23 



reported by Col. John M. Moore and others. I have seen 

 specimens of the coal, which is of a very good quality. 



The carboniferous formation extends northward from 

 Llano county to the Red River ig. Wichita county, 

 throughout which, in various places, coal crops out. 

 Some of these places. are noted in ray last report. But as 

 ■yet only diggings near the surface have been made. 

 Deeper, larger beds and better coal may be, and probably 

 will be found. 



From recent, experiments made to ascertain the compar- 

 ative value of the bituminous coal of Cumberland, Mary- 

 land, and the anthracites of Pennsylvania, we learn that 

 for steam raising power the bituminous coal is the best by 

 from ten to fifteen per cent. A notice of these experiments 

 appeared about a year since in the Coal Trade Journal. 

 They were made by fifteen or more customers (living in 

 different parts of the country) of Messrs. Stevenson & 

 Pierson, large coal dealers of Boston, and at the sugges- 

 tion of Messrs. S. & P. 



Anthracite has long been considered as the best coal for 

 almost eveiy purpose, but these experiments prove that 

 it is not. 



TEXAS LIGNITES OR 13R0WN COALS. 



Since my last report, I have been informed by letters 

 that the brown coals or lignites of Robertson county have 

 recently been used as fuels at Dallas and elsewhere, and 

 given general satisfaction.. 



, The proprietor of the hotel, Mr. Nicholson, at Bastrop in 

 Bastrop ^county^ lately told me that during the Ikst three 

 years he had used the Bastrop coal (lignite) as fuel for 

 cooking and warming the hotel rooms, and found the coal 

 cheaper and better than wood, and wood is abundant in 

 Bastrop county near the town. 



The composition of the Texas lignites does not differ ma- 

 terially from the lignites of the Pacific and Rocky moun- 

 tain States, generally leaving from forty to fifty per cent, 

 of fixed carbon. The western lignites are extensively used 

 for generating steam, and as fuels in dwellings, and there 

 is no doubt but that those of Texas can be used for the 

 same purposes. 



The great drawback upon the commercial value of the 

 lignites is, that they will not coke by the ordinary process 



