BERKELEY
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OP
CALIFORNIA
EARTH
SCIENCES
LIBRAfTV
Kentucky Geological Survey
CHARLES J. NORWOOD, Director
BULLETIN No. I I.
REPORT ON THE COALS
OF THE
Three Forks of the Kentucky River,
Beginning at Troublesome Creek on North Fork ; at Begin-
ning Branch on Middle Fork ; at Sexton Creek
on South Fork ; and Extending to
the Heads of the Respect-
ive Forks.
By JAMES M. HODGE.
OFFICE OF THE SURVEY: LEXINGTON, KY.
Printed by The Continental Printing Co., Louisville, Ky.
v\
EARTH
NCES
Ill
INDEX A.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Page.
Analyses, meaning of "r" and "1" 7
Analyses of Coals:
Beattyville . 8, 11
Elkhorn 8, 106, 146, 172, 173, 181, 200
Fireclay (Hyden, Dean), 8,30,31,75,76.78,89.92,93,97,102,122,135,140,
143, 166, 179, 189, 193, 203, 206, 210, 215, 242, 245.
Fireclay Coal Rider,* 8,217,222,258,261,264
Flag . —8, 27, 28, 29, 33, 37, 39; 69
Haddix 8,27,29,43,67,71,72,73,178,180
Hazard ___ 8,33,43,63,75,80,82,120,186,196,244,247
Hindman .—87,210,214,223,226
Hyden. See Fireclay Coal.
Manchester. See Rockhouse Coal.
Rockhouse 8, 136, 156. 2'68, 269, 271, 274
Whitesburg 159, 250
Analyses, Table of ^ 8
Area of Region Covered by the Report .'_. 1
Beattyville Coal, Description, etc. : ___6, 8, 10
Cannel. Beds that carry 6
Coals, Description of. See Description of Coals.
Coals of the Middle Fork. See Index C.
Coals of the North Fork. See Index B.
Coals of the South Fork. See Index D.
Cumberland River, Coals on 233
Dean (Fireclay, Hyden), Coal Described 15
Descriptions of Coals:
Beattyville - 10
Dean (see Fireclay Coal) 15
Elkhorn (also see Indexes B, C and D) 12
Fireclay (also see Indexes B, C and D) 15
Fireclay Coal Rider (also see Indexes B, C and D) 18
Flag (also see Indexes B, C and D) 22
Haddix (also see Indexes B, C and D) +. 19
Hazard (also see Indexes B, C and D) 20
* The "Upper Dean" of Cumberland River waters — C. J. N.
250920
iv INDEX
Description of Coals — Continued: Page
Hindman (also see Indexes B, C and D) 24
Hyden. See Fireclay Coal 15
Manchester. See Rockhouse Coal 11
Rockhouse (also see Indexes B, C and D) __ 11
Rider to Hindman Coal (also see Index B) 6
Sand Lick. See Rockhouse and Manchester.
Whitesburg (also see Indexes B, C and D) 14
Dip of the Strata 4
Dwarf P. O. _ 16,19
Elkhorn Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Elkhorn Coal, Description of 12
Elkhorn Coal, Distribution of (also see Indexes B, C and D) _ 12
Fireclay (Dean, Hyden) Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Fireclay Coal, Correlated with Dean Coal, etc 202
Fireclay Coal, Description of i 15
Fireclay Coal, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 15
Fireclay Coal, Sandstone over 2
Fireclay Coal, Synonyms ; 15
Fireclay Coal Rider, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Fireclay Coal Rider, Description of 18
Fireclay Coal Rider, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 18
Flag Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Flag Coal, Description of 20
Flag Coal, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 20
Flint on Russell Branch, North Fork__ __42, 44
Flint Ridge 21, 23
General Section Showing Intervals Between Coals 5
Haddix Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Haddix Coal, Description of 19
Haddix Coal, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 19
Haddix Coal, Sandstone over 3
Hazard 16, 21
Hazard Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Hazard Coal, Description of 20
Hazard Coal, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 20
Hindman 21
Hindman Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Hindman Coal, Description of 24
Hindman Coal, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 24
Hyden . 201
Hyden Coal. See Fireclay Coal.
Intervals Between Coals 5
Iron Ore on Limestone 154
Kentucky Ridge 23
Laurel Branch of Straight Creek, Harlan County, Coal 234
Letter of Submittal.
INDEX v
Page.
Limestone, Bastard, near Haddix Coal 54,55
Limestone, Fossil _ 54, 129, 153, 160, 222, 258, 261, 267
Manchester 270
Manchester Coal, Analysis of." See Analyses.
Manchester Coal, Description of 11
Manchester Coal, Distribution of. See Indexes. .
Maps. See Page Maps.
Map, Meaning of Figures Thereon 1
Middle Fork of Kentucky River 174
Middle Fork, Coals on. See Index C.
North Fork 26
North Fork,* Coals on. See Index B.
Numbering of Coals Discarded 2
Page Maps:
North Fork Regions:
Heads of N. Fk. Ky. River, Elkhorn and Shelby Creeks _. 167
South Fork Regions:
Big Creek, of Red Bird _ 240
Blue Hole Branch, of Red Bird 263
Gilberts, Elisha, Sugar, and Bowen Creeks, of Red Bird 248
Jacks Creek and Philips Fork, of Red Bird.- . 256
Katys Creek, of Red Bird 253
Pebbles from Sandstones, 3, 90, 91, 118, 160
Peter Branch of Straight Creek, Harlan County, Coals on 233
Rockhouse Coal. See Manchester Coal.
Rush Creek Mines, Middle Fork _ 13
Salt Trace P. O., Harlan County 233
Salt Trace (Cumberland River Drainage), Coal 011 233
Samples for Analysis, How taken 7
Sand Lick Coal. See Rockhouse.
Sandstone Overlying Haddix Coal
Sandstone under Fireclay Coal — 2, 35
Scope of the Report 1
Sections. See Indexes B, C and D.
South Fork . 235
South Fork, Coals on. See Index D.
Stinking Creek Cannel, Knox County 273
Straight Creek, Cumberland River Drainage
Straight Creek, Dean Coal at Head of . 267
Synclinal Axis along North Fork 4
Topography of the Region
Whitesburg 157
Whitesburg Coal, Analysis of. See Analyses.
Whitesburg Coal, Description of
Whitesburg Coal, Distribution of, (also see Indexes B, C and D) 14
VI
IKDEX B.
FOR THE NORTH FORK.
Page.
Adams (R. N.) Entry 63, 64
Allen, E. 40
Amazon Post-office 111
Amburgy, Alfred 111
Amburgy, Francis 108
Amburgy, John * 106
Babcock, John 112
Baker, Jasper 62
Balls Fork of Troublesome, Coals on 53
Bear Branch of Rockhouse Creek (Troublesome Drainage), Coals on 46
Beech Fork of Leatherwood Creek, Coals on 116
Bentley, J. L. 146
Bentley, John 168
Bentley, J. Q. _._ 145
Bentley, Riley 144
Bert Estis Br. of Cowan Creek, Coals on 153
Betty Troublesome Creek (Carr Fork Drainage), Coals on 63, 109
Big Branch, above Troublesome, Coals on 66
Big Branch, above Maces Creek, Coals on 113
Big Branch of Rockhouse Creek, Coals on 144
Big Branch of Troublesome Creek, Coals on 61
Big Creek, Coals on 84
Blair, B. M. 133
Blair Branch of Rockhouse Creek, Coals on 133
Blair, Patrick 161
Boone Fork, Coals on 168
Brannon Creek (of Carr Fork), Coals on 110
Breeding Branch (of Carr Fork), Coals on 104
Breeding, Dr. 138
Browning, Friley 120
Buck Branch (of Grapevine Creek), Coals on 76
Buck, John „ 104
Buckhorn Creek (of Troublesome), Coals on 46
Buffalo Creek, Coals on 98
Burt & Brabb Lumber Co. ___ 112, 130
Bush, Samuel 56
Camp Branch (of Rockhouse Creek)__ 136
INDEX vii
Page.
Campbell, Abner 79
Campbell, J. E. 39
Campbell, Joseph 78
Campbell, Woolsey 112
Caney Creek . 72
Carnegie Branch 88
Carr Fork _. 100
Caudill Coal Bank, Letcher County 154
Chestnut Gap _ 48
Childers, Jane 62
Christian's, Section at 132
Clear Creek (of Troublesome) 60
Clover Fork of Leatherwood Creek 118
Coals:
Dean. See Fireclay.
Elkhorn. 6, 8, 12. 61, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 115, 118, 123, 127, 132, 137, 138,
139, 142. 145, 148, 152, 157, 159, 163. 164, 165, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173.
Fireclay, 5, 6, 15, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35, 42, 48, 51. 54, 55, 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 69, 71,
74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101,
102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119
121, 124, 125, 126, 128. 129, 132, 133, 134, 137, 139, 140, 141, 142, 144, 147.
148, 150, 151, 152, 163, 164, 165. 169, 172.
Fireclay Rider _ 6, 8, 18, 59, 75, 77, 86, 93, 94, 95
Flag, 5, 6, 8, 22, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35, 36. 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47,49,
52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 78, 84, 85, 88, 92, 95, 103, 112, 122,
123, 125, 128.
Haddix, 5, 6, 8, 19, 26, 28, 29, 32, 41, 43, 46, 48. 49, 52, 59, 65^ 66, 67, 68, 70, 72, 73,
75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 108, 113, 115, 123, 128, 129, 130, 131, 161.
Hazard, 5, 6, 8, 20, 27, 32, 33. 34, 36, 39, 42, 43. 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53,
54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 62, 64, 65, 67. 68, 69. 75, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 93, 94, 95,
99, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119, 121,122, 124, 125, 128, 130, 151.
Hindman . --5,24,65,85,102,108,109,117,123,128
Hyden. See Fireclay.
Manchester. See Rockhouse.
Rider to Hindman , __6 86
Rockhouse, 6, 8, 10, 134, 136, 138, 140, 141, 142, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 150, 152,
154, 155, 157, 159. 161, 162, 163, 164.
Sand Lick. See Rockhouse.
Whitesburg, 6, 14, 97, 108, 110, 114, 124, 133, 134, 138, 148. 150, 151, 159, 161, 163
Cockerell Fork of Lost Creek (Troublesome Creek Drainage) 33
Coils Branch of Line Fork 130
Coles Creek, Knott County 50
Colley Creek IgO
Collins Branch of Lost Creek (Troublesome Creek Drainage) 35
Collins, J. M. 136
Collins, Jas. 144
viii INDEX
Page.
Collingsworth, John 35
Colman (Geo.) Entry 42
Combs, Alexander 89
Combs Branch of Troublesome 56
Combs, Fielding ,_ 91
Combs, J. H. 96
Combs, Nancy 88
Combs, Robert 89
Combs, Shade 162
Combs, Thomas B. 90
Combs, Van Buren 99
Combs, William ^ ___ 84
Combs & Horton : 37
Cook, George 144
Cornett, Elijah 98
Cornett, Esquire t 101
Cornett, J. B. C. 117, 119, 122
Cornett, Joseph 127
Cornett, William 129
Cowan Creek 153
Craft, Jasper 163
Crawford, E. 90
Dans Fork of Troublesome 50
Dark Fork, or Helen Combs Branch, of Lots Creek 91
Davidson, E. ^ 76
Davidson, John : 76
Davidson, Thomas 77
Davis (Clinton) Mine 41
Day, D. B. 153, 154
Deacon, John 72
Dean Coal. See Fireclay Coal.
Dean Post-office 146
Defeated Creek (of Line Fork) 126
Doty Branch of Rockhouse Creek 133
Dry Creek '. 152
Dry Fork of Line Fork 127
Dwarf Post-office 16
Elkhorn Coal. See Coals.
Elk Lick Fork of Lots Creek 95
Engle, Henry 58
Evans, William 140
Eversole, Alfred 84,85,98
Eversole Branch 76
Farley, William 113
Field Cannel 148
Field, William _ 113
INDEX ix
Page.
Fields, John 86
Fifteen Mile Creek of Lost Fork (of Troublesome) 36
Fireclay Coal. See Coals.
Fireclay Coal Rider. See Coals.
Fireclay (Dean, Hyden) Coal; "Black-Jack" replacing Fireclay parting in 87
Fish Trap Branch 79
Flag Coal. See Coals.
Frasier, Jack 126
Frazier, J. H. 161
Frazier Mine, Letcher County 159
Fugitt Branch (Troublesome Drainage) 44
Fugitt, Mrs. '. 48
Gayheart, R. 56
Gayheart, Riley 92
Gayheart, Robert 92
Georges Branch of Carr Fork 100
Georges Creek . 70
Godsey, Charles 93
Gough & Co. ___• 67, 69
Grapevine Creek ' 74
Grave Branch of Leatherwood Creek 117
Grigsby, B. F. 93
Grigsby, B. W. 94
Grigsby, D. 94
Grigsby, J. 94
Grigsby, Silvester 95
Grigsby (E.), Opening on Balls Fork of Troublesome 54
Haddix Coal. See Coals.
Haddix Coal, Analysis of. See General Index.
Haddix (Sewell) Mine 26
Hall, Ira 126
Halliday, L. 53
Hargis Mine 27
Hart, Samuel C. 162
Hazard Coal. See Coals.
Hawkins, H. _ 153
Hayes (Now Pardee) Tract 50
Henson Branch 77
Hindman Coal. See Coals.
Holcomb Elkhorn Coal on Laurel Branch, Letcher County 172
Holcomb, H. 128
Holcomb, Jesse 128
Holliday, Lewis 53
Holmes, John 75
Honeycutt, G. 111
Hoskins, Albert 83
x INDEX
Page.
Huff, Charles; Coal Opening of 55
Hyden Coal. See Fireclay Coal.
Indian Creek of Rockhouse Creek 141
Ingalls, Jefferson 57
Ingalls Opening on Balls Fork of Troublesome 53
Irishman Creek of Carr Fork 102
Isom, G. 133
Isom, Moses 125
Jent, Noah 105
John Little Branch 68
Jones, Paris : 40
Jones, Mahlon 38, 39
Jones (W. D.) & Co. 149
Kings Creek 148
Kizer Coal 142
Laurel Branch 171
Leatherwood Branch of Lost Creek (of Troublesome) 32
Leatherwood Creek : 115
Left Fork of Maces Creek 111
Left Fork of Millstone Creek__ 165
Left Fork of Rockhouse Creek ___ 146
Left Fork of Troublesome Creek 61
Lewis, W. R. 131
Lick Branch 67
Lick Branch of Balls Fork of Troub-tesome 53
Licking Rock Branch 161
Limestone, Fossiliferous --129, 160
Line Fork of North Fork 123
Little Branch of Carr Fork .__ 103
Little Carr, of Carr Fork 105
Little Colley Branch of Rockhouse „__ 134
Little Leatherwood 115
Long Fork of Troublesome Creek 47
Lost Creek (of Troublesome) 29
Lots Creek i 91
Love Branch of Rockhouse Creek 142
Maces Creek 111
Mallet Fork of Breeding Creek (of Carr Fork) 105
Manchester Coal. See Rockhouse Coal.
Martin, Allen 141
Mclntosh. Roderick — 81, 83
McNapier Opening, Balls Fork of Troublesome 53
Mead Coal, Letcher County 164
Meadow or Long Branch 161
Mill Branch of Lost Creek 29
Miller Opening, Bear Branch of Buckhorn 46
INDEX xi
Page. .
Millstone Branch of Rockhouse Creek 134
Millstone Creek 164
Mullins, Samuel 103
Napier, Fish 41
Napier, John 79
Napier, S. M. • 91
Niece, Jacob 3g
Nickels Coal Bank, Letcher County 154
Nickels Splint Coal, Letcher County 159
Noble Branch of Troublesome Creek 28
Noble's, G. W., Coals near 31
Noble, L. H. 1 32
Noble (S. M.) Opening on Bear Branch of Buckhorn 47
Oldhouse Branch of Leatherwood Creek 119
Owen, Mr. 57
Pardee (formerly Hayes) Tract 50
Patton (R.) Entry on Balls Fork of Troublesome 55
Peach Orchard Branch 88
Pendleton, James 162
Pigeon Roost Branch of Troublesome , 56
Pigeon Roost Branch (above Willard Creek) _ 82
Pigman. William 63
Pine Top Post-office 110
Potter Fork of Boone Fork 170
Pratt, John . 113
Quillan Fork of Boone Fork 168
Quillan, Sherman 170
Razor Blade Post-office 145
Rider to Hindman Coal 6, 86
Rholley's (Jas.) Spring, Coal near 42
Right Fork of Camp Branch (of Rockhouse) 138
Right Fork of Maces Creek 112
Right Fork of Millstone Creek 165
Right Fork of Rockhouse Creek 147
Right Fork of Troublesome Creek 62
Ritchie, Josh 60
Rockhouse Creek 132
Rock Lick Branch 78
Rockhouse Coal. See Coals.
Rowdie Branch of Carr Fork 101
Rush Branch of Long Fork of Troublesome 47
Russell, A. C. 43
Russell Branch of Troublesome Creek 42
Sand Lick Coal. See Rockhouse Coal.
Sand Lick Creek 155
Sargent, Steven 141
xii INDEX
Page.
Sections on North Pork:
Allen's (E.) At; Mouth of Rock Fork 40
Ambargy Branch, On
Bentley's (J. Q.), At; Rockhouse Creek 145
Big Branch, On 66
Camp Branch; At Mouth of 136
Carnegie Branch, On
Childers' (Jane). At; Right Fork of Troublesome 62
Cornett's (E.), At; Above Mouth of Buffalo Creek 98
Dry Creek, On 152
Farley's (W.), At; Right Fork of Mace's Creek 113
Forks of Big Creek, On 86
Grapevine Creek, On - 74
Haddix Mine, At ___ — 26
Holcomb's (H.), At; Two Miles above Dry Fork _. 128
Holcomb's, At; on Laurel Branch 171
Isom's (M.), At; near Mouth of Defeated Creek 125
John Little Branch, On 1 68
Lick Branch, On . 67
Little Leatherwood, At Forks of 115
Love Branch, On 142
Mclntyre's (W.), At; on Big Branch 114
Mill Branch of Lost Creek, On . 29
Niece's (J.), At; on Lost Creek 36
Noble's (G. W.), At; below Leatherwood Branch 31
Noble's (L. H.), At; on Leatherwood Branch 32
Rock Lick and Fishtrap Branch, On 78
Russell Branch, On 42
Rush Branch and Williams Fork, On 48
Sand Lick Creek, On 155
Singleton's (J.), At; on Beech Fork of Leatherwood 116
Smoot Creek, On 150
Sparkman's (H.), At; on Coils Branch _ 130
Stamper's (I.), At; on Turkey Creek 124
Stony Fork, On 121
Stony Fork, At Head of 123
Thornton Creek, On 162
Tolson Creek, At Head of 148
Trace Branch of Rockhouse Creek, On 139
Troublesome Cr. ; From R. N. Adams to Gap at Head of Irishman Cr. 64
Troublesome Creek; on Left of 41
Troublesome Creek, Two Miles Below Balls Fork 57
Tunnel Mill on Troublesome Creek, At •_ 59
Watts' (T.), At; on Lost Creek 35
Whittaker's (S.), At; on Left Fork of Right Fork of Willard 81
Whittaker's (M.), At; on Tolson Creek 148
Whitesburg, At . 158
INDEX xiii
Page.
Sewell (Old Haddix) Mine 26
Sexton, John 134
Shepard, William 119
Singleton, James 116
Singleton, Henry _ 116, 117
Singleton, William 111
Sixteen Mile Creek, of Lost Creek (of Troublesome) __ 38
Slemp Coal Co _. 95
Sloane, Isom 110
Smith Branch of Carr Fork 103
Smith Branch of Stony Fork (of Leatherwood) 122
Smith, Hillard »_ 104
Smith Openings; Head of Long Fork of Troublesome 49
Smoot Creek __ 150
Sparkman, H. 130
Spicer, Marian 68
Spencer, John 75
Stacy, Harmon 101
Stacy, Martha 99
Stall's Branch of Sixteen Mile Creek ___ 38
Stamper, Ira 124
Stony Fork of Leatherwood _ 120
Strong (Judge) Coal Opening 29
Sugar Branch of Carr Fork 104
Synclinal Axis Along North Fork 4
Taulbee & Allen Coal Opening ___ 47, 48
Thacker (Robert) Entry 61
Thornton Creek _. 163
Thornton, H. T. _ 87
Thompson, J. N. 156
Tolliver, Melvin 165
Tolson Creek 147
Toms Branch of Troublesome Creek 52
Trace Fork of Lots Creek 92
Trace Branch of Rockhouse Creek . 139
Troublesome Creek 26
Turkey Creek, of Line Fork 124
Turner, A. H. 96
Viper Post-office 111
Virginia I. C. & C. Co 95
Walker Branch 96
Wells Opening 27
Whitesburg Coal. See Coals.
Whitesburg, Coals in Region of 157
Whittaker, M. 148
Whittaker, Samuel _ 81, 82
xiv INDEX
Page.
Will Branch of Lost Creek (of Troublesome) 39
Willard Creek — _ 80
Wiley Fork of Balls Fork (of Troublesome) 55
Williams Branch of Troublesome 52
Williams Fork of Long Fork (of Troublesome) 48
Wolf Creek — 72
Wolf Pen Branch of Little Carr (of Carr Fork) 106
Wrights Fork of Boone Fork 170
Yonts Fork of Boone Fork 169
Young, "William 95
INDEX xv
INDEX C.
FOR THE MIDDLE: FORK.
Page.
Aimers Branch of Greasy Creek 217
Anderson, Orville 177
Asher, A. J., Coal in Leslie County 233
Asher Branch 199
Asher, Hughes 201
Asher Mines . 13
Bailey, John 190
Bailey, Minter : 1 190
Baker, John 214
Barnes, G. B. 181
Beech Pork 221
Beginning- Branch 174
Begley, Henry 186
Big Laurel Creek (of Greasy) 219
Bledsoe, Dale 226
Boggs, L. 194, 195
Bowling, James 181
Bowling, John 205
Bowling, William 181
Brewer, J. C. 189
Bull Creek, Mouth of; Coal at 198
Burnt Camp Branch 206
Canoe Creek 175
Chappell, Henry 208
Chumley Branch of Beech Fork L 227
Chumley Rock 227
Coals:
Dean. See Fireclay.
Elkhorn 6,8,12,180,181,182,183,198,199,200
Fireclay, 5, 6, 15, 174, 179, 180, 182, 183, 184, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 193, 194,
198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 215, 216,
217, 218, 221, 222, 224, 227, 229, 230, 231, (Cumberland River, on Straight
Creek, 233.)
Fireclay Rider, 6, 8, 18, 185, 193, 195, 209, 212, 215, 217, 218, 219, 222, 224, 231
(Cumberland River, on Straight Creek, 233.)
xvi INDEX
Page.
Coals — Continued:
Flag 5, 6, 8, 175, 182, 184, 185, 187, 188, 189, 204, 209, 226
Haddix, 5, 6, 8, 19, 176, 177, 178, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 191, 192, 195, 198, 200, 204,
205, 207, 209, 211, 221.
Hazard, 5, 6, 8, 20, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 189, 190, 191, 193, 196, 197, 200, 204, 206,
207, 210, 212, 219, 221, 225, 232.
Hindman, 5, 24, 187, 188, 190, 209, 211, 213, 214, 220, 221, 223, 225, 226, 227, 231,
232 (Cumberland River, on Straight Creek, 233.)
Hyden. See Fireclay.
Manchester. See Rockhouse.
Rockhouse 6, 8, 10
Sand Lick. See Rockhouse.
