STATE GEOLOGIST. 121 



Dark shale, 4 in. 



Goal similar to cannel, 8 in. 



Bituminous coal 2 ft. 



Fire-clay, 4 ft. 



Shale continuing at bottom, 8 ft. 



One-half mile east of this' on the south side of the river, a 

 hole was bored with the result as follows: 



Sandstone, 18 ft. 



Coal 4| ft. 



Shale, 11 ft. 



Sandstone continuing 1 ft. 



t 



The outcrop of these strata traced northward, would probably 

 strike the bay shore in the vicinity of Sebewaing. 



From Barry, in Jackson county, around the northwest besrder 

 of the basin, the boundary is still less perfectly known. The 

 coal strata are known to outcrop, however, on Sec. 22, in the 

 townships of Benton, Eaton county, near the mouth of Grind- 

 stone Creek, and still again near the mouth of Coal Creek, in 

 the same county. Indications also exist of the neighborhood of 

 an outcrop. near the center of Ionia county; but beyond this no 

 authentic observations have been made. Coal is reported, how- 

 ever, to occur near the Big Eapids of the Muskegon, in Mecosta 

 county. As a white quartzose sand, suitable for glass, is stated 

 to occur at the Big Rapids, there is no improbability of the 

 approach of the coal basin to that vicinity, for there are no such 

 sandstones known except those which immediately overlie and 

 underlie the coal series. 



Numerous outcrops are known within the area marked out 

 above. In the township of Lock, Ingham county, the coal has 

 been taken from the bank of the Red Cedar river. This point 

 is nearly in the straight line passing through Tuscola, Flushing 

 and Jackson, and possibly like these points, occupies a position 

 on the confines of the basin. As the strike of the underlying 

 rocks, however, bends considerably toward the east, it is not 

 unlikely that the eastern boundary of the coal basin will be 

 found passing through Livingston county. 



16 



