beneath, and flows out along the slope of the southerly
dip. Besides affording convenient and permanent water powers, these
springs, no doubt, contribute greatly to the fertility of the lands in the ad-
jacent valleys, not alone by their irrigating effects, but by reason of the
large amount of carbonic acid and lime with which they are charged,
which must, undoubtedly, give a remarkable impetus to vegetation; since
they are two of the most essential fertilizers in all manures. One of
them, carbonic acid, is, in fact, the great solvent, or vehicle, which carries
nourishment to the plant. ,

In township 17 and the southern part of 18 north, range 29 west, the
succession of the different beds of the subcarboniferous group is approxi-
mately as follows:

OF ARKANSAS M1

The first and highest
member of this section—

Feet.
Inches.

Ls | the sandstone formation
wean —occupies the summit of
Ts the ranges of hills adja-
|_s | cent to White river,
Pesce ee above and below the
| mouth of Brush creek,
ie and will, doubtless, be
2002) |White, yellow and brown sandstones, some offfound capping many of
which have a cellular structure. the isolated peaks, which
rise in various directions
out of the barrens and

prairies, on both sides of
the Missouri road lead-
ing to Springfield. The
second member underlies

more immediately those

=| 402] |Ferruginous and dark shales. south-east sections of
land, bordering on White
river, that are elevated

401 150 to 200 feet above that
stream, while the under-

Chert and cherty barren limestone. lying chert and cherty

35 limestone form cliffs on

White river, near the
mouth of Brush creek,
Black cherty shale. : and become the surface
rocks in the north-west

part of the county, in consequence of the rise of the geological forma-
tions in that direction.

This latter rock is, no doubt, for reasons already advanced in the pre-
ceding section, the source of the pieces of lead ore which, according to
the statements of many citizens, have been occasionally picked up in this
township and along some of those branches, forming the heads of the
Illinois river, which take their rise in the northern part of this count
This inference is further corroborated by the statement of William Ray,
that he had dug out a wagon-bed full of lead ore, somewhere in town-
ship 17 north, range 29 west, 6 to 8 miles north-east of Fayetteville.

Three miles north-west from the mouth of Brush creek, considerable

112 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

iron ore of the limonite variety of mineralogists was discovered towards
the base of the sandstone formation—the first member of the preceding
section. Most of this ore seen on the surface, in connection «with the
sandstones, was too siliceous to make good iron; but it is not improbable,
that better ore may be found amongst the underlying shales of the second
member; strata which, being argillaceous in their composition, are more
favorable for the retention of segregated iron ore, free from sand. These
shales, seen in the slope of the road leading to the ford on White river,
at the mouth of Brush creek, have a ferruginous appearance, favorable
for the presence of ores of iron.

Fhe seil east of the Missouri road is more sandy than that west, in con-
sequence of having received debris and washings from the adjacent main
sandstone ridge lying to the east.

It is not improbable, when the highest points of this range of hills come
to be explored in detail, that some of the members of the upper subcar-
boniferous group may be found, or even part of the millstone grit series.

Where chert materials prevail, harder and more durable than the rest of
the formation, they have resisted decomposition for a longer period of
time than the surrounding parts, and given rise to those isolated mounds
whichrise conspicuously, in all directions, out of the prairie, when viewed
from some elevated position in the neighboring hills.

The low ridges bordering the northern limits of township 18 north,
range 29 and 30 west, are composed of chert—the third member of the
section previously given—while the farming lands in the valleys, which
join them on the south, are based on the calcareo-siliceous member; i. e.
the barren limestone formation. The low ridges, 140 feet above the Clear
fork and the black-jack barrens, in the centre of township 17 north, range
30 west, adjacent to the Fayetteville road, are of the same formation.

Near the line between township 16 and 17 north, range 30 west, sand-
stone ledges, belonging to the first division of the section, are in place,
resting on the underlying ferruginous shale. In the latter, some iron ore
was observed.

Approaching the town of Fayetteville, these strata dip rapidly under
the upper members of the subcarboniferous group.

Immediately adjacent to Fayetteville, on the north, ferruginous shales
are seen, dipping at an angle of 20 deg. to the south-west, underlaid by
a kind of amygdaloidal sandstone belonging to the millstone grit series.

One mile west of Fayetteville, on the head of the Trace branch of Wild
Cat creek, black shale is exposed, containing abundance of good carbo-
nate of iron, which, with other localities, will go far towards supplying
the wants of a furnace for the reduction of iron. Over the black shale,

OF ARKANSAS. 113

with iron ore, is a variegated shale, on the exposed surface of which numer-
ous crystals of selenite or sulphate of lime are forming, no doubt, from the
mutual action of protosulphate of iron and bi-carbonate of lime; giving
rise to sulphate of lime and protocarbonate ofiron. This may be the origin,
too, of this latter mineral, so abundantly found in the underlying black
shale. The production of the protosulphate of iron, implicated in this
mutual decomposition, is evidently to be accounted for, at this locality, by
the gradual oxidation of sulphur and iron, the elements of iron pyrites,
abundant, even now, in these shales, and, no doubt, more so at a former
period, before the production of the above minerals.

This gypsiferous shale would, undoubtedly, prove to be a valuable min-
eral manure, applied to some of the siliceous soils, overlying the sand-
stone formations of this country, as well as to those located at the base of
the sandstone ridges, which have received the sandy debris washed from
their flanks.

The strata concealed in the slope above these shales, exposed both at
the Lick and on the Town branch, are, most probably, a continuation of
similar shales, underlying the Archimedes limestones, such as were after-
wards seen under that rock elsewhere in the county, as will appear in the
subsequent part of this section.

The shale beds, partly exposed in the drain below Cato’s spring, proba-
bly overlie the Archimedes limestone; this member includes a seam of
coal of one or two inches, of no practical value. The eight inch coal,
which has been partially opened for the use of the blacksmiths, lies higher
up in the hills, in shales, above the pentrimital limestone, at Cato’s spring,
over which is the main body of sandstone, forming the upper part of the
ridge southeast of Fayetteville, including one or more calcareous bands.

On the Town branch, on section 20, township 16 north, range 30 west,
about 20 feet of black shale are exposed, similar to that at the Lick, one mile
west of Fayetteville; the former shale contains large septaria, both of
carbonate of lime, and carbonate of iron.

114

GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

1004|

Paes

125%

a
fed
ml
LJ
a4
al)
|
| | Sandstone of the millstone grit series.-

Calcareous bands,

Sandstone of the millstone grit series, cel-

lular, and carbonaceous.

Shales, including eight inches of coal.

The subjoined is an
approximate section of
the order of superposi-
tion of the different beds
from the sandstones, in
the ridge south-east of
Fayetteville, to the black
shale, with carbonate of
iron, at the Lick, 1 mile
west of town. The ex-
act thickness of each of
the members I am una-
ble to give, until more
accurate measurements
and levels are taken to
the outcrop of the differ-
ent members, and correc-
tion for dip calculated ;
for the present, most of
the thicknesses are given
by computation from ob-
servations at different lo-
calities, rather than from

‘actual measurements at

one locality. But, we
hope, hereafter, to have
an opportunity of sub-
mitting a more complete
section, in detail, with
the absolute thickness of
the beds.

The sandstones, that
form the upper portion
of this section, contain
some remarkable and
very curious impressions,
composed of subcylin-
drical branches, radia-
ting from a centre, bear-
ing a distant resem-
blance to some fossil

OF ARKANSAS. 115
C3

sponges; but less sym-
metrical, and without
any apparent porous
structure. They are,
most likely of vegetable
origin, and may, per-
haps, be referrible to that
obscure order of marine
plants, known under the
name of fucoides; but,
| if so, are entirely differ-
Shales, including an inch or two of coal, in ent tn form ‘om ie
the cant below Cato’s spring. : thing of the kind I have
ever observed before, or

seen described in any of
the works on fossil bo-

Inches.

7

Fire clay and shale.

o
o
fy
— i
J

[s|s| 62 Sandstone.
u |} 4? Pentrimital limestone.

ee tany.

jm |e In the collection of
| t [| 304 | Archimedes limestone. ‘| W. Washburn, I saw
At . some fine specimens of

lepidodendrons, which

have weathered out of
= epee some of the higher sand-
EL, Caleareous band, with pyrites ? stones of the preceding

Gypsiferous shale. section; and imperfect

specimens of the same
fossil plant were observ-
ed by members of the geological corps in the adjacent sandstone ridges.
This is a plant which occurs in the millstone grit, but more abundantly
at the base of the coal measures.

It is a question of interest and importance, to determine whether any
portion of the upper sandstones and shales of Washington county can be
referred to the true coal measures; since, in that case, there would be
hope of finding thicker and more valuable beds of coal in this county than
have yet been discovered. Atpresent no coal beds are known of more than
18 or 20 inches; except one, with a clay parting, in Mountain township,
on the head of the Illinois river, 6 or 7 miles east of Boonsboro, which is
about two feet thick; and those beds, at present known, in the immediate
vicinity of Fayetteville, in shales under the millstone grit, do not exceed

one foot.

Black shale with carbonate of iron.

116 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

On section 18, township 15 north, range 29 west, 80 to 35 feet of shale
are exposed, on the banks of Wood’s branch, near Orion Rieffs’ house.
In this shale, and 11 to.12 feet above the bed of the creek, a band of dark
grey fossiliferous limestone occurs, in which a greyish yellow iron pyrites
is disseminated, that has attracted no small attention in the neighborhood,
and has been quarried to some extent, in the hopes that it might prove to
be an ore of silver. Those who had taken the trouble and labor to extract
this ore, were much disappointed that I could give them no encourage-
ment to prosecute further their silver-mining operations. The Wood’s
branch shale underlies the Archimedes cavernous limestone of the adja-
cent ridges, with, perhaps, some interstratified layers of sandstone, and
occupies, in all probability, a geological position corresponding to that of
the shale in the Town branch, and at the Lick, one mile west of Fayette-
ville.

The dark grey, pyritiferous, fossiliferous limestone, contains bellerophon,
Productus cora; also a nucula and euomphalus, the species of which have
not yet been determined. This rock would take a polish, but from the
large quantity of sulphuret and protoxide of iron which it contains, would
be liable to rust and stain, if exposed to atmospheric agencies.

The succession on Wood’s branch of the Middle fork of White river,
on township 15 north, range 29 west, is as follows:

1. Brown sandstone with amygdaloidal cavities.

2. Space concealed with shales ?

3. Archimedes cavernous limestone.

4, Grey and black shales, with perhaps some interstratified sandstone,
and including, near its base, a band of dark, fossiliferous, pyritiferous
limestone, and segregations of carbonate of iron.

The carbonate of iron is quite abundant in the lower part of this shale,
in the sections both of the Middle and West fork of White river, so
much so, that I believe sufficient ore can be obtained from the various
localities of its outcrop, to supply a furnace, in connection with ores of
the limonite variety, which can, probably, be found higher up over the
limestone.

The caverns in the vicinity of Orion Riefts’ have been formed by thé
disintegration of the concretionary beds of the Archimedes limestone.
They are low and difficult of access. From one of these caverns, some
earth was collected for the purpose of examining it for nitre ; time has not
yet permitted an analysis of this earth, but its appearance does not indi-
cate a large per centage of saltpetre.

OF ARKANSAS. 117

The succession of the
rocks on the waters of
3 | the Middle Fork of
White river, is exhibited
8 in the accompanying
: diagram, in which the
|

Feet.
Inches.

i Sandstone, underlaid by shale? in/all, 50 to Pesthan of, oie bed a
100 100 feet or more in thickness. dark grey, pyritifer ous
limestone is shown, in-
cluded in the shales at
—— the base of the section.

Several so-called “ sul-
phur__ springs,”’_— rise
through the black bitu-

ae . . | minous shales, at the bot-
to Archimedes, cavernous, and concretionary tom of the. sections, in

602 mie Smes the central part of Wash-
ington county. The wa-
ter of one, which was ob-
tained from John May’s
place, one mile south of
Fayetteville, was found
by the application of chemical reagents, to contain, as its principal
constituents :

Sulphate of magnesia, (Epsom salts).

Sulphate of alumina, a trace.

Sulphate of iron, a trace.

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

This water will act as a mild laxative.

County surveyor Ross informed me that there has been some difficulty
in running lines with the compass, in the valleys and along the spurs of
some of the hills, with what is considered the true variation in this part
of the State, of 8 deg.-30 min. The iron ores which I have seen on the
surface, viz., limonite ores and protocarbonate of iron, do not affect the
magnetic needles neither have ores of lead any influence on it: it is only
native iron, iron ores containing a combination of peroxide and protoxide,
in the proportion of about-69 per cent. of the former, and 31 of the latter,
and magnetic iron pyrites, containing about 40. per cent. of sulphur and
60 of iron, that attract the needle. Those localities will require, therefore,

—)|e|oej_}s
effi [yt |
le |) \-]e

[

302 Grey shale; pyritiferous limestone shale.

|
cI

/

118 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

to be examined hereafter for such ores, when the survey of Washington
is made in detail.

Samples of the red upland soil of this-county were collected, for future
chemical analysis, from John Rieffs’ farm, on section 31, township 16
north, range 30 west, where the growth is white oak, hickory, overcup oak,
hackberry, walnut, box-elder, slippery elm, black ash, dogwood, and black
locust, with an undergrowth of papaw, spice, and large grape vines.

This soil is a good sample of the red uplands of the centre of Wash-
ington county; it resembles the Cane hill land, but is less siliceous; it
overlies, and has been mostly derived from, the Archimedes limestorie and
its associate shales. —

The ridge that divides the waters of the West fork of White river from
those of the Illinois river, is composed of the same series of shales, lime-
stone, and sandstone, as already described, at Orion Rieffs’, on Wood’s
branch. Here, however, the junction of the shale with the limestone can
be seen better than at.that locality.

Near the bed of the branch that runs by Bryant’s house, a pyritiferous
dark limestone is interstratified in the shale, similar to that on Wood’s
branch. Twenty feet over this is the base of the limestone, which is about
25 feet in thickness. Eighty feet higher is the top of the sandstone, but
this level does not represent its true thickness, since the limestone rises so.
tapidly to the north-west that it reaches the surface under John Tenny-
son’s farm on the top of the hill, not half a mile from Bryant’s.

A bed of coal of six to seven inches, is reported by Bryant, on the
Davis place;on the waters of the Illinois; one a foot thick, at J. Phillips’,
on the waters of the West fork; a bed of 1 foot to 18 inches on the west
side of the Davis ridge, south of Henry Ross’s, and also on Morrison’s
place; and a 6 to 8 inches seam at Curlis’s, low down in the Boston range
of mountains. The outcrop on the Morrison place is generally considered
the best coal for blacksmiths’ use in this part of Washington county.

Some of the upper layers of limestone, at A. Bryant’s, contain a
considerable per centage of oxide of iron, and might come under the
denomination of Hisenkalkstein of the Germans. <A black bed of lime-
stone is also interstratified in the mass of limestones, besides the band
included in the underlying shale.

- Near the line between township 15 and 16, where the Cane hill road
crosses the head of a branch, a locality was pointed out to me where
copper ore has been supposed to exist. I could see no surface indications
to corroborate this opinion, neither do I consider the rock which forms the -
surface, at all favorable for metalliferous veins. -A much more likely
thing to be discovered in the rocks of this part of Washington county,

OF ARKANSAS, .- 119

where they form synclinal folds or troughs, is salt. By boring a few hun-
dred feet, in some favorable position, it is highly probable a productive
brine might be reached. Such a place is the Clay lick, on the property of
Maj. John Billingsley, on the east prong of the Illinois river, near where
the mountain road crosses that stream. I tested water which oozes up in
this lick, and found it to contain a notable quantity of chloride of sodium,
er common salt, some chloride of magnesium, and only a trace of sulphates.

é < The succession, in the
3 [3 id h-west of
g is ridge south-west 0
eel
mire where the road crosses
Soft brown sandstone. the East fork of the Illi-
A few feet of limestone. nois river, is represented
TT | SAO) Seadatone: in the annexed diagram,

the levels commencing
in the bed of the Hast
fork of the Illinois river,
30) Teruesuada sandy shales. and extending to the top
of the ridge, over which
the road passes.

iva)

oo

a
US

| On the waters of the
70) Archimedes limestones. same branch of the Ili-
nois river, on Dr. Kuy-
peed . kendall’s place, a fine
chalybeate spring issues from the bed of ferruginous sandstone of the mill-
stone grit series. This water has a powerful deoxidizing effect, instantly
blackening a silver solution, even without the addition of ammonia; from
this fact and the comparative small amount of carbonic acid present, it is
probable that the protoxide of iron present, is held in solution by some
organic acid. This water will probably be found to have valuable alterative
and tonic effects combined.

About a quarter of a mile from Dr. Kuykendall’s there is also a sulphur
spring, which I tested and found it to contain, as its principal constituents :

Free sulphuretted hydrogen.

Chloride of sodium.

Chloride of magnesium.

Only a trace of sulphates.

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

This water, having more saline matter (particularly chlorides) than the
water tested at Thomas’s, 2 miles from Fayetteville, will be found more

120 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

laxative in its effects; but it is doubtful whether its alterative effects will
be as decided, since the proportion of sulphur appears to be less. As
iodides are usually an accompaniment of chlorides, this water will proba-
bly be found useful in reducing glandular swellings. bg

At the blacksmith’s shop, near the sulphur spring, I saw several speci-
mens of coal, found in this county, and obtained information in regard to
the localities of others; viz., the Morrow coal, 14 inches thick, considered
to be the best for blacksmiths’ use ; the Dyer coal, 12 inches thick, found
on the second bench of the Boston mountain, which is a heavier coal than ~
the former, but contains impurities ; Barnet’s bank, about 11 inches thick,
on the waters of Cove creek; and Store’s bank, three quarters of a mile
beyond, and about the same ifickness as that at Barnet’s.

On Cane hill, close by James Mitchell’s house, the Ar chimedes limestone
is well exposed, and is quite cavernous. One cave, near Wm. Mitchell’s
house, is about 180 feet long, and seems to have been the resort of bears
and other wild animals, in former times. It occupies precisely the same
position as the one which I visited near Orion Rieffs’. The succession of
the rocks on Cane hill is only a modification of the preceding section.
Fine-grained sandstone, 15 to 20 feet.

. Limestone, a few feet.

Coarse yellow sandstone, 40 feet.
Greenish grindstone grit, 45 to 70 feet.
. Archimedes limestone, 60 feet.

. Marly shales in the bed of the branch.

The blacksmiths of Boonsboro obtain a coal from section 16, township
14 north, range 82 west, about three quarters of a mile from town ; ; itis 6
or 8 inches thick: this is the most westerly outcrop of coal known in this
county.

Some iron ore is reported in Vineyard township, which I have not yet
examined.

A bold spring issues at Boonsboro, from under a bench of Archimedes
limestone, 45 feet in thickness. The new College has been built on a
commanding point on the shaly sandstones that occupy the hill, immedi-
ately above the platform of limestone. Beneath these are dark shales,
succeeded, in the descending order, by an even-bedded, brown freestone,
very suitable for building purposes. The road to the Barren fork of the
Illinois river passes for several miles on this building-stone, which, being
often disjoined and displaced from the giving way of the underlying shale,
renders the_road exceedingly rough. This underlying shale is of no great
thickness, and overlies chert and cherty limestone, which forms a mural

oP ere

OF ARKANSAS. 12]

escarpment on the north bank of the Barren fork, extending down to the
bed of that stream.

The different beds and their order of superposition, from the schistose
sandstone of College hill, to the cherty limestone of the Barren fork of the
Illinois river, are shown in the annexed section.

A modification is ob-
servable in this section,
causing it to differ from

Feet.
Inches.

Schistose sandstones of College hill. those sections previously

4

wea ; given of the strata under
L | oL the Archimedes lime-
| L | 5 ee limestone over the Boonsboro BHOne : it consists in the
introduction of the build-

ing-stone amongst the
underlying shales. Near
_ the Barren fork, the
===] 152 Dark shales, 10 to 15 aeelan thickness. strata have a strong dip,
—- 9 to 18 deg. north north-
east and north-east.

4 Freestone or building-stone.

| a ,
; The fossiliferous lime-

— — stone lies in a pavement

2 p :

———| iiss form, with a regular and
oe pete — deeply marked system of
LLLE Fossiliferous limestone. j oints, havin g a course
ons SHaseHne: north-west and _ south-
req east. The most abund-
GE hae ant fossils in this rock are

x | 40 |- | Ghert and cherty limestones of the Barren Poach 1 1 ee
[cu |} fork of the Illinois. River. erebratula plano-sulcata
cu | cu and planum-bona; Pro-
| cu | ductus cora and a Pro-
cL | cL

ductus allied to P. semi-
reticulatus ; a favosite re-
sembling the basaltica, but so deeply imbedded and firmly attached in the
substance of the rock that they could not be properly examined in place,
nor detached without defacing them in such a manner that the disposition
of the rows of connecting pores could not be seen so as to determine their
specific character. _—

Both Productus cora and Terebratula plano-sulcata were found, also, in
the overlying chert.

This limestone has marly and shaly partings.

‘Black shale ?

122 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The rock which forms the immediate cliff on the Barren fork, above
Morrow’s house, and extends down to the bed of that ee is a very
rugged and cherty limestone.

Some loose pieces of lead ore having been found in the bed of the Barren
fork, some shallow pits and shafts were sunk in the bluff above, into this
cherty limestone, and about 100 pounds of lead ore taken out from amongst
the red clay and loose chert, some of which will yield 70 to 80 per cent. of
lead. Here we have a further confirmation of the lead-bearing character
of this barren cherty limestone formation.

This rock does not appear to be as thick here as further to the north,
since shale has been struck in Morrow’s well beneath this rock.

Some “ gravel mineral” has also been found in the bed of the Barren
fork of the Illinois, near the mill, six miles from Evansville.

The fossiliferous limestone was again seen, three and a half miles from
Evansville, overlying dark ferruginous, and light-colored chert.

The succession in Vineyard township is, ther efore, approxinetely as fol-
lows:

1. Fine-grained siliceous rock, approaching to the texture of whet-
stones in its character.

2. Limestone.

3. Shale?

4, Yellowish coarse sandstone.

5. Finer grained schistose sandstone of the character of grindstone grit.

6. Archimedes or other limestones.

7. Dark shale rocks,

8. Brown freestone.

9. Shale.

10. Fossiliferous chert.

11. Fossiliferous limestone with marly and shaly partings.

12. Chert, and

13. Cherty limestone.

14. Black shale.

All of these strata belong to the millstone grit and underlying subcarbo-
niferous group.

Soon after leaving Evansville, we ascended a high ridge, 550 feet above
the Barren fork, in the gap through which the road passes.

On the north-west slope of this spur of the Boston mountain range, the
outcropping ledges of rock are mostly sandstone and subcarboniferouslime-
stone, with some alternations of'shale. In this side the Archimedes lime-
stone was observed at an elevation of 240 feet. On the south-east slope
of the mountain an immense mass of marly shale makes its appearance,

OF ARKANSAS. 123

with some intercalated beds of limestone. The top of this marly shale is
230 feet below the summit. It is at least 100 feet in thickness, down to
the junction of this shale and an underlying bed of limestone.

The rocks are evidently much disturbed in this mountain. At one point
in the descent, a dip of 4 deg. south-west was observed; but a short
distance further the dip was reversed.

CRAWFORD COUNTY.

+

Close to the spring, at the foot of the mountain over which we passed
from the Barren fork of the Illinois to Lee’s creek, the Archimedes lime-
stone is in place, 260 feet below the level of the principal mass of corre-
sponding limestone, in the section of the north-west slope of the mountain.

There is no doubt a dislocation of the whole of the rocks of the moun-
tain with a subsidence to the south-east, which causes so sudden a depres-
sion of this limestone.

Associated with Archimedes at the spring, near the foot of the mountain,
on Lee’s creek, occurs Agassizocrinus conicus.

Lee’s creek meanders for many miles at the base of high cliffs and
slopes of the spurs of the Boston mountain range, which are composed of
sandstones, shales, and limestone, belonging to the age of the millstone
grit and subcarboniferous group, the strata gradually dipping down stream
towards the south. No coal has ever yet been discovered on this part of
Lee’s creek, but near its head, 15 miles above Alfred Smith’s place, a bed
is represented as occurring, and ranging from 10 to 12 inches in thickness.

Half a mile below Alfred Smith’s farm, sandstone was observed dipping
10 deg. to the south-east, the Archimedes limestone being no longer visible
above the bed of Lee’s creek.

One of the most remarkable features in the scenery of north-western
Arkansas is the ‘‘ Natural Dam,” represented in the steel plate engraving
forming the frontispiece to this volume. It is formed by a solid bed of
sandstone, from 6 to 8 feet in thickness, which runs entirely across the
bed of Lee’s creek, forming a natural barrier to the descent of the water,
in consequence of the gradual dip of the rock up stream towards the north-
east, at an angle of 4 to 5 deg. being just the proper inclination to
dam the water back, and throw it to a sluice, that might be solidly and
permanently fixed to this rock wall near where it runs into the north-west
bank.

‘The log mill, seen in the frontispiece, is one of the rudest description ;

124 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

hardly capable of grinding 30 to 40 bushels per day ; quite insufficient even
for the accommodation of the immediate neighbors. The efficiency of
this natural dam, running, as it does, from bank to bank, with just the
proper inclination and a slightly diagonal direction, across the entire water-
course ; the solidity of its natural masonry, destined to endure for ages; its
situation in the midst of a valley, which though contracted in its dimensions
by the mountain fastnesses that bound it on both sides, is, nevertheless fertile
and capable of supporting a moderate population: all combine to make
this natural mill-site an object of great interest, and its many advantages
would justify the erection of a substantial building, fitted up with all the
modern improvements in the machinery of a well-regulated business grist-
mill; this would attract customers, not alone from the valleys of the differ-
ent benschies of Lee’s creek, but also from the neighboring mountains,
and more distant settlements, and contribute, perhaps, more than any im-
provement that could be introduced into the country, to attract fresh popu-
lation, and render the condition of its present inhabitants independent,
comfortable, and agreeable. Notwithstanding the continual wear to which
this member of the millstone grit series—more durable than its associate
beds—is continually subject, not alone from the mechanical force exerted
by the running waters of Lee’s creek, but from the almost irresistible
power of expansion, caused by the alternate thawing and freezing of the
water, continually permeating its mass; it stands yet, a monument of ages,
bearing testimony to the strength and insolubility of the siliceous cement
that binds the particles together, and the stability of the individual grains
of which its substance is composed; and it affords, at the same time, a
striking example how enduring architectural edifices may be made, if con-
structed of such freestone, judiciously selected, well built, and strongly
jointed with good mortar.

The ridge, passed over about two miles from the Natural Dam, is about
390 feet above Lee’s creek, and is composed, so far as can be seen, of sand-
stones and shales of the age of the millstone grit; with, perhaps, a cap-
ping of some of the lower members of the overlying coal measures.

It is nearly of the same materials that compose the high range of hills
above the town of Van Buren, which has a commanding view over the
valley of the Arkansas. From these heights, in a clear day, Fort Smith
can be seen, while the bluff opposite to it and the glistening water-line,
marking the bend of the Arkansas river, where it emerges from Indian
territory and sweeps past Fort Smith, can be distinctly seen at all times;
also the distant range of hills, running from the Choctaw country towards
Sebastian county, including the House and Sugar Loaf mountains; with
the small prairie in the middle ground, which is said to be underlaid by

OF ARKANSAS. 125

coal.* The accompanying wood-cut [see p. 127] is engraved from a rapid
sketch of this extensive prospect, comprising the various objects above enu-
merated, taken from the above heights, north-west of the town of Van
Buren. At the foot of this hill, and in the cuts of the ravines immediately
back of the town of Van Buren, 28 to 25 feet of shale are exposed, the
lower portion of which, for ten feet, is black and bituminous. One hun-
dred and ten feet more of shale have been passed through in the well sunk
at Pennywit & Scott’s mill, including, near the bottom, a small seam of
coal, reportedk18 inches thick.

The strata immediately exposed, adjacent to the town of Van Buren,
are:

Sandstone. 7

Grey shale and shaly sandstone, with ferruginous segregations, 30 feet.

Black and reddish shales, 15 feet.

Blackish grey shale, with segregations of carbonate of iron, 15 feet.

Shales, including 18 inch coal, passed through in the steam mill well
below the town of Van Buren, 110 feet.

These shales lie no doubt at the base of the millstone grit, as we found
in the overlying sandstone, 150 or 200 feet above these shales, the same
curious impressions of plants (?) which occur in the millstone grit of Van
Buren county, near Theodore Goodlow’s, showing the great extent and re-
markable persistency of this formation, as it extends through the northern
counties of Arkansas.

The sandstones and shales seen in section in the Ozark mountains, north
of Van Buren, have much the lithological character of the “Barren Coal
Measures”’ of the eastern coal field of Kentucky, in which schistose earthy
sandstones predominate ; but it is not improbable that. they may be all re-
ferrible to the millstone grit, which seems to have an enormous expansion,
and to occupy great areas in the north-west counties of Arkansas.

Four or five miles north-west of Van Buren, in some of the deep cuts
where red and ferruginous shales are exposed, more or less iron ore was
observed, but mostly of a siliceous character.

The shales, at the base of the hills, bordering on the Arkansas river,
noted in the preceding sections, seem to underlie a great extent of country
not only in this county, but fora great distance down the valley of the
Arkansas river, in a south-east direction.

As limestone is a very scarce article in this county, it may be well to
take note that there is a dark grey, ferruginous, calcareous bed, that crops |
out, not only near the sulphur springs in the bed of the Balai branch of *

* This country, south of the Arkansas river, has not yet been explored.

126 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Webber’s creek, but on Baker’s hill, 2 miles from the springs, and on a
hillside, 7 miles north-west of Van Buren and 1 mile from the Dripping
springs. This rock will doubtless burn to lime, and yield an article which,
though dark, will probably make a good mortar for building purposes.

It is very probable that this ferruginous, fossiliferous limestone may be
found about one-third of the distance up the high hill back of Van Buren;
for, being encrusted with a rusty external coating, it is difficult to distin-
guish it, in its native.bed, from the associate sandstones. This limestone
varies from 3 to 8 inches in thickness. °

The Pennywit sulphur water was tested at the fountain head.’ Its prin-
cipal constituents are :

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Chloride of sodium, or common salt.

Chloride of magnesium.

Trace of sulphate of soda (Glauber salts.) .

Trace of sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts.)

A trace of free sulphuretted hydrogen.

The taste of this water, and the small, white, fibrous sediment, formed
in the gum log through which it rises, favor the view that there is some
sulphur in this water, combined either with some organic principle or other
substance. It will be observed that this water contains a notable quantity
of common salt; this fact, taken in connection with the formation through
which it wells up, and the celullar nature of the sandstones in the vicinity
of the springs, renders it probable that, if the Sulphur branch of the Web-
ber fork of Lee’s creek flows in a synclinal trough (as it very likely does,
from the dip of the strata being reversed towards the valley of the Arkan-
sas river), a good, profitable brine might be reached by putting down a
systematic boring in the neighborhood of these springs.

For further remarks on this county, see the Report of the Assistant
Geologist. -

No. 14.—VIEW ACROSS THE ARKANSAS RIVER INTO SEBASTIAN COUNTY, FROM THE HEIGHTS ABOVE, VAN BUREN, IN CRAWFORD COUNTY, THE HOUSE
AND SUGAR-LOAF MOUNTAINS IN THE DISTANCE; THE SITE OF FORT SMITH IN THE MIDDLE GROUND ON THE RIGHT.

OF ARKANSAS. 129

JOHNSON COUNTY.
My own observations in this county, have been confined, as yet, to the
coal regions of the Spadra.*
The best locality for the examination of the Spadra coal, is a few
» hundred yards above the confluence of Spadra creek with the Arkansas
river, on the property of E. B. Alston. An opening has been made there
into this coal, a foot.or two above low water, where it can be seen under
a high bank of dark shales and over flagstones, which appear in the bed
of Spadra creek, with, probably, some intervening fire-clay which could
not, however, be seen, in consequence of the water that had collected in
the drift. This coal is three feet thick, including a clay parting of 3 to 4
inches, one foot from the bottom of the bed. The underlying flagstones,
in the bed of Spadra, dip from 3 to 5 deg. to the north, in which dip
the coal i is doubtless implicated ; but the state of the opening prevented me
from making an observa-
tion for dip in the drift.

Feet.
Inches.

The annexed section
exhibits the position of
this coal, and its relation

Dark, argillaceous shale, with scales of mica, with the associate beds.
20 and containing segregations of an indurated On Spadra creek, no-
>]

material, similar to the matrix. :
thing lower than the up-
per layers of flagstones

ie ate | can be seen; but on the
3 } rare feet coal with élay parting; fireclay? north bank of the Ar-

kansas river, under E. B.
jl Alston’s house, the con-
Fl aa) tsetienas tinuation of these flag-

| stones can be observed,
| resting on indurated, ar-
emma: gillaceous shale, with
ED

Indurated shale. hard bands of sandstone,
extending down to low
water of that stream, as

---- 5| |Indurated grey argillaceous shale, with hard shown in the lower part
pene of the preceding section.

sss 8 Band of sandstone.

* For further remarks on this county, see the Report of the Assistant Geologist.

9

130 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The shale that forms the roof of the coal, is considerably indurated and
of an argillo-siliceous composition, with disseminated scales of mica, and
includes segregations of a material not very different from its matrix, but
harder and heavier. Some obscure stems and long slender leaves or
glumes of some plant can be discovered, by splitting up the shale; but
their specific and even generic characters are difficult to make out. The
dark shales, forming the roof of this coal, are visible in sections at several
bends of Spadra creek, for more than a mile above its mouth. From the
dip of the rock, there is no doubt that this coal could be reached by shafts
of reasonable depth, sunk in or near the town of Clarksville.

The character of this coal is worthy of especial notice. The approximate
chemical analysis here given shows it to be a semi-anthracite, rich in carbon,
and containing a small proportion of ochre-colored ashes; with only 8.4
percent. of volatile matter, including ‘moisture expelled at 300 deg. of
Fahrenheit’s thermometer. Its specific gravity is 1.335.

The approximate analysis gives:

8.4 { Moisture,

: dre . 0.5
Volatile matters, . Volatile combustible gases, « Ta
5.6

Fixed carbon, . . ~ . 85.
es ee ea ee (ochre yellow), - « » BO

100.0 100.0

This coal contains a far higher per centage of fixed carbon than any
western coal that has ever been analyzed in my laboratory, except some
coals* which I received from Arkansas some years before the commence-
ment of the survey. .

In this respect, the Spadra coal resembles the coals of the Shamokin
basin, of Pennsylvania; especially the Zerbe’s run semi-anthracite; con-
taining, in fact, 1.35 per cent. more fixed carbon than that coal, and nearly
1 per cent. less ashes. Its gaseous matter is chiefly hydrogen, as its
luminous property is so feeble as hardly to be distinguishable by daylight,
when this coal is exposed to a red heat in an open spoon. The existence
of a semi-anthracite coal in the west is the more surprising, since the for-

* One of the specimens of coal was said to be from White county, and most probably from the
bed mentioned in the section of that county. It had a specific gravity of 1.39, and gave by analysis:

Volatile matters, including moisture, . . . . - - + 6 «© © © we 10
Fixed carbon in coke, fee ee Sle we ko eS Oe Se we Oe 86
Ashes, 6 6 6 ee ee 4

3 ; 100

Another specimen, said to be from the Petite Jean mountain, yielded :
Volatile matters, including moisture, - . . . . 2 + « © © + we ee 8.5
Coke, including ashes, . . 2. 1 1 1 ee we ew ee we we OLE

OF ARKANSAS, 13!

mation in which it occurs is comparatively level, undisturbed, and bear-
ing little evidence of metamorphism or change by internal heat; while the
coals of similar composition in Pennsylvania occur, as we are informed
by Hayes and Rogers, only in coal fields and ‘aolated patches, in the most
disturbed portions of the Appalachian chain, and are associated with some
of the boldest flexures and greatest dislocations of the whole coal region
of that State. The nearest rock of undoubted i igneous origin to this coal,
at present known to me in Arkansas, is situated in Hot Spring county,*
some sixty miles, in a direct line, south of the Spadra; yet, here we have
a coal, possessing all the chemical properties of the semi-anthracites, that
are usually found in the midst of the most striking evidence of decided
igneous action. The inference which I draw from these facts, is that, thou gh
granite and other hypogene (nether-born) rocks do not actually reach the
surface in Johnson county, as far as at present known, they must be near
enough the surface to have exerted an igneous action, sufficient to have
permeated the strata, now found on Spadra creek, with heated vapors or
gases, that have expelled the greater portion of the gaseous matter; or
_else this coal has been subject to some extraordinary chemical agency, by
which carburetted hydrogen has been removed. It is hardly possible that
the Spadra coal can owe its present composition to any difference in the
vegetation from which it was originally produced ; since it would be, in that
case, a strange exception to anything previously observed in the bitumi-
nous coal fields in any of the States west of the Alleghany mountains.
But the peculiar fissured structure of the Spadra coal favors the idea,
that the volatile matter has been expelled by a process more rapid than
can be attributed to slow chemical changes, unaided by an elevation of
temperature; since the escape of the volatile matter by heat causes an
expansion of the particles, and that severing the coal, gives it a friable
tendency. The Spadra coal, in common with the semi-anthracites of the
Shamokin coal field of Pennsylvania, possesses this peculiar subdivision into
cuboidal lumps, indicative of a quicker escape of the expansible gases
than would take place under prolonged chemical evolution.

This question of a former subterranean igneous action is interesting, not
only in its relation to the influence it may have exerted upon the coals of
the Arkansas valley, but also, in its important bearing upon the metalliferous
character of the underlying geological formations; since it is a matter of
experience, that rocks are more apt to be intersected by metallic veins in
districts. adjacent to axes of dislocation ; and these are a frequent accom-
paniment of subterranean igneous action.

* It is likely that granite or some other igneous rock may be found in Montgomery county.

132 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

From the insight obtained into the chemical composition of this coal, by
an approximate chemical analysis, Iam led to believe that the valuable
properties of this coal have hitherto been overlooked.

The experiments of Johnson, De la Beche, Playfair, Hayes and Rogers,
on different coals, as well as the experience in the East, go to prove that,
though the semi-anthracites may not be the best adapted for some pur-
poses, they have far higher heating and considerably more. reducing powers
than the best bituminous coals; and, besides, the semi-anthracites will
evaporate, in a given time, from 15 to 20 per cent. more pounds of water
than bituminous coals. It has been shown, moreover, by Hayes and
Rogers, that the efficiency of the semi-anthracites in these operations is
due to the total amount of carbon that enters into the composition of
both coke and volatile combustible matter, but principally to the amount
of fized carbon to be found in the coke alone; for it appears that the
volatile carbon, i. e. the carbon which escapes as gas in the form of
carburetted hydrogen, contributes but little to the actual heating effect,
since the greater part of the caloric, generated by the combustion of this
gas, becomes latent or absorbed by its change of state, from the solid or
condensed condition in which it exists in the coal, into the elastic gaseous
form it assumes during combustion.

Now, the analysis of the Spadra coal proves it to contain 25 to 30 per
cent. more fixed carbon in the coke than the best bituminous coals* of
Europe or America; and it even exceeds, by 1.35 per cent. that of the
richest semi-anthracites of Pennsylvania; it has 3.83 per cent. more fixed
carbon in the coke than the celebrated “Parker vein,” of George creek
valley, Maryland.

Of the forty-three coals reported on by Johnson, in his work on Ameri-
can coals, the semi-anthracite of Lyken’s valley approaches nearest in
composition to the Spadra coal, as will be seen by comparing the following
approximate analyses of these two coals:

Spadra. Lyken’s valley.

Volatile combustible matter,. . . . . . 7.9. 6.88
Fived carbom,. . © .« «. » « « » « «= 8.6 83.84
ABHOR, 2 « ww Rw ww a ae ew ce OD 9.25

The composition of the Spadra coal approaches so nearly to that of the
Lyken’s valley coal of Pennsylvania, that we may assume the practical

* A sample of Pittsburg coal, analyzed by Johnson, gave 54,93 fixed carbon. <A specimen,
analyzed by Dr. Robert Peter, 65.30 fixed carbon in coke. A specimen of Youghiogheny ‘coal,
analyzed by myself, gave 60.14 fixed carbon in coke. Johnson’s specimen must have been an
inferior specimen, for the best Pittsburg coals always give a larger per centage of fixed carbon in
the coke than 54,93.

