288 GEOLOGY OF OHIO 



In the chapter above referred to, the extension of the Pittsburgh or 

 Pomeroy seam, known as the Federal Creek coal, was also described. 

 But an important section of it has had its chief development since the 

 publication of that report and consequently a few additional statements 

 are demanded here. The tract in question is situated in Berne Town- 

 ship, Athens county, and is drained by Federal Creek and its tributaries. 

 Of the latter, the most important is Marietta Run. The seam here 

 reaches a greater volume than at any other point in the state. It 

 yields, at its best, eight feet of clean coal, which occurs in two nearly 

 equal benches that are separated by one or two feet of fire-clay or 

 sandy shale. This phase of the seam is now being worked on a large 

 scale in several mines on an extension of the Toledo and Ohio 

 Central Railway. The output of the mines also finds a way to 

 market by the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern Railway. The 

 coal is of the ordinary type of the Pomeroy seam, except that 

 it runs higher in sulphur than the best phases of the seam. The 

 latter element thus far stands in the way of the successful production of 

 coke from the slack of the mines. A bright coke of unusual physical 

 strength comes from the ovens, but the sulphur runs so high in it as to 

 forbid its employment in iron making or other metallurgical work of 

 high grade. This defect can no doubt be corrected to a considerable 

 degree by. washing the coal. The Federal Creek coal, however, has a full 

 measure of popularity as a steam and domestic fuel. 



The seam is at its best volume, as above described, when it descends 

 under final cover on the east side of Federal Creek Valley. The testi- 

 mony of certain well drillers who have operated in adjacent territory is 

 positive as to its extension in the same condition for several mines to the 

 east and southeast of the valley. If this testimony proves trustworthy, 

 an important addition to our coal resources is to be found in this new 

 field. In any case, the proved and fairly inferrible area of the thick 

 coal constitutes a field of considerable value. There is nothing to render 

 unreasonable or improbable the view that this phase of the seam is the 

 one to be looked for under cover through its remaining extent to the 

 southeastward. It ma}', therefore, well be that one of the chief remain- 

 ing coal fields of the state will be found in southeastern Athens and 

 adjoining parts of Washington county. 



The seam falls abruptl} r from its great volume, as it is followed to 

 the northward, the loss occuring, as usual, by failure of its upper member. 



The Meigs Creek Coal. 



The only remaining seam to be considered here, is that which is 

 known in our reports as the Meigs Creek coal, from its development in 

 the drainage basin of the stream of that name in Morgan county. It is 

 probable that this seam is identical with the Sewickley coal of the Pern- 



