TRIASSIC. 509 



ously near Germanton, in Stokes County, the public road being in a measure obstructed by the 

 multitude of fragments and entire trunks and projecting stumps of a petrified Triassic forest; 

 and similar petrifactions are abundant in the Deep Eiver belt, occurring in this, as in the other, 

 among the sandstones near the horizon of the coal. 



The Triassic coal-bearing terrane of North Carolina has also been described by 

 Woodworth,^*® as follows : 



There are two coal-bearing Triassic areas in North Carolina. These are the eastern or 

 Deep River area, including the Wadesboro detached area, and the western or Dan River area. 

 The principal productive coal beds are found in the Deep River district, in Chatham and Moore 

 counties. The Dan River region is regarded as of little promise. * * * 



The Deep River area forms a northeast-southwest belt in the central portion of the State, 

 extending northward nearly to the Virginia line and southward into South CaroUna. The 

 productive area, about 30 miles long, hes whoUy within North Carohna. 



The rocks of the area appear on the north about 6 mUes southeast of Oxford, in Granville 

 County, whence they extend southwestward to the Cape Fear River. South of this stream 

 they continue as a somewhat tortuous belt in the Deep River region to within about 10 miles 

 of the Yadkin River. On the Yadkin, and a few miles west of the southern end of the Deep 

 River area proper, the Wadesboro area begins and extends in the same general direction 6 or 7 

 mUes into South Carohna, in the vicinity of Carew. The total length of the whole belt is over 

 60 miles. Its average width is about 12 miles, its greatest width being as much as 18 nules. 

 The total area has been estimated at between 250 and 300 square iniles. Between the larger 

 northern and southern areas are small detached basins of Triassic rocks not known to be coal 

 bearing. 



The area displays the prevaihng structure of the Triassic belts along the Atlantic coast, 

 the basal strata of one side of the belt reposing on the ancient crystalline rocks of the Piedmont 

 district, the opposite margin bearing evidence of being thrown down by faults. The usual 

 dip of the strata in this area is southeast, the angle being about 15°. According to RusseU, 

 the notches in the boundaries probably indicate faults, several of which are exposed in railroad 

 cuts within the area. Evidence of faulting is also seen in the narrow strip of Triassic strata 

 near the western border, in the vicinity of LockviUe. 



The coal-bearing beds show a distinct curvature where crossed by the Deep River northeast 

 of Cummocks. In other respects the structure, as revealed in workings, appears to be more 

 regular than that of the Richmond area in Virginia. 



The strata, numbered from the bottom upward, are given as follows in the State reports : 



Strata in Deep River area, North Carolina. 



Feet. 



3. Sandstones, grits, and upper conglomerates 3, OOO 



2. Black shales, with coal beds 500 to 600 



1. Conglomerates and sandstones 1, 500 



As in the Richmond and other Triassic areas, the coal beds are near the base of the Newark 

 formation. * * * 



Five coal seams have been proved at the Farmvihe and Hornesville mines. Their thick- 

 nesses, beginning with the highest, are given as 3, 1, 3, 2, and 4 feet. At the Cunnock mine 

 there are two beds, one 4 and the other 2 feet in thickness, separated by 2 feet of black-band 

 iron ore. At Taylor's mines three seams were reported, with a thickness of from 18 to 30 

 inches, 2.5 to 2. feet, and 4 feet, respectively. At WUcox's the Murchison seam is described 

 as being 8 or 9 feet thick but contaimng shale. The coal outcrop has been traced for 30 or 40 

 miles in the central part of the State southwestward from the vicinity of the Cape Fear River. 



Chance " found at Farmvihe, N. C, five beds of coal in the following section, which meas- 

 ured 40 to 50 feet from the roof of the uppermost coal bed to the floor of the lowest. 



" Trans. Am. Inst. Min. Eng., vol. 13, pp. 517-520. 