Upper Dean. See Fireclay Rider.
Whitesburg 6, 14, 175-6, 182-3, 192-3, 205-6, 221, 228, 229
Confluence Post-office 182
Cooper, G. W. 227
Cornett, Arch. 196
Couch, William 199
Crawford, O. 174
Creech, Samuel 228
Creech, William 220
Cutshin Creek 186
Deacon Coal Bed, Longs Creek 177
Duff, James; Heirs of 225
Ellis, Charles . 228
Elk Branch of Greasy Creek 208
Feckley Branch of Cutshin Creek 187
Feds Branch of Laurel Fork of Greasy 208
Gabes Branch of Greasy Creek 218
Gill Branch of Laurel Fork of Greasy 211
Grassy Branch : 183
Greasy Creek 206
Gross, Peter - 178
Groundhog Branch of Long's Creek 176
Guthrie Fork of Cutshin 197
Guys Creek 179
Harmon Branch of Greasy 220
Hart Branch of Feckley Branch of Cutshin 187
Hart, Jonathan _. 187, 188
Hell-for-Certain Creek 184
Helton, R. L. 231
Helton, William 232
Hignite, Moses 182
Honey Branch of Greasy 207
Hoskins, Charles 228
Hoskins, G. W. . 225
INDEX xvii
Page.
Howard, Elias 206, 207
Hurst Branch 204
Hyden, Coal in Region of 201
Hyden Coal, Synonyms of 202
Isaac Branch of Greasy 220
Johnson, Henry 177
Kate Spring 227
Laurel Fork of Cutshin 195
Laurel Fork of Greasy 208
Leding-ton, J. 222
Lewis Creek (of Greasy) 215
Lewis, Christopher 191
Lewis, James 202
Lewis, John 204
Lewis, John C. 189
Lewis, Joseph 203
Lewis, R. J. 230
Lick Branch of Greasy 207
Limestone, Black, Fossiliferous 184
Limestone, Fossil 215, 222
Longs Creek 176
Mackintosh Creek (of Cutshin) 187
Maggard, Reuben 188, 189
Melton, John 190
Minard, Benjamin 216
Minard, J. B. 216
Morgan, Hughes 221
Nantz, Silas 223
Napier, J. H. 203
Nighway Branch 199
Oldhouse Branch of Beech Fork 221
Oldhouse Branch of Hell-for-Certain Creek 185
One Mile Branch 198
Pace Trace of White Oak Creek (of Greasy) 213
Peach Orchard Branch, Limestone on 184
Pennington, I. 192, 193
Pennington, T. 229
Polecat Branch of Wooten Creek (of Cutshin) 191
Reuben Branch of Beech Fork 225
Roark Branch 230
Roberts Branch 200
Roberts, Nathaniel 201
Rockhouse Creek 201
Rush Creek 181
Schell N and McC. _ .210
xviii INDEX
Page.
Sections:
Abner's Branch, On 217
Boggs' (L.), At; 6 miles above Pauls Creek 194
Bowling's (J.), At; on Hurst Branch 205
Bull Creek, near Mouth of 198
Grassy Branch, On 183
Harmon Branch, On 220
Hell-for-Certain Creek, On 184
Helton's (W.), At; On Rainbow or Meadow Branch 232
Hignite's (M.), At; near Confluence Post-office 182
Honey Branch, On 207
Lewis's (C.), At; On Wolf Creek, of Coon Creek 191
Maggard's (R.), At; 2 miles above Mackintosh Creek 188
Napier's (J. H.), At; On Rockhouse Creek 203
Oldhouse Branch, On 221
Pennington's (I.), At; Half Mile Above Pauls Creek 192
Pennington's (T.), At; On White Oak Branch 229
Reuben Branch, On 225
Spicer's (G.),. At; On Canoe Creek i 175
Upper Double Creek, On 208
White Oak Creek, On 212
Sisemore, Bart 199
Sisemore, William 198, 202
Sizemore Coal, Synonym of 202
Spicer, Granville : 175
Spruce Pine Branch 231
Squabble Creek 178
Steel, Mrs. Annie 200
Tantrough Branch of Greasy 214
Tolliver, Elijah 226
Trace Branch of Beech Fork 224
Turkey Creek 175
Turner, Berry 176
Turner, John 212, 213
Upper Double Branch of Laurel Pork (of Greasy) 208
White Oak Branch 229
White Oak Creek (of Greasy) 212
Wilder Branch 183
Wolf Creek of Coon Creek (of Cutshin) 191
Wooten Creek (of Cutshin) 190
Wooten, W. D. _ 187
York, C. K. . .__212, 213
iXDHX xix
I^DEX D.
FOR THE SOUTH FORK.
Page.
Adams, James 272
Aery Branch of Collins Fork (of Goose Creek) 272
Ammie Postoffice (old Salt Works) 235
Asher, A. J. 258, 265
Asher Fork of Left Fork of Goose Creek _. • 277
Asher, Lucy (or James) : 260
Asher, R. W. ___ 265
Bear Branch of Big Creek (of Red Bird) _' 1 241
Bear Creek (of Red Bird) 255
Beech Creek (of Goose Creek) 267
Big Branch of Bullskin 236
Big Creek, of Red Bird 239
Big Double Creek, of Red Bird 245
Bird, Thomas 257
Blue Hole Creek, of Red Bird 262
Bowen Creek, of Red Bird 251
Bowling Branch of Jacks Creek (of Red Bird) 238
Bowling, D. 238, 239
Bullskin Creek . 236
Buzzard Creek (of Goose Creek) .__: 271
Byron, L. A. 272
Coals:
Beattyville 6, 8, 10,235
Dean. See Fireclay.
Elkhorn ___ ___, 6, 8, 12, 273, 278
Fireclay, 5, 6, 15, 236, 237, 238, 239, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 250, 251, 254,
255, 257, 259, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 272, 273. 276, 278.
Fireclay Rider 6, 8. 18, 236, 245, 255, 257. 258, 260, 262, 264, 273, 275, 276
Flag — 5,6,18,245
Haddix 5, 6, 8, 19, 245
Hazard -_5. 6, 8, 20, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 250, 258
Hindman 5, 24, 265, 266
Hyden. See Fireclay.
Manchester (No. 1) 6,8,10,235,236,250,267,269,270,271,273,274,275
No. la 268
No. 2 235, 272, 273, 276, 277, 278
Rockhouse. See Manchester.
xx INDEX
Coals — Continued: Page
Sand Lick. See Manchester.
Upper Dean. See Fireclay Rider.
Whitesburg 6, 14, 249, 250, 259
Collins Fork of Goose Creek 271
Collins, Richard 244
Cow Fork of Red Bird 260
Davidson Coal 236
Davidson, S. 236
Elishas Creek (of Red Bird) 249
Finley, J. M. - 242
Flat Creek (of Red Bird) 250
Gap in Kentucky Ridge, Between Red Bird Creek (of S. Fork) and Left
Fork of Straight Creek (of Cumberland River) 266
Garrard Mine 270
Gilbert Cannel 249
Gilberts Creek (of Red Bird) 247
Goose Creek 267
Hammonds Fork of Collins Fork (of Goose Creek) ___ 273
Hector Creek (of Red Bird) . 238
Hogskin Branch of Sexton Creek 235
Hopper, Mrs. 273
Hornsby, J. L. 269
Horse Creek (of Goose Creek) . 270
Hoskins, William ». 245
Hubbard, Alvis _ 254
Hun Jackson Branch (of Left Fork of Goose Creek) 278
Indian Grave Branch (of Left Fork of Goose Creek) 279, 280
Ingram Branch (of Collins Fork of Goose Creek) 272
Jacks Creek (of Red Bird, above Bowen Creek) 255, 257
Jacks Creek (of Red Bird, above Hector Creek) 238
Jackson, D. , 262
Jackson Mill 278
Jackson* Milton 278
Jones, J. M. 267, 268
Katys Creek (of Red Bird) 252
Knuckles, B. S. 266
Knuckles, George 266
Knuckles, J. B. 267
Laurel Branch of Sugar Creek (of Red Bird) 246
Laurel Creek (of Goose Creek) - 269
Lewis, Addison
Lick Branch (of Red Bird) • 264
Limestone, Bastard 258
Limestone, Fossil 258, 261, 267
Manchester, Coals in Vicinity of 270
Martins Creek (of Left Fork of Goose Creek) 275
INDEX xxi
Page.
Martins Creek Gap 251
McCullom Coal 246
McFadden Branch of Big Creek (of Red Bird) 243
McFadden, W. 243
Meadow Fork of Red Bird 266
Mills, Woodson 277
Morgan, Elisha 259
Morgan, E. L. 261
Otter Creek (of Left Fork of Goose Creek) 275
Patton Branch of Big Creek (of Red Bird) '. 244
Philips Fork of Red Bird 259
Pups Branch of Philips Fork (of Red Bird) 260
Red Bird Creek 238
Red Bird Creek, Coal at Head of 6
Rich Branch of Red Bird 265
Right Fork, Panther Branch of Flat Creek (of Red Bird) 250
Roark's Coal, Pups Branch . 260
Salt Works 270
Schoolhouse Branch, Ulysses Fork of Big- Creek (of Red Bird) 242
Sections:
Big Double Creek, of Red Bird, at Wm. Hoskins', On__ 245
Blue Hole Branch of Red Bird, On 263
Bowens Creek, of Red Bird, On . 251
Byron's (L. A.) At; on Ingram Branch of Collins Fork 272
Davidson's (S.), At; on Bullskin Creek 236
Gilberts and Elisha Creeks, of Red Bird 248
Hopper's (Mrs.), At; on Ingram Branch of Collins Fork 273
Indian Grave Creek (of Left Fork of Goose Creek), On 279
Jacks Creek and Philips Fork, of Red Bird, On 256
Jones's (J. M.), At; on Beech Creek, of Goose Creek 267
Katys Creek, of Red Bird, On 253
Lewis's (A.), At; on Hector Creek of Red Bird 238
Lick Branch of Red Bird, On 264
McFadden Branch, Red Bird, On 243
Morgan's (E.), At; on Philips Fork of Red Bird 259
Schoolhouse Branch of Big Creek, Red Bird, On__ _. 240
Sexton Creek 235
Short, James 250
Sisemore, Pleasant 244
Sisemore, Willet 255
Smith (B.) Heirs of 278
Smith, J. T. 276
Spring Creek (of Red Bird) 252
Spruce Pine or Piney Branch of Sugar Creek (of Red Bird) 246
Stinking Creek, Knox County '. 279
xxii INDEX
Page.
Stinking Creek Cannel, equivalent of Fireclay Coal Rider 273
Sugar Creek (of Red Bird) 246
Swafford, Isaac 271
Trace Branch of Bullskin Creek 237
Trace Branch of Left Fork of Goose Creek 276
Walker, J. B. 275
Warnock, James — , 237
White, Mrs. S. A. _ 274
Wilson, E. _ '. 274
INDEX xxiii
TO STREAMS.
NAMED IN THEIR ORDER, ASCENDING THE STREAM.
For Alphabetical Arrangement, See Index for the Respective Forks.
North Fork Water*: Page.
Troublesome Creek 26
Noble Branch 28
Lost Creek 29
Mill Branch 29
Leatherwood Branch 32
Cockerel Fork 33
Collins Branch 35
Fifteen Mile Creek 36
Sixteen Mile Creek 38
Will Branch 39
Russell Branch 42
Fugitt Branch 44
Buckhorn Creek 46
Bear Branch 46
Long Fork 47
Rush Branch 47
Williams Fork 48
Dans Fork 50
Toms Branch 52
Williams Branch 52
Balls Fork 53
Lick Branch 53
Wiley Fork 55
Pigeon Roost Branch 56
Combs Branch 56
Clear Creek 60
Shop Hollow - 60
Big Branch 61
Left Fork 61
Right Fork 62
Big Branch __• 66
Lick Branch 67
John Little Branch 68
Georges Creek 70
Caney Creek 72
Wolf Creek . 72
xxiv INDEX
Page.
North Fork -Wo tens — Coutiuued:
Grapevine Creek 74
Buck Branch . 76
Eversole Branch 76
Henson Branch 77
Rock Lick Branch 78
Fish-Trap Branch 79
Willard Creek 80
Pigeon Roost Branch 82
Big Creek 84
Peach Orchard Branch 88
Carnegie Branch 88
Lots Creek 91
Dark Fork (Helen Combs Branch) 91
Trace Fork 92
Elk Lick Fork 95
Walker Branch 96
Buffalo Creek 98
Carr Fork 100
Georges Branch 100
Rowdie Branch 101
Irishman Creek 102
Little Branch 103
Smith Branch ___ 103
Breeding Branch r_- 104
Sugar Branch 104
Mallet Fork 105
Little Carr 105
Wolf Pen Branch 106
Amburgy Branch 108
Betsy Troublesome 109
Brannon Creek 110
Maces Creek . 111
Left Fork 111
Right Fork 112
Big Branch 113
Leatherwood Creek 115
Little Leatherwood ' 115
Beech Fork 116
Grave Branch 117
Clover Fork 118
Oldhouse Branch 119
Stony Fork 120
Smith Branch 122
Line Fork 123
Turkey Creek 124
Defeated Creek . 126
INDEX xxv
North Fork Waters — Continued: p
Line Fork — Continued:
Dry Fork 127
Coils Branch 130
Rockhouse Creek 132
Doty Branch 133
Blair Branch 133
Little Colles 134
Millstone Branch . 134
Camp Branch 136
Right Fork 138
Trace Branch 139
Indian Creek _ 141
Love Branch 142
Big Branch 144
Left Fork ___ 146
Right Fork _ 147
Tolson Creek • 147
Kings Creek 148
Smoot Creek 150
Dry Creek 152
Cowan Creek : 153
Bert Estis Branch 153
Sand Lick Creek _ 155
Whitesburg 158
Colly Creek _ 160
Meadow, or Long Branch 161
Licking Rock Branch 161
Thornton Creek 163
Millstone Creek 164
Left Fork . 165
Right Fork 165
Boone Fork 168
Quillan Fork 168
Yonts Fork . 169
Wrights Fork 170
Potters Fork 170
Laurel Branch 171
Middle Fork Waters:
Beginning Branch 174
Turkey Creek 175
Canoe Creek 175
Longs Creek 176
Groundhog Branch 176
Squabble Creek 178
Guys Creek 179
Rush Creek _ 181
xxvi INDEX
Page.
Middle Fork Waters — Coutiuued:
Grassy Branch 183
Peach Orchard Branch 184
Hell-for-Certain Creek 184
Oldhouse Branch 185
Cutshin Creek 186
Mackintosh Creek 187
Feckley Branch 187
Hart Branch 187
Wooten Creek 190
Polecat Branch 191
Coon Creek 191
Wolf Creek 191
Laurel Fork 195
Guthrie Fork 197
Bull Creek 198
One Mile Creek 198
Nighway Branch 199
Asher Branch 199
Roberts Branch 200
Rockhouse Creek (Hyden) 201
Hurst Branch 204
Burnt Camp Branch . 206
Greasy Creek 206
Lick Branch 207
Honey Branch 207
Elk Branch 208
Laurel Fork 208
Feds Branch 208
Upper Double Branch 208
Gill Branch — 211
White Oak Creek 212
Pace Trace 213
Tantrough Branch 214
Lewis Creek 215
Abners Branch 217
Gabes Branch 218
Big Laurel Creek 219
Isaac Branch 220
Harmon Branch
Beech Fork • 221
Oldhouse Branch 221
Trace Branch
Reuben Branch 225
Chumley Branch 227
White Oak Branch . 229
INDEX xxvii
Mi. I ill.- Fork Waters — Continued: Page.
Roark Branch 230
Spruce Pine Branch 231
South Fork Waters:
Sexton Creek 235
Bullskin Creek 236
Big Branch ; 236
Trace Branch 237
Red Bird Creek 238
Hector Creek 238
Jacks Creek 238
Bowling Branch 238
Big Creek 239
Bear Branch 241
Ulysses Fork, Schoolhouse Branch 242
McFadden Branch 243
Patton Branch 244
Big Double Creek : 245
Sugar Creek . 246
Spruce Pine or Piney Branch 246
Laurel Branch 246
Gilberts Creek 247
Elisha's Creek 249
Flat Creek 250
Right Fork, Panther Branch 250
Bowens Creek 251
Spring Creek 252
Katys Creek 252
Bear Creek 255
Jacks Creek (above Bowens) 255
Philips Fork 259
B\ue Hole Creek 262
Lick Branch 264
Rich Branch 265
Meadow Fork . 266
Cow Fork - 266
Goose Creek 267
Beech Creek 267
Laurel Creek - 269
Manchester 269
Horse Creek 270
Collins Fork 271
Buzzard Creek 271
Aery Branch 272
Ingram Branch 272
Bull Creek 273
Hammonds Fork 273
xxviii INDEX
Page.
South Fork Waters — Continued:
Left Fork 274
Martins Creek 275
Otter Creek 275
Toms Branch 276
Asher Fork . 277
Hun Jackson Branch 278
Indian Grave Branch 279, 280
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
To His Excellency, AUGUSTUS E. WILLSON,
Governor of Kentucky.
Sir: This report on the coals of the region drained by the
Three Forks of the Kentucky River was, as is indicated Iby the author's
letter of submittal, ready for publication near the close of 1907. It
lias been in the hands of ifhe /printer somewhat more 'than two and a
half years. As you are aware, the writer is not responsible for the
long delay in putting it through the press.
Very respectfully,
C. J. NORWOOD,
Director, State Geological Survey.
Lexington, Ky.,
November 28, 1910.
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL.
PKOF. CHARLES J. NORWOOD,
Director, Kentucky Geological Survey.
DEAR SIR: — According to your instructions, I have made
a somewhat hasty exploration of the greater part of the drain-
age area of the three forks of the Kentucky river, with a view
to revision of my reports thereon of 1885 and 1886.
In the course of that work it was found that for greater
convenience of reference a new arrangement was desirable,
and, in consequence, the accompanying entirely new report
has been written, in which is collected, and presented in
geographical sequence, all available geological information of
the territory meriting notice.
Respectfully,
JAMES M. HODGE.
November, 1907.
REPORT ON THE COALS
OF THE
THREE FORKS OF KENTUCKY RIVER.
The title to this report includes somewhat more territory
than is covered by it, the lower portions of each Fork having
been, of necessity, omitted. The area covered is, on the North
Fork, its drainage from the mouth of Troublesome creek, in-
cluding that of the latter stream; the Middle Fork drainage
through Breathitt, Perry and Leslie counties ; the South Fork
from the Owsley-Clay county line to its heads.
Following a general review of the various coal beds are
given detail,0 of openings and localities, with running com-
ments upon them. The geographical arrangement there
adopted gives opportunity for reference in one place to all the
coals of each locality, so far as they have become known to the
writer. It should be borne in mind that many openings were
not visited for want of 'time fo<r it, and far more because of
their having fallen in.
The accompanying map gives, in 'blue figures, tide-water
elevations of some of the principal points of the region, and,
in underscored black figures the sea level elevation of the Fire-
clay coal bed, wherever found with its characteristic flint clay
or "jack-rock" parting. These latter elevations and others in
the text were obtained, usually, by barometric measurement of
the height of the opening from the adjacent main stream, to
which was added the height of that stream as determined from
the topographical maps of the II. S. Geological Survey. Two
12 •• KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
sources of error are, therefore, involved, which, doubtless,
have led' to considerable variation from the true heights, but
the general results show an unexpected 'conformity, and are
of much assistance in correlations.
The numbering of coal beds, heretofore adopted with ad-
vantage, is now discarded in favor of names for them. Few
of the beds are continuous in thickness and in character
.throughout the eastern part of the State; and local names are
more easily adopted into general use.
The topography of the region varies but little in its whole
extent, being a succession of narrow winding valleys, inclosed
by steep ridges with sharp summits. Width of valley is in
general roughly proportional to the >size of its stream, and the
rate of its fall inversely proportional to it. When the Lower
Conglomerate measures appear above drainage, as on the
North Fork from Whitesburg to Thornton creek, and on the
South Fork from Bullskin creek to Collins Fork, a soft shale
at 'the top of those measures has caused a more rapid wearing
and widening of the valleys. Shales on the Middle Fork in
the vicinity of Crockettsville have bad a like effect.
The top of the Conglomerate formation rises to a height
of 40 feet in sandstone cliffs with 50 feet of softer sandstone
on them at Whitesburg, and at M^anchester to a freight of 100
feet.
Of other sandstones, that one close under the Fire-clay
coal is mo'st worthy of remark, though perhaps not 'the most
conspicuous. It is most apt to form cliffs or narrow ravines
where it lies near drainage level, and the streams have
recently cut through it. This is especially noticeable on Lost
creek below Ten Mile creek, and on the North Fork at Squab-
ble creek. At these points the extreme crookedness of the
streams is attributed to a cross-roll of strata running about
with the county line southwestward from Lost creek; iwhich
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 3
may also have been influential in causing the near approach
of the two forks a few miles further south.
The cliffs appear on Cutshin creek, and on the Middle
Fork drainage above Hyden for a long distance, and seem to
have deterred farming along those streams to a considerable
degree.
On the eastern branches of Red Bird above Big creek the
place of the Fire-clay coal can often be approximately located
by the opening of the ravines and reduced rate of fall of the
streams on top of the sandstone, which seems to be particu-
larly hard here.
Loose pebbles have been found on this horizon at several
points along the North Fork, as detailed later, oftener above
the coal, and, according to one statement, they have been
found incorporated in the sandstone over the coal, but verifi-
cation is yet needed that conglomeratic rocks are to be found
near this horizon; their occurrence as such is certainly rare.
The most prominent sandstone above the Lower Con-
glomerate lies directly over the Haddix coal, in Breathitt
county, about 200 feet above the Fire-clay coal. Its cliff-
making tendency is seen at almost every opening of the coal
under it, yet it can seldom be identified without help from the
neighboring coals, for other sandstones, especially higher
ones, are of much the same character. Pebbles believed to
have come from this rock were found on Clover fork of
Leotherwood creek- (See page 118.)
About 500 feet above the Fire-clay coal over most of the
region, and probably 700 feet in its extreme southern part, is
a sandstone not especially conspicuous, of little area because
of its height, which may become of much interest as the top
of the Upper Conglomerate, prominent about the heads of the
Cumberland river. The correlation is not fully established,
and the only evidence yet obtained of its being conglomerate
on Kentucky river waters is in a single pebble found lying
4 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
loose in the road from Hazard to Hyden, in the gap at the
head of Mackintosh creek; but no especial attention has been
paid to the rock.
Excepting the north face of Pine Mountain, strata lie in
long, broad, undulating slopes of light pitch, nowhere averag-
ing over one per cent., other than in local rolls of minor im-
portance. Arrows on the map stow the direction of dip, as
do also the Fire-clay coal elevations there given, covering the
greater part of the region under review. Without too close
reliance on the accuracy of the figures, they still impart much
information.
From near the mouth of Troublesome creek, at the foot
of the southeasterly downward slope from the -border of the
ooal field in Wolfe county, a synclinal axis is foujnd to lie
along the North Fork southward through Breathitt into Perry
county, and thence crossing into Leslie county, following the
general direction of Cutshin creek up to its head; rising some
300 feet in that distance of 40 miles. The rise is not uniform
but is confined mostly to its southern half, and there the rise
alp>pears to increase southward.
East of this axis there is an easterly and southeasterly
rise, which brings the Lower Conglomerate to the surface
along the North Fork between Sand Lick creek and Boone
Fork. These and intermediate tributaries of the North Fork,
on the nortih, have strata lying nearly level, but east and
north of them the rise is continuous throughout the North
Fork drainage area.
