MINERAL    RESOURCES    OF    BIGHORN    MOUNTAIN    REGION.        305 
he  middle  of  the  bed  is  worked.  The  top  3  feet  is  a  mixture  of  coal  and  shale.  The 
[reduction  is  about  4,000  tons  a  year,  which  sells  at  $1  a  ton  at  the  mine.  Half  a  mile  east, 
I  Big  Goose  Creek  Valley,  the  same  bed  is  opened  at  the  Big  Goose  coal  mine  by  Mr.  II. 
I'imin.  Mining  was  begun  in  1890,  and  in  1902  the  main  tunnel  was  600  feet  long,  with  two 
i  de  entries  240  feet  long,  and  had  six  rooms.     The  mine  is  operated  only  part  of  the 
ear  and  has  an  output  of  5  tons  a  day,  valued  at  $1  a  ton  at  the  mine.     It  is  used  mainly 
l  Sheridan  and  is  entirely  satisfactory  for  domestic  use.  Two  and  a  half  miles  southeast, 
In  the  east  side  of  Beaver  Creek  Valley,  2  miles  above  its  mouth,  is  Nelson  Brothers'  coal 
Oiine,  which  has  been  in  operation  since  1899.  The  bed  is  the  same  one  as  in  the  other  mines, 
jut  it  is  21  feet  thick  without  a  parting.  The  owners  are  working  only  9  feet  at  the  bottom 
jf  the  bed.  There  is  a  main  entry  350  feet  long,  with  numerous  rooms  18  feet  wide  and  9 
bet  high.  The  mine  is  well  timbered  and  has  a  tramway  in  the  main  entry.  Eight  men 
[re  employed  in  winter  and  two  in  summer.  The  average  output  is  1*5  tons  a  day  in  winter, 
|diieh  sells  at  $1.25  a  ton  at  the  mine. 
|  At  a  coal  prospect  3  miles  northeast  of  Wolf  post-office  there  is  a  layer  of  coal  1  foot  thick. 
It  is  overlain  by  dark-reddish  shales  containing  plant  remains  and  lies  on  blue  clay. 
I  At  one  time  coal  was  worked  on  North  Dry  Creek  2  miles  south  of  Tongue  River,  but  as 
he  opening  has  caved  in  the  beds  could  not  be  measured.  In  the  bed  of  the  creek  near  by 
:  feet  of  coal  are  exposed,  overlain  by  dark-brown  leaf-bearing  shales.  The  bottom  of  the 
;oal  bed  is  below  the  creek  and  the  thickness  could  not  be  ascertained.  Apparently  it  is 
he  bed  which  was  worked  in  the  mine.     The  coal  is  of  a  good  quality  and  easily  mined. 
Three  miles  east  of  Ranchester  a  draw  on  the  south  side  of  Tongue  River  exposes  the 
lollowing  beds,  having  a  very  low  dip: 
Section  3  miles  east  of Ranchester ,  Wyo. 
Feet. 
Rust-colored  shale 2 
Gray  sandy  shale 5 
Coaly  shale,  plants 0 
Red  and  gray  shale 6 
Sandstone,  rust  colored 2 
Coal . ." 1 
Blue  shale 1 
Coal 1 
Gray  shale 10 
Talus  to  river 9 
These  beds  appear  again  north  of  the  river,  along  the  divide  between  Sixmile  and  Early 
;reeks.  On  the  summit  of  this  ridge  several  thin  layers  of  coal  are  exposed,  varying  from 
L  inch  to  4  inches  thick,  separated  by  20  to  25  feet  of  bluish-green  clay  with  ironstone  con- 
cretions. On  the  north  side  of  Early  Creek,  3  miles  northeast  of  Ranchester,  the  next 
ligher  beds  are  exposed,  as  follows: 
Section  3  miles  northeast  of  Ranchester,  Wyo. 
Feet. 
Clinker  bed 10 
Pale  greenish-yellow  clay 50 
Red  sandstone 4 
Bluish-green  clay '. 15 
Gray  sandstone 6 
Light-yellow  sandy  clay 25 
Bluish  clay 15 
Coaly  shale,  leaf  impressions 8 
Coal 4 
Dark-gray  shale 1 
Coal 10 
Bluish-green  clay  and  shale 40 
Coaly  shale  with  thin  coal  streaks 20 
Talus  and  red  clinker-like  rock 10 
Light-brown  clay  with  ironstone 20 
Shale  with  plant  fragments 2 
