HAWORTH: the coal fields of KANSAS. 303 



count of its being the lowermost coal in the Upper Coal Measures 

 as the divisions are made by this Survey. The coal is mined at many 

 intervening points all the way from Independence to and beyond 

 Thayer. Southeast of Independence the principal vein is located 

 high up in the shale bed, as is also the coal at Brooks and Thayer, 

 but in other cases to the southwest of Thayer towards Neodesha it 

 would seem the coal is lower. It is quite certain, therefore, that two 

 or more coal seams occur in those shales which probably are sepa- 

 rated from 50 to 75 feet vertically. 



The amount of coal in the Thayer shales is very considerable 

 and the quality good. Almost all the communities for many miles 

 around, including the various towns and villages along the railroad 

 lines, are supplied with their fuel from this source. 



THE LAWRENCE SHALES. 



In passing upward from the Thayer shales no more coal of any 

 importance is found until the Lawrence shales are reached. They 

 begin about 1400 feet above the base of the Coal Measures, and the 

 coal within them is from 50 to 100 feet above their base. The coal 

 is most abundant in Franklin county but reaches northward into 

 Douglas county as well. It is most extensively mined to the west of 

 Ottawa here and there over an area of many square miles. The coal 

 seam is from 14 to 16 inches thick, and the coal is of fair quality, so 

 that when used it compares quite well with the coal of the general 

 markets. The mining is carried on by shafting and drifting. From 

 the mines it is teamed to Ottawa or other neighboring towns, and is 

 loaded on cars at Pomona and shipped to the general market. 



The Douglas county mines are almost entirely abandoned at pres- 

 ent. Years ago, before the coal of the general markets became so 

 reasonable in cost, mining operations were carried on in a dozen or 

 twenty different places over a large area to the south of Lawrence. 

 The coal has the same horizon occupied by the Franklin county coal 

 but is not quite so heavy, ranging from 10 to 15 inches in thickness, 

 and consequently cannot be placed on the general markets in compe- 

 tition with other coals at the prices now prevailing. 



Although other portions of the state have the surface covered with 

 the Lawrence shales, yet so far as learned they do not contain coal 

 in sufficient quantity to justify mining. 



TOPEKA COALS. 



Just west of Topeka coal is mined to a limited extent, and to 

 a greater extent around Silver Lake and Dover. The two coal fields, 

 however, are quite different geologically although so closely related 