OF ARKANSAS. 133

properties observed by experiments on this coal by Johnson, to be very
nearly the same as those that would be found in the Spadra coal, if sub-
jected to the same tests ; I, therefore, subjoin some of the most important
characters representing the efficiency of that coal, compared with Pitts-
burg coal; one of the best known and most generally useful of our western
bituminous coals. .

While one part of Pittsburg bituminous coal will generate 8.2 pounds
of steam at a temperature of 212 deg., the same quantity of Lyken’s valley
semi-anthracite, will generate 9.46 pounds of steam at 212 deg.

While one cubic foot of Pittsburg coal will generate 384 pounds of
steam, one cubic foot of Lyken’s valley semi-anthracite will generate 459
pounds of steam.

The reducing power of semi-anthracites is considerably greater than
that of bituminous coal; as is shown by the relative amounts of litharge
reduced to lead by these same coals: 28.89 parts being reduced by Pitts-
burg coal, while 82.6 are reduced by the same quantity of Lyken’s valley
semi-anthracite.

The Spadra coal resembles still more closely the Zerbe’s run coal of the
Shamokin coal field of Pennsylvania, as will be seen by the annexed com-
parative approximate analyses :

Spadra. Zerbé’s run.

Volatile combustible matter, . . . . . 7.90 7.81
Fixed carbon, . ....... .- - 85.6 84.25
Aehee: ea we We a co ee ) OE 6.11

‘Hayes and Rogers estimate the water evaporated at 212 deg., by 1 pound
Zerbe’s run coal, at 9.58 pounds, The rate of evaporation per hour, to one.
square foot of grate, is 88.92, while the average for bituminous coal is 70.92
under the same circumstances.

The combined evaporative power and speed for the Zerbe’s run semi-an-
thracite are represented by the numbers 4777.4, while taking equal bulks
of the averages of bituminous coals, under the same circumstances, the
numbers would be 3456.0.

These semi-anthracites burn after the manner of the natural coke of
Virginia, throwing out, when fully ignited, an intense heat, accompanied
by a blue flame.

They require, it is true, a tolerably strong draft to bring them into full
combustion, and, therefore, are perhaps not so suitable for open grates as
the more inflammable bituminous coals, requiring usually the addition of
blowers to increase the current of air passing through the grate, until the

134 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

fire is fairly started ; and this is probably the reason why these coals, when
first introduced into the eastern cities, were rejected as altogether unman-
ageable and impracticable. Now, even the harder anthracites are in com-
mon use in Philadelphia and New York for heating apartments, and some-
times in open grates, with temporary blowers; and it is now universally
admitted that, for forges, rolling mills, and blast furnaces for the manufac-
ture of iron, the semi-anthracites are unsurpassed.

No. 11—PART OF THE BOSTON MOUNTAIN RANGE, NEWTON COUNTY.

OF ARKANSAS. 135

GENERAL SUMMARY, INFERENCES, AND REMARKS IN
CONCLUSION.

c=)

Tue three leading formations of the northern counties.of Arkansas, west
of Black river to the Indian boundary, and north of the Arkansas river,
are:

First. The millstone grit, with its associate shales, and conglomerate.

Second. The subcarboniferous limestone, and its associate chert, shales,
and sandstones.

Third. The magnesian limestones, and their associate sandstones, cal-
ciferous sandrocks, and chert, belonging to the lower silurian period.

The formation known in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, under the
name of the knob sandstone, is absent, or only very obscurely represented.
It is doubtful, too, whether the grey and black bituminous shales and
slates, belonging to the devonian period, are to be found in Arkansas.
There are a few encrinital and variegated limestones and associated chert,
which intervene between the magnesian limestones of lower silurian date
and the subcarboniferous chert and limestones; these may belong to the
devonian era, but, as yet, I have no positive evidence to decide fully this
question.

No rocks have yet come under observation which I have been able to
refer unequivocally to the upper silurian period, such as occur in Jefferson
county, Kentucky, Clarke county, Indiana, and elsewhere in these States,
under the coralline beds of the falls of the Ohio.

East of Black river, in Greene, Poinsett, and Randolph counties, inco-
herent sands, loose and cemented gravel, and clays of quaternary date,
prevail.

No crystalline* or hypogene rocks, i. e., no rocks which have been
protruded from beneath, as mountain masses, dykes, or veins, possessing
the structure of granite or syenite, have been observed, as yet, by the

* A red’granite is reported on Spavinaw creek, near the Cherokee line. Whether this be correct
information, I am, at present, unable to say, as T have not examined the locality.

136 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

geological corps, north of the Arkansas river: i. e., in the part of the State
on which I am now reporting.

Arkansas is destined, I believe, to take the lead of all the Western
States, in her resources in ores of zinc and manganese.

The magnesian limestone, belonging to the lower silurian period, seems
to be the great repository of the zine ore, of which there are three princi-
pal varieties: the pure carbonate of zinc—the calamine or smithsonite of
mineralogists—the silicate of zinc or electric calamine—and the sulphuret
of zinc or blende (black-jack of the miner).

The analyses of these ores prove them to be at least as rich as, if not
richer and purer than, the zinc ores of the most noted localities in Europe;
and there is no reason why they should not be worked with profit to the
miner and smelter, as well as with benefit to the State of Arkansas in
particular, and to the United States in general.

The manganese ores have, chiefly, been found in the cavernous sub-
carboniferous limestones. These ores appear to be very abundant. A
compact variety, allied to psilomelane, is the kind which I found most
common on the surface, but there are other softer varieties, which have
proved, on analysis, to compare favorably with those of Thuringia, the
most celebrated European locality.

Arkansas promises, also, to afford considerable lead ore, which occurs
both in.the magnesian limestones of lower silurian date, and in the sub-
carboniferous limestones; also in the slates of the base of the millstone
grit, where these border on the confines of the granite region of Pulaski
county.

The lead ore in this latter position is rich in silver, probably more so
than the argentiferous galenas of Europe, which have been wrought to
any extent. The only ore, which has been cupelled in my laboratory,
that surpasses it in the per centage of contained silver, is some of the
steel-grey, finely crystalline argentiferous galena from Villeport, near
Lozere, in France.

Fragments of a porous lead ore, picked up among the rubbish at the
mouth of one of the shafts in Pulaski county, yielded by cupellation from
the reduced lead, at the rate of 224 ounces from the ton of 2,000 pounds ;
and a specimen of a bright, steel-grey ore, finely crystalline in its strue-
ture, from the same mines, obtained in Little Rock, gave as much as 839.2
ounces to the ton of 2,000 pounds.

The cherty limestone, which underlies the barrens ei prairies of the
north-west part of the State, promises to afford rich deposits of lead ore, as
the geological formation is a complete counterpart of that around the
already famous lead mines of Granby, in Newton county, Missouri.

OF ARKANSAS. 137

_The lead region in the lower magnesian limestones, bears more of the
character of those in Taney county, Missouri. .
Iron ore promises to be abundant in all the three leading formations;
especially in Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Lawrence, Madison, Washington,
and Benton. -

Near the junction of the subcarboniferous limestones and the saccharoi-
dal sandstone, overlying the lower magnesian limestones, there are encri-
nital, mottled, and variegated limestones, which take a good polish, and
will make, at many localities, a fine marble rock, particularly near the cor-
ner of Carroll, Newton, and Searcy counties.

The best and thickest coal, which I have yet seen in Arkansas, is the
Spadra coal of Johnson county. It is a semi-anthracite, even richer in
fixed carbon than the celebrated Zerbe’s run coal of the Shamokin coal
field of Pennsylvania, and is superior, for manufacturing purposes, to any
western coal at present known, where durability, intense heat and reduc-
tion are required. Its thickness is three feet. It crops out close to the
Arkansas river above the mouth of Spadra creek, and extends back into
the interior of Johnson county.

During the geological survey of Northern Arkansas, I have been strongly
impressed with two facts: one is the vast extent, both vertically and super-
ficially, of the millstone grits and the associate shales. There are eight
whole counties that are already known to be almost entirely occupied by
this formation ; besides a large portion of six other counties; the other is
the immense quantity of silex, in the shape of chert, buhrstone, and chal-
cedonic flint, irregularly mixed and segregated amongst the rocks, espe-
cially the limestones; or diffused as quartz, in veins, amongst the sand-
stones. I have travelled for days and weeks upon these siliceous forma-
tions, both amongst the rocks of subcarboniferous and lower silurian date.

Tt remains for me to define approximately the general boundary between
the millstone grit and the subcarboniferous limestones, since it is north
and west of that line that the lead and zinc ores are accessible for mining,
within reasonable depths, excepting, indeed, those deposits in Pulaski
county which border on the region of the igneous rocks.

Commencing on White river, on Shield’s bluff, where the old Cherokee
boundary line strikes that stream, it runs nearly west, through the. south-
ern tier of townships in Izard county ; thence, it preserves the same wes-
terly course through the northern tier of townships, in Van Buren county,
bearing more to the north-west ; thence it meanders with the highest ranges
of the Boston mountain, in the southern part of Newton and the central
part of Madison county, towards Fayetteville, in Washington county ;

\

138 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

thence diverging to the south, it reaches the Indian boundary line, in the
south-west corner of that county.

Its southern limits cannot yet be defined, since this formation extends
south of the Arkansas river, beyond the range of our, present geological
reconnoissance.

All the accessible veins and deposits of lead, zinc, and manganese ores,
at present known, are situated to the north of this line; they doubtless
extend beneath a portion of the area occupied by the millstone grit; but,
probably, are too deeply seated in the midst of the high mountainous dis-
trict, south of this line, to be reached by the miner, except near the valley
of the Arkansas river in Pulaski county.

The coal beds interstratified amongst the beds of the millstone grit, are
too thin to be worked profitably by drifts.

Where the porous sandstones of the millstone grit form synclinal troughs
under the drainage of the country, there are favorable positions for reach-
ing productive brines by boring. Several of these saline troughs seem to
exist, six to twelve miles north of the Arkansas river, in Crawford, Frank-
lin, Johnson, and Conway counties.

Large quantities of iron are disseminated amongst the beds of the mill-
stone grit’; when associated with the sandstones of that formation, it: is
generally too sandy to be smelted with profit and advantage ; but the under-
lying ferruginous shale in many places offers encouragement for the search
of the iron manufacturer, as for instance, at the Dwight Old Mission, in
Pope county ; on War Eagle, in Madison county; and the centre of Wash-
ington county. The bog iron ore of Pulaski county, 8 miles north-east of
Little Rock, promises to be sufficiently extensive to supply a furnace, ac-
cording to the report of the Assistant Geologist.

The time allotted for working up and reporting on the materials which
have been collected during the field work of this and the preceding season,
has been too short to admit of the full digest, due consideration, and minute
analysis of all the subjects and specimens now on record, and in the office
of the Arkansas survey; we have, in fact, only been able to make a com-
mencement towards a thorough investigation of even the resources now
within our reach. If the means are provided, we hope, hereafter tobe able
to complete this important, interesting, and useful work, begun under such
favorable auspices. , :

If the survey is continued, it would be desirable to put at least three
corps in the field, in order to carry forward the work as rapidly as possi-
ble. For that purpose, the geological appropriation should be equal to
that in Missouri; that is, twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) per annum.

OF ARKANSAS. 139

With this amount, the geological reconnoissance of the rest of the State
could be completed in the next two years, and considerable progress made,
at the same time, towards surveying the mineral districts in detail.

As one of the great ulterior objects of the geological survey of the State,
is the construction of a geological map, in which the areas of the geolo-
gical formations can be distinctly laid down, and their boundaries accu-
rately defined, it will become necessary, particularly through the country
bordering on thé confines of two geological formations, as well as in the
mineral districts, to define the ridges, hills, and mountain ranges, on sec-
tional maps, since the limits of formations often conform to, and are inti-
mately connected with, the relief and topography of the country. The
law authorizing a geological survey of the State, in detail, should, there-
fore, provide that the geologist have access to all sectional, county, and
other maps, records and profiles of railroads and other surveys, so as to
afford him every facility in laying down such topographical and geo-
graphical details, as may be necessary for the accurate exhibition of the
geology of the State. It may become necessary, too, at the same time, to
run a judicious system of levels in connection with lines of odometer mea-
surements over parts of the country, in order to define with accuracy the
elements of dip, the thickness of the formations and their individual mem-
bers, and to form a basis of calculation for identifying equivalent beds,
estimating the depth or height at which any known bed of coal, iron ore,
or other valuable mineral deposit, can be found, when concealed by debris,
or carried by the inclination of the strata beneath the water courses.

This can all be done if adequate means are furnished, and it is only by
the adoption of such a system of operations, that a complete detailed sur.
vey of the State can be made.

I may add, in this connection, that, without exceeding the appropriation
above named, and with very little additional expense over and above
what must necessarily be expended, otherwise, in the various -geological
departments, a botanical survey of the State could be instituted, if ‘con-
sidered advisable, without organizing a corps for that branch alone; and
many useful items could, in the same way, be gathered in other depart-
ments of the natural history of the State of Arkansas.

The chemical department is already well organized, so that, if the con-
tinuance of the survey be provided for, the chemical work can be carried
forward, with despatch, upon the same plan as heretofore provided for.

In carrying out such an important work as this, the paleontological
department must, of course, not be neglected; that is, the collection of
the organic remains or fossils of the different rocks, and the ultimate
determination of their generic and specific characters; in fact, without

140 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

attention to this, the geologist would, dispense with one of his principal
aids in drawing important practical inferences and proofs corroborative of
his assertions. This branch of the survey might appear to some, without
due reflection, a matter of little importance; but when we consider that
it is the surest and safest guide to the identification of. all the formations
of sedimentary origin, and even of the individual members of such for-
mations, as for instance, the beds of coal, we discover that it is the index,
the criterion, the sign, the “ divining rod,” if I may so express it, which is
to lead the geologist in his search after mineral wealth.

I cannot present the practical importance, as well as the interest con-
nected with the study of these relics of bygone ages, in a stronger light
than by inserting here an extract from my report of the surveys made in
behalf of the United States, some years since, in the North-west:

“‘ The study of the organic remains of rocks is, indeed, a most beautiful, a
most fascinating research. What can be more extraordinary: that. we,
the generation of the nineteenth century, should exhume froni out the
hard substance of the solid rocks, the delicate forms of organic beings of
bygone ages, and display to the wondering eye of the naturalist, even
their minute anatomical details? And this, not alone of races which
inhabited this earth in times immediately preceding the human epoch; we
are even permitted to contemplate, and restore to our perceptions, the
very fishes, mollusks, and corals, that swarmed in the carboniferous seas
millions of ages ago. The animal matter composing their tissues and
bones is indeed gone, but the simultaneous mineral infiltrations preserve
a perfect counterpart. We can depict those remarkable and elegant forms
of vegetation which constituted the forests, that fringed the shores of that
same treacherous and overwhelming ocean. We seize them in the very
act of uncoiling their frond, and unfold to the admiring gaze of the
botanist, that luxuriant canopy of foliage that once waved in the sea-
breeze nurturing their stems. We accomplish even more than this: we
can read the records of myriads of the lower orders of animals, that date
their existence yet further back than the times that gave growth to trees,
now stored up as mineral fuel in the bowels of the earth—to times at least
as long prior to the coal formation, as that geological era is antecedent to
the present time ; we can assign to each its place in the zoological systems,
and fill up the gaps in the existing orders of the animal and vegetable
kingdoms.

“ To think that we, at this day, can demonstrate the structure of the eye
of some of these—the most ancient races—and even count the lenses by
which light was concentrated to the optic nerve, is truly astonishing! Is

OF ARKANSAS. 141!

it then surprising that it should engage the attention of the closet philoso-
pher, and awaken the enthusiasm of the enterprising explorer?

“But paleontology isnot a study of mere curious, scientific inquiry; ithas
also its practical inferences, and these of the most important character,
with their direct matter-of-fact bearings. In illustration of this view of
the subject, permit me, in this connection, to direct the attention of the
reader to Figs. 1, 5, and 6, of Table IV.* The fossil corals represented
in these engravings, are found imbedded in the subcarboniferous lime-
stones, and near the top of the series; always under the true productive
coal-bearing beds; never above these, or included in them; and nowhere
else. This geological fact holds good, not only in Iowa, but through the
entire range of the subcarboniferous limestones in Indiana, Ilinois, Ken-
tucky, and Tennessee. In not a single instance, from the range of the
Cumberland. mountains, on the east, to the interior of Iowa, on the west,
has a workable bed of coal been discovered in a position beneath the
strata of limestone containing these corals. In these organic remains,
then, we find the surest, the most unerring guide in the search after this
valuable article of commerce, that warms our houses, that drives our
steam engines, by which we navigate our rivers, lakes, and oceans; that
propels the machinery by which we weave our fabrics; that reduces our
iron, by which we cultivate our soil, and carry on every conceivable
mechanical operation; that refines our metals, that contributes to the pro-
duction of both the necessaries and luxuries of life, and by which we
transmit intelligence with the swiftness of lightning, to stations the most
remote. Without the knowledge of this fact, millions of dollars might be
expended—have been expended—in fruitless and hopeless mining opera-
tions after geological incompatibilities.

“ All the figures on Table V, A and B,* are equally persistent in their
undeviating geological position, quite below the productive coal measures,
as well as beneath these same coral-bearing beds. -

“In stratigraphical paleontology we have, then, the safest and the most
trustworthy index to direct our explorations after mineral treasures in the
fossiliferous strata.”

* See Geological Report of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, 1852.

CHEMICAL REPORT

OF THE

ORES, ROCKS, AND MINERAL WATERS

OF

ARKANSAS,

BY N

WILLIAM ELDERHORST, M.D.,

CHEMICAL ASSISTANT TO THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

CuemicaL Lasoratory or Taz Grotogican Survey,
New Harmony, Indiana, September, 1858.
Dr. Davin Date Owen,
State Geologist of Arkansas:

Sm—lIn conformity with your instructions, I herewith transmit to you
the Chemical Report of the Geological Survey of Arkansas, containing
the chemical analyses of such ores, rocks, etc., as you deemed most impor-
tant for incorporation into this volume.

The analyses have all been performed in the chemical laboratory of the
survey, with the exception of the qualitative examinations of the natural
waters, which were executed in the field. Among the valuable mineral
productions, in which the northern counties of Arkansas abound, special
attention has been paid to the ores of zinc. Specimens of the ores from
all the principal localities which were visited by us in the first field excur-
sion in the fall of 1857, have been subjected to analysis, and I should not
neglect to state, that I have endeavored, by a careful selection of average
specimens, to give to those, more directly interested in those mines, a
correct idea of the average value of these ores. Iam happy to say, that
the results of my examinations even surpass the favorable opinion which I
formed of their value in the field; and there remains no doubt, in my
opinion, that with judicious management, the working of these mines
and smelting of the ores, extracted therefrom, will prove not only very
remunerative to the enterprising miner and smelter, but highly beneficial
to that portion of the state in which these mines are situated. Much,
however, remains yet to be done with regard to the development of the
mineral riches of these counties: analyses ought to be made of the differ-
ent kinds of ore taken from the old mines, as well as of specimens from
the newly discovered mines*; all the rocks associated with the ores, ought

*Mr. E. T. Cox collected specimens of ore from new localities during the field-excursion in
the spring of 1858, but from some unaccountable reagon, the boxes containing them, have not yet
arrived.

10

146 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

to be carefully examined (the analyses of a few of them you will find
detailed on p. 176, etc.), in order to establish a rational connexion between
the general geological features of the country and the mineral deposits,
and to discover, if possible, the hidden cause which occasioned the for-
mation of such extensive deposits, and exercised so powerful a pseudo-
morphic action as is evidenced in that part of the state.

I beg leave to call your attention, in the next place, to the analyses of
the ores of manganese. You will perceive, by a glance at the table on
p. 166, that the analytical results here are also very favorable; the ores
are valuable to the bleacher, the paper and the glass manufacturer, and
I confidently believe, that by pursuing a rational system of mining, and
examining carefully the neighborhood of the veins on Lafferty creek, an
ore still more valuable, the “pyrolusite” of the mineralogists will be dis-
covered, an opinion based on the observation: that the last mentioned
mineral almost invariably occurs associated with psilomelane and brau-
nite, the minerals already found. I have endeavored, on p. 167, etc., to
establish rational formulas for the composition of these ores, in the expec-
tation of throwing some light on the mutual chemical relation which the
various, so closely connected minerals, bear towards each other; I hope
that the continuance of the survey may enable me, by an additional series of
analyses, to draw some general conclusions as to their formation, mutual
relation, and probable origin.

As to the remaining portion of my Report, no further remarks appear
necessary: the analyses speak for themselves. .

The reasons which prompted me to append a chapter on the “ methods
of analysis,” I have given below.

All which is respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM ELDERHORST,
Chemical Assistant.

ORES OF ZINC.

The ores from two counties only have as yet been subjected to analy-
sis, viz: those from Lawrence county and Marion county; [one from Inde-
pendence county, see “ Appendix.’’]

A.—ORES OF ZINC FROM LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Ores, containing zinc, especially in the shape of carbonate of zinc, have
been found at numerous localities in this county. The richest diggings
are situated in the vicinity of Calamine, and at the time of our visit, the
deepest excavations had been made at the localities, designated, respec-
tively, as the Hoppe mine, Bath mine, and Koch mine. Specimens of the
ore taken from these three mines, were subjected to analysis. The ore
occurs in cavities (pockets and veins) in dolomite, and in most cases, is
found imbedded in a stiff, red, feruginous clay. Both, the dolomite and
¢ae clay, contain small quantities of zinc, (compare analyses Nos. 32, 34
and 35.) In some cases, however, the ore is closely connected with the
dolomite, either adhering to its surface, or filling small cavities in the
rock, or traversing the dolomite in small veins, rarely more than a quarter
of an inch in diameter.

A.—Ore from the Hoppe mine.

By far the greater quantity of the ore found at this mine, is a massive,
amorphous, hydrous carbonate of zinc, of pale grayish-yellow color;
soft; breaks easily; powder of a pale cream color; small pieces dissolve
readily in dilute hydrochloric acid, with effervescence. The composition
of this mineral is given below, No. 1; the analysis may be considered to

148 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

represent the composition of a fair average-specimen of the whole of the
ore brought out from this mine. The ore No. 1, contains, occasionally,
cavities in which small yellow crystals of blende (sulphuret of zinc) are
found.

Although of comparatively rare occurrence at this locality, large
crystals of blende are occasionally met with, sometimes imbedded in dolo-
mite and surrounded by masses of flesh-colored, crystallized smithsonite,
(carbonate of zinc), and pearlspar. Crystals of smithsonite are abundant;
they are either found in the small veins traversing the dolomite (No. 32),
or forming the outer layer of irregular masses of ore, imbedded in red
clay; the crystals are of pale yellow, pale red, or flesh-color, rough on the
exterior, frequently possessing curved faces. A few hand-specimens pre-
sented the appearance of a brecciated rock; here, angular fragments of a
light reddish-gray, very. close-textured dolomite (?) of splintery fracture,
were imbedded in a matrix of greenish-gray, coarser grained dolomite,
intermixed with flesh-colored crystals of smithsonite.

The great mass of the ore occurs imbedded in red, feruginous clay, in
more or less rounded, irregular pieces. These pieces frequently consist
of three distinct layers: the outer one is formed of well-developed crys-
tals of pure smithsonite; then follows a layer of amorphous smithsonite,
possessing the physical properties of the above described ore, No. 1, which
passes gradually into a very soft amorphous mass of the composition
given in No. 2, and which is nothing but the same mineral constituting
the second layer, intermixed with some clay and other impurities. Its
color is from cream-color to brownish-yellow; it is easily scraped with a
knife, yielding a cream-colored powder.

No. 1. Massive, amorphous, carbonate of zinc.
Composition dried at 230 deg. F:

Clay, and silicia «++ sees eee ee eae teeeeeeee 18,805
Carbonate of ZiInGs + eset eee ree erence arenes 75.474
6 & JME) oer ee ecw ec er erence eeens 0.364

a MAQNESIA + see e eve ners eceene trace
Peroxide of iron, and alumina-......+.+.6+. 1.771
Water, and losss +s sees eee eee e een eeees rete 3.586
100.000

The air-dried ore lost 0.69 per cent. of moisture at 230 deg. F.

The carbonic acid in the carbonates of zinc and lime amounts to 26.685
per cent.; a separate experiment, on treating the pulverized mineral with
hydrochloric acid in a carbonic acid apparatus, gave 26.881 per cent.
Some of the iron was probably in the state of proto-carbonate.

OF ARKANSAS. 149

75.474 per eent. of carbonate of zinc, are equal to 48.95 per cent. of
oxide of zinc, or to 39.30 per cent. of metallic zinc.

No. 2. Same as No. 1, impure.
Composition, dried at 230 deg. F:

Clay, and silica ++ +e+eeseeeee teeeeeeeeeees 31,069

Carbonate of Zinc. +. sees cree ce ee ween eens 51.111

“ tO Viriiey 4 bask a eas oe Lone tests 8.114

‘ “ magnesia-+.+.-.. i 4.417
Peroxide of iron, with traces of alumina and

MANGANESE+ see reer es ee sree rnerenveee 4.800

99.191

The air-dried mineral lost 1.29 per cent. of moisture at 230 deg. F.
51.111 per cent. of carbonate of zine are equal to 33.149 per cent. of
oxide of zinc, or to 26.60 per cent. of metallic zinc.

B.— Ore from the Bath mine.

The prevailing ore at this locality is a massive, brownish-yellow, cellular
smithsonite; the cavities are clad out with botryoidal incrustations of
grayish-white smithsonite, and occasional buff-colored crystals of the same
mineral. The surface of the ore is covered with a thin crust of yellowish-
red clay. Several pieces of the ore were crushed, well mixed, and from
the mixture two samples taken for analysis, (No. 3 and No. 4).

At this mine occurs also the light-colored, soft variety of carbonate of
zinc, partly amorphous, partly sub-crystalline, pieces of about a cubic
inch of which are cemented together by the dark brownish-gray or
brownish-yellow cellular smithsonite above described; the dark-gray cel-
lular masses often consist of concentric layers, the outer layers being gen-
erally of a much lighter color,and contain occasionally crystals of brown
blende.

The dolomite containing the ore at this locality, abounds with small
veins of pearlspar, and with amygdaloidal cavities, sometimes an inch
wide and two and a half inches long, which are filled with crystals of
pearlspar and blende.

No. 3. Brownish-yellow, cellular, smithsonite.
Composition, dried at 250 deg. F:

Clay, and silicas++++++seeseeees seen seas 8.831
Carbonate of zinc: +++++++++ feeesseeteneeees 86490
6c So Jie cee seen reese . eee ee 0.742

150 - GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Alumina, sesquioxides of iron and manganese, 4.389

Oxide of lead «es ce eee en seeeveees wea er cane trace
« © coppers +++ seen eee ree eterenee oe trace
100.452

The air-dried ore lost 0.50 per cent. of moisture at 250 deg. F.
86.49 per cent. of carbonate of zinc are equal to 56.099 per cent. of
oxide of zinc, or to 45.045 per cent. of metallic zinc.

No. 4. Same as No. 3; different specimen.

The analysis of this sample was executed by igniting the ore, and
extracting the oxide of zinc with a mixture of ammonia and carbonate of
ammonia, (compare “ methods of analysis,” below.)

Composition of air-dried ore:

Carbonic acid and water. +--+ +sseeeeues 32.150
‘Silica, clay, iron, lime, etc-++-+-+++++: s+» 14.519
Oxide of zinc--.-- Fatale Rowad aaa EAE eae ah al FRO aie 53.331

100.000

53.331 per cent. of oxide of zinc are equal to 42.822 per cent. of me-
tallic zinc.

The residue, left after the treatment with ammonia, etc., and which
consists essentially of clay, was found, on examination, to contain some
oxide of zinc, showing that a small portion of this oxide must exist in the
ore in combination with silica, forming silicate of zinc, a compound
insoluble in ammonia. On comparing analysis No. 4 with No. 3, it
appears that about 3 per cent. of oxide of zinc are combined with silica.

C.—Ore from the Koch mine.

The principal ore from this mine is a cellular, subcrystalline mass of
brownish-white and grayish-white color; within the cavities, the surface of
the smithsonite is botryoidal and usually covered with a very thin layer of
red clay; this mineral is intimately associated and intermixed with an
amorphous, grayish-yellow, massive variety of carbonate of zinc, resem-
bling ore No.1, from the Hoppe mine. Its powder has a pale cream
color.

Three different specimens of this ore were analyzed; of the first speci-
men a complete analysis was made, showing the total amount of oxide of
zine present, and the quantitative relation of the impurities. The other
two specimens were analyzed after the method employed for No. 4, show-
ing only the amount of oxide of zinc that is contained in the ore in the

state of carbonate or hydrate.
i

OF ARKANSAS. 151

No. 5. Brownish-white, cellular smithsonite.
Composition, dried at 250 deg. F:

Siligawareauaad< ic isst a wae Bererle hes garb 0.501
Oxide of zinc s+. eeceeseaee 8) 98a) Goh 'eue at er 8's ge ha fo 61.753
Peroxide of iron.+..+... bee eeeeees err 0.552
Alumina ».+.+. mar erat gree areca een has Selhlea we 0.097
Lime «esse eens asa Gielen area) @ierager ee tewe ede Warder : 1.338
Magnesia. -s eee cee ee cccc cece sence aay eae trace.
Carbonic acid, water, and loss--...-..+++4- 35.759

100.000

The air-dried ore lost 0.14 per cent. of moisture at 250 deg. F.
61.753 per cent. of oxide of zinc are equal to 49.59 per cent of metallic
zinc.

No. 6. Same as No. 5; different specimen.
Composition of air-dried ore:

Carbonic acid and water «-+-+eseeeeeeeeees 85.911
Insoluble residue (silica, iron, lime, etc.,).-+- 6.839
Oxide: Of Zins soos 0c s se ewe ea bee aol ees apes 57.250

100.000

No. 7. Same as No. 5; different specimen.
Composition of air-dried ore:

Carbonic acid and water + «+++ esse er eeees 35.267
Insoluble residue (silica, iron, lime, etc,,)- +++ 8.298
Oxide of Zinc. ++ -s cece ence ener ee ee ee aeee 56.445

100.000

The mean of analyses Nos. 6 and 7, shows 56.847 per cent. of oxide
of zinc, combined with carbonic acid or water, which is equal to 45.65 per
cent. of metallic zinc. In both cases, the residue from the treatment with
ammonia, was found to contain zinc, whence the presence of a small
quantity of silicate of zinc may be inferred.

B.—ORES OF ZINC FROM MARION COUNTY.

In this county, the only locality from which specimens of ores of zinc
were obtained, is known as “ Wood’s mine,” situated, section 13, township
19 north, range 17 west, on the west branch of George creek. The ore
occurs here, as in Lawrence county, in pockets or veins in dolomite (the
analysis of which is given in No. 34,) and is in most cases found imbedded

+

152 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

in ferruginous clay. The most valuable ore is a compact, cellular, sub-
crystalline smithsonite, of brownish-white and grayish-white color, surface
botryoidal, resembling, in its general appearance, the. principal ore from
the Koch mine, (analysis No. 5); the cavities are partially filled with clay.
The subjoined analysis, No. 8, represents the composition of this ore.
The sample has been carefully selected, so as to approach as near as
possible to the composition of a fair average-specimen. ;

Well developed crystals of smithsonite, abundant in the mines of Law-
rence county, appear to be entirely wanting, as are also the thin veins of
pearlspar, traversing the dolomite. In theirstead, the dolomite is frequently
found incrusted with a compact mass of a pale brownish-white, or
greenish-white carbonate of zinc, with ‘botryoidal surface, consisting of a
succession of concentric layers, the whole deposit having sometimes a
thickness of upwards of half an inch. Its hardness is between 4 and 5;
streak white; translucent; brittle; fracture splintery; heated in a glass-tube,
closed at one end, gives no water, but turns opaque and yellow, after
cooling opaque and white; on charcoal before the blowpipe, gives the
reactions of oxide of zinc. Its composition is given in No. 9. Interven,
ing between this mineral and the dolomite, a thin layer of crystallized
quartz, of brownish color, is frequently met with; the quartz in the sub-
joined analysis (No. 9), is probably derived from an intermixture of this
layer with the carbonate of zinc.

No. 8. Brownish-white, cellular, smithsonite.
Composition, dried at 212 deg. F:

Clay, sand, and silica .-+-+s sees cues eeeeeee 7.523
Oxide OE SVEN Cs esha ah aca santas Siecsh, weg AR Sea eosr aoe 59.770
Peroxide of iron, with trace of manganese. - 3.507
Oxide of cadmium. +++ +. se ce eee e cree eeens 0.486
(OA dicw.e eatee Ss BASE HERRERA Ra 0.066
ee “ copper: Seb ee meee r ere eeseeene trace
TAME. Sevwsnscee we eaawi ees wa awe we 0.466
Magnesia eee ee ne oe ae ee Lore ea a ee a trace
Carbonic acid, water, and loss.+++++++eeee- 28.182
100.000

The air-dried ore lost 1.84 per cent. of moisture at 212 deg. F.
59.77 per cent. of oxide of zinc are equal to 47.97 per cent. of metallic
zinc.

The iron has been represented as peroxide, because the greater part of
¥

ere ic:

OF ARKANSAS. 153

it has certainly been derived from the red clay, filling the cavities of the
ore.

No. 9. Compact smithsonite, incrusting dolomite.
Composition, dried at 212 deg. F:

Quartz... eee eee eens See eee eee eee eee ees 1.512
Oxide of zinc. ..++....06. a Ae Rea Oa a eas 65.967
SC TRON ss ee ees eae ewe Se nee a oe trace
LAC. 48.644 6466 4 view POS HA OT S68 REED ERS 1.067
Magnesia. +++. eee e cece e cece eee e ences trace
Carbonie acid, and loss:-+++++seeeeeeeeeees 81.454
100.000

The air-dried mineral lost 0.116 per cent. of moisture at 212 deg. F.

From the high per centage of oxide of zinc in this mineral, it would
appear to be a basic carbonate of zinc, but as no direct carbonic acid
determination was made, it is not, at present, possible to construct a for-
mula for its composition.

Rounded pieces of dark-gray, subcrystalline dolomite appear, sometimes,
as if cemented by carbonate of zinc, which surrounds the fragments in
concentric, incrusting layers. The carbonate of zinc is of grayish, brown-
ish, or reddish color; between its layers, but mostly between the dolomite
and the carbonate of zinc, a white mineral is occasionally observed, whose
properties and composition are given in No. 10.

No. 10. Martonrrz, a new hydrous carbonate of zinc.

Occurs in concentric and contorted lamine, also, in botryoidal and mam-
milated incrustations; amorphous; earthy; color milk-white; hardness 2.5;
easily reduced to powder; powder milk-white.

Dissolves readily, and completely, in cold dilute hydrochloric acid, with
effervescence; also, when pulverized, in ammonia; in both solutions, sul-
phydrate of ammonia produces a white precipitate. Heatedin a matrass,
yields water and turns yellow; heated before the blowpipe with a solution
of nitrate of cobalt, assumes a bright green color; on charcoal, behaves like
oxide of zinc.

On being ignited in a platina capsule, the mineral lost 26.818 per cen
the residue, dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and the solution precipitated
with carbonate of soda, gave 73.262 per cent. of oxide of zinc.

Carbonic acid and water--+-++-+-+> teeeeees 26.818
Oxide of Zinc ss sseerees cere ese eeseeeeeees 73.262

100.080

154 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The water was determined by heating the mineral in a small glass
retort, the neck of which was connected with a chloride of calcium tube.
The experiment gave 11.808 per cent. of water; this deducted from the
total loss by ignition gives the carbonic acid; hence, the composition is:

Oxide: of 2inG« 6s tiaras ie ek ie ww eae eee 73.262
"WA: o.6.4) ba a ies 5 aS aie Ee ee A ew Hie ea wees 11.808
Carbonic acide seer sseecescceceescvcesvans 15.010

100.080

The only mineral known consisting of oxide of zinc, carbonic acid,
and water, is Smithson’s “zinc-bloom,” for which the formula
3 ZnO.CO?-|-3 HO has been constructed. This formula requires: *

Found by Smithson.

Oxide of zines ++ ++ -eeeeeeeees 71.28 69.38
Carbonic acid --.-+-- tee eeees 12.89 13.50
Water ocsceccccvceseccenece 15.83 15.10

100.00 97.98

Von Kobell § constructed for this mineral the formula

3 [2 ZnO.CO?}-|-2 [ZnO.3HO], which does not agree with Smithson’s
analysis, and which, therefore, cannot be considered as expressing the
composition of zinc-bloom. But Von Kobell’s formula agrees very well
with the analytical results obtained by me for the above-described mineral,
which has to be considered a new species, or at least a new variety of
zinc-bloom, and for which I propose the name of “ Marionite.” +

In 100 Found *
Se ye

&
8 Zn O 324.24 72.99 73.262
3 CO? 66.00 14.86 15.010
6 HO 54.00 * 12.15 11.808
444,24 100.00 100.080

Blende (sulphuret of zinc), occurs abundantly at Wood’s mine. It is
mostly of dark brown color, and large crystals are frequently found
cemented by irregular masses of impure smithsonite. In some specimens
the blende presents a cellular appearance, as if acted upon by a dissoly-
ing liquid; the cavities are generally coated with a layer of minutely crys-
talline carbonate of zinc, of gray or reddish color.

* y. Dana’s mineralogy, 4th ed. p. 460.
§ v. Rammelsberg’s Handworterbuch, etc., vol. 2, p. 295.
+ Want of material prevented a repetition of the analysis.

OF ARKANSAS. 155

The blende is very pure, though occasionally small particles of iron
pyrites and copper pyrites are visible. Fragments of a large crystal, of
brownish-yellow color, were found, on examination, to be pure sulphuret
of zinc, with only 0.47 per cent. of sulphuret of cadmium, and a trace of
copper. The qualitative examination of another specimen showed the
presence of a small amount of cadmium, with traces of copper and iron.

0)

The subjoined table will furnish a comprehensive view of the composi-
tion of the ores from the various localities; the numbers in the column
“carbonic acid and water,” have mostly been obtained by subtracting from
100 the sum of the directly determined constituents. Thinking it a mat-
ter of some interest, to compare the ores of Arkansas with those of other
countries, I have added a few analyses of the ores of Upper Silesia, where
about one-half of all the manufactured zinc is produced, and some other
localities, and it will be seen, on comparison, that the Arkansas ores are
inferior to none, and superior even to the famous Silesian ores.

1 to 9 correspond to Nos. 1 to 9 of the Report; 10, analysis of a
white compact smithsonite from the “ Planet-Grube,” near Tarnowitz,
Upper Silesia; 11, analysis of a compact smithsonite from the “ Marie
Grube,” near Miechowitz, Upper Silesia; 12, analysis of a red compact
smithsonite from same locality; 18, analysis of a white compact smith-
sonite from the “ Scharley-Grube,” near Beuthen, Upper Silesia; 14, ana-
lysis of ared compact smithsonite from Polonia; 15, analysis of a compact,
brownish, smithsonite from the “ Busbacher Berg,” near Aachen, Prussia;
16, 17, and 18, crystallized smithsonites from Altenberg, near Aachen; 19
and 20, crystallized, green smithsonite from the ‘ Herrenberg,” near
Aachen; 21, crystallized smithsonite from Moresnet, Belgium. 10 to 14
have been analyzed by G. Von Gellhorn, [Chem. pharm. Centralblatt,
1853]; 15 to 20 by Monheim, [Chem. pharm. Centralblatt, 1850, and Dana,
system of mineralogy, 4th ed.]; 21, by Schmidt, [Rammelsberg, 5th supple-
ment.]