The foot-hills of Pine Mountain show strata somewhat
distorted by the fault which came with its uplifting. The Coal
Measures are cut off at the main base of the mountain by this
fault.
West of the synclinal axis there is a southwest rise which
extends through Kentucky Eidge to Pine Mountain, but on
Goose creek from Manchester up to Asher fork of the main
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 5
stream and to Hammond's fork of Collins fork this dip is
reversed.
The foregoing deductions disregard slight undulations of
strata, which may sometimes give reversals of the general dip,
especially likely to occur where the course o'f the stream is
contrary to that dip. Every locality must eventually be
worked out by itself, for which this general description may
serve as a guide; and this may be mo-dined to some extent on
gaining a more accurate knowledge of elevations.
The following general section gives the approximate
relative position, in descending order, of the principal coal
beds of the region, with names as adopted in this report, in
part new and in part as locally known:
Hihdman Coal Bed.
Interval, 100 to 150 feet in Knox county and northern
Perry county.
Flag Coal Bed.
Interval, 40 to 80 feet in Breathitt and Knox counties, and
in northern Perry county.
Hazard Coal Bed.
Interval, 80 to TOO feet, except in the extreme south and
west.
Haddix Coal Bed.
Interval, 200 feet, except in the extreme south and west.
Fire-Clay or Hyden Coal Bed. (Formerly called No. 4.)
Interval, 30 to 60 feet.
6 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Whitesburg Coal Bed.
Interval, 150 feet.
Elkhorn Coal Bed. (Formerly called No. 3.)
Interval, 200 feet in Southern Knox and Letcher counties.
Rockhouse or Manchester Coal Bed. (Formerly called No. 1.)
Interval, 200 feet at Beattyville.
Beattyville Coal Bed.
The interval between the Fire-clay coal and the Hind-
man bed, about 530 feet between Hindman and Hyden, is
believed to increase to about 730 feet at the head of Middle
fork.
Two other beds, at least, are known to be workable, one
of them being between the Ro-ckhpuse and Elkhorn beds, the
other a rider to the Fire-clay coal, sometimes rising to 60
feet above it.
Nine beds are known to carry cannel coal. They are:
(1) A thin bed in Clay county, over the Manchester coal.
(2) The Elkhorn bed in Letcher county. (3) The Whites-
burg bed in Letcher county and on Middle Fork and Elisha's
creek, Leslie county. (4) The Fire-clay coal at intervals over
much of the region. (5) The rider to the Fire-clay coal at
intervals over much of the region. (6) The Haddix coal in
Breathitt and Perry counties. (7) The Hazard coal in south-
eastern Leslie county. (8) The Flag coal in Breathitt and in-
to Perry county. (9) A rider to the Hindman bed on Big
creek. Perry county. A cannel coal opening at the head of
Red Bird in Bell county, not correlated, is either of the Hind
man bed or of one close to it.
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE PORKS. 7
Splint coal in varying proportions is common to all the
beds.
Analyses of coals are given under the headings of .the
respective localities from which they were taken, and in ad-
dition thereto some of those representative of the several beds
are repeated in the following table.
In many instances, as noted, however, the samples for
analysis were necessarily taken from outcrops, and therefore
gave an excessive proportion of ash, with corresponding re-
duction of valuable constituents, for which due allowance
should be made. Though the coals are generally variable in
quality in each bed, it is believed that they will rarelv fall
below a fairly high standard of excellence.
The numbers in the first column of the table followed by
the letter "r" refer to the numbers used in the Chemical Re-
ports of the Survey; those followed by the letter "1", to the
laboratory records.
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
TABLE OF ANALYSES
Labor'y
No. (1)
Rep.
No. (r)
Name of Eed
Location. County
Total Coal
Inches
2703?
Beattyville
1
Sturgeon Cr. _ _ -Lee
47
27041
Beattyville
Sturgeon Cr. Lee
34
2357r
Rockhouse
Rockhouse Cr. Letcher
44
2358r
Rockliouse
Mouth of Sand Lick Cr. _ Letcher
25$
2359r
Rockhouse _ _
Mouth of Sand Lick Cr. Letcher _
28t
2649r
Manchester
Goose Creek . . ciav
39
2756J
Elkhorn
Mouth of Little Carr Knott
46
2352r
Elkhorn _
Laurel Br. North Fork Letcher
96
236 Ir
Elkhorn
Same opening; Lower seam Letcher
70
Elkhorn
Potters Fork - Letcher
83
Elkhorn
Same, 48-hr. Coke - Letcher
Elkhorn _
Same, 72-hr. Coke _ _ Letcher
2528r
Fireclay Coal
Lost Cr. _ Breathitt
24
27541
Fireclay Coal
Rockhouse Cr. _ _ _ Letcher
\ c. c.
27531
Fireclay Coal
Millstone Cr. Letcher
| 18
66
2737r
Fireclay Coal
Rockhouse Cr. _ Leslie
69
2735r
Fireclay Coal
Greasy Cr. _ _ Leslie
44
2647r
Fireclay Coal _
Indian Grave Br. _ Clay
51
2739r
Rider to Firwlav CoaL
Beech Fork Leslie
j c. c.
2282r
Haddix _ _
Mouth Troublesome Cr Breathitt
{ 38
C. r' .
2530r
Haddix
Russell Br. Breathitt
58
2795r
Haddix
Mouth of Squabble Cr Perry
36
2735?
Hazard
Mouth of Dan Fork Knott
58
27551
Hazard _ _
Hind man Knott
42
27381
Hazard*
Laurel Fk. Cutshin Leslie
67
27371
Hazard
Laurel Fk. Cutshin Leslie
1 c. c.
27331
Flag _
15 Mile Cr. Perrv
I 23
86
27321
Flag
16 Mile Cr. Perry
58
iUpper seam.
ttower seam.
*Analysis of bituminous portion.
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS.
KENTUCKY RIVER COALS.
ANALYSIS.
Specific
Gravity.
Moisture.
Volatile
Comb.
Matter.
Fixed
Carbon.
Ash.
Sulphur.
Character of
Coke.
1.345
4.16
38.97
49.24
7.63
1.97
Spongy.
1.299
3.53
40.51
49.00
6.96
2.60
Spongy .
1.242
1.46
35.84
58.60
4.10
1 .063
Light Spongy.
1.277
1.30
39.60
55.20
3.90
2.812
Light Spongy.
1.286
1.60
30.40
56.60
5.40
1,060
Light Spongy.
1.278
1.48
35.92
54.70
7.90
0.885
Spongy.
1.367
2.92
34.90
54.36
7.82
0.65
Friable.
1.291
3.26
32.24
61.60
2.90
0.656
Dense.
1.319
2.86
31.54
62.10
3.50
0.535
Dense.
1.950
37.350
57.367
2.800
0.533
0.302
1.623
91.320
6.165
0.590
0.170
1.135
91.731
6.505
0.459
1.366
1.40
35.90
52.50
10.20
3.483
Spongy.
1.309
0.39
46.11
40.50
13.00
2.00
Dense.
1.333
1.43
37.00
53.35
8.22
0.71
Spongy.
1.279
0.74
36.06
54.00
9.20
1.307
Spongy
1.251
1.72
35.02
57.60
5.66
0.599
Spongy .
1.288
1.10
35.60
56.90
6.40
0.885
Light Spongy.
1.10
44.20
49 7A
UOP
Ofion
TO • t \J
• Uv
.O'JU
Dense.
1.212
1.60
46.60
46.80
5.00
0.824
Dense Spongy.
1.345
3.80
35.60
54.80
5.80
0.875
Dense.
1.257
1.90
37.10
57.90
3.10
0.749
Spongy.
1.294
1.76
41.98
49.67
6.59
1.83
Dense Spongy.
1.264
1.44
41.67
52.24
4.65
1.05
Spongy.
1.290
1.67
38.78
53.91
5.64
1.34
Dense Spongy.
1 . 225
1.56
46.94
45.16
6.34
0.72
Dense.
1.337
2.48
35.51
52.43
9.58
1.05
Dense Spongy.
1.297
2.09
38.61
54.21
5.09
0.83
Dense Spongy.
10 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Eeattyville Coal Bed. — This Inter-Conglomerate coal, the
lowest of the series, is given its name because of its having
been mined at Beattyville for nearly fifty years. It is now
mined to a considerable extent at various other points in the
vicinity, with generally 3 to 5 feet thickness of coal, but it
sometimes runs below workable limit.
It sinks below drainage at St. Helens, at the junction of
the North and Middle Forks, and farther up those streams its
depth below them is governed not alone by the fall and dip
of the strata, but probably also by an increase in the thickness
of Conglomerate measures overlying the coal.
This would probably result in carrying the coal, within
a few miles of those two Forks, to a depth prohibitive of min-
ing for many years to come, for, though in the vicinity of
WMtesburg the Conglomerate measures appear above the
North Fork level, their thickness, as developed on Pine Mount-
tain, is such as to carry the coal far below the .surface.
On the South Fork the case differs. There the strata rise
with the stream, and the Conglomerate measures probably in-
crease to much less extent, so that there is a fair prospect of
finding the bed of workable thickness at 'moderate depth as far
up as and even beyond Manchester.
Similar coal of equal thickness in the Conglomerate of
Pine and Stone mountains tends to the theory of a rather
uniform deposit underlying mo'St of the intervening region.
The coal is a bright, pitch-black block and splint coal,
which, in spite of its carrying more sulphur than do the higher
coals of the Three Forks, stands well in the market as a steam
and domestic coal, after long use especially in Richmond and
other towns of Central Kentucky.
Analyses of the coal are given below; Nos. 1865, 1866,
1867 by Dr. R. Peter from samples collected for the Survey
by Prof. A. R. Crandall from the vicinity of Beattyville; Nos.
2703 and 2704 by A. M. Peter from my samples taken from
Sturgeon creek.
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE PORKS.
1 1
BEATTYVILLE BED. No. 1865 No. 1866 No. 1867 No. 2703 No. 2704.
Moisture -
_ _ 2.30
2.10
4.00
4.16
3.5U
Volatile comb, matter
38.10
38.10
35.50
38.97
40 51
Fixed carbon _
51.64
51.64
55.50
49.24
49.00
Ash - - -
_ 7.96
8.26
5.00
7.63
6.96
Sulnlmr .
100.00
. _2.356
100.00
3.991
100.00
1.041
100.00
1.97
100.00
2.60
L't.
Coke spongy
Specific gravity 1.331
Color of ash lilac
gray
L't.
spongy spongy
1.334 1.307
lilac light
gray lilac gray
spongy spongy
1.345 1.299
brownish purple
Rockhouse or Manchester Coal Bed. — This bed, numbered
Coal 1 in former reports and known as the Sand Lick bed in
the vicinity of Whitesburg, is here given the name of Rock-
house, because of its many good exposures along that stream
in Letcher county. For Clay county the name of the town of
Manchester is applied to the bed, its coal being the only source
of supply in that vicinity.
The bed is the lowest of the Carboniferous formation, and
is supposed to be some 200 feet above the Beattyville bed,
where the latter goes below drainage at St. Helens. The
former is below drainage throughout the region ex-
cept in Letcher and Clay counties. In Letcher county
the bed >crops out near the. base of the hills along Rockhouse
creek from below Camp branch nearly to the head of the creek,
about 4 feet of clean coal. It is exposed on the North Fork
and branches, also low down, from Kings creek nearly to
Thornton, but with more variable section, running from 2
to 5 feet of coal; but where thickest it is divided into two
nearly equal parts, with the parting sometimes giving it the
appearance of two distinct beds.
In Clay county the bed is in outcrop low down along the
South Fork and up the. Red Bird to Flat creek, where it goes
12 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
below drainage. At Manchester it is 100 feet high, and thence
southward falls below drainage near the county line on the
Right fork and on the Left fork above Otter creek. In this
county it varies generally from 2 to 4 feet without parting,
its best condition being found on Laurel and Horse creeks,
where it closely approaches 4 feet of clean coal. It was
formerly mined to considerable extent for use at the salt
works along Goose creek, but with the abandonment of that
industry the mines fell into disuse.
As in Northeastern Kentucky, the coal seems to be re-
markably pure, and especially as regards sulphur. The
quality of the coal is perhaps more uniform than in any other
bed of the series. Analyses of it are given in the detailed sec-
tion of this report under the headings of the streams from
which samples were taken.
Between the Rockhouse and Elkhorn beds, 80 to 120 feet
from either, is a workable bed not included in the preceding
enumeration of beds, as it cannot yet be identified elsewhere
than in a rather restricted area of Letcher county. On Colly
and Thornton creeks and Boone fork it gives a nearly uniform
section closely approaching 4 feet in thickness, without
parting; corresponding with sections of the Rockhouse bed on
Rockhouse creek. It appears, though, to be of poorer quality.
On Colly it has a thin streak of cannel and an inconstant part-
ing.
Elkhorn Coal Bed. — This bed, called No. 3 in a former
report, lies near drainage level on the lower part of Trouble-
some creek, where it is thin or badly split up with partings.
This seems to be the case in the vicinity of Hindman, where it
appears to have risen above the creek, but it may possibly
be. still below.
It rises to Carr fork at the mouth of Breeding creek and
has 3 1-2 to 4 feet of coal, injured by partings, at the mouth
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 13
of Little Carr. Further up C'arr and on Rockhouse creek,
rising somewhat faster than the stream-beds, it appears to
run about the same thickness of coal without parting, the
lower 6 inches to 12 inches frequently cannel coal.
The bed disappears below the main North Fork near the
mouth of Troublesome creek and rises again near the mouth
of Line fork with coal too thin to make identification posi-
tive. Thence it rises to some. 150 feet above the mouth of
Rockhouse creek and 350 feet above Whitesburg. Thence up
the river it rises but slowly, being only 180 feet above the
mouth of Potter's fork. On Colly and Thornton creeks the
bed is reported of workable thickness, but only on crossing to
the east of Boone fork does it appear with 8 feet of coal,
which it carries through into Pike comnty.* This coal in
Letcher county appears generally to be good, but only that
of the thickest openings has been thoroughly tested for coke.
The results have been so satisfactory as to leave no question
of its availability for that purpose, and raise it to estimation
as one of the most valuable beds of the State.
On the Middle Fork the bed probably rises to outcrop
about at the mouth of Guy's creek and is opened to 4 feet
nearly clean coal on Rush creek. Thence to Bull creek it lies
unopened at or near river level, but two miles above Bull
creek, at the Asher mines, it is 50 feet above the river, and
with 4 1-2 feet of coal. For the next two miles, to Hyden, the
bed shows but about 2 1-2 feet of coal and above Hyden still
less.
At the Rush creek and Asher mines the coal is apparently
of excellent quality, the main body of it being splint coal.
*For a description of this coal in Pike county, see Bulletin No. 4, Ken-
tucky Geological Survey.
14 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Elsewhere on the Middle Fork, where noted, it seems to be
softer and more of the nature of coking coal.
On the South Fork waters the bed has not been found any-
where of workable thickness, though at the mouth of Asher
fork, Goose creek, it is nearly so.
Whitesburg Coal Bed. — Lake the Elkhorn, this bed is
thin and not positively identified on Troublesome creek waters
near its mouth, though its usual occurrence with black slate
roof should make correlation comparatively easy. The bed
soon goes delow drainage up Troublesome and Lost creeks,
and appears only as thin coal when risen to surface near
Hindman.
On the main North Fork it is also mostly below drainage
up to Hazard, where it has been worked in an entry at road
level at the upper end of the town, where its partings ruin the
bed, and it is not known to. be of workable thickness lower
down stream than Rockhouse creek. At the head of Camp
branch it has 4 feet of what appears to be excellent coal,
but so high in the hills there that its area is not large. If of
equal thickness farther down Rockhouse a deposit of much
value remains to be found, and openings on the North Fork
give favorable prospect for it.
On Smoot creek the bed has H to 3 feet of cannel coal
with a little soft coal on top of it, and across the ridge on
Dry creek nearly 5 feet of soft coal, its best exhibit. Beyond
this the bed is recognized only opposite Whitesburg, 500 feet
above the river, where it has 3 to 3i feet of coal, mainly splint.
The high hill here gives it a considerable area.
On the Middle Fork it is conspicuous, but thin, along the
road from Long to Guys creek, its black slate covering being
especially noticeable.
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 15
But few openings into the bed are known to have been
made above Guys creek, and they are thin, except two on the
main stream near the mouth of Beech fork, where there is
nearly 4 feet of clean coal within 60 feet of the river. The
extent of this coal needs development, and in this connection
the 32-inch coal, half cannel, of the same bed in Elisha's creek,
should be noted, though the bed thins toward the head of that
creek.
Excepting this opening on Elisha's creek, the bed is not
known of workable thickness on South Fork waters.
Where of workable thickness, the coal appears to be
of excellent quality, generally in large proportion splint coal.
As 'cannel it is rare
Fire-Clay-Coal Bed. — This bed, previously called No. 4,
may be given the name of Hyden to conform with the nomen-
clature now adopted, though, as it is quite generally known
on the Three Forks as the Fire-clay coal bed, that name is
preferred in this report. It is the "Dean" coal of the Cumb-
erland river basin, and carries its characteristic flint-clay
parting, rarely wanting, but sometimes forming the floor of
the bed in the absence of the lower seam of coal. Occasion-
ally a "jack-rock" takes the place of the pure flint clay.
Because of this usually unmistakable parting, the bed
serves as a safe key to correlation throughout nearly the
whole region, and far beyond its limits.
The general map accompanying this report gives in un-
derscored black figures the elevation of the bed above tide, as
deduced from the U. S. topographical maps. The more accur-
ate height above drainage of each opening is given in the
latter part of this report.
The bed is first recognized on North Fork waters just
before going below drainage on Lost creek, with 2£ feet of
16 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
rather poor coal. It emerges on Troublesome, creek probably
in the neighborhood of Dwarf P. 0. (half way between Bulls
Fork and Montgomery branch), and at Hindman it is about
230 feet above the creek. Only near the head of the Eight
Fork, where the bed is low in the hills, is the bed known to be
of workable thickness on Troublesome waters.
On the North Fork above Troublesome, the bed is first
recognized on Grapevine creek near its mouth, 3 feet of
coal, but it thickens to 5 feet on Eversole branch, where
it is 100 feet above the river. On Henson branch, cannel coal
appears at the bottom of the bed, which is hardly workable
there, according to the section obtained, but beyond it im-
proves to Fish-Trap branch, where it has over 4i feet of clean
coal. On Willard creek it is thin and continues so to beyond
Big creek, but thence to Hazard it is workable.
From Hazard, where the bed is about 80 feet above the
river, up to the head of Carr fork and on Bockhouse creek
the bed has generally 3 to 5 feet of coal, sometimes part
cannel, sometimes, where with most coal, with several partings,
nowhere prohibitive of mining. On Carr its maximum height
above the creek is about 200 feet, but toward the head of
Rockhouse it lies clo'se to the tops of the hills. On Line fork
it appears to be thin, except near Pine Mountain, where it has
3 feet of coal on the. parting and none under it. It goes
below drainage about three miles west of Hurricane gap.
Above Line fork the coal has not been found of workable
thickness.
On Middle Fork the bed has not been recognized below
Guys creek, where it is about 240 feet above the river, 4
feet of coal with thin characteristic 'parting. Beyond this
creek it is thin to Cutshin creek, where it runs nearly the
whole length of the creek, 3 to 4 feet of coal near the bases
of the hills.
It reaches probably its maximum thickness on Middle
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 17
Fork, nearly 6 feet of coal, 170 feet above the river, two
miles up Rockhouse creek, but is thin again at the head of
the creek.
From Hurst branch southward what little is known of the
bed indicates worthlessness, until it comes near to drainage
level. Then for a few miles before going below drainage
towards the heads of Greasy creek, Beech, and the main forks
the bed shows 3 to 4 feet of coal in many places, with hardly
any not workable.
On the South Fork numerous openings into this bed on the
east side of Red Bird creek indicate a constant workable
thickness of coal, which a closer examination shows to be
illusive. There are, doubtless, a number of areas which can
be worked profitably when means of transportation is pro-
vided, but they need to be examined in detail to determine
their extent, and for this purpose the latter part of this report
will serve as a beginning.
On the west side of Eed Bird the bed has been found of
workable thickness first on the head of Flat creek, high in
the hill. From this point southward detached workable areas
may be found, increasing in size as the head of Red Bird is
approached, toward which the strata dip.
The bed goes below drainage with good thickness about a
mile from the head of Red Bird, and appears again, its upper
seam over 4 feet thick, (with parting three inches below the
coal), two miles down the Left Fork of Straight creek.
With some uncertainty as to correlation, the 4 feet
of coal, low down near the head of Goose creek, is referred to
this bed. It is the only thick coal above the Manchester bed
on Goose creek waters known to the writer.
The quality of the coal in this bed is as variable as the
18 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
thickness. It is occasionally in whole or in part cannel, and,
where thick, usually a considerable portion is splint coal. The
soft coal, with few exceptions, appears to be good and some-
times suitable for making coke.
Fire-Clay Coal Rider. — This bed is probably the most
variable of any coal of the region both as to its position
relative to the coal below it and as to the thickness and
quality of its coal, and it owes its importance largely to
its association with the Fire-clay coal. Its distance
above the latter varies, apparently, from actual con-
tact up to 30 feet, and sometimes even 60 feet, though
it is quite possible that in the latter case another seam
of coal has been mistaken for it. Its thickness of coal
varies from nothing up to 5 or 6 feet, and though probably
most frequently found as cannel, in whole or in part, it often
carries only common coal.
On North Fork waters the bed is generally absent or so
thin as to be unnoticed, only on Lost creek and Line fork
(Defeated creek) showing a thickness approaching im-
portance, having in both places 35 inches of coal with thin
parting additional. Mention should also be made of the splint
bed at Thomas Johnson's shown in figure 59.
On the Middle Fork, Hell-for-Certain creek gives the
bed's first exhibit, with 1-| feet of coal, but only well up the
main streams above does it give indications of value,
and these are not continuous. Its 5 feet of coal on Cutshin
above Pauls creek; its apparent contact with the Fire-clay
coal on Greasy creek, Elk branch; and reported 46 inches
cannel on Tantrough branch, and 38 inches on Beech fork,
Oldhouse branch, prove possible working areas, which, how-
ever, must be regarded of small extent, because openings not
far distant from each show the bed of much less thickness.
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 19
On the South Fork the bed is first noticed on Red Bird
creek, thin, on the head of Big creek; and again thin, but
cannel coal, near the head of Red Bird. Between these two
points a few openings of thick coal have been found, but
the amount of coal which can be obtained from them is
probably very small.
About the main heads of Goose creek other workable
deposits may be found, but the bed has not been identified
on Goose creek waters. Opposite the head of Collins fork, on
Stinking creek, it has 3 feet of solid coal.
Haddix Coal Bed. — Comparatively little is known of
this bed, partly because frequently in part cannel it par-
takes of the nature of that coal in occurring only at intervals
in thick pockets, and largely because of its being
ordinarily under a massive sandstone, its outcrop at
the back of a wide bench where it is deeply covered.
Its exposures are somewhat rare and its identifica-
tion is apt to be difficult. Wherever tested it has proved
remarkably pure, both as cannel and as bituminous coal.
Though probably without any large continuous workable
area, its pockets furnish a large amount of particularly fine
fuel, and probably far rrjore than is yet developed.
One of its most promising areas is on Lower Trouble-
some creek and its vicinity, where the bed is well known
though not fully developed. At the mouth of the creek the
coal reaches a thickness of nearly 4 feet, and on Russell branch
4^ feet, but with thin partings. Up Lost creek it
soon becomes thin, but on Bear branch and on Williams
fork of Buckhorn it appears as nearly or quite 3 feet
thick. On Trace branch of Troublesome (near Dwarf P. 0.),
it has a foot of cannel, with less bituminous coal, and, so far
as known, does not attain workable thickness farther up the
creek.
