162 



GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



and the same coal is opened on the land of J. McCoUum, west of the resi- 

 dence of Dr. Dales. In both cases the coal exhibits the characteristics 

 of the Atwater seam, and there can be no reasonable doubt that it is No. 

 4. Owing to the irregularity of the action of the barometer at the time 

 when the observations were made, I can not state accurately what the 

 level of this seam is, compared with that of the coal below, but the inter- 

 val would seem to be less than usual. 



The analysis of the coal taken from Dr. Dales's borings proves conclu- 

 sively, however, that the coal which he struck is the Briar Hill seam. 

 This analysis, made by Prof. Wormley, is as follows : 



Water 3.80 



Ash 7 4.30 



Volatile combustible matter 33.4U 



Fixed carbon 59.a0 



Total 100.10 



Sulphur 0.82 



The Massillon coal district is, practically, one of the most important in 

 the State. The number of miners employed here is about fifteen hundred. 

 A capital of over 12,000,000 is used in the production of coal, and the an- 

 nual yield of the mines may be estimated at 1,000,000 tons. Most of this 

 coal goes to Cleveland by way of the Lake Shore and Tuscarawas A" alley 

 and the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon and Delaware Railroads, and by the Ohio 

 Canal. A large amount is also consumed in and about Massillon, where 

 it is used for a considerable variety of manufactures. The most impor- 

 tant use to which the coal is here put is for iron-smelting, since it is the 

 fuel exclusively used in the two furnaces at Massillon and one at Dover. 

 These furnaces have been in operation for many years, and the iron 

 which they produce has a well-established aird excellent reputation. It 

 is for the most part made of blackband ore, and closely resembles the 

 Scotch pig. This is not surprising, since the materials and methods em- 

 ployed are almost exactly the same as those used in Scotland. These 

 have proved remunerative during years of experience, yet the methods 

 of the Scotch iron-masters can be easily shown to be susceptible of im- 

 provement. By adding close tops to the furnaces, increasing their dimen- 

 sions and the temperature of the blast, there is little doubt that most 

 impoitant economy in the use of the fuel may be effected. With the 

 present method of manufacture, the Massillon furnaces consume three 

 and a half to four tons of coal for every ton of iron made. This is cer- 

 tainly a wasteful use of fuel, which, from its great excellence and limited 

 quantity, ought to be husbanded with the greatest care. The Massillon 



