m9 



and the coal is of a quality well fitted for all the purposes to which that 

 substance is usually applied. 



"Two miles in a southeasterly direction from the village of Barry, 

 Jackson county, some explorations have been made, and an amount 

 estimated at about 1500 bushels of coal raised. This coal has been 

 appUed to use in blacksmith shops of that vicinity, and is mostly of good 

 quaUty, although it is occasionally somewhat injured by the presence of 

 iron pjTites. For the reason that the out-crop of this bed is nearly on 

 a level with the water of Sandstone Creek, the persons engaged in the 

 work were unable to sink completely through the coal ; it was however 

 penetrated at one point, to a depth of about three feet. 



" The coal is highly bituminous, a character in common with all that 

 has been found in the State." 



I will here remark, that in a conversation with Doctor Houghton in 

 1 844, he informed me that this southern out-crop of the coal bed could not 

 be relied on, for the reason that that locality gave evidence of a disrup- 

 tion, that must have thrown the coal stratum into derangement, separa- 

 ting it from the main coal basin. This has sinco proved tme. At the 

 same time he said no such evidence was exhibited in the region of the 

 out-crops of the same stratum of coal at Cedar and Shiawassee rivers. 



In this report Doctor Houghton refers to the report to him of lus 

 Assistant Geologist, C. C. Dougla-^s. I therefore make the following 

 extracts from the report of Mr. Douglass : 



" The whole rock formation of Ingham and Eaton counties may be 

 referred to the coal bearing series, and several beds of this material, 

 which may be looked upon as valuable, have been examined. The 

 level and unbroken character of the country which brings the rocks but 

 rarely to the surface, together with the disintegrating nature of the 

 rock, (the latter serving to cover those edges which under other circum- 

 stances would be exposed,) render it difficult to follow these beds in a 

 continuous manner, but no doubt can be entertained that they exist 

 over a large area of these counties. 



"The most extensive beds of coal were noticed in township 4 north, 

 range 1 and 2 east, in Ingham county, and range 3 and 4 west, in Eaton 

 county. 



"A bed of bituminous coal more than two feet thick, of a superior 

 quality, in town 4 north, range 2 east, occurs. in the bed and banks of 



