COAL MINES OF VINTON COUNTY. 999 
Minor partings would doubtless be revealed by extended workings. 
It is claimed that the 3 inches of rotten coal at the top of the seam 
become good under the hill. The seam lies near the level of the creek 
at this point. 
The seam shows but little sulphur, and is said to burn with a con- 
siderable amount of very light ash, which is white in color. Cannel is 
often found in the seam, replacing the bituminous coal in part. To the 
southward the cannel becomes the characteristic element. 
The Newland coal, as now described, occupies a considerable area 
in Vinton county. It has not been followed far under cover at any 
point, except at Vinton Furnace, where it was mined quite extensively 
a few years ago. 
The outcrops do not indicate a very steady seam, but there is cer- 
tainly a valuable body of fuel at this level that will, at some time, repay 
development. ‘The place of this seam can be easily fixed by reference 
to the lower blue limestone. The coal is about 40 feet above this well- 
known horizon. 
The Winters Coal, or the Flint Vein. 
Under these designations, a valuable body of the Brookville coal, 
No. 4 of Newberry, is known and worked in Elk, Swan, Madison and 
Clinton townships of Vinton county. 
The former name is derived from the name of the owner of the 
farm, one mile south-west of McArthur, which holds the largest work- 
ings of this seam. The second name is derived from the fact that ata 
number of points east of McArthur, a seam of flint is contained be- 
tween the benches of the coal. The place of this seam in the geological 
column is at 35 to 40 feet below the Ferriferous limestone. The limits 
will probably be found at 30 and 50 feet, respectively. 
The quality of the coal probably varies a good deal in different 
mines. At the Winters mine, near McArthur, the coal is a bright, 
open-burning coal, rather high in sulphur, and yielding a moderate 
amount of purple ash, but it is in all respects a desirable domestic and 
steam coal. 
The section of the seam at this point is shown in the following 
figure. 
