THE LOWER COAL MEASURES. 161 
is followed southward. Its horizon can be followed with certainty to 
the southward, after the limestone has disappeared, but the drift-covered 
region in which the limestone terminates at the eastward is less favor- 
able for geological examination, and no better proof as to the continuity 
of the horizon can be furnished than that already given in chapter I. 
The facts there detailed certainly give a high degree of probability to 
the conclusion that the Brookville coal in its westward passage takes a 
limestone roof, and becomes Newberry’s Coal No. 4 of Stark county, 
and that conclusion is adopted and used in this report. 
This seam is at its best in Stark county. It is struck in the north- 
eastern quarter of the county in several small mines, but it is on the 
western side that it attains its largest development. The Valley Rail- 
road passes through the heart of this field, and a number of well- 
equipped mines of the limestone coal are now in operation along its line. 
The seam shows a maximum thickness of 6 feet. It is fairly steady, 
and a part of the seam is of good quality. It is chiefly used as a steam 
coal. Its specific gravity is somewhat high, owing to a large quantity 
of ash in the lower bench. The Putnam Hill limestone makes its roof, 
resting in many instances directly upon the coal. 
Throughout Tuscarawas and Coshocton counties, the seam is gen- 
erally thin, and no considerable mines have anywhere been opened in 
it, but in Newcastle, Bedford, and Jefferson townships of the latter 
county, the seam reaches a maximum of 4 feet, and is opened in many 
country banks. The chief local supply of these townships is derived 
from it. In Holmes county also, there are several neighborhood mines 
opened in the seam. 
In Muskingum county the seam has occasionally been worked in a 
small way. A mine has recently been opened in it in Zanesville, in 
which the coal falls below 3 feet in thickness. In Perry county and 
also in Hocking the seam is not worked so far as known, but though 
thin it is universally present as far as the limestone extends. 
In Vinton county it again acquires mineable thickness, and it is 
quite largely worked for local supply in the vicinity of McArthur, 
where it is known as the Winters coal. It rises to 4 feet in thickness, 
and its quality is fair. It is associated with beds of flint in some parts 
of the county, and at several points it has a flint parting in the middle 
il G. 