20 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Probably a second pocket lies up the North Fork, the
bed showing well on Caney and Georges creek and reaching
its maximum known thickness, 88 inches, on Wolf creek.
On Grapevine creek it has over 4 feet of coal, running
down to 3 feet on Bo-ck Lick branch, and to 32 inches on Pigeon
Boost branch. Farther up North Fork waters it has been
found only thin, excepting on Line fork towards its head,
where it has nearly 5 feet of coal. Between Leatherwood and
Line fork, and perhaps farther west, the bed appears to sep-
arate into two distinct beds.
On the Middle Fork it is first recognized on Long's creek,
6 feet thick, but is down to 3% feet five miles above Long and
to 3 feet near Squabble creek. At five miles above Guys creek
it has 2 feet of bituminous on 10 inches cannel coal, and be-
yond, up Middle Fork waters, it has been found only with
such heavy partings or thin coal as to make it of no value,
except in one place on Cut shin creek. On Coon creek, a branch
of Wolf, it has 4 feet of coal and 3 thin partings.
On South Fork waters it has little workable area except-
ing near Kentucky ridge, and nowhere there is it known to
have workable thickness of coal.
Hazard Bed. — This bed appears to have good thickness,
ranging generally from 4 to 8 feet of coal, on North Fork
waters, with an average of perhaps 4i to 5 feet. It has
usually two partings, sometimes three and even four, but they
are generally thin and occasionally wholly absent. Though
containing more, or less splint, the coal is generally softer than
that of the beds below and more likely to make good coke.
About the mouth of Troublesome creek the bed is too
high in the hills to carry large areas, but its 4^ to 5 feet of
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 21
coal will induce early working, and in Flint ridge, between
Troublesome creek and Jackson a considerable area is avail-
able. Also, on the ridges between the North Fork, Lost and
Troublesome creeks, Ball's and Long forks and Buckhorn,
large areas of the coal have been found, reaching a thickness
of over 7 feet, and nowhere but on Fifteen-Mile creek, near
the head of Lost creek, known to be under 3 feet in thickness.
There it has 34 inches of coal without parting, and at other
points where there is less than 4 feet of 'Coal the partings have
been found absent. About the heads of the shorter of the
above streams the coal is near water level and consequently
has good area.
Up Lots creek and on the ridges north of it the coal ap-
pears to continue of good thickness, but being largely cut out
by side valleys comparatively little is known of it. At the
head of Lost creek it has considerable area with 4 feet of
coal opened, and small area near Hindman with 3i feet
mined.
On the North Fork waters from Troublesome creek to
Hazard the bed appears to be continuously good, except that
on Carnegie branch, opposite the head of Sixteen-Mile creek,
the coal shows a little less than 3 feet. Opposite Hazard,
on the Big creek road, it makes a fine showing at the Combs
mine, 55 inches of coal, largely isplint, without parting.
Between Carr fork and Rockhouse creek, up to Love
branch, there is a considerable area of the coal, but nothing
is known of it there.
Between Kockhouse and the North Fork it is too high
for workable area.
Towards the head of Leatherwood it ranges from 4 to
5i feet of workable coal, and on upper Line fork from 5 to
71 feet, with considerable areas on each stream.
22 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
On the Middle Fork waters it has been found thick only
in the vicinity of Kentucky ridge, where it has large areas.
On Cutshin creek, Laurel fork, it has 5i feet of nearly
clear coal, of which almost two feet is cannel, and at the mouth
of Isaac branch, head of Greasy creek, 4i feet bituminous.
On Beech fork it has 3i to 4 feet, but on the main head the
bed is not known.
On South Fork waters there are but two known openings
into the bed giving thick coal. They are on Big and on Sugar
creeks, not far apart, giving 4 and 7 feet, respectively, of
workable «coal.
A good area of this coal lies in the main ridge east of
Eed Bird creek, but the coal has been found only thin or much
split up farther up Red Bird. It is not known on Goose creek
waters, being generally high in the hills or too high to touch
them.
Flag Coal.— This coal lying often near the Hazard bed,
and sometimes with similar coal and partings, may easily be
mistaken for the latter. It is not infrequently in part cannel
coal, which is rarely the case with the lower bed.
About the mouth of Troublesome creek the bed shows
favorably, but too near the tops of the hills to be of much
importance.
Up Lost creek it appears to be thin to above Ten-Mile
creek, but then, on Collins branch, it has nearly 5 feet of
•coal; and from Fifteen-Mile creek to the head it is finely
•developed, with openings on either side of the main ridges
Tanging from 3i to nearly 9 feet of coal, most of them over
.5 feet, and a large, area available. In connection with the Haz-
ard coal below it, this region is particularly favored, but its
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 23
prominence may be due in considerable measure to the more
thorough development than has been made elsewhere.
Another valuable area lies in Flint ridge, west of lower
Troublesome creek where the coal is 4 to 6 feet thick.
On the head of Long fork of Buckhorn it is 5 feet thick,
with the Hazard coal opened to about the same thickness
directly under it.
On Troublesome for a few miles above Buckhorn it ap-
pears to be thin, but riser, to 7 feet of coal opposite the head of
Lost creek, falling back soon to 3i thick. Farther up Trouble-
some it is unknown.
On the North Fork above Troublesome it soon gets thin,
and then has not been identified until on Peach Orchard
branch, across from the head of Sixteen-Mile creek, where it
has nearly 8 feet of coal, of which one and one half feet is
cannel ; and again on Carr fork, at the head of Irishman
creek, 5 feet of coal. On Maces creek, near its mouth, what
is probably the same bed has nearly 5 feet of >coal, while
on Line fork it shows less than 2 feet, and again, near its head
over 5 feet. As with the bed below, it is too high to be
workable east of Rockhouse creek or south of it, but the Ken-
tucky ridge extension along Line fork must have a good area
of it,
On the Middle Fork waters it appears to be thin and
generally of small 'area, excepting towards the main heads,
and but few openings into it are known. With 3 feet on
Wolf creek (of Cut shin),' over 5 feet on Reuben branch, Beech
fork, and 82 and 4 feet on the main head, the prospect is good
for a very valuable bed all along Kentucky ridge, which
apparently has had no openings made on its north side, except
where natural exposures of coal induced them. A systematic
search for coal may reasonably be expected to develop much
heretofore unknown.
On the South Fork the bed can be only in the vicinity of
Kentucky ridge, where it is not known to have been opened.
24 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Hindman Coal Bed. — With hardly more than a dozen
openings into this bed in the whole region, it may
yet be ' said of it that it is probably the one of
most constant good thickness, and it seems to be a
question of area rather than of thickness which gives it
value. A num'ber of heavy coal stains seen, but not opened,
tend to confirm this opinion. The coal appears also more
uniform in quality than that of other beds, and more promis-
ing as a coking coal.
On the Left fork of Troublesome creek it gives its least
thickness, hardly 4 feet of coal, and on the Eight fork its
greatest, 9i feet, but with little area at either place.
On the heads of Big creek (west of the mouth of Carr
fork) it has 5 to 6 of coal, with six inches of cannel in one of
them, and on Little Carr 6£ feet, also with little area at either
place.
The remaining eight known openings are all on Middle
Pork waters above the mouth of Cutshin creek, and they range
in thickness of coal from 4 to 7 feet. But excepting in Ken-
tucky ridge and the high spurs jutting northward from
it, 'there can be little available working area of the bed.
A systematic development of the bed there is much needed.
On the following pages are given details of openings
visited, together with a running description of such matters
-&s might merit notice in connection with them. For conven-
ience of reference they are arranged geographically, the main
streams being taken up in succession from left to right; and
they are followed from lower points up to their heads, taking
their tributaries as they come, and always working as far as
this allows from left to right. These terms, left and right, are
used invariably as when looking ur stream, being preferred
KENTUCKY RIVER, THREE FORKS. 25
to the use of points of the compass because of the crooked-
ness of the streams.
Surface distances, given in miles, are from the best sources
available, often simply guesses, never from measurement on
the ground. They are, like the sea-level elevations, intended
to serve as a convenient approximation and aid to future ex-
amination, whether by the casual visitor or for thorough
exploitation. While elevations are without doubt in many
cases far from correct, they will serve for relative heights
in all localities, and help in correlations, which are not yet
fully determined. In the same way underground distances,
in yards, are given without attempt at accuracy. Thicknesses
of strata given in feet are approximate only; given in inches
they may be relied upon as correct.
26
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
KENTUCKY RIVER, TROUBLESOME CREEK.
Figure 1 represents the coal of the old Haddix or Sewell
mine (Now llargis Mine?) opposite the mouth of Troublesome
creek, and of a higher old opening on the east side of the
river, as given by P. N. Moore, formerly a member of the
Survey. Those openings lie near the
loot of the long southerly slope of
strata extending from the Wolfe
county boundary of the coal fields,
the center of a small stratigraph-
ical basin having been formed about or
near the mouths of Troublesome and
Quicksand creeks. For a short distance
southward from the moiuith of Trouble-
some and Lost creeks a somewhat rapid
rise of strata has occurred.
The lower of the two coals, 240 feet
above the river, is of the Haddix bed.
Northward and westward this bed ap-
pears to be of little value, but up Trou-
blesome a few promising openings, and
up the North Fork more of them, give
assurance of its being an important fac-
tor in the development of the field in this
vicinity.
The quality of the coal, generally
excellent in this bed, is well indicated
by the following analyses, Nos. 160, 170
and 2282, the two former sampled by
Mr. Moore, the latter by Mr. C. G. Blakeley, analyzed by
Dr. R. Peter of the Kentucky Geological Survey; and "A"
Cannel Coat
Hacfct/x Coctt
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
27
and "B", samples from the Hargis mine, analyzed by Prof.
Thomas Egleston. of Columbia College.
HADDIX COAL.
Moisture
1.10
1.30
1.60
2.78
Volatile comb, matter
48.90
47.00
46.60
48.22
Fixed carbon
47.00
44.40
46.80
44.24
Ash
3.00
7.30
5.00
4.76
Sulphur
100.00
0.241
100.00
1.574
100.00 1
0.824
00.00
0.78
Specific gravity
1.211
1.65
1.212
Color of ash
buff
brownish
brownish
s'dust
Coke _____ _ .
gray
dense
gray
dense
spongy
HADDIX MINE. HARGIS MINE.
No. 160 No. 170 No. 2282 "A" "B"
Cannel Cannel Cannel Cannel Bituminous
5.27
38.00
52.02
4.71
100. OC
0.84
s'dust
The eannel is a clean, tougii, elastic, pitch-black coal, in
appearance as in the above analyses well meriting the high
regard in which it was held in Central Kentucky, where it was
much uised before the introduction of cheap coal by rail led
to the abandonment of shipments by boat down the river.
Fifty feet below the upper bed of figure 1, iand 350 feet
above the river, Mr. Moore noted a coal stain, reported 4
feet thick, which belongs to what is now named the Hazard
bed. The report of its thickness is probably true, but in view
of the excessive partings which the bed sometimes carries, it
cannot be predicted a workable bed, though the probability is
in favor of it.
The upper coal, figure 1, is the Flag coal as found in the
Wells opening, here 400 feet above the river. Though it is
not unlikely that the 39 inches of coal is below the normal for
this immediate vicinity, its nearness to the tops of the hills,
and consequent small area and difficult access, and the fact
that its partings are here constant, are unfavorable for early
attack. Sampled by Mr. Moore, and analysed, with results
below, by Dr. R. Peter, the coal shows much heavier ash than
belongs to it, because the sample was taken in outcrop.
28 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
FLAG COAL. Chem. Report No. 1710.
Moisture 2.78
Volatile combustible matter 35.52
Fixed carbon 44.94
Ash (light lilac gray) 16.76
100.00
Sulphur 1.423
Specific gravity 1.398
Coke (dense-spongy) 61.70
"Sample from the outcrop where the coal is dirty, and
hence will give somewhat more than the average ash percent-
age. A splint coal with thin partings of fibrous coal con-
taining fine granular pyrites."
It does not appear that there are any other coals than
those given that are of present value in this vicinity. The
most favorable prospect is in the coals worked at Jackson and
at Beattyville, which are below drainage here. That they will
be worked in the future is probable, but unless they prove
better than there is now reason to anticipate, the time when
they can be made remunerative is yet far off.
Noble Branch.
The section from Sewell and Little's land, figure 2, taken
from Bulletin No. 3 of the Survey, was
Fig . Z .
measured probably by Charles Hendrie
/z" and referred to No. 4, or Fire-clay coal.
Its resemblance to the Haddix sections
about the mouth of the creek makes it a
23" question if it does not belong to that
bed. An outcrop sample of the cannel
sent by Mr. Hendrie, analysed by Dr.
noble. Br. R. Peter, gave.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
29
77S
S.S.
(s.s. /o'
I Caa.1 8"
J •Sf. 2."
) Coal 2f
I Ca^~«! C. itf*
Coal
fh. 7"
Coat
Sp.Coa.t
'Coal
Sh.
Coa.1
Cafe C«/»c •
Mouth of Br.
HADDIX BED. Chem. Report No. 3111.
Moisture 0.70
Volatile combustible matter 50.90
Fixed carbton 36.70
Ash (gray) 11.70
Mill Br. Jecf/o/7
100.00
Sulphur 3.845
Coke (dense) 1 48.40
Lost Creek.
In Lost creek at its mouth is a thin
bed of coal with parting, which, rising
above drainage, appears among the
small lower coals of the sections,
figures 3, 6, 23 and 48, too numer-
ous and unimportant to trace. They
serve mainly to show that, up to the
Haddix coal, there is little inducement
here for further search.
What is probably the Haddix coal
was opened by Judge Strong near his
house at the mouth of the creek, ap-
parently with unsatisfactory results.
Though wholly bituminous in the entry
there, its outcrop gave blocks of cannel
coal in an adjoining field.
Mill Branch. — This branch is tribu-
tary to Lost creek, on the right about
two miles up.
The most promising of the lower
beds is that of the section, figure 3, 180
feet above Lost creek, which belongs to
30 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
the Fire-clay, or Hyden, coal bed. It has been mined here
to a slight extent, though yielding but 24 inches of rather
poor coal. My underground sample gave, by Dr. R. Peter's
analysis :
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2528.
Moisture 1-40
Volatile combustible matter 35.90
Fixed carbon 52.50
Ash (dark purplish gray) 10.20
100.00
Sulphur 3.483
Coke (spongy) 62.70
Specific gravity 1.366
"A pure-looking rather dull black coal; generally break-
ing in irregular laminae, with some little fibrous coal between,
but no apparent pyrites, some portions breaking with irregu-
lar shining fracture."
At the time the section was taken,
the Haddix and Hazard beds had not
been found on Mill branch, but the Flag-
coal was opened, showing well, as in
figure 4.
Though risen somewhat over 100
feet from the mouth of Troublesome, the
coal probably has no less area here than
there, because of the greater height of
hills. It appears to be at this point on
the crest of a wave of the strata, or rim
of a basin, but a correction of errors of
elevation may reverse the apparent
slight, dip southward to Cockerel fork.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
31
/ . S
Coal 22.
Coal 17
s.s.caff
Coal in slip
Thin Coat ¥ iron
ore. in alt a
S.3.
3.3.
Sp.Coal \ Coal
S.S.
3.S.
Coal 9'
A half mile west of G. W. Noble's
house, below Leathe.rwood branch, the
Fire-clay coal shows, as in figure 5, such
improvement as to induce further in-
vestigation, but its quality needs careful
testing before its value can be fixed.
The section, figure 6, shows in its
lowest bed a continuation probably of
the lowest bed of figure 3, (a bed quite
conspicuous about Hazard, but valueless
there because of its many partings). Its
increased distance from the Fire-clay
coal, at elevation 940, is due not so much
to a greater interval between the two
beds, as to the pitch of strata between
the two points where the beds were ex-
posed. The actual distance is probably
less than 100 feet.
The Fire-clay coal was opened a
mile above Mr. Noble's house. My
sample of the 33-in. coal, analyzed by Dr.
E. Peter, gave:
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2527.
Moisture 1.40
Volatile combustible matter 33.90
Fixed carbon '- 51.90
Ash (dark gray) 12.80
100.00
Coa.1
F Lost
.790 Sulphur — 3.156
c .-. Coke (spongy) 64.70
Oecr/o/r at
G. w. A/O 6 /« '.j Specific gravity 1.363
32
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
67S-
toe
"A pure-looking, pitch-black coal. Fracture mostly ir-
regular and shining. Very little fibrous coal apparent in it.
No appearance of pyrites. ' ' The similarity of the Mill branch
with this analysis is significant. The heavier ash of the latter,
2.6 per cent, difference, is due to having taken the. sample from
a muddy outcrop opening.
The upper, slipped, coal of the section is the Haddix coal,
and the Hazard coal comes in on the sandstone at the top of
the hill. While without working area on the hills by the miain
creek, it is but necessary to go back to the North Fork and
Fig> 7 Troublesome main dividing ridges to
find the coal in bodies large enough to
*j" work.
a.3.(C*nn*l St. if.
**•> "5 ,-J
•/« 3*
( Sff.S.S.
J ShaLt*
-\ Coa.t
\ >?A<x/«
Caa.1
I Sha.lt
Coat
Stittff
Coa.t
**»/«
C.o /
/i
S"
IS
Coat
Thin Coat
Co t^l
Coat
CreeX
Br. •Section
Leatherwood Branch. The section,
figure 7, shows what is probably the Fire-
clay <coal at elevation 925. It was ex-
posed, thin, in the branch by L. H.
Noble's house. The 28-in. coal next
above it is 'then the Haddix bed, which,
showing greater thickness and cannel
coal at frequent openings in the vicinity,
should lead to further investigation here.
The Hazard bed, with its 5 feet
of coal, on L. H. Noble 's land, shown in
figure 8, gives promise of an excellent
working field in this ridge. The open-
ing, when visited was in a very muddy
condition, but, nevertheless, was sampled
by me. In the following analysis a large
allowance in the ash should be made for
mud unavoidably included. With a cor-
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
33
rig. 8
responding increase in the other con-
stituents a much better result would,
doubtless, be obtained.
The Flag coal, not too high to yield
a workable area, and of good thickness,
is also shown in figure 8. The sample
from this opening also included much
mud which should be allowed for in
analysis below. Both samples I col-
lected, and both were analyzed by Dr. E.
Peter.
Chem. Report No. 2614 2615
Hazard Coal Flag Coal
Moisture 9.60
Volatile combustible matter __ 29.46
Fixed carbon 44.14
Ash (light brownish gray) __ 16.80
2.80
31.16
53.34
12.70
100.00 100.00
Sulphur 0.478 0.690
Specific gravity 1.384
Coke (pulverulent) 60.94 (dense) 66.04
Co*/ Cockerel Fork. The next recorded
opening of the Fire-clay coal bed is at
i}lQ mouth of Cockerel Fork, 30 feet
above the stream, and with section as in figure 9. The coal is
not attractive in appearance, showing much marcasite, and
the small hard parting of black-jack and sulphur is decidedly
hurtful, if constant. It is the first appearance of the distinct-
ive parting which characterizes the Fire-clay coal bed farther
south, its occurrence as black-jack, instead of Fire-clay, hav-
34
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fig . 9
**'
C/ay 6.*
ing been noted at several widely distant
points.
Passing several abandoned entries,
at one-fourth mile up Cockerel fork is
the upper one having 3 to 4 feet thick-
ness including four partings. A mile
up, where the bed goes into the creek,
nearlv level with the <coal at the mouth,
f Coctterc.( forH
Shale and shaly sandstone ___ ^ ------ 30 ft.
Hard coal ------------- — 11 in'
Shale _______________ — 3 in'
Hard coal -------- — 8 in-
with possibly more coal below the creek bed.
On the head of the Eight fork, on the Noble farm, an old
opening on a conspicuous bench shows the Hazard bed at
elevation 1,100, about 3 feet thick, with sandstone roof.
The Flag coal half mile down stream from the Hazard
opening, at elevation 1,200, with opening also fallen in, is
evidently thicker. The dump shows some splinty, slaty, can-
nel coal similar to that across the ridge on Collins branch,
where the bed is 5 feet thick. An increase of interval, from
50 to nearly 100 feet, between the Hazard and Flag coals is
here noted.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
35
f/gr. 10
//•o
870
<tfi. (Coal f"
J3h. 7~
\Coat t,~
Kidney Iron Or
Coa.1 if."
Coa.1 it,"
Coat 33'
s.t.
Action at 7*o,i.
In Lost creek section, figure 10,
taken above the mouth of Cockerel fork,
near the Perry county line, the lowest
coal, 33 in., is probably the Fire-clay
coal. The 26-in. coal above it is notice-
able as representing the Fire-clay coal
rider, of considerable importance farther
south, especially in Leslie county.
The thin splint coal with parting
seems to be the Haddix bed, which ap-
pears to be without value farther up
Lost creek.
From Cockerel fork up Lost creek
for two miles the sandstone under the
Fire-Clay bed becomes prominent along
the sides of the narrow, crooked creek
valley, hardly enough so to merit notice
here, but that it becomes at other points
a characteristic feature of that rock.
Cliff-making sandstones, their tops
50 to 200 feet or more above the Flag
coal, form the crests of the ridges, here,
, and most of the way on either side of
ost creek.
Collins Branch.— Perry county. On the left, two miles
above Ten-Mile creek.
A half mile up the branch, on the left, is John Collings-
worth's opening into the Flag coal, figure 11. The bed is
Canne/ and
Splint Coal
is
f~/a<j Coal
\Jno . Co //t'n gsuu
Collins Or.
970
frfoafiy Coutrtd
Ceal
Htporttd. Car
Tftin Jyo. Coett
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
barely uncovered, and in driving to roof
it is not unlikely that the clay partings
disappear. As it is the coal makes
/s a good showing though the 18 in. of
slaty cannel and splint coal does not
add greatly to the value of the bed.
That the cannel will continue slaty
through the ridge is almost certain, for
it is found so on Cockerel fork, but it
may be marketable.
About a mile above Collins branch
and below Fifteen-Mile creek the section,
figure 12, was taken. A slight rise of
strata would bring the Fire-clay rider
of figure 10 to the level of the bottom
coal of figure 12, of the same thickness,
but instead there appears to be from
Ten-Mile to Fifteen-Mile creek another
reversal of the general pitch of strata,
and the rider should be about 70 feet
below the creek at Niece's. With such
the case, the Hazard and Flag coals, the
latter with cannel as in many cases, are
shown higher in the section. No attempt
was made by the Survey to open the
coals here.
*•;
A e *f
o.t Jacob /Y/'eces
Fifteen-Mile Creek. — On the right,
| mile up and 115 feet above the mouth
of this creek, the Hazard bed shows
about the same thickness as on Cockerel
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
37
fork, being 34 in. thick, with sandstone roof, clean coal ap-
parently, but the bottom eight inches was in water when
visited and it may be in part shale.
fig. 1 3
Coa.1
(a<fjfi.
Coa(
Co a. I 7o
Fla.g Coa.1
Com 6s a. not H or ton
/SMi/e Cr,
On the right, a mile up and 180 feet
above the mouth of the creek, on the
Combs & Horton tract, an 8-yard entry
has been driven into the Flag coal, with
the section shown in figure 13. The
upper seams of this coal are soft, in-
clined to block; the main seam is mixed
throughout with splint coal. My sample
analyzed for the Survey, by S. D.
.Vveritt, gave the following results:
FLAG COAL. Laboratory No. 2733.
