228 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



the limestone is reduced to four feet, and contains a few fossil shells 

 badly preserved, of which Spirifer cameratus, Athyris suMilita, and A. 

 jRoyissii f only could be determined. The quality of the coal at these 

 two mines is not of the best, as it is more or less contaminated with 

 sulphur, which renders it unsuitable for blacksmithing. It has, how- 

 ever, a good reputation as a grate coal for household uses. 



From Norman's No. 7 can be traced, on the parallel of township 9, 

 west to the county line. Within this district it has been worked by 

 stripping at a great many places, where it lies exposed in the creek 

 bottoms. At these exposures the limestone is not always visible, but it 

 may be seen all along the ridges. 



Only a few of the mines west of Soman's, where the coal is worked 

 by stripping, have gone to the bottom of the bed; this is owing in a 

 great measure to the interference of water, when the excavation is 

 carried below the level of the creek bed, and partly to the fact that the 

 upper part of the coal bed contains less sulphur. It was found impos- 

 sible, therefore, under such circumstances, at most of the mines, to get 

 the exact thickness of the coal, but the general impression is that it 

 will average about six feet. 



At Miller's mine, on sec. 3, T. 9, E. 5, and at Eussel's mine, on sec. 29, 

 of the same township and range, the limestone overlaying the coal forms 

 in places a conspicuous wall five to six feet thick, along the valley of 

 Coal creek ; it is a hard gray rock containing a few fossils, including 

 Productus longispinus, Spirifer cameratus, Athyris subtilita, Productus 

 semi-reticulatus, and Chonetes mesoloba. 



The Miller coal has a jet black color, is very free from sulphur and 

 has a good reputation in the neighborhood for smithing purposes. 



At Holeman's mine also, on section 29, of the above township and 

 range, coal dirt is seen above the main coal, in the position occupied by 

 No. 8. 



In the bank of the Little Saline river, on sec. 23, T. 10, E. 5, at Hay's 

 mill site, there is an exposure of the coal with a thick parting of clay, 

 which on my first visit to the locality I was disposed to refer to one of 

 the lower coal beds of the general section ; and I then held the same 

 opinion with regard to the coal bed in the south-western corner of the 

 county, at the village of Stone Fort. But subsequent investigations 

 have proved to my satisfaction that there is but little probability that 

 any bed of coal of workable thickness can be found below No. 7, west 

 of the line of range 7 in Saline county. I now, therefore, with still some 

 doubt on the subject, refer the former coal to No. 7, and the latter to 

 No. 8.* 



*Notk. — From an examination of the Coal Measures in "Williamson county, which joins Saline on 

 the west, I found all the lower coals from No. 2 to -No. 7 well developed, from which it would seem 

 that the conclusion above expressed is not well authenticated, for the coal beds in the vicinity of Stone 

 Fort cannot possibly belong higher in the series than coals No. 2 or 3 of the general section. A. H. TV. 



