COAL FIELDS. 281 



surface geology seem to point clearly to the Lower Freeport horizon, 

 while the underground facts lean toward a reference of the seam to the 

 Upper Freeport as the true equivalent. The facts derived from the first 

 source are the more satisfactory and they oblige us therefore to adopt 

 the conclusion already given. 



6. The Upper Freeport Coal. Coal No. 7. The seam now to be con- 

 sidered has already been repeatedly named in the preceding review as one 

 of the three most important seams of the Ohio Coal Measures. At pres- 

 ent time it holds the second place in this list, the Middle Kittanning out- 

 ranking it in production. But in the course of twenty-five years the 

 Upper Freeport will undoubtedly be in the lead of our coal seams in pro- 

 duction, and this relative superiority it will probably maintain for a consid- 

 erable period. Its only competitor for the first place in production will 

 thenceforth be the Pittsburg coal seam. 



The Upper Freeport coal has a fairly distinct character through its 

 entire extent in Ohio. It is always a moderately cementing coal, is well- 

 jointed, does not contain an excessive amount of ash, but is rather high 

 in sulphur. It carries 52 to 55 per cent, of fixed carbon, and less than 

 40 per cent, ot volatile matter. It is somewhat lacking in physical 

 strength, and therefore does not bear transportation as well as most 

 phases of its principal competitor, viz., the Middle Kittanning seam, but 

 as it is largely used in steam production, this fact does not weigh heavily 

 against it. Moreover its slack admits of being coked and can be turned 

 to some account in this way. 



The seam has not the continuity that belongs to the Middle Kittan- 

 ning. The latter, as will be remembered, can be followed in wellnigh un 

 broken outcrop, around the entire margin of the Lower Coal Measures; 

 but the Upper Freeport seam, although it can be distinctly traced as a 

 horizon by the presence of characteristic black shale, fire clay, limestone, 

 or iron ore, one or all, is found as a valuable seam of coal in limited and 

 distinct basins. Of these basins there are two that are the present cen- 

 ters of important mining operations, viz., the Carroll county field and 

 the Guernsey county field. The Sunday Creek Valley also contains an 

 important development of the Upper Freeport coal. But the two fields 

 first named give promise of important extensions far below drainage. 

 The Guernsey county coal field, in particular, has been proved by 

 thorough exploration to extend for many miles to the southward and 

 southeastward in excellent volume and character. The testimony of the 

 drillers of deep wells in central Harrison county also point to valuable 

 extensions of the Upper Freeport seam in that region, at a depth of ap- 

 proximately five hundred feet below the surface. A like report was also 

 made by the driller of a deep well at Quaker City near the eastern bound- 

 ary of Guernsey county. In this case the coal brought up was analyzed 

 and was found to agree in composition with the Upper Freeport coal of 

 this district. 



