TWENTY-FIB ST ANNUAL MEETING. 47 



naturally a greater demand for cheap fuel, and a greater interest in its economic 

 supply. 



The coal beds may be divided into several groups, the lowest being in the extreme 

 southeastern part of the State. Above the thin local deposits in the vicinity of Bax- 

 ter Springs, appears the Cherokee vein, the most important in the State. This crops 

 out along a line about 30 miles in length, extending from Columbus to Mulberry 

 on the Missouri line. There are important workings at Columbus, Scammonville, 

 Weir City, Pittsburg, Frontenac, and Litchfield. The dip of the vein, which is about 

 thirty-six inches in thickness, is towards the northwest. The coal is mined both by 

 stripping and by the use of shafts to a depth of one hundred and twenty feet. 



Above the Cherokee coal there is an outcrop of a thinner vein, which we have 

 called the "Cherokee upper vein." This is worked to a limited extent in the vicinity 

 of Pittsburg, though it is possible that the coal mined at Arcadia may belong to the 

 the same vein. The seam is less than two feet in thickness. 



As we ascend in the series, the Fort Scott coals next claim attention. These oc- 

 cur near the surface, and are mined in several places in the vicinity of Fort Scott. 

 On tue bluffs of the Marmaton river, east of the city, the coal is mined by stripping 

 or in shallow slopes. There are banks in other localities, also. The vein is about 

 twenty inches in thickness, and is known as "red coal," from the fact that it so read- 

 ily oxidizes and becomes covered with iron-rust. The output of this excellent coal 

 is small, and is mostly consumed in the vicinity. 



The Leavenworth coal, from its similarity to the coals of Bourbon county, may 

 be noticed in the connection. There are three shafts in actual operation, and two 

 others are being sunk. The coal is mined at a depth of seven hundred and thirty 

 feet, the vein being about twenty-two inches in thickness. 



The Linn county coal is mined most extensively in the vicinity of Pleasanton 

 and LaCygne. The coal is found at a depth of from sixty to one hundred and ten 

 feet, and the vein is about twenty-two inches thick. 



The Osage county coal-measures, from their accessibility and proximity to mar- 

 ket, are very extensively worked. The outcrop of the field extends from near the 

 Neosho rapids in a northeasterly direction into Shawnee county. Although stripped 

 in a few places, it is usually mined by means of shafts from thirty to one hundred 

 feet in depth. The vein, which has a slight dip to the northwest, is about seventeen 

 inches in thickness. Some of the most important mining plants are located at Car- 

 bondale, Scranton, Burlingame, Peterton, Osage City, and Barclay. 



Only one specimen of coal has been examined from Franklin county, and one 

 from Minersville, Cloud county. 



In obtaining the samples of the coals analyzed, all the mines, with the exception 

 of the Ransomville and Cloud county, have been visited personally. Samples from 

 all the different sizes of coals mined have been taken, in order to get the average 

 of the coal as sent to the consumer. 



The ordinary method in use among chemists for the analysis of coals has been 

 followed. The actual amounts of carbon, hydrogen, etc., present in the coals, are not 

 determined, but by the process we do determine the actual amounts of substances 

 driven off imder similar conditions, so the method is a valuable one for the compari- 

 son of coals. 



In the analyses which follow, it will be noticed that the average for each region 

 is given in the line bfelow each variety. In the summary of averages, the analyses 

 of some other coals are given for comparison. 



