CAHABA COAL FIELD: DRY CREEK BASIN. 75 
The most prominent ridge in this basin is the high ridge 
over the synclinal of the basin near the southwest corner of 
section 5, township 21, range 3 west; in this high ridge is 
seen the roof rock of the Montevallo seam; I saw the out- 
crop of said seam iu the bank of Dry Creek twenty years 
ago, but it is now covered up by the wash from the hill. 
Another prominent ridge in this basin is that known as 
the “Divide,” and it is formed of the roof rocks of the Hel- 
ena seam, running parallel with the outcrop of said seam 
from Piney Woods Creek to near the northeast corner uf 
the basin. This ridge, after it leaves the Stinson place, 
near Piney Woods Oreek, runs northeast for about four 
miles, thea turns nearly east to the edge of the coal field 
opposite the Fountain Wyatt and Mrs. Peel farms. 
This basin is five and a half miles in length by an aver- 
age width cf two miles and two-tenths. It contains a sur- 
face area of twelve and one-tenth square miles, and con- 
tains in workable seams of two feet and upwards in thick- 
ness 202,000,000 of tons of coal, (2,000 pounds,) without 
making any allowance for loss in mine pillars, or waste in 
mining; this amount of coal is within a limit of 4,300 feet 
in vertical depth. 
The wagon roads of this basin are the two Lindsey roads 
(made by James Lindsey); one of them runs from his place 
in the northeast corner of section 3, township 21, range 4 
west, bearing southeast through the south half of the basin 
and joins the Helena and Montevallo wagon road at the 
Mrs. Lacey place and the Carroll place. The other Lind- 
sey road leaves the Lindsey farm and runs northeast along 
the strike of the seams to Helena. Another wagon road 
leaves the Helena and Montevallo road at the Mrs. Peel 
place and the Fountain Wyatt place, and follows along the 
top of the Divide ridge down to Piney Woods Creek—this 
road leads to Gurnee. Another wagon road leaves the 
William Lacey place in Possum Valley and following along 
the edge of the basin leads to the Ryan place on the 
“Divide,” in the southwest corner of the basin. 
The Brierfield, Blocton and Birmingham Railroad ex- 
tends along the south boundary of the basin for a distance 
of about five miles. 