Moasture 2.48
Volatile combustible matter 35.51
Fixed carbon 52.43
Ash (yellowish gray) ^__ . 9.58
100.00
.Sulphur 1.05
Phosphor 0.033
Specific gravity 1.337
Coke (dense-spongy) 62.01
Total carbon 70.95
B. T. U. per pound of coal _ 12,958
From this creek up to the head of Lost creek develop-
ments already prove a remarkably fine coal field. If, as
laboratory tests indicate, good coke can be made from the coal,
its value is immensely enhanced.
No other good coking coal lies so near to the northwestern
markets.
38
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fig.ff-
Coat
— ==^g j/7a/«
Coa/
Thin ft
feat
Coal
Sixteen-Mile Creek. — A mile up this
crock to Stall's branch on the right,
a mile up Stall's branch, in a right
branch is again the Flag coal, poorly
opened, but showing as in figure 14. It
lies 60 feet above the mouth of Stall's
branch and 240 feet above the mouth of
Sixteen-Mile creek. The section and
coal are so nearly like the preceding as
to require no further comment.
Flag Coat
fails Or.
lie Mile Cf. .
Again, at the Mahlon Jones entry
on the left, a half mile above Sixteen-
Mile creek and 180 feet above Lost creek,
the Flag coal has the section at its face,
six yards in, given in figure 15. It is
more of a block coal, with less splint
than in the two preceding openings, yet
a glance at the figures shows their sim-
ilarity and indicate correlation.
FVg. IS
COCL(
(J r»..r. I
3 •Shale f
IS"
Coal
/Zoo
Flag Coal
Mahlan Uones
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
39
S.J.
CoaL *8'
Hazard Coat
Mahlon
Witt &r.
F/g . /7
J. E Carr>f)6e/( Entry
f/ay Coa.(
Will Branch.— A branch on the left,
three-quarters mile above Sixteen-Mile
creek.
On the right of the branch, one-
quarter mile up it, on Mahlon Jones'
land, is the Hazard bed, approximately
as in figure 16. Coal had been taken out
from under the sandstone roof till the
latter had fallen in and prevented ex-
act measurement. The coal is good,
bright and clean.
At J. E. Campbell's, on the left of
Lost creek, two miles above Sixteen-
Mile creek, the Flag coal is opened with
an entry of some 30 yards, figure 17.
The coal is divided into two nearly equal
benches by a parting running from two
inches down to nothing. The roof of
massive sandstone is unusual for this
bed, though the cliff frequently shows
itself a little above the coal. Called a
shop coal, its appearance is favorable
for coking. My samples, analyzed by
the Survey chemists, gave: —
FLAG COAL. Laboratory No. 2732.
Moisture #.09
Volatile combustible matter 38.61
Fixed carbon 54.21
Ash (light buff) 5.09
100.00
Sulphur 0.83
Phosphorus 0.007
Coke (dense spongy) 59.30
Specific gravity 1.297
Fixed carbon 74.24
B. T. U. per pound of coal 14,018
40
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fig. 1 6
Coat
/"i
Flag Coal
farris Jonm<s
"Soft, light, rather pure-looking
coal, with some ferruginous incrusta-
tions. Its low phosphorous and sulphur
and moderate ash are worthy of especial
notice."
The Farris Jones opening figure 18,
near the mouth of Rock fork and 180 feet
above it, two and one half miles above
Sixteen-Mile creek, gives the Flag coal
at its best, though Fig. 19
imperfectly open-
ed. It appears like-
ly to prove equal in
quality to the Fif-
teen-Mile creek
coal analyzed.
The section, figure 19, shows the
coal seams found about the mouth of
Rock fork in 1885.
There being at that time no reason
to suspect the presence of thick coal in
Ihis vicinity, the position of the beds
found was noted, but no further investi-
gation madfe. The hills here show the
^prevalence of 'sandstone, largely replac-
ed by shale farther down the creek.
J.3.C////
Coat <S/~ait
<S.S.
Coat •Sfar
Th in Coa (
Ftintu L.3. float
Cree/C
•Sect/on a.-f £.At(en's
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
41
rig. 2.0
Coal
At Fish Napier's four miles above
Sixteen-Mile creek, one quarter mile up
a small branch on the right, the Flag
coal is opened again, 100 feet above the
creek, a,s in figure 20.
Fig. ^l
Again, one quar-
ter mile farther
up and a half mile
i'rom the head of the
creek, an old opening on the left of the
road, 40 feet above it, gave the section,
figure 21. Twenty-five feet under this
coal is eight inches coal, the interval
mostlv shalv sandstone.
\5~/'
A mile above Lost creek a small
branch enters Troublesome creek from
r the left, along which the following sec-
tion wiais obtained: —
Coal
••«•"'•
Coat /'
Coal
Coat
Hadeli'x. Coal
ClinT Davis Entry
10-ft. Massive Sandstone 1135
10-ft. Laminated Sandstone 1112
Davis Mine H05
Big Bench 1005
Top ( ?) of cliff sandstone 910
Thin coal 845
15-ft. Shaly sandstone.
Thin coal 830
(Cliff sandstone under coal)
Mouth of branch 735
The benches here have served to
allow the coal beds to be covered deeply,
and also are an aid to their approximate
location. It is probable that the Fire-
clay coal is on the sandstone at elevation
830, and the Haddix on the bench 175
feet higher. The Clinton Davis mine, at
elevation 1105, a half mile up the branch
42
/Jio
;z0o
/Otf.0
49 «
T*o
2_E_^
1 . C.V
n;.nt
Sp.Coa.1 f-f"
fCoat __ /fe"
. J Caa.t 3f-"
1 Coat /3."
{St. z"
Coai ^20
Coat l<o"
SA. 9 '
Coa ( .,6
Jtt. J
Coat if
Sp. Coat 2l"
Thin Coat
Thin Coa t
Coat etAout Jo
~ fs>,r* • s.- ,
..J Coa[ 0
\Jf>. 4."
^Co^^ a.
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
and 100 yards to the right, is in the
Hazard bed. The prospect of a material
reduction of partings farther under-
ground is not good, as they show badly
where well under cover.
The George Colman entry, recently
opened, about two miles above Lost creek
and a mile below Russell branch, 40 feet
above the creek, has 30 inches coal and
eight inches shale in three partings. Its
roof is bituminous shale. This bed prob-
ably lies some 120 feet below the Fire-
clay coal.
Russell Branch. — The section, fig-
ure 23, was taken from the mouth of
Kussell branch nearly to its head, but
the strata between beds seem to lie
nearly level along the stream, so the in-
tervals are nearly correct.
The Colman coal is here the 30 in.
clean coal near the bottom of the section,
the Fire-clay coal probaby the thin coal
of elevation 990; above this its rider
with a variation of 21 in. in thickness
of coal in a distance of 100 yards. (From
James Eholley's spring nearly to the
outcrop crossing of the branch). The
possibility of a further increase of thick-
ness of this fine, bright, splint coal under
the branch should lead to a thorough
test of it.
Ba
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
43
<Sf>tin t Coa t
/33.0
J.Rholtey
~
Coa.(
Coa-i
Of the three principal Russell branch
beds, represented in figure 24, the two
lower, the Haddix and Hazard beds, were
measured at outcrop openings where the
partings were probably excessive, and
my 'samples, including all the coal seams
of each bed, must have included some
extraneous matter. Though each sample
showed weathering, the difference be-
tween a solid outcrop, as in No. 2530 and
„ a soft outcrop, as in No. 2531, is well
illustrated in the ash of the following
analyses by Dr. R. Peter:
Coal
Chem. Report No. 2530
Haddix B>ed
' Moisture 3.80
Volatile combustible matter __ 35.60
Fixed carbon 54.80
Ash . 5.80
2531
Hazard Bed
4.20
32.40
52.26
11.14
3. J.
Coat
h'aiarcf Coal
/ZSo
St.
/Z.*
100.00
Sulphur 0.875
Specific gravity 1.345
Coke (dense) 60.60
Color of ash _ ,__salmon
100.00
0.848
1.426
63.40
very light
gray.
Co a.1
2.0
Coa./ /&
No. 2530. — "In rather thin, irregu-
lar laminae, with ferruginous stains on
some, exterior surfaces. ' '
No. 2531.— "Seems to be splint
coal."
coa.( 6" The Flag coal (figure 24) has here
hai& vj" no cannel, but is a very attractive-look-
4" ing, bright splint, with covering enough
COOL(.
to make it an important bed of this ridge.
Hctcfdt'x Coa t
44
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The remarkable occurrence of flint
shown at the top of the section (figure
23) lies for some miles along the crest
/j" jf the ridge, about 30 feet thick, varying
in color from white, through yellow and
/5J rowns to black. Though weathered, and
the fragments carried in abundance down
the branches to Quicksand creek, very
pew of them appear to be taken towards
Troublesome creek.
**
s.s.
5ha/e
Coo.1
COCL(
Shalt
Coo.1
Fugitt Branch. — Considerable coal
lias been taken for local use from an
entry into the Hazard coal shown in fig-
ure 25, nearly level with and by the low
gap at the head of this branch. The
. **•" coal is 440 feet above the mouth of the
/
branch, 'but a good working area of it lies
on either side of the gap. A large bench
2* .narks the position of the bed here as at
/0 many other points.
The Flag coal opening, just above
he Hazard mine, having fallen in, ac-
a curate measurement of the bottom coal
,vas not obtained, but the 24 in. given in
figure 25 is nearly correct; it is in one
solid block. The 15 in. seam above it is
/v channel, but of rather poor quality ap-
parently. The opening needs extension
Vazarrf C«a/
Hea.d. cf Fugiff Or. *° determine the value of the bed, both
as to quality and quantity, but, on the whole, it gives good
promise.
Coo.(
Coo.1
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
45
. 2 6
Coat
Coal
Conn el Coat 22.
Flat) Coal
Near the mouth of Fugitt branch
Mr. Moore examined on the Robert's
farm what is probably the Hazard bed,
with section shown by figure 26. But the
presence of cannel in the bottom seam
makes the correlation doubtful, and,
again the cannel coal is of uncertain
character. Mr. Moore's samples of the
three seams of the bed, analyzed by Dr.
E. Peter, gave the following results. It
is to be inferred that the top seam, with
its high ash, was sampled from a very
muddy outcrop.
Chern
. Report No.
1702
1704
1703
Top.
Middle.
Bottom.
Cannel .
MoiS'tur
e _
3.30
2.20
3.40
Volatile
combustible matter - -
31.44
39.20
43.40
Fixed (
•arbon - -
49.76
51.14
46.96
Ash
15.50
7.46
6.24
100.00 100.00 100.00
Sulphur 0.991 2.525 0.630
Specific gravity 1.405 1.290 1.280
Coke 65.26 58.60 53.20
dense friable spongy friable
Color of ash pinkish-gray lilac-gray light buff gray
No. 1702. "A splint coal, splitting into very thin laminae
with fibrous coal between, but with no appearance of pyrites.
The sample has a weathered and tarnished appearance, show-
ing ferruginous and earthy stains."
No. 1704. "Bather a dull-looking coal, apparently pretty
pure, having but little apparent fibrous coal or pyrites between
46
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
its laminae. Exterior of some of the lumps covered with fer-
ruginous incrustation. ' '
No. 1703. " Called cannel. A pure-looking coal with but
little fibrous coal and no apparent pyrites. Sample somewhat
mixed in character. Some pieces of cannel coal ; others splint
coal ; others apparently shaly. ' '
The questionable character of the cannel sample as des-
cribed above by Dr. Peter leads to the belief, in the absence
of conclusive data, that this is the Hazard bed, showing a
tendency to cannel coal in its bottom seam, a very unusual
occurrence.
BUCK HORN CREEK.
Bear Branch. — A mile and a half up this branch, on the
right fork, just beyond and 100 feet higher than Andrew Mil-
ler's house, the Haddix coal has been opened, but is now
partly covered. Somewhat more than three feet of coal, ap-
parently without parting, with five feet of shale roof, was in-
dicated. Being but about 340 above the mouth of the branch
a large area of workable coal may be confidently looked for
here.
Near the head of the left fork, 30
feet above the conspicuous bench of the
Hazard bed, the Flag coal has been open-
ed by Mr. Miller, at a height of 490 feet
above the mouth of the branch, yet still
with a fair amount of covering. Figure
27 shows this coal with parting of but
one inch mother coal or bituminous clay.
The top seam is a good, bright, some-
what soft coal : the bottom 25 in. has one
1 in. and one 6 in. seam of dull, splint
coal, apparently not bone, and this whole
seam is comprised in what may be mined
-5 S.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
47
as one block. In this 30 yard entry the bed makes a fine
showing. The direction of the faces of the coal changes in
that distance perhaps 10 degrees.
At the mouth of Long fork, 330 feet up, S. M. Noble has
an eight yard entry, partly filled with water when visited,
which was judged by eye to have about the section given below.
Two gray bands on the coal may have come from two thin clay
partings additional, but they are probably outcrop effects only.
The bed is so like in section to the Roberts opening, page 45,
as to leave no doubt of their identity.
Shale 8 ft.
Coal .2 ft.
Shale \ ft.
Coal 2 ft.
Shale 1 ft.
Coal _ __l ft.
Fig. 2.8
Br.
Ho.-io.rd. Coa.1
LONG FORK.
Rush Branch. — A small branch on
the right two miles up Long Fork.
The Hazard bed is open here, on the
Taulbee & Allen tract, at the head of a
branch on the right, less than a half
mile from and 320 feet above the mouth
of Bush branch. Its section is given in
figure 28, corresponding well with the
coal opened at the mouth of Long fork
Toward the head of Bush branch
and on the right, 80 feet higher than
the preceding opening, the Flag coal bed
gives 31 in. coal without parting.
48 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Williams Fork. — This stream is also on the right of Long
fork and two and one half miles up.
A quarter mile up Williams fork, 60 feet above its mouth,
on a right branch, what is probably the Fire-clay coal, with
sandstone roof, is opened by a small entry showing 32 in. to
35 in. of fine-looking coal, mostly splint.
Still on the Taulbee and Allen tract, on the opposite side
of Williams fork, 200 feet above its mouth, the Haddix bed,
with sandstone roof, has 33 in. coal without parting.
Combining the openings of Eush branch and Williams
fork the following section is obtained, which -should be useful
in further much needed prospecting in this region.
Flag Coal 31 in.
Interval 80 ft.
Hazard bed (2 partings) coal 55 in.
Interval 90 ft.
Haddix bed (S. S. roof) coal 33 in.
Interval 50 ft.
Coal 20 in.
Interval „ 90 ft.
Fire-Clay coal (S. S. roof) 32 to 35-in.
Interval 60 ft.
Coal in mouth of Williams' fork thin
At the widow Fugitt's, in front of her house, at elevation
1220, and 270 feet above the mouth of Williams fork, an entry
showed about three feet of coal with, perhaps, two feet more
under water. This is probably in the Hazard bed with the
lower seam still undiscovered there. With Chestnut gap (to
Lick branch) 250 feet higher, and peaks rising some 200 feet
above it, a large area of this coial is here available.
r'9-
Coa.1
•S/afe
Coa/
Coo./
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
49
'9"
//
Coat
Sha/e
Coat
COOL/
Coal
// 7o
Ha.-za.rct Coa.1
'//,
The Haddix coal shows again at
water level one quarter mile below the
Smith house at the head of Long fork
on the road to Lick branch, coal 34 in.
under sandstone: elevation 1170.
The Smith openings into the Hazard
and Flag coals are shown in figure 29,
Coa/
creek.
By elevations given for these coals
there is a slight dip up stream, but it is
not unlikely that this is an error due to
variation of barometer. The lower bed
is given from my own measurements;
the upper by reliable report, though the
slate therein should probably more prop-
erly be called shale. But that the two
openings are one directly above the other
it would be presumable that they were
• duplicates of one bed. The two beds so
close together make a particularly hand-
some showing.
50
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fig .<3o
U=^^H 3 hale ,r'
Coat
3 Shale z
Coal j"
3t ftafe Z."
Coa I <o
18
Coa/
Coal
of Dan's Fork
. Coa.t
Little prospecting seems to have
been done on Buckhorn above Long fork,
and most of the openings made are not
in condition to examine. Thick coal is
reported found on Coles creek in Knott
county, but openings fallen in.
Dan's Fork. — On the right, 7 miles
above Long fork.
At the mouth of this stream, on the
liayes tract (now Pardee) 250 ft. above
the creek, the section shown in figure 30
was obtained, in an eight-yard entry.
My sample, analyzed by S. D. Averitt,
including all the coal of this bed, of
which the lower benches appeared par-
ticularly fine, gave the following results:
Laboratory No. 2735.
Moisture 1.76
Volatile combustible matter 41.98
Fixed carbon 49.67
Ash (reddish yellow) 6.59
100.00
Sulphur 1.83
Phosphorus 0.013
Specific gravity 1.294
Coke (dense-spongy) 56.26
Total carbon 72.97
B. T. U. per pound of coal 13,862
"Average sample like 2732, (soft and light) but consider-
ably weathered, and with a good deal of ferruginous incrusta-
tion." No. 2732 is from the Hazard bed at the heiad of Lost
Creek.
That this is one of the two Smith coals at the head of
Long fork can hardly be questioned, but in the absence of any
data by which they can be distinguished here, the other needs
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
51
to be found to determine which this is. It more nearly resem-
bles the general characteristics of the Hazard bed.
fi 3, <3l
//*$•
880
2.
^:
S.S.
Coal
Ba.3Ta.rd i. .
hin Coo.t
Thin Coa I
Cree/r
The section, figure 31, was taken on
Troublesome creek, about six miles above
Buckhorn creek and two miles below
Ball's fork. It is likely that the fire-clay
coal is represented by one or both of the
thin coals at the bottom of the section;
the Haddix is then near the bastard lime-
stone. The Hazard bed, unusually
thin for this vicinity, is shown in detail
in figure 32. The Flag coal also, under
its customary sandstone cliff, is remarka-
bly thin. It is quite
possible that anoth-
er bench of this bed
lies underneath the
coal found, with a
thick parting be-
tween. Above this
coal the hill is not
high enough to af-
ford a workable
area to a higher
bed. r ,
Coat of //6*5~
2 Knifes, Aefouj Ba/tsf
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fig.
Tom's Br.
Ha.ia.rdi Coal
Pig. 3<j-
\Coal tifa'tn ?"
TOM'S BRANCH.
On the right of Troublesome creek,
opposite the line of section just given, the
Hazard and Flag coals have been found
of excellent thickness, as shown in fig-
ures 33 and 34.
The lower bed, 245 feet above the
mouth of the branch, is opened enough to
show a good bright coal, inclined to
block, with thin clay partings which
may be expected to run out.
The upper bed, 95 feet higher,
though not opened to a roof, is proven
very satisfactory in thickness.
Both beds being well developed on
Lost creek makes fully certain in this
locality a large area of thick coal in
each. Lying nearly level they can be
worked to advantage on either the Lost
creek or Troublesome creek side of the
dividing ridge.
Coa /
7/
WILLIAMS BRANCH.
On the left, one mile above Tom's
branch and below Ball's fork. This
branch heads against Williams fork of
Buckhorn.
On it, one and one quarter miles from
and 200 feet higher than its mouth, at
elevation 1100, the Haddix coal has been
opened with the section following :—
j 1200
' F/a? Coal
Tom's Br,
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
Sandstone 10 ft.
Shaly sandstone 15 ft.
Shale 3 ft.
Coal is in.
Canuel coal 4 in.
Shale _, 9 in.
8 in.
._ e in.
Coal
Co«/
3 Sha/»
Coctl
1/200
Mf Napier
Hazard Coo./
B.
BALL'S FORK.
Lick Branch. — One mile up Ball on
the left.
At Lewi? Holliday's, one-quarter
mile up the branch, the Haddix coal is
opened 230 feet
above the mouth
of Ball, thin, as in
figure 35, but of ex-
cellent appearance,
the soft coal being
remarkably fine
with no visible sul-
phur.
J/i.vf.tf.
Coa.1
\<Sh<*/e
Farther up, at
McNapier's, and
again at the Ingall
'" opening at the
head of the branch,
three miles .up,
3 the Hazard bed is
well shown, as in
figure 36.
In the McNapier
Coa I
C/ay
Coat
Ha* oral Coal
54
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
37
r£^=^-= JAa/e to'
opening the 42 in. seam looks like a good coking coal. The
bottom seam being under water and mud could not be
measured, but was stated to be 3 to 3£ feet thick. The eleva-
tions given for these three openings are more than usually
uncertain owing to change of barometer, with no opportunity
for correction, but they are believed to be not very wide of
the mark.
From Lick branch up Ball's fork to Trace fork, two miles
above Laurel creek no investigation was made. Thick coal
was reported, fallen in, on the head of Laurel. It is likely
to continue through to the next opening noted.
On the right, a mile above Trace
fork, 310 feet above Ball's fork and near
the top of the Trace fork ridge, Elijah
Grigsby has a five-yard entry, with sec-
tion shown in figure 37. The lowest part-
H. ing, of shale and black-jack is indica-
tive of the Fire-clay coal, but the bed is
9- clearly too high for that. It appears to
be of the Hazard or Fliag coal, with the
presumption in favor of the latter. The
,6» bench of the bed below is prominent.
The Fire-clay coal should then be 50
to 100 feet under the creek, but there is
little reason to believe it a workable coal
in this region.
A quarter of a mile above Grigsby 's
house, in the road, 50 feet above the
creek, is a thin fossil limestone or lime
shale on thin coal, which may serve as
cm u,^a in iuture correlation.
On Dry creek, below Whitesburg, a fossil limestone lies
somewhat over 100 feet above the Fire-clay coal, and on Middle
fork waters above Hyden, and on Red Bird creek what appears
to be the same fossil limestone is known in several places,
distant above the Fire-clay coal about 170 feet.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
55
On the right three miles above Trace fork, Eobert Patton
has a small entry, 290 feet above the creek, with the following
section.
Sandstone-
Coal 11 in.
Soft shale 5 in.
Coal 18 iu.
Elevation 1480.
Possibly this is the same coal as the Grigsby coal noted
just above, with the bottom seam either undiscovered1 or ab-
sent, but it is considered more likely that, the former being
the Flag-coal, this is of the Hazard bed. The change to sand-
stone roof as well as the elevation is in favor of this supposi-
tion.
Wiley Fork. — At the forks of Wiley, six miles above
Trace fork and one mile from the head of the creek, a bastard
limestone goes below drainage, which is probably the fossil
rock near Trace fork, making a slight rise of strata up stream.
The Fire-clay coal, therefore, is likely to be but slightly below
drainage.
A quarter mile up the left fork, and
on the right at Charles Huff's, 470 feet
above the forks, the coal of figure 38 is
opened on a good bench. The bottom
was not seen owing to mud and water,
but could be felt.
If, as supposed, the Fire-clay coal is
a little below creek level at Wiley forks,
this bed is the Hindrman. Though its
area is not great enough for extensive
mining, it is not without value here.
There is enough area for working the
bed in the hill between the forks of Wi-
ley, and doubtless elsewhere to a limited
(Marks H FF extent. No large body of the coal need
2. I
"ft
56
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
be expected in this region. The road gap from Wiley Right
fork to . Troublesome creek is about 125 feet lower. Beds
lower down are likely to prove more valuable.
PIGEON-ROOST BRANCH.
This branch is on the right a mile above Ball's fork.
f- J* Near its head, and consequently
near to Lost and Lots creeks, the Hazard
and Flag coals have been opened at 230
and 300 feet above the mouth of the
„ branch as given in figure 39.
