WASHINGTON COUNTY. 481 



markable for its crookedness. This township is hilly, but the hills are 

 capable of cultivation, and the soil is generally excellent, rendered so by 

 the limestone found more or less abundantly in the hills. 



In determining the geological facts of this township we shall best 

 begin on the western margin, having already described Adams township. 

 The Cat's Creek seam of coal — the Cumberland seam — is the same as the 

 Bear Creek seam. The seam varies in thickness on Bear Creek. On the 

 west side of one-hundred acre lot No. 53, the coal was formerly mined, 

 and measured five feet, with a slate parting of one inch two feet above 

 the bottom. 



Here the coal was of excellent quality for household and all ordinary 

 uses. Coal of similar good quality was found higher up the creek, on 

 the land of Mr. Jackson, and considerable quantities were obtained by 

 " stripping " in the bed of the stream, and carried in wagons to Marietta. 

 To the south and south-west the seam becomes thinner, and the coal is 

 more slaty. At the Bowen mine the seam measures three feet six inches. 

 To reach this mine a tram-road was built up the creek from the Mus- 

 kingum River. It is to be regretted that this road does not extend 

 higher up the creek, so as to reach a thicker and better development of 

 coal. 



A sample of Bear Creek coal was analyzed by Prof. Wormley, with the 

 following result : 



Specific gravity 1.325 



Water 2.00 



Ash 5.24 



Volatile combustible matter. 33.76 



Fixed carbon 59.00 



Total 100.00 



Sulphur 3.33 



Sulphur remaining in coke 1-86 



Percent, oi sulphur in coke 2.82 



Iron in ash 0.39 



Permanent gas per pound in cubic feet 3.97 



The sulphur is more than is desirable, and more than the appear- 

 ance of the coal would indicate. This is explained by the fact that only 

 a small part of it is combined with iron in the form of bi-sulphide. 

 The amount of fixed carbon is large, and the amount of permanent gas 

 is also large. The coal kindles readily, and burns freely, with a brilliant 

 flame, and has high heating power. The best of the Bear Creek coal is 

 of excellent quality for household use. With proper facilities for purifi- 

 cation, the coal would answer for gas-making. It was once tested in the 

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