220  CONTKIBUTIONS    TO    ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY,  1905. 
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The  average  in  the  Lehigh  district  is  30  inches  of  clear  coal  and  at  Bradford  and  Indio  1 
inches  of  clear  coal.  According  to  McCalley  it  will  run  from  24  to  30  inches  as  far  south 
Newcastle,  where  it  is  reported  31  inches  thick  at  an  old  mine  A  coal  exposed  in  a  rail- 
road cut  about  one-half  mile  south  of  Hughes  siding  and  identified  by  the  writer  as  the 
Black  creek  seam  has  the  following  section: 
Section  of  Black  Creel-  coal  one-half  milt  south  of  Hughes  siding. 
Inches. 
Sandstone. 
Shale. 
Coal 1 
(lay 5j 
Coal 3 
(  lay 3 
Coal : 4 
Clay 1  h 
Coal 5 
Clay 30 
Coal 9 
Shale 30 
Coal 9 
(lay 6 
Shale. 
113 
If  this  is  the  Black  Creek  scam  it  has  undergone  a  great  change  between  this  point  and 
the  Newcastle  mine.  At  an  exposure  2!  miles  farther  southwest  the  seam  shows  a  similar 
condition,  though  there  is  a  clear  bench  of  coal  2(11  inches  thick.  From  Sayreton  to  the 
southern  edge  of  t  he  quadrangle  t  he  seam  is  pracl  icallv  unknown. 
In  the  Creel  area  the  coal  runs  30  inches  thick,  generally  of  dean  coal.  In  the  Arkadelphil 
Mountain  area  the  seam  averages  26  inches  of  clear  coal.  It  is  immediately  or  closely  over- 
lain throughout  this  area  by  a  thick,  coarse  sandstone  and  over  large  parts  of  the  area  it  is 
underlain  by  sandstone. 
The  Black  Creek  coal  is  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  of  the  Alabama  coals  for  steam 
and  domestic  purposes.  On  account  of  its  great  extent,  its  generally  uniform  thickness 
and  character,  and  its  excellent  quality  it  must  he  reckoned  as  a  very  valuable  resource. 
It  will  furnish  future  supplies  of  coal  after  the  thicker  seams  of  the  basin  have  been  exhausted 
ni. 
MINING   CONDITIONS. 
Mining  conditions  are  generally  favorable.  Except  along  the  southeastern  margin  of 
the  held  from  Bradford  to  W'vlani  the  dip  is  low  and  even  along  this  line  only  the  lower 
coals  dip  more  than  15°  NW.  as  far  south  asLewishurg.  From  Lewisburg  southward  tiie 
dip  increases  rapidly  and  at  Wvlam  the  seams  of  the  Mary  Lee  group  are  vertical  on  the 
outcrop  and  the  Pratt  dips  30°  10°  NW.  The  coal  of  the  basin  can  mostly  he  mined  out 
from  the  outcrop.  The  roof  is  generally  linn.  The  coal  separates  readily  from  the  roof  and 
partings.  The  mines  are  hut  little  affected  by  water  and  gas.  The  worst  obstacles  to 
mining  so  far  encountered  are  the  faults  described  on  page  213.  Many  of  these  are  now 
known  and  they  can  he  taken  into  consideration  in  planning  future  operations  in  the  lower 
scams,  hut  undiscovered  faults  probably  exist  which  will  add  an  element  of  uncertainty  to 
future  calculations. 
DEVELOPMENTS. 
Operations  in  this  part  of  the  Warrior  Basin  have  so  far  been  confined  to  six  seams, 
namely,  the  Pratt,  Nickel  Plate,  Newcastle,  Mary  Lee,  Jefferson,  and  Black  Creek.  The 
Pratt  has  been  most  largely  mined  and  extensive  tracts  have  been  worked  out.  Of  the 
other  seams  comparatively  small  areas  only  have  been  mined  out. 
At  present  there  are  38  mines  operating  in  the  Pratt  seam,  I  I  in  the  Nickel  Plate,  1  in 
the  Newcastle,  S  in  the  Mary  Lee,  1  in  the  Jefferson,  and  S  in  the  Black  ('reek.  A  few  of 
these  mines  have  been  idle  for  a  year  or  more  on  account  of  labor  and  other  troubles, 
