Part I. Report of progress in 1869, by J. S. Newberry, chief geologist. Part II. Report of progress in the second district, by E. B. Andrews, assist. geologist. Part III. Report on geology of Montgomery County, by Edward Orton, assist. geologist.

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I have thus given twenty-eight different analyses, made with great
care and scientific accuracy, all representing portions of the great Nelsonville seam of coal. They are of the highest scientific interest, and of
the utmost practical importance.
(1.) Let it be first remarked, that they represent the seam of coal in
locations of its best development, viz., at Nelsonville, Athens county,
where it measures 6 feet 4 inches; at Haydenville, Hocking county, near
Nelsonville, where it measures the same; at Straitsville, Perry county,
where it measures 11 feet; at two points on Sunday creek, where it also
measures 11 feet; and on Lost run, in Ward township, Hocking county,
where it measures 10 feet 6 inches. The coal here represented is found
in six different townships and in three different counties. The locations
are all accessible, and they are either already reached, or soon will be, by
railroads. Nelsonville and Haydenville mines already have the advantage of railroad and canal.
(2.) Again, it is obvious that the coal in the seam is not homogeneous
in quality from roof to floor. In the mine of Mr. Wm. B. Brooks, near
Nelsonville, the upper part of the seam is more earthy, giving by analysis
9.05 per cent. of ash, while the average of the two analyses of the middle and lower parts of the seam is only 2.30 per cent.
In the mine of Mr. Peter Hayden, near Haydenville, the top coal gives
9.36 per cent. of ash, while the ash of the middle and lower portions of
the seam average only 1.67 per cent.
The most earthy part of the coal in the Sands bank, on Sunday creek,
as shown by analysis, is that taken 2 feet 2 inches from the top, which
yields 11.26 per cent. of ash, while a sample taken a little above, or 14
inches from the top, gave only 3.44 per cent., and a sample taken 18
inches below gave only 2.92 per cent. A sample 2 feet 6 inches from the
bottom gave 7.07 per cent. of ash.
Of the six samples obtained to represent the same seam of coal on Lost
run, Ward township, Hocking county, that from the top contained 11.05
per cent. of ash, and the one next below 7.63 per cent.; while the average
amount of the four remaining lower ones, representing about 8 feet of
coal, is only 3.57 per cent.
The Straitsville coal is divided into three layers; and it is found that
the largest percentage of ash is found near the top and bottom of the
upper layer. This upper layer is 6 feet 10 inches thick in the McGinnis
bank. Near the bottom of it the ash was found to be 9.98 per cent., and
on the very to"p the ash was found to be 9.35 per cent. The latter result
is not given in the table, but comes from the analyses of a single independent specimen, sent to the laboratory by Mr. S. M. Baird. The sample of the top coal, of the series given in the table for the Straitsville
coal, afforded less ash, viz., 6.96 percent. The average ash of all other
samples taken elsewhere in the seam, is only 2.26 per cent.