The Hazard bed, on Samuel Bush
land, was reliably reported, as in the fig-
ure, the upper bench a block coal, the top
18 in. of the miain bench a block splint (1
in. bony) separated from the block coal
below by three quarter in. bony coal.
The Flag coal is on the Robert Gay-
heart lantd1, a bright coal with much
splint. The bed is known locally as the
,- Gayheart coal.
COMBS BRANCH.
This branch, four miles above Balls'
2* fork on the right, gives the main road
from Troublesome creek at Dwarf P. 0.
to Hazard.
By the school house at the forks of
the branch, three feet above water level
is a 23 in. coal, with roof of black slate
and shale under sandstone, which is
Ho.2.a.re( ceo.i probably the Fire-clay coal rider.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
57
•/. / ' ngal/S
Uff ForH
Fig. V-t
Coa.f
Loft
On the left fork th& Jefferson In-
galls opening, 390 feet above Trouble-
some creek, is as shown in figure 40. It
appears to be of the Flag coal, and, to-
ward the end of the spur from the Lots
creek ridge, with but about 100 feet of
covering, to have little value.
By Owen's house is a coal at eleva-
tion 1270, reported two feet thick, which
•should <answer for the Hazard coal. The
opening being in the point of a hill, the
full thickness of the bed here was prob-
ably not attained. A quarter 'mile south-
west of the house the coal, figure 41, is
opened, which is made (with uncertain
barometer) the same elevation as the
preceding Ingalls coal, and, therefore,
disregarding the differing bed-sections,
must be considered of the same Flag
coal. Nearly 300 feet of covering gives
the bed here a good area much increased
as the main ridge is approached.
Near the head of the Bight, or Road fork of Combs
branch the Hazard coal has been opened in the old Stacy, or
Coal
/<£>
Coal
Hazard Coo./
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Henry Engle, bank, 260 feet above Troub-
lesome creek, showing as in figure 42. The
upper parting is here a soft black shale,
likely to be considerably reduced under
ground. The coal appears all good ex-
?" cepting, perhaps, two in. bony coal, two
in. from the bottom of the bed, which,
doubtless, has increased the ash of the
following analysis, No. 2543. Both an-
alyses give ash too high because the
* samples were taken from a muddy out-
crop. They are Dr. B. Peter's analyses
of my samples, No. 2542 of the upper
two seams, No. 2543 of the bottom seam.
HAZARD BED.
Chem. Report Nos.
Moisture
Volatile combustible matter — 31.56
Fixed carbon 56.54
Ash . 10'40
100.00
2543
3.00
32.80
56.14
8.06
100.00
Sulphur 0.849
Specific gravity !-338 1'31
Coke (light spongy) 66.94 pulver- 64.20
ulent.
Color of ash white light
gray-brown.
No. 2542. "A pure-looking coal generally. Portions ir-
regularly laminated, with a little fibrous coal but no apparent
pyrites between. Other portions break with irregular cuboid-
al fracture and shining irregular surfaces."
No. 2543. "A much weathered and soiled sample of what
seems to be a splint coal."
ft'y. 13
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
59
"to
970
S.S.
m
Coal
5.3.
(Coat
13*,. J
\Coaf
Coal
3.S.
Basftird L.<S.
S.S. (Coa/
. ___ J rfA.
I Coat
\C.C.
u'
3.S.
Cool
(Coal /
{B/.Sf. 10-
Bl. Sh.
Coal
Troublesome Cr.
at A7///
gives a workable coal. Though near the
top of the hill where found, the cliff
sandstone above it gives a quick en-
trance into solid coal, so that little area
is lost in outcrop coal, and in receding
from the main creek the covering and
area increase.
In the section, figure 43, the Fire-
clay coal rider, or one of its near neigh-
bors, shows at the bottom; the Haddix
is the Trace branch cannel coal at ele-
vation 1160, its last appearance on
Troublesome creek so far as known; the
Stacy splint coal at 1260, on Combs
branch, is of the Hazard bed as given
above, and the top coal at 1400 is prob-
ably the Flag coal, its distance on the
section from the Hazard bed being ap-
parently increased by a rise of strata
between the two points at which the
openings were measured. The Flag coal
here shown in figure 44 is thinner than at
any of its other openings, by which
it is nearly surrounded. Further de-
velopment is necessary to determine if
this is not an accident of opening rather
than an actual thinning of the bed; but
even with such thin- Fig.
ning the bed still
Coal
60
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Co a/
CLEAR CREEK.
Shop Hollow. — On the right, six
miles above Ball's fork.
In this Knott county hollow, on the
left, one quarter mile up Clear creek, the
Flag coal of figure 45 is opened 410
feet above the creek. The upper four
feet is of good bright coal, but the lower
ten in. was under water when visited,
and may contain a parting.
[AvUoo/%
hNVM
A half mile up the main creek, ten
feet above it, what is probably either the
Fire-clay coal, or its rider, has 26 in.
Flag coal solid bituminous coal with a nine in. can-
nel slate roof under sandstone. Some fairly good float can-
nel coal along the creek, supposed to come from the same
bed, indicates a change of the cannel slate, to cannel coal in
this vicinity. Across on Lots creek the Fire-clay coal has
much good cannel. This, or a slightly higher bed goes under
drainage three quarters mile farther up, at elevation 1100.
with coal reported 34 in. thick, but the cannel slate may have
been included.
At Josh. Kitchie's, two miles up the creek, at elevation
1390, the Flag coal is opened again, four feet of solid coal
showing, and with a foot more reported underneath but cover-
ed up. A foot of shale here intervenes between the coal and
sandstone above it. At the time of visiting this coal it was
supposed to be of the Hazard bed, but its height and relation
to other openings give stronger evidence of its being Flag coal.
No conclusive evidence was available.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 61
Big Branch. — On the right, 12 miles above Ball's fork.
Thick coal is reported about two miles up this branch, but
the opening wa,s not visited. It tends to confirm the continua-
tion in good condition of the Flag (or Hazard) bed.
LEFT FORK.
From Hindman up the Left fork of Troublesome there
seems to be no coal of much value close above drainage, but
in approaching the main field of the Elkhorn bed, that coal,
probably near the level of Troublesome at Hindman, becomes
of interest; and there is also a favorable possibility in the
Eockhous-e bed below it, which gives workable coal on Carr
fork and on Eockhouse creek.
On a branch from the left, two miles above Hindman there
are three thin coals 20, 35 and 50 feet above the Left fork,
which may possibly be the Elkhorn bed split up, though they
seem to be rather high for it. The lower one of these is prob-
ably in the mill pond, a half mile farther up the fork, the
middle seam showing over 18 in. coal in the road beside the
pond. Fifteen feet higher is a massive sandstone over another
coal.
Not correlated, but apparently about 100 feet above these
seams, is the Eobert Thacker entry, six miles above Hindman,
ten feet above the creek and road to the head of Ball fork.
The coal is 32 in. thick with massive sandstone roof, and seems
most likely to be of the Fire-clay coal.
There should be at least one bed of thick coal toward the
tops of the hills, which are high enough to catch the Flag coal,
but it appears to have been searched for but little.
62
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
RIGHT FORK.
*
At Jane Childers ', on the right of the creek at the upper
end of Hindman, the following coals were obtained, the middle
one being, probably, of the Fire-clay coal.
Elevations .
Sandstone 5 ft.
Shaly sandstone 8 in.
Black shale 4 in.
Coal 24 in. 1330
Coal and black slate _1305
Fine thin coals in shale 1260
Troublesome Creek _ —1075
A half mile from Hindman and a half mile up a left
branch, Jasper Baker has -done considerable mining for the
town supply, having put into use the first aerial tramway on
the upper Kentucky river waters. The mines, 460 feet above
the creek, are at elevation 1540, and being 235 feet above the
middle Childers coal are probably of the Hazard bed.
Figure 46 gives a section taken from
the old mine, near its mouth. In the new
mine 40 yards west of 'the old, barely
under roof, the following section was
taken :—
Sandstone drift 10 ft.
Sandstone 2 ft.
Coal 3 in.
f~ Soft shale 4 in.
Coal _ —32 in.
•
The lower seam is a single block of
Jasper BaHcr fine, bright, mixed splint and blocK: coal,
and the upper seam looks nearly as good, but softer with less
splint coal.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 63
Analysis by Dr. Alfred M. Peter of my sample, including
both seams of coal of the old mine gave :—
1 i !«; Laboratory No. 2755.
Moisture 1.44
Volatile combustible matter 41.67
Fixed carbon 52.24
Ash (reddish brown) 4.65
100.00
Sulphur 1.05
Phosphorus .009
Coke (spongy) 56.89
Specific gravity 1.264
Total carbon 79.33
B. T. U. per pound of coal 14,329
"Average sample 'of clean-looking coal."
Four miles above Hindman on the road to Brannon creek,
185 feet above the creek, at elevation 1385, Wm. Pigman has
an entry from which coal is hauled to town. This coal, with the
following 'section, is possibly the same as the Childers middle
coal at Hindman, probably of the Fire-clay bed, beginning in
its floor to make the change to fire-clay, which shows as such
parting on the Eight fork road, toward Betty Troublesome.
Sandstone 3 ft.
Shale 3 ft.
Black slate 4 in.
Coal 28 in.
Hard bituminous shale.
Coal under the present floor should be looked for.
Four miles from Hindman on the road to Betty Trouble-
some the section, figure 47, was taken, from the creek at E. N.
Adam's to the gap to the head of Irishman creek, including, in
the upper two coals, the head of the second right branch above
Hindman of the Eight fork of Troublesome. Being nearly on
64
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
/f8o — Irishman Gap
—
--.
Yt
N
cc C/aV
Coal
(Shale
\ Coal
\
IV fo -—-~
$.3. 2.0'
L.S. 2.'
v5.«S. / o'
Thin Coa/
in road
Coal
ff>e. C/
Coal
29'
7'
at Adai
the line of strike the section is there-
fore correct, except for barometric in-
accuracies believed to be slight.
The Adams entry, at elevation 1260,
is the only known place on Troublesome
creek waters where the Fire-clay coal
shows its parting as the characteristic
brown flint fire-clay common over most
of the region where the bed appears
farther south, though on Lost creek
the parting is recognizable.
Possibly the next coal, 120 feet high-
er, slipped into the road, is the Haddix
coal, but this can be surmised only, at
present.
If intervals between the coals are
about the same as in the Lost creek re-
gion the Hazard coal is on the level of
the .gap at elevation 1580.
The next coal above the gap is then
the Flag coal, and it may be of consider-
able value, though its area in this region
is confined to the tops of the ridges. The
main body of coal was covered when
visited, so that the thickness of the bed
could be guessed at only by the depth of
the opening, and its partings, if any, are
unknown, but, taken in connection with
the opening on Irishman creek, (p. 103),
a good thickness is evident.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH PORK. 65
f'9 +8 In spite of the thickness of the open-
^^^ ing represented in figure 48, the Hind-
man bed in this locality, cutting only
through the tops of the peaks, has areas
of such narrow limits as to give it a very
slight value. The opening was not in
condition to 'measure the coal with ac-
curacy, and its bottom was covered with
water, but it can be affirmed with confi-
dence that nowhere else on Kentucky
I . river waters, or, probably, north of Pine
mountain in the State, is there shown
such a thickness of coal without parting.
To the bed is therefore given the name
of the nearest town, Hindman.
^H /7<fo
The openings about the mouth of
Troublesome creek, in the Haddix, Haz-
ard and Flag beds, as obtained from
earlier reports, have been given at the
beginning of this detailed description.
o No record of recent examination of
this region is at hand, and through
freeman Parks
Hind.™** coa.i Brcatliitt county only old information
is here repeated. Of this kind are the two cannel coal analyses
following ; No. 1705 from the Haddix bed above Troublesome,
collected by P. N. Moore; No. 3110 from the "Joe Little
bank" on the North Fork, Breathitt county, sent by Charles
Kendrie.
CANNEL COAL.
Chem. Report No. 1705 3110
Moisture 1.30 0.10
Volatile combustible matter 47.00 62.42
Fixed carbon 44.40 31.48
Ash (brownish gray) 7.30 6.00
100.00 100.00
Sulphur 1.574 .969
Specific gravity 1.265
Character of ooke _. —Dense Dense
6S8
8JB
in
788
76*
7-30
Coa I •Sta!n
3. Thin f'f'ys
Coal y 3.'
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
No. 1705. "A very tough coal. It
has but little fibrous coal, but some
7.. pyrites." Notes at hand do not definite-
ly locate the coals.
BIG BRANCH.
The Big Branch section, figure 49,
on land of Grough & Co., shows the Fire-
clay coal as one of the upper two coals
of the series at the bottom of the section.
Of these the upper bed appears as
though it might be workable at an early
date, because of its convenient height,
but until it has been more thoroughly
investigated it remains of uncertain
value. Its workable area at best can
hardly be very great, as the bed does not
appear very thick elsewhere in the vicin-
ity.
The 42 in. coal, at elevation 1050, is
of the Haddix bed, the opening having
been a 17-yard entry driven into the
river-hill above Big r'9- So
Branch. At the
mouth of the entry
Big Br. Section tne bed is about six
inches thicker than at the face, the latter
as given in figure 50. The coal in being
wholly bituminous, part splint 'Coal,
varies from that found in the nearby sur-
rounding openings, which have cannel in
the bottom seam. My sample of this coal
from the face of the entry gave, by analysis of Dr. E. Peter :
( Coat
.. . jSh.
( Coal
Coat
Coat
Coat
Mouth of Br.
Coal tf-3.'
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
67
Fig. Si
1170
96 S
8/S
7<>o
PI a ce of Iron Of e
*"*' (Coal 8"
Sh. C/au //*
. - . < Coot I /o
1 CunnelC ,2.
\ c/av
Bench
Coa/
Coat
'Coal
3ha/t
[Coaf
tl Coa/
TIADDIX BED. 2529
Chem. Report No.
Moisture 1.74
Volatile combustible matter 34.06
Fixed carbon 53.80
Ash (light gray) 10.40
100.00
Sulphur 1.808
Specific gravity 1.362
Coke _ Spongy
The heavy coal stain near the top
of the section indicates the Hazard coal
in good condition here, as elsewhere in
the neighborhood. Without large area
here it is still capable of profitable yield
in the higher hills of the main ridge.
The Flag coal, nearer to the Hazard
bed here than elsewhere, is also thinner
than elsewhere in the vicinity. The
lower Lost creek openings, previously
given, indicate a workable area of thick
coal.
/7
LICK BRANCH.
The section, figure 51, was obtained
in going nearly the length of this branch,
tand the lower coals do not, therefore,
show correctly their distances apart, and
the position of the Fire-clay coal is consequently altogether
uncertain.
Coal
<3 Thi
of
L/'c* Br.
68
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fig.
Coal
Hacfcti'x. Coal
Marian
But the upper coals were found more
nearly one above the other, and there is,
therefore, little reason to doubt that the
Marian Spicer, 61 in. coal, figure 52, 1£
miles up o-n the right fork, is of the Had-
dix bed, although its section differs ma-
» terially from any other in the vicinity.
Its elevation shows a westward dip, and
indicates that the southern rise of strata
east of North Fork is much reduced, or
not continued west of it.
The bench .above this bed marks the
position of the Hazard coal, nearly, and
gives opportunity here and on streams
above for a deep deposit to lie as a covering on the outcrop
of the bed, and prevent its accidental discovery. It is safe
to assume this as a reason why the bed is little known farther
up the North Fork, though unsafe to predict it of continuous
workable thickness.
The Flag coal shows in the section, with its cannel, an
approach to value sufficient to encourage further search,
but it lies too near the hill-top to become here a very
important bed.
JOHN LITTLE BRANCH.
This branch is on the left two miles above Lick branch.
On it the following section was obtained :
Elevations.
Sandstone 50ft.
Flag coal
Coal 19 in.
Sandstone 5 ft.
Coal, partly splint 24 in.
Shaly sandstone 10 ft.
Black slate 4 in.
Massive sandstone
Coal - 9 in. 920
Coal near mouth of branch 790
Mouth of branch 765
1230
1185
950
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
69
The 24 in. coal at elevation 950, found near the head of
the branch some two miles up, is probably slightly below the
Fire-clay ccnal.
The 19 in. coal at elevation 1185 is of the Hazard bed,
but having been opened on a flat point of hill the normal thick-
ness was not obtained. It should reach a thickness of over
four feet to correspond with other openings in this region.
Fig, S3
•s.s.
Coal
3 •Shale
t-ICoa/ //'
F/aq Coa/
Gouqh > Co.
The Flag coal of elevation 1230, as
opened on land of Gough & Co., is shown
in figure 53. Taking this in considera-
tion, with openings of Mill and Leather-
wood branches of Lost creek, a fairly
remunerative field of this bed is reason-
ably assured, although its height is ob-
jectionable. My selected specimen of
the cannel and sample of the middle
seam of bituminous coal of this opening
yielded, to Dr. E. Peter's analysis:—
Chem. Report Nos.
2618
FLAG COAL. Cannel.
Moisture 1.20
Volatile combustible matter_53 . 80
Fixed carbon 39.46
Ash . - 5.54
2612
Bituminous.
7.40
30.20
52.04
10.36
100.00
Sulphur 0.722
Specific gravity 1.177
Coke . dense
100.00
0.621
1.410
pulverulent
Color of ash Light brick very light salmon
The remarkably light ash and abundant volatile matter
of the cannel marks this as an unusually fine gas coal, but
the small quantity of it attainable will prevent its establish-
ment as a factor in the market.
70 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Of the bituminous coal Dr. Peter remarks, "A weathered
sample of what appears to be splint coal." The high ash of
this analysis is in the main due to the mud included, which,
in the imperfect opening, prevented taking for analysis any
of the upper seam of coal.
GEORGES CREEK.
This stream is on the right three miles above Lick branch.
The George's Creek mines in former years were noted
in Central Kentucky for the excellence of their cannel coal
sent down the river in boats and on rafts, but now they are
all abandoned, pending the coming of railroad facilities, and
but a few outcrop openings give access to the coal
Figure 54 represents the bed a mile
r'9' s* up, on the right, according to my mea-
3" sure of 1884. Mr. Hendrie's measure-
ment, in 1891, of an opening 40 yards in
gave coal 12 in., splint coal six in., cannel
coal 18 in. At a 1906 opening one-fourth
mile up on the left, the cannel block is
14 in. thick ; at a small entry at the forks
two and one half miles up, the coal above
coat the cannel (of which the top only could
be seen) is 20 in. thick. It is said to run regularly on this
creek, bituminous coal about 20 in., on cannel coal 14 in. to 20
in. This is remarkable especially because of its variations
on adjacent streams. The resemblance of the bed to numerous
sections of the Haddix coal heretofore given, and its elevation
corresponding, gives assurance that this is of the Haddix bed,
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 71
though heretofore it lias been assumed to belong to the Fire-
clay coal, or No. 4 bed.
At the mouth of the creek the bed is 150 feet high, and
it is 30 feet above drainage at the forks, giving nearly level
strata. What rise up stream there is appears to be all in
the upper mile, and here is probably the beginning of a long
rise southward.
The following analyses of the cannel are, No. 1711, an
average specimen from the stock pile, taken by P. N. Moore,
No. 3109, received from Charles Hendrie, both by Dr. B.
Peter, "C", sample and analysis by Prof. Thomas Egleston,
Columbia College.
Chem. Report Nos.
CANNEL COAL 1711 3109 C.
Moisture 0.94 0.50 1.54
Volatile combustible matter 52.38 58.02 45.43
Fixed carbon 35.54 34.00 40.14
Ash . .11.14 7.48 12.89
100.00 100.00 100.00
Sulphur 1.423 1.098 1.74
Specific gravity 1.280
Coke dense friable
Color of ash light-lilac gray white
gray
No. 1711. Dr. Peter describes this sample as, "a pure-
looking coal. Has some ferruginous stain on the exterior sur-
faces, but no apparent pyrites. ' '
No. 3109, "An exceedingly tough, elastic coal, compact
and uniform in structure.
72
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
CANEY CREEK
But one opening of importance
is noted on this stream, at John
Deacons, near its mouth, 145 feet above
it, in a point of a hill where the full
thickness probably was not obtained.
The bed-section is given in figure 55.
Dr. Peter's analysis of my sample of the
bituminous seam (with upper 6 in. ex-
cluded because so badly weathered) and
of the cannel seam, show in their ash-
results that the bed was insufficiently opened. It is again
the Haddix bed.
C/ay I
Camne/ Co a/
9io
C/ay
H act eft*. Coct/
John JJeocon
Fig.
COOL! (ol
I Hlain/y \Sf)lint
Chem. Report No. 2616
HADDIX BED Bituminous
Moisture 3.80
Voltatile combustile matter — 32.30
Fixed carbon 48.80
Ash . -15.10
100.00
2617
Cannel
0.80
41.70
33.30
24.20
100.00
Sulphur — 0.840 0.952
Coke pulverulent pulverulent
Color of ash light reddish light pink
No. 2616 "weathered".
No. 2617 "much weathered".
\870
dLi'x C
Wolf Cr.
WOLF CREEK.
On Wolf creek but one opening is
noted, on land of John Deacon, on the
right f mile from the river and 90 feet
above it. Here is the finest known open-
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 73
ing in this bed, shown in figure 56. The. upper seam of 61 in.,
is mainly splint coal, the lower, of 27 in., is a semi-cannel,
showing here partly completed the change from the George's
creek cannel to bituminous coal, which on Lick branch is en-
tirely accomplished.
The following analyses though from samples collected
at times far apart, are doubtless from the same bed on
Wolf creek and probably from the same opening; No. 1713,
by J. E. Procter and P. N. Moore, samples from coal
badly weathered. No. 2610, my own sample, from a
muddy outcrop and therefore too high in ash; both
analyzed by Dr. E. Peter; "D" and "E" the two parts
of the bed separately, sampled and analyzed by Prof. Thomas
Egleston, Columbia College.
D E
Chem. Report Nos. Upper Lower
HADDIX BED No. 1713 No. 2610 seam seam
Moisture 2.76 2.80 4.88 1.60
Volatile combustile matter 36.68 33.60 36.83 48.72
Fixed carbon 56.50 54.20 51.41 47.59
Ash . . 4.06 9.40 6.88 2.09
100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Sulphur 0.865 0.695 0.75 0.75
Specific gravity 1.290 1.351
Coke light spongy dense
Color of ash light brownish saw-dust light brown
yellowish-gray gray
No. 1713. "A pure-looking soft splint coal in thin lami-
nae, which have quite a glossy 'cross-fracture. Very little
fibrous coal OT fine granular pyrites between the laminae."
The analysis "E" from the lower seam shows the coal
to resemble cannel in its high volatile constituents, and to be
superior to cannel or common coals in its low ash.
74
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
800
57
Bench
Coal -Stain
(BI.SI.
} Coa.1 g"
(Coot/ ' 7"
Sh.S.S.
Coa.1
Coat
oa.1
Cacti
Coa.1
Sho*'e cuiff,
i.!mn Cone.
. Mouth of
GRAPEVINE CREEK.
The dip up the North fork, which
appears to have been 'constant to Wolf
creek, changes its direction shortly above
that stream, so that the Fire-clay coal
comes above drainage probably near the
Perry county line, and it is opened on
the branch (called Eight fork) flowing
into Grapevine creek f mile from its
mouth. A half mile up the Left fork
of Eight fork, and one and one-half mile
from the mouth of Grapevine, 175 feet
above it, the bed has this section:—
Elevation
Shale 8 ft.
Coal 20 in.
Slaty coal 6 ft.
Flint fire-clay 3 in.
Coal _ 6 in.
975
Gra.j3Q.ts/tie. Cr.
