1881.] ^^^ [Stevenson. 



equal to that of Nos. 1 and 5. The main body, No. 1, is brilliant, but 

 shows many binders of mineral charcoal and an occasional pocket of the 

 same material. No. 5 is not so brilliant as No. 1. The coal throughout 

 the bed is prismatic and very soft, altogether too tender for chipping, but 

 it cokes very readily. Samples from Nos. 1 and 5 were sent to Mr. A. S. 

 McCreath for analysis. He reports the composition as follows : 



Water 0.820 



Volatile combustible matter 20.580 



Fixed carbon 76.182 



Sulphur 0.388 



Ash 2.030 



The only defect of the coal in No. 3, is that it contains some sulphur. 

 This coal should yield a remarkably pure coke, though one not able to 

 bear the burden of a high stack. 



No other opening was seen along Laurel creek, but the bed can be fol- 

 lowed without difficulty by means of the overlying sandstone down 

 Laurel creek, and thence along Bluestone, but no estimate respecting it 

 can be made from the imperfect exposures. An opening was worked at 

 one time on Laurel creek above Nelson's, but it has been abandoned. 

 There the total thickness is said to be about 11 feet. By means of the over- 

 lying sandstone, the bed was followed up the creek to the mouth of Coal 

 branch, above which it soon goes under the stream, which in passing over 

 it forms rapids, whereby the thickness is made to appear very great. The 

 coal is shown for a short distance up Coal branch. 



Only the blossom of Goal bed, No. 19, was seen. It has been ploughed 

 up on Mr. Nelson's farm, and found to be 1 foot 6 inches thick. Its 

 blossom is shown in a run entering at a little way above Nelson's house. 

 It was not seen elsewhere. No. 21 is in the spring near the house, its only 

 exposure as far as seen. No, 23 was not observed. It is said to be present 

 in the bed of Laurel creek at about 300 yards below Nelson's house. 



The dip is nearly 2 degrees at Nelson's pit, but soon becomes very 

 gentle as one recedes from the influence of the Abb's Valley fault. Along 

 Laurel creek the dip is insignificant. 



On Simmons' creek, Mr. George Belcher has opened a coal bed at two 

 places. The following measurement was made on his property : 



1. St Clair coal bed Blossom. 



2. Sandstone 20' 



3. Concealed 50' 



4. Sandstone 35' 



5. Tabor coal bed 4' 



No. 1 is exposed imperfectly in the road near Mr. Belcher's house, but 

 it has been ploughed up in an adjoiaing field, where its thickness is said to 

 be somewhat more than 1 foot. The Purdue coal bed has been ploughed 

 up near Mr, Belcher's barn, but its thickness was not ascertained. No ex- 



