K\ I A Geologic and Topographic Section ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA FRo>! THE OHIO RIV.R, AT HANOVER, TO THE W ARASiI RIVER, AT VINOENNES, WITH A DIS­ OUSSION OF THI! GIINERAL DISTRIRUTION AND CHARACTER OF THII KNOB- STOllE GROUP IN THE STATE OF INDIANA. BY JOHN FLESHER. NEVVSOM. St~nford Unjv~rsitr, Califor)lia, 1901. -ZJJT- TRANSMITTAL. Prof. W. S. Blatchley, Dear Sir-I hand you 'th my report on a geologic and topo­ graphic section acrass OVCWHI"" Indiana from Hanover to Vincennes, with a discussion of the distribution of the Knobstone group in the State of Indiana, I remain very respectfully yours, J. F. NEWSOM. -228- ,CONTENTS. P.AGJO:. Introduction. • . .. • • . • . .. • ....••.....••••.....•...•...... 232 General Observations ............•........................••..•..... 235 Stratigraphy ...•........••.....•..•...........•............•... 235 Ordovician .............•.•.....•.......................... 235 Silurian ....•...................•.••............••..•...... 235 Devonian .........•..•..•••........•.......•...••......••. .)35 Lower Carboniferous ......••.........• , .•.........•........ 235, Coal Measures .............. , .....................•.....•.. 286 Permo-carboniferous ....................................... 236 Pleistocene ............................................... 236 Structure .......••.•...........•............ · .. ··.···· •. · .. ··· . 238 Topography ........................... , ...... " ............... 238 The Formations in Detail ...............•...........................• 239 Ordovician ........•.•........ .............................. 239 Hudson River group ....................................... 239 Character of rocks ...............•...................... 239 Areal distribution .................................... 240 Detailed sections. .. .................................. 240 Silurian ..•.................................................... 244 Clinton ............•..................................•...... 244 Character and distribution •...•..................•...... 244 Topography and general remarks .....•.........•........ 244 Niagara ....•.•.•....•..........•...•..............•.•..... 245 Character .••.......................•.•.......•........ 245 Areal distribution ...........•.....................•... 245 Topography .........................•...••............ 246 Economic geology ........•............................. 246 Devonian ..................................................... 246 The limestones .•••.....•................•......•..•.....•.. 247 Corniferous .....••.... ; ........................•.•........• 248 Character and thickness ............................... 248 Areal distribution and 'opography .••.................... 248 Hamilton limestones .........••....•.....•.....•••......... , 248 Character ............................................ .. 248 Areal distribution ............ , ......................... ' 249 Silver Creek Hydraulic limestone .......................... .. 249 Sellersburg limestone .......••..•.••..•••..... , .........• , .. 250 Economic geology ..........•..••.•.....•.........•••... 250 Topography and structure .••.•...•.••....••............ 260 Paleontology .•••..•• '.' ..•.•..••.••...........••...••.•• 951 16-Geol. -229- 230 . REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. PAOli., New Albany black shale ..•.••. , .....••..•...•...•..•...•••. 261 Character •..••............•.•.........•••.•.•...•..•... 251 Stratigraphic position •...•..•......•........•.•....•..• 252 PaleontOlogy .•••. " .••.•..............•.•..... ',' •.•.... 263 Areal distribution ...•...............•••................ 253 Topography ...............•.............•...........•.. 254 Economic geology ....•....•.............•..•..••....... 255 Lower Carboniferous ., ...........•..••.•.•••.•..................••. 235 Rockford goniatite lim.st~fe .............................. .. 255 Character and distribJtion ............................. 265 Stratigraphic position .................................. 297 Paleontology ......•..•.............................•... 268 Economic geology and topography ...................... 260 The Knobstone group of Indiana ................................... 260 Introductory ....................•................•............ , 260 , Character and thickness of the rocks. " ................. , ....... 261 The NeW' Providence shale ............................•..... 261 The Upper Knobstone shale .......... , ..................... 261 The Knobstone sandstone ....................... , ......... .. 261 Transition beds .•..........................•............... 262 Thickness of the Knobstone group ...... , ................... 262 Areal distribution ............................................. 263 Toporraphy ................................. " ............... 266 The southern district . .. ........................... 