340 



THE CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM. 



and the United States has for the present diminished the demand for 

 the earthy bitumens ; but it is certain that they must again come 

 largely into use, as the wells diminish in their yield and additional 

 uses are found for the mineral oils. 



In addition to the area south of that of the General Mining Associa- 

 te tion, the Acadia Company possess a property to the westward, in 

 which the continuation of the main and other seams occurs in magni- 

 ficent proportions, and with the same characters as in the Campbell or 

 Bear Creek area of the Intercolonial Company, next to be noticed. 



(3.) Intercolonial and Nova Scotia Companies (Fig. 135 — 5,4). 

 In addition to the collieries above described, there are others organ- 

 ized, and which have made more or less progress toward extensive 

 mining operations. The Bear Creek area, the property of the Inter- 

 colonial Company, and first developed by Mr John Campbell, is 

 probably the most important, and has recently been examined and 

 reported on very favourably by Mr Charles Robb and Mr Barnes. It 

 includes the continuation of the main and other seams beyond the 

 great flexure or downthrow at the western extremity of the area of 

 the General Mining Association, already referred to. In a pit sunk 

 on the main seam by Mr Campbell, I found the section of that bed to 

 be as follows : — 



Roof, black shale. Ft. in- 



Tender good coal. . ... 1 1 



Shaly coal 



Good coal 



Shaly parting 



Good coal 



Pyritous coal 



Good coal 



Coarse coal 



Total thickness . 19 9 



The dip is N. 75° E. at an angle of 20°, and the actual thickness 

 eighteen feet of coal, of which sixteen feet are of excellent quality. It 

 appears from this section, and from trials which I have made of the 

 coal, that the main seam in its extension to the westward, while it 

 diminishes in thickness, improves in quality. Still farther west, on 

 the property of the "Acadia" and "Nova Scotia" Companies, where 

 slopes have been opened in this seam, the section is substantially the 

 same, except that in the latter the shale or clay-parting thickens to 

 eleven inches. 



