GUERNSEY COUNTY. _ 235 
SUMMARY. 
Coal.—Situated for the most part on the Barren Group, Guernsey 
county is, compared with the counties adjoining it, poorly supplied with 
coal. Along the eastern border Nos. 8 and 10 occur, and the former 
yields an abundance. In the remaining portion there is no bed of much 
value, except in the deeply excavated valleys of Indian Camp and Wills 
Creeks, where No. 6 is reached, and in the vicinity of Cambridge, where 
No. 7 is of sufficient thickness to repay working. 
Coal No. 8 has not been analyzed. Specimens were procured for this 
purpose, but they seem not to have reached Prof. Wormley, as no analy- 
ses have been reported. The coal, however, bears great resemblance 
physically to that obtained from the same bed in Belmont county, and 
doubtless would show no material difference on analysis, as the varia- 
tions in composition are very slight. 
Coal No. 7b, underlying the Crinoidal limestone, was found of work- 
able thickness only in Center township, and near Winchester, though it 
is very persistent. It is of no value. The only analysis shows it to be 
rich in gas, but to contain 8.44 per cent. of ash and 4.44 per cent. of 
sulphur. 
Coal No. 7 in its characteristics is more essentially a Barren Measure 
coal than any of the others, and shows many sudden variations in thick- 
ness, leaping, in one case, from six inches to as many feet within two 
miles. In the vicinity of Cambridge it is important, but elsewhere is of 
no value. The coal is of excellent quality for fuel, makes a fine coke, 
and is rich in fixed gas. Sulphur is present to 2.8 per cent., much less 
than the average found in the Pittsburgh. So excellent is this coal that 
in most of the central townships of the county the residents show much 
anxiety to learn at what depth it can be reached. There is little satis- 
faction in stating that this is one of the most persistent beds in the 
series, being rarely absent, for it is so variable in thickness that any ex-. 
plorations involving much expenditure of time or means are not justi- 
fiable. For the benefit of those who may desire to bore for it, we state 
that this coal, in the greater portion of the county, lies from one hundred 
and forty to one hundred and sixty feet below the gray fossiliferous lime- 
stone, which I have termed the Crinoidal limestone. Toward the rail- 
road the interval is somewhat more, while between them comes a blue 
fossiliferous limestone, weathering buff. Explorers should remember, 
also, that at from forty to fifty feet above the Cambridge coal they will be 
apt to strike No. 7a, which is nearly as persistent as the one below it. 
Should any one bore for this coal he should not be disappointed if he find 
it only a few inches thick. 
