GILPIN PICTOU COAL FIELD. 93 



Brook there has been hardly anything done to show the economic 

 value of the coal measures. It is known that at one or two points 

 reverse or southerly dips are met in the strata exposed, and 

 that indications of coal have been observed — enough to show that 

 the synclinal form is preserved from the Bear Creek area to the 

 McLeod seam. This undulation is a minor one, being nowhere as 

 deep as that to the north, known as the Albion or Middle synclinal, 

 " The deepest point in this trough showing only about 800 or 

 900 feet from the surface to the Acadia (main) seam." Geological 

 Survey. 



We have now traced our svnclinal as far eastward as the Fullino- 

 Mill on McLellan'o Brook. A short distance to the westward of this 

 Sir W. Logan has marked on his map of the Pictou Coal Field a 

 fault running N. 25° W., which he calls the Mill Eoad dislocation, 

 and considers that it produces an upthrow to the westward. The 

 evidence on which it is laid down does not appear quite conclusive, 

 and I have been informed that in consequence of explorations made 

 last summer there is reason to consider it not of so large an extent 

 as anticipated. 



Sir W. Logan states that he can find no evidence of any disturb- 

 ance on the line of the production of the Mill Road fault to the north 

 of McLellan's Brook. Should this be the case, it forms a decided 

 exception to the general rule, affecting the north and south faults of 

 the Pictou Coal field, as proved by underground workings, they 

 increase rapidly as they go to the north, frequently at the rate of 

 one in five. 



The large body of shales overlying the Main seam does not 

 appear as persistent as the coal itself. The Foord Pit was sunk 

 900 feet to the Main seam, through dark shales and ironstone bands 

 only, while the Foster Pit sunk in equivalent measures less than 

 one mile to the westward, passed through large beds of sandstone 

 befure reaching 280 feet of shale immediately overlying the same 

 seam. In the pit sunk on the Pictou Company's area, on the east 

 side of the river, sandstones were penetrated, replacing the enor- 

 mous beds of shale overlying the same seam a short distance to the 

 westward. As these changes in the nature of the strata enclosing 



