EDGAR, FORD AND CHAMPAIGN COUNTIES. 271 



FEET. IN. 



32. Fire clay 7 2 



33. Sandstone .4 



239 7 



The black shale of No. 9 of this section apparently represents coal "No. 7," 

 while Nos. 24 to 26 may represent coal " No. 6." No 30 may possibly be a 

 parting of " No. 6," locally separated from the same seam. There are spots in 

 every coal seam where the coal is wanting, and this boring, if correctly re- 

 ported, seems to have been sunk at a point where this is true of both seams. 

 It is possible that the seams do not extend under the southern part of Edgar 

 county; but I do not believe this to be true. I put no faith in the reports of the 

 sections obtained in sinking several oil wells in the northwest corner of Clark 

 county and the southeast corner of Coles county, most of which, as reported, 

 contain no coal. I judge that coal can be found under every section of the county, 

 at a depth nowhere exceeding three hundred and fifty feet ; and, along the line 

 of the railroad, two hundred and fifty feet would probably reach the first seam 

 of coal " No. 7," in nearly every case ; the most doubtful point being at Paris. 

 The distance from "No. 7" to "No. 6," is reported at one hundred feet in the 

 distillery boring ; but this distance is probably about seventy feet on Brouillet's 

 creek, and less elsewhere. " No. 7 " is quite impure in all this region, and, in 

 shafting for coal, it would probably be best to go on to the lower seam, No. 6, 

 which is a much purer article, considerable portions of it being the so-called 

 "block" coal, in most of its outcrops in this region. In consequence of the 

 great variations in thickness in most of the beds exposed along Brouillet's 

 creek, I have been obliged to give, in the general section, very variable 

 thicknesses for nearly every bed. In calculating from the section the probable 

 depth to any particular bed, at any one point, the average of thicknesses should 

 be used. I had hoped that, before the publication of this report, at least one 

 shaft might have been sunk, so as to determine the exact section at some one 

 point, but the shaft proposed at Paris is apparently given up, and the one com- 

 menced at Grandview, by Holding Bros., has been temporarily stopped, through 

 meeting with the heavy beds of water-bearing quicksand at the base of the 

 boulder clay. 



One kiln of lime was burned at Collins's quarry, on Lane's branch, but care 

 was not taken to separate the shaly layers before burning, and the lime is 

 worthless, except for agricultural purposes. Some portions of the bed No. 3 of 

 the section, would make good lime. 



For courtesies and information, while engaged in the survey of this county, 

 I am especially indebted to John W. Blackburn, Esq., and to Dr. Newell, both 

 of Paris. 