"156 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

A Carbonic Silica and 3 Alumina
Oxide of : = Peroxide : ’
zine. an ‘Glteatbe of iron. ca
ye Say * wv ee ee rain’ aan
XR _,
YY
1 48-950 30-271 18-805 1-974
2 33-149 23-612 31-069 11-361
3 56-099 30-717 8-831 4-805
x w
: an
4 53-331 32-150 14-519
ae aye _,
5 61-753 35-759 0-501 1-987
XR aye J
6 57-250 35-911 6-839
7 56-445 39-267 8-298
8 59-770 28-182 7-523 3-507 1-018
9 65 - 967 31-454 1-512 trace 1-067
ae 7 a:
10 49-77 31-22 20-48
11 27-02 26-63 16-58 10-86 19-79
12 39-15 30-36 0-35 17-40 12.74
13 42-12 30-35 8-42 1-49 17-60
ee =)
a a
14 48-07 33-49 18-03
15 60-97 10-32 18-79 9-52 1-67
eet SF
aA
16 39-11 62-00
17 36-22 62-28
18 55-04 44-54
19 55-59 45-56
20 48-23 50-69
21 63-06 35-06 1-58 0-34

The smelting of zinc from these ores, although not quite as simple a
process as the smelting of lead from galena, offers no difficulties: the ore,
reduced to a proper size, is simply mixed with a sufficient quantity of coal,
and heated, in a closed vessel, to a temperature high enough to cause the
reduction of the oxide; the metal, being volatile, distills over and is col-
lected in a receiver. The execution of the process varies somewhat in
practice; at present, three methods are principally in use, known as the
English, the Belgfan, and the Silesian method, each possessed of its pecu-
liar advantages and disadvantages.

The only preliminary operation which the ores are subjected to, besides
the necessary sorting and bruising, is the calcination, (and even this opera-
tion is sometimes omitted in England). The calcination is generally per-
formed in reverberatory furnaces, and has the object of removing carbonic
acid and water, and lessening the cohesion of the ore; it is a necessary
operation if the carbonate of zinc contains blende, to convert the latter
into oxide of zinc; in this case, a small proportion of coal must be added.

OF ARKANSAS. 157

Where fuel is cheap, the calcination is advantageously performed in heaps.
The heaps are formed by alternate layers of wood and carbonate of zinc;
fire is set to the lowest layer of wood, and the ore left to the influence of
heat and air; by this means the water is removed, but not the carbonic
acid, and the state of cohesion lessened.

In the Enexisu process, the calcined ore is mixed with about one-seventh
of its weight of coal, and filled into large crucibles or pots. These pots
are made of fire-clay, and cement of old pounds finely ground; they are
covered with a lid, through an orifice of which the charge is introduced,
-and are provided, at the bottom, with an aperture; to this aperture a long
sheet iron pipe is joined, which dips, at its end, into a vessel filled with
water. On heat being applied, the oxide of zinc becomes reduced, the
metal is vaporized, passes through the iron pipe, and collects in drops in
the water vessel. From 6 to 8 pots are placed in a furnace; a furnace
will work up from 6 to 10 tons of ore in 14 days, consuming from 22 to 24
tons of coal, and yielding 2 tons of zinc, on an average. A pot lasts
about four months.

In the Beteran process, the reduction furnace is filled with long, hori-
zontal earthen tubes, from 3 to 4 feet long, and from 4 to 5 inches in
diameter; 22 tubes in each furnace; the tubes are filled with a mixture of
ground ore and coal, (1 volume of ore to $ to 3 volumes of coke or char-
coal, broken to pieces the size of nuts); to each tube a conical piece of
cast-iron is attached, in a slightly slanting position; these conical pipes
serve as receivers and condensers of the vaporized zinc, and are raked
out every two hours. Each earthen tube holds 40 ibs of the mixture of
ore and coal; the distillation is completed in 12 hours, and each furnace
yields every 12 hours, 100 ibs. of crude zinc; on being remelted and cast
into moulds, the crude zine loses 10 per cent. For every pound of zine,
about 28 ibs. of coal are used.

In the Sruzsian processs, the small earthen tubes are replaced by muffles,
made of fire-clay mixed with ground potsherds; the muffles are from 8 to
4 feet long, and have adiameter of from 14 to 18 inches. The number of
muffles in a furnace varies from 5 to 10; in Upper Silesia, double furnaces,
holding 20 muffles, are in use. The charge consists of calcined ore mixed
with an equal volume (about one-fifth by weight) of cinders. A single
muffle will produce from 40 to 50 ibs. of zinc daily. A muffle will last
several months.

The crude zinc obtained by any of the above described processes has to
be remelted; in this operation the heat must not rise above a low red-heat,
and the surface covered with a layer of charcoal. Experience has shown
that, with careful management, 100 tbs. of crude zinc will yield from 92

158 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

to 94 kbs. of purified zinc, and from 12 to 16 fbs of ascoria, containing
nearly 50 per cent. of zinc.

The preceding data I have collected from the most reliable works on
metallurgy which I had at my command. They would be more valuable
if I could have added a calculation of the probable expense at which a
furnace can be worked, and also.of the probable expense of erection; but
the prices of building material, fuel, etc., the wages of workmen, and all
other contingent expenses being so extremely variable, the conditions
“under which the mining and smelting of the ore are carried on in Europe
being so little comparable to the circumstances which would surround
similar enterprises in Arkansas, I] very much doubt whether a calculation
of that kind, even if it could have been made with some approach to
accuracy, would have benefited any one anxious to get information on the
subject. The above data teach how much metallic zine can be produced
in a certain time, with a furnace of a certain construction and size, how
much fuel will be consumed in the operation, and how much of the crude
ore is probably required to effect the result; this is all that science can
teach—commerce and political economy must furnish the rest of the desired
information. To one point, however, I wish to call particular attention,
viz: the richness of the Arkansas ores; in all calculations respecting the
probable success of active mining and smelting operations, this circum-
stance ought to enter as an important item, since, from it, we must reasona-
bly expect a comparative large yield of metal, and, therefore, larger
returns than ordinary, other circumstances being equal.

ORES OF LEAD.

Galena, or sulphuret of lead, is the only ore of lead as yet found in the
northern counties of the state. The different kinds of galena which were
subjected to analysis, occur all in dolomite, either in pockets or veins;
they are all distinctly crystalline, forming, for the most part, large cubes,
with perfect cubical cleavage.

They are almost pure sulphuret of lead (containg 13.4 parts of sulphur
to 86.6 parts of lead), being perfectly free from zinc, antimony, and
copper; only three of them contain appreciable quantities of iron. All
the ores contain some silver, though probably only one of them (No. 14) a
sufficient quantity to be profitable for working. For the method employed

OF ARKANSAS. 159

in determining the amount of iron and silver, compare “ methods of
analysis,” below.

A—GALENA FROM MARION COUNTY.

No. 11. Galena, from Wood’s mine, section 13, township 19 north, range
17 west, west branch of George creek:

Occurs in the dolomite No. 34. Is pure sulphuret of lead without any
impurity but a trace of silver. The lead, smelted from the ore, contains
0.00624 per cent. of silver, equal to 1.67 ounces of silver in the ton of
galena (1 ton=2,000 ibs).

No. 12. Galena, from the New York company’s diggings:

Is pure sulphuret of lead, with a little sulphuret of iron, corresponding
to 0.103 per cent. of metallic iron. The lead, smelted from the ore, con-
tains 0.01066 per cent. of silver, equal to 2.88 ounces of silver in the ton
of galena.

No. 13. Galena, from Molton’s diggings, one mile above the fork of
Jemmy’s creek:

Is pure sulphuret of lead with a little sulphuret of iron, corresponding
to 0.16 percent. of metalliciron. The lead, smelted from the ore, contains
0.00294 per cent. of silver, equal to 0.784 ounces of silver in the ton of
galena.

No. 14. Galena, from Seawell’s diggings:

Is pure sulphuret of lead, without any impurities but a small quantity
of silver. The lead, smelted from the ore, contains 0.14014 per cent. of
silver, equal to 37.44 ounces of silver in the ton of galena.

No. 15. Galena, from Hudson’s diggings:

Is pure sulphuret of lead with only traces of iron andsilver. The lead,
smelted from the ore, contains 0.00746 per cent. of silver, equal to 2
ounces of silver in the ton of galena.

No. 16. Galena, from McCarty’s diggings:

Is pure sulphuret of lead, without any impurities but a trace of silver.
The lead, smelted from the ore, contains 0.00825 per cent. of silver, equal
to 2.25 ounces of silver in the ton of galena.

No. 17. Galena, from Jemmy’s creek diggings, near the forks:
Is pure sulphuret of lead, with a little sulphuret of iron, corresponding
to 0.1 per cent. of metallic iron, and a trace of silver. The lead, smelted

160 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

from the ore, contains 0.019 per cent. of silver, equal to 5 ounces of silver
in the ton of galena.

B.—GALENA FROM LAWRENCE COUNTY.

No. 18. Galena, from E. W. Haughton’s diggings:

Occurs associated with alight, ochre-yellow, argillaceous rock, contain-
ing oxide of zine (v. No. 37).

Is pure sulphuret of lead, with only traces of iron and silver. The
lead, smelted from the ore, contains 0.00292 per cent. of silver, equal to
0.78 ounces of silver in the ton of galena.

C.—GALENA FROM CARROLL COUNTY.

No. 19. Galena, from Coka and Mitchell’s diggings:

Is pure sulphuret of lead, with only traces of iron and silver. The
lead, smelted from the ore, contains 0.01083 per cent. of silver, equal to
2.9 ounces of silver in the ton of galena.

TABULAR VIEW—Of the composition of the different kin of galena
from the counties of Marion, Lawrence, and Carroll.

oSa

Contain in 100 parts,= S §

86.6 parts of lead.“ ="s

LOCALITY. with oo”

ge

Iron. Silver. jd ee

No. 11, from Wood’s mine-+++--+++eeerees none 0.00624] 1-67
No. 12, from New York company’s diggings: 0.108 0.01066} 2-88

No. 13, from Molton’s diggings: -++.+.++--+- 0.160 0.00294) 0-784
No. 14, from Seawell’s diggings. -+++++-+++. none 0.14014/37-44
No. 15, from Hudson’s diggings. +++. +++e+e- trace 0.00746 2-00
No. 16, from McCarty’s diggings. --+-.+.++.- none 0.00825) 2-25
No. 17, from Jemmy’s creek diggings------- 0.100 0.01990} 5-00
No. 18, from E. W. Houghton’s diggings. ..- trace 0.00292) 0-78
No. 19, from Coka & Mitchell’s diggings. ... trace 0.01083| 2-90

Only one of these ores (No. 14) would probably pay for the extraction
of the silver; the others are good lead ores. If, by sinking shafts, and
ascertaining the extent of the ore-deposit at Seawell’s diggings, the pre-
sence of a sufficient quantity of the ore can be proved, there is no doubt
that, with judicious management, the extraction of silver will prove very

OF ARKANSAS. 161

remunerative. In England, the average quantity of silver contained in
the lead which is worked for silver, is 7 or 8 ounces per ton, or about 6 or
7 ounces perton of galena.* The galena, from the mines of the “Middle-
town Silver and Lead Mining and Manufacturing Company,” in Connecti-
cut, contains from 25 to 75 oz. of silver to the ton (of 21 cwts) of lead.
The galena from the “ Washington mine,” North Carolina, contains only
7.5 oz. of silver in the ton (average of 200 assays). *,

ORES OF MANGANESE

OF the five specimens of ores of manganese, subjected to analysis, two
(Nos. 20 and 21) were collected on the spot; the other three, I received
from a gentleman in Batesville, who collected them at the localities below
mentioned.

No. 20 Psilomelane, from the main manganese mine, two miles above
West fork of Lafferty creek, Independence county:

Massive; lustre submetallic; color between dark steel-gray and iron-
black; hardness 5.5; fracture subcrystalline, hackly, somewhat resembling
the fracture of cast iron; brittle; strikes fire with steel; powder reddish-
brown.

Before the blowpipe, infusible alone; on charcoal in reduction flame
becomes reddish-brown; in a matrass, yields water; with fluxes, gives the
manganese reactions. Dissolves in hydrochloric acid with evolution of
chlorine, leaving a small residue of silica.

Occurs in veins traversing the encrinital beds of the cavernous limestone.

Composition, dried at 250 deg. F:

Manganoso-manganic oxide (Mn90‘)...--++++++- 91.367
Silica «+ sce ee eee eter ween ee ee tant n eee enene 9.845
ots Sei ees eee enee 0.512
Lime: ++seceeooee eee cece en reer en eeeee trace

100.655
The air-dried mineral lost 0.53 per cent. of moisture at 250 deg. F.

* See J. D. Whitney’s “Metallic Weulth of the United States.” Philadelphia, 1854.
11

162 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The above numbers are the direct result of analysis. In order to ascer-
tain how much of the volatile matter, expelled by heat, is water, and
how much oxygen, the pulverized mineral was heated in a platina capsule —
over the smallest flame of a spirit-lamp with Argand burner, until the
weight remained constant; the loss amounted to 1.82 per cent. The heat
was then raised and kept for about half an hour, just below redness: the
mineral did not suffer any further loss. Assuming the 1.82 per cent. of
volatile matter, expelled below red-heat, to be water, we obtain for oxygen
5.931—1.82—4.111 per cent. The 91.367 per cent. of manganoso-manga-
nic oxide consist of 84.995 parts of protoxide of manganese with 6.372
parts of oxygen; these, added to the above 4.111 per cent., give 10.483

per cent. of free oxygen, and the composition of the mineral may, there-
fore, be expressed thus:

Protoxide of manganes€++serrsetereaceeeenucees 84.995
Free OXYZEN+ seer t sce e eee ree eeerences eoseveee 10.483
Silica +++ ccc er cc cee snc ceesene eo Bihee ere ales es lie i epee 2.845
Baryta eee hea Breice oh . . . is fevefe Senate 0.512
Lime oe eeesscececes a eC ar are eet ar a er ae aCe CY trace
Water wa wees er ee tency eee seh Seca 1.820

100.655

As a controlling experiment, the amount of free oxygen was determined
by Mohr’s method [v. “methods of analysis,” below], and found to be 10.510
per cent.

No. 21. Psilomelane, from same locality as No. 20.
Massive; close-textured; color bluish steel-gray; hardness 5.5; fracture

splintery and subconchoidal; brittle; strikes fire with steel; powder reddish-
brown.

Before the blowpipe, and to reagents, behaves like the preceding.
Composition, dried at 250 deg. F:

Manganoso-manganic Oxide+++++essereseeeeees 88.628
Silene svawee«s Mrs eee a tre tee pr Nee 5.329 ”
Barytaicecececcc cence eee esewcescverersreseee 0.282
Lime: oc cee cecccccccscrereserevese Oe ee ee 1.178
Magnesia: - sie teicnce ace: Cerrar are garter ie ere $585" Wiese areas trace:

Water.and oxygen, expelled by heat.-.-++...+.. 4.483

99.850
The air-dried mineral lost 1.02 per cent. of moisture at 250 deg. F.

OF ARKANSAS. 163

The amount of free oxygen was determined by Mohr’s method to be
10.002 per cent.

Taking into consideration the quantity of free oxygen contained in the
88.628 per cent. of manganoso-manganic oxide, we obtain for water,
expelled at ared heat, 0.611 per cent.; hence, the composition of the
mineral may be expressed thus:

Protoxide of manganese +++-+++++++++++ 82.448
Free oxygen: ++++seeees seeerenvereeoee 10.002
Aces eR ee ee 5.329
Baryta::+ tee eeeees ree 0.282
Lime--.-+c.eee cae any 1.178
Magnesia +++-+++++- ‘ cane tases trace
Water--.-+-» eB ua oh 6 dearer a aloce e etiee eae Sih 0.611

99.850

No. 22. Wad, from near the North fork of White river, Izard county.

A brecciated rock; the matrix consists of wad, in which angular pieces
of white chert are imbedded. The wad possesses the following physical
and chemical properties:

Compact, amorphous; lustre dull, on rounded edges shining; color iron-
black; hardness 4; powder dark brownish olive-green.

Heated on charcoal in reduction flame, turns reddish-brown; heated in
a matrass, yields water copiously, at a low heat. With fluxes gives the
reactions of manganese. Dissolves readily in hydrochloric acid, with
evolution of chlorine, and separation of silica.

Having but a small specimen at my disposal, and the siliceous mineral
adhering very firmly to the ore, I could not collect enough of the pure
wad for the purpose of analysis, but was compelled to analyze the
mixture.

The mixed minerals, dried at 220 deg. F., had the following compo-
sition:
Manganoso-manganic oxide-+++++++++++ 51.365

Silica: ss essere eect ence eeeeeneneneeens 26,230
Alumina, with trace of iron-++++++s+e+- 6.245
Oxide of cobalt. +... +see+0: wen eeens vee 0,104
Baryta: +++ o- see eeeeas teneees 1.875
Lime--t-ssee VEG bee) Ba eee err ar trace

Water and oxygen, expelled by heat-+.-- 14.889

100.708

164 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The air-dried mineral lost 2.1 per cent. of moisture at 220 deg. F.

The amount of free oxygen was ascertained by Mohr’s method to be
7.82 per cent. Taking into consideration the quantity of free oxygen
contained in the manganoso-manganic oxide, we obtain for water expelled
at a red heat 10.653 per cent.; hence, the composition of the mineral may
be thus expressed:

Protoxide of manganese:-++++++++++e5- 47,781
Free OXYZEN+ ++ seers Be task hE RUNS Te Oe, 7.820
Silica + ack cate Weise Can teas ekeeeae 96.990
Alumina, with trace of irons ..+.+eeeees 6.245
Oxide of cobalt... cc ec ee ee ener e ences 0.104
Baryta- Sarasa Raves a eel enelees ene eae susie 1.875
DS TATU E6855 Sicb 5S TES ate: Sara be Ghia eaten a arce trace
Water: ss eccccccverons ee a ee eC 10.653

100.708

Subtracting silica and alumina, as adventitious intermixtures, and cal-
culating the remaining constituents for 100 parts, we obtain for the wad
the following composition:

Protoxide of manganese +++++ssesseees 70.03
Free OXYZEN+ +s see ee Tee cee ee ee eee 11.46
Oxide of cobalt... sees eeecee er eeeeeee 0.15
Baryta Dem ee ee mer er eee eer ee neerene 2.75
LAG #8 oo ear ORE Pe ewe ae trace
Waterssseeevecees eect e re ee Tee eee eS 15.61

100.00

No. 23. Braunite (?), from Poke bayou, Marion county.

Massive; texture finely granular; lustre submetallic; color dark steel
gray; hardness 5.5; strikes fire with steel; powder grayish-black; much
more easily reduced to powder, than the two preceding minerals; wea-
thered surface shows brown spots of hydrate of peroxide of iron.

Before the blowpipe, infusible; on charcoal in reduction flame, becomes
pale reddish-gray at the point of contact with the charcoal; in a matrass,
yields a little water; with fluxes, gives the manganese reactions.

Dissolves in hydrochloric acid with evolution of chlorine, leaving a
residue of silica.

Composition dried at 220 deg. F:
Protoxide of manganese -++++++-eeseee+ 75.886
Free oxygen vsrseeeeeesseeeveeeeeeeee 7,979

OF ARKANSAS 165

SLC aie o o89 8 be eee eee WA ae wd a Fe Oe 9.968

Peroxide of iron: ++ e+ esse cence eee eneee 3.523
Oxide of cobalt. . cece ere seer ener eeenee trace
Ti Gs Ge oe See ASS ee A 1.833
Magnesia: +.eeerececee near ence Bn Save we 0.192
Water. % avs seis ewes te Nowe eae we 1.295

100.176

The air-dried mineral lost 0.1 per cent. of moisture at 220 deg. F.

The free oxygen was determined by Mohr’s method. The 1.295 per
cent. of water were determined by the loss which the mineral suffered on
ignition; the volatile matter was not collected; hence, it remains uncer-
tain whether it consisted of water, or of water and oxygen; but if any
oxygen had been driven out by heat, itis difficult to conceive why the
weight, after repeated ignitions, remained constant, and why not the
whole of the oxygen beyond the composition Mn?04 was removed,
amounting to 2.328 per cent. For this reason the loss on ignition has
been stated as water.

No. 24. Psilomelane, six miles north of Batesville, on Poke bayou.

Massive; lustre submetallic; color iron-black; fracture uneven, platy;
hardness 5.5; powder reddish-brown.

Before the blowpipe, infusible; on charcoal in reduction flame, becomes
brown; in a matrass, yields a little water; with fluxes gives the manga-
nese reactions.

Dissolves in hydrochloric acid with evolution of chlorine, leaving a very
slight residue of silica.

The mineral was only partially analyzed. It lost at 250 deg. F. 0.452
per cent. of moisture; heated higher, but below redness, the dried mineral
lost 1.124 per cent., probably water; and on ignition lost, additionally,
5.185 per cent., which must have been oxygen. The free oxygen was
determined, after Mohr’s method, to be 11.700 per cent.

The qualitative examination proved the presence of small quantities of
cobalt, baryta, lime, magnesia, and silica.

Commercial value of the Ores of Manganese.

The ores of manganese are used in the arts principally for the purpose
of bleaching, where they serve, in conjunction with common salt and sul-
phuric acid, to produce chlorine, the bleaching agent, and in the manufac-
ture of glass, for the purpose of correcting the tinge imparted to the glass
by iron. In both cases, their value entirely depends on the amount of

166 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

free oxygen which they contain, that is: the quantity of oxygen more than
sufficient to form with the whole of the metallic manganese the lowest
degree of oxidation, the protoxide; for the purpose of the glass manufac-
turer, they ought also to be as free from iron as possible. Of the various
compounds of manganese, the ore containing the largest proportion of
free oxygen is the peroxide, commonly known as “black oxide of manga-
nese,” a compound which occurs native as a mineral, called “ pyrolusite;”
it contains 18.36 per cent. of free oxygen.

In order to ascertain, as near as possible, the market value of the Ar-
kansas ores, I procured from a New York firm a sample of what is sold
in that city as “black oxide of manganese” at the rate of three and a
half cents per pound, by the hundred weight, in the ground state; on
analysis, 1 found this sample to contain 9.246 per cent. of free oxygen,
corresponding to 50.35 per cent. of pure peroxide of manganese; it contained
a large proportion of silica, a circumstance which probably makes the
ore very difficult to grind. Inthe Hartz mountains, a famous European
locality for the ores of manganese, three qualities of the ore are sold, the
price varying with the amount of free oxygen; the

First quality contains 12.60 per cent. of free oxygen.

Second “ 6 10.00 “ « ef «

Third ef " 7.36 “ %& sé #8
(See Bruno Kerl, in Chem. Centralblatt for 1853.)

The ores of Arkansas contain

100 parts of ore
NUMBER OF SPECIMEN. Per cent. of free correspond to pure| Peroxide of iron.
oxygen. Mn O02

DC. | 10.483 57.24 none
No. Sheree cece cece cece ences 10.002 54.47 none
No. 22, crude: +s seer eeeeeeeas 7.820 42.59 trace
No. 22, freed from gangue:-.-- 11.460 62.42

No, 2B sec ceev cree vcenscone 7979 43.46 3.523
ING Ks Aha taisias Se esitesg 0) eta eaearece ates 11.700 63.72 ?

Ore from New York.-+-+++++ 9.246 50.35 ?

The ores Nos. 20, 21, 24, and 22 when freed from its gangue, are, as
seen by the table, superior to the ore procured from New York, and ought
to command, therefore, a higher price; they contain, on the average 10.911
per cent. of free oxygen, which places them intermediate between the Ist
and 2d quality of the German ore.

OF ARKANSAS. 167

Chemical constitution of the ores of Manganese.

The constitution of the manganese-minerals which do not occur in the
crystallized state, has been a point of some discussion amongst mineralo-
gists. As long as their rational formule are not indubitably established,
every new analysis may be expected to throw some light on the subject.
Although the foregoing analyses were principally executed with a view
to ascertain the economical value of the ores, the importance of the sub-
ject may serve as an excuse, if I take up a short space for purely theoreti-
cal speculations.

It was Rammelsberg, if I mistake not, who first considered psilomelane
as a compound of peroxide of manganese with bases of the constitution
RO, these bases being principally MnO, BaO, KO, CaO, MgO, and CoO;
the peroxide of manganese in these compounds acts the part of the acid.
Adopting this view, we have to reject, in the construction of a formula,
the silicia and the bases of the constitution R°O°, as adventitious constitu-
ents; a rejection which, though rather arbitrary,* may be admitted on the
plea of expediency. Leaving, therefore, the silica in the analysis of Nos.
20 and 21 out of consideration, and calculating the’remaining constituents
for 100, we obtain for these minerals the following composition:

No. 20 No. 21
Sr ve
Protoxide of manganese-:.> 86.898 87.22
OXYZEN rece ee eee eeeeees 10.718 10.58
Baryta sss esse cece eee eeees 0.523 0.29
i Fpaaa yee a ae eo ere nee ace trace 1.27
Walenta ose cue areeseeeed 1.861 0.64.
100.000 100.00

Uniting the free oxygen with a portion of the protoxide of manganese to
the formation of peroxide, we have

For No. 20.
Peroxide of manganese---:+--.- 58.373 contains O 21.4
Protoxide of manganese :--+---- 39.243 8 8.83
Barytas sere eres cece cece eevee 0.523 ee 0.055 9.53
Waters sree cece cvecenvcccvveee 1.861 “ 1.65

* Compare on this subject the observations of Gustav Bischof, in the 2d vol., of his “ Hle-
ments of chemical and physical geology,’ p. 85, etc.

168 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

For No. 21.
Peroxide of manganese.+..-.-- 57.92 contains O 21.27
Protoxide of manganese ----.-- 89.88 7 8.97
Baryta oe eee Re ea Rw eee a ee 0.29 “ 0.03 9.93
Dime: hese hited tei hls 1.27 “ 0.36 .
Water eee eoe ee a a ee ee ee ee 0.64 66 0.57

Rammelsberg does not include water under the bases of the constitution
RO; but seeing no objection to its being considered isomorphous with CaO
and BaO, and gaining the advantage of a simple formula, I have classed
it with these bases. From the above oxygen-ratio, we obtain for the two
minerals the general expression:

RO. MnO?-|-x MnO?

in which x MnO? stands for the amount of peroxide of manganese which
must -be considered as mechanically intermixed with the compound
RO.MnO?*. For the potassa-psilomalane from Ilmenau, Rammelsberg
deduced the formula 2 RO. MnO®-x Mn02,

e
For No. 20 we finally obtain the expression:

(MnO. BaO. HO). MnO*-|-6.37 per cent. of MnO?
mechanically intermixed.

For No. 21

(MnO. BaO. CaO. HO).MnO®-|-3.84 per cent. of MnO?
mechanically intermixed.

Uniting in analysis of No. 22, the free oxygen with a portion of the pro-
toxide of manganese to the formation of peroxide, we have:

Peroxide of manganese--.-..+. 62.41 contains O 22.92

Protoxide of mangauese--..-.- 19.08 te “ 4,29

Barytas sees cece reece eeneee 2.75 “ “© 0.52 4.84

Oxide of cobalt .-++-+-++++..ee- 0.15 ef * 0.03

Wratereaiadag ees eaweaeacngan 15.61 “ 13.97
100.00

The formula

(MnO. CoO. BaO). 2 MnO?-|-3 HO-'-x MnO?

requires
Peroxide of manganese (mixed) 9.61 Oxygen-ratio.
Peroxide of manganese (combined) 52.80 contains O 19.36 4

OF ARKANSAS. 169

Protoxide of manganese -------- 19.08 eet Paes

Baryta ee 2.75 ‘“ “ 4.84 1

Oxide of cobalt ss+ee ese ee eeeee 0.15 ee ws

Wale? <6ciaws pwinreae ves var we’ 16.33 « 14.52 3
100.72

This is the same formula which Rammelsberg established for the com-
position of the wad from Rubeland (v. 2d supplement, p. 167).

Proceeding in the same manner with the analysis of No. 22, that is,
rejecting silicic acid and peroxide of iron, and calculating the remainder
for 100, we have:

Protoxide of manganese+++++++eeeee sevens 86.96
OXYZEN cere ee eee eee cece eee ence nes 9.20
Eslimieis 62d ict Seah ee FAS Pe eee A aes SR le 212
Magnesia errcer cee e ere ee ener ee ee even ens 0.22
WE BGG Teta aes wish.cer ge a saivas Bi cwie ge See Ne wl Sere Ge ESOL Rar tise 1.50

100.00

86.96 parts of protoxide of manganese consist of 67.41 of manganese and
19.55 of oxygen; hence we have, in toto 67.41 manganese to 28.75 oxygen,
corresponding to the ratio 69.68 Mn: 29.72 0;
the compound MnO? requires 69.68 Mn: 30.42 O,
so that the mineral may be considered as sesquioxide of manganese, or
braunite, under the supposition that we are justified in rejecting lime,
magnesia, and water as adventitious. Butif these bases have to be taken
into consideration, and the free oxygen is united with a portion of the
protoxide of manganese to the formation of peroxide, we have:

Peroxide of manganese--+++++ 50.10 contains O 18.40
Protoxide of manganese--+-+> 46.06 fs “ 10.36)
LIMe «cece cence ene ever eee nae 9.12 6 “« @9.60 !
MAcnESIy «xy seansaseeaiuas 022 « « gog fl?87
Water cvceere eevee recne 1.50 “ce “ 1.33 )

Here the oxygen-ratio of RO : MnO? is nearly as 4 : 6, which would lead
to the formula

4 (MnO. CaO. MgO. HO). 3 MnO?

Jam not at present prepared to pronounce in favor of any of these
views, but asI am continuing” my investigations into the composition of
the massive manganese-minerals, I hope to find myself soon enabled to
advance some well-founded views on the subject. ‘

170 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

ORES OF IRON.

No. 25. Yellow ochre, from the St. Francis side of Crowley’s ridge, near
David Schultze’s, between township 18 and 19, range 8, Greene county.

A loosely aggregated, amorphous, homogeneous rock, of gold-yellow
color; very friable; feels gritty between the fingers; becomes brick-red on
ignition:

Composition dried at 220 deg. F:

Fin€: sands sictaein stains swe as 71.081
Sesquioxide of iron. +++. ++ eeeeereeceeees 23.640
Alumina + +ssseceeeuvee . see eesne trace
Water -+-ceeeee iS MIS a Se Bea: ore eran » 5.094

99.815

The air-dried substance lost 1.15 per cent. of moisture at 220 deg. F.

This ochre forms only asmall deposit in the quarternary rocks of Greene
county, and is evidently nothing but a fine sand impregnated with hydrated
sesquioxide of iron, which is the coloring principle. The amount of iron
(15.55 per cent.) is too small to constitute this ochre an iron ore, even if
the deposit should prove to be very extensive; but it may be profitably
used as a paint, both in its natural state and calcined, since it is very soft

and uniform throughout, and hardly needs any washing in order to remove
the coarser particles.

No. 26. Limonite, from Old Jackson, Lawrence county.

The ore consists of contorted, more or less concentric layers of brown-
ish-red, steel-gray, and brownish-black color; it contains amygdaloidal
cavities filled either with stalactitic, glossy red hematite, or with yellow
hydrated peroxide of iron.

Dissolves in hydrochloric acid with evolution of chlorine.

Composition of air-dried ore:

Clay, sand, ANG: SUCA se 4s ene Woo eeane a's Save Wee rarer eor es 15.069
Sesquioxide OL. TG Tansee eo oe Shes a Sake GS 58.278
Sesquioxide of manganese. -+-+ee secre ee eeereees 13.843
Alumina «+eeeesvereuees eee ewan sec oeeeeeveeesee§ trace
* Oxide of cobalt --.+-++- a rag dea lac ono ech acer eae .. trace

Carbonate of magnesia -+-+++eeeereaes toate eee ene 0.664

OF ARKANSAS. 171

Carbonate of lime++ssessceecreteees . trace
Water --... eka vay cosa ea) ices fp aayse aya te Saco aighahalie ahetacane . 12.080
99.934

58.278 parts of peroxide of iron contains 40.79 parts of metallic iron.

No. 27. Limonite, from Dr. Payne’s land, Pocahontas, Randolph county.

Massive; reddish-brown, with yellow spots on surface; rather earthy in
appearance; evolves argillaceous odor when breathed upon, and adheres
to the tongue. Powder dark brownish-red, becoming rather more red on
ignition.

Composition of air-dried ore:

Clay and sand. ++ +e. sees eee e cece eee e ce eeeee se. 21.100
Sesquioxide of iron++.+.+.++- Deen ede reece eee nes 69.036
Sesquioxide of manganese-+-+serseereveeeer veces 1.488
ARITA, oie oie wie he os ewer oe ela ws Pee tere eee trace
Carbonate of lime--..++seeevee et Sees He me a trace
WATER a: oxi a aw Gea, ORE aa ae BS ae BENS 7.590

99.214

69.036 parts of sesquioxide of iron contain 48.33 parts of metallic iron.

No. 28. Limonite, from Alfred Bevens & Co., Lawrence county.

Massive; of earthy appearance and yellow color on and near the sur-
face, in the interior brownish-yellow and more compact; evolves strong
argillaceous odor when breathed upon; adheres to the tongue. Powder
dirty brownish-yellow.

Composition of air-dried ore:

Silica. cs eee eee ewe es LOM Se CUR sew RANE aoe Be aue 3.099
Sesquioxide Of TONMs + oe eer emer sree eres te tee eae 79.663
Sesquioxide of manganese+++++++ sees eee reer e ees trace
AJUMING eer etter eee ee ee enw e meee en ee rene erene 5.203
Carbonate of lime. ++ sec ese eens ea ree nent eee nneee 0.556
Water scree eres erence rece serser eves vrseesevene 11.397

99.918

79.663 parts of sesquioxide of iron contain 55.76 parts of metallic iron.

No. 29. Limonite, so-called “pot and kidney ore,” from Alfred Bevens
& Co., Lawrence county.
Massive; compact, stalactitic and reniform; surface smooth, of reddish-

172 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

brown and blackish-brown color, with occasional yellow spots; fracture
dull, dark reddish-brown; emits argillaceous odor when breathed upon;
adheres slightly to the tongue.

Composition of air-dried ore:

Silica and clay ose say aed arate eh sey WIPRO COs fo: te ess rah Wala he de te «ee 8.090
Sesquioxide of irons ++ ++ essere eee er teeter ees 83.920
Sesquioxide of manganese-++++ sree ee eeerereeeees trace
ALUMINA + te ce cece ee ee ee ee eee wee ener rere re ene 1.710
Tetris 8 iarevecBo wl sie aera eh eo ee Re EW are ay wwe Gre trace
IW AtER 64 es 68 Mesias ew ee We eee ees $e Kew HS BH 11.580

100.300

88.920 parts of sesquioxide of iron contain 59.74 parts of metallic iron.

No. 30. Limonite, four miles south-west of Imboden’s ferry, Randolph
county.

Exterior crust dirty reddish-yellow, earthy; in the interior dark bluish-
brown, consisting of indistinctly concentric, contorted layers; loosely
aggregated; rather soft; evolves strong argillaceous color when breathed
upon; strongly adhering to the tongue; powder of a dirty brownish olive-
green color, becoming dark reddish-brown on ignition.

Composition of air-dried ore:

Insoluble silicates: +1 sss eee ee cece renee eee eens 7.740
Sesquioxide of iron s+ sees cere eee ee cree een ees 66.808
Sesquioxide of manganese +++ ++ esses cere eneees 11.472
AT GMINA 8 Hie wos eee eS le Spe a oe ON ae eas 1.295
TATE aio Sf ere eae ei ee Sree See ee Wee He iS aap wr eae trace
Phosphoric Bets see neve tens setaws week eaxaews trace
WATER sa ee 6ilee Sars Ca ARE ES Ge ea Sa ee ain Wale 13.337

100.652

66.808 parts of sesquioxide of iron contain 46.76 parts of metallic iron.

No. 31. Limonite, four miles west of Salem, Fulton county.

Massive; very compact; on surface brownish-yellow; on fracture
brownish-red, with steel-gray spots and stripes; fracture subconchoidal;
evolves argillaceous odor when breathed upon; adheres to the tongue.

Composition of air-dried ore:

Insoluble silicates and sand:...-- See ee eens 20.722
Sesquioxide of iron++++seeeeeeevees Peete eee ene 68.543
Sesquioxide of manganese ----- Cone ee eee ees 1.221

OF ARKANSAS. 173

ATA TA 6 6 ets BR RR Ra elie Lae neta RSNA w edelae We ada agiag 8.590
LN G55) 550668 ES We, Batwa wld ea trace
PN Shite re 6-6: se aaa EAS TOs aa FO lose: sag saucy ened BO! ad Sate see 8.259

95.155

68.543 parts of sesquioxide of iron contain 47.98 parts of metallic iron.

The preceding six ores are all very good iron ores, and valuable for
manufacturing purposes if procurable in sufficient quantity. With regard
to Nos. 26 and 80, it is to be remarked that the yield of metal will be
increased by an intermixture with the manganese, reducible from the ses-
quioxide of manganese, which forms with the iron an alloy, valued very
highly by some iron-men as being particularly adapted for the manufac-
ture of a superior quality of steel.

The following table shows, at a glance, the richness and comparative
value of the ores:

Contain
100 parts of ore from r A ~ Total.
Jron. Manganese.

Old Jackson, No. 26--++++++-. 40.79 9.64 50.43
Dr. Payne’s land, No. 27.-.--- 48.33 1.04 49.37
“Alf. Bevens & Co., No. 28-->-- 55.76 trace 55.76
same No. 29.-+-- 59.74 trace 59.74
Randolph county, No. 30------ 46.76 7.99 54.75
Fulton county, No. 31--++-++-- 47.98 0.85 48.83

The absence of sulphur and phosphoric acid in these ores is a further
recommendation for smelting purposes, as the presence of these impuri-
ties is apt to injure the quality of the iron.

174 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

ROCKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORES OF ZINC
AND LEAD.

A careful examination of the rocks in which the ores of zinc and lead
occur, and of the substances which are found associated with them in the
veins and crevices, will probably throw some light on the origin of these
metalliferous deposits, and enable the geologist to form a correct idea of
their mode of formation. This was one of the objects we had in view in
submitting the below enumerated rocks to chemical analysis. Want of
time, however, prevented me from carrying on the investigation to a
sufficient extent, and I was obliged to defer to a future period the comple-

tion of a sufficient number of analyses to enable us to draw satisfactory
conclusions from them.

No. 82. Dolomite, which cuts out the ore at the Hoppe mine, Lawrence
county.

A pale yellowish-gray, compact dolomite; fracture subconchoidal; very
hard; brittle; powder of a light cream-color.

Composition, dried at 230 deg, F:

Insoluble silicates... -+-seeesseeeeeeeee 6.701
Carbonate of lime+-.+.-eseeeees teseree 53.998
Carbonate of magnesia. -++-+++.sseeerees 35.059
Carbonate of irons +++ esseeeseeereeeas 2.253
Carbonate of Zince ses es erecceecerenes 1.978
POEASS AE oa) Sa) Bi pin aie ONS Sa sioay eters tee ee 0:106

100.095

The air-dried rock lost 0.37 per cent. of moisture at 230 deg. F.

No. 33. Dolomite, with and below the zinc-deposit at the Koch mine,
Lawrence county.

A dark yellowish-gray dolomite, compact and close-textured; fracture
subconchoidal; very brittle; gives out a peculiar bituminous odor when
struck with the hammer; powder ash-colored.

Composition, dried at 250 deg. F:
Insoluble silicates. -.-- stew ereceseeeeces 10,985
Iron, alumina, and trace of manganese-- 1.482

OF ARKANSAS. 175

Carbonate of limes-+eeeseeeeeverevecee 50.075
Carbonate of magnesia: +++-+sseeseeees 32,487
POPASSAl es WS Oe ei Bee Se ose dae wes 0.136
Organic matter, and loss. +++ +eeeeeeeee 4.985

100.000

The air-dried rock lost 0.16 per cent of moisture at 250 deg. F.

No. 34. Dolomite, in which occur the zine and Jead ores at Wood’s
mine, Marion county. .

A grayish-white, fine-grained dolomite; lustre sub-resinous from minute |
crystalline, shining particles dispersed through the rock; easily reduced to
powder; powder grayish-white.

Composition, dried at 230 deg. F:

Silicia, with a trace of clay.-.+++-++> *+ 3.191
Alumina, with trace of iron....-.+.++.. 8.023
Carbonate of lime+ ++ ++eees cess ewes eens 50.041
Carbonate of magnesia--+---+. bee eae 42.317
Carbonate of zinc.-++-++s+e5- Cece n tenes 1.950
Potassa, with trace of soda--+++eseeeass 0.435

100.957

The air-dried rock lost 0.23 per cent. of moisture at 230 deg. F.

