848 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



The coal of the lower bench is apparently less dry-burning than that 

 above the parting, but the sample of it shown me appeared to be of good 

 quality. I am inclined to believe that the layer of cannel is merely 

 a local modification of the coal, and that there will be found, when the 

 seam comes to be worked a little distance from the shaft, six feet of good 

 dry-burning coal above the parting. The upper foot of coal, which is 

 earthy, will probably be left in the roof. For household and steam pur- 

 poses the remaining eleven feet could be mined and shipped together, 

 but for furnace use the coal above the parting will, I think, prove the 

 more desirable. 



In addition to this shaft several test wells have been sunk to the Nel- 

 sonville seam, viz., the Chappalear well within the town site of Ewing, 

 Trimble township, in which the coal was reported to be eight feet four 

 inches thick ; Green's Run well, Section 13, Trimble township, revealing 

 a thickness of ten feet of coal ; a well at the head of Green's E,un, Section 

 25, Trimble township, with seven feet of coal, and the Bayley's Run well, 

 Section 21, Dover township, in which the seam is eight feet two inches 

 thick. 



These borings cover a pretty large area, and it is believed that there is 

 here a large field in which the Nelsonville seam will be found persistent 

 and in fine thickness. At Chauncey the same seam is six feet thick, and 

 has been mined by a shaft for many years for the supply of fuel to the 

 salt works. 



Five analyses of the coal obtained from the borings in the test wells 

 alluded to were made by Prof. Wormley. The average of the five is as 

 follows : 



Water 3.85 



Asli 6.94 



Volatile combustible matter 33.61 



Fixed carbon S-'i.eO 



Total 100.00 



Sulphur 0.96 



Sulphur remaining in coke 0.40 



The percentage of water is a little less than is usual with the coal of 

 this seam, and that of sulphur about the same. The ash is a little greater, 

 but it should be remembered that the samples analyzed were borings in 

 which the shale of the partings might have been mixed. When a rail- 

 road is constructed down the Sunday Creek valley, this coil will be very 

 accessible, as shafts can be sunk by the side of the road and the coal be 

 mined up the dip. 



