THE LOWER COAL MEASURES. | 297 
Some drilling has been done to the south and west of Hartford, 
and, so far as reported, this does not indicate the maintenance of the 
seam in good condition in this direction. There are conflicting reports 
as to the results of drilling to the east of Hartford. To the north and 
east of Byesville, considerable investigation has been carried on, with 
some encouraging results. There is a good body of coal in the south- 
‘western corner of Cambridge township. It has long been mined for 
the supply of the town. The Stoner bank is the largest in this neigh- 
. borhood. The coal of the Stoner mine ranges from 4 to 52 feet in 
thickness, and the quality is well approved. 
These statements complete the account of the mines of the Cam- 
bridge coal field, and they will be found to justify the assertions with 
which this account was begun, viz., that we have in this district a body 
of coal that deserves to be ranked among the best of the present 
centers of mining in the State. 
THE Post Boy BorInes. 
An account of the coal resources of Guernsey county would not be 
considered complete if it contained no reference to the widely published 
claims of the discovery, within the last few years, of a valuable basin 
of the Sharon or Brier Hill coal, in Wheeling township, not far from 
Post Boy Station. 
The principal facts in connection with this claim are as follows: 
In the drilling of three deep wells in search for petroleum on the farms 
of James and Daniel Booth, in the valley of Bird’s Run, several years 
since, a coal seam was reported at about 260 feet below the surface. In 
one well the seam was reported to be 5 feet thick ; in another, 18 inches 
thick ; and in a third, which was but 100 yards distant from the first, 
no coal was found. 
Two years since, a company was formed by citizens of New Comers- 
town and vicinity to drill for oil on the farm of Joseph Norris, one mile 
south of Bird’s Run Station. The drillers were instructed to proceed 
with special care when the horizon of the coal reported in the Booth 
wells was approached, though the company had not secured title to 
anything but oil: At about 170 feet below the surface, the Booth seam 
was struck. Its thickness was made out to be 9 feet and 2 inches by 
the drillers, as reported by Mr. Norris. The reamer was put down, 
and specimens were saved with great care from every foot. In par- 
