109 



Clay sliale, drab 

 Lower division. . 



Goal 



Parting 



Goal 



Parting 



Goal 



Clay 



Goal 



Tlie outcrop coal is not altogether promising in appearance, and has a 

 decidedly slaty structure. Some of it was tried on a locomotive, but it 

 burned much like rotten wood. Prospecting entries were driven into the 

 sound coal at a little way below the old opening. The quality improved 

 rapidly as the entries advanced, and a locomotive test of the sound coal 

 proved as satisfactory as that of the crop coal had proved unsatisfiictory . 

 Extensive mining operations were begun here in June of 1881. 



Many prospecting pits were digged north from Dillon's canon along the 

 bluff fronting on the plain, but none of these reached sound coal. 



Fulbrite & Company made an opening in the Billon coal bed, at, say, 

 a mile and a half north-west from Raton. They mined only the upper 

 division, which has the following structure : 



Goal 0' 11 ' 



Sandstone 0' 0^ ' 



Goal V 1 ' 



Parting 0' 0^ ' 



Goal 0' 8 ' 



Parting 0' OiV 



Goal V 5 ' 



4' li" 



The coal of Nos. 1, 3 and 5 is compact, though in part of slaty structure, 

 and is an excellent fuel. The ash is bulky but powdery. No. 7 breaks 

 much like cannel, and in appearance is fully equal to some of the Penn- 

 sylvania cannels which are thought to be good marketable coals. It gives 

 a long quick flame, and yields a bulky, powdery ash. This bench is some- 

 times parted near the middle. The lower division of the bed is not well 

 exposed, but as neai'ly as can be determined, its thickness is 30 inches 

 near the mouth of this pit. 



An opening near the mouth of Willow creek caiion showed : 



Goal.... 

 Parting . 

 Goal . . .. 

 Parting. 

 Goal ... . 

 Parting. 

 Goal . . . 

 Parting, 

 Goal.... 



0' 11 



O'lO 



0' Ih" 



0' 6 



0' 9 '' J 



3' 7i" 



