fisher.]  COAL    IN    NORTHWESTERN    WYOMING.  347 
tion  and  the  upper  about  75  feet  higher  in  the  series.  There  are 
other  coal  horizons  in  the  basal  Laramie,  but  so  far  as  observed  they 
are  thin  and  unimportant,  except  at  the  McDonald  and  Cottle  mine,  on 
Bighorn  River,  near  the  mouth  of  Kirby  Creek,  where  they  locally 
attain  a  thickness  of  3  to  5  feet.  The  principal  bed  of  this  division 
has  a  variable  thickness  of  3  to  8  feet;  that  of  5  to  6  feet,  however,  is 
most  frequently  observed.  It  consists  of  two  "benches"  of  about 
equal  thickness,  separated  by  a  3-inch  layer  of  brown  carbonaceous 
shale,  which  weathers  to  a  bluish-gray  color.  This  shale  parting  is 
characteristic  of  the  horizon  over  a  considerable  area.  The  coal  of  the 
lower  bench  is  sometimes  superior  in  quality  to  that  of  the  upper 
bench.  This  is  illustrated  in  the  Sunshine  area,  where  the  coals  of  the 
two  benches  present  a  marked  difference  in  physical  properties. 
That  below  the  usual  shale  parting  is  a  hard,  black,  oily  variety,  while 
that  above  is  fibrous,  brown,  and  dull  in  appearance.  Shale  partings 
1  to  2  inches  thick  frequently  appear  in  both  benches  of  the  bed,  but 
they  are  few  in  number  and  of  local  nature. 
In  the  middle  shaly  series  coal  beds  occur  at  frequent  intervals, 
but  they  are  usually  too  thin  and  shaly  for  profitable  working.  In  a 
few  localities,  however,  a  number  of  seams  have  been  found  suffi- 
ciently close  together  to  constitute  a  workable  bed.  The  Conie  mine, 
on  Meeteetse  Run,  and  the  Rogers  &  Gapen  mine,  near  Basin,  are  of 
this  character,  as  shown  in  their  respective  sections.  The  coal  is 
usually  inferior  in  quality  to  that  found  in  the  basal  sandy  series,  and 
the  contained  shale  and  sandstone  intercalations  vary  considerably  in 
thickness. 
So  far  as  observed  the  upper  sandy  division  contains  few  workable 
coal  seams  in  the  basin  proper.  The  exceptions  are  the  outcrops  near 
the  Meryl  ranch,  on  Gray  Bull  River,  4  miles  below  Meeteetse,  and 
the  Silver  Tip  mine,  at  the  extreme  north  end  of  the  basin.  To  the 
north  this  division  contains  the  extensive  Red  Lodge  and  Bear  Creek 
coal  deposits  and  probably  corresponds  in  stratigraphic  position  to 
the  coal  measures  of  the  Sheridan  district,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Bighorn  uplift. 
DISTRIBUTION  OF  COAL. 
The  distribution  of  coal  within  the  confines  of  the  Laramie  area  is 
very  general.  Openings  might  be  made  at  frequent  intervals  around 
the  entire  basin.  The  greatest  development,  however,  is  where  the 
larger  streams  have  cut  and  exposed  the  coal-bearing  measures.  Here 
the  most  favorable  conditions  exist  for  locating  mines,  and  the 
increased  settlement  of  the  irrigated  valleys  along  the  streams  fur- 
nishes a  local  market.  These  districts  of  greatest  development  are 
limited  to  five:  The  Cody  district,  on  Shoshone  River;  the  Meeteetse 
