230 



Cedai- River, Ingham county. It was traced along the stream for near 

 half a mile, when in consequence of its dipping below the stream, I was 

 imable to trace it further. This coal is overlayed by a broken down 

 sandstone and fissile shale, varying in thickness from 5 to 10 feet I 

 was enabled to remove several bushels of coal, which proved to be 

 bituminous and of an excellent quahty, containing but very slight 

 traces of iron pyrites. It is compact, has a glossy lustre, ignites easily, 

 bums with a light flame, and leaves only a small quantity of earthy res- 

 idue." 



It is at this point where I have made the excavations hereinafter men- 

 tioned. 



In Doctor Houghton! s Geological Reportio the Legislature of 1840, 

 he again refers to the report of that year to him of his Assistant, C. C. 

 Douglass, from which are taken the following extracts. After comment- 

 ing on the "i-ange and extent of the coal bearing rocks," he says : 



"On the east the group of rocks appears in the towns of Leoni and 

 West Portage, in Jackson county, and in the northeast comer town of 

 Ingham county, in the bed of the Red Cedar River. 



"Its boimdary is known to stretch northeasterly across the Shiawas- 

 see and Flint Rivers, thus bringing within the limits of the coal rocks, 

 parts of Genesee, Shiawassee, Ingham, Jackson, Calhoun, Barry, and 

 Kent counties, and probably the whole of Eaton, Ionia, and Clinton 

 counties. 



" INGHAM COUNXy. 



In the northeast comer town of this county, the coal crops out in the 

 banks and bed of the Red Cedar River. 



"After penetrating to the depth of more than two and a half feet, 

 I was compelled, for the want of suitable instmments, to abandon 

 further investigation, without having ascertained its full thickness. The 

 coal at this point is very accessible, and must ere long prove of great im- 

 portance." 



In his Geological Report for 1841, Doct. Houghton refers to the re- 

 port of Assistant Geologist, Bela Hubbard, from which I make the fol- 

 lowing extracts: 



" COAL MBASURES. 



The rocks which include the coal beds of our State are embraced 

 within the counties of Jackson, Calhoim, Ingham, Eaton, Kent, Ionia,Clin- 



