PJatl , 



188 



[Feb. 



Water . 

 Vol. Matter. 

 Fixed Carb. 

 Sulphur. . . . 

 Ash 



Color of Ash. 



13 



6.830 



21 .930 

 55.413 



.387 

 15.440 



100.000 



Red. 



There is no peculiarity about the chemical composition of the coal from 

 the Bernice Big Bed, or B. The analysis closely resembles that of the 

 Lykens Valley coal ; it is burned exactly like any of the other anthracites, 

 and differs from them only in appearance and structure. For all purposes 

 it is classed among the anthracite coals, and is sold for exactty the same 

 purposes. 



The coal sixty feet below Bed B introduces at once an interesting inquiry, 

 from the fact that although a semi-bituminous coal it does not coke, and re- 

 absorbs moisture rapidly on cooling after being heated to 225°. 



In his report upon the analyses of coals from Ohio, Prof. Wormley has 

 noted the characteristic feature of their re-absorbing moisture when allowed 

 to coal after being heated to 212° F. 



In his report on the analyses of the coals of Pennsylvania,* Mr. Andrew 

 S. McCreath, the chemist of the survey, reports that the Pennsylvania coals 

 have no such characteristics ; and out of many hundreds of coals analyzed 

 by him only four so far have possessed the power of re absorbing moisture 

 rapidly after it has been expelled at 225° F.f 



Under such circumstances it is desirable to note particularly the appear- 

 ance, behavior and composition of these peculiar coals. 



Three of them arc from Sullivan county, and one from the New Red 

 Sandstone in York county. 



No. 1. B. Gross coal, from York county, Pennsylvania, on B. Gross 

 farm, on Liverpool road, three-fourths of a mile north of Liverpool, on the 

 Little Conewago creek. Specimen collected by P. Frazer, Jr. The coal 

 is from the Mesozoic rocks. 



"The coal has generally a deep black color, with somewhat pitchy ap 

 pearance. It is very brittle, breaking with conchoidal fracture. 



Water at 225° 4 310 



Volatile Hydrocarbons 18.482 



Fixed Carbon 74. 358 



Sulphur 528 



Ash 2.:^2 



100.000 



Report of Progress in the Laboratory of the Survey, M. p. 28, 1875. 

 t MSS. Report of Progress .MM. lsTs, now in press. 



