274 GEOLOGY OF OHIO. 



ferred, and will be used in this chapter. The coal has been extensively- 

 worked at a few points during the last twenty years and its boundaries have 

 been constantly widening through all this time, and a much larger area of 

 it is now known than was suspected when the seam was first opened. This 

 area is indicated on map No. 2, by a boundary subordinate to that of the 

 upper coals. Tests have developed the existence of this seam to the 

 northward and eastward, and the boundary upon the map is made to include 

 all of the territory that lies within a line connecting the most distant 

 points in which the coal is known to exis :. It is, therefore, to be expected 

 that large "wants" in the seam will be found to exist within the field as 

 thus indicated. The Madeira shaft sunk on the line of the Baltimore and 

 Ohio Southwestern Railway, near McArthur Junction, has found the 

 seam in good condition. This is the northermost mine in the seam. 



As was shown by Professor Andrews, in 1869 and 1870, the Wellston 

 seam is one of unusual excellence. It is in some respects distinguished 

 from every other coal in our entire field. In its best phases, it runs 

 exceedingly low in ash, and what ash there is falls through the grate bars 

 like wood ashes. It also is low in sulphur and therefore makes no clinker. 

 It is easily kindled and for steam production, where careful stoking can 

 be provided, it is unsurpassed. The worst charge that can be maintained 

 against it is, that it is "flashy," i. e. that it burns up rapidly and conse- 

 quently requires much care in keeping up the fire. Wherever introduced, 

 the Wellston coal holds its place against all competition. The coal is soft 

 and tends to mine small; but on account of its purity, the nut coal com- 

 mands a ready market, at a price but little below the price of theh ighest 

 grade or lump coal. The additions that have been made to the Wellston 

 field during the 'last ten years, may be counted the most important exten- 

 sion of our fuel supply from the Coal Measures of southern Ohio within 

 the period named above. It is altogether likely that the boundaries of 

 this seam will be still further extended by explorations that are now in 

 progress. From the statements now made, it is evident that favorable 

 conditions for coal making prevailed over a considerable area in southern 

 Ohio during the epoch of the Ouakertown Coal. These conditions were 

 also extended to the southward. We find in northern Kentucky several 

 important bodies of coal on the level of the Wellston seam. 



The Lower Mercer Coal. — Not much more is known of the Lower 

 Mercer coal than was known in 1888, the date of the last report of the 

 Surve}^ on the Ohio coal fields. The statements then made would apply 

 in unchanged and unqualified terms to the facts of today. The seam is 

 found around the entire margin of the Ohio Coal Measures. Its place 

 which is approximately at least, one hundred and fifty feet (100-200) above 

 the Sharon seam, is distinctly marked in every township in which it 

 is due, but there are onl5< a few points at which it offers suitable encourage- 

 ment to mining, even in neighborhood banks. The only work done in it 

 is confined to Mahoning, Holmes, Licking, Muskingum, Hocking and 



