56 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA. 



Bed No. 2. Fossiliferous ore, one foot excellent ore. 



Bed No. 3. Face 7 feet, ore dark steel grey, in two benches 

 with a three inch rock parting ; also an irony clay parting 

 near the middle of the upper bench, believed to be only the 

 decomposed ore, which would soon become solid. Most of 

 this ore is soft, with occasional blocks hard in the centre, 

 indicating the presence of some lime in the bed, which would 

 rather enhance than diminish its value. This bed is thicker 

 here and more promissing than at any other point yet seen 

 on Red Mountain. 



Bed No. 4 was here only opened enough to show its 

 existence. It appeared to carry soft dark colored ore, in 

 connection with iron limestone, as seen in section two, but 

 is probably not* so thick as estimated there. An opening 

 had been made to reach bed No. 5, but only displaced sam- 

 ples of its ore had been reached. These were found scat- 

 tered in the clay in pieces of 5 to 15 pounds weight. No 

 other samples of ore were mixed with them. They differed 

 greatly from the ore of any of the overlying beds, and closely 

 resembled in color and texture the ore of the fifth bed. No 

 doubt is therefore entertained of the existence of this bed at 

 this place. And the relation of the underlying Trenton to 

 the exposed cap rock of the bed, would indicate it to be 

 thick. This is the first clear evidence of the existence of 

 this bed that has been shown below the Locust Fork of the 

 Warrior. And it was seen at only one place above that. 

 It is not believed to exist between Sect. 2, T. 13. R. 1, and 

 S. 14, T. 11, R. 3, East. But from Sect. 2 to S. 30, T. 13, 

 R. 1, E., evidence of its existence has been seen at many 

 places. 



The ore of this bed may be distinguished from other ores 

 by its fine grain, soft texture and dark color. Its position is 

 at the base of the Clinton, and it is therefore deeply covered 

 by the debris from above. There are therefore few natural 

 exposures of this bed, and hence it is less known than any 

 other. Its presence, however, may be generally known by 

 a bench occurring just above the Trenton. This bench has 

 been formed by the wearing away of soft material. If the 



