£82 GILPIN ON THE GROUPING OF THE PICTOU COAL SEAMS. 



There can be no doubt as to the existence of the main seam be- 

 neath these, but its south outcrop has not yet been clearly defined, 

 and its northern rise is covered by the strata containing the upper 

 groups. The work of tracing the seams in this field is much in- 

 creased by numerous faults and the depth of the drift covering. 

 The courses of the central faults are more exactly defined by under- 

 ground vrorkings and exposures in water runs. A careful study of 

 the ground between the Albion workings and the conglomerate 

 furnishes a key to the position of the seams on the west side of 

 the river, and a starting point for their detection in the eastern 

 district. The first signs of a change in the northern dip of the main 

 seam are found in the levels of the Foord pit, sunk 900 yards from 

 the south boundary. At the bottom of the pit the pitch of the coal 

 is 21°, but at the face of the north level 900 yards N. 44° W. 

 from the pit bottom, the strike approaches north and the dip lessens 

 to 11°. Still further to the west the dip workings of the Dalhousie 

 pits were found to pitch at an angle of 28° — coming to the surface 

 further signs of a change are observable. 50 chains north of the 

 Dalhousie pit shales and sandstones are found dipping 19° N. 10° 

 E. about 21 chains. North-west of this a seam of coal is found 

 exposed in a brook dip 42° S. 10° E. The measures here are dis- 

 turbed, and the axis of the synclinal is probably between the two 

 points, as no further dip to the north has been observed. A sand- 

 stone quarry near the Gairlock road bridge over McCulloch's 

 brook gives the dip 25° N. 40° E. ; following the brook down, 

 about i mile to the north of this, sandstones are observed with the 

 dip 14° S. 25° E. Going east the first crops of the reverse pitch 

 are found above the Nova Scotia Kail way Bridge, lying at a heavy 

 angle to the south with the strike turning to the north-east. 



These dips establish a line of synclinal running nearly west from 

 McCulloch's brook and agreeing with the fault observed by the geo- 

 logical survey on the New Glasgow side of the East River, 500yds. 

 above the railway bridge. The crop of the seam on the south 

 edge of the Basin is regular and at an easy angle, while the mea- 

 sures exposed near the conglomerate and close to the supposed line 

 of fault, pitch heavily to the south. This would indicate a sudden 

 and violent upheaval of the northern half of .the Basin acting at a 



