COAL MINES OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY. 879 
‘appears as a workable seam, of considerable value. It is mined in 
many small banks, and in one or two of larger importance. 
The Sonora Coal. 
The most northerly of these centers of mining is at Sonora and in 
its immediate vicinity, on the western side of Perry township. The 
‘coal is chiefly mined in Sections 6 and 7, but a few openings are to 
‘be found in Section 8. The coal of Section 6 extends directly into 
Section 10, Washington, where it is also mined. On the farm of Mrs. 
‘Cullins, in Section 8, the coal is found 3 feet thick, and of fair quality. 
The seam is here 112 feet below the Cambridge limestone. 
At Sonora, the coal runs from 2 to 4 feet in thickness. It is very 
irregular, owing to the frequent intrusion of the overlying Mahoning 
sandstone. The limestone that accompanies the coal is_ strongly 
developed throughout this region, and is frequently dug and burned in 
the small way for farmers’ use. The most extensive coal banks in this 
neighborhood are on the lands of George Bowers, Moses D. Robertson 
and John H. Mangold. It does not seem probable that the seam will 
be found’a fit basis for large mining operations in this neighbor- 
hood, but a local supply of considerable importance will long be main- 
tained. The same statements will apply to the coal that lies directly 
south-east of Sonora, where mining in the small way has long been 
carried on. 
The Alexander Coal. 
The best known basin of the Upper Freeport coal in the county is 
in the vicinity of Jackson, in the south-east corner of Washington 
township. The coal is mined here on quite a large scale, and is hauled 
into Zanesville as well as sold to the farmers of the adjacent country. 
‘The coal is known as the Alexander coal, having been worked on the 
largest scale and for the longest time by James H. Alexander. This 
field is spoken of as a distinct one, but in reality the Sonora coal and 
the Alexander coal belong to one and the same basin. This is clearly 
shown by the occurrence of small mines throughout the interval. The 
Sherlock and Shick mines are of this character. 
In following the National Road westward from Jackson, the coal 
has been worked at various points, and it continues as far west as the 
land is found high enough to hold it. The coal has been principally 