No. 35. Red clay, occurring in veins and pockets in dolomite and
imbedding the zinc ore at the Bath mine, Lawrence county.
A ferruginous clay of dirty yellowish-red color; soft; easily crumbling
to powder between the fingers; when burnt, assumes a bright orange-red
° color.

Composition, dried at 250 deg. F:
Silicates, insoluble in hydrochloric acid-- 84.616

Sesquioxide of iron-++++++seeeeres seeee 4,308
pis cara of manganese-++-++++essee+ 0.236
Alumina: + se varsa caverns iwnt ites Mueriees Ale i anieneh one wee 3.515

Carbonate SP AEenG miusuremeaatennen 0.380
Carbonate of lime--s++eseeeeeeeeeeees 0.275
Organic matter,’ and’ water--++ -++++++ 6.447

99.772

The air-dried clay lost 4.32 per cent. of moisture at 250 deg. F.
On account of the bright color which the clay assumes on burning, it

176 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

might become useful as a common paint, though the amount of oxide of
iron present is rather small.

No. 36. Argillaceous rock, from the crevices of the New York company’s
lead mines, Marion county. .

Massive, amorphous; color pale yellowish-white and reddish-white;
very light and soft; can be cut with a knife like chalk; on the surface,
covered with a crust of peroxide of iron; powder of a pale reddish cream
color; assumes on ignition a fine pink color.

Composition, dried at 230 deg. F:

Insoluble silicates, mainly a very fine soft clays ++++++s+se+- 96.095
Peroxide of iron, and alumina, with a little phosphoric acid. 1.795
Lh eee Terre ee eevee eee er Te see 0.148
Manganese, magnesia, and potassa----+--+-. serene ences traces
Water sr rcr cere eves esnvcccrevee reser erercrsreresercece 2.055

100.093

The air-dried rock lost 0.73 per cent. of moisture, at 230 deg. F.

No. 37. Argillaceous rock, associated with galena, at Houghton’s dig-
gings, Lawrence county.

Bears a great resemblance to the preceding rock in general appearance.
Its origin is probably the same, occurring, as it does, under similar condi-
tions; butit appears to have come in contact, after its deposition, with liquids
containing oxide of zinc in solution. The presence of about 8 per cent.
of oxide of zinc in this clay points to the deposition of carbonate of zinc
somewhere near Houghton’s lead diggings.

Massive, amorphous; color ochre-yellow; light and soft; can be cut with
a knife like chalk; covered on the surface with a thin layer of red clay,
resembling No. 35; powder of a dirty grayish-yellow color.

Composition, dried at 230 deg. F:

Clay and sand-+++sseeeeeeeeeeee ee eee 74,841
Peroxide of iron. -seeesese eects eccvcecuece 2.383
Alu Miia Sie ORs wae aniee ei he Mie ee Aas 8.213
Phosphoric acid. +++++sseeeeeeeeeeeeeeaeeee 0.214
Oxide of zinc, with trace of manganese----+- 8.262
Carbonate of lime+ ++ ++ e eee secre cece cane ss+ 0.709
Carbonate of magnesia.-...+.... seeeeeeeee 1,387

Water and carbonic acid (?), expelled by Heats 3.844

99.803
The air-dried clay lost 3.92 percent. of moisture at 230 deg. F.

OF ARKANSAS. 177

As no carbonic acid determination was made, it remains undecided
whether the oxide of zinc occurs in the rock as such, or in combination
with carbonic acid; most likely as a basic carbonate.

The foregoing analyses need no comment. Nos. 82,33, and 34 are
true dolomites; the small amount of carbonate of zinc, which occurs in
two of them, is by no means surprising if we consider that the deposition
of carbonate of zinc in the crevices of the rock was most likely effected
by means of liquids containing the salt of zinc in solution; and whether
these liquids actually percolated through the dolomite or entered the
crevices by some other way, the deposition of a small quantity of the salt
in the immediately adjoining rock is equally well explicable. Gustav
Bischof mentions several instances of this kind (Elements of chem. and
phys. geology. Engl. edition, vol. 1, p. 165.) ;

LIGNITES.

Both varieties of lignite, the analyses of which are given below, occur
in the same bed, interstratified in the quarternary deposits of Crowley’s
ridge, Greene county.

No. 38. Lignite, from the Beech-branch of Cache, near Gainesville,
Greene county.

Color light brown to blackish-brown; woody structure eminently pre-
served, laminated; on fracture, partly shining, partly dull; may be cut with
a knife, cut surface shining; very brittle; on application of a gentle heat,
evolves empyreumatic odor and assumes the appearance of charcoal.

Composition, dried at 212 to 220 deg. F:

Volatile matters +s +eee sree rece ees 41.030
Fixed carbon (charcoal)-++++++++- 57.405
Ash cccceeuceeveevee even evecen 1.565

100.00

The air-dried lignite lost 14.89 per cent. of moisture at 220 deg. F.
A qualitative examination of the ash showed the presence of clay and
silica, sulphate of lime, iron, alumina, and potassa.
12

178 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

No. 39. Lignite, from same locality as No. 38.

Color dark grayish-brown; woody structure only partly preserved, in-
distinctly laminated; fracture dull; may be cut with a knife, cut surface
shining.

Composition, dried ot 212 to 220 deg. F:

Volatile Matters .0 sei ae tees Case w es Ve 31.963
Fixed carbon (charcoal) «++ ++ +ees seer eeee 53.737
AGH. RAS sa iw CON CAN swe eRe NAS Sew 14.300

100.000

The air-dried lignite lost 12.774 per cent. of moisture at 220 deg. F.

A qualitative examination of the ash showed the presence of clay (pre-
ponderating) and silica, sulphate of lime, iron, alumina, and potassa.

The small amount of ash which these lignites contain, would make
them useful as fuel, if timber were scarce in that part of Arkansas where
they occur, or as a substitute for stone-coal, in cases where the use of the
latter is preferable to that of wood.

NITRE EARTHS.

Of the samples of nitre earth which were collected on the first geo-
logical excursion, I made a complete analysis of only one; two have been
analyzed by Dr. Owen,* who determined all the various constituents
directly, with the exception of the nitric acid, the quantity of which
was estimated by the loss. The importance of the subject made it
appear desirable to have a direct determination of this acid in the two
samples referred to; they are given in Nos. 41 and 42. For the method
employed, see “ methods of analysis,” p. 190. .

No. 40. Nitre earth; labeled “ white nitre earth formed from decompo-
sition of bottom rock, Marion county.”

A soft, calcareous earth, of pale yellowish-red color, feeling slightly
gritty between the fingers; of sandy appearance, containing fragments of

*See Dr. Owen’s Report.

OF ARKANSAS.

179

soft dolomite, and excrements of bats or birds.

to a fine powder, which feels soft between the fingers.

Composition dried at 240 deg. F:

The air-dried earth lost 1.681 per cent. of moisture at 240 deg. F.

Matter insoluble in hydrochloric acid.-...- tenes 11.516

Oxide of iron, phosphates of alumina, lime and
magnesia eee weer eres Se ee ee ee 5.908
LAME es ee ee eerie eee eae ww ees ee ee aoe Sis 92,929
Magnesia CRATERS CASTER BWR TES RAN Grinds seee §=614,884
Potassa Pe re ROR ORCC ROR te aM I ROE er RC Te ER ECR CRC TTR TE A 1.106
Chl6TinG «sia ese aes 66 66 Oe Re ORO OW RRR Te 0.062
Sulphuric DC or wi es aw ers RN AIS, WRIT ae OA GS 1.875
ee -Gi ad ee e e ee acaeaem eines 0.973
Carbonic acid -+.+.see.euenee Cece Se ce eT eT Te ee 88.487
Organic matter, and loss:++++++++e+eees vee eens 2.790
100.000

It is very easily reduced

Another portion of the air-dried earth was treated with distilled water,
until fresh portions of the solvent ceased to take up any fixed matter.
The solutions were united, evaporated to dryness, and the residue sub-

jected

sition:

to analysis. 100 parts of the air-dried earth yielded 3.936 parts of

solid, soluble matter, at 220 deg., F., which had the following compo-
TA sae we steele aine ove er aes) eisrewiud canter rane ee Gye Siyeréars 1.013
Magnesia Se ee ee er eee ee ee roe eee eT Ore ar 0.180
POLASSAS oie ena tiale ea Pw si ooecgeercucey eae GGcel% Care 0.066
OUT OBIE: 3 eo sie ae ie ol es Fisker ok 9) eseh opie ier'ec arse 0.012
Pil pliunioweid WSs cocetad oneal tome cciaies 1.338
Witric acid: ++ eee se er eee rev ereee oe ee ee ee 0.956
Organic matter and waters +++ sess seer ee eeeene 0.371
3.936

Hence it follows, that from 100 tbs of the air-dried earth 1.791 tbs of
nitre may be obtained, which consist of 0.956 tbs of nitric acid and 0.835
ibs of potassa.

No. 41. Nitre-determination, in a nitre earth, labeled “laminated nitre

earth from a cave in Marion county.”
100 parts of the air-dried earth were found to yield 9.892 parts of solid

180 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

matter to the solvent action of water; this extract contained 1.33 parts of

anhydrous nitric acid, corresponding to 2.493 parts of nitre.
The air-dried earth lost 7.59 per cent. of moisture at 212 deg. F.

No. 42. Nitre-determination, in a nitre earth, labeled “red nitre earth
above and below the laminated nitre earth, same cave.”

The watery extract from 100 parts of air-dried earth contains 3.305
parts of anhydrous nitric acid, corresponding to 6.195 parts of nitre.

According to Dr. Owen, the air-dried earth lost 3.15 per cent. of mois-
ture at 300 deg. F.

This nitre-earth is by far the richest of the three, a ton yielding nearly

124 ibs of nitre.

WELL AND RIVER WATER.

The examinations of these waters having been performed in the field,
with comparatively limited means, only qualitative analyses could be
made, and in these even, regard could only be paid to such constituents
as occur in not inconsiderable quantities. I hope to be enabled to report
at a future period full quantitative analyses of the water of the principal

rivers and mineral springs.
No. 48. Water of the St. Francis river, taken at Chalk Bluffs, Greene

county.

The ordinary reagents showed only the presence of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

No. 44. Water from a well on A. L. Stuart’s farm, Greene county.
This water is remarkably pure, containing no lime, and only a small
quantity of
Bi-carbonate of magnesia, and a trace of
Chloride of magnesium, or an alkaline chloride.

No. 45. Water from a well on Wm. Lane’s farm, Greene county.
This is also a very pure water, containing only minute quantities of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

OF ARKANSAS. 181

No. 46. Water from a well on J. P. Harris’ farm, dug through shell-
marl of the Loess into gravel below.
Contains a considerable amount of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

No. 47. Water from a well on Thos. McElrath’s farm, sunk in the bot-
tom land, Jackson county.

Contains small quantities of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.
The test with chloride of gold showed the presence of a trace of or-
ganic matter.

No. 48. Water of White river, taken at Jacksonport, Jackson county.
The water contains not inconsiderable a quantity of
Bi-carbonate of lime; only traces of

Bi-carbonate of magnesia, and
Chlorides.

No. 49. Water from a well on Mr. Cobb’s farm, Oil Trough bottom, 6
miles west of Jacksonport.
Contains small quantities of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and

Bi-carbonate of magnesia, and a comparatively large amount of
Chlorides.

No. 50. Water of North fork of White river, taken at Mr. Ware’s mill,
Izard county.
Contains considerable quantities of
; Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

am No. 51. Water froma spring, being one of the heads of Big creek,
taken near J. Young’s farm, Marion county.
Contains a large amount of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

No. 52. Water of the “Mammoth Spring,” head of main Spring river,
Fulton county.

182 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Temperature of the spring on the 10th of December, 1857, 57 deg. F,,
the temperature of the atmosphere being 18 deg. F.
The ordinary reagents showed only the presence of considerable quan-
tities of
Bi-carbonate of lime, and
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

APPENDIX.

After having brought to a close the foregoing analyses, to be embodied
in the present Report, I found time to examine a few more of the speci-
mens collected during our first field-excursion. The results could not be
reported in their proper places without re-arranging and in part re-writing
the contents of the foregoing pages; I, therefore, give them a place in
this appendix.

No. 53. Pearlspar, forming veins in the dolomite (No. 32) of the Hoppe
ore-bank.

Crystallized, crystals partly interwoven, the characteristic curved sur-
faces eminently developed; color white to pale flesh-color; covered on sur-
face with a thin layer of peroxide of iron. Powder, pale reddish-white.

Composition, dried at 220 deg. F:

Silicates, insoluble in hydrochloric acid-.++++++++- 0.219
Sesquioxide of iron- + s++ee eres es seer ee ae cerns 1.168
Carbonate of lime---+---+- Soe 55.052
Carbonate of magnesia +++ ++ sree e settee cere ees 43.560

99.999

No. 54. Massive smithsonite, from Cury creek diggings, township 15,
range 5, sections 35 and 36, Independence county.

The ore consists chiefly of a dirty yellowish-gray and bluish-gray cellu-
lar mass, the cells mostly of cubical shape as if formed by the destruction
of crystals of galena; they are partly filled with dark-gray smithsonite,
forming botryoidal incrustations on the walls of the cells, partly with an

184 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

amorphous, yellow, soft variety of smithsonite; powder of dirty cream-
color.
Occurs in fissures in dolomite.

Composition of air-dried ore:

LCR eek eRe ie Gas BEG ee a PI Ty Ma 2.367
Sesquioxide of irons +. +e sere cee cece ee eeenerene 2.750
ORIdG: OF ZInGisis see Swe as a a Gee ee A Gee 55.238
Sulphuret of zinc: +++. cess eee cece eee eee eens 0.328
Dah Gi ise 6 66s ote RRL We SOT Wa ai BS a Rte eee eee 2.158
Magnesia ++ eee cece eee reer cece ee en teen reece 1.065
Carbonic acid and water. +--+ esse cece erences 34.738

98.644

55.238 oxide of zinc contain 44.334 metallic zinc. A very:good ore for
smelting, intermediate between No. 4 and No. 8, of the Bath mine.

No. 55. ssacsive smithsonite, from Mr. Smith’s land, township 17,
range 2 west, section 10, Lawrence county.

A massive, soft, earthy rock, of white, reddish-white, and pale-yellow
color, containing amygdaloidal cavities, which are, in part, filled with
inerustations of botryoidal smithsonite; the surface of the latter fre-
quently covered with a thin layer of peroxide of iron. The rock contains

crystals of galena imbedded.

Composition of the earthy, air-dried ore:

White sand, and clay (?) +++: ++ sete ee ee eee e eee 26.454
Sesquioxide of iron, and alumina. -+++-++.-++.ssee. 2.193
Oxidé-Of ZiiG ve cme iaws teow bo STNG FHSS Re 27.600
Sulphuret Of lead. @scoas eas eaieew Ox Se eee ee RO eae 0.793
Dilii@nsd $49 ie 35 8 oes eG as Game ee -.. ~ ~=8,048
Magnesia 58 Ma iahie Gy Gocdhoe Uh “pises oh ww igh Siew dere el eS @ ale, fh elan ator e Bice 3.260
Carbonic acid, water, and loss «++ +e esse eee eens 31.652

100.000

27.600 parts of oxide of zinc contains 22.15 parts of metallic zinc. Not
a rich ore, but equal to the Silesian ore No. 11, of the table on page 156.

No. 56. Smithsonite, from the Koch mine.

For the subjoined analysis, pieces of the pure, botryoidal smithsonite
were taken, which occur as an incrustation on the compact ore.

Concentric incrustation, internal structure semi-fibrous; color yellowish-
gray, the outermost layer dirty reddish-gray; hardness between 4 and 5:
fracture conchoidal; lustre vitreous; subtranslucent; brittle.

Dime: seek eae i ays ap 8st sah) Set ap attecal ekg ed ee ace 1.322
Magnesia. - +++ -sesssecenanes cece rene sevens trace
Carbonic acid, (loss on ignition).+..++..+... 34.095
99.730

The rational composition is, perhaps:
Silicate of Zine +s see e eee eee cece ee ee en eeee 2.748
Carbonate of ZiInG: ssc esse ee eee ee tee eaee 94.925
“ al hci ca ae Re ee Oe ee ae a eck ee oe a 2.360
100.033

which requires 34.398 per cent. of carbonic acid, instead of 34.095, as
found.

No. 57. Nitre earth; labeled “average nitre-earth, from J. T. Thomp-
son’s nitre-cave on Cave creek, Newton county.”

Time did not, at present, permit more than a qualitative examination
of the watery extract of this earth. It was found to contain:

A large amount of sulphate of lime;
Nitric acid;
Magnesia;
Potassa;
Chlorine, and a very small quantity of
Phosphoric acid.
As soon as circumstances allow, I shall report a complete analysis of
this earth.

186 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

METHODS OF ANALYSIS.

In the following pages, I propose giving a short exposition of the
methods employed in the analysis of the ores and rocks described in this
Report; not for the purpose of serving as a guide to those engaged in
similar investigations, but merely to furnish those who are able to judge
with a scale, by which to measure the reliability of the results. For this
reason, I shall forbear entering into details, and confine myself to giving
a general outline.

SMITHSONITE,

Impurities: insoluble silicates; iron; alumina, lime; magnesia.

I. The pulverized mineral is treated with hydrochloric acid, the solution
evaporated to dryness over a water-bath, residue treated with dilute
hydrochloric acid, and insoluble silicates collected on filter.

Il. The filtrate is oxidized with nitric acid, excess of acid partly
removed by evaporation, solution nearly neutralized with carbonate of
soda, then iron and alumina precipitated with carbonate of baryta; pre-
cipitate collected on filter, dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid, baryta
removed by sulphuric acid, and iron and alumina precipitated with
ammonia; the ignited and weighed precipitate is dissolved in hydrochloric
acid, the solution reduced with metallic zinc, and the iron determined
volumetrically with chamezlon mineral.

Ill. The filtrate from the treatment with carbonate of baryta is precipi-
tated with sulphuric acid, to remove baryta, the solution neutralized with
ammonia, and precipitated with sulphhydrate of ammonia; liquid with
precipitate allowed to rest (in a well-stoppered bottle) for about 24 hours,
sulphuret of zinc collected on filter, washed with water containing sulph-
hydrate of ammonia, dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and precipitated with
a hot solution of carbonate of soda (from the washings, traces of zinc

OF ARKANSAS. 187

removed by sulphhydrate of ammonia); the carbonate of zinc washed with
hot water, and ignited.

IV. The filtrate from the sulphuret of zine is acidified with hydrochloric
acid, the sulphur separated by filtration, the lime precipitated with oxalate
of ammonia, and in the filtrate the magnesia determined as phosphate of
magnesia-ammonia.

For practical purposes it is unnecessary to ascertain the relative quan-
tities of all the different impurities, and the following method, which was
employed in the analysis of Nos. 4, 6, and 7, and which recommends
itself by great simplicity, may be advantageously followed:

I. The mineral is ignited, and the amount of carbonic acid and water
ascertained by the loss in weight.

II. The ignited substance is digested in a beaker, covered with a watch-
glass, with a mixture of ammonia and carbonate of ammonia, the residue
collected on a filter, ignited, and weighed. The difference in weight
expresses the amount of oxide of zinc extracted.

Ill. The residue consists of silica, alumina, iron, lime, and magnesia,
and also contains silicate of zine, if this compound was present in the cre.
Its presence is easily detected, by treating a portion of the residue before
the blowpipe on charcoal.

From the fact that silicate of zinc is insoluble in ammonia, it follows
that this mode of analysis is not admissible for ores containing more than
a few per cent. of this compound.

Schwarz (see Mohr “ Lehrbuch der Titrirmethode, part I, p. 231, and
part II, p.74,°) recommends to precipitate the zinc from the ammoniacal
solution (II) by means of sulphhydrate of ammonia, to treat the sulphuret
of zine with sesquichloride of iron which is thus reduced to protochloride,
and to determine the amount of the latter with chameleon mineral; 2
equivalents of iron correspond to 1 equivalent of zinc. I have not suc-
ceeded in obtaining satisfactory results by means of this method. The
reasons for my failure will appear from the following considerations: Itis
of the utmost importance that the excess of sulphhydrate of ammonia,
employed in precipitating the zinc, be thoroughly removed by washing; if
this is neglected, a portion of the sesquichloride of iron will become
reduced at the expense of this compound, and the amount of zinc, conse-
quently, be found too high. Now, it is extremely difficult to remove the
last trace of the precipitant by washing; even in using boiling water it
required nearly two days’ washing, and | have no doubt that during this
time a perceptible quantity of sulphuret of zinc becomes oxidized and
passes into the washings as sulphate of zinc. If dilute ammonia is used

188 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

instead of boiling water, the process proceeds still slower, though the
danger of loss consequent on oxidation becomes lessened, and perhaps
entirely prevented. At any rate, the length of time required in eflecting
a thorough washing is a serious inconvenience. I should mention here
that I took the precaution of allowing the precipitate to settle before
throwing it ona filter. The next step consists in placing the filter with
the moist precipitate in a stoppered glass cylinder containing neutral
sesquichloride of iron and dilute sulphuric acid [the addition of the latter
is required in order to effect a complete decomposition]; in doing so, J
invarcably noticed a strong odor of sulphuretted hydrogen; the escaping gas
does, of course, not act on the sesquichloride of iron, and the amount of
zine will be found, proportionally, too low. The method, therefore, is
possessed of two sources of error, acting in a contrary sense; the two
errors may, perchance, counterbalance each other, and the result may,
consequently, be the correct one; but the method can hardly be relied
upon—at least not as far as my experience goes. For this reason the
results, thus obtained, have not been embodied in the Report.

PSILOMELANE,

Containing : water, free oxygen; silica; peroxide of iron, alumina; protox-
ide of manganese, cobalt, baryta, and lime.

I. To determine the amount of free oxygen, I used the method of Fre-
senius and Will, with the modification of Mohr; it combines great sim-
plicity with accuracy, and requires but little time. From 1.5 to 2.5, gram-
mes of the dried mineral are introduced into a Florence flask, a measured
volume of normal oxalic acid and some concentrated sulphuric acid added,
and heated over a spirit lamp until the evolution of gas has ceased; if the
ore is decomposable only with difficulty, the liquid is poured off from the
dark-colored residue, some more normal oxalic acid and sulphuric acid
added, and heated again until the residue appears white, or nearly so; the
liquid thus obtained is diluted to 500 cubic centimeters; 100 cub. cent. are
taken out with a pipette, largely diluted with water, sulphuric acid added,
and the excess of normal oxalic acid determined volumetrically with
chameleon mineral; the same process is repeated with another 100 cub.
cent. of the solution; subtracting the undecomposed normal oxalic acid
from the amount originally used, we obtain the quantity decomposed by
the mineral. 1 cub. cent. of normal oxalic acid is equal to 0.008 gram-
mes of free oxygen. .

II. Water and oxygen above the composition Mn30* are determined by
ignition.

OF ARKANSAS. 189

Ill. The mineral is treated with strong hydrochloric acid, solution evapo-
rated to dryness, residue treated with dilute hydrochloric acid, and silica
collected on filter.

IV. Filtrate diluted with water, and baryta precipitated with sulphuric
acid.

V. Filtrate nearly neutralized with carbonate of soda, and iron and
alumina precipitated with carbonate of baryta; separated as described
above, in the analysis of smithsonite.

VI. After removal of baryta with sulphuric acid, the filtrate is neutral-
ized with ammonia and precipitated with sulphhydrate of ammonia in a
well-closed bottle; the precipitate is allowed to settle, collected on a filter,
washed with water containing sulphhydrate of ammonia, and digested with
dilute hydrochloric acid [the small quantity of sulphuret of cobalt which
remains undissolved is collected ona filter and strongly ignited]; from the
solution the manganese is precipitated with carbonate of soda, and the
precipitate ignited until the weight remains constant.

VII. In the filtrate from the sulphurets, the lime is determined as usual.

é

LIMONITE,

Containing: Insoluble silicates; water; sesquioxides of iron and manga-

nese, alumina; phosphoric acid; lime, and magnesia.

I. Water determined by ignition.

II. The pulverized mineral is boiled with strong hydrochloric acid until
the residue appears colorless; the whole evaporated to dryness; the dry mass
treated with dilute hydrochloric acid, and insoluble silicates collected on
filter.

Ill. The filtrate is diluted to 250 cub. cent.; of these
50 cub. cent. are used for the determination of iron by means of chameleon

mineral.

50 or 100 cub. cent. are used for the determination of phosphoric acid by
means of molybdate of ammonia.

100 cub. cent. are nearly neutralized with carbonate of soda, acetate of
soda added and heated to ebullition until the liquid appears colorless; the
precipitate is collected on a filter, washed, dissolved in hydrochloric acid,
and reprecipated with ammonia; it contains all the iron, alumina, and
phosphoric acid; the filtrate is treated as in IV.

IV. To the filtrate some hypochlorite of soda is added, and enough
acetic acid to produce acid reaction, and allowed to rest for 24 hours; the
peroxide of manganese is collected on a filter, and ignited [if the precipi-

190 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

tate is considerable, it has to be dissolved in hydrochloric acid and precipi-
tated with carbonate of soda].

V. To the filtrate some hydrochloric acid is added, and heat applied until
the odors of chlorine and acetic acid have disappeared; the lime is then
precipitated with oxalate of ammonia, and from the filtrate the magnesia
with phosphate of soda.

DOLOMITE,

Containing: Insoluble silicates; carbonates of lime, and magnesia; sesqui-
oxide of iron with trace of manganese; alumina, potassa.

I. The mineral is dissolved in hydrochloric acid, solution evaposated to
dryness, residue treated with water acidified with hydrochloric acid, and
insoluble silicates and silica collected on filter.

Il. To the filtrate a little chlorine water is added, to oxidize the man-
ganese, then precipitated with ammonia; the precipitate, containing all
the iron, alumina, and manganese, and a little lime and magnesia, is re-
dissolved in hydrochloric acid and again treated as above. This precipi-
tate is free from the alkaline earths. It is dissolved in hydrochloric acid
and the solution divided into 2 equal portions:

In the first portion iron plus alumina are determined by ammonia;

In the second portion the iron alone is determined by chameleon mineral.

Ill. The two filtrates, and washings, are united, and about 4th of the
liquid used for the determination of lime by oxalate of ammonia, and that
of magnesia by phosphate of soda. .

IV. For the determination of the alkali a fresh portion of the mineral
is treated with repeated portions of boiling acetic acid; the filtrates are
united, evaporated, transferred to a platina capsule, and ignited until the
empyreumatic odor of decomposing acetic acid disappears; the residue is
exhausted with boiling water, the liquid mixed with some oxalic acid,
evaporated to dryness, ignited; the residue is again treated with boiling
water: the filtrate contains the potassa as carbonate; it is converted into
chloride, ignited and weighed.

DETERMINATION OF NITRIC ACID.

To ascertain the quantity of nitric acid in the nitre earths subjected to
analysis, I proceeded as follows:

100 grammes of the earth are pulverized, and digested over the water-
bath with repeatedly renewed portions of distilled water until all the
soluble constituents of the earth are taken up by this liquid. The solution

OF ARKANSAS. 191

thus obtained is reduced toa small volume by evaporation, and an aliquot
part of the concentrated liquid evaporated to a syrupy consistency in a
porcelain crucible, over a water-bath. [It is not possible to evaporate the
watery extract to dryness by means of the water-bath; the extract assumes
the consistency and appearance of honey, without solidifying].

Some pure, soft iron-wire is then dissolved in strong hydrochloric acid,
with the necessary precautions for the exclusion of atmospheric air, and
the crucible containing the extract thrown into the solution of protochloride
of iron; heat is applied to expel the nitric oxide, the liquid diluted with
water, and the amount of unoxidized protoxide of iron determined by
chameleon mineral.

GALENA.

In the different specimens of galena which have been analyzed, the
amount of lead was not directly determined; but since it was proved by
the qualitative examination of these specimens, that no other impurities,
besides iron and silver, were present, the amount of lead can easily be
ascertained by subtracting from 100 the sum of these impurities plus the
amount of sulphur.

For the determination of the silver, the following method was pursued:
50 grammes of the finely pulverized ore are intimately mixed with 50
grammes of carbonate of potassa, 25 grammes of cream of tartar, and 10
grammes of metallic iron (small iron tacks); the mixture is placed in an
iron crucible, covered with a layer of borax, the erucible closed with an
iron lid, and then exposed to a bright red heat until the mass flows quietly.
The contents of the crucible are then poured into a conical iron mould,
when the metallic lead falls to the bottom, forming a well-defined metal-
lic button which is easily separated from the slag by a blow with a ham-
mer. The weight of the button of lead varied from 39 to 40 grammes.
Of the metal thus obtained, about 5 grammes are subjected to cupellation,
and the button of silver is weighed on a very delicate balance.

The iron was determined in the following manner: The finely pulverized
galena is oxidized with strong nitric acid; to the mass a few drops of con-
centrated sulphuric acid are added, and heat applied until the excess of
nitric acid is completely removed. The dry mass is treated with water,
the insoluble sulphate of lead collected on a filter, and washed with dilute
sulphuric acid. To the filtrate a piece of metallic zinc is added, in order
to reduce the sesquioxide of iron to protoxide, and the amount of the lat-
ter determined by chameleon mineral.

REPORT

Ora

GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

OF A PART OF THE STATE OF

ARKANSAS *

MADE DURING THE YEARS 1857 AND 1858

EDWARD T. COX, .

ASSISTANT GEOLOGIST.

is

INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

3

Orrice oF THE ARKANSAS SURVEY,
New Harmony, Indiana, October 15th, 1858.

Davin Datz Owen, M. D.—

Dear Sir: I herewith submit my Report of a Geological Reconneis-
sance, made in the State of Arkansas, during the fall of 1857, and summer
of 1858; prosecuted in accordance with instructions received from you; at
different times, while progressing with the survey.

Allow me, also, to acknowledge here, the many obligations I owe to
you for valuable counsel and aid, while carrying forward the survey, under
your direction.

Most respectfully yours,
E. T. COX.

INSTRUCTIONS.

°

The following are instructions received, on different occasions, from Dr.
D. D. Owen, Principal Geologist of the State of Arkansas:

Instructions, dated October, 1857.

“ After separating from corps No. 1, you will proceed by the most
feasible route between Cache and Black rivers, through the north and
north-west part of Greene, south-east part of Randolph, the eastern part
of Lawrence, and the north part of Jackson county, and make a general
geological reconnoissance of those portions of the State of Arkansas.

You will keep your camp on some main route, and make lateral excur-
sions to any points of interest between Black river and the eastern branch
of Cache river.

Along the line of your route, you will endeavor to see the gentlemen
whose names are in the list herewith furnished, under the head of the
counties through which you pass, for the purpose of obtaining information
in regard to localities considered of special interest, and make a geologi-
cal exploration of those which may be considered important.

You will, also, make inquiries in regard to sections "of rocks exposed
on Black and Cache rivers, and examine the same, in order to obtain a
clue to the formations of that part of Arkansas.

I would particularly call your attention to a locality in Randolph county,
on Mr. McLaires’ land, supposed to contain iron; also, to a locality near
Pocahontas, in the same county, which is, perhaps, an extension of the
same bed; also, to deposits of black oxide of manganese, supposed to
exist in some of the northern counties.

In your descent of the valleys of Black and Cache rivers, you will

198 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

extend your observations as far south as Jacksonport. If you arrive at
this place before corps No. 1, you will encamp at some convenient point,
in the vicinity, and wait for further instructions; you will, however, occupy
the time, while awaiting my arrival, in making explorations in the vicinity
of Jacksonport.”

Instructions received at Jacksonport, Jackson county, Ark., Nov. 17th, 1857.

“ After crossing Black river, you will proceed to the zinc mines, situated
on Reed’s creek, in the southern part of Lawrence county, and make a
reconnoissance of that part of the country lying between Strawberry and
Black rivers, as far north as township 17. You will proceed thence to
make a reconnoissance of the country lying between Strawberry and
Spring rivers, taking a north-west course towards Salem, in Fulton county,
as far north as township 19 or 20. You will then explore Fulton county
south of that line, and continue west, through the ranges of township 19;
cross White river, and encamp at some suitable point near Yeilville,
where you will await my arrival and further instructions.”

Instructions, dated December 4th, 1857.

“ After examining the salt-petre cave, situated in the Horseshoe bend of
White river, in Marion county, and collecting samples of the earth for
chemical analysis, you will recross White river, and examine that portion
of Fulton county south of your previous route, and pass through Cross-
plains. Thence you will proceed by ‘Evening Shade,’ in the south-west
corner of Lawrence county, to Cury creek, in Independence county, and
examine the prospect for lead ore in that county. After completing your
observations in the northern and eastern part of Independence county,
you will cross Black river and meet me at Jacksonport.”

Instructions, dated May 12th, 1858.

“ During the time I shall be absent in Pulaski and Hot Spring counties,
you will examine the north-western tier of townships, not previously
explored, in Randolph county, and visit Rice’s spring on the waters of
Muddy creek, take its temperature, and make a qualitative chemical
examination of it at the fountain head; you will investigate, also, what-
ever may be of interest in that vicinity.

From Randolph county, you will proceed through Lawrence county to
Batesville, in Independence county, and examine the geological formation
on the north side of White river, between that place and the warehouse
below the mouth of Laferty creek; and especially ascertain whether there

»

OF ARKANSAS. 199

is any evidence of the existence of an outburst of basalt, or other igneous
rocks, amongst the subcarboniferous group in that vicinity. You will
examine, also, the fossiliferous shale below the town of Batesville.

The manganese locality, a short distance above the mouth of Lafferty
creek, was already examined, last season, by corps No. 1; but, as it is
desirable to obtain a greater variety of the ores than was then collected,
you will either obtain an additional supply from Dr. Smith, former super-
intendent of the mines, who lives somewhere in the neighborhood, or at
the mines. Endeavor, especially, to ascertain whether any of the softer
and blacker varieties of this ore occur, and have been taken out; such as
are known to mineralogists under the name of “ pyrolusite,” and “ manga-
nite,’ which are more valuable than the hard, compact “ psilomelane” ore,
which was found most abundant in the rubbish of the mine last year.

You will write to me from Batesville, and let me know when you will
be in Van Buren county, and at what place it will be most convenient for
us to meet, either in that county or White county.

From Independence county, you will cross over White river, into White
county, and explore the northern townships in that county, as far south
as Searcy.

In the counties south of White river, you will especially investigate for
coal, as the south-west dip of the rocks from the Oil-trough ridge and
Shields’ bluff, lead to the inference that coal may soon come in south of
these localities.”

Instructions dated 21st July, 1858.

“ You will proceed to finish the geological reconnoissance of Crawford
county, examining those localities in the south-east part not yet explored;
especially the coal on Frog bayou, and the sulphur spring on the property
of Mr. Herd.

From Crawford county pass into Franklin, and examine the state salt
spring, on Mulberry creek, exploring, also, the geological formations on
that stream; thence pass down towards Ozark, and take the most feasible
route to examine the coal region, on the waters of Horsehead creek, in
Johnson county, and the geological position of the rocks, in the northern
part of that county.

As I, myself, shall have an opportunity of examining the Spadra coal, it
will not be necessary for you to go to that locality in this county.

In your explorations of Pope county, I would especially direct your
attention to a locality near the Dwight Old Mission, where the so-called
“lapis lazuli” was said to have been found by Mr. Washburn. Your survey
in the middle, northern, and eastern part of this county, will be best regu-

200 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

lated after you have learnt more of the other localities of interest. When
in Conway county, examine the state salt spring. There are also several
other localities of interest in this county, on the Cadron, and, perhaps
also, on Cedar creek, a branch of that stream, which may require your
attention. When in the north-east part of this county, you will pass over
a few miles into White county, and examine a locality of coal, of which
Ihave previously given you a note and directions how to findit. The
rest of this county has already been explored.

Ascertain where the coal measures of Conway county terminate, and
the metamorphic slate formation of Pulaski county commences, in your
easterly route into Pulaski. Itis, probably, somewhere near Palarm bayou.
Some gold ore is said to have been found somewhere near that stream.

One of the most important localities to be examined in Pulaski, is the
Kellogg mine of argentiferous galena, some ten miles north of Little
Rock, on Kellogg’s creek.

As I have been over the road from Little Rock to Oakland Grove, in
White county, it will not be necessary for you to pass over that ground
again at present, unless you hear of something special that may require
your attention.

I know of nothing particular at present to which I can direct your
attention, while passing through Prairie county into Monroe, where your
geological reconnoissance will terminate for this season; but you will take
every opportunity to inquire, before you enter a county, what there may
be in it of particular geological interest, and direct your course accord-
ingly.

In each county which you pass through, you will collect sets of charac-
teristic soils, upon the same plan as heretofore followed by the geological
corps of Arkansas.

D. D. OWEN, M. D.,
Geologist of Arkansas.”

REPORT.

GREENE COUNTY.

As you had examined, personally, the country adjacent to the Chalk
bluff, before we separated on our respective routes, it will be unnecessary
for me to make any report on that locality.

The northern part of Greene county, included within my instructions,
belongs to the quaternary and alluvial period. The quaternary deposits
observed, consist of sands, gravel and potter’s clay; these occupy the
highlands, extending from the Chalk bluff, on the St. Francis river, through
the greater part of range seven. They are spread over an area of eight
or ten miles in width; and their vertical thickness is from one hundred to
one hundred and fifty feet.

The alluvium forms the bottom lands of the St. Francis, Cache, and
Black rivers.

A locality in section 36?, township 21 north, range 7 east, one anda
half miles from Mr. James W. Payne’s, has been rendered notorious on
account of a phenomenon, which induced Mr. Payne and others, to believe
that gold or other precious metals might be found there. The account
given is as follows: When Mr. Payne was out hunting about two years
ago, he heard a slight noise at his feet, and on looking down saw the earth
open to the width of three or four inches; being reminded of the memo-
rable New Madrid earthquake, which sunk a large district of land in this
county, this frightful phenomenon, of course, alarmed him, and he left,
supposing the hill was about to be engulfed. After a few days, finding
that no serious catastrophe had taken place, he returned to view the con-
dition of things. On examining the ground, he became possessed of the
idea that the opening of the earth was a revelation, to notify him of the

202 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

existence of avein of gold below. In this belief he was further strength-
ened by the fact of the tops of the trees, in the vicinity, being dead. Ac-
cordingly, with some of his neighbors, he went to work, and sunk three
pits, one of which was thirty feet deep. Unfortunately, when I visited
the place, these pits had become filled up with the rubbish and washings
from the hill above.

After the examination of the material thrown from these pits, and aided
by the memory of Mr. Payne, 1 was enabled to make out the following
succession in the deposits:

(2) Slope above the shaft, composed of waterworn hornstone
and chert gravel, and sand, which are sometimes formed

into a ferruginous conglomerate of small extent.-+-+-.++-- 30 feet.
(4) Light colored plastic clay, with small, pure, transparent, len-
ticular crystals of selenite imbedded --++-+++s+++e+: 10to15 “
(c) Variegated plastic clay, alternating with beds of clay, in all
BDOUTC + os ase eee ae we eae sre Sanceh as cay Sead Aiea oan Se 15 “
Bottom of thé shafts «sess 0s soe e ee saw wasens Rh iaeuers “lgyehs pao dO 88
60 ce

The deposits passed through in this shaft, are not such as to afford any
hope of finding gold, or other precious metals. The labors of Mr. Payne
have disclosed, however, in the member marked (0), of the above section,
a material which will undoubtedly prove to be a valuable fertilizer of
land, from the large amount of selenite (a transparent variety of gypsum)
which it contains. Judging from its external appearance, the selenite
forms about one-third of the whole mass composing this member. An
earth, so rich in this ingredient, and so easy of access, must be of great
value to the farming community.

The lower bed reached, (c), is a good potter’s clay, which, by a proper
selection, and washing, will be applicable for the manufacture of the
coarser kinds of porcelain.

The yellow member of this bed, which is sometimes several feet thick,
is a variety of yellow ochre that has commercial value as a cheap paint,
used tor the coarser kinds of work.

