408  CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY,  1904.         [bull.  260. 
In  the  southern  half  of  the  quadrangle  the  Pittsburg  coal  lies  in 
an  unbroken  and  almost  untouched  sheet,  except  in  the  few  places 
noted  above,  where  it  has  been  eroded  by  the  streams.  This  unbroken 
field  offers  the  best  opportunities  for  future  work,  and  a  careful 
study  of  the  geologic  structure  of  this  field  should  be  made  by  anyone 
contemplating  the  establishment  of  mines,  so  as  to  obtain  the  full 
benefit  of  the  dip  of  the  coal. 
Along  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  Jumbo  to  Bulger  a  con- 
siderable body  of  coal  has  already  been  taken  out  by  the  different 
mines  operating  on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad.  On  account  of  the. 
southern  dip  of  the  coal,  these  mines  have  been  working  at  a  great 
disadvantage,  having  to  lift  both  coal  and  water  to  the  mouth  of  the 
mines.  In  order  to  obtain  better  drainage  conditions,  Shaft  No.  2  of 
the  Jumbo  mine  has  been  sunk  in  the  hollow  south  of  Primrose,  and 
Shaft  No.  3  is  now  being  constructed  1^  miles  south  of  the  main  open- 
ing. These  shafts  reach  the  coal  at  a  much  lower  level  and  it  is  the 
intention  of  the  operators  to  concentrate  all  the  drainage  of  the  mine 
at  these  points  and  then  force  it  to  the  surface  by  pumps  located  at 
the  foot  of  the  shafts.  Beyond  Shaft  No.  3  it  is  probable  that  the 
coal  can  be  more  profitably  taken  out  by  a  shaft  located  near  the 
Wabash  Railway. 
The  most  advantageous  way  of  mining  the  body  of  coal  lying  south 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  east  of  Cherry  Valley  is  from 
shafts  along  this  valley.  The  mines  of  the  Pittsburg  and  Eastern 
Coal  Company  are  admirably  located  as  far  as  the  dip  of  the  coal 
is  concerned.  By  shafts  120  feet  or  less  in  depth  the  coal  is  mined 
in  three  places  at  an  elevation  of  about  960  feet.  By  extending  these 
works  to  the  east  along  a  true  bearing  of  S.  70°  E.  and  in  an  opposite 
direction  along  a  course  N.  65°  W.,  the  main  gangway  may  be  kept 
on  a  level  or  with  a  slight  up  grade  from  the  bottom  of  the  shafts, 
affording  gravity  drainage  and  a  down-grade  haul  for  all  of  the  coal 
between  the  main  gangway  and  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 
Another  good  position  for  a  shaft  mine  is  farther  up  Cherry  Val- 
ley, near  the  old  Rankin  Mill.  At  this  place  the  coal  lies  about  200 
feet  below  the  surface  and  at  an  altitude  of  about  860  feet  above  sea 
level.  From  this  point  the  coal  has  an  up  slope  in  all  directions 
except  to  the  west,  and  consequently  mining  could  be  done  at  the  least 
possible  expense.  This  location  can  be  reached  easily  from  both  the 
Wabash  and  the  Pennsylvania  lines,  as  mentioned  in  the  remarks  on 
transportation. 
The  deepest  part  of  the  Cross  Creek  basin  lies  in  the  valley  of 
Burgetts  Fork  of  Raccoon  Creek,  about  3  miles  south  of  Burgetts- 
town.  At  this  point  the  valley  is  broad,  giving  ample  room  for  min- 
ing operations.     A  shaft  225  feet  deep  would  reach  the  coal  at  the 
