48 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA. 



their growth, which prevented their being consolidated into 

 one body. That the same conditions, for an indefinite period 

 of time, should have extended over the whole of this coal 

 field, would seem to be exceedingly improbable. Hence the 

 expectation may be reasonably indulged, that somewhere in 

 this field, not yet discovered, the ample carbonaceous mat- 

 ter of this seam may be found in one large compact coal 

 seam. 



The great thickening of the Murray Seam, under like con- 

 ditions, towards the northeast somewhat strengthens and 

 confirms this expectation. 



The Farley Seam No. 15 of the GENERAL SECTION lies about 

 140 feet above the big fossiliferous seam. Strata mainly 

 thin slaty sandrock. Coal seam opened many years ago on 

 the Farley branch. Coal good, but too thin to be mined. 



There is probably another seam lying between the two 

 last mentioned, but if so, it is also a thin one. 



Between seams Nos. 14 to 20 there are about 500 feet of 

 strata of very similar structure, mainly thin slaty sandstone, 

 and beds of thin sandy slate, and holding many thin seams 

 of coal. Each of these seams is capped by a harder and 

 more compact ledge of sandstone. These ledges of cap rock 

 very plainly mark the position of the several seams in this 

 thin seam belt. Neither of these six seams was anywhere 

 found i o be thick enough for mining, and they are hence re- 

 garded as of but little value. 



Probably the best one of this thin seam series is the upper 

 one, No. 20 of the General Section. It carries throughout 

 very good to excellent coal, and has been much sought after 

 for blacksmiths' use. In the low grounds and along the 

 streams in sections 16, 17, 18 and 20 of T. 13 E. 2 E. it has 

 been obtained by stripping off the thin overlying strata- 

 The seam here is seldom over a foot thick, often less, and 

 overlaid by 6 to 8 feet of very fossiliferous shale. The fos- 

 sils in this slate are numerous, distinct, and often of large 

 size. They mark the horizon of the seam so well that it is 



