323 



and two east, to near Napoleon, in the latter county. It then turas 

 westerly through town three south, ranges one and two west; from 

 whence, taking a direction north-westerly, it pursues an irregular line, 

 passing through Bellevue, in the south-west corner of Eaton County, to 

 Grand Rapids, in Kent County. Here the lime-rock is more extended, 

 and a thickness has been determined to it of fourteen feet. The rock 

 is characterized by the fossils Niicula, and Cyathophyllum vennicu- 

 lare. This stratum affords the only limestone for the kiln, or other pur- 

 poses, except occasional boulders, to be found in the interior of the 

 State, and its value is the more to be appreciated, as the formation ia 

 itself of very limited extent. 



LOWER COAL. 



But two continuous beds of workable coal are ascertained to exist in 

 the State. The lowest of these, lies at a small distance only above the 

 limestone stratum, and is associated with a very thick bed of shale, 

 which is also sufficiently bituminous to answer the purpose of an infe- 

 rior coal. 



COAL OF JACKSON COUNTY. 



That portion of the lower coal bed, which underlies a portion of this 

 county, makes an outcrop in the valley of Sandstone Creek, town of 

 Spring Arbor, and has there been penetrated to the dej^th of three 

 feet. The thick bed of shale opened at Jackson, undoubtedly is asso- 

 ciated with, and belongs to, this coal stratum. 



COAL OF INGHAM COUNTT. 



Passing down the easterly side of the basin, the coal is again met 

 with, in the north-east corner town of Ingham County, where it is em- 

 braced in a succession of shales and friable sandstone, cropping out in 

 the banks and bed of the Red Cedar River. The coal has been pene- 

 trated two-and-a-half feet. But neither here nor in Jackson County is 

 the entire thickness of the bed determined. 



" The coal at this point," as is observed in the Report of Mr. Douglass, 

 of last year, " is very accessible, and must, ere long, prove of great im- 

 portance. It is situated on a stream that may be made navigable for 

 flat-bottomed boats and perogues, with comparatively small expense, for 

 a considerble portion of the year, and opening a direct communica- 

 tion with Lake Michigan." 



