$ 



COLEMAN COUNTY. 549 



feet high, and continue so until the water rises in the well and cuts off: the 

 gas supply. There is evidently a good deal of gas in this vicinity, and if 

 there was any demand for such material within reach it would be developed 

 very soon. 



COAL. 



The coal in Coleman County is found along a line of outcrop running from 

 northeast to southwest. It enters the county near the northeast corner and 

 extends to Waldrip, on the Colorado River. 



The seam is No. 7, of general section. About six miles west of the town 

 of Trickham, on the Scurlock survey, near Home Creek, some prospecting 

 has been done for coal, but it was not done in a very satisfactory manner, 

 and the result was not encouraging. I am of the opinion that upon proper 

 investigation a good bed will be found at that place. The coal outcrops in 

 several places in that vicinity, along Home Creek and the lateral branches. 

 No good coal can be expected east of Home Creek in that vicinity, and for 

 some distance west of the creek the coal would be too near the surface to be 

 free from atmospheric influences. The following section was made at that 

 place. Beginning at the bottom: 



1 . Sandstone 4 feet. 



2. Yellowish clay 10 feet. 



3. Bluish clay 8 feet. 



4. Limestone, massive ^ 4 feet. 



5. Clay 8 feet. 



6. Fire clay 2 feet. 



7. Coal 2 feet 4 inches. 



8. Fire clay 10 inches. 



9. Bluish clay ' 20 feet. 



10. Massive sandstone 8 feet. 



Total 67 feet 2 inches. 



Again, an outcrop is seen a few miles north of the town of Waldrip, on 

 Bull Creek. At this place several shafts have been put down, and the seam 

 outcrops at several places along the creek. The seam in places is almost en- 

 tirely cut through by "horsebacks" from below. The seam is not persistent 

 in thickness, but thins and thickens in short distances. I doubt if any place 

 can be selected here that will be capable of very large development. 



Mr. J. W. Gibson has done quite an amount of prospecting in this vicinity 

 and in the valley of Little Bull Creek. The only shaft open at present is the 

 one about one mile east of the road crossing on Bull Creek, and is west of 

 the principal place of outcrop. The shaft is forty-eight feet deep. The coal 

 is twenty-four inches thick at the bottom, then a parting of slate two inches 

 thick, and then ten inches of coal. 

 43— preol. 



