Coles County IL Archives History - Books .....Geological Formation 1879
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Book Title: History Of Coles County

GEOLOGICAL FORMATION.

   The geological deposits and formations of Coles County possess but little
interest or importance, as compared to many other sections of Illinois. The soil
of the prairies is of considerable thickness, of a deep black, or dark brown
color, and very rich and productive. Beneath this soil, according to the
geological survey of the State, is a loamy clay, which also produces well with
proper cultivation. The most important feature of the geology of the county,
however, is the coal-deposit, which is supposed to underlie the county. A man of
the name of Owens, years ago, discovered coal, and a very good quality, too,
near where John Mickleblack now lives. Recent investigations, we are informed,
have developed the fact that not exceeding five hundred feet below the surface,
coal abounds in great abundance. Doubtless the time is not far distant when
these coal-fields will become a source of industry, as well as of great value to
the country. According to geological survey, three-fourths of the surface of
Illinois are underlaid by beds of coal, and consequently have a greater area of
this valuable fuel than any other State of the Union. A scientific writer speaks
thus upon the formation and discovery of coal: "The vast accumulation of
vegetable matter from carboniferous plants, either imbedded in the miry soil in
which it grew, or swept from adjacent elevations into shallow lakes, became
covered with sediment, and thus were transformed into coal. It has been
estimated that eight perpendicular feet of wool were required to make one foot
of bituminous coal, and twelve to make one foot of anthracite. Some beds of the
latter are thirty feet in thickness, and hence 360 feet of timber must have been
consumed in their production. The process of its formation was exactly the same
as practiced in the manufacture of charcoal, by burning wood under a covering of
earth. Vegetable tissue consists mostly of carbon and oxygen, and decomposition
must take place, either under water or some other impervious covering, to
prevent the elements from forming carbonic-acid gas, and thus escaping to the
atmosphere. Conforming to these requirements the immense vegetable growths
forming the coal-fields subsided with the surface on which they grew, and were
buried beneath the succeeding deposits. Nova Scotia has seventy-six different
beds, and Illinois twelve; and consequently, in these localities, there were as
many different fields of verdure overwhelmed in the dirt-beds of the sea. Thus,
long before the starry cycles had measured half the history of the unfolding
continent, and when first the expanding stream of life but dimly reflected the
coming age of mind, this vast supply of fuel was stored away in the rocky
frame-work of the globe. Here it slumbered until man made his appearance and
dragged it from its rocky lairs. At his bidding, it renders the factory animate
with humming spindles, driving shuttles, whirling lathes and clanking forges.
Under his guidance the iron-horse, feeding upon its pitchy fragments, bounds and
tireless treads over its far-reaching track, dragging after him the products of
distant marts and climes. By the skill of the one and the power of the other,
the ocean steamer plows the deep in opposition to winds and waves, making its
watery home a highway for the commerce of the world.

   Beyond the coal-beds underlying the surface, the county, as we have 3aid, is
not very rich in geology. There are, we believe, some stone-beds along the
Embarrass River, but the quality of the stone is poor and of but little value
for building purposes. With this brief glance at the geological features, we
will leave the subject, referring the reader to the Geological Survey of the
State for further information on this interesting point of history.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

THE HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY. ILLINOIS,

CONTAINING

A History of the County—its Cities, Towns, &c; a Directory of its Tax-Payers;
Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map
of Coles County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest,
Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c, &c.

ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO:
WM. LE BARON, JR., & CO., 186 DEARBORN STREET.
1879.

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