Geological Survey of the State of Ohio. 357 



have been deposited first, while the finer particles would be borne 

 far out into the ocean. In some instances, the pebbles are de- 

 posited in layers, as though in a turbid state of the water, nothing 

 but pebbles were deposited, while, in a more tranquil state, no- 

 thing but comminuted sand. 



V. Lower Coal Series. — These consist of alternations of sand- 

 stones, shales, limestones, iron ores, and coals, to the thickness of 

 300 feet. In this belt, which extends through the State in an 

 E. N. E. direction, are embraced the most valuable deposits. The 

 sandstones are quarried for building, gravestones, and grindstones. 

 The limestones are used as fluxes at the furnaces. Many of them 

 are burned for quick-lime. One stratum, from the fineness of its 

 texture and compactness, takes a very high polish. It can be 

 used to advantage as a marble. Many of the shales, on disinte- 

 gration form good fire-clay. But the most valuable members of 

 this group are the coal and iron ores. There are two distinct beds 

 of coal. The lower one is of a superior quality, and at no re- 

 mote day, will be extensively mined for fuel. In reference to the 

 extent of this deposit in Jackson and Lawrence, Mr. Briggs says : 



" The whole amount of coal between these points, from the Ohio river j^ 

 north, to the Hocking valley, may be safely estimated as sufficient to form 

 an entire stratum of fifty miles in length, five miles in width, and nine 

 feet in thickness. This amount of coal will yield about 9,000,000 of tons 

 per square mile. This estimate includes but a very small part of the 

 coal, which can be obtained from the beds heretofore described ; for, after 

 disappearing beneath the water courses, they doubtless continue east- 

 ward, toward the Ohio river, sinking deeper and deeper beneath the sur- 

 face, so that they can be reached only by shafts near the Ohio, at the 

 depth of some hundred feet." p. 87. 



Equal in importance are the iron ore deposits. They are rich,- 

 — some of them yielding 60 per cent., — and easily wrought. From 

 their juxtaposition with the coal and limestone, it requires little 

 foresight to predict that this branch of manufacture will become 

 a great and inexhaustible source of revenue to the State. On 

 page 93 we have an estimate of their extent. 



" At a very low calculation of the amount of good iron ore in the re- 

 gion which has this season been explored, it is equal to a solid, unbroken 

 stratum, sixty miles in length, six miles in width, and three feet in thick- 

 ness. A square mile of this layer — being equivalent, in round numbers, 

 to 3,000,000 cubic yards — when smelted, will yield as many tons of pig 