The evidence of the cracking of the earth, at this locality, is still very
apparent; and it is probable that such cracks are not uncommon, and
may have favored the formation of the selenite, by giving egress to pent-
up sulphurous acid or sulphuretted hydrogen gases, which, by oxidation,
have been converted into sulphuric acid; this, combining with the lime
present in some of the quaternary deposits, has formed the sulphate of
lime, (selenite). These cracks may have originated, in part, from the

OF ARKANSAS. 203

shrinking of the underlying argillaceous strata; and in part, from the
slumbering effects of former earthquake action.

The other mystery which aided in drawing attention to this locality, the
decay of the tops of the trees, may be explained from the fact, that the
soil has been washed away from their base into these cracks, and they are
left rooted merely in gravel. Thus deprived of sufficient nourishment,
the languid sap fails to reach the top, and the upper branches naturally
decay first.

Where the hills are of sufficient height, a bed of waterworn horn-
stone and chert-gravel is superimposed on the quaternary sand and clay.
The pebbles are from one to three inches in diameter; occasionally in
some of these are found fragments of carboniferous fossils.

Beneath this gravel bed, a ferruginous conglomerate, or pudding stone,
sometimes occurs in sheets of two or more inches in thickness. This is
the only instance of finding a hard cemented rockin any portion of
Greene county, within the scope of my observation.

In the stratum of. potter’s clay (c) at Mr. Payne’s shaft, were found a
few specimens of the leaves of oaks (quercus), and willow (saliz), which
belong undoubtedly to species now living. No other organic remains
were observed; but Ihave no doubt that if good exposures of this bed
were accessible, some associate land or fresh-water shells might be dis-
covered.

Mineral and Agricultural Resources.

Though no metallic ores proper have yet been found in the northern
part of Greene county, I consider the selenite bed (6) near Mr. Payne’s of
great importance, in an agricultural point of view; and it may hereafter
be the source of no inconsiderable revenue to the county. It occurs in
beautiful, small, transparent crystals, abundantly distributed through the
clay, which itself contains soda, potash, and perhaps, phosphates and
nitrates, forming a combination which will be applicable as a mineral
fertilizer to a great variety of soils.

The underlying stratum (c) will afford a good, cheap, red, as well as
yellow paint; for, by simple burning, the yellow ochre is converted into a
red ochre; this latter can be used asa dyestuff for coarse cloth and
yarn. °

Potter’s clay is in great abundance, and of excellent quality for com-
mon ware.

In the absence of more durable rocks, the ferruginous conglomerate
may be used for the underpining of houses, building chimneys and walling
up wells.

204 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

The alluvial bottoms, above overflow of the rivers and creeks, are very
productive and easily cultivated. The elevated land between St. Francis
and Cache rivers, known by the name of Crowley’s ridge, is somewhat
broken, but highly susceptible of cultivation, producing all kinds of grain;
it is particularly noted for its adaptation to the growth of wheat. Mr. A.
Muckelroy, who lives on section 19, township 21 north, range 8 east,
informed me that he had raised six consecutive crops of wheat on his
land without any apparent diminution of fertility; in fact, all the farmers
with whom I conversed, spoke in great praise of its wheat growing pro-
perties; and when by continued cultivation it may require renovation,
there lies close at hand, in the gypsiferous clays, a supply of mineral ma-
nure that will keep it in good heart.

The settlers in this part of Greene county, are just beginning to turn
their attention to agriculture; heretofore, the great abundance of game
seduced them into a thriftless way of living; depending almost exclu-
sively, for a livelihood, on the sale of furs and peltries, which constitute,
at all times, a critical and uncertain means of support. As game is now
becoming scarce, they are compelled to devote their time to agriculture,
or move farther west, where wild animals are more numerous.

The projected railroad, from Fulton, in Texas, to Cairo, at the junction
of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, runs through township 21, range 6, and
if completed, will prove of incalculable advantage to a region of country
rich in fertile lands; as the want of a ready market for the surplus pro-
duce of the country, is one of the greatest drawbacks to its progress.

A plank road from the Chalk bluff, to Point Pleasant, on the Mississippi
river, twelve miles below New Madrid, is under construction and will soon
be completed.

This road will prove highly beneficial to Greene county, and is the best
route for emigrants coming from Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas,
who wish to locate in the northern part of Arkansas. The emigration to
and through Greene county, during the fall and winter of 1857, was very
great; and as the people of this and the adjoining county of Randolph,
receive, from this emigration, no small amount of money, in exchange for
produce, it is to their interest to improve the road from the Chalk bluff to
Pocahontas, particularly the crossing of Cache river, which isin a wretch-
edly bad condition, and could be made passable at very little cost. In at-
tempting to cross this river, our mules mired down and came very near being
drowned in trying to extricate themselves from the deep mud. We were

compelled to obtain assistance, and after disengaging the team had to get
the wagon out by hand.

OF ARKANSAS. 205

The principal growth of timber on the highland is large white, black,
and red oaks, mockernut hickory, (commonly called black hickory,) anda
few shell-bark hickories. On the alluvial lands of Cache river, are found,

in addition to the above, large poplar, black and sweet gums, and in the
sloughs, cypress.

RANDOLPH COUNTY.

The portion of Randolph county, east of Black river, is covered with
an alluvial deposit, elevated but a few feet above high water; and, with
the exception of a low ridge, which divides the waters of Cache from
those of Black river, itis much cut up by sloughs and lakes. Immedi-
ately on the west bank of Black river, at Pocahontas, magnesian lime-
stones of the lower silurian period are seen at the water’s edge, and ex-.
tend up into the highest ridges, where they are capped by black and
orange-colored sandstone and waterworn gravel of the quaternary
period. The country is generally broken, with hills from one to two hun-
dred and fifty feet in height, covered on their slopes with chert, which has
weathered out of the limestone.

On the property of Mr. Samuel McLaire, one and a half miles from
Pocahontas, is a deposit of black ferruginous sandstone, exposed to the
thickness of (23) twenty-three feet, and forming the top of what is con-
sidered to be the highest ridge in the county. Itis frequently fluted, and
resembles in its outward appearance and fracture, a rough variety of pig
iron.* At some localities this rock is of a dark orange-color, friable, and
readily decomposing into coarse-grained sand. In its lithological charac-
ter, it resembles very much the indurated and cemented portions of the
orange-sand formation of Mississippi and Alabama. Indeed it is so com-
plete a counterpart, that when specimens were exhibited to Dr. E. H.
Hilgard, Geologist of Mississippi, he at once recognized the identity with
those he had himself collected in the State of Mississippi.

The place of this sandstone is probably in Greene county, below the
quaternary clay, which, however, I did not see in Randolph county; it
appears to rest immediately on the lower silurian rocks.

The following approximate section exhibits the position of the rocks in
this county, extending from the bed of Black river to the waterworn qua-
ternary gravel on the tops of the highest ridges:

*This is probably the locality referred to in my instructions.

206 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

(2) Waterworn gravel .-.sse essence nent en ree eens 1 to 10 feet.
(6) Rough, black, fluted sandstone, equivalent to the

“orange sand formation” of Mississippi--++--+- 23. ««
(c) Place of iron ore deposits ++ -++ser reer reer ence enees lto 4 “
(d) White cherty limestone; chert in large masses, very

brittle and full of cracks. +--+ sere sere cere eeees 30 to 80 “

(ec) Light-gray limestone, mottled with flesh-colored spar,
passing down into a light-colored calciferous sand-
LOCK eng Dees Kee wae ee Laea eM oEa eee Rae 66
(f) Hard compact cherty magnesian limestone, in the bed
of Black and Eleven Point rivers,as seen at Imbo-
boden’s ferry ene OE RT ECR eee are ee eee en 80

(73

258 feet.

The grayish-buff, hard, and close textured magnesiam limestone (/f.)
forms the bed of Black river, at Pocahontas, and Eleven Point river, at
Mr. J. H. Imboden’s. Its thickness could not be seen at Pocahontas, but
on Eleven Point river it is exposed to the thickness of eighty feet or more.
(e.) is also best seen on Eleven Point river. At its base, it is a light-gray,
calciferous sand-rock, with a sharp grit, and passes upward into a gray
limestone, mottled with flesh-colored spar. (d.) is a rough weathering
magnesian limestone, full of whitish chert segregated in large masses
which are filled with cracks, and readily break into small pieces. This
member has a variable thickness of from thirty to one hundred feet or
more, and may be seen along the road from Pocahontas to the ferry on
Eleven Point river. On the top of this rock is the place of the iron ore
deposits (c.) The iron ore appears to be scattered about in patches, from
one to four feet in depth; but it was only found extending over a limited
area. Though sometimes mixed with too much sand, it is usually of ex-
cellent quality, and belongs to a variety designated by mineralogists as
“limonite.” It is usually in large cellular blocks, but occasionally pre-
sents a globular, and concentric structure.

The rough, ferruginous sandstone, (b.) near Pocahontas, possesses a re-
markable, fluted structure, and was generally supposed to be manganese
ore; but, on examination, it is found to contain only a trace of that metal.
In the State of Mississippi, some of the slabs of this rock are so univer-
sally, and regularly fluted that they have been used for water spouts.

The bed (a.) composed of waterworn gravel, from one to four inches in
diameter, belongs above the ferruginous sandstone, but is often seen, where
that member is wanting, resting on the older rocks. It usually forms the
capping to the highest ridges, and has a thickness of ten feet or more.

Pas
OF ARKANSAS. 307

cw

Rice’s spring, situated on the waters of Mud creek, a branch of Fourche
Dumas, on section 14, township 21 north, range 1 west, is a place of much
resort for invalids from this and the adjoining counties. The following is

the result of the qualitatrve chemical examination, made at the fountain
head:

Temperature of the air 82 deg. F., temperature of the water 62 deg. F.

Carbonic acid (abundant).

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Bi-carbonate of the protoxide of iron.

Sulphates, a trace?

The examination of this spring was made at a very unfavorable time;
the unusually heavy rains, which fell in the spring, had completely satu-
rated the surface of the earth, and diluted the spring with fresh water.
From the above analysis, it appears to be a weak chalybeate, whereas it
is represented by those who frequent it in a dry time to be a strong sul-
phur water. In its present state, acetate of lead would give no reaction
of sulphuretted hydrogen.

Small deposits of hydrated brown oxide of iron (limonite) are seen, at
various places in this county. The most extensive are those near J. H.
Imboden’s on Eleven Point river, and in the vicinity of Old Jackson, close
to the boundary line between Randolph and Lawrence counties. It is

possible a sufficiency of good ore may be found at the latter locality to
supply a small forge.

Agriculture.

East of Black river the soil is principally river deposit; and, where not
submerged by ordinary freshets, is easily cultivated and remarkably pro-
ductive. It is well adapted for corn, wheat, oats, and clover. Samples
of soils were collected in this part of the county, from a farm 18 miles
from Pocahontas, belonging to Maj. Proudfit. The virgin soil is of alight
black color, and the sub-soil a yellow clay. The field, in which the soil
No. 2 was collected, had been in cultivation twenty years, nearly all the
time in corn, and will now produce with ordinary tillage a crop of 50 or
70 bushels to the acre.

West of Black river, the principal soils for cultivation are the rich allu-
vial lands adjacent to the river.

The growth of timber on the east side of Black river, with the excep-
tion of black walnut, is the same as that noted in Greene county. On the
west side of this river the growth is small oak and hickory, on the hills;

“3

298 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

whilst on the river bottoms the timber is large, and contains, in addition
to the hickory, gum and elm.

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

The geological position of the rocks, along my route, have been mostly
determined by their lithological character, owing to the almost total
absence of organic remains; in one member alone of the magnesian lime-
stones were any discovered, and they were only a few very. imperfect
casts of the genus orthis, too indistinct for determination; also a simgle
specimen of an orthoceralite, which is probably new. The want of so
essential an aid to the determination of the position of rocks, (especially
where there has been a great thinning out of the members, and a condi-
tion which indicates a deposition on a very unequal bottom, together with
a subsequent cutting away by currents of the deposited members,) renders
the identification of equivalent formations difficult and uncertain. The
accompanying section may therefore require, upon more minute investiga-
tion and comparison, correction in some of the details; and, for the present,
I shall only indicate the system to which I think they will hereafter prove
to belong, without designating the particular member they may represent.

The strata are lettered in the ascending order.

All the members from

ie
: vo
E rs (a). to (h) inclusive, be-
ar el sar Far : long, most probably, to
gol ele aterw a . . . :
Jc rein aie the lower silurian period.
J oar i ae
i 5] |* Orange sand.” The remaining mem-
a es ;
[ bers (2) and (j), are of
oil Rugged weathering limestone, with veins of
y itl 30 calespar, and casts of a small cytherea. Ua nany date,
7 :
“ J a The thick-bedded mag-
a RCS nesian limestone (a) and
"OH (b) are the rocks in which
9_©% cH | 15) |White chert bed, the zinc, lead, and cop-

per ores are usually
found. The copper is
| | but sparingly dissemin-

ae Massive saccharoidal sandstone, white, red- ated in ee % ETRE eae
t\{ [| 60 | dish, ana variegated. spar veins ramifying this
| rock. On the property
of Mr. C. T. Stewart,
= township 17, range 2

I west, many small sam-

OF ARKANSAS. 909

ples of copper pyrites
a |g found, and a similar va-
oO .
Ly 18 riety of ore was also
Lu | : P ;
ob | L Compact magnesian limestone, with casts and tu the hes ay
buy | 7) | orthis. logical position on the
ult property of Mr. William
| ou . R. Williams, on section
“Lael. 32, township 17 north,
sf Light buff, impure magnesian limestone, with].
d 1 | r 40 couchoidal fracture. range 6 west.
L
a) a The veins of calespar
[ul in which the copper oc-
So curs, have no constant
“| rs | u 20 Gray tniel- bedded a ieee ar withldirection, where seen;
a orp syrugi t rt siliceous. . .
al L ferruginous chert, 10Wer par but it is probable that,
EaES : when the country comes
gz| z iz Place of zinc ore. : :
vex e to be examined more in
pit Thick-bedded magnesian limestone, full of|detail, they may be found
a xl L | | 202 crevices; lead and copper bearing rock. :
Fal connected with some
L L

system of true veins.

The principal working for lead, in these rocks, in Lawrence county, has
been made on the property of Mr. KE. W. Houghton, six miles from Pow-
hatan, on section 10, township 17 north, range 2 west, where as many as
twenty pits have been sunk, from which between one and three thousand
pounds of galena have been taken out. No profitable lode was reached,
therefore the diggings were discontinued. Surface lead ore (“float min-
eral”) has been occasionally picked up, over a district about one-fourth
of a mile in breadth, and extending several miles in a north-west direc-
tion; but no continuous vein has so far been discovered:

In the openings which have been made in this county, the cap rock is
first reached; after penetrating it, at a depth of thirty or forty feet,
members (a) and (2) of the preceding section are reached; in these, small
crevices occur, in which the lead ore is found, accompanied with clay,
charged with oxide of iron (“gossan”). These crevices have a bearing
north-east and south-west, but do not extend continuously, any great dis-
tance. The abandoned shafts, at this locality, had become mostly filled
with rubbish, so that 1 had no opportunity of seeing the position of the
ore at the bottom. When more time can be devoted to the examination
of this county, a more satisfactory conclusion may be arrived at, in regard
to this lead region, than could be gained in the time allowed for a simple
reconnoissance of the country. All that can be at present stated, from

14

310 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

the best information, is that the ore was rather more abundant at the
greatest. depth reached, than near the surface, as if it might concentrate
into a true vein. For want of sufficient capital to sink deeper, these
mines have never been thoroughly proved.

Associated with the lead at Houghton’s diggings, is a yellow, earthy-
looking rock, resembling indurated mud; hence, labeled mudstone, which
proves on examination to be remarkably rich in carbonate of zinc; for the
chemical constituents of this ore, see the Chemical Report.

Many other localities in this county have afforded some lead. On the
headwaters of Reed’s creek, on the property of Mr. Robert G. Shaver,
township 15, range 4 west, lead ore is found, associated with carbonate of
zinc and zine-blende (sulphuret of zinc). At this place, digging has only
been made to the depth of two or three feet, entirely insufficient to prove
the richness*of the deposit. The crevices in which the lead is found, tra-
verse the strata in a north-east and south-west course. This locality has
the appearance of being a very favorable place in which to find a good
vein of galena; at least, it is worthy of a more systematic search than has
yet been made. The rocks in which this lead occurs, belong also to a and
6 of the section.

Carbonate of zinc, belonging to the variety known as “smithsonite,” is very
abundant in this county, and, for the purpose of converting this ore into
the metallic zinc of commerce, works have been erected by a company of
gentlemen from St. Louis, known as the Independence Mining Company.
Their works are located on section 22, township 16 north, range 4 west,
and are called “ Calamine,” after the zinc ore of that name.

So far as can be ascertained by the present openings, the zinc ore does
not run in veins or crevices, but occurs in beds, associated with a red ferrugi-
nous clay, resting on a dolomitic limestone. Both the matrix of red clay
and specimens of the associate limestone, which were analyzed by Wm.
Elderhorst, M. D., the Chemist to the Survey, have been found to contain
a small per centage of zinc. The ore, imbedded in the clay, is usually of
a porous or cellular character; but sometimes compact, and covered with
crystals stained with oxide of iron. That which is found in contact with
the dolomitic bedrock, is mostly in mammillary or botryoidal masses, hay-
ing an opalescent appearance on the fresh fractured surface. The corro-
ded and irregular surface of the dolomite seems to indicate that large Ppor-
tions of it must have been removed, perhaps by some material inter-
change of the elements of the rocks and the metallic solutions pervading
it. The small fractures, which traverse this bed rock in every direction,
are, at some of the localities, filled with beautiful rose-colored crystals of

carbonate of zinc, reserling pearlspar.

OF ARKANSAS. O11

The follwing section will show the succession of the rocks at “Cala-
mine,” and the relative position of the zinc ore:

Slope to the top of the hill covered with chert and scattered
masses of brown oxide of iron, resting on limestone with cherty
segregations: ++++++sse. SiGe aS wa a ee 66 wad aR wviaavasa BF feet:
Zine ore, resting on cherty magnesian limestone (0) of the previ-

OUS SECTION: «sere reer eer eveee esis WAL NS LBs eae ames BH
Calciferous sandstone: ose reece eerste ac eneee eee eae secre veee JD &
Magnesian limestones +s 40st cdiwaw een weer ened eweeg aa TE
Spring at “ Calamine” furnace eee eee pe eee eens sees we even Qo «

86 ce

The ore bed in the above section is only a few yards from the smelting
furnace, and is called the “ Koch mine,” after Dr. Koch, one of the mem-
bers of the smelting company.

The most extensive deposits of calamine seen, were at the “ Hoppe
mine,” section 19, township 16 north, range 2 west; “ Bath mine,” section
29, township 17 north, range 3 west; and the “ Raney mine,” three miles
south-east of Smithville.

At all of these localities of calamine, the ore occurs under precisely the
same conditions; consequently a description of one, will answer for all.

The “Hoppe mine” is opened on the north-west side of a low and very
gradually sloping hill, some fifty feet above the valley. A great many
tons of calamine have already been taken out from the present opening,
which is about six feet deep; and the ore has been proved to continue to
a depth exceeding fifteen feet, by trial shafts, sunk for this purpose. The
greater portion of the ore, lies in irregularly curved and hollow masses,
sometimes covered with rusty-looking crystals of carbonate of zinc, having
its interstices, as well as the intervening spaces between the blocks, filled
with a tenacious, red, ferruginous clay. This clay is found resting upon
a magnesian limestone, about four feet thick, presenting the appearance
of a segregated mass, and is traversed by small veins of the carbonate
and sulphuret of zinc; the former, sometimes, in beautiful rose-colored
crystals. The calamine resting on, or in close proximity to, the dolomitic
bed rock, usually presents a brecciated appearance, caused by the
mammillary opalescent carbonate of zinc, enclosing fragments of an amor-
phous zinc ore, which has the appearance of dolomite, and which had
yery probably that composition, but has become carbonate of zinc by a
process of displacement.

Some specimens of the ore found at these mines, convey the idea of a
simultaneous deposition of the zinc and dolomite; while others rather

912 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

indicate an infiltration of the zinc through interstices of the previously
formed rock. Perhaps the most plausible explanation of these pheno-
mena, is that the ore was first in the state of sulphuret, and was subse-
quently changed into carbonate by some reciprocal play of chemical
affinities acting from the interior upwards. The increase of the sulphuret,
as you descend in the rocks, and the general structure of the deposits,
which resemble inverted cones, showing a divergence at the surface from
a central point of action; together with the existence of carbonate, of
zinc, in the associate rocks and clay, rather favor this view of its forma-
tion.

It is a remarkable fact, to which attention was first called by Dr. Koch,
that, where deposits of calamine are found at the surface, the only vege-
tation to be seen is asmall, black lichen, closely adhering to the ore or
accompanying rocks; and the soil, to the depth of a few inches, is of an
intense black color.

There are, in addition to those already mentioned, four other mines,
opened and belonging to the Independence Mining Company, on the
following sections, viz: Section 28, township 17 north, range 3 west;
sections 12,28, and 29, township 18 north, range 4 west.

At the town of Powhatan, in the street leading to Smithville, I discovered
a deposit of carbonate of zinc, the extent of which cannot be known
without digging; but it is no doubt considerable, and there is every reason
to believe, that good calamine will be found abundant in the immediate
vicinity of this town.

Powhatan is situated on Black river, a stream navigable for small boats
at all seasons of the year; it has under construction, and partly graded :
plank road leading to Gainsville, in Greene county, which will rapcicces
the Cairo and Fulton railroad twelve miles distant. This, together with
the fact, that it is surrounded by, and close to, the main deposits of zine
ore, renders it the most desirable point for the location of a zine smelting
furnace. In addition to the advantages to be gained at this place for
shipping the metallic products of the furnace, abundance of charcoal may
‘at all times be had, from the extensive forest bordering on Black river.

These suggestions, for the lecation of a zine furnace at Powhatan, are
made from the fact that the “ Calamine” furnace, from nieanieament
did not go into successful operation; and experience has shown that ‘ts
location is not a favorable one. At all events, before the members of the
zinc company remodel their establishment and engage experienced
smelters, they should take into consideration the advantages of a change
in the location of their works to Powhatan, or some equally esa
point on Black river; because the success of the enterprise certainly

OF ARKANSAS. 213

depends, in a great measure, on the proper location of the smelting
establishment.

Consider able beds of excellent brown oxide of iron have been found in
this county, strewed about over the ground in loose blocks. The original
place of this‘ore is between c and d of the previous section.

This ore not only occurs in the usual stalactitic botryoidal and mammil-
lary forms; but, also, crystallized; the form of the crystals being modified
octohedrons (pyramido-octohedrons), which seem to be pseudomorphs from
magnetic iron ore,

By far the most usual form of this ore is a stalactitic or mammillary
structure on one side, whilst the other side is flat, as if it might have been
attached to rocks, over and from which the ferruginous waters flowed and
dripped, gradually depositing their iron.

The most abundant localities seen, for iron ore, were on dhe property of
Alfred Bevens & Co., on the waters of Williams creek, sections 23, 25 and
30, township 16 north, range 4 west. On section 25 this mineral has
assumed the form familiarly known amongst miners as “ pot-ore,” imbed-
ded in a red ferruginous clay, resting on dolomite. This bed is from two
to five feet thick. The upper part is sandy, the middle nearly free from
sand, and the lower part usually of excellent quality for smelting. The
surface of the ground, above this bed, is covered with a mixture of sili-
ceous, and good-working blocks of stalactitic ore.

Alfred Bevens & Co. have erected a forge on Williams creek, one and
a half miles north-east of the zinc furnace at “ Calamine,” for working
this ore; it has two fires, and is driven by a good water-power. When
visited, this forge was undergoing thorough repairs, and preparations were
being made to introduce the hot blast in place of the cold blast, formerly
in use, by which alteration it was expected to increase the amount of
swaged bar iron manufactured from (500) five hundred to (1600) sixteen
hundred pounds per day. Though the quantity of iron produced at these
works is not great, owing to the mode of manufacture, which is wasteful
of ore, and especially so of fuel; yet it is of excellent quality and meets
with a ready sale on the spot, without seeking a market.

Another very promising supply of iron ore, for a small forge, was seen
near Dr. John Bevens, township 15? range 3 west.

On Big creek, a branch of Strawberry, there is a white cellular quartz-
ose rock found in abundance, intercalated amongst the sandstones of the
section of this county, which may afford good millstones; indeed, millstones
have been made out of it for some of the mills in the vicinity. <A pair of
stones made from this rock, may be seen running in Jone’s mill on Big

914 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

creek, six miles from the mouth, and have proved of exccllent quality for
corn. —

The coarse-grained saccharoidal sandstone (/) in the vertical section of
the rocks in Lawrence county is mostly of a dark red color, but locally
very white, and occasionally ornamented with buff-colored bands. This
sandstone makes its appearance in the south-eastern part of the county,
near Mr. Campbell’s, caps the hills on Big creek (Williams creek), four
miles south of the zinc farnace at Calamine, and extends in a north-west
course through “ Evening Shade,” or Hookram, as it is usually called, and
continues on through Fulton and Marion counties; universally covered
with a luxuriant growth of yellow pine.

The orange sand (2) and the water-worn gravel bed (j) were seen in
the vicinity of Powhatan, the former corresponds to the ferruginous sand
belonging to the quarternary in Greene and Randolph counties. The
western limits of these two deposits is somewhere near range 4 west,
since I was not able to discover either it or the gravel bed west of that
line; in fact, I was not able to detect the ferruginous sand west of the line
between ranges three and four.

At Powhatan the citizens were extremely anxious to know if stone coal
did not exist close by, as fragments had been found on the river sand-bars,
which, it was supposed, had been broken from the main deposit and trans-
ported by the water. For their information, I may here state, that the true
coal-bearing rocks do not exist in the counties through which Black
river fiows; nor yet in Greene county, where some of its tributaries take
their rise; hence there is no probability of discovering beds of bituminous
coal; but there are beds of lignite amongst the quarternary deposits of this
latter county, some of which has very much the appearance of coal. I
am disposed, however, to think that the lumps of coal found on the sand-
bars, were most likely dropped from the steamboats navigating the river.

,

Agriculture.

The upland soils of Lawrence county, west of Black river, are derived
chiefly from the cherty and earthy magnesian limestones of the lower
silurian period, and its overlying sandstones. Soils derived from the
quarternary are limited to some of the ridges bordering on Black river,
east of range four. The soils selected in this county, for analysis, were
collected on section 15, township 17 north, range 2 west, overlying and
derived from the buff, earthy, magnesian limestones of the lower silurian
system.

East of Black river the soils are essentially alluvial, like those of the

a

Ma oe

bis eae a i ar!

OF ARKANSAS. 915

eastern part of Randolph. The “Buncomb ridge” may be especially ~
cited for its productiveness; and, being more elevated than the adjacent
land, is not subject to overflow.

The timber on the highlands, with the exception of the pine ridges,
where the sandstone prevails, is a thin growth of stunted oak. On the
bottom land, the growth of timber is large, and comprises white, black,
red and postoaks, gum, hickory and black walnut.

JACKSON COUNTY.

The northern part of this county, examined by me as far south as the
town of Jacksonport, on White river, is entirely destitute of solid rock.
The geological formations are those earthy deposits, such as usually con-
stitute alluvial lands. The low ridge, dividing the waters of Black river
and village creek, is composed as follows:

Siliceous soil and subsoil. -+--- se eeeeeecenecvees 7 feet.
Tough yellow clay sess tse eeee cece eter eee ens 18 «
25 feet.

These are underlaid by a light-colored sand, the thickness of which
could not be seen; this sand forms the substratum, which affords unfailing
supplies of good water, and is reached by sinking wells, at a depth of
from 15 to 30 feet. From the qualitative chemical examination, made of
this water, taken from Mr. John Robinson’s well, two miles north of Jack-
sonport, it was found to contain

Carbonic acid,

Bi-carbonate of lime, (small quantity),
“ magnesia, ‘“ ae

Sulphates, a trace?

The exa‘nination of this water is important to clear up the prejudice of
those persons, who have looked upon the well water of this portion of
Jackson county, as deleterious to health. It contains the usual mineral
ingredients of hard spring water; these, when not in quantities so large as
to produce medicinal effects, cannot be looked upon as injurious to health,
since they contain elements essential for the growth of the body, in a form,
easy of assimilation.

The northern part of Jackson county contains a large amount of highly
productive land, easily cultivated, and especially adapted to the growth
of cotton, wheat, oats and corn. A set of the alluvial soils of Jackson
county were collected for analysis from Mr. H. J. Dowel’s land, section 32,
township 14 north, range 2 west, fourteen miles north of Jacksonport;

216 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

also, a set from Mr. M. L. Robinson’s land, two miles north of Jackson-
port. At the latter place, No. 2, the cultivated soil, was selected from an
old field fifty years or more in cultivation, and has produced for the last
twenty years successive crops of cotton, with an average yield of about
eight hundred pounds of seed cotton per acre, rating in the New Orleans
market in quality equal to the Mississippi cotton, and having a rather
better staple than the cotton from Tennessee.

The principal growth of timber on this land is black, white and post-
oak, sweetgum, blackwalnut, and some hickory.

The Cairo and Fulton railroad crosses White river near Jacksonport,
and runs along Village creek, through the northern part of the county. I
was informed that as many as one hundred and fifty hands were employed
this season in its construction in Jackson county, and it is hoped that the
completion of so important a work to the State, is placed beyond a doubt.
The large grant of lands bordering on the road, it is estimated will be
sufficient to pay for its construction.

INDEPENDENCE COUNTY.

The geological formations in the part of this county explored by me,
are exhibited in the following section:

On the road from Jack-
sonport to Batesville,
lafter reaching the high-
land some five miles in

|Feet.

a

OfWaterworn quaternary gravel.

15\Coarse ferruginous quaternary sandstone.
a westerly course from

Black river, the water-
worn quaternary horn-
stone and chert gravel
(k) of this section is
found capping the tops
Conglomerate and millstone grit, with interea-lof the hills as far west
480 inlet Gates schistose sandstone, 480 feet as range 4. This gravel
bed sometimes rests upon
the ferruginous sand-
ston (7), and sometimes
immediately upon the
buff-colored sandstone
(f); but was nowhere
recognized in connection

OF ARKANSAS

217

Feet.

Conglomerate and millstone grit, with interea-
lated shale and schistose sandstone, 480 fect
in thickness—Continued.

Black entrochital limestones.

limestone.

Buff-colored fossiliferous sandstone, with inter-
calated, dark shale; lower part thin-bedded
and schistose.

Place of dark shales, usually under the black

with the intermediate
members,

The coarse ferruginous
sandstone (j) is seen, in
many places in the east-
ern part of Independence
county, resting, usually,
on the buff sandstone (/’).
At some localities, it is
very richin iron ore; but
too much mixed with
sand to admit of its being
used, profitably, as an
ore for the manufacture
of iron.

The conglomerate or
millstone grit (7) was not
seen on the north side of
White river, but makes
its appearance in the
southern part of the
county, near Rocky Point
post-office, where it con-
tains embedded pebbles:
This rock has been quar-
ried, and is held in good
repute for rnillstones.
Though not more than
fifty or sixty feet in thick-
ness at the above locali-
ty, on the south side of
Salido creek it increases,
with its associate shales,
to four hundred and
eighty feet. I have not
observed any coal asso-
ciated with these rocks
in this county.

The black limestone
(h) belongs t» he sub-
carboniferous limestone

218 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Black bituminous shale.

Subecarbonifcrous or cavernous limestone, with
interealations of sandstone and shale; con-
tains large deposits of manganese, some iron,
and copper pyrites.

Massive saccharoidal sandstone.

period; where it crops
out, north of Rocky Point
post-office, it has a thick-
ness of about twenty
feet. It is quite tossilife-
rous: the most abundant
fossils are, Productus
cora, and P. clegans. One
layer, full of entrochites,
is hard enough to take a
polish, and the fossils
generally showing white
on ablack ground, it will
make a handsome mar-
ble for ornamental pur-
poses. This limestone is
usually underlaid by the
dark shales (g) of the
section.

Sandstone (f) is buff-
colored, and rather soft;
usually in - prismatic
blocks near the base, and
contains casts of subcar-
boniferous fossils belong-
ing to the genera spiri-
fer, orthis, lingula, pro-
ductus, nucula, and bel-
lerophon, also fragments
of trilobites. At Mr.

‘|McDonald’s, on the head

waters of Mud creek, 13
miles from Batesville,
this member is but a few
feet in thickness, and
rests upon dark, sheety
shales; the sandstone is
bedded in blocks from
three to four inches
thick, having an earthy

look, and low specific

OF ARKANSAS. B19

gravity. Between Sul-
pher rock and Parson
Rogers’ dwelling, it is

|Feet.

coe eee . _ jonly eighty feet thick;
b | x | 9 \Light-colored earthy looking limestone, “ white ;
u | oil | rock”? between Batesville and

LLP Spring creek, it has ex-
panded to one hundred

Nee ML 40 Maguesian limestone, containing galena, blende, f ;
Mi Mo carbonate of zinc, and some copper pyrites. |and eighty feet or more.

ML It forms the substratum
upon which the town of Batesville is built, and crops out about one mile
to the north. Seven or eight miles south of Batesville, this member dips
beneath the drainage of the country. East and west, along its strike, it

can be traced as the surface rock from the highland, on Black river, pasz-
ing through Sulphur rock and Batesville, to the western boundary of the
State. Though very persistent, in its lithological character, this member
is, atsome places, almost entirely replaced by limestone, with, locally,
one or more beds of intercalated dark argillaceous shale.

Member (e) was first observed, along my line of survey, at Mr. Me-
Donald’s, in a little branch called Shakeray, a tributary of Mud creek,
where it is not more than three or four feet thick, the upper part of a
dark-gray color, and splitting into large thin sheets. The lower part is
ferruginous, more compact, and quarries into blocks six or eight inches
thick; it will probably be found, when analyzed, to contain a considerable
amount of iron; in fact, I was impressed with the belief, while at some of
the localities of this shale, near Sulphur Rock and Batesville, that it would
prove to contain enough iron to justify smelting.*

Going west from McDonald’s, this black shale increases in thickness,
and is found in the bottom of wells, and in the deep cuts of ravines, as
far west as Spring creek, three miles north-west of Batesville, where it
attains a thickness of thirty-five feet or more; and though undoubtedly
belonging to the subcarboniferous period, has the lithological character of
the devonian black shales of Indiana and Kentucky. Itis charged with
bitumen, possesses a strong, fetid odor, splits into thin sheets. and decom-
poses too easily to permit of its being used for roofing buildings. At
Spring creek, this member contains the same black, compact, and ferru-
ginous stratum found in the vicinity of Sulphur Rock, which is here

Me

*Owing to some nnknown cause, the packages shipped by me, early last spring, to the office of
the Arkanses Survey, have not yet been received. One of these packages contained the principal
specimens of this shale, collected in Independence county, the manganese ores from near Batesville,
and many other important samples of the roeks in that region: consequently no analysis can, at
present, be given. Enquiries have been instituted, and it is hoped these missing boxes may yet be
found at some of the shipping points along their route.

220 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

increased to a thickness of ten or twelve feet, and has been quarried to
build, in part, the race at Ruddle’s mill, on this creek.

The organic remains seen in this shale, comprise imperfect casts of the
genera, cardium, lingula, uv.ula, and orthoceras, bi-furcated teeth of
fishes and stems of plants.

The cherty subcarboniterous or cavernous limestone (d) which commen-
ces at Black river hills, in township 14, often encroaches upon and replaces
the greater portion of the overlying sandstone (f). This cherty limestone
has its southern limits one mile north of Batesville, caps the mountains in
the northern part of the county with its detached chert, and continues in
the direction of its strike, a little north of west to the Cherokee territory.
In the western part of the State, north of township 15, itis in great force,
and extends northward into Missouri, beyond the lead mines of Granby.

In the western part of Independence county this limestone forms a per-
pendicular cliff on White river, above the mouth of Lafferty creek, from
four hundred to five hundred feet in height, making a conspicuous land-
mark for navigators of this river, and bears the name of “ Pinter’s Bluff.”
Between this point and Batesville it forms the substratum of extensive
table-lands, well adapted for agriculture. Characteristic samples of this
soil have been collected from the farm of Mr. R. A. Childress, section 36,
township 14 north, range 8 west, ten miles from Batesville.

One and a half miles north of Batesville, on the property of Mr. Mull,
there is an oolitic member of this limestone; having a thickness of thirty
or forty feet, which takes a good polish and can be quarried in blocks of
any required size for building purposes, and has the reputation of being a
durable stone. Mr. Mull is now engaged quarrying this rock, for the
manufacture of lime, for which use it is well adapted, on account of its
purity and whiteness. Lime made from the oolitic limestone, on the
Ohio river, below Louisville, always brings a higher price and meets with
a more ready sale than that which is made from the associated dark lime-
stones.

The ores found in this member (d.) are oxides of iron and manganese,
galena and some little copper pyrites. The two former of these promise
to be abundant. This is the same geological formation in which the fine
deposits of iron ore occur onthe Cumberland river, in Kentucky and Ten-
nessee, that supply the western furnaces located in its vicinity.

North of Batesville, near Mr. Cason’s, there is a strong axis of distur-
bance in the strata, bearing south-east and north-west. Small quantities
of copper pyrites are found disseminated amongst these titled strata,
chiefly in a close textured limestone rock, which has a slight greenish
color. Its occurrence, in proximity to this line of disturbance, may be re-

OF ARKANSAS. B91

garded as a favorable symptom and indicative of its origin from beneath.

In this formation, in the vicinity of Lafferty creek, rich beds of manga-
nese ore have been found at several places.* The most remarkable
occurrence of this ore, within my range of observation, is on the property
of Mr..Martin Cason’s in section 84, township 14 north, range 6 west, three
miles north of Batesville. Here it does not occur in veins, but in regularly
stratified beds, splitting up into rusty slabs two or three inches thick, and
containing imbedded sub-spheroidal concretions of a harder and more
metallic appearance than the matrix ore; in size they vary from a half to
one inch in diameter. This segregated ore is not inappropriately called,
“ Button ore.”t It is well exposed at Mr. Cason’s, on the slope of a hill
in his field, where, in fact, he actually turns it up in great sheets while
cultivating his land with the plow. After it has been exposed to the
atmosphere for a short time, decomposition takes place, producing a black
soil more fertile than any other portion of his farm. Shafts have beea
sunk into the ore at this place, fifteen feet in depth, without reaching the
bottom. The ore-bed is overlaid by a coarse-grained entrochital limestone,
which has four feet of its base colored red and filled with the aforemen-
tioned butten-shaped concretions of manganesc ore.

The position and appearance of the ore, at this locality, render it highly
probable that beds of limestone, previously existing, have been replaced
by infiltrated oxide of manganese.

The saccharoidal sandstone (c) was best seen in the eastern and north-
ern part of the county on Bayou Doty and Bayou Cury, where it has a
thickness of fifty or seventy-five feet. It is a coarse-grained, slightly
cemented rock, possessing a variety of shades of color, from pure white
to deepred. This variegated sandstone underlies the subcarboniferous
limestones (d.) and rests on magnesian limestones of lower silurian date,
but being destitute of fossils we are, at present, not prepared to say posi-
tively to what geological period it belongs.

The earthy looking limestone (b.) is found associated with and over the
lead bearing magnesian limestone of the lower silurian period, and is
usually known in the vicinity where it occurs, by the name of “ white
rock,” or “cotton rock.” This is a very constant member in the slopes
of the hills, in the northern counties, where lead ores have been dis-
covered.

The massive magnesian limestone («.) is a continuation downwards of

* See Report of Dr. D. D. Owen, State Geologist.

+ The specimens collected at this locality, and shipped, have not yet arrived. The economical
value cannot therefore be reported on.

