156 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



The strata enumerated in the foregoing sejction all belong to the Car- 

 boniferous system, and, with the exception of a limited area in the north- 

 western corner, where the Conglomerate appears, the entire area of the 

 county is occupied by the Coal Measures. The Conglomerate has been 

 fully described in other portions of our report, and I will not here make 

 it the subject of remark further than to say that the pebble rock of 

 Stark county, or sandstone containing quartz pebbles, is unmistakable in 

 character and invariable in position, and may be recognized at sight 

 wherever it occurs. It, therefore, serves as a useful guide in searching 

 for coal, inasmuch as no coal is found in or below it. 



The only outcrops of the Conglomerate occur in the extreme north- 

 western portion of the county, in the corner of Lawrence township, so 

 that it might as well be omitted from enumeration among the rocks of 

 the county, except that it underlies, at no great depth, all portions of the 

 surface, and deserves notice as the easily recognizable base of the pro- 

 ductive Coal Measures. 



It should also be mentioned in this connection that some of the higher 

 sandstones of the Coal Measures sometimes contain pebbles, especially 

 that over Coal No. 6; but the pebbles in these beds are generally quite 

 small — rarely exceeding a bean in size — so that there is little danger 

 that they will be confounded with the true Conglomerate. 



In the adjoining counties of Summit and Wayne the Conglomerate is 

 well exposed, and may be examined at innumerable localities. In Sum- 

 mit county it is thick and generally continuous, but in Wayne county it 

 is thinner and much more irregular, so that it is probable that there are 

 places in Stark county where it does not underlie the surface rocks, and 

 hence it can not be positively asserted that it will always be found in 

 borings to give notice that the place of the lower coal has been passed. 

 It should be remembered, too, that the Conglomerate is not every where 

 a pebble rock, but is always largelj^, sometimes altogether, a sandstone. 



The Coal Measures of Stark county are composed, as usual, of sand- 

 stone, limestone, shale, fire-claj', coal, etc., and include all the lower group 

 of coal seams seven in number. Of these the lowest, or, as we have named 

 it. Coal No. 1 — the Massillon or Briar Hill seam — is one of the most valu- 

 able in the entire series. This is well developed in Stark county, and 

 forms one of the most important sources of business and wealth. The 

 coal which is obtained from this seam is generally called the Massillon 

 coal, and is so well known that little need be said of its character. 

 Though varying somewhat in different localities, as a general rule it is 

 bright and handsome in appearance, contains little sulphur and ash, is 

 open-burning, and possesses high heating power. By long and varied 