The 20-in. coal elevation 945 in the
section, figure 57, is the top of the coal
given above, the bottom having been dis-
covered later; and it is possible that the
35-in. coal 10 feet higher is of the same
bed at a different point, as no trace of it
is now visible.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
75
n
Hdzarct Coa.f
J. S/oencer
The higher coals of the section were
found on the right fork of the Eight
fork, that at elevation 1,135, the Haddix
bed apparently, being now opened, but
partly covered, on the John Holmes
place, on a large bench to the left of his
house.
From a former (John Spencer)
opening the lower section of figure 58
was obtained. My sample of this coal,
with four in. at the top omitted, yielded
to Dr. E. Peter's analysis results as
given below, No. 2789.
The Hazard bed at elevation 1240
figure 58, with its abundant covering
here invites further investigation.
Analysis of my sample of this coal from
John Spencer's, as obtained by Dr. E.
; Peter, is given under No. 2791.
Both of these analyses were from
muddy outcrop samples.
Chem. Report Nos. 2789
F. C. Coal
Rider
Moisture 4.36
Volatile combustible matter 30.34
Fixed carbon 54.90
Ash (very light gray) 10.40
100.00
Coaf
2791
Hazard
Bed
6.48
30.32
47.80
15.40
100.00
0.491
; Sulphur 0.450
Specific gravity 1.366
Coke friable pulverulent
No. 2789. "Generally dull black.
f/re cfo.v cOAf /rioter Fibrous coal and some little pyrites be-
f>e tween the laminae. Some portions
pitch-black."
76 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
No. 2791. "A somewhat weathered sample of splint
coal."
Developments on the river above Grapevine creek and
about the heads of Lost creek give promise for the Hazard
bed of an excellent field about the heads of Grapevine, with a
fair prospect for a large addition from the Haddix and Flag
beds.
At Elijah Davidson's, two miles up the creek, however,
what is probably the Haddix bed, at elevation 1150, gives but
eight in. of rather slaty cannel coal under eight in. 'bituminous,
with four in. clay parting.
Buck Branch.— Three miles up, on the right.
John Davidson has a small entry % mile up the branch,
at elevation 930, into what is either the Fire-clay coal or a near
neighbor to it. The coal, with two feet shale roof under sand-
stone, is 33 in. thick.
EVERSOLE BRANCH.
A mile up this branch and 100 feet above its mouth an
incomplete opening was made into the Fire-clay coal giving
45 in. coal above the fire-clay, supposed to be the floor of the
bed. My sample of this 45 in. coal, analyzed by Dr. E. Peter,
gave:
FIRE-CLAY BED. Chem. Report No. 2788
Moisture 3.30
Volatile combustible matter 34.90
Fixed Carbon 52.20
Ash (purplish-gray) 9.60
100.00
Sulphur 0.763
Specific gravity 1.334
Coke _ .--dense friable
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
77
Shate
Coat
18'
Coaf It'
Coaf
37'
/>rr Coal io'
" Apparently a splint coal, some-
what weathered. Some fibrous coal be-
tween the laminae, but no apparent
pyrites."
The increase in thickness of this bed
here is made especially remarkable by
the appearance along with it of the rider
to the bed in considerable dimensions,
the double bed being opened, as in figure
59, at Thomas Johnson's, 100 feet above
and 1^ miles from the river. Cannel
coal in the rider is a common occurrence,
but a second rider over sandstone is un-
usual, or so distant as to be generally
unnoticed.
HENSON BRANCH.
This branch is on the left about five
miles above Eversole branch. The
strata after rising up to and across
Grape vine cr eek lin, thence nearly level
up to Willard^gf 6°
creek, 11 miles by
river above Ever-
sole branch.
'«? A half mile up
' r^»€t*%i**?» Henson branch,
about 2-3- miles southeast of the Grape-
vine Fire-clay coal opening, the samejg|
bed has been opened, 80 feet above the
river, with the much broken up section
shown in figure 60. Some improvement
as to partings would probably result ine===s'rAa/<;
going underground. *«**•»«/».
78
Pig .' 6 /
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
COQ/
Coctt <S<o
Coat
J.J.
C/ay
/rtect \Secf /on on
^ B
ROCK LICK BRANCH.
On the left, eight miles above Ever-
sole branch.
The section, figure 61, shows three
coals found on this branch: the Fire-
clay bed at elevation 900, the Haddix
230 feet higher, and the Flag coal stain,
unopened, at 1290.
The Fire-clay coal is exposed at
Joseph Campbell's, 50 feet up in a cliff
by the river road, its section being
given in figure 62. My sample of this
coal analyzed by Dr. E. Peter gave:
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2792
Moisture 2.80
Volatile combustible matter 29.60
Fixed carbon 58.50
Ash (purplish-gray) 9.10
100.00
Sulphur 0.505
Coke friable
"A weathered sample of splint coal."..
Coo. I
//Jo
H'etddix. Coa L
.'•s.s
Coat
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 79
ti The Haddix 36-in. coal of figure 62
was measured at the mouth of a 20-yard
entry. At the face it was but 30 in.
J6~ thick, and the general condition of the
bed is not so favorable as to lead to ex-
pectation of recovery farther under, but
the coal is too valuable to warrant the
neglect of additional exploration.
A half mile above Eock Lick branch
and across the river at John Napier's,
an 8-yard entry into the Fire-clay coal
gives :
Elevation 900; 50 ft. above river.
" Sandstone 5 ft.
Coal 25 in.
Flint fire-clay 5 in.
Coal 10 in.
An inch of shale in the bottom coal
at the month has disappeared at the face.
Fire
Bed
Coa/
SplinTCoal 28
\I23S~
. Campbell
Hazard. Coa/
FISH-TRAP BRANCH.
On the left, one mile above Eock
Lick branch.
At Abner Campbell's, f mile up this
branch, is the 56-in. coal shown at ele-
vation 1235 in the section, figure 61, its
relation to other coals there determining
it to be of the Hazard bed. It is given
on enlarged scale in figure 63. My
sample gave to Dr. E. Peter's analysis,
the following results:
80 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
HAZARD BED. Chem. Report No. 2787
Moisture 5.26
Volatile combustible matter 30.34
Fixed carbon 55.20
Ash (light purplish-gray) 9.20
100.00
Sulphur 0.475
Specific gravity 1.359
Coke . ..friable
"Some portions dull, like cannel coal; others bright.
Some fibrous coal between the laminae, but no apparent
pyrites. ' '
WILLARD CREEK.
On Willard creek near its mouth the Fire-clay coal bed
gives the following section:—
Elevation 925; 70 ft. above river
Sandstone 5 ft.
Shale 5 ft.
Coal 2 in.
Fire-clay 4 in.
Coal 10 in.
Clay 4 in.
Black slate 3 in.
Clay
A half mile up the creek to the first left branch and a half
mile up the latter, the Haddix coal has been opened, at ele-
vation 1130, between two prominent cliffs, the upper one show-
ing at intervals to a height of 70 feet above the coal, reported
here, but not now visible, 3 feet thick, the top 2 in. cannel coal.
The opening indicated somewhat less coal.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
81
If
One hundred feet higher, 375 feet f,
above the river, Eoderick Mclntosh has
opened the Hazard bed with 57 in. solid
coal, figure 64. The foot of bony coal
appears to be fairly good, and the whole
bed should be readily marketable.
Fig • 6 »T
v In the section,
\N figure 65, taken at
Samuel Whittak-
er's, on the left
fork of the Eight
Fork of Willard,
two and one-half
miles from the
bench of the Fire-clay coal bed is lacking,
but the lower bench is given in the 15 in.
coal under Fire-clay at elevation 975.
s.s. Both benches of coal and the Fire-clay
are well-nigh gone across on Hell-for-
Certain and Bull creeks.
Bench
f\. Mclntosh
Ha.ia.rd. Coa./
river, the
upper
The rather slaty cannel coal at ele-
vation 1095 is probably of the Haddix
bed, though its roof is not the usual
sandstone; and its interval to the Fire-
*00 smaH> possibly because
JL.S. v /ran Ore 3'
Coa/ '^"vS"" ° ^ C°a^ 3
cannei con.1 23" of barometric variation.
C f of tf
~oa/ 2
. Whit tatter
Much of this error, if such it is, is
eliminated on reaching the Hazard bed,
at 1225. This coal as found at an open-
ing a mile above Whittaker's, at the
head of the fork, is given in figure 65,
82
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fig . (a (o
and another opening into the same bed
at Whittaker's is shown in figure 66.
This latter opening was not carried far
enough for more than an approximate
measure of coal and coverings, nor was
a that of figure 65 carried so far that my
sample obtained from it was not injured
by the adherence of mud. The following
analysis, by Dr. E. Peter, serves to show
j.w/7/y/aA-er this in its undue proportion of ash.
d. Coo./
HAZARD BED. Chem. Report No. 2794
Moisture 3-96
Volatile combustible matter
Fixed carbon - 52.80
'Ash (purplish-gray) - 10.40
100.00
Sulphur • 0.722
Specific gravity I-390
Qoke -friable
"Portions of the sample dull splint coal. Some fibrous
coal between the laminae, but no apparent pyrites. Some
pieces bright pitch black."
On the bench 185 feet above the upper coal of figure 65,
elevation 1410, is a coal reported thick, probably correctly,
as it corresponds with the height of the Hindman bed, opened
little more than a mile southwest on Big Creek.
PIGEON ROOST BRANCH.
On the left one mile above Willard creek.
The Haddix coal was opened one mile up from, and 265
feet above, the river, with but 2 in. shale roof under sandstone
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
83
the coal 32 in. thick, half splint coal, corresponding with that
on Rock Lick branch: it is at the same level and not far
distant.
. (of
Half Jpl/ni-
Coa/ 60 y-
\'/9f
Pigeon i
Ha.TLQ.rdL Coat
Only 60 feet (by barometer) above
the last opening the Hazard coal, figure
67, was partly opened, showing 60 in.
coal of which about half was splint. A
few more inches might, perhaps, have
been found by more digging, but the
amount obtained was sufficient for iden-
tification, and to prove the continua-
tion of this valuable coal.
At Albert Hoskins' on the right of
the river, one quarter mile above Lower
Second creek, the following section was
obtained: —
Hill-top 1350
Coal, 6 ft 1250
Main bench 1190
Coal, reported 3 ft 1160
Bench 1070
River 870
The Fire-clay coal is probably at elevation about 950.
The reported three feet coal is of the Haddix bed, though
its three feet shale roof is unusual. The six feet coal with
five feet shale roof is then of the Hazard bed, corresponding
with the Mclntosh coal of Willard creek. This opening is a
small entry, and with a foot of water in it, no measurement
taken. The visible coal between the timbers appeared to be
about five feet thick without parting, but near the bottom of
the bed is four in. of very poor bone coal. The height of
the hill indicates that it is necessary to go back from the river
to get good area.
84 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
BIG CREEK.
Near the top of the hill on the road
from Big creek to Hazard, Win. Combs
has made several entries into the
Hazard bed, 315 feet above the Fire-clay
coal by the road, where the latter is 100
feet above the river at Hazard. The
Coa( 55
coal is a bright nearly uniform block
coal, showing as in figure 68, and with
no material variation in thickness or
quality in the one small mine now ac-
,3,5- cessible. With little more than 100 feet
w,'n. Combs °f covering the area of the coal in
Ho.-2.Ara. coa/ this vicinity, though not large, is
sufficient to invite early working, because of its easy delivery
to the river valley.
The stain of the Flag coal shows on a very conspicuous
bench by the Combs house, 60 feet above the mine. The gap
to the river north of the house is but 50 feet higher. Sand-
stones in cliffs are above and below both beds.
On the central fork the Hazard bed is still thicker than
found on the Left fork and has a heavier covering, but a
parting detracts from its value.
At Alfred Eversole 's, three miles from the mouth of Big
creek, where the Fire-clay coal is probably about 20 feet below
drainage, the Hazard bed lies 280 feet above the creek, and
measured : —
Soft coal 19 in.
Splint coal 24 in.
Soft coal 3 in.
Parting 10 in.
Coal . __16 in.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
85
But as the bottom 26 in. was under water, and the floor
level somewhat indefinite, the lower measures are inaccurate.
The top seam by itself makes a handsome appearance.
Forty feet higher is the Flag coal, containing cannel, but
it appears never to have been opened.
Another opening of Alfred Ever-
sole 's into the Hazard bed is shown in
figure 69. It is a mile to the left of Left
fork, up Jenny Lick branch, and is about
level with the preceding two Hazard
bed opening's.
7o'
J.J.
Sptinl- Coal 13
^^r£3 Sh<x.le
r. c/c
Again, some two
miles above Ever-
sole's near the
head of the fork,
/8- the Hazard bed is
opened, showing as
in figure 70.
The top 19 in. of
the first Eversole
opening is entirely gone, but the remain-
der of that seam is unchanged except
for the intrusion of an inch of shale.
The heavy parting below, if it continues,
will forbid the working of the upper
seam, but some compensation lies in the
thickening of the under seam. But the
lower half of this having been measured
under water, it possibly may not be clean
coal.
The hill here is high and at an ele- t . .. _
Head of Left Fork
vation of 1660, the Hindman coking H 0.1 a ret coa/
(?) coal bed appears, five to six feet thick, probably w^nout
material parting. Though the peaks here rise 300 to 400 feet
Co a./
86
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
C.
•1
3L
above the coal the gaps cut deep and the area of this bed is
not large enough to make it a very important factor.
On the Eight fork the bottom coal
of the section, figure 71, is probably of
the Fire-clay coal bed, the fire-clay, not
noted here, being visible where it goes
below drainage near the head of the fork
on the road to Mackintosh creek. The
bed here also, where dug from the creek,
is thin, though having about one foot
of coal below the parting.
The 21 in. coal of the section, 15
feet higher, becomes 32 in. including two
thin partings, and continues, under a
black slate roof, in the cliff just above
the Fire-clay coal digging in the creek.
As the rider to the Fire-clay bed it
becomes important south of Hyden.
The top bed of the section shown
3 S.
I Cafinel
1 Sho.lc
} Caa.1
\ Sho.1*,
\~ Coa.1
Iron «»/•<
S.S.
Coo/
s.s.
a i s i.
Coa/
Thin Coat
'S
Forks of
Biq Cr.
in detail in figure
72, is of the Hind-
man bed, 480 feet
above the Fire-
clay coal. It has
here a rider of can-
nel coal, not known
to it elsewhere.
The ridges here
are still too low
and narrow to
furnish any very
great amount of
coal from this bed,
yet they are long
enough to warrant
r,-g. 7 1
Jrro. f~/'e/ds
Hmdman Coal
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
87
working the bed, when transportation facilities are supplied
to the lower beds.
From the imperfect opening made Mr. James I. Profitt
sampled for the Survey the lower 36 in. of coal, which,
analyzed by Dr. R. Peter, gave: —
HINDMAN BED. Chem. Report No. 2783
Moisture 3.50
Volatile combustible matter 35.30
Fixed carbon 53.14
Ash (light brownish-gray) 8.06
100.00
Sulphur 1.035
Specific gravity 1.333
Coke _ —dense.
"A weathered sample of splint coal. Some fibrous coal
between the thin laminae, but no appearance of pyrites.
Some ferruginous incrustation."
Fiy.
A half mile above Big creek, on the
right of the river, 85 feet above it, the
section of figure 73 was obtained, at the
mouth of H. T. Thornton's 20-yard en-
try. This is the first opening into the
Fire-clay coal bed on the river above
Willard creek to give a workable coal.
The black-jack parting, similar to the
"jack-rock" of the Middlesboro region,
takes the place of the usual flint fire-
clay. Of rare occurrence in the central
part of the Kentucky river field, this
characteristic is found on Lost creek and
elsewhere near the rim of the field, and
is common towards the heads of Middle Fork and on Bed Bird
creek.
H '. T. Thornton
fire C/ay Coa.1
88
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
PEACH-ORCHARD BRANCH.
On the left one mile above Big
Creek.
At the head of this branch, 415 feet
above the river, on land of Nancy Combs
heirs, the Flag coal gives the section
shown in figure 74, the bottom 6 in. mea-
sured in water at the mouth of a four-
f,'y.
9 • 7s
977
8<)o
eat. h Or eft a ret
8' COOL/
S.S S
Coal
Qio Sen
(/• Co<*> t
So star ci L .S . 2.
•Sh.S.S f-o'
Thin Coal
3h. + Cla.y Jo'
AV<y«*y /ran Of
Thin Coal
Thin Coa.1
Sh. r Clay 10'
f C/o y Be
Th'.r, Coat
Shot*
'
,. . „
outh of or.
,e Br.
yard entry. Though
high on the hill
there is still
enough area to
yield large returns
if the very favor-
able condition of
the bed continues
through to Lost
creek, as the open-
ings there indicate.
Sha/« -f ''
Sh.V-C. 2.'
Coa(
Coal
/ 3oo
Fla.<j Co a./
Nancy Combs Heirs
CARNEGIE BRANCH.
On the left, two miles above Big
,4~ creek, three miles below Lots creek.
The section, figure 75, represents the
strata as exposed along the road up the
spur on the east to the head of the
branch, with the Fire-clay coal at the
branch and the Flag coal of Peach Or-
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
89
chard branch (a half mile west of the
Hazard opening) included.
The Fire-clay coal, 85 feet above the
river, a quarter mile up the branch, open-
ed to a five-yard entry by Robert Combs,
has here no parting, but shows 42 in.
clean coal as in figure 76. The fire-clay
under the coal, where the parting not in-
frequently lies gives no flinty charac-
teristic, and is clearly the floor of the
bed. Nor can this be the rider of the
bed as the same coal is found close a-
bove on the river with the fire-clay part-
ing. Its absence is also noted on Lots
creek. This is especially remarkable as
its presence is so usual as to have been
regarded as even more constant than the coal itself.
An earlier measure of the bed, when belonging to Alex-
ander Combs, gave but 39 in. coal, probably at the mouth of
the present entry. My sample taken then was analyzed by
Dr. R. Peter with the following results:—
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2793
Moisture 1.76
Volatile combustible matter 36.04
Fixed carbon 56.20
Ash (very light gray) 6.00
i're. C/att/
Robert Com
100.00
Sulphur 0.557
Specific gravity 1.290
Coke light spongy
"Apparently good splint or semi-bituminous coal. No
apparent pyrites."
The 33 in. coal, at elevation 1225, figure 75, 335 feet above
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
the river, owned by Thomas B. Combs, is of the Hazard bed.
With about five feet of coal in this bed at numerous points,
north, west and south of this opening, the bed does not give
here the thickness which should be expected for this immediate
locality. Other openings are needed before this can be ac-
cepted as representative here.
The upper coal of the section is described as found on
Peach Orchard branch, page 88.
From 90 to 110 feet above the river are scattered con-
glomerate pebbles in some quantity, which appear to have
come from the friable sandstone on which they lie, but none
were discovered imbedded in it here or elsewhere on this
horizon where the pebbles were found. Their occurrence at
a height of 10 to 100 feet above the Fire-clay coal bed is in-
frequent, and seems to be confined mainly to the close vicinity
of the North fork.
At one and one quarter miles below
Lots creek, north of the river and 50
feet above it, are several old mines be-
longing to Elhannon Crawford, from one
of which the section, figure 77, was ob-
tained. The fire-clay parting is here
bituminous and not flint, and the 1 in.
coal below it signifies that on Carnegie
branch the parting has run into the floor.
On the road up Meadow branch (a
mile below Lots creek) toward Sixteen-
£". Crauiford Mile creek the following section was
taken to aid in locating the source of theconglomerate pebbles.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 91
Conglomerate pebbles (abundant) 1055
Conglomerate pebbles on level by house 990
Coal stain (on sandstone) 970
Fire-clay coal at spring (river road) 950
River 900
The chief source here appears to be about 100 feet above
the Fire-clay coal bed, though on Carnegie branch they ap-
pear but 20 to 40 feet above it.
LOTS CREEK.
By the road one quarter mile up this creek, 50 feet above
it, an opening into what is presumably the Fire-clay coal bed
shows 35 in. coal, with possibly an inch or two more at the
bottom covered. The seam of coal below the fire-clay parting
is probably lacking. The roof is here a shale changing to
shaly sandstone, the whole eight feet thick, with five feet
visible sandstone above.
Dark Fork, or Helen Combs Branch. — On the left, three
quarters mile up the creek.
On the right of the branch, one eighth mile up it, 60 feet
above the creek, the old Fielding Combs opening, (now S. M.
Napier), gives the section of figure 78. The coal is bright and
looks rich in bitumen, a part of it seeming to be nearly cannel
coal, but the analysis does not indicate it.
My sample, analyzed by Dr. R. Peter, yielded : —
92
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
78
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2541
Moisture 5.20
Volatile combustible matter 31.80
Fixed carbon - 52.94
Ash (very light buff) — 10.00
100.00
Sulphur _______________________ - °-588
Specific gravity ----------- 1.570
_______________ _________ pulverulent
JS
fire C/aif Bed
Ho I lid ay
80
f/rt C/ay B&d.
\3. M . Napier
Trace Fork. — On the left one mile
up.
A mile up the fork behind the Hol-
liday school-house, 10 feet above the
creek, the Fire-day coal, (or its rider)
is opened in a small entry giving the
section, figure 79.
Three miles up the fork, toward Lost
creek, at the head of a branch on the
right, Kiley Gayheart had opened the
Flag coal, as in figure 80, part of it a
good splint coal, and the rest attractive
in appearance. The Eobert Gayheart
openings into the same bed on Pigeon
Boost and Combs branches of Trouble-
some and the openings at the head of
Lost creek, all indicate that a minimum
of not less than four feet of coal may be
expected in this region. The chief ques-
tion here regarding the coal must be in
relation to its area, of which there is
certainly a considerable amount.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
93
Two miles up the fork in a field on
the left of the road to Troublesome,
Charles Godsey land, the Hazard bed
gave the section of figure 81. Openings
into this bed surrounding the ridge at
the head of Lost creek assure a fine
working field, perhaps to become one of
the most profitable of any of the Ken-
tucky river, though in its extent of thick
coal the bed gives excellent promise
in other localities.
On the Eight fork, or main Lots
creek, from one to two and one half miles
c.Goetsey above Trace fork, a line of openings ten
Ha.za.rct Ceo. i to 30 feet above the creek gives the re-
lation of the Fire-clay bed to its rider here. Figure 82 gives
the principal ones at distances about one half mile apart.
Probably nowhere else, but on Carr fork does the Fire-clay
coal give thicker cannel combined with enough bituminous
coal to make mining easy, but it is not likely that this con-
dition extends far beyond the limits developed. On Combs
branch, Troublesome creek, the bed is too thin to work;
farther up on Lots creek it is thin or unopened, and along the
river above and below Hazard the cannel is changed to bi-
tuminous coal while the rider is missing altogether. My
sample of the B. F. Grigsby cannel, analyzed by Dr. E. Peter,
gave : —
FIRE-CLAY CANNEL. Chem. Report No. 2540
Moisture 0.44
Volatile combustible matter 44.16
Fixed carbon 49.40
Ash (light gray-brown) 6.00
100.00
Sulphur 0.766
Specific gravity 1.250
Coke dense spongy
94
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
££=-; J/7.5.J. /o'
Coo./ /o'
Fire C/ay Coa/
F/re C/ay Coo./
83
Fire C/a y Coa. f Fire C/a y Coot f
t/''Gr/ys6y O.Gr/y$6y
"A pure-looking cannel coal. Tough. Fracture very
broad, irregular 'conchoidal. " The weight of ash makes it a
remarkable cannel.