266 The central district ..........................•.......... 268 The northern district ......•............................ 269 Topographic features common to both central and southern districts. 269 Differential weathering of the Knobstone strata ............•.• 270 Exfoliation •.................•............................. 273 Structure ....•....•.............................. , .. , ......... 273 Dips of the strata ......................................••... 273 Fault •..••......................................•......... 274 Unconformity ............................................. 275 Economic geology ....... ' ..................................... 276 I!Itratigraphic posHion .........•..•....•.................•....... 277 Lower Carboniferous strata exclusive of the Knob.tone and Rockford goniatite limestone ..•............................................ 280 The Harrodsburg, limestone ................................ 280 Character and thickness ................ '................ 280 Areal distribution .....'. " .................. " ......... 280 Topography .......•.... " ...... ' ...........•........... 280 The Bedford oolitic limestone .............................. 281 Character. .. • ..............., ......................... 281 Color .......••••....................................... 281 Areal distribution .............•................•.....•. 281 Toporraphy .......' ...........•...............•..•••.•• 281 Economic geology ... ~ ........••.......................• i81 The Mitchell limestone ...•.................•..............• 282 Character •..............•.....••••.......•.••..••..•.•. 282 Areal distribution •..••• " ...•••....•.•....• " ........•. 2811 GEOLOGIC SEOTION AOROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA. 231 P.lGE. Lower Carboniferou8 Itrata, etc.-Continued. Topography............................. ........•.•. •••• 282 Economic geology • • . • . • • • . • • . • . • • . • • • . • 282 The Kaakaakia. group. .. .. .. .. • . • .. .. • . .. .. • .• 283 Cha.ra.cter.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. • .. .. .. 283 Areal Distribution...................................... 283 Topogra.phy ............. " . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... • . • 283 Economic ,eology . • . • . • . • • . • 284 Upper Carboniferous. ........ ...................... ............ .... 284 The Ha..al sa.ndatone . • • . • • • . • . • • . • . • . • • . • . 284 Gharactel' .....•• , ••• , . • . • • . • • . • .. .... 284 Areal dist.ribution .... •. .. .. .. .. .. • . .. .. .. .. .. .. 286 Topography ......•.....•......................•••. •. 285 Economic: geology. • • • . • . • • . • .. • . • • • . 285 The Productive Coal Measures .................. .. .. .. .. 286 Character and distribution .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 286 Topography .....................••..........•..••..• , . • 286 Bconomic geology. • . • • • . • • . • • . •• . • • • . • . • . • • • • 286 The Merom Band.tone .••• , •..............••.•..•• , . • . • • . 287 Pleistocene .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 287 The draina.ge of southern Indiana . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 288 Introduction ••••••.•.••.......•......................... , •• .. .. 288 The eastern drainage area .• ; .....••••.....•.•.....•.•...•• " 290 The centra.l drainage area................... ................ 291 The southern district................................... 292 The northern district ........ , .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 293 The western drainage area . • . .. .. .. .. .. .. • • .. • . .. .. • • 2116 Summary. • . • . • • • . • • • • . • . • . • . • • . • • •• • • • ••• • . 298 Conclusion ••••••••.•..•••••..................•..••.• , •• •• . • . 299 INTRODUCTION. The following paper relates to the geological formations repre­ sented in southern Indiana, especially where these are crossed by the row of townships nU:illbered 3 north. The field work, on which the paper is ba8'ed, was done in 1896-1897-1898.* During this time a "topographic map was con'struc·ted covering a strip of country six miles wide, and extending from the Ohio Riv·er in the neighborhood of Madi8'on on the east to the W.abash River at Vincennes on the weilt. This section passes over the various formations exposed in this part of the State, beginning in the Ordovi­ cian rocks at the east and ending with the Merom sandstone 01 Car­ boniferous (or Post-Carboniferous age) at the west. Some glacial deposits are also cross.ed by this section, but no attempt has been made to outline the glacial deposits in detail. The distribution of the other rocks in the area covered by the topographic section is shown on the geologic map accompanying it. On this sheet Plate II is a profile of cross-sections showing the general strud­ ture and sequence of the