96 CxEOLOGT OF ILLINOIS. 



The main coals of tbe lower Coal Measures are probably from eight 

 huudred to a thousand feet below the surface in any part of this county, 

 and borings or shafts should not be encouraged unless parties are pre- 

 pared to go to that depth. The coal seam reported to have been found 

 four feet in thickuess in the boring at Xeuia, could not have been lower 

 in the series than No. 11 or 12, and if its thickness was correctly ascer- 

 tained it is probably only a local thickening of one of these upper 

 coals. Having been present at the time the drill passed through this 

 coal in the Xenia boring, I can certify to the excellent quality of the 

 samples brought up in the sand pump, but I could not testify as to the 

 thickness of the seam. The distance to the lower coals is, of course, no 

 serious impediment to their being mined successfully whenever the 

 demand for coal shall be such as to justify such an expenditure of 

 capital as will be required to open up a mine at this depth. 



Building Stone. — Sandstone of fair quality for building purposes is 

 found at several localities in the county, and the quarries near Xenia, 

 described on a preceding page, afford a freestone of superior quality, 

 that is extensively quarried for exportation to St. Louis and other points 

 where a stone suitable for architectural display may be required. This 

 rock has a very even texture, dresses freely, and can be easily cut into 

 elaborate designs for ornamental work. A rock similar to this in 

 appearance outcrops on Eaccoon creek south of Flora, which probably 

 belongs to the same bed, as the general trend of the strata appears to 

 be from north-west to south-east. Other sandstones that afford a fair 

 quality of building stone outcrop in various parts of the county, as has 

 already been noted in the preceding pages. The limestone over the 

 eighteeu-inch coal seam in the northern part of the county will afford 

 a very hard and durable stone, but requires a greater amount of labor 

 to quarry it and prepare it for use than the sandstone found in the same 

 neighborhood, and hence has been but little used. 



Lime. — The only rock in the county that seems at all adapted to the 

 manufacture of lime is the limestone above mentioned as overlaying 

 the eighteen-inch coal at Lamkins' mine, and outcropping at several 

 other points in the north part of the county. This rock varies in thick- 

 ness from two to four feet, and seems usually pure enough to afford a 

 fair quality of lime, and has been burned for that purpose in a limited 

 way at two or three points in the county. 



Iron Ore. — Bands of iron ore of good quality intercalated in a bed of 

 shale was observed in two or three places in the county, especially on 

 the upper course of Elm creek, and on some small tributaries of the 

 same stream south west of Flora and near the Wayne county line. 



Clays. — Clay suitable for pottery occurs on Mr. Bothwell's place, 

 one mile south of Clay City, and good brick clays may be found in 

 almost every neighborhood in the subsoil of the uplands. 