It needs be said of these openings that there is no con-
clusive evidence that the upper bed, instead of the lower, may
not be the Fire-clay coal. It is assumed
otherwise from the fact that the main
bed, not infrequently part cannel, often
has 'S>uch a rider as here, while nowhere
is a workable bed below the Fire-clay
coal known to approach so near.
Above this cannel, at elevation 1300,
and 285 feet above the creek, the Hazard
bed has the section of the coal of figure
83. Here the ridge is high enough to
' v/a z a ret coal Sive a ^ood working area.
^^"
8 y.
Sf-
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 95
At the height of 1470 feet an opening giving 18 in. coal
with two 12 in. partings is probably representative of the
Flag coal; but further development is needed to establish
the values of the higher coals of this vicinity.
Elk Lick Fork.— On the right, three and one-half miles
above Trace fork.
At elevation 1025, fifteen feet above
the mouth, an old opening probably into
the Fire-clay coal rider, developed some-
what under three feet of coal with 20
feet of shale and sandstone above it and
20 feet of sandstone exposed over that.
On the upper right fork, on the
Sylvester Grisby tract, (now Va. I. C.
& C. Co.) the Hazard bed (probably)
with 54 in. of clean coal, as in figure 84,
has a fine appearance, with a consider-
able proportion of good splint coal and
no pyrites visible. Its apparent height
of perhaps 380 feet above the Fire-clay
coal at the mouth of the fork instead of
the usual 300 feet, is in part due to the
rise of strata along the fork, easily
amounting to 60 feet.
On what is by the U. S. topographi-
cal map the upper Elk Lick fork in Knott
county, a mile from the road to Mill
creek, on William Young's land, now
Slemp Coal Co., 20 feet above the creek,
the section of fignire 85 is opened. No
other coals having been seen in the vi-
cinity correlation is uncertain, but there
Ha.io.rot COQ./ is little reason to doubt that it is in the
Coal
\ J/a fe
Caa/
j=--=l S». 1C,
Coat
( tfil.'nt)
Coo.!
96
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Hazard bed. It is 'also probable that in going underground
a much, more satisfactory face of coal as to partings could
be obtained, and especially is it likely that the splint coal of
the two bottom seams woiuld combine into one solid block.
3.S. S
WALKER BRANCH.
Coal -- „
f/re C/at/ Sect
Peter Wctf/rer
On the left one mile above Lots
creek.
Of the half dozen entries, one quar-
ter to one half mile up this branch, ten
to 20 feet above it, that one given in
figure 86 alone was in condition for meas-
urement of the upper coial seam. The
flint fire-clay was 'unmistakable, and the
bottom coal was found under the fire-
clay and both these had been left undisturbed in mining.
A. H. Turner has a 20-yard entry
by the road a half mile below Hazard,
60 feet above the river, from which the
section of figure 87 was obtained. As
on Walker branch the flint clay part-
ing clearly defines this as of the Fire-
clay coal bed.
Across the river from the last open-
ing, 100 feet above it (more or less) on
land of J. H. Combs, an old opening into
the upper seaim of the same bed, given
as three feet thick, was sampled by Prof.
A. E. Crandall, and three years later,
measuring 33 in., by myself. The two
samples, analyzed by Dr. E. Peter, gave
Fire. C/ay flee/
/). //. Turner
the following results: —
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 97
Chem. Report Nos.
FIRE-CLAY COAL. 2398 2546
Moisture 1.50 1.50
Volatile combustible matter __ 36.10 33.50
Fixed carbon 59.06 61.20 .
Ash (light gray) 3.34 3.80
100.00 100.00
Sulphur 0.618 0.794
Specific gravity 1.272 1.287
Coke spongy light spongy
Dr Peter remarks of the first sample, "A pure-looking
pitch-black splint coal. Shows very little fibrous coal and no
visible pyrites between its irregular laminae." Of the other
practically the same is said.
In the town of Hazard, about 30 feet above the river an
old entry, of which no record is at hand, was made into a
coal-bed 75 feet under the Fire-clay coal. The same coal is
exposed 15 feet above the river, in a cliff by the road above
Hazard, where the following section obtains: — •
Sandstone 20 ft.
Coal 35 in.
Flint fire-clay 7 in.
Coal 3> in. 1015
Clay
Sandstone 60 ft.
Shale 5 ft.
Black slate 5 ft.
Coal and 12 partings 40 in. 940
River 925
This lower bed with its many partings is of no value here,
and little elsewhere so far as known, except in a consider-
able region about Whitesburg. To it is therefore given the
name of the Whitesburg Coal bed. The bed can often be
identified by its heavy black slate roof, which appears to
accompany the coal throughout most of the North and Middle
fork areas.
The Fire-clay coal, at elevation 1015, is opened in a small
entry with chute to the river road.
98 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
BUFFALO CREEK. r;9.ss
On the right, three miles above Haz-
ard.
By the creek, a mile up it, at Alfred
Fversole's, the Fire-clay coal is opened
F,q. 81
. S
• Ob
Coat
3/
6f3. Coal
S.S.
( Coal
S/o.C.iS*. /
[ Coo./
(a*
Bed
3 Nf. ABOVE.
<r> a~t E. . Cornc.tfs
•3?
90 feet above the
river, as shown in
figure 88. In two
measurements tak-
en three years
apart, the open- rire.
ings having been /} .
worked slightly meantime, the upper
coal seam had decreased three in., and
the lower increased two in.
The section of figure 89 was taken
at Elijah Cornett's, opposite and above
the mouth of Buffalo creek. The
Whitesburg coal at elevation 965, though
o-aining thickness, is still valueless.
The Fiire-iclay r/>. 9o
coal at elevation
1060 with its large
proportion of splint
coal and its thin
shale parting in
place of Fire-clay
as shown in figure
90, presents an un-
usually fine section
for this bed, but
the mine appears
now to be abandon-
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
99
The 31 in. coal, at the top of the Cornett section, appears
about at the level of the Hazard coal, but more data are re-
quired to determine this with certainty. My sample of this
coal gave to Dr. E. Peter's analysis: —
Chem. Report No. 2544
Moisture 4.50
Volatile combustible matter 32.50
Fixed carbon 57.50
Ash (nearly white) 5.50
100.00
Sulphur 0.670
Specific gravity 1.381
Coke pulrerulent
C/cty B&d
B . Combs
"A somewhat weathered sample of
splint coal. Some fibrous coal, but no
pyrites apparent between the laminae.
By the road, four and one half miles,
above Hazard, Van Buren Combs has a
30-yard entry, 85 feet above the river,
in which the parting has returned again
to fire-clay, the bed showing the section
of figure 91.
Below the road, five miles above
Hazard, Martha Stacy has tw<o entries,
100 feet above the river, driven at nearly
a right angle to one another. Water in
them prevented seeing the floor, but the
fire-clay parting, shaly here, was meas-
100
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
f/o 92
ured with the coal above it, both as
shown in figure 92.
The foregoing openings from Haz-
ard up prove the presence of a fine field
of the Fire-clay coal, which extends up
to and beyond Sassafras creek, Carr fork.
CARR FORK.
Scattered along the road opposite
the mouth of Carr fork, probably 30 feet
below the level of the Fire-clay coal, are
many pebbles which seem to have come
from a friable sandstone in place there,
but, as below Lots creek none were found
in the rock itself. They were reported
seen also in the cliff above the road below Carr fork, in
former years, probably above the level of the Fire-clay coal,
but their location could not be closely described.
Georges Branch. — On the right, four
miles or more up Carr fork.
On the left, one quarter 'mile up the
branch and 170 feet above its mouth an
entry has been made into the upper seam
of the Fire-clay coal, figure 93. The coal
here seems to differ from that of the bed
generally, and is apparently coking coal.
The floor of the entry, or parting perhaps
consists of 4 in: 6 in. of black-jack and
black slate, representing the fire-clay
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
101
parting. An unusual quantity of huge, rough, hard boulders
lie about the place, having come from a short distance higher
up.
At the forks one and one half miles
up the branch, ten feet above it, in a
rockhouse, the same bed shows as in
figure 94, with the parting a true flint
j?"clay, and the under seam present. The
section accords with that on Big branch
across the ridge to the south. The eleva-
tion was not taken.
fire C/O.L/ Q&ct.
of George's Br.
Rowdie Branch. — On the right, in
Knott county, one mile above Yellow
creek.
Harmon Stacy has an 8-yard enrry
into the Fire-clay coal, £ mile up the
branch, 130 feet above its mouth, repre-
sented in figure 95. The upper seam,
varying from 34 in. to 37 in. coal, is
thinner than the openings on either side
of it would lead one to expect, and other
openings in the 'dose vicinity should
prove better. The parting of dark flint
fire-clay, over slate like that of George's
branch, confirms the statement that the
floor of the latter opening is the usual
parting.
At the mouth of Sassafras creek Esq. Cornett's coal, re-
ported by Prof. A. R. Crandall as in figure 96, is probably of
the Fire-clay coal bed, but its height not being given, this must
be conjectural. The bed should lie about 170 feet above Carr
fork, as on Rowdie branch. The bone coal may represent the
Coo./
/"/>«
Seat
Gr.
102
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fire-clay parting, but an undiscovered seam of coal below the
floor is not improbable.
Prof. Crandall's sample, analyzed by Dr. B. Peter,
yielded :
fire. Clay Beat
Co m e //
Chem. Report No. 2399
Moisture 1.30
Volatile combustible matter 34.70
Fixed carbon 56.10
Ash (buff-gray) 7.90
100.00
Sulphur 0.437
Specific gravity 1.305
Coke Spongy
"Generally a bright splint coal. No
apparent pyrites and very little fibrous
coal between its laminae.— -The ap-
parent ash percentage is no doubt
increased by the adherent dirt in the sample.
Pi g. 97
Irishman Creek. — By the school-
house at the mouth of this creek, 150
feet above it, the Fire-clay coal is
opened as in figure 97, the main part
ing being a true flint clay. The bed is
opened, as previously stated, at eleva-
tion 1260 on the right fork of Trouble
some, and the course of Irishman creek,
heading near that opening, is about on
the line of strike of strata, so that a
very favorable opportunity is afforded
to obtain the intervals to the high
beds about the head of the creek. From the Fire-clay coal to
the Hindman bed is about 530 feet.
8
Fire C/cet/ jBe.ct /
Cf.\
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
103
12.
Ffa.<j Coo./
Figure 98 shows the lower one of
the two beds noted on page 64, opened
on Samuel Mullins' land at the head of
Irishman, Eight fork, the upper big bed
being about 100 feet higher. The Mul-
lins' opening presents a very handsome
appearance in a well-opened entry in-
to the Flag coal, but it is too high to
afford rauch area in this vicinity.
The higher bed is of interest in this
locality only because of its remarkable
thickness, for it occurs only in small
areas in the highest peaks.
Little Branch. — On the right, i mile
above Irishman creek.
A half mile up this branch, 40 feet
above it and 195 feet (or less) above its
mouth, the Fire-clay coal bed is opened
as in figure 99, the parting a flint clay.
Smith Branch. — On the right,
above Irishman creek.
mile
104
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
r. 190
The section, figure 100, shows the
same bed with like parting, in a rock-
house, 1-| miles up the branch, 10 feet
above it and 180 feet (or more) above
its mouth. The elevations here and on
Little branch indicate a slight reversal
of dip, but it is more likely that they are
incorrect, the latter probably being too
high.
Fire c/«y Be* Breeding Creek.-On the right, If
>/////«/•<* Smith. miles above Irishman creek. ("Little
Carr" by early map of Kentucky Geological Survey.)
At the mouth of this creek a thick coal bed is said to have
been penetrated in the stream, from which coal for local use
was obtained. The bed rises with the stream, and a foot of
the top of the coal shows above the water half mile up the
creek. It is doubtless the Elkhorn bed, if the report is true,
the interval from it to the Fire-Clay coal being about 200 feet.
The bed should be found close above drainage for one or two
/«/ miles or more up Breeding creek, and is
not likely to exceed 3^ feet in thickness
of coal, judging from openings farther
up Carr.
Coal
Oont K
f. C/aif
Coetl
Sect
Sugar Branch. — On the right, If
miles up Breeding creek.
A quarter mile up this branch, at
John Buck's, the Fire-clay coal, with
bone coal and flint clay parting, is
opened as in figure 101, at 230 feet above
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
105
Breeding. The coal below the parting was in water and not
accurately measured.
Pig. IQZ.
Fi're C/«y /I* of
Nocth Jerrt
\fOff
of Lftf/e Car/*
Clkhorn Coo./
Mallet Fork.— On the right two
miles 'up Breeding.
A mile up this fork to Mare branch
on the left, and \ mile up and to the
left of the branch, Noah Jent has a 15-
yard entry into the Fire-clay coal, which,
at its mouth, has the section, figure 102.
At the face the coal has diminished
30 in. and the parting 3 in., but this is
probably due to a roll of little im-
portance.
Little Carr.— On the right, 4i miles
above Irishman creek. ("Amburgy
branch" by early map of Kentucky Geo-
logical Survey.)
The Elkhorn coal, which appears in
the creek at the mouth of Breeding is
about ten feet higher than the mouth of
of * '-Little Carr, where it shows along the road
up the main fork, and whence the section
of figure 103 was obtained. My sample,
taken from the 44 in. coal as exposed in
the cliff, analyzed by Dr. A. M. Peter,
yielded:
y )
106
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
ELKHORN BED. Laboratory No. 2756
Moisture __________________________________ 2.92
Volatile combustible matter _______________ 34.90
Fixed carbon ______________________________ 54.36
Ash (salmon) _____________________________ 7.82
100.00
Sulphur .65
Phosphorus .009
Specific gravity 1.367
Coke friable
B. T. U. per pound of coal 12,616
Total carbon 72.78
"Contains a good deal of dust and iron stain." Friable
coke does not indicate a coking coal, but the appearance of
the coal itself and its analysis are so favorable as to urge a
more thorough test of its coking qualities.
An entry 200 yards up Little Carr, fallen in, shows the
top coal no longer mixed with shale, 8 in. thick, then a part-
ing of 17 in., with apparently solid coal below.
Wolf-Pen Branch.— The measure-
ments of figure 104, at John Amburgy's
opening on this branch, were taken by
Prof. Crandall. The bed is undoubtedly
the Fire-clay coal or its rider, and its
section is remarkably like the Grigsby
openings of Lost creek, with shale be-
tween the cannel and common coal
ei Coat 27" representing the fire-clay parting. Anal-
yses by Dr. E. Peter of the two coals of
•' this opening, sampled by Prof. Crandall,
are given below :
Coal
Uohn
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 107
Chem . Report
No. 2367 No. 2368
FIRE-CLAY COAL Bituminous Cannel
Moisture 5.46 0.26
Volatile combustible matter— 31.68 47.94
Fixed carbon 57.46 44.86
Ash . 5.40 6.94
100.00 100.00
Sulphur .488 .751
Specific gravity 1.385
Coke pulverulent dense
Color of ash light purplish buff-gray
No. 2367. "A much weathered sample, in small lumps
and powder. Soiled with clay."
No. 2368. "A firm pure-looking cannel coal."
In a cliff and at water level, 1^ miles up Little Carr, the
Elkhorn bed appears again with this section:
Shaly sandstone 20 ft.
Coal 3 in.
Shale 14 in.
Coal 28 in.
Shale 1 in.
Bone coal _ 4 in.
The coal here is less than at the mouth or main head of
Little Carr, (as shown below) but seems to be poorer yet,
•J mile up the right fork, where the parting has become six
feet thick, the coal on it about 8 in. and under it but about 24
inches.
108
Fig. toS~
Hill 7<S '
£~«y (Coa.1
\S. V
S.S.
Coal
Btx.-af9.ral / . S.
Upf>f.r Cetnn+l C.
S.S.
Cat rr not Coc./
Coat/
S.S.
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Amburgy Branch.
— This branch is
on the right of
Little Carr near its
head.
Prof. Crandall 's
section, figure 105,
shows the Elkhorn
coal 25 feet above
Little Carr at
Francis Ambur-
gy 's. The lower
bed of figure 106
represents another
opening there into
the same coal, a
very decided im-
provement on the
bed as exhibited
along the main
road down the
creek.
The next bed of
the section, 160
feet higher, is
p r o b a b ly the
Whitesburg bed,
not known to be
workable on Carr
fork.
The cannel coal
35 feet higher at
elevation 1390 is
then of the Fire-
&r.
g. io
\Shale.
Coat
Coa.1
rf-~
Coat
Coa.1
Coal
Coat
clay coal bed, 195 feet above the Elkhorn.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 109
The upper cannel coal shown seems likely to prove of the
Haddix bed, though it may be one yet unknown. Its interval
of 140 above the Fire-clay coal is small, and of 395 feet to the
Hindman bed at the top of the section is large for the Haddix
bed; but the long distance from any other point where the
latter has been recognized is sufficient to account for the varia-
tion.
The interval between the Fire-clay and Hindman beds,
495 feet corresponds closely with that found on Troublesome,
Right fork. The upper bed of figure 106 represents the open-
ing into the Hindman bed here. Though having less coal here
than on Troublesome, there is still enough to make it im-
portant, except for its slight area. Farther up Carr and the
North fork the bed overreaches the hill-tops.
Betty Troublesome. — On the left, £ mile above Little Carr:
on one of the main roads between Hindman and Whitesburg.
Two miles up this stream, 30 feet above it, and 190 feet
above its mouth, the Fire-clay coal has been opened with the
following section, below the limit of present workable coal,
but of future value:
Elevation
Sandstone 1 ft.
Shale 2 ft.
Bituminous shale 2 ft.
Coal 27 in.
Flint fire-clay 5 in.
Coal . ._ 9 iB. 1280
110
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
*/o
Brannon Creek. — On the left, four miles above Little Carr:
on mail 'road between Hindman and Whitesburg.
The Elkhorn bed, (or one very near it) shows at the
mouth of this creek, 20 feet above it, only 18 in. thick, with
20 feet of shale covering.
A half mile up the stream and | mile
up a left branch Isom Sloane has started
an entry, figure 107, into a coal rather
unsatisfactory because of its number of
„ partings and 7-in. bone coal. The part-
ings, however, will probably diminish
farther underground. The bed being
210 feet above the mouth of Brannon, it
is probably the Fire-clay coal, but may
be its rider, in which case a bed once
opened 25 feet under it, said to be three
feet thick, is the main bed. The presence
of black slate on the dump of the lower
bed is rather indicative of its being of
the Whitesburg bed.
/$o/r> *S/oa/ie
About H miles above Brannon Creek, £ mile above Pine
Top P. 0., what is probably the Elkhorn bed shows by the
road, 50 feet above the creek, this section:
Sandstone 15 ft.
Coal 25 in.
Black slate - 3 in-
Coal 2 in.
Though remaining above drainage some four miles
farther up Carr fork, it does not appear that the bed has been
opened in that distance.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
Ill
Fig. loS
J. 5.
fr're C/ay Co a. I
F,y. /09
G . Honey cuff"
Fire. C/ay Coo./
At Amazon P. 0. three miles above
Brannon creek, Alfred Amburgy has a
ten yard entry, 270 feet above Carr fork,
into the Fire-clay coal, figure 108, the
brown flint-clay parting being unmistak-
able.
Agam at Grant Honey cutt's, 2|
miles farther up, (on the road to Bock-
house creek) 110 feet above the fork,
here rising rapidly, the almost identical
section of figure 109 was obtained; the
flint clay being here black instead of
brown.
A half mile or more above Honey-
cutt 's some coal has been taken from the
rider, at elevation 1560, apparently 40
feet above the Fire-clay coal. It is made
conspicuous by a roof of black slate two
feet thick, the coal itself, covered, being
probably not more than that.
MACE'S CREEK.
Left Fork.— iAt William Singleton's, Viper P. 0., a half
mile from and 140 feet above the mouth of the creek, at eleva-
tion 1130, the Fire-clay coal has the following section:—
Sandstone ,10 ft.
Coal 28 in.
Flint fire-clay 5 in.
Coal 8 in.
Black slate 3 in.
Bone ooal _ ._ 2 in.
112
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fi g. 110
At Woolrey Campbell's, a mile from
the river, the section of the same bed is
as given in figure 110, but further devel-
opment is needed before this can be con-
sidered as representing more than a
very moderate area. A considerable part
of the upper seam is splint coal, and the
wn°le makes a very good appearance.
Pi re C/«ty Co o.l
W. Ca
Right Fork.— In the river hill, I
mile up the first right branch of this
fork, on the John Babco'ck land, (now
Burt .& Brabb Lumber Co.) 570 feet
above the river, and about 440 feet above
the Fire-clay coal, a short entry gave
the section of figure 111. Of the upper
two feet of the bottom seam much is
splint coal; the lower 14 in. was meas-
ured under water and may contain a
small parting. The coal appears to be
harder than that of the Hindman bed,
and probably belongs to the Flag coal
bed below it, to which its distance from
the Fire-clay coal 'conforms. It is an unusually good ex-
hibit for this bed, and there is enough covering over it to
provide a good working area.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
113
x/2.
/•/8.T
I* i'ca- -S.S-f Coal 7"
S.S.
Coal
Sh. t"
Co-./ „
Sh. (p
Coa.t
Coa(
Coa.( <Sta.rn
S.S.'SA. .
/ Coo./ r Sh. 2.0
\ Ooa.1 /3~
(B/.SI. /8~
.JCotx.1 'J-"
7 C/«.y i~
( CoeJ/ '3."
S.J.
Cr. # frt. ct/o .
(Se C t/Ofi o.t Wm. Fctr/e
value has heretofore been acquired.
The Fire-clay coal two miles up the
Eight fork (250 yards below John
Pratt 's), elevation 1100, has but 22 in.
coal, divided one foot down by a 4 in.
fire-clay parting. At two and one-half
miles up, 30 feet above the creek, the
bottom seam has doubled, to 20 in., and
the roof here has some coal in it, pos-
sibly indicative of further increase.
But the prospect of increase to a
workable thickness is much diminished
four miles up, where, in the William Far-
ley opening, the lowest coal of figure 112,
the bed has but 28 in. of coal, if, as it
appears, this is the same bed.
That other coals of this section do
not give good thickness (although the
Haddix and Hazard beds may be repre-
sented) is not enough reason for con-
demning the locality entirely. The con-
stancy of the Hazard bed particularly
leads to the hope that it, at least, had
not been discovered when the section was
taken, over 20 years ago, and though
perhaps no later discovery has been
made, there still remains opportunity for
it. No definite knowledge of the succes-
sion of coal beds and their approximate
BIG BRANCH.
William Field has made two openings into the Fire-clay
coal, on the right, two miles up the branch, 100 feet above
the mouth. Following is the section of the lower one.
114
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coek.1
lloo
P/'re C/eiy Coa.1,
Wm. r/e/ofs
Sandstone.
Coal 30 in.
Flint fire-clay 5 in.
Coal _ .. 6 in.
The upper one in a ten yard entry,
ten feet above the creek, has the section
of figure 113.
On the left of the
branch, behind the
house a third open-
ing shows the up-
per seam 34 in.
thick.
2.9
- Conrr&f 8
In the section, figure 114, taken one
and one-half miles above Big branch, a
rather rapid rise of strata is made evi-
dent, which brings what is probably the
Elkhorn coal up to the river bed. Its
thickness of 24 in. may be increased by
a lower seam of coal under what was '2fo
considered the floor of the bed, but the
probability is rather against this. The
distance of 240 feet to the Fire-clay bed"*'5"
is 30 to 50 feet more than is found
towards the head of the river and on
Carr fork.
The Whitesburg coal, conspicuous
at Hazard, here a good, but thin splint
coal, has a black slate floor instead of
roof as usual.
The Fire-clay coal, at elevation 1250 '<"«
has here fallen below the limit of WOrk-