No. 7.] DAWSON — COAL SEAMS. 435 



Missouri ns in some places of possible economic value must also 

 be of nearly the same age. (Bulletin U. S. Geol. k Geog-. Survey, 

 Vol. III., p. 566.) It is further worthy of remark that this 

 coal-bearins horizon at the base of the Pierre of the interior con- 

 tinent;il region is, as nearly as possible, equivalent to that at the 

 base of Chico Group, which yields the coals of Vancouver Island 

 at Nanaimo and Comox. 



The coal in the scries below the Pierre on the Bow and Belly 

 Rivers may be taken in a general way as representing those which 

 occur in the Lower or Dunvegan Sandstones of the Pine River 

 in the Peace River country (op. cit. p. 116 b). 



The occurrence of workable coal seams at several diflferent 

 horizons, and the proved continuity of some of them over great 

 areas, guarantees an abundant supply of fuel in this district, a 

 matter of great importance in a country which over great areas 

 is almost entirely destitute of wood. The quality of some of the 

 fuels is such as to render them suitable for transport to a dist- 

 ance, and it is doubtless on this belt of coal-bearino: rocks in the 

 vicinity of the mountains that the railways of the North West 

 will depend chiefly for their supply. 



The quantity of coal already proved to exist is very great. 

 The distances for which the outcrops of certain seams have been 

 traced have been mentioned. Approximate estimates of the 

 quantity of coal underlying a square mile of country in several 

 localities have been made, with the following results : — 



Maifi Seam in vicinity of Coal Banks, Bell}' River. 

 Coal underlying one square mile, 5,500,000 tons. 



GruHsy Island, Bow River. (Continuation of Belly 

 River Main Seam.) Coal underlying one square 

 mile, over 5,000,000 tons. 



Horse-shoe Bend, Bow River. Coal underlying one 

 square mile, 4,000,000 tons. 



Blackfoot Crossing. Workable coal in seam as ex- 

 posed on Bow River. Underlying one square 

 mile, 9,000,000 tons. 



— Re])ort Geol. Survey of Canada ^ 1882. 



