COAL MINES OF LICKING COUNTY. 911 
“bone” at the bottom of the seam that ought not to be sold as coal. 
Furthermore, at the top of the seam, there is a long-grained and slaty 
band that ought to be rejected, but which sometimes finds its way into 
the coal. Throughout the body of the seam, there is but little differ- 
ence in quality. The cannel is curly and excellent in appearance. It 
ignites easily and burns away completely into ash, the volume of which 
is, however, large, as has been already stated. 
Authentic statements are wanting as to the output of the mines. The 
annual production probably exceeds 2000 tons. The mines are in bad 
shape, the ownership and management having been often changed, and 
each owner and lessee desiring to secure as much coal as possible at 
the smallest outlay. Ventilation is accidental and therefore defective, 
and the drainage is also neglected. Whether a large enough market 
could be found to keep a railroad mine running, is a question for coal 
operators and railroad companies to settle, but if the area, when duly 
proved, is found to contain as much coal as present estimates cover, 
there is no question but that properly equipped and well-managed 
mines could be made to produce a steady and respectable output for 
many years. A home market can, in any case, be always counted on 
for several thousand tons of coal, annually. The fact that the coal 
bears storing like quarry rock enables the miner to work regularly and 
continuously. This coal does not deteriorate by being got out in ad- 
vance of the demand. 
Very different estimates have been placed upon the value of this 
field at different times in its history. When sold under the Sheriff’s 
hammer, it is said that the price realized for it was only about one- 
twentieth of the amount offered for it and refused a few years befure. 
It is now possible by judicious and not expensive investigation to 
determine its real value. 
