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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reach them. They are remarkably soluble under atmospheric influences,
and have a greater fertilizing power than any limestones I have seen
elsewhere in the State. The farmers of Salem have hitherto received far
more benefit from these limestones than they have from their abundant
coal. There are no richer hill lands in the State.
Explorations up, the East Fork of Duck creek will hereafter be made.
On the West Fork we found the upper or sandstone coal opened on the
farm of Hugh Jackson, in Aurelius township, Washington county. Hare
the fire clay parting is greatly thickened to 3 feet 4 inches, there being
3 feet 4 inches of coal below it and 1 foot 9 inches above. Here the direction of vertical planes in the coal is N. 800 W. About 70 feet below this
coal is the usual limestone group with the layer of buff limestone. No
coal was here seen in the limestone group, but it may be present, as no
good section of the group could be made. The group is thinner than in
Salem. From this point the upper coal is found in all the hills and is
mined for neighborhood use. The largest development seen was on the
land of David McKee, on Buffalo run, near Newburg, Noble county, where
the coal below the clay parting measured 6 feet 81 inches. The clay
above was reported to be about 2 feet thick, above which 2 feet more of
coal were reported. This coal appeared to be pretty homogeneous in
quality and can be profitably mined when the Marietta and Pittsburg
Railroad is completed. One hundred and thirty-five feet above this coal
is a limestone seam, probably the same as the one found 144 feet above
the sandstone coal on V. Payne's land in Salem. Mr. McKee's coal is
225 feet (by barometer) above the bank of Duck creek, near Newburg.
The following is a section of Mr. McKee's coal. The vertical planes run
east and west. (See Fig. 25.)
/ Not Seen
Coal 53 7
iF ire Clay'.; 7
Coatl 6G'8j
Fire.CTay
FIG. 25.
On the west side of Duck creek, in the neighborhood of Newburg, the
coal seam is thinner. The coal of John McGuire, in Jackson township,
Noble"county, is 3 feet 6 inches, below the clay parting which is here 2
feet thick. The coal above the parting is only 4 inches in thickness.
Mr. McGuire produces about 200 bushels a day for the oil and salt works
in the vicinity. Seventy feet below this coal is the limestone group with
the usual buff-colored stratum. About 50 feet above McGuire's coal is
another group of limestones, perhaps 6 feet thick, with one layer of porous
buff-colored limestone.