23 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

‘the above formation, and is frequently intersected by small imperfect veins
of galena, associated with calcareous spar, copper pyrites and zinc,

Some five years ago a company was organized in Batesville, to search
for lead in this rock, on Bayow Cury. Several pits or shallow shafts were
sunk under the direction of Judge T. C. Bricky, one of the company, and
a considerable amount of lead taken out; the means at the disposal of this
company were inadequate to make the necessary investigation for prov-
ing the ground. In consequence of the shafts having caved in, no oppor-
tunity was afforded to see the character of the veins. In the rubbish,
thrown out of the shaft, 1 saw a considerable amount of the sulphuret
and carbonate of zinc, and collected specimens for analysis; * these speci-
mens of sulphuret of lead are of the steel-gray-variety, but disseminated
amongst spar and rock, rendering it difficult to obtain large specimens of
the clear ore. The geological formation is certainly perfectly analogous
to that in the lead region of Marion, Carroll, and Lawrence; which
circumstance renders it probable that the ore will be found under the same
circumstances as in the above mentioned counties.

Agriculture.

A considerable diversity of soil is to be found in Independence county,
corresponding to changes in the underlying geological formations. Though
the surface is considerably broken, still there are extensive areas of table-
land underlaid by the cherty subcarboniferous limestones. These soils
are rich, and being based on red clay, are retentive and durable; they are
similar in composition to the land in the barrens of Kentucky. There
are, also, extensive tracts of bottom land, bordering on the numerous
small streams which water this county, that are well adapted for culti-
vation.

The principal growth of timber is white, black, red, and postoaks,
hickory, gum and elm; on the cherty limestone land, the most abundant
trees are blackjack, sassafras and persimmon.

FULTON COUNTY.

In the southeastern. corner of this county, near Judge Billingsley’s, the
substratum is a hard impure limestone, rough weathering, and full of cross
cracks; superimposed on this, are thirty or forty feet of thin-bedded sili-
ceous limestone, disposed in layers like pavement stones, on the surface of
which remarkable fucoidal impressions are apparent. Above this flaggy

* For result of the analysis, see appendix to Chemical Report.

OF ARKANSAS. ao

limestone is an impure, cherty member, about twenty-five feet thick.
This succession continues nearly to Salem, and the country is strewed
with the reddish and variegated chert, derived from these formations.

Half a mile north of Salem, is an isolated, comical hill, called the
“Pilot Knob.” A measurment made with the aneroid barometer, gave
its height four hundred and forty-five (445) feet above the town of Salem.
The summit is capped with a reddish, quartzose sandstone, and disinte-
grated fragments of the same are strewed on the sides of the “Knob;”
thus entirely concealing from view any other rocks which may exist at the
base. This is a conspicuous knob that may be seen from a distance of
many miles; hence it served, in early times, to direct the course of the
pioneers.

Four miles west of Salem, there is a considerable bed of hydrated
brown oxide of iron, in connection with an impure siliceous ore, laying
exposed on a ridge, about one hundred feet above the general drainage
of the country.

The geological position of this ore is probably the same as that which
has been before noted in Lawrence county.

Both copper pyrites and galena, have been found in small quantities in
the magnesian limestones, in the southern and western part of the
county.

Between Salem and Bennett’s bayou, the substratum is a white earthy
limestone, resembling the “white rock” (0) of the Independence county
section, alternating with a greenish, marly shale, which weathers easily
and forms broad grassy valleys between the hills destitute of timber.
Bennett’s bayou, along which is a rich agricultural district, cuts its way
principally through this stratum.

In the western part of this county, on the North fork of White river,
there are seen, in the base of the hills, ninety feet of irregularly bedded,
impure, cherty limestone; the chert is very brittle, and has a tendency to
break into cubes. This is overlaid by one hundred and eighteen feet of
cherty limestone, alternating with a grayish-buff, siliceous rock.

In the southern part of the county, on Piney creek, the saccharoidal
sandstone (c) of the Independence county section, forms the tops of the
ridges, and is covered with a heavy growth of yellow pine.

Agriculture.

The valleys of the numerous streams, watering this county, afford a
rich fertile soil, well adapted for cultivation; and that forming the small
grassy valleys, derived from the decomposition of the “ white rock” and

224 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

its marly shales, is generally black and quite productive for all kinds of
small grain. Characteristic soils of the latter land were collected from a
farm belonging to Judge Billingsly.

The principal growth of timber on the limestone and chert ridges is
blackjack, blackoak, postoak and hickory, and where the sandstone pre-
vails, yellow pine. In the prairie-like valleys, besides the tall barren-
grass, there is an abundant growth of “Rosin weed,” Camphorosma resi-

nosa (Gray).

MARION COUNTY.

In the eastern part of Marion county, there is an alternation of the
magnesian or lead-bearing rocks of the lower silurian period, with sand-
stones, and the tops of the highest hills are covered with chert belonging
to the subcarboniferous rocks, as proved by the characteristic fossils which
it contains; these are, however, in most instances only casts. A number
of fine specimens of fossils, found in this chert, were presented to the
survey by Mr. William Flipping, among which are several crinoides,
belonging to the genera platycrinus and actinocrinus, also Spirifer stria-
tus, and a large undescribed nautilus. The light impure limestone
“ white rock,” with its associate greenish marly shale, is seen over a great
portion of this county, and forms the substratum to the gently undulating
tracts of land, known by the name of “Barrens.” The principal of these
are the Flipping, Rapp, and Talbot barrens. Characteristic soils have
been collected from the latter, which will give a fair average of this kind
of laid, It is very black, and in addition to barren grass, supports a luxu-
riant growth of “Rosin weed,” Camphorosma resinosa (Gray).

On the immediate bank of White river, in section 28, township 20 north,
range 15 west, in what is called the Horseshoe bend of the river, a mag-
nesian limestone, alternating with sandstone, forms a conspicuous bluff;
in all, some two hundred and fifty feet thick. A number of rock-house
caves have been formed by the disintegration of the magnesian member
of this series, in which large quantities of nitre earth have been formed.

The principal of these caves is known generally as the Bean cave, and
seems to have been worked in early times, as an old decayed leaching-
hopper has been found init. A story is related by some of the first <et-
tlers in the country, that a man of the name of Bean once made nitre at
this place in partnership with another man, who he is said to have killed
in a quarrel. This circumstance, it is believed, caused the enterprise to
be abandoned; and to this day, the cave is known under the name of the

“OF ARKANSAS. B95

“Bean cave.” It is about thirty feet wide at the entrance, and runs back
zome one hundred feet or more, when it becomes much wider. Its height
will average about eight feet. The walls or sides of this cave are com-
posed of a laminated, tough, ferruginous clay, the lamine having a varied
color, from pale yellow to dark red. The upper and lower portions of this
laminated clay, forming the walls of the cave, are partially dry, whilst
the center, for about two feet, is quite damp. Though this clay, as it is
dug from the bed, contains a considerable quantity of nitre, and most in
the upper and lower part, yet it is only after it has been broken down and
left on the bottom of the cave for some time, that it acquires sufficient
nitre to be worked with profit. After it has been broken down in the
cave, it rapidly loses its moisture, and crumbles into a fine powder. A
considerable quantity of this dry earth, equal perhaps to one-third of the
dimensions of the cave, is found on the sloping sides and floor.

These nitre earths yield from 3 to 6 per cent. of salt-petre, as will be
seen by consulting the Reports of Dr. D. D. Owen and Dr. Elderhorst;
the red, dry, crumbled earth on the floor being the richest in these nitre
salts.

After lixiviation with water, this earth can also be used as a coarse
paint, being nearly free from grit; it contains so much oxide of iron as to
give it the color of Spanish brown, the depth of which is increased by
ignition.

I was informed by Mr. Flipping that a drift had been made into the
laminated clay of this cave in search of lead, and that some little was
found, but not sufficient to encourage further investigation.

About one hundred yards from Bean’s cave, in the same bluff, and
occupying the same level, is another cave, one hundred and sixty feet wide.
at the mouth, and nearly as many feet in depth. The thickness of the.

a

deposit of laminated nitre earth, though not as great as in Bean’s cave, is _
nevertheless, from four to seven feet, and there is good reason to believe.
that the earth will be found continuous from one cave to the other.

There are several other nitre caves, of less extent, and filled, with this
same description of earth, reported to exist in this bluff, which I had not
time to visit.

Messrs. Smith & Co., of Elgin, Jackson county, Arkansas, have recently
purchased land on White river, including these caves, and made arrange-
ments for the manufacture of salt-petre from the nitre earth which they
contain. I was informed by one of the partners, when at Elgin, last
spring, that the yield of nitre was fully equal to their expectations, and
they were quite sanguine that it would prove a profitable investment.
He stated also that they used the lye for evaporation in the kettles, with-

15

226 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

out increasing its strength by passing it through hoppers, containing fresh
earth; if so, the expense for fuel is unnecessarily increased. To evaporate
the lye in the'most economical manner, it should be brought to the
strength of 12 or 14 deg., by passing it repeatedly through fresh earth, in
order to extract the soluble salts. A very useful instrument for ascer-
taining the strength of the lye, is the saltpetre hydrometer.

The best method of arranging the lixiviating troughs, or casks, is to
place them at such heights, one above the other, that the lye passing
through the first shall run into the second, and so continue, until the requi-
site per centage of saltpetre is obtained, before proceeding to the boiling and
graining process. Jn lixiviating, no more water should be used than is
actually necessary to extract the nitre; and lye, under 12 or 14 deg. of the
hydrometer, should be returned through fresh earth, before boiling, until
that strength is obtained.

There can be no doubt that works properly constructed, and judiciously
and systematically managed, will produce salt-petre sufficient to make ita
remunerative business. The location isimmediately on White river, which
is navigable atall times, as high up as Jacksonport, and, for a small class of
steamboats, during the greater portion of the year, up to the caves. The
mouth of the cave is so close to the river bank, that, by means of a chute,
the earth can be very conveniently projected to the river, where the water
for lixiviation can be easily obtained. Fuelis close at hand, and will cost
but the chopping and transportation.

For further information, in regard to the geology of this county, as well
as for the particulars of the analysis of the nitre earth, see the Neport of
Dr. D. D. Owen, State Geologist, and also that of the Chemical Assistant,
Dr. William Elderhorst.

CRAWFORD COUNTY.

After separating from you at Van Buren, I proceeded to examine the
coal, on Frog bayou, owned by Mr. Phillips. The principal opening is on
the west half of south-west quarter of section 18, township 19 north,
range 30 west, being one mile south of the stage road leading from Van
Buren to Little Rock. The same scam is also opened, on this bayou,
about one mile north of the stage road. This coal, known as the * Phillips
bank,” is one foot thick, it has a semi-metallic lustre, and though easily
mined in large blocks, its cohesion is so slight that it soon breaks into
small lumps by handling. It is the principal coal used by the blacksmiths
iu the southern part of Crawford, and the greater part of Franklin county,

OF ARKANSAS 297

and is in good repute with the workmen. By analysis, it is found to con-
tain, in 100 parts:

: Moisture «+ este aes es moves 1.0
Volatile omattetessutwst9 162 Volatile combustible matter 15.2
Fixed carbon «sees eee seas 80.8

ROG ts ESLER, EEE Ashes, (yellowish-red) --+-- 3.0
100.0 100.0

It belongs to the class of semi-bituminous coals, and is free from earthy
impurities, as shown by the small amount of ashes in the analysis.

As a fuel, the semi-bituminous coals are in high estimation, being rich
in carbon; and, without any superflous volatile matter, they have a suffi-
ciency of gas to render them easy of ignition.

On Frog bayou this coal lies under a bed of twelve feet of blue shale,
which has to be removed in order to get out the coal. So long as this
coal can be reached by this amount of stripping, it can be obtained, but
not without considerable expense, which will be greatly increased when
it shall become necessary to follow it by a drift, as much waste material
will have to be removed to make head room in the mine.

The black shale forming the roof of this coal contains fossil plants, belong-
ing to the genera lipidodcndron, sphcnopteris, calamites, and pinularia, and
also a shell belonging to the genus aviculw, of which only a fragment was
found, too imperfect for determining the species.

At the Phillips bank, ihe argillaceous shale is all that can be seen over
the coal; but the following section, taken in the hills near by, shows the
overlying beds:

Top of the hill, soil and subsoil----+---++++- been eens sees ?
Thin bedded sandstone, alternating with red marly clay, (base of

millstone grit) eA ered ert: tow aie See alice Seta, ~ eee ace Roby Bars 25 feet.
Blue argillaceous shale with segregations of carbonate of iron 60 “
Black bituminous shale with fossil plants: +++++++-- seen nenee 1.
Semi-bituminous COAL see ce reer reer ener reer eeee reer enerene ke
Fire clay srcrerecrs cece sterner ener serensenenseseeetnen es 0.6
87.6

Thirteen miles from Van Buren, and about one mile north of the stage
road, on the property of the Messrs. Herds, a mineral spring breaks out at
the base of a hill, from beneath an exposure of bluish-colored, rough,
sheety sandstone, with concretionary markings. The water comes, most
likely, from a blue shale, which is concealed below the surface; as strata

998 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

of this character were reached in Mr. Herd’s well, twenty feet below the
surface, and a similar water obtained.

A qualitative chemical examination of this mineral water, at the foun-
tain head, showed its principal constituents to be:

A small quantity of free sulphuretted hydrogen.

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Sulphate of soda (glauber salts).

Sulphate of magnesia, (epsom salts).

Chloride of sodium, (common salt).

Chloride of magnesium.

The chemical reactions indicate only small quantities of saline matter.
It is, therefore, a weak saline sulphuretted water, and its medicinal pro-
perties will be that of a mild laxative, it will also be found beneficial in
all cutaneous diseases.

On section 30, township 10 north, range 30 west, at Mr. Etherly’s black-
smith shop, a thin coal was struck in digging his well, overlaid by twenty
feet of hard blue sandstone and blue argillaceous shale. From the shale
thrown out, specimens of lipidodendron and stigmaria were obtained.
This coal is most likely the equivalent of the Frog bayou coal, or another
thin seam in close proximity.

For further remarks, on the geology of Crawford county, see Report of
Dr. D. D. Owen, State Geologist.

FRANKLIN COUNTY.

The millstone grit series prevails in the northern part of Franklin
county, composed of conglomerates and thick-bedded coarse sandstones,
flagstones, and red and blue shales.. Only thin beds of coals can be ex-
pected to be discovered in such materials as lie below the true productive
coal measures.

A slight wave in the strata, carries the coal of Crawford county beneath
the surface in the northern part of this county, and it is not until you reach
the waters of Horsehead creek, in Johnson county, that this coal again
makes its appearance at the surface, on the north side of the Arkansas
river.

One and a half miles north-east of Benner’s mill, near William Parker’s
house, there is an excellent chalybeate spring, which was found on exami-
nation to contain:

A trace of free sulphuretted hydrogen.

OF ARKANSAS. 239

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Bi-carbonate of the protoxide of iron.

This water appears to contain a considerable amount of oxide of iron,
and it is therefore somewhat remarkable that it should also indicate, with
acetate of lead, the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen, a combination that
can only exist when the oxide of iron is held in solution by a free acid.

This water will have a tonic effect, combined with an action on the
skin and kidneys.

At and near Mr. Parker’s spring, is seen the following succession of
rocks: coarse-grained sandstone, alternating with flagstones, reddish-yel-
low and gray shales; in all about two hundred feet. In the gray shales,
ten feet above the spring, there is a thin coal-dirt.

On Mulberry river, the thick-bedded sandstone of the millstone-grit
series attains a thickness cf more than three hundred feet. From the
base of one of the cliffs of this sandstone, on Mulberry river, section 30?
township 11 north, range 28 west, there issues a saline water, from a fissure
in the rock, that is known as the State salt spring. This spring has lately
been given up by the State and is now the property of Messrs. Basham &
Ward. It contains:

Chloride of sodium, (common salt).

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

Bi-carbonate of the protoxide of iron.

Sulphates, a trace.

This is a weak brine, which might become much stronger by deep bor-
ing, as it occupies the same geological position in which the strongest
brines are found in the western states.

There is another saline spring, reported to be of about the same strength,
situated higher up on Mulberry river, which I did not have an opportunity
to visit.

The qualitative chemical examination of a mineral water, on Spirit
creek, a branch of Mulberry, township 11 north, range 28? west, resulted
as follows:

Carbonate of the protoxide of iron (strong).

Bi-carbonate of lime.

Bi-carbonate of magnesia.

This is a good chalybeate water, and its effects will be that of an active
tonic.

A chalybeate spring was also examined at Mr. William Ham’s, on Mul-

230 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

berry river. This water contains the same ingredients as the preceding
though the oxide of iron is not in such large quantities.

Between Mr. Ham’s, on Mulberry river, and Ozark, the following sec-
tion was obtained:

Siliceous flagstones: + sere eee e cece eee eee ee ee rn eeees 180 feet.
Siliceous iron ore, 5 tO- +--+ eter eee eee eee eet eees 6. «&
Yellow, red, and gray shales +++ sess eee eee cree renee 60. «
Coal-dirt, or thin decomposed black shale --++++++++: I; &
Space concealed, to bed of creek--+++++ ++ sere eeeee 60. “
257 feet.
Agriculture.

The northern part of Franklin county, though much broken, contains a
large amount of good tillable land on the creek and river bottoms, which
is very productive, when properly cultivated. The principal growth of
timber is white, black, and redoak, blackjack, postoak, and hickory, sweet
and black gum.

JOHNSON COUNTY.

A number of openings have been made into a seam of semi-bituminous
coal, on the waters of Horsehead creek, in Johnson county. The princi-
pal of these are the Wilmoth coal, section 18, township 10 north, range
25 west; Butts’ coal, section 8, township 10 north, range 25 west; Lee’s
coal, section 15, township 10 north, range 25 west; Flemming’s coal, sec-
tion 1, township 9 north, range 25 west. These coals are all opened in
an extensive plateau formed by the easily-weathering mass of shales
underlying the massive sandstones of the millstone grit series, which are
seen prominently capping the mountains, a short distance to the north.

The Wilmoth coal bed, from 20 to 22 inches thick, is worked by drift-
ing; it has a dip of 6 or 8 degs. to the south-east, and rests on a dark fire-
clay bottom, filled with stems of stigmaria. In mining the coal, some
eight inches of the roof falls down and has to be carried out, which gives
ahead room equal to about thirty inches. In this dark earthy looking
shale, is found a small, undescribed species of fossil shell, belonging to
the genus modiola, and fragments of plants belonging to the genus
pecopteris.

A section of 650 feet of the rocks overlying the coal, was obtained and
is here given in the following section:

OF ARKANSAS. O31

Millstone grit or conglomerate, a massive sandstone in three
members, with shale between, and forming three distinct

benches on the mountains, in all...-+-.... Steen eee 350 feet.
Vermicular sandstone, in thin beds, with remarkable impres-

Se hee ee eee o ‘ a Tali $6 Aa hte, de by career es ta eboa se . 80 tk
Schistose sandstone with intercalated hard bands------ sees 100 a
Yellow and reddish shales....+-..++.. cee ee nee cere eee se BO es
Dark argillaceous Ni ALES saeco aveie ah teacsiee evs Siew oeaencaainenslen (IG. “
Brown earthy shale forming roof of coal. +++. ++++.04+ coer) = 60.8 "
Whitish-gray shale, mottled with dark spots. +--+... ++++. 9 te
Semi-bituminous Coals «sce cece scsescccccssseccevecenere 1.10 6“
Fire clay--+ ae a) wes 8 wae wed fas PRS eae we ce ee Tee a ee . 0.00 es

650.9 feet.

Mr. Thomas Butts has opened this coal on his property, where it is 18
inches thick, and dips 10 deg. to the south-east. It is here overlaid by the
same character of shale as seen at the Wilmoth coal, and there are found
in the roof the same fossils.

An opening has also been made into this vein of coal at Mr. Russel
Lee’s. The spring rains had filled up the opening so that the coal could
not be seen, and Mr. Lee being absent, I did not ascertain its thickness.
I believe it to be identical with Butts’ coal, as fossils of the same charac-
ter occur in the roof shales thrown out of the opening. If this inference
be correct, the thickness of the two coals will probably correspond.

Mr. Fleming’s coal is opened on a little branch, which runs into Horse-
head creek; it is 18 or 20 inches thick, and is mined by stripping off the
roof. The overlying shales and organic remains are identical with the
above. It is undoubtedly an extension of the Wilmoth coal.

Mr. Hodges has opened, and works by stripping this same vein of coal,
two miles north of Clarksville. It is here 18 inches in thickness, and the
same characteristic fossils were found in the shale. At this locality the
coal is not quite so free from sulphur as at the other openings, nor will it
stand exposure to the atmosphere as well as the coal at Mr. Wilmoth’s.

The coal taken from the different mines in this county, meets with a
ready sale. On account of the difficulty experienced in working so thin
a vein of coal, the miners receive 10 cents per bushel for raising; and it
is sold at the bank to the consumers at 20 cents per bushel.

At Mr. Hodge’s, the coal has but very little, if any dip, and it is only
carried above and below the drainage of the country by local undulations
in the strata. Though the coals, at these various openings, differ some-
what in quality and appearance, yet I believe they will be found to be all

aoe GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

an extension of one and the same bed. Experience has shown that local
changes in the composition of the same vein of coal are not unusual, and
cannot alone be relied upon as a means of identification. The organic
remains of the roof shales and observations on the superposition of the
strata, are much surer guides in the determination of the position of beds
of coal.

For further remarks on the coals of Johnson county, see the Report of
Dr. D. D. Owen, State Geologist.

East of Clarksville, and north of the Arkansas river bottoms, the heavy
mass of dark shales, associated with the coal, disappear beneath the sur-
face, and the overlying sandstone becomes the surface rock, with some
intercalations of shale towards the base. The siliceous soil, derived
from this sandstone, supports a growth of large yellow pines, on the high
ridges between Clarksville and Dwight mission.

Agriculture.

The tillable up-lands of this county are derived principally from the
shales lying below the main mass of millstone grit rocks. Sample of
soils were collected for chemical examination, from Mr. Arthur Davis’
farm, one and a half miles east of Clarksville, where the growth was
‘principally postoak.

The bottom lands, bordering on the Arkansas river, are highly esteemed
and very productive.

POPE COUNTY.

The geology of Pope county is almost a counterpart of that of Johnson.
The northern part is broken and mountainous. The mountains are com-
posed of massive sandstones, belonging tothe millstone grit formation at
the summit, and thin-bedded and shaly sandstones at the base. Near the
head waters of Illinois bayou, the upper bed of sandstone is a true con-
glomerate charged with pebbles, huge blocks of which have rolled from
above into the valley beneath.

On Indian creek, the subcarboniferous limestone appears beneath these
rocks, interstratified with reddish shales. This is the only limestone
observed in the county.

South of Dover, between Illinois bayou and Galley creek, and south of
the Carrion Crow mountains, the country is comparatively level, where
the siliceous, red and dark argillaceous shales, having no capping of hard

OF ARKANSAS. 923

es

sandstone to protect them, have been worn away and filled up the ine-
qualities of the surface.

Throughout all this southern part of the county, thin beds of semi-bitu-
minous coal are found. One of the principal openings for coal, is in the
bed of the Illinois bayou, near Dwight mission; but, at the time of my
examination of this county, the river was too high to admit of its being
seen. Mr. Edwards informed me that it was 15 or 20 inches thick. The
geology of the adjacent country leads me to believe that it will bé found
to occupy the same geological position as the coal described on Horse-
head creek, in Johnson county.

The following section exhibits the succession of the rocks at mur. Ed-
ward’s dwelling, Dwight mission, Illinois bayou:

Thin-bedded sandstone, top of the hills. +.+ +e sees eee eee ee aes 10 feet.
Reddish, ferruginous, argillaceous shale, with nodules of iron
ORO Wasa eae tl ed aii aera arGe a aera aie adva wiard uae tueas 60 «
Shaly argillaceous carbonate of iron: + +++ eee eee cere e eee 3to 5 «
Dark shale with fossil plants, lepidcdendron and stigmaria-: - 2 8
Band of sandstone in two layers (local). + +++ sees e eee cece ees Q 6
Alluvial bottom: +s ses e cece ee cere eee eee tence anes eae 20 «Ct
Bed of Illinois bayou: aay aupaneran sapien saikevtayseauie Og aa AiG hee cartes eo alesse aeT a EL Le Oo «
$9 feet.

The shaly argillaceous carbonate of iron in this section, is of excellent
quality and sufficiently abundant fer the supply of smelting furnaces. It
contains 32.2 per cent. of metallic iron, and is similar in its composition
to the best quality of the ore from the Cross Basket mines, in Scotland,
used at the Clyde iron works. Iron made from this class of ores is of the
finest quality, combining strength and ductility.

This description of ore, will no doubt be found at many other localities
in the vicinity of Dwight mission, and must eventually attract the enter-
prise of the iron manufacturer, from its vicinity to the Arkansas river
and proximity to large forests of pine timber, and to the workable coals
of Johnson county; especially the Spadra mines described in Dr. Owen’s
Report. The coal which is exposed in the bed of Illinois bayou, at low
water, may be reached by a shallow shaft at the base of the section at
Dwight mission, and may be worked by the removal of 8 or 10 inches of
the shale roof.

Considerable quantities of argillacecus iron ore were observed in the
vicinity of Dover, but not in the same abundance as further south.

234 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

‘Six hundred feet of the rocks, exposed in section in the Carrion Crow
mountain, near Mr. Potts’, on Galley creek, are here given:
Millstone grit in three benches of thick-bedded rock, having

shale between—in all about--.-. +--+) penne ere neee 400 feet.
Space concealed by debris, mostly flagstone and shale--+-- 140 RS
Argillaceous shale... fool Vata cete sreiguayie ara Jae whereas Sogheenters 3 60 “
Semi-bituminous coalesce seecececcceereeeeveverecee 13°
Galley Creeks + sess e cece eset acces erent cence ane nnaenes 0 “

601.3 feet.

The above thickness of the individual members will be subject to a cor-
rection for a slight north-west dip.

Some iron ore was observed in the Carrion Crow mountain, under the
upper bench of sandstone; but the greater portion of it contains too much
silica to be considered valuable for the manufacture of iron. The coal
at the base of the mountain has the same appearance as the semi-bitumi-
nous coal of Frog and Illinois bayous. It was not sufficiently opened to
be seen well.

Agriculture.

The cultivated lands lie chiefly in the southern part of this county, east
of the Illinois bayou. There are extensive districts of level tracts, chiefly
in townships 6, 7,8 and 9, ranges 19 and 20 west, that are very produc-
tive, especially adapted for wheat. The soil of this region overlies, and
has mostly been derived from, the disintegration of the reddish and dark
shales at the base of the millstone grit, sufficiently intermixed with sili-
ceous washings from the overlying flagstones to correct their otherwise
tenacious and refractory character. Samples of soil were collected
from John P. Langford’s land, on the Illinois bayou, five miles north-
east of Dover. The timber was very large and mostly oaks with some
hickory.

OF ARKANSAS. 2935

CONWAY COUNTY.

The northern part of Conway county is skirted by a continuation of the
same chain of mountains that traverse the preceding counties of Pope
and Johnson, and has a corresponding geological structure. Sandstones
of the millstone grit form its summit, overlying flagstones and shale.
The hills diminish very much in the southern part of the county, seldom
exceeding three hundred feet, and are composed mostly of thin-bedded
sandstones, underlaid by reddish siliceous, and dark argillaceous shales.
In the level portions of the eastern part of the county, the latter shaly
members underlie the fine tracts of grass land, which affords excellent pastu-
rage for cattle.

Thin beds of coal have been opened, in many places, on the waters of
the Cadron, in the eastern part of the county, and range in thickness from
4 inches up to 20 inches. In section 7, township 5 north, range 12 west,
on the Black fork of the Cadron, a 4 inch seam of coal is intercalated
amongst the shales. It is amore solid coal than those beds previously
described, in Pope and Johnson counties, highly bituminous and very
black; it has but little tendency to crumble, and breaks with a smooth
angular fracture. A few fossil plants were found in its roof shales,
belonging to the genus pecopteris and ncuroptcris. This is probably a
different seam of coal from that, before mentioned, on Ilinois bayou and
the waters of Horsehead creek. It is, however, too thin a seam to be of
much commercial value.

Three layers of subcarboniferous limestone crop out on Turkey creek,
a branch of the Cadron, in all four or five feet thick, dipping about 3 deg.
south-east. It is a dark, earthy-looking rock, containing encrinite stems
and indistinct carboniferous fossils. This is the only limestone that has
been observed, south of Little Red river and north of the Arkansas river,
in this part of the State; as this rock will make a good strong lime, it is
important to a country where limestones are seldom accessible.

In the north-east part of Conway county, close to the Bull mountain,
the dark shales under the millstone grit are fractured, dislocated, and
traversed by veins of quartz, associated with talc and other allied mag-
nesian minerals; the shales, for some distance on either side of these
veins, are indurated, altered, and more or less metamorphosed. | observed,
at one locality, an almost vertical bank of dark, siliceous rock, one foot
wide, charged with iron, and possessing a cubical structure, the blocks

336 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

averaging about three inches by two. This siliceous vein traverses the
disturbed shales, in a north-east and south-west course, for several miles.

Where these quartz veins pass through the property of Dr. David Lewis,
in section 24, township 6 north, range 11 west, several shallow pits have
been sunk to investigate their character. All that were discovered, proved
to be talcose slates and fine transparent crystals of quartz, three or four
of which had enclosed a drop of water. These pits I consider too shallow
to prove the metalliferous character of the veins. The apparent con-
nection of these veins with those in Pulaski county, which contain
argentiferous galena, leads me to suspect that similar ore might be found
at a greater depth; especially, as the Bull mountain veins reach the
surface through a hard, siliceous slate, which overlies the metalliferous
shales in Pulaski. The following is a section of the rocks at the Bull
mountain, near Dr. Lewis’ house:

Conglomerate, thin-bedded and shaly sandstones, in all----+---++ 310 feet.
Dark, siliceous shales, with bands of prismatic shale, much dis-
turbed, and traversed by veins of quartz, in all--++++++.++++ 75 “
885 “

Near the mouth of the Cadron, veins of milky quartz are found, tra-
versing the millstone grit; this appears to be the western limit, on the
north side of the Arkansas river, of that subterranean action which has
filled or injected the slates, south of the Cadron, in Pulaski county.

At Springfield, the county seat of Conway county, a qualitative chemical
examination was made of the town spring, which issues, in a bold clear
stream, from the reddish and dark-colored shales under the millstone grit.
It proved to be a good chalybeate water, possessing decided tonic proper-
ties. The principal ingredients are:

Carbonic acid;

Bi-carbonate of lime;

Bi-carbonate of magnesia;

Bi-carbonate of the protoxide of iron (strong).

Another chalybeate spring, of the same character, occurs at the Peach-
orchard-gap, in section 20, township 6 north, range 10 west, in the edge
of White county, and belongs to Mr. Elliott.

Agricullure.

The most important tracts of arable land, occupy she southern part of

the county, in townships 6 and 7, ranges 11, 12, 18, 14, 15, 16, and 17, on

the waters of the Cadron and Point Remove creeks. They are the same

OF ARKANSAS. 937

description of lands, already spoken of, in the south-east part of Pope
county, and have been derived from the same geological formations.

PULASKI COUNTY,

North of the Arkansas river, the stratigraphical character of the rocks,
in Pulaski county, is very much the same as that previously noted, in the
counties laying to the west. The millstone grit still forms the capping to
the highest hills, while the cuts in the valleys have laid bare the reddish
and dark underlying shales, which seem to augment in thickness to the
south and east; while the sandstones of the millstone grit appear to
become more schistose in structure.

Imperfect crystals and veins of amorphous milk-white quartz have
ramified the strata, close to the junction of the sandstones and shales,
near Mr. Irvin’s, and not far from the stage road leading to Little Rock,
where the adjacent walls of sandstone and shale are metamorphosed for
18 inches on each side of the veins, but especially on the south side, where
the wall is slaty and micaceous. The whole strata, through which the
vein runs, are so much disturbed that, for a width of fifty feet, they dip 35
deg. to the north east, with a north-west and south-east strike. Beyond
this, the strata gradually assume a more horizontal position. No mining
explorations have been made along the line of this vein, in search of
metallic ores; though I believe the conditions under which the vein
appears, favorable for discoveries.

The hill at the toll-bridge, on Palarm creek, is 220 feet high, measured
from the bridge floor, which is about 30 feet above the bed of the creek.
The rocks of which this hill is composed, are thin-bedded, soft, brownish-
colored sandstones, dipping about 40 deg. north-east, and intersected with
veins of milky quartz. On the surface of some of the sandstones, quar-
ried out to improve the road over the hill, clusters of transparent crystals
were found attached. The upper part of this quartz-bearing sandstone,
which caps the hill, is a coarse-grained, reddish rock, which crumbles
easily to sand.

About two miles west of Winfrey’s old stand, a remarkably hard, black
metamorphic rock, in semi-crystalline blocks, traversed by numerous fine
veins of white quartz, crosses the road. It is one foot wide, and dips
about 35 deg. north-east. The strata, on each side of this tilted band,
appear to be nearly horizontal.

The most important mineral locality which has yet come under my
observation, in Pulaski county, north of the Arkansas river, is situated on
Kellogg’s creek, and known as the “ Kellogg lead mines.” The principal

233 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

mines are in township 3 north, range 11 west, and about ten miles north
of Little Rock. When first discovered, these mines created considerable
excitement, and the right of mining was leased by the proprietor of the
land, My. Kellogg, to a company, who were to hold this right so long as
they paid him regularly a stipulated amount of the ore. Some forty or
fifty tous of this ore were mined and shipped to Europe, for the purpose
of ascertaining its value. No account was ever received, at the mines,
regarding the sale or disposition of this shipment of ore; and the company,
whose means were limited, becoming involved in debt and discouraged,
finally abandoned the enterprise.

From long disuse, the shafts from which this ore was raised, have
become filled with water, rubbish, earth and rocks, washed in or detached
from the mouth of the pits,so that there is no opportunity, now, of inspect-
ing the condition of the ore in place. In giving an opinion, therefore, in
regard to these mines, we have to judge from the material thrown out,
from the general geological structure of the country, and from information
derived from Mr. John W. Purdom, who lived close by the mines at the
time the ore was mined. It appears that the ore was found, not in a
single vein only, but occupying a number of veins, which traverse the
argillaveous shales under the millstone grit at this place; these seem to
have very much the same distribution and relation, as those previously
mentioned as occurring on the property of Dr. Lewis, at the Bull moun-
tain, in the north-east part of Conway county, as well as those observed
near Mr. Irvin’s in this county.

To convey a clearer idea of their geological relations, I subjoin the
annexed vertical diagram; which illustrates not only the succession in
Pulaski county, but also in Conway county:

The millstone grit,
marked (e), at the top of
the section, occupies the

Feet.

highest position, not on-
ly in the hills adjacent
to the mouth of Palarm
bayou, and in the ridge
dividing the waters of
that stream from Kel-
logg’s creek, in Pulaski
county, but also in the
Bull mountain, in the

200 Millstone grit, 200 feet in thickners.

~ north-east corner of
Conway county.

OF ARKANSAS.

239

Feet.

The underlying silice-
ous and argillaceous

bands of hard rock.

Thin-bedded soft sandstone.

Hard shale.

Siliceous and argillaceous shales, with thin

200|Argillaceous shale, traversed by metallic veins.

shales (d) are exposed,
in section, on the Arkan-

MG_NG) — |Millstone grit, 200 feet in thickness—Continued,|Sas river, near Mr. Ir-

vin’s, at Palarm bayou;
as well as on Bull bayou,
in the north-east part of
Conway county. It is
through them that the
veins of quartz reach the
surface, on the property
of Dr. Lewis, in Con-
way county, and near
Mr. Irvin’s in Pulaski
county. Locally, a bed
of soft sandstone (c) is
intercalated amongst
these shales, succeeded
by thirty feet of hard
shale or slate, (8), inter-
sected with lines of cross
fracture, probably caus-
ed by shrinkage.

The lowest stratum (a)
of this section comprises
the shales forming the
valley of Kellogg creek,
which are traversed by
a system of metallifer-
ous veins, containing a
rich silver-lead, associat-
ed with quartz, talc, (tal-
low rock of the miners),
copper pyrites, spathic
iron, and blende. The
principal veins have a

course nearly east and west. At the Kellogg mines, metalliferous veins
are found, occupying a belt of country from north to south, of more than

half a mile, and the whole system of quartz

veins and tilted strata, of

240 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

which the Kellogg veins form a part, must have a width, in the same
direction, exceeding twelve miles.

From 40 to 50 tons of silver-lead ore have been taken out of one of
the shafts sunk at the Kellogg mines, according to information derived
from Mr. Purdom, and one lump carried to Little Rock, as a sample,
weighed 108 pounds. In following the vein, this shaft was carried 108 feet
through shales (a) of the section, after which the work was abandoned.
The vein was found to contain more or less lead throughout the whole
depth. Another shaft, known as the “ Well or Moreland diggings,” passed
through 200 feet of the same shale, which still continued beneath. This
vein also afforded a considerable amount of argentiferous lead, associated
with the minerals before mentioned as belonging to this locality; but the
amount of ore taken out of this shaft could not be accurately ascertained.
Mr. Purdom was of opinion that it had not produced as much as the 108
feet, or “ Johnson shaft.” A large quantity of copper pyrites was found
amongst the rubbish thrown out of these shafts, and it is believed that
good veins of this ore might be reached by following the veins.

The lead and copper bearing shales of Kellogg creek are underlaid by
the subcarboniferous limestone, which, we have every reason to believe,
would be more favorable to mine in than the overlying shales; besides,
the surface indications of this system of veins give evidence, that the
deeper they are followed, the richer they become; for the quartz veins of
the Palarm, which I conceive to be an extension upwards of the veins of
Kellogg creek, have not as yet yielded any ore, either of lead or copper.
I believe it, therefore, to be a fair inference, that the deeper the veins are
followed, the richer they will become; more especially when they reach
rocks more favorable for the reception of ores.

The analysis of two samples of lead, from the Kellogg mines, gave the
following result: No. 1, a bright crystalline looking ore, gave, by reduc-
tion, 81.7 per cent. of metallic lead. By cupellation, this lead gave a
silver bead weighing 1.06 per cent. of the lead employed, which is equal
to 339.2 ounces of silver in a ton of 2,000 pounds.

No. 2, a porous fine-grained ore, with particles of talc disseminated,
gave 73.45 per cent. of metallic lead; this, by cupellation, gave 0.7 per
cent. of silver, equal to 224 ounces in a ton of 2,000 pounds.

The silver-lead ores of Great Britain and Ireland, worked in 1852,
according to Mr. Hunt, (as quoted in Whitney’s “ Metallic wealth of the
United States),” ranges as low as 6 ounces of silver in a ton of lead; the
highest, being that of Devon, contains 40 ounces of silver in atonof lead.
The Cardiganshire and Montgomeryshire lead ores sometimes contain as
much as 75 or 80 ounces of silver to the ton. At Wildberg, in Prussia,

OF ARKANSAS. W41

the lead contains 80 ounces of silver to the ton. The silver-lead of the
Upper Hartz, belonging to Hanover, contains from 13 to 123 ounces of
silver to the ton. From 70 to 80 ounces of silver is obtained from a ton
of the argentiferous lead of Obernhof, in Saxony.

From this it will be seen, that the silver-lead from the Kellogg mines
greatly exceeds in richness the silver-lead ores of Europe, and in the com-
parison, leaves a margin for profits so broad, that no doubt can be enter-
tained of the practicability of working these ores, not only for the lead,
but the silver.

Why these mines have been so long abandoned, after having been once
partially worked, I was unable to learn. The situation is highly favora-
ble for rich lodes of metal, not only silver-lead, but also copper.

If the property, belonging to these mines, can be obtained on reasonable
terms, and a judicious and economical system of mining instituted, there
can be but little doubt of a profitable result. The stratum of argillace-
ous shale is easily mined, and there is no difficulty in sinking a shaft
through it. From the increasing thickness of the shale to the south-east,
it is difficult, at present, to state exactly, what the total thickness of the
shales on Kellogg creek may be, before reaching the limestone; it may,
probably, be 300 feet or upwards.

The qualitative chemical examination of the Newton spring, on the
property of John W. Purdom, in section 26, township 3 north, range 12
west, 8 miles north of Little Rock, gave, as its principal constituents,

Bi-carbonate of lime.
Bi-carbonate of magnesia.
Bi-carbonate of the protoxide of iron.

This is a strong chalybeate water, and will be found an excellent tonic
for patients suffering from debility.

