388 NORTHERN OUTCROP, CUMBERLAND COAL FIELDS — GILPIN. 



Under the influence of a temporary demand for coal in the 

 United States, several mines were opened between Maccan and 

 the Joggins ; but they were abandoned as soon as the necessity 

 ceased that called them into operation. 



When, however, the long dreamt of Intercolonial Railway 

 was opened through the centre of the field, a fresh and mere lasting 

 impetus was given to the coal trade, A large and flourishing mine 

 was opened at Springhill, through the energy of some merchants 

 of St. John, who have been well rewarded for their enterprise in 

 taking hold of a property which was rejected by the people of 

 Halifax. The demand for fuel at the Londonderry iron works 

 has led to the opening of another colliery, and other properties 

 are being prepared to meet the revival of business in the mineral 

 we are now considering. 



In view of this encouraging state of affairs, it may not prove 

 uninteresting to you to learn not only what progress in develop- 

 ment has been already effected, but to consider what additional 

 stores of mineral wealth may be contained in the district treated 

 of in this paper. 



The key to the general structure of the Cumberland coal field 

 is found at the Joggins, presented in a beautiful and unbroken 

 section of the various divisions of the carboniferous system. This 

 has been carefully studied and minutely described by Dr. Dawson 

 and the late Sir Charles Lyell, and I shall refer to it so far as 

 may be necessary to show its bearing on the distribution of the 

 productive measures over a district 25 miles in length. On re- 

 ferring to Dawson's " Acadian Geology," we will find the Joggins 

 coal-measures bounded above (geologically speaking) by a set of 

 massive sandstones (the upper coal measures), and below by a 

 series of sandstones, grits and conglomerates (the Millstone grit). 

 These massive covers, like the pasteboard of the book -binder's 

 art, serve not to hide, but to preserve the material contained be- 

 tween them. The following summary, in descending order, will 

 show the relative thickness of these great layers of sediments : 



UPPER COAL MEASURES. 



Upper part 050 feet. 



Lower " 1607 " 



— 2207 feet. 



