CHAPTER LXXXV. 
RHPORT ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE HOCKING VALLEY 
COAL-FIELD. 
BY M. C. READ. 
Pror. J. S. NEWBERRY, Chief Geologist: 
At your request, | have prepared the following special report upon the Greac Vein 
Coal Region of Ohio, making use of the accumulated observations recorded in my not 
books, the previous volumes of this report, pamphlets published by Professors Andrews 
and Hunt, and Colonel Whittiesey ; the excellent sections made by Mr. Nichols, manu- 
script reports by Professor Weethee, and information generously furnished by the officers 
of Railroad, Mining and Iron Companies; to all of whom I am indebted for valuable 
facts. I have supplemented these by as thorough a re-exploration of the whole field as 
time would permit. The work has grown upon my hands, and I regret that a whole 
summer could not have been given to observations in the field, to eliminate errors and 
make the report more complete. Very respectfully, yours, 
M. C. READ. 
Hupson, Onto, July 1, 1877. 
A territory, comprising parts o Perry, Hocking and Athens counties, 
has acquired the name of the Great Vein Coal Region, from the unusual 
thickness which Coal No. 6attains here. On approaching the region from 
the north or south, this coal is found to gradually increase in thickness, 
until, in the center of the field, it reaches a maximum of a little over 
thirteen feet. The territory, which may be properly included under 
this head, comprises the greater part of Salt Licx, Pleasant and Monroe 
townships of Perry; Trimble, Dover and York of Athens, and Wood and 
parts of Green and Starr in Hocking county. In the townships of York, 
Starr, Green and Dover the coal ranges in thickness from six to eight 
feet. In the other townships its average thickness is not less than ten 
feet, not including the surface valleys or one channel of ancient erosion 
passing diagonally through the field, and which will be subsequently 
described. In the northern and north-western part of the district the 
coal crops out in the sides of the hills, from fifteen to one hundred feet 
or more above the beds of the streams; but, dipping gently to the south- 
east, 1t passes beneath the surface, and in Trimble township is reached 
by shafts sunk to the depth of from seventy to eighty feet in the bot- 
toms of the valleys. 