Two and a half miles east of Mr. Purdem’s, between the old Batesville
and Memphis roads, there is a large body of bog-iron ore, which will, no
doubt, be found to contain sufficient iron to pay for working, judging from
its appearance. A strong chalybeate spring breaks out from this bed of
ore. Several persons have been induced to sink prospect holes, for lead,
in this vicinity; all of which reached bog-iron ore, proving this ferrugin-
ous deposit to be extensive. Its thickness, where it was only partially
exposed, is two feet. This is, therefore, a locality worthy of the attention
of the iron manufacturer.

16

242 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

Agriculture.

Large tracts of level land exist over the area of the above mentioned
shales, from which the soil has been chiefly derived in this county. Where
the reddish-colored ferruginous shales of this group prevail, the land is
productive and easily cultivated; but where the purely argillaceous shales
exist, the soil is stiff, refractory, and inclined to be sprouty, and difficult to
bring into a good condition for cultivation; however, when subdued, it
becomes fertile. These flat clay lands, in their wild state, support a luxu-
riant growth of “barren grass,” excellent for stock. The timber is mostly
postoak and gum. The soil of the hill land is mostly derived from the
sandstone of the millstone grit series, and is easily cultivated, though not
so productive as the bottom lands. The principal growth of timber, on
the highlands, consists of white, red, and blackoaks, black hickory, and
black-jack oak. A set of soils was collected, characteristic of the latter
lands, from Mr. John W. Purdom’s farm, in section 36, township 3 north,
range 12 west.

PRAIRIE COUNTY.

At the time I reached this county, the flies were found to be so numer-
ous that it was impossible for the horses to travel during the day; conse-
quently my observations in this county have been limited.

It is a level prairie country, as its name implies, and its substratum is
composed of the orange-colored sand belonging to the quaternary period.
The only solid rocks observed, are inthe north-western part of the county,
and belong to the millstone grit formation. The greater portion of this
county is well adapted for cultivation, and though mostly open, prairie,
there are considerable bodies of good timber bordering along the numer-
ous small streams that water this county. There is, at all times, an inex-
haustible supply of wild grass, for stock, and large droves of Mexican
mustangs, and Texas horses, passing through the country, are, annually,
brought to this county to recruit upon its rich, wild pastures. Samples of
soils were collected from the John Percifield old place, in the Grand prai-
rie, seven miles from Brownsville, section 10, township 2 north, range 7
west. This soil is said to be excellent for small grain, and will produce
twenty-five bushels of wheat to the acre. It is not so good for corn, the
average being from twenty-five to thirty bushels to the acre.

OF ARKANSAS. 243

MONROE COUNTY.

West of White river, this county is formed of high level prairie lands,
similar in character to the lands of Prairie county, just described, except
a short and narrow strip bordering on White river, in the vicinity of Aber-
deen, which is broken by hills, about one hundred feet in height, composed
of yellow clay and orange sand. East of White river, in this county, the
land is generally low, and much cut up by lakes and-sloughs, which, in
time of high freshets, overflow large tracts of country. The remaining
portion of this part of the county is composed of ridges that never over-
flow, and is amongst the finest cotton land in the state, producing 1200 or
1500 pounds to the acre. Soils characteristic of this land were collected
from Alfred Mullen’s farm, in section 25, township 1 north, range 3 west.
No. 2, soil fourteen years in cultivation, and now in cotton. The princi-
pal growth of timber, in this section of the county, is large sweet-gum,
elm, hickory, and dogwood.

I did not see any solid rock formation in this county.

=

244 GEOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE

CONCLUSION.

It will be seen, on review of this Report, that the northern part of the
counties lying north of the Arkansas river, are bounded by a, chain of
mountains, which are crowned, on their summits, with massive conglome-
rate or thick-bedded sandstones, locally pebbly, belonging to the millstone
grit series. These massive sandstones are underlaid by reddish and dark-
colored shales of great thickness, especially towards the south-east, as
three hundred feet have actually been measured where they still extend
beneath the drainage of the country. Thin seams of coal are found in
the upper part of the dark shales, in all the counties from Crawford to
Pulaski,* one of these veins appears to be persistent, and has been identi-
fied, by its organic remains, over a great extent of country. Though
often interrupted by extensive waves, which must have taken place
in a great degree before the deposition of the superimposed sandstones,
the general horizontality of the strata is well preserved. The axis of
these waves appears to be parallel to the strike of the strata, and the
elevated ranges produced from this cause are always capped with the
millstone grit, with sometimes one or two hundred feet of shale over-
lying it. After reaching the eastern boundary of Pulaski county, the dark
underlying shales, with the incumbent sandstones, disappear either Ly
dipping to the south-east, or what is most likely the case, they have been
removed by denudation, and buried beneath heavy deposits belonging to
the quaternary period.

Permit me to take the present occasion, to acknowledge the many acts
of kindness experienced at the hands of the citizens of the various countics
through which I passed, which have promoted and facilitated the objects
of the Survey. Where these are numerous and universal, it would be
invidious to particularize individual caces.

EDWARD T. COX}
Assistant Geologist.

* Though I did not see any coal in Pulaski, I was credibly informed by Mr. Elliott, that he had
found a thin seam not far from the Kellogg mines; and he promised, if possible, to mect me at the
mines and show it.

Oo
AOTINOCRINUS in Cherbs...c.sccee cece aeeeseccauceccreccseececes Se ee TCs e er eee 224
AGESEIZOCTINUG CONTCUS 959: 5:9 0 sigie ss evessearer die see a sisi) a a Wists dis.e Maialinie te mies OER) eLa alle ara Sie Marea bys 123
Agate in Izard county, occurrence Of... 0... cece eee cence teen e eee eet eee teerententee 44
Amber in Poinsett county, occurrence Of... 1. ec cece cece eee ence cence eeeeeaeens Feae OL
Analyeisy MVStMORS: OF ats ces guaschsvay gus: sulayaue: ari arscariossise sig sronm ie kearabi or ecberaig uate tui] avelntie ao dhyaseverane a yas 186-191
Analysis of argentiferous galena from Pulaski county.........eeesee cece cece ener etereeees 240
argillaceous rock imbedding galena....... cece esce cece cece cree c eee eneeeneeees 176
blend esicagauevccniwaneanns Ieee Ade dwh ee ANH RRa Gea Gna au ae hw. e Ke 155
Darn f i tae tojoita cis ie reeeyasay snivs episode, Nresrsdees pds ore pesos Ga teare hatha GOO Amat Sees 164
BAY 8D saa ag tpi cee REN wa cee ny ee VGA ah pede ob kara GBA aR AGS lated ate ae RN a 130, 227
OL OMIGE 6-5 Sie ee chaergwseceivrsy Shsiaanioa a AA Babine aalmaree Mus Mase Aa wem Deoeneuve eae ae 174, 175
Breall CTA ssaiasia lacs ones cayancict ball a aphierathielae Sia. Dininta eyaiada ete Aun temiy eden Gamelan 159, 160, 240
Henibes a sic wlechcie te tie sian a byest ssh oels Moe GE REA ne sieau ad ela alban 177, 178
Vinmonite. saachnninaernine dace ad cmaielsvsen mat stanausnsiet Susva due. uevelet wusiaualavaelaletnceiatiamns - 170-172
SP TMAUPLOTALE! saveyavaver a ahnidvevesas ebb smal sinceng ie thine i Sgeaua m cele love teladle otmyateua vader Goueie mt aadinge eleraliaie 153
METS -CAarthiercegycavcede teased dewwat ecru Lene Peewee Ee eee ee 53, 54, 178, 185
POATIS PAL sa. slera vissaiarnre: ora erat chan aie nase gue ie trae erie tahnty nna Te miele aloe te gah wean LD ORBEA 183
POLbEL’s ClaYucawaw guiewiaadr waa wgairaneneiew eae Teinin ad ease Reees Vee Tee Meee 21
psilomelane: . oo access sew encene see saen eben teen aehs ba etter eee 161, 162 165
red clay imbedding zinc O©re...... eee ee eee eee eee e ee eee e renee enter eeaes 175
shell-marl trom Greene COUNLY ..... 6 eee e cece eee eee recente ent ente eens 27
shell-marl from Kentucky........eeeeec cece cree nce e enter teen estes teeeeee enone 27
smithsonite ..... acoiuten (eens ateraleeeee Rosas thes alae wwe Tees .- 148-153, 183, 184
Spadra coal...... eee eeeeee rc eees PuUiiera iat Te ane ee TaN ea ae aes 130
W WL 8Cceccacn cuchas dynieiacrlanniesiue loersaieiastine EAE AEE SE SHOE OER AEN aicerPe aera 163
water from Cobb’s well..........ce cece cece cect teen n ete ee erect seer eeceeeees
7 John Robinson’s well.........cccee ccc e este eset e ener seesenerenees
“Wim. Lane's: Well. ..ncdienndnndndanesisreaneeasename nee aaa date
J. P. Harris’ well...... Lagemeacene
‘Thos. McElrath’s well.......-..-.
a spring near J. Young’s farm
a mineral spring in Crawford county..-- 0. sseeeeee erence eee eee renee 228
a sulphur spring in Washington county. .....essese eee ee eeeeees 117, 119
a mineral spring on Spirit creek, Franklin county... -.+.+esseeeeeee 229
a chalybeate spring in Franklin county.........eeeeeee cece eee eeees 228
A. 8. Stewart’s spring, Greene county....... Nalalcavas miearenen etter 23, 180
the town spring of Springfield, Conway county........++-+eeeeeeeees 236
the “ Mammoth spring? -...-0..esece cece cere cece eee e eee eerneees . 182
the Searcy sulphur spring, White county..........seeeeee creer eeeees 71
the Black sulphur spring of Van Buren county.....-+-++eereeeeeeeees 73
the Puce spring, Van Buren county......-.+eeeeeeeee rere rere eeeeee 73
the Pennywit sulphur spring, Crawford county....--++eeesseeeeeeeees 126
the Rice’s spring 0... eee cece cece eee eee e eee eet e ne en tener eeeees 207
the State salt spring, Franklin county. ....++ssesseceeeeeee cece cee 229
Newton spring, Pulaski county ...-... 0. ee eee eee ee eee eee eeeeeeeee 241

wo
a
a
wo
i=)

of St. Francis river.......... i dieser da latrines eae eietenta ears

246 INDEX.

Pace.
Analysis of water from Kimble’s creek, Madison county .--.++-ss+seeseseee satenag eelebareine, LOZ
of White river...........6+ Hamsied Oi ee PRESS OATS iemeswmesess LBL
of North fork of White river........+. shack ovbee(ietals Scares seasnsacsace LBL
Analysis of yellow ochre..... ersenejeararaiefeisve ajo lasesSyscreisinaicdaviherereco SR RE EAS SS Salone aise 225, 170
Appendix to Chemical Report..........++eeeeee see heme eee Te ee enews 183
Archimedes limestone of Independence county........ fase raves Feu MERRIER MORSE cisions «Ok
Argillaceous rock imbedding galena, analysis Of .....-+.+++e+++ sseeveutr ses ee 176
Avicula, casts of in shale .....--.ceeeeees a bhuvasenes a. apipevenarecececine® edenedueteamemanahare 2a Q27
Bap tick of Van Buren county........-- eit MieRaseRVeAe ECW oe mEeTaD siiutcbacgresetpaatanaite (02
Ath MANS s <6 ssss:se oes scicejeiererieieieya's ne koe TR RRA ae NE saliewerw anh ihinieeawuneueceeel
Bath mine, analysis of the ore from the .......-eeeeeeeeeee iinld a ialnele Gi iaveegdip iaiatele Bisse wees 149
Bean’s nitre Cave wicccescdseasesecsasvesvewes Pee er re re ddateiaterete . 53, 224
Beatty’s prairie of Benton county..... hcebaniaaia atin Reve sin tea ne fa lara tease ete aetera pete axaiavabetnera 108
Bee rock of White county. ........eesseeeeee cece eee e cee e ene e ener eeeeenerectnterecnees 67
Beech branch of Cache river, section on the
Belgian process of manufacturing zinc......-.. . 5
Bellerophon: 55: sisciv-scawascw axes 0 a0 6 is CAMA AREER ARERE REDE RUDE veeeceees 116, 218
Benton county .20..csnssviceisencnonssannceses oi hah6 plated ae BLN Wie tela Vel Wo Ie Pe aa ees sacar 0 103
character of soils of ...........eeee0 sigtbaiaemaieentac om seca ceas i Gieleaees "104, 109
Beatty’s prairie in........-..6+ sdadeNotee Ryieu areata sazereceivitseorosas cfatapanatea Suara cosnetes 108
prospect of mining operations in.....++.seeseeeseeeeeeeeees seceeeees 105, 109
reported existence of a sulphur spring in......-+..ssseeeeseeceeeeeees vee 108
succession’ Of strata Lcd ccc asics eneacgere ged resasesay cpm eee er-eeieree severe 105
Big spring in Independence county ..........:seee cece eee eeeeeeeee
Black marble of Independence county.......-.0.seeseeeneeeneeeees
Black marble of Searcy county... ......cc cece nc eseecccnsaccecetrenessuceesneee & sierra, WL
Black marble of Van Buren county ........ span Sih Gres eoat Sov BNO aia ayn ont oy epavek breaks eacuseiwifa ah send 75
Black sand lands of Greene County ........ 0c cece eee eee cece eee ee teen eeeeeaeees 25, 28, 30
Black spice lands of Jackson COUNLY........ ce cece scence ee teen eens teteeneenenenenes 32
Black wax lands of Poinsett county.........eseeeeseceeeeeereeeeee sr ivivaualgenaivaa trae vahonnsareie 31
Blende, analysis Of. ..... 00. e cece cece eee eee neen eee eeeee ag susiseua (avatecateheuoiaitcuedo . »»» 155
occurrence of, in Independence County........cceeeecceeee ener eeeeetereeeteeres 222
Lawrence County... .....ccccccenctesneeceececeeserssee veeee 63, 148
Marion County.......e cece cece cece cece nsec tetceeveneee paeeeee «. 55
Pulaski connty ....... ee ce ecee cece eee e eee nec ence ones Siersceinitcace 239
Boat mountain of Carroll county ......... ccc e cece cece cece erence eee e ee eeee ener eseeneee . 88
Boat mountain, section of strata of ........: einer serena aS ae omnes tt aecs ownceee scion SE
Braunite, analysis of .............06- Week e rebate Deer agence ses hoses ewes eNate eee
Brines, where best reached by boring
Buhr millstone of Izard county............. ae ae
Bubrstone of Marion county.......-2cccenceccccerscncccenecesceecnseanes jAbeesate nes
Buhrstone chert of Izard county .............-. Euauaun eomus swans eae wa Tes
(See, also * millstone.’’)
Button ore........ Se rere te Peer ee ee er eT aiiewaie taawawew QL
Cacue'Lanps; character Of; sisice sicaaisvis jeter dsvesaamedla ne eieleusaanawha ase meee wenieis, 20s Oe
Calamine, the:zine-works\al as.ee sawed sagawssis deus soar see eins oobuw Suu Wes Ree eNOT . 210
Calamites, in shale of the coal measures.........ceccee cece cet sceevcccese ey vee 297
Calcareous spar in Carroll county, occurrence of..... a ... 6258
I aPC Oe OE sock comes r5 0 vance ath oo wna 50 chroot a ove wh oho Savy negra vans SF anance gy oh ah ot ote dees onatarredeoteneen tate deven ee ae 43
Camp creek hollow, succession of rocks in... 1... eee eee eee ccc eee cece neeecsceaceceeces . 44
Camphorosma resinosa, OP tistiswiel san dweeeesedeeacedaca dw denial aan eee eeeeewuwer waive, SOE
Card itain , CASTS: OF; Wi SHATE i. 035 asiecccenersasscaseanscetaiusiisadeadaye o-9:m OxSinte ap eve DwedueCaresn G2 Go Aiea eog alse aeavalhenies 220
CATER LL SCOUTED? js seicsacvaxagibtova aca: d sajerzrccers:essysnsit bvays) ach rnieunnuacatevesdsaasenebinsta Reale havesereislelans istarsivieioar sD OS Ef
analysis of galena from... 2... see eeeee cece eet e een e eet ee cece aenes
“COtOM ROCK ?? OFF ax aies.8 abs .15 G8 0.5 :0:d soya Ste em ere ceveraieceinle
encrinital marble Of ....... cc cece ccc e cece ce cececes
FLU 22 a PEPTIC OL: sco cers seces setae iai wer Sees ee NS TBE ep ccad caesaauipas ude sive eve keen verse etandneiovo cients
FTO ML ONES OL seiner sues ay vee tesa vans (oes Ww ve be ais aS va aa ep a 1 daca yore seaccteseeoeCaaaa ea lote tensed
Lead iOreaiOf sa cece because earaeecisiee easy Oe onie disses accceue navermern eave vende ones
Marshall's prairie: Of wingeasasios see ees S409 ES arere-c-mscdceco arty oroutshomecurore aug
J Pilot InOb OF s.eer-siccea sium ay caeyes Siar bist Ses woe acavesasanacanetavsnntece
Pilot, Stack and Boat mountains of ............... . .
reported occurrence of copper ore in
reported occurrence of: lead ore in.......
SAliNe: EXUGUIONS: Ic ciccee cosines ie ews SeTWTA GER ES 0 aaa weno siemsieates ;
section in the lead region Of......... 0. cece aac e cece ceececccaccccucesceeuss 57
section of strata of Boat mountain Of........... ccc eceeeueucees orhiessecd coreeee OL

section of strata of hills in Prairie township Gl aarcere -

INDEX. 9 Ew

Pace
Cave, Bean’s of Marion county........ Saatetsse niaishtteiaeasie ate slats ans aastely eee a wistbee wspteen DS
Caves in Independence county ...... sila tasaa cardia ee RN te wee eer ere ri Neck ga tacos evevecatens. waseitsteds 38, 41
Caves in Washington COUDLY: cise epercionesro sie of cigs a Rk aREA EH eR eN eS SEARLE OS 116, 120
Chalk bluff, section of the quaternary beds at............ Sb RG CEM seen eis sOGu Seow Es . 20
Chalk bluff, potter’s clay at the, use and analysis Of..........eeeeeeeees sab srlapahavsjtesuleiensecrauers are 21
Clay, potter’s, of Greene county............ Ee er eee Caner er rrr 21, 202, 203
Clay, red, analysis'Ofisiiveis ya bs ties cee ob g bess HONE EG ssiMaNND sie gnin sara esingans saeco 175
Coal, analysis of, of Crawford county .....eeeseeceseeeececeeeece aeeees Has asaoe sre geen oes 227
Coal, analysis of, Of Johnson COUNLY ... ce cece cece ee eet c eee e teen erence eneeenes ayerisselerecse 130
Coal, occurrence of, in Conway county ........ eseiapatersaaears Sowa atcne sieialats slaceanetireres Sieaours 235
Crawford county .......... inl iose BGs Aisane etso tela Ge eae sasele 4 beewidichwartele 226
Johnson county .......e.e giSeiaynv avant sar oval Sates er ghorenstnyekear onside ema 129, 230
Madison cOunty.......ceeececeeeseceee eens whines Sd idoadid wimcenueecente 99
Pope) COUDLY esses a's iste 2 is aie where opayers ahs aiaiar eran Leen decesriaudidicor Waray Baavavon 233
Washington county ..........60..- ivelesipiase sie iasieqetene rsd ene 113, 115, 118, 120
White county ..........-..4- sires Sa is i a teen va sh ruacine torso ta 69
Coal, reported occurrence of, in Crawford county... ...eeeeccsecceeneeccseees se verpsa teins walane 123
Coal, reported occurrence of, in Van Buren county.........0-.e20eeee screeners 75
Coal, Spadra, of Johnson county ....... cece cece eee eee e een ee ee eeeee peice ee
analysis Of .....sseeeeeee ene e eee e ete edema eee ee eeer eee eneneeeres
general remarks on.........- giv tata rrr aPasase auiaoNa Gea ari) aba aitgceraye Spat td ce asssbnes Gee
practical value Of... ....cceeeccseceeeescees io cada sahara Tox lee ae ig Gites sis
Commercial value of the ores of manganese........... ee er errs diaceaoseteveiouele wiles 16
Constitution of the ores of manganese ...... eee ee cece cece cee eete acne
Conway COUNLY... 2. ce cnce cece rece ee ne anenceerestseeesavaees
analysis of the town spring of Springfield, in..... :
evidences of the disturbance of strata in ....... cess eee ee ee eeenee gapnaas 235
limestone in. 10... cece cece ene ee ence Arner a pet ato Rceula Ey ee aes seer 235
occurrence Of COal iN... .. cece cece eee e eee ener etre eeees sgheediiheutes 235
occurrence of tale and allied minerals i ID anes Rhakeside steady ee Ree AS 235
prospect for the occurrence of argentiferous lead Ores iN... ee eee ee WE NSS . 236
section of strata in.......ceeeeeeeeeee SiGitisini inte SESE CER soeweees ue 238
Copper ore, occurrence of, in Carroll county ... 16... eee cece eee cece eee eee
Fulton county .... sc cceeceeeensceees sneeee ie
Independence county... ....ccee cece cree cece eece ere eeeeeres
Izard COUNLY... 06. eccee cece eee c ete ne ee teen eneeeecees voices 45
Lawrence county........ shesanaversyases Ca NG oats Svat wanes 208
Marion County... ...ceeeeceseerereces Ceeraady soraeucd easing es 55
Pulaski county 239
Cotton-rock of Carroll county..........+
County of Benton.......... eerie st
Carroll. .cccgiseess eee eas
Conway... .ceseereeecence SEMA SEE DORE SG wh oe SG Tide TS Cie SoS Gee duels aie etelars 235
GE AW LO BA es:gcoco a sets vecloes ela opin ta ete ete fens bs Foe weg Rw laetE le: SHES OR as fer ot Aeon le SeenON 123, 226
Franklin....... $eGGeOe EAE ES ee Giada ee Catalano cteansteiers oil ieiaais eee cine ARR ee Sree 228
PultOnisceteeeess pekeeeve eee pe LMR EeeS Se OEG EERE See Rete hee Veda es aaes 59,
Greene .......-00005
Independence
Izard ... 2.4 . Rae
Jackson oo. cece cece cece cece ere cece eee e neers esas cece nseeenenneeseses
Johnson.....seeees GPURE RNG Gee saa rblee cies Hie eisia's wes eet eanae ere 129, 230
Lawrence ....... ehewet es See dd ae as OreK Sue Lee RG Gee ewes CAO naS Aare a 63, 208
Madison ...... 99
Marion....
Monroe.....----+- ee
NGWtOD. 6505855 ce seein mene neencieeamenee ee 8
Poingett 0... cc cece ee cr ec ec te cee eeerrerereree sare aks eens anfieSeatalecovesnters
| 0) |) octet ee eten anes Saauavenns aut Geoce\ achieves’ 232
Prairie......... ahs 2b 5a Byes MOS Rieer sti a Slnaatetdadrst rege RS OR iarle Die elaie overt es haere 242
Pulaski ........0.- iardnes 237
Randolph ......-.-eeeeeees
Searcy ........... Situs sro
Van Buren.....-.eeeeeeee . ee
Washington...... date eee e nee e ee eenneeeene Bineesiseewie enemas ae evi seocoteearenendl 110
White....... Seen ee ETE T a Ribera erates ae reaape meade Shon wet mala afeveveoniartenerarwas 67
Crawford county... 0... cece cece e eee e eee e nese ert n ee eeeeee si ashi grab ote esau sacar eeiess 123, 226
analysis of the water from a aes in 228
Natural dam of.......+.-

occurrence of coal in.... 6
occurrence of iron ore in..... CRARVINERL EES E RS MAhedde Ceaacorenciereseeses Leo

248 INDEX.

PacE

Crawford county, Pennywit sulphur water of....-...... Beart ASEM PERATR ACRES eee 126
. reported occurrence Of Coal in... se sees ee ee eee rete eee eeeeeeeee Hin owa ee 123

section of strata near Phillip’s coal bank in........... isepeeieerathne a serieead 227

.gection of strata near Van Buren, if ....+.. 500 ee0ereeceet ies eiaws ee ee 125

Crowley’s ridge, productiveness of the soils Of «1.1... sees ee cece cree cere reece eee eeneeee 23
Cupriferous pyrites in lignites of Greene COUDtY.... 6... cee eee cece e eee e reer e eee en ee nenees 25
Cytherea, in HMestOne... 2. cece ee cece cece eee eee nee e eee nt erence ase e teenies wessaocrans AL
Dam, natural, of Crawford county ....... ccc eee ee cect eect eee n tee eneteeneeseeeeee (eaves » 123
Determination:-of nitric acid, method for the....... cece eee eee cee e cence nee e cern eeeeaeeee 190
Dislocation of strata in Searcy COUNLY..... 6. cece cece eee cen eee eee e teen eben eeeenes 79
Dislocation of strata in White county....... 0. cece cece cece cence cence eter eee eeeenee 71
Disturbance of strata in Conway county, evidences Of the .-+-.++++seeeeeeereeeee seer eeees 235
DoOlOMIUbES SAT BL YSIS LOL evarinnpssseyeneicous; cussorav epee ecatiarey besa ear: pia rane vgtSideavelodbile se nadus-eietedussolat on deee sue” eieue,% 174, 175
Dolomite, method of analysis Of... .. cc cece ects eect eee eee nee e eee e eter eeeteneteeee sey 190)
Earru-cracks in Greene county....... shies amet ee ee ee re 202
Earth-cracks in Poinsett county «1.0... cece cece cece nee tenn een e een e teenie ee enee anes 31

E.senkalkstein in Washington county .
English method of manufacturing zine.

Huomphalus in MimestOnes. caccce0d sic on os se weewese ve os oe ESTE DES BEG EERIE SEE EE SRE ERS
Favosive in limestone. .........cec cece cece ence teen ec eeeeeeceneereeees babe eee eaacne 121
Ferruginous shales of Independence COUntY....... ese ee tees e cere en eect en eee eeeeeeeees 218
Ferruginous shales of Madison county... .....cecceceevee ccc cecneeeeteeenee easter ose es 102
Fishes, teethiot; in sWal ei. .c eto a exaue tatty eae Rate ites Geese es fides we 220
Formation, cretaceous, not in the north-eastern part of the State..............0. eee 26, 31, 32
Formations, the three leading, cf the northern counties of Arkansas ..........seseseeeeeees 135
Franklin -counly sco cds dagescdcaeuad hr oncatecnanwe sew ees soon eieeacsataweeaesne sees 228
- analysis of several mineral springs Of... .......cceecenencenevececseeusees 229
section of strata on Mulberry river in... ......sccese ev ecennrceeescceccnne 230
Freestone, occurrence of, in Van Buren county. ......... cece cece ee eee cee eee eeeceeetees 75
Freestone, occurrence of, in Washington COUDLY x gee nauseacatncsons sSeeeeEselees eeess 120
Elton <cOUNEictessisnstarsiecsiseievedincicls G-ctarerdlanuecsttiers aiauslovnaatalstess Uaaras Ream
Character tl (ae B60le OF ke vvesnseeenneennnnnennes ne bereaensananns wees anes
Mammoth sprite Of ec. esecxas so ramaweiaaenneeteieawinemeil gears cas comeewws
Pilot knob of i wc.ccciaagesi ounce icrnmeeee mews
occurrence of copper ore in
OL TPON: OPEN ves sarsreseiaecsersianciara enciaranrg eierorg ears ieee wens a atone mre
POF Ve tata eM hata wou cotves se slbes cara vaca gue ve qlendhnr duane netsh pte an steeel aver sseiaraiaga
-section near the Rapp barrens in ....... ccc. cece cee ese ceeecenensseneees 59
white sandstone Of ........:eeeeeeceee ener enee | SiG vahaaaied hats cnet dtarp a vataietens 62, 223
Gainesvizix, lead oe in the vicinity Of as. essnesssinewe ne wesicmeieres aids. neeee acieae sneer eee
Gainesville, lignite in the vicinity Of.........eeeecee eee eueee ene
Galena, method pursued in the analysis Of ..........0cceeeeeeee NS dei ELS fatast povae cause sudxor ater sneer
(See lead ore.)
General summary, inferences, and remarks in conclusion
Genessee slate,‘ probable equivalents Of .........- 0. eee cee cece cece nee eenee aesedsavavers Siesecenac OU
Geological map of the State, importance of the construction Of a...........e.cccece ee eeees 139
Geological'survey, importance Of bo2jy-0ceeccrne ss ee eee nd eae e deeb ean Ee E490 CREE SSSR ER Ree 11
Geological survey of Kentucky, results of ............. are ale ti ence PM epee EER SAVES COacilens 13
Gold, reported occurrence of, in White county ...........00eeeeeee OO RRRDE SD ames 68
Grandfather knob of Carroll COUDLY. reece reece eee e eter eee e eee tee een een eeeeeeeneetees 97
Greene: COURLYY cciscuaucardied cies me BSS ER RENT Oe DREAM eae BGs FA BAEL SEN ENG TREE ES 19, 201
black sand lands of..............2.eee eee JG{ee Seamneew keane 25, 28 30
Character: of S0iS Of isin cociecap Pada e Ma Wee Nag eee Fak Oa EEE Ka eS EEE SESE Be 204
CHL A CRS EI acsiesavayardedcmeces snseo ese id aie share dewlo atelgvatshatars oigigs 86 eauasee Ae RG RMR ais 202
‘mineral and agricultural resources of........... ele Seitetegn slewsves ane eas sais ers
occurrence of lead ore in -..+++. +... sees dtateia be es 24,
of yellow Ochre in... ... cece ec cece ees eec cess eeeeeace 22, 202, 3
POLLSH’S CLAY Of seis cciea hdd. Foie nie ce winters simiannsasbig ave: giais is Wie eeeewwawees Ql, 202, 203
quarternary shell-marl Of.........c0ccccccsesscncccececccccuacevecenues 26, 27
' -quartzose sandstone Of... 6... ccc e cece cece cee eceeeeeecutseenes eee esne% 28, 29
SO Site Tl mys ers c vy eee ee ee erecd zack wiereecvove Do eat a aah ty ga amanavatuedoaoave 202
succession of strata near J. W. Pyne’s, in... .... ccc cece ccc cc cece esceeceue . 202
Hoppe mine, analysis of the ore from the.......... ssc e ccc c cece eee e cent cneceuseseeeeens 148
mode of occurrence of the zinc ore at the ............0.000e08 tielpteiesseineece aud 211

Houghton’s cise PAUSED RRA COREE S eGR DIR ASS wen le waieE DLA ae ieeiegs Roeser 209, 210

NDEX, 249

Huzza prairie, of Carroll county, soils of the... .... cc. ccc e eee eee e eee e teen eeees eRe oe 94
Hypogene rocks, not observed north of the Arkansas river........... cece eee e cece eee eeeee 135
Importance of: geological surveys... 2... esses eeceeeeeeueene UE RRS Paid Aeeinagerea seas ll
Impressions, curious, im sandstone... 2... ce eee e cece cree eee ee cent ereceeeeeeee seooe 114, 125
Impressions of leaves in quarternary sandstone.......... ccc ee eee e ence cence cece enees 25, 29
Independence COUNLY 06s siic.vwce cei eta dalewteeeeeine ene sarexyerigies wkeclorspalogaaonts 33, 216
* analysisof the:zirlcobes Of... 66cs0cce gears ce ces eneeega sede eieene genes 183
Big) BPH OHO lee ecsecseasraweullevecevapek wreraed chien dicvadoatatdvareveievanevanis areata nate Harwehe 38
- black marble of ............- skies a oie avas ahd NYSidhceiac a Dials deal sre kat oalaavats 218
x CGharaeber OF SOUS Ol i..:5scesseeveines cone deeraceisia eevee ae aca ceaiaiecesvevasern dudane 40, 222
: COCO NEPO CNS Of aia a in inne: sesh ovsins alors ee Aa cormlonap ia aidicvalata ey mameane uacoinlav a wiretakawed ania
ferruginous shale of
millstone rock of... 0... 0... cece eee

EME SUIDGsyexpisgara gues acavaustaveraxbfaveray ok ac onowarauas sheuacacavavarecert . 222
manganese in ...........- 5s une Lees 39, 221
PZT Gs A Misses etter ie esbg 2b te scanner bw eva dees odvavshanarera nonin andite 222
- Oolitic limestone Of... 6... cece cece cece eee eens er er 220
salt-petre Cave Of... ... eee e eee n eee cece teeta e ene ns enee nate reaaee
section of strata In... ...- eee eee eee ee
ao -white sandstone Of -.......eeeseeeeeee
Indigo knob of Carroll county ......s cece cece eee r cece e reer eee tenet eee ne enn eeeenee
TUCO CIES HO Tie ve stusi endascdce doeaseeracensroteneeOwn ARR OSS ee OR aoe amo ee i ne ie
Introd Wetory: lethGrs.a.. o..csconecrcineeense eee eee echeenea ce NanaEKEGRteweede ges
Tron manufactured in Lawrence county quality of the
Tron ore, analysis of.........--.+++ Se en er eee
—ocourrence of; in Carroll county ....
in Crawford county.......eeeeeeee
int, Falton OUD iera0nescneceeereeseeviee sauew ee gews arses
in Independence county
in Lawrence County... ssc es cece cence snes an seesenereseeeeenees
in Madison county......seecceseeeeeee suave iae ich grb aval agy aoe eda rast 102
in Pope COUNLY... er eecsece reese eee teetenereeneeeneeeeenee 233, 234
inh Pulaski County: oeanceiie. seaaeisie seein se wis ken wewe ve Mee ac 239, 241
in Randolph county......ccesececeecereeeeeeceencees »+ 206, 207
= in:Van Buren: County. ics cssaccgccegusgg rege wees e44da eben seins 72
‘in Washington county........s..eeeeee SiscarahiaseterersSatapeness 112, 116, 120
in White COUNtY sicccca cvs seae ne wembesierena debe mete eee meee 68, 69
table, showing the richness of the different kinds of........... sees ec essence eeeee 173
Where MiOSt AM Abe. o6c. Sie ree seca noes ae SMe ee Nemes a memegieemeisa scale 137
Tgard COUntY. cic ccgaseere ge cuden tenn canna eeceneminuieegeiiade Satwines a snialetcuaatede antec 41
agate and hornstone in --.- 02. sees cee eee cece eee cence ence eee n eee ee eens 44
HPI TA LISEOICR OF asi. canss tind were wav orp or te ty wean aes ara ines space anduata euaimaarabelova aue@oeteeat ora egnees
Tite SCONES 0 Losi ovmrereten ncn dacace. aeedrasaane Rares we leudis- Oss Guavave a davullaviacovtuerates ace esncoecs 41, 42, 44
-oceurrence Of COPPer OPE IN... cece cece cece ete ete t eee e enn een eeeeees 45
-reported occurrence of manganese ore in .........+ Shwe dyefowsases Teens ESS OS 44
. Of SH Ver OPE IMs is ees cee ewe b enemies iaed cad eeeaens 43
- soils of
Terra Sienna of
white sandstone Of ....... cece cece rece eeteceeeeeereees is deakey seeeR ees
Jackson county.........-.. Gita rntheresaaaeesinca wala nominees Sinatra nenieweke sseNion « 32, 215
" """plack spice land Of. ....+-..sseeee eee ee ees (GRISERNAEEEE emi oewaseoeree 32
character of northern part Of... +... cee see e eee cece eee n cence sWaineases 215
: of soils Of....... cece ee eeeee ‘aa teanws SEUNoe Ree OeeT eas 215
Johnson county.......-+.+8- Seve aucndaofa ee RRR TREO oe -. 129, 230
~ **" pecurrence Of Coal In... eee e cece eee e eee r ener tence ee enes daseniwan pom 230
* section of strata in the coal region Of.... +... sees esse seen seen ence eee eeeees 231
a on Spadra erecek, in... ss ee ese e eee c eee e concen eceeees sewer 129
Spadra coal of ..... suipisricdne eR SORTG GRRE CRONE CEES Se 129
Kecwoge lead mines.......cs cece cece cee seen een e een e neces see eneeeee seen enee . 237-241
Kentucky, results of the geological survey NE een eel Gras ah RG ON ONE ee ae aw 13
Kiinble’s creek, analysis, of the water Of. :.....ssee eee e eee e cece eee teen eect eee ene e eee es 102
Koos be Mine esisie ao o.ssre 0 osed orarsan nse PETE BS WO TRE A wel dha wel eaiw ea aA RULE wie Perea dae sidbeinere sins 211
Koch mine, analyses of the ore from the... ..seseee cece ee cree eter ee ere ee enceees peed ins » Lod
L’ Aneuiiie bottom of Poinsett county..... sss cee seceseeeeceeentnenee aria tab cwwitocaintbe de 30

L’ Anguille bottom, wells eon, Thias<i0a taewders PO re eT winke hue wane Gua ae 31

250 INDEX.

Pace
Lawrence county ......ecsee seen ces eeeeeees sedelee Waris sige eenseae Megereaatige es sees. 63, 208
analysis of a lead ore from. Fave ath 6p ase sors Gyevaenes Gia aieeaadh layracalaua late gavecat« 160
analysis of the zinc ores from ......eesee esse seer eeeeeree seeee 147-151, 184
character of the sOils Of... 1... sseeceseeeeeeeeceeeeeee fishedlsrecarstalet agent. Wel
millstone rock found iD... .... see eee ec ee cece ence eners siiisterersne re aneaie es t\aces 213
mode of occurrence of the zinc Ore iD... esse eee cece cette es weeeeee ‘
occurrence of ores of copper in.......... bee le alee easels So gala t tee
OF TON Ny cess bcc ves ayes Per eee eee he vie eases
Of lead in... seeeeeceeeeeace wlaceiens SGiile Seiea siaee=
Of ZING: Wess ease yansneasiedancnrmsins 2 )s0% 5s 63, 210-212
Bection of strata In... ... eee e ccs w ence ee ee nner es ceneeesenesers sareea ate 208
section of strata at Calamine in ......e cee cee secre e wetter ences a fansite
Lead mines of Missouri, description of the ..........2.e005
Lead ore, analysis of the, of Carroll county..........
of Lawrence county
of Marion county..........- Aedaed s8e delsies ee eae Wuatm aaa EE . 159
of Pulaskicounty.......ccceccecccesceccececcecueseaaneeses . 240
argentiferous, occurrence of, in Pulaski county .........eee+eeeee aa ese a nisl gnas 237-241
argentiferous, prospects of the occurrence cf, in Conway county 236
general remarks ON... +... cess eee e eee e cece cee c cere nteeeeecares
occurrence of, in Carroll county
in Fulton county........eeeeeeeeeee Pa Ree waeaWlnbule Relate
in Greene county....... TMhin sh eph Ree NameweeEseEUle sag winter »
in Independence county
in Lawrence. COUnty: senses onssanesenyienmaee enemas see 63, 209
in Madison county....... Serene aes! AefeSeehare eka wes sales ae seit 103
in Marion county ee . 46-48, 52, 53, 55, 225
in Newton county.. ieegedv ese scre se eceee daw eres ugecnnns 82
IN, SCALCY COUNTY se aga esac deleaas cage adee Lads nmbed ed Mau ee sid 79
in Washington county.........+...6+ salo/s Gilat ausestece ce arere we b3iG we ysis 122
reported occurrence of, in Carroll county.......ceee cece sence teen eneeneeenees 97, 98
reported occurrence of, in Madison county.......ceeeceeeeeeneeee ener eeeeeseeees
probable occurrence of, in Washington COUntY......-eeeeseeeeeeeeneeees
tabular view of the composition of the... ....... cece eee e eee e eect erence eeeees
Lee’s mountain, in Marion county....... ccc ces c cece cece cece teen eeeeeetaceeeneens rr
Lepidodendron ......eccesevcecuee sraapiaiaie eared anreiddrapinere Solas sealer te was sees Bawa
Pavoni nba) Seam ell VSL TO Lt rw ct sce unebie ve ala anak crac er av glean Gera ipa gee aoe ape ges Mllayotara sees neon
Lignite,. Of Greene County vies -c.ccieeie sin diaiseveie nie oveiain erase aca users dia taier elas Bieae seal otviele: (6 Ui8 dele ee ei a
Lignite, of Poinsett county..... sera eotcaye Rodeh debe si grm ease A oreataen aCe siaidides wk hesetaovaa kere
TiMEStOnE;, ATCHIMEGES, oes, 6.0.5, erecevovasciee ddiwsace so. oe thgin aves ace.huel Gadsaio: GdeOiv. Bdeaed W aver die Wie reare hase
incrinital and marble-........eeceeeeceeeeevens as Seeenarae nore aaa nee iace 56, 57, 77, 87
marble- of Marion county......+...+.+.0%
of Newton county....... Seisisayeue
of Independence county............+.
(See, also, Marble.)
Limestone, occurrence of, in Conway COUNLY........eee cece ee eeeesccereenees ashiand wearers ease, 235
Limestone, oolitic, of Independence county... .... secs cece cece cece eee eee reece seeeeeenes 220
Limestone, pyritiferous, of Washington County.........ee cece cece cece eee ee eeeeee 216, 218
Limonite,. analysis: 6f acs scascmeeninn ss ow er aw eta pierre GOWER Rida «oa a deduces
Limonite, method of analysis of....
Lingula in sandstone... .........eee
casts of, in shale.......eeceseeeecs ete e eee ones Sea ERD PRESS. CSS o4 oS Getic ayer
MADISON :COUDDY® deissvavversyeveieasis widhordiosare:dparttarw Gacany ioral led vigid ote wee ai Vie eietedlala wale Seay ae aes 99
analysis of water of Kimble’s creek, Of... .... ccc cece eece cece ceeveccs .-. 102
ferruginous shale: Off i0:. eicccsscha es ogee toaigec ase e te geuie ue aes @atngiayeen 102
Occurrence Of OM Ore ADs. « os vem wewiewaiee ee view deinen gee de pasa sey ede me al 102
Occurrence Of lead Ore In... ... sees icens acces cueasceereheaesedeseuede 103
OCCURTENCE: OF CORN Usain derace he Sb coceutue Hulls Belalearnd slodeie. aia e/a aps siate'siwvAdias 99
prospect of mining operations in south-east part Of...........ceeeceeeeeeees 100
reported occurrence of lead orein.............. ey Niles Sethe: gies dig'e ae atele spate lata 100
section of strata on Warton’s creek, in.......cecesseeeeees a agasis a acernaaiels 101
Mammoth spring, of Fulton county........... ccc cece enc cence cece cers neeesccceuececere 60
reported occurrence of iron ore near the........... seees 62
Manganese ores, analysis Of .......seces reece eceveeaeces Seglgc ciate aymiarnrc aati tare 161-165
commercial value of the. WH See jasece aiteeanyewlereinacsersnsrear ws Gate etass la estate tees 165
general remarks On the........0s0scccecccsccccccscteccncccetesscenses 136
of Arkansas, their value as compared with the manganese ores of other
COUNMICR as aise inser a ee citt sa abo ub aaitss ace Nes HbeaeeNee Sterner A 166
of Independence county. a les AiSitaraid Sava as Gcotevare gran aie: oie) apab ns) sre er oiWSellalelanaarang 39, 221
reported occurrence of, in Izard county........eseeseccsssceceececcecess 44

