54 ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY. 



The coal is quite free from the bi-sulphuret of iron, yields a 

 white ash, and is said to leave no clinker when used for do- 

 mestic purposes. On sec. 22, its position is rather above the 

 drainage level of some of the small streams, and consequently 

 has been cut out by erosive agencies in the creek valleys. 



This seam appears to hold about the same stratigraphical 

 position as that known as the Battery Rock coal in Gallatin 

 county, which is the lowest workable seam in Southern Illinois. 

 Its development in Jackson county is somewhat local, and 

 appears to be restricted to the township in which the mines are 

 located. It has not been found in Randolph county, though the 

 lower portion of the coal measures are there well exposed. At 

 Murphysboro, twelve miles southeast of the Rattlesnake mines, 

 no indications of its presence has been found, though it may be 

 the equivalent of the seam near Makanda, in the south-east 

 corner of Jackson county. 



The two following borings in Southern Illinois were made and 

 reported by Mr. Wm. McDonald. One was made three miles 

 southwest of Harrisburg in Saline county, and the other near 

 New Burnsjde in Johnson county. The latter probably com- 

 mences below the lowest stratum reached in the former, mid 

 ends before reaching the bottom of the coal measures. 



The following is a condensed copy of the record of the boring 

 in Saline county: 



No. Ft. In. 



1. Surface soil and clay 14 



]. Sandstone and shale Cl 



3. Limestone <> 



4. Black slate 9 



5. Coal, (Coal No. 6) 2 4 



. Fire clay 1 



7. Sandy shale and sandstone 29 7 



8. Limestone 1 9 



9. Blackslate 3 8 



10. Shale with limestone bands 22 4 



11. Blackslate 6 



23. Coal (coal No. 5) 4 10 



Total depth 142 3 



The following is a condensed copy of the record of the boring 

 near New Burnside: 



