SUPPLEMENTAL EEPOET — HOCKING VALLEY. 



837 



Samples of the lower and middle benches of the coal from Mr. Koch- 

 ensperger's bank were analyzed by Prof. Wormley, as follows : 

 No. 1, lower bench; No. 2, middle bench. 



Snow Fork is the most eastern tributary of Monday Creek. Rising east 

 of Straitsville it flows south, near the east line of Ward township of 

 Hocking county, and bends westward to meet Monday Creek a little 

 below Bessemer. The Nelsonville seam is to be seen at intervals along 

 this stream and on its western tributaries. By these tributaries a vast 

 body of coal is made accessible. The coal can be mined up the dip, and 

 easy drainage secured. Ward township contains so much coal that the 

 existence of it on any farm gives the farm no distinction whatever. The 

 Nelsonville seam extends as a continuous sheet of coal through the whole 

 township, varying in thickness from six to eleven feet. There are local, 

 ities where the coal has been made thin, or been entirely removed by 

 eroding agencies exerted during the deposition of the Coal Measures; but 

 the limits of these can only be ascertained by practical tests. There are 

 places along Snow Fork where I am led to think the coal is too thin to 

 be of any value. We see the intrusive sand- rock at some points usurp- 

 ing the place of the coal. As a general rule — but a rule to which I have 

 in my observations found many exceptions — the quality of the coal 

 under an immediate sand-rock cover is much more likely to be contam- 

 inated with bisulphide of iron. This was seen to be the case at some 

 points on Snow Fork. 



In section 4, Ward township, Mr. Gilbert, my assistant, took the fol- 

 lowing section : 



° FT. IN. 



Coal, not opened (Bayley Ran seam). 



Interval ^ 



Limonite ore (sandy) 4 



Interval - - 1 



