CHAPTER TY, 
THE HELENA BASIN. 
The Helena Basin is situated west and north of the town 
of Helena, and is on both sides of the South and North 
Alabama Railroad; the greater part being on the north- 
east side of the said railroad. This basiu is bounded on 
its northwest side by the Interior fault and the Cahaba 
basin ; on its northeast end by the Acton basin; on its 
southeast side by the great boundary fault and "Possum 
Valley; on its southwest end by the Eureka Basin. The 
length of this basin is three and one-fourth miles, by an 
average width of three-quarters of a mile. The following 
is a description of its boundary: Commencing on the 
South and North Alabama railroad, at a point fifty yards 
east of the Squire house, at Helena; thence at a bearing of 
S. 10° W. about half a mile, to a point a little north of the 
Helena school building ; thence, at a bearing of N. 60° W., 
a distance of one mile, passing to the left of the Holsomback 
log house in the ridge depression on your way and arriving 
at a point two hundred yards northeast of the forks of the 
’ Tuscaloosa and Birmingham wagon roads, the one fork 
leading to Lacey’s Ford and Birmingham, the other leading 
to the Lainey Ford and on to Tuscaloosa, both fords being 
on Cahaba River. You have} now arrived at the interior 
fault, the vertical measures of which are here six hundred 
yards across. This. fault forms the northwest side of the 
Helena Basin. Thence along the southeast edge of the 
fault at an average bearing N. 38° E., crossing the South 
and North railroad at the switch of the north “Y” near 
Tacoa depot, passing through sections sixteen, nine, ten, 
three and two, all in township twenty, range three west, and 
continuing along the southeast edge of the fault, to the 
point where the interior fault joins the great boundary fault 
in section two; thence at a bearing of about 8. 30° W., 