INDEX. 951

Pace.
Manganese ores, method pursued in their analysis.............05 ee ere 188
their chemical constitution.........0ccseeeceeeceneees jeiaba a ata sbiacarsnaeabanaes 167
Manure, gypsiferous deposit in Greene county, valuable a8 a........s0ecceeeecceeev eee 202, 203
Manure, gypsiferous shale of Washington county, valuable ag a........... cece cece nsec teens 113
Marble, black, of Independence county........-eesececeeecees ADs rede beac naaiem eeyateline U5, 218
of Van Buren county........sseseeeeeee dyna dae Sank nine alesesabptane a ela RT aH
Of SEALCy COUN sti ccice Cig bien warded aw aac sete ass
encrinital, of Carroll County.......esee cece cece cece cece tee e eee en ees
-limestone, of Newton county
-rock, where most abundant ...........secceee seen eens Pranic by ass Svasus bata puch tie alone 137
variegated, of Marion County......eseseseecceeceeee cree cenc eter ev er eeenenes 45, 51
Marion (county .ssa:s seve snyavedeaein ae sie sustacectwwes ause Wincarsibre:¥ ivan-ecenaigc@aisiness einicureemaseie 45, 224
analyses of the ores of lead Of... .... cee eee ee cece eee e teen eee eee eneeee eee 159
analyses of the ores of zinc Of... 0... cece cece cece cece cence eee ee eens 151-155
PUD E SHON CO fave eatin. 520 0 :toca,555.cosngesoxesade ca cavevaen evaecn, Susiaauessevtiaceac Qua Gun mimsaravedaiteadeaceiinneiecs 53
manufacture of salt-petre in... ... eee cece eet eee eee tee eect eens 225
NIGEC-CAV ES Ofs vec s22-40055 688045 SVE eww E owe eee Ceo g cee OES 5:3, 224, 225
marble limestones of.......... pales Pauret sgpcncste ie tabs tas de BastiesfctenSbvarovisstotorien aesarsesbuenaenaseeh Daainera 45 ol
occurrence of ores of Copper iN... .... eee cece cee eee eee eee nee nteees 55
OL TEA Atisrec.stnarrerenmnereens Barden ese sis alee 46-4, 52, 55, 55, 225
Of ZING Ie nsceunweas womaseneenee9 8 ROO Rw olan INE 55, 55
SANSONE: Ofassnonesoncinsnnosn cena nade doweangmnem wena eoanncoemteniee 45, 51
section of strata in the lead-region Of ....... ccc cece cece eee cere eee ennees 48
Marionite, description and analysis of 0.0... .see eee ce eect ee eee eee e eee e teen cnet een e cane 153
Marionite: formulates s's0'< iss sos oo ats eae Ge bk esas b aS wae eg Be oe hoe e se eR aa eens 154
Marl, shell-, of Greene county, analysis Of....... ccc cee c cece este ee ee tence eeeeneneenes 27
Marl, shell-, of Kentucky, analysis Of.......cccescceencesceeseceseenseeeneseeeensenenes a7
Marshalls: prairte 34 :o:s;sis.a1ais avd pases oso elaiass's Ques Died ae 8 Fi ark y Sew) Rew ee ORR RSL Ee Se See tate]
Marshall’s prairie, character of s0il Of .....-ccceccececceecescceccestectettasesseeseeess 94
Mattener’s knob... .......00006 ae Sisigie elec psopa eis We se) Saale MEN ERE WHE Se a RE EeRIEN MS MED ETES 43
Methods of analysis 1¢6-191
Metamorphic rocks in Pulaski county, occurrence Of.........+-eeee0s sceiniste tua demas. <i 257
Millstone grit, its vast extent in northern Arkansas... .......0.see eee e cence eee ee ene e eens 157
Millstone grit and the subcarboniferous limestones, boundary between the...........0.-e0es 137
Millstone rock of Independence county ve. .sscccee eee e ence c eee n reece ee ence ne en nen eeenes Q17
Millstone rock of Lawrence county... ... cece cette cence eee eee eee eee seen nent eens 213
Mining operations, prospect of, in Benton county .....-. cece eee ence cnet ee nee anes 105, 109
in Newton scountysicicncusotascutoceuwad Seaddedemeasces 84
in south-east part of Madison county...........eeeeeee ences 100
in the north-east part of Arkansas ........ ccc eee eee eee eeee 108
Missouri, description of the lead mines Of 0.00... ccc cece cece ence een cence ence reeees 105-107
Mitchells hill, Seetion ON 416 sss s9-0% ce se a ene is OR EE EES EER TREE E Ee EREE BERS MEST TEE OS sx 90
Modiola;. in-shale of coal MEAsULES wccvisicasianeienscKHeee Cece huwaseauees rear caeereues 230
Monroe county, eoinseanniwanaiceis seeusees otebs eee waGeb Lake CL aEeENEEReLeimmaenmed se 243
Monroe county, general character Of 1... .scee cece cece cece ene eee ee teen ne ee nent teens
Morell prairie, :soil Of ww sone sce 6 bv no te ee ce be Sees bes CEE eed e HSER Ee SEER EDA LET Oe CaN
Mounds in Washington county, origin Of ...... 000s cece cece cece cece een n eee e renee eens
NAKED! Jor-Of Tzard GO Unity coiee:cs-s5cs iain a5 hse aver dine: a0asetes ofa 9 4d Hie, Sad Sid Wee eda ede wes Ss Snes
Naturaldam of ‘Crawford county «ais eens esas tice cna wean vere gee xe beg Roane REE EELS
Nautilus in; chert: scsi see ssreseiew ou etae see ea te ieee Cee SSSR Oe wEN Cb eee Shy dee eee nes cease A
Nautilus ferrGtus’ 2x0 ie arising Oe 0% G2 se 5 RGAE EE A ERE NS EEE ES ESS ON SFE Se ede eRe eee R SEES ODF
Neuropteris in shale of coal measures ........ ese eee cece eee cee eee eee eee nett eeees
ING WEOD COUNTY cc cieea iolanecenesetenes MNS saks OSes COM a yeaa ean ena Rie are peu
analysis of nitre earth from....... cece eee eee cette eee eee e nents
marble-limestome: Of 6: 6:6 556 6 oe:4 = og sa sear g al vis igs a cece eecacd, Bearer ears @ ars E sanaO
nitre caves Of ........--.00
Oecurrencerol Lead iore sii i .ja5:s)seyercie tases so a ta le eaves see eb atta Saeitne aches ica rigid’
prospect of mining for lead in
section of strata near the mouth of Cave creek, in.......... cece eee eee eee 83
Nitre cave, Bean’s, of Marion county........ccc cece cece cece eee cent ence eee ne eenees 53, 224
of Independence county ........ccecsccee see eter ener tect e nese enetenenes 38
Of Newton COUnLY’ s:5.. pssdgiccinisax sem aweisiradiawannmemdne adie sam dammans bd-86
reported occurrence of a, in Washington county ........-.- eee seeps eter eee eee 110
Nitre determinations in nitre earths from Marion county........cceseeeseeeceeeeeeees 179, 1~0
Nigre earth, analysis of, from Newton COUNLY.......cce cece cence cence eee e nent tener eens 185
from Bean’s cave.... .eeceeeeeeceee pees REBT ST ES ERTS Sees oe 53, 54
from: Marion :county® ciéicwscwecieesiareren bars sista stan dara sip eed ews wise 178
Nitre earth, fatty principle in, from Thompson’s cave ........... gistale iat aiioa in @ sesatabailovecaceigSeroraia 86

Nitre, manufacture of, in Marion county.... ccc ecee cece cere cee e ence ence een ee tren eeeees 225

252 INDEX.

PacE
Nitric acid, method for the determination of -........:eeeeeeeeenees Saka opatakatsnarsia evextnen ea Gus 190
Nutilla desssee ces dS aera nove tee ace tack met eg ania meat sot avo WN in “Spa aS ga Te Gs Mitta grein entra 116, 218
Ocurz, yellow, from Greene COUNLY 1... cee cece eee eee eee e eee eee eens Seeaanes .. 22, 25, 202
Ochre, yellow, analysis Of,.......0-e eee ees Lig dang g gk aed ane emanate ene 22, 170
Ochre, yellow, US Of... cece cee cece eee eee eter cere een eet e ness nese set eeenneeees 22, 203
Oii-trough bottom, character of SOIL Of... see cee eee e ence eee ee eee n nero nen en nee enees 33
Oil-trough ridge, section of strata Of. 6... ec cece cece ee cette eee teen ete ee eee eeenerenees 34
OPIS sremccd eas ORES OR GHEE EET CORR TE COMME OTS weep Baud die eidia sergio ain dimmer rere 208, 218
Orthis crinistria... cc. cc ccc cee eens Sc aphosiasntcieg’ a setae later endnet tat reuetah sare aay paris sis ince HeYoueve . 98, 103
ORROCCTOS secs g 05 540s TE OR OR TAR OTRAS REA AAE TEA DORE ERATE SA REUSE RR HE ER RS 208, 220
Paleontology, importance Of 60.6... cece cece eee eect e reer ete ene nneee ease eengeee 139-141
Pearlspar, analysis Of... 0... cece eee cence tenner ence nee e eee e een en tes tear eaneneeees 183
Pecopteris in shale of coal measurcs .. sc cee cece cece ce cece ee eee eee nee een eeeene eens 230-235
Pilot knob of Carroll county......... ccc e ee cere eee reece eee sisieara sins cteseeedh o>dadaabinys Sie Dyegesersi® 95
Pilot mountain of Carroll county. . 0.2.6... ee cece cee ene ene eee e ene n ene ene 88
Pine, diggings for silver ore at the, in Greene COUNLY ... eee eee cece eee cence eee etnies 22
Pinularia in shale of coal measures .....-..0- eee ee ee re re 227
PUP i vss sas 25 iaes:0 nteeeespshare dinstabelsheconiein ses nig eal lg shea eca swear aiceeah eg cd alto Ouse cosousvavah Roum atueaeas 2
Poinsett COUNLY. 22... c cece cece eee nese rece ese cebu een p eee teen ena ene renagnneebe nets
amber found in.........e sees eee eee ah stig, Wiahdrls ESS ALS fiche
black wax lands Of... 0.0.0 .cccneee sce e nee neta eens seceenes
earthcraks and sandblows in
WORT OHO Enis aati tars sasshatehanecorava sro eihe-tre-Se See gaeU Oey) yas SyaremaGieve O Savernias aise data hae eels 31
SU THOS LOM C810 fcarver Suis aeacevu ee enenascayaanneca satouicon nui arenes uuerasasanoeatae i, ora hvac nctinsaveraueen Sime 31, 32
POpe COUNTY wesc tscanedainaer tins SEO Pe Wa wes ROE 8lgee Cars maida qreumiecwlinaeroiasseimiale ares 232
chitncterobsoils: ii awiicrcicanes yawn new adpage wands Sin dese ONseG Re RNS 234
occurrence of coal in..... Pe Ge Sy enh Sad Synth Syn wn or eek Geese ne aay innnvs-aie Sanporconeua de aeERS 233
OCGULLENCE-Of INOM ODE Wiev-ssc-see amet eveees 6 onimvtvgvaiavevraiadies'ensvecmralese acasexoneacenese ee 233,° 234
section of strata on Galley creek, in... ee. cece eee eee eee ee eee cece eens 234
section of strata on [llinois bayou, in... .. ce cece eee e eee eee eee e eee ee enns 233
Potter’s clay in Greene County... ce cece cece eee eee ee 21, 202, 203
Powhatan, ne Ore Found in: He StrOets GBs, «:essca-seoa ocacecava-cyapecoie:o-eveskcsr aves eves eiavb1 a /0°SU Scns nh gy Sow DRE RIO 212
Prairie of Benton county, character of Soil Of... . cece ee eee eet c eee eee een e er eeeeeeeees
BG APEY ES) so0-2 acs tose ayers acess outa ened Sie cote oes tio sane Saws eae Kee BUSHES
TRAN o cosas she RR wR Bria Sy Sac So 1508 MGB NSIS SEARS OTE Shino Buna Wu Se kas eB evecare Nh OKT
Marshall saxcuudiconnideasscassaarceeeie seed ater ear sbasaa ds eee eee
Morell, character of soil Olid ncsesascnewe neve see sinus deine ee enare ba 65
Prive: COUNTY ses cunemeeieserns eoxcaaan adem verex terme eenees aoe SaaS ae
Prairie county, general character of, and its soil
Productal limestone of Independence County...... cece cece cece cece eee e etter eneereeeenes
Produchisrinsenwrncaminestaninwnnanirms taal madanwane hid @saomnGlare Riseaneieyoacacanrenets 78, 218
COTES MMH OLN O TGs erersaxerctstaataterrinratlantie neh a5 ate aul GaaUainn wielemleNaOeES KS 116, 121, 218
CLGENS is. 0.0.99.4 deca reew ee eae eee celO RL Ee ERNE Meee LOW erie Stet 100, 218
punclatusin: chethsccaui disees galeries waned earsianasectpt aSapei an Penchsialrearcunea nee 104
Psilomielanes arial ysis: Obi sees lmave alelareig a5 war acaraveye inne ace cainsetntdtanciaypiueaea ddacezerelslerave eters 161, 162, 165
Psilomelane, methodof analysis Of sist: sacs segs paw eelale vel seee aie eee qeesteamas dead sears 188
Psilomelane, occurrence of, in Independence county ....... 6. eee cece cee cece cere eens 39
Pulasket county: csccasp:a nus a.6 parses siarssd- secmrawrarns eeuaseiny “sega eles ad-tare piace are agro pigrac egies oi <ey 23T
analysis of argentiferous lead ore Of. 2.6... cc cece cece e cece cee eeeenee 240
analysis of the Newton sprifg: Of s.ccicsi cea cca ecieweeais ieee og sien ei ees 241
Character of iso tls: Ol vsoxscoscostsces ze areal vaiheaw a ahabeapcusnbcaccauavepaceseap als wiafecise nanan aes 242
Keellége: bead Mines: Of as aac creas aciiacetaa inten whee ia cuban we saree wa aS 237, 241
metamorphic action observable in the strata of........ Paiva sacs aces gi nich arth relat 237
OCCUPEN GEO DIENMEAI: osaere ine sere nwnnea ado eres Aas oad. wai Maem sear 239
OL ICOPPer ORG: I. aie sccevaseidanivassrardeg sian aiein tibspora eid he wey oor beniniist ae 239
OB ALOT OLEt UN oc icni id Saxe.avesap'-averavactrinis a Sranenkidinrd atarane Cig yeracvey how - 239, 241
BOB CA ORCL IAL a cisc eves ores ieaeis annie neuauietasaupcd wea etenaiis misc poche ue daca eae Rares 237
section of strata in........... aces dr slaacaycuspacabauoa tate epavey xayavousiaeratener comekc cena atlt tan 238
Pyrites, yellow cupriferous, in lignite of Greene county....... 0... cece cece eee cence renee 25
Quaternary sandstone, impressions of leaves in.........eeseeeeee denne alae a sonnaengnehece Saige: QDs 29
Quartz veins, occurrence of, in Conway county....... cc ccc cee cece cece eee cece eens eeeeees 235
Quartz veins, occurrenee of, in Pulaski county............00 seveeeee nee seietvie are eceneigte 237
Randolph county ..... Be caveisdebhianene aoa Gosnold winter's zavare teva lore ibis Birarm a igs Glo iare rosa eie RIE als ales eats 205
agricultural resources Of......+e.es eee cece cece ence eeas wiassee a oueielaa sieve ee 207
OCCUFPEMCE Of TOM OLE TM o a-e.sscceverece eels se de ie He Bio's Seg aini eaters a eUpieM oe .. 206, 207

Rice’s spring of ........- asrbabmpeoty mien Binal dala tilabalelabereanr dao weeeieakemmugralaaleiy We 207

t

INDEX. 253

Randolph county, section of strata in
Raney Mine... ... cece cece terete enn eeeee

Red clay imbedding zinc ore, analysis of ....... eedonnxesevadece ePeTTerer ree eer c er ee er 175
Red soil of White county, character Of... 1... sss eee e cree cece eee nee e eect nent ne eneteee 69
Rice’s spring... 6... cece eee cee eee ee nent e ne ee ne eee n eee eee eee neers bee eeeneees 207
Rocks associated with the ores of zinc and lead, analysis of the .......-......0.0005 aa LT4-177
Rock house:'in Newton county... .s2s6 202s vas euras noes sinasnnansons enedianarineseewsnasoas 86
Rosin-weed in Marion county.....-.essseeeee en Tee CeTTT TT ETS er eer ee Ce ea 294
Round-top peak of the Judah mountain. ...... 6... eee e cece eee cece crete eee e eens 81
SaccHarorpaL sandstone of Missouri, equivalent of the... .... cece cece eee e eee e eee cneeene 42
Saline exudations in Carroll county......++se+eeeeeee ss eiasacisg caveecancesuonale Seton G in te verbena eretedice 91
Salt-petre. See nitre. :
Sandblows in Poinsett county.........++eseeeeee 3
Sandstone, quartzose, of Greene COUNLY..... 6. cece cence eee cnet eee ee et ones
quaternary, of Greene COUNLY.....--- eee e eee eee tence eee e eet e eee e eens
Of Carroll COUNTY 21... cece cece eee e erent ete e enon seen en ee rereeseeeeees 10 DT, €7
of Independence COUDtY...... cece eee sete etc e ner enter eee e eee e ence eeer teens é
Of Marion County ....ccceser ese cr cence neta nner enon sence eeeereeeeneeas 45, 51
Ol VZATA COMM EV: os sig g's ws co tors ac iohn Osos geapauionar a euayadars nin. db a Shera eaede'aaaneranenoteenina aud 41, 42, 43
of Poinsett county.......eeeeee ee eeeeees seein oar rts bea oie tnvoads Capes N SG SAS lege age eI 31, 32
Of White: cOUDLY. é.0:c0sconiersioas wea reiare cen ein tune dinieieserhiniece ie inode eee acaie 68, 69, 70, 71
flagey, of Searcy cOUNtY... 66... cece cree cnet ete e ete e ete e nee e et ee ene eeas 78
saccharoidal, equivalent of the .......seee eee e seer eee erent ere ere eeeeees 4Q
white, of Fulton county .........--.--e. GG sau Gee as ey con ene rep eslins cole ee aaNet ye) coeuerdvesene) tes 4Q
white, of Independence county .......ceceecee ete e cette eee n eee e teen et enees 38-41
with vermicular impressions. ......++eee+ee eee cere eee SE ee ee oe 70
Bearcy cOUDLY ... csc eee cece eee ee eens 76
_black marble of...... v% 17
flaggy sandstone of ne 78
OCCUTrEHCE OF Lead Ore IWiresicssarcsrsue eda cre warnneVRN STEERS ¥eewO Se aeS NR 79
section of strata on the Carrollton road in 11... ce cece cece cece eee renee eeee 79
section of gtrata in Wiley’s Cove, Of ..caceeesee eee cert et ence enter eeeeenes are
Section of strata on Spadra creek, Johuson county ... see cece eee eee e eet eee eee e eee eees 129
oi Mitehell?s, billc. saccjosee ses See ROR R ESS DNS DRERY Ole ele ee Rk OR edinee 50
in the lead region of Carroll County... 6.60 eee reer ence tence teen nee eeeens 57
in the lead region of Marion county........sseeee cece ete ee cere eene ences 48
near the Rapp barrens, Fulton county 1.21... seer cece cere cece eee e eens 59
in Wiley’s Cove, Searcy COUnLY... 6... cece cece cece cece eee eee teen e eens 78
on Carrollton road, Searcy COUNGY..... ee cece eee eee eect eee e eee ene etees 19
pear the mouth of Cave creek, Newton CoUnty.....-.cseceeeesecerscsaee &3
of the Boat mountain, Carroll county ....... eee eee ee eee eee ei ewede ears 91
of hills in Prairie township, Carroll county........... esse eee e eee eee e eee 97
on Warton’s creek, Madison county.......eseeeeeeee
of the subcarboniferous group of Washington county. . . :
near Fayetteville, Washington County....... sess cere eee e renee eee ene
on Middle fork of White river, Washington county ......- esse cess eee ees
on East fork of Illinois river, Washington county... ......-eeee eee e ences
on Cane hill, Washington County. ..eeceee eens eee ee ee ee te ee ee ene en eee 120
on College hill, Washington county... 6.6 sess eee e cere eee erent neces 121
in Vineyard township, Washington County ....-.seeeeee ee eee cree eeeneee 122
near Van Buren, Crawford COUNtY... ccc cece cece eee eee eee cree eee e nee 125
in Randolph COUDty......cecee cere eee cece eee e teen teen tee seen teens 206
jn Lawrence CONDLY ... 6. ee cece eee eee ee eee ene eeeee eee are eee 298
at Calamine, Lawrence County... ..ee cece eee cere eee e eee n eee eeeeeees 211
in Independence county........ psa AIGS ee ictew ceeads Me UAE RRe TTA RES 216
near Phillip’s coal bank, Crawford county....... peueerv terest Hemesea ete 227
on Mulberry river, Franklin county. 23
in coal region of Johnson county ...... tosses QOL
on Illinois bayou, Pope county......-sseeeee seen ener reeeeee tiasae 8
on Galley creek, Pope county .....-..sseee i gins ea Beek es A le Gls ye a 234
in Pulaski and Conway counties.........- ae 238
Belenite cevececccce cece cece ce ee eseeee ee ecee ener eennnet scree seee anes
Shale, gypsiferous of Washington county......+++++sseeees cioiatoe se aaa
ferruginous.....---++-- seeseeers ae sees sve avbyarorevavan esas vera abun Bla eA
hard, of Benton county.......-. 14 Bi Beara diay ahd ty enacadaeneus: esomsslaya SRO RNNS
Shell-marl, quaternary, of Greene county.....-...-- wdsoneuaiereds (iis ee RBRReAR aE
Shield’s bluff, section abecccssseeec cece sees cee ee ee eee eer et ener seenneeeeereteseatatess :
Silesian method of manufacturing zinc ....+--+ssereeeeeee joe be sadinie aE RERET Se et er ere
Silex, itsabundance in northern Arkansas.....++..++.++ Pi Ea be FRE RE ERENT Mea ee RIM oe vn Lal

Silurian period, rocks of the upper, not occurring in the northern counties of Arkansas ...... 195

254 INDEX.

Pace.
Silver, in the lead ore of Marion county.......scesvccerececeeceeceeencsesesseseeseccares 159
Pulaski county ....... eae alta Oa tales aetaueie hears ..---136, 240, 241
Silver, richness of the Arkansas lead ores in, compared with the richness of the ores of other
countries....... Acenahay betas sacle: Sra ecsl vat ave od areas oy oes se bievavas hay Wesaerarsteisare Oe 136, 161, 240, 241
Silver ore, reported occurrence of, in Izard coUntY.......eeeeee cree ence seen eceeeceeeere . 4
Sister: hill of Carroll: coumtyys soc cieieseiaienievece oie eine inven wi ninioin dseceiece- sass Re ee roe oe 9%
Smithsonite, analysis Of ......scseeeeescenecccceseronececevecs ga bccnne es 148-153, 183, 184
method of analysis Of......... ce seeeeee ence i ceusabsarcubsosesdehnht Gites SEMA AE anenas 186
occurrence of, in Lawrence county ....... wesc cece eer er eee ee reeeeace apeeeaaes 63
55
Soils of Greene county, character of.......... gt canine bts & Sesyasdgesaasnenenansi ties BS AONAte sraveus

Randolph county,
Jackson ccuaty,
Lawrence county,
Independence county,
Fulton county,

Pope county,

Prairie county,
Pulaski county,

Crowley’s ridge, productiveness of ...... sci eopatannubcauscanasayetpnniersitcee ares MO ate eaabaiee er 23
Spadra coal of Johnson county .......s.eseee Oe re rere rT Cre TTT snvercewan 129
Sphenopteris in shale of coal-measures ............. ab oidoateieleteaerniwicins aurea se eeernegers 20
Spivifer voce ce cece cee cee n eee n cent eee e eee e eee ee een eee ones Su cbeb ieee ene tions 78, 98, 218
SATIS coer nem ime een ae ws oan RERAGAs G4GGae bh jae oe Fa bOREET EDEN secesces 105, 224
Spring, analysis of water of Rice’s.....-..seeeeeeeeeeeeee re eeeees sane eee eee reneesese 207
Of As Lic StOWOEt Se cwscasuess Sareceele eee COPS PRET ERR ERASERS . 23, 180
of a, in Crawford county.........-5005. leet arto ioe eie gayase
of a chalybeate, in Franklin county.......
of the State salt, in Franklin county.........-
of a mineral, on Spirit creek, Franklin county......++eseseeees ae
of the town-, of Springfield, Conway county........ eee eesanes sees 236
of Newton and Pulaski county ........... siaibiaabers cea Sibrecbsere wid oes 241
Puce, of Van Buren county............5+-- siatarslatersyatetoreters aioieieiaveisceters sdasereravareniverssaiave: 0D
Eye, of Van Buren County ....... cece cece cece cere cee e nner en cent eeeeeees wretnateoneie (4D
Black sulphur, of Van Buren county..........+-+ ahs aay ray shes sha va caer sl aera epoca 73
Big, of independence county .........-+s+e+0+ Maswecnnueieees junds warese sietaiseate AOS
Mammoth, of Fulton county....... sidisescerrares isis bus anayanerateve.tn vsibetsafavesns «eee. 60, 182
sulphur, of Washington county........+.-s cess eeee cece ener eees svaissenacardresnmvens LL ALO
chalybeate, of Washington county .........e cece cere eee eee eee sage doverarorcreuore eee 119
Pennywit sulphur, of Crawford county........seeseeeeeeeee Tr eras ben
Stack mountain of Carroll county... .... cece cee c cece cece cnet nee eeeeneee Piioae anes 88
Stigmaria ficoides... cs seveecccceccceceecnereeeeneeeeneees Savon seeds iss wi hbo RNa Seen Searels 68
St. Francis river, analysis of water of ....... aye paceuavaayanestecupads sree Sere eer ere aed
Subcarboniferous limestones, boundary between the millstone grit and the........
Succession of strata in Benton county...........ee ee eeec eee eee aisateraeta covets oreyiets
Succession of strata hear J. W. Pyne’s, Greene county ..........++ svavaieieleieialeleleleaauaaye ovdee 202
Sugar loaf hill of Marion COUnby cxws cnaeioseeanedemeaies Acne eemeRe or SEER Oy Rees we 50
Sugar loaf mountain of Van Buren county.....-...seeeseesee cere ceeeceeeeees sre eiecatelslarveavs 72
Sulphate of lime, crystals of, in Washington county ......... see see cece eee eeeeees seeeeee 113
Sulphates of iron and alumina, exudations of, in Carroll county.........+seeeeeeeees seeave 91
Sulphur springs of Washington county...........+eeeeeeeeeee sisi salhereorw are sstiveewoer LIT) L19
Sulphur spring, Pennywit, of Crawford county ......ssssseeeeveeeeceeees sana eresere sakererergacpie 126
Sulphur spring, reported existence of, in Benton county ..... deaetuayageies Lene eee nee ee ences 108

Sulphuret of copper, see copper ore.
of lead, see lead ore.
of zinc, see blende.

Summary, general, inferences and remarks in conclusion.......++sscesereeeeeseseececrenee 135
Taste, showing the richness of the zinc ores of Arkansas compared with those of other coun-
PELE seh seridin Besrarariis cia Guensie wiasel rete aighelavgtars dcanea:ovelpies# st bus fois tebarniora(auane auatanerwevereverdloreleed 156
showing the value of the ores of manganese ‘
showing the amount of silver in the lead ores of northern Arkansas ........0++s0+05 160
showing the comparative richness of the iron ores
Table-land of south-western part of Van Buren county
Tale and allied minerals in Conway county .........eeceeeeee ere
Tale in Pulaski county ......sesseeccececceeeesceeceenee thi decir Ane da too ese aintere deterrents: (eGo.
Teeth of fishes, in shale........ss sees cece eceees
Terebratula plano-sulcata ....... isso natant a
planum-bond ..ssceeceeecees bisediebauaataneid aise so Gita gu Ssafishcasginua eceiaceia poisyeinras dD
Terra Sienna, in Izard county .........seeeeeeee ssbibiseouncave niacadezajexeyerese 44
Trilobites in sandstone......+++++e+eeee a aseautbasvois navlacanaicev vereileoce vaste fovevesecedevovavetans vaxasncsusls Hiedien QS

Tufa, calcareous, formation of, on Mammoth spring ......csesecseceesecererereresecsevees G1

INDEX. 255

Van Buren county...... ET LEE ieierolale nen onan Riba ER NORR anise GMT Eee rae
black marble of..... {AGRASAA IOAN TS ERTS OS eR iernn ea eninER
Black sulphur spring of ............ at eseeiieciariiata Sea toh eae ec ected 73
character of ip Ftd BOL Wf caganamany eas dacas esvaeMoemeamemnaanaiin ark 74
BF Gat ERSSO Lo corte ak a uaz tena pac nce ape ctoete an tmlocacanenecctecnin ann SO gt 715
Eye spring of..... NS er ce ea dpc es Reyne hae nn aca tesa ced tnt oe 73
Dares BOTIEE Ai acer bceoereeaeteeiaine oni snaenaNe es Aaeakesamesaaaacd on
GECHELEACE.GE. CALDOTALONON IPOn iivare dn wmukneainecnicyninienontomacne yeu fe
reported occurrence of coal in...........+----
Sugar loaf mountain Of.........0.eeee cece cece cece rete eet eee eeeeeeteees
EalSTOC TAG Goes Sosa oo her as Genes oebeteeteienan alent tase eet lace etl
Veins and deposits of lead, zinc, and manganese ores, where situated .......--..-.....0000. 138
Vermicular impressions in sandstone......... - HUPRAH SES SOE PENT aaS Rass EMS Sara dws 70
Wan, analysis of... ..e cece cece cece cere rere ene e eee teen ene eee ener ennees ropuavaig 163
Warton’s creek, section of strata on, Madison county.....-.--s ssc ee cece cece eee eeeeee 101
Washington County... ...cecc cece cece cette eee eee e eee e etn e nett eect e tee eens 110
character of the red up-land soil of ......--. se eee ee eee eaee cerarniayieractes 118
chalybeate spring in ...-.....+++ oo
ICAIV OREM vier or eferses: oo gra: saa’o- oscar: 6 wie SF Ae Baa a heaved ak lar UNar aaa what
brawn: fre Sat one: fii. vc/sievesdeedten Saved at's opssaunye dae aredcare gncg a4 Gevnereierevoara <ee
Eisenkalkstein im...ccsccccccnccccccscvescreesevesvereces
good prospects for boring for brine in
gypsiferous shale Of. ...... see e eee eee ence tence tenet eee e eee
occurrence of coal iiss cacccssecss oo ce erene Woke kihoens 113, 115, 118, 120
Cl FON BPS AD ccddne ke stne oso 4 Si EN eewe 112, 116, 120
OPA MOLE! TDi ste wae orev warera asain deudnoze soeaae PBA Oneabl ube Sisvesersusraunauact Si... 222
Of SELENILEAR «adi esianrasconedinied SGRGUMN Mae Nae Paeeveer as Sa Rak
reported occurrence of a nitre cave in
probable occurrence Of léad, Ore? ii< tes cnswereces sees o55 CRATER AS eB eS ike
origin of Mounds in.....--. sees eee eee eee eee ee eee ees ee Rat Pe kteelae 112
pyritiferous limestone Of. ..-.- sss eee seer eee e eee c eee eee e eee eens 116, 118
section of strata of subcarboniferous groups Of.....+..66. cee eeeeeeeeeee 111
near Fayetteville, in...... see ee cece ee eee eee cece eee 114
on Middle fork of White river in .... ss... eee eee eee 117
on Past fork of Tilinoisvivér it u2c0%cunerencxweaw crus es 119
on, Cane: hill iti x.cses cen nndasnetosenenean sande senna. 120
on College hill in... see cece cece cece eee ee ee ceetscces 121
in Vineyard township in......- es eseeeee eee ce tence eens 122
SPTINgS Of... see cee cere cence eee nese nent tenet erat tee e eee eee eee
sulphur springs Of ----- +. esses eee e eee eet e terete teen eee renee
Water of White river, analysis Of ........ ee ce cere eee e eee tenet e tenet teen ene eneeees
St. Francis river, analysis of
Kimble’s creek, analysis of........
Black sulphur spring, analysis of ..... Mees SEER EES Mee OT ORR eee ee ee
Puce spring, analysis of .....--++++e50+ alges ahatgrsia pais Mew Raieedr es pases asi arith 73
Water from a sulphur spring in Washington county, analysis Of....---+.+-+sseeeeee eee 117, 119
well on A. L. Stewart’s farm, analysis Of «2... -- ess ee eee cette nee eee eeeeee 180
on Wm. Lane’s farm, analysis Of. ..... 01 sees cere eect eee eee eee ene ene
on Thos. McElrath’s farm, analysis of.
on Mr. Cobb’s farm, analysis of....-...----
on John Robinson’s farm, analysis of....... as
a spring near J. Young’s farm, analysis of.....-.+.+.-++--
the North fork of White river, analysis Of ...-- 6... se se cece eect eee e ee eeeee
the Mammoth spring, analysis Of. ......-- 6s este eect erence ee eeee si dalatdace aes sites 182
a spring in Crawford county, analysis Of ...+-.- +... e eee eeee eet e eee e eee eee,
a, chalybeate spring in Franklin crunty, Bal SiS Of. ais ieie io renin is ug min sa tibia wees Savas
the State salt spring, in Franklin county, analysis of..............+-
a mineral spring on Spirit creek, Franklin county, analysis of
the town spring at Springfield, analysis of.......... we bse Behan sobesee bedusin aieilone outinnaeie weave
the Newton spring, Pulaski county....--ssesseeeeeree esses n eens ee ee oe 241
Searcy sulphur, analysis of........- a date ish NGLexa Gi wableosh eats Vekd adcbs se ovscale iesbab vt th Ghavaneel OAoxeATs aL
Pennywit sulphur, analysis of. 196
Well of J. P. Harris, Greene county
James Lamb, ay ag
Wm. Lane, at ae
J. Robinson, Jackson ‘
Wells,.sunk in L’Anguille bottom......- Geietainra amin euwaces assent La SD eGe TORTS 50a ae .- 381
White county ....-+--seeeeeeeee A een errs ere es eb 544 AAA AE AID eer. See 67

Bee rock of ....++++ svi aioe a WCE asia av wah oc Nia 'audonsopaats Sh instehieenanheineeneeieeare JON

4

INDEX

p. 42,
p. 148,
p. 219,

p- 227,
p. 258,

ERRA

(a3 14 ce top, ‘74
«c phe ce oe
(73 2 its 66
ce 20 (<4 ee
“ 19 “6 “

TA.

p. 24, line 8 from bottom, read ferruginous for ferrugilious.
sandstone
“ ferruginous “ feruginous.

“ standstone.

“ Sulphur Rock for Sulpher rock.

Pace

White county, carboniferous system Of ....... ccs secs eee cence neces Rupee tennessee oer 68

; character of red soil Of scan ccasc cic coeae te dea audtioneewadisd thee oe ees. ds 69

occurrence Of Coal AD)... ie eee peso oree ou oe osu enmerenyA MEN eeee. 69

ARON; OE ls coe ago Hvwie-ars oresteoweiarianiavaracts Mayes SerAmseeesp a anvoues 68, 69

reported occurrence Of Gold IN sreascsniserneccessadeseweeesee GEESE vice ones 68

BANAStOWes OF op icgocsrtgismamloenMeEsuewMayEREERe seco ves See Ree RE. 68, 69, 70

Searcy sulphur water of.............0.e.000- eee ee er ee Beisiertvaceseis 71

AWihliterivensswalt eit Ofss20 icy Goce aos eels o aleve we iad aeceratele ea cena taba eeeatohien oy oevsenio eects: 33

White river, water of, analysis of.........-.0.004 by SSE NES BE OSE sore lad sre ae Slaves eacesraaes 181

Wiley’s Cove, section of strata in, of Searcy county..........2+eeeeeeeee BE CTG ovecatecnloxaeiaio 77

Wood's mine, analysis of the ore from. ...:.,ccccescoeaccusaeseteutensuccerecsucuavnnes 152

ZING; carbonate-of, in dolomite wsccsdncawaceas aaciweeee teumweerin ee ieee a ceeaENeveRs woo LTE
(See smithsonite.)

process of manufacturing, from its OVeS.... 00... cece eee e cece e eens Sree aal amit 156, 158

ore, occurrence of, in Independence county .........6. ce eeee cece eee seme e eS eee 222

Lawrence:county o.: ss. mesa aen exces 63, 210-212

MARION COUNLY se's5i5: cis: eiens a ta aleia sis secerenve aha deca ieee ora Aa acne 53, 55

Ores, penenal remarks onithep secwc sss ca sesh sales ntwewnes aa eeameee wareiomiendio esd eae 136

method pursued in the analysis Of the.......... cee ese e eee ccee cee senecsennee 186

of Independence county, analyses of the......... eeepc e cece cere nee eeuesaees 183

of Lawrence ee SEE OO jes eyiy eee eu yan Oh Oe a ER REAM AES 147-151, 184

of Marion se MO ONS OAS organ sasrenvayeeanaiadnnatetce dances 151-155

.. 156

“ lepidodendron “ lipidodendron.

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