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CHAPTER VII
MJLAN TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE
Lying in the southern part of Erie, adjoining Huron County, and
crossed diagonally from soutliAvest to northeast by the Huron River,
Milan ToAvnship is one of the most thoroughly drained and richest agricultural
sections in Northern Ohio. The eastern and soutliern portions
are sandy in a greater or less degree, and the northern part is a rich
black prairie loam. The timber AVIIS never as heavy as that in Huron
County, but excellent ship timber has been obtained from the woodlands
in the vicinity of and far IICIOAV Milan Village. Even the prairie section
is interspersed Avith groves of small oak trees. Chestnut, hickory, AVUInut,
butternut, elm, sycamore, sassafras, various kinds of oak and scattering
maples comprise the native forest trees.
The Huron River occupies a valley nearly 100 feet heloAv the general
level, and from eighty rods to a mile in Avidth. The bottom lands lying
along this river are very rich, but subject to sudden, and during Avet
seasons, frequent inundations that prove very damaging to the young
crops. This sort of damage has become common from the fact that the
uplands are noAV so thoroughly drained by artificial means as to conduct
the water to the river faster than it can be carried off. The Valley of
the Huron River is quite picturesque both above and below Milan Village.
The banks above are quite generally precipitous on one side or the
other of the river. The shale rock crops out from many of these banks,
while the river beloAV in places HOAVS over a solid bed of the same formation.
Occasional spheres of sulphite of iron are found imbedded in the
river banks or the banks and beds of creeks floAving into the river.
Drippings of sulphur, and also of alum, are found in banks of small
streams connected Avith the Huron River, but none are Avitbin the limits
of Milan ToAvnship or Erie County. Below Milan Village, about threefourths
of a mile, and on the opposite side of the valley directly at the
foot of'the North Milan Hill, is a natural gas spring that has been knoAvn
for many years to send forth an unremitting flow of gas, though the
pressure is very light, partly oAving, no doubt, to the nature of the under
lying rock, Avhich is shale and full of seams and cracks.
The gas, Avhen lighted sends up a flame from one to three feet in
height, depending on the amount of surface covered by the vessel used
in concentrating it. Small boys have occasional larks by the light of
this natural illuminant gathered in a keg Avith tight sides, no bottom,
and a small hole in the top for a jet.
To the southeast of Milan, and close to the Huron County line, on
the Butman Farm is a cold spring of considerable size, at one time be-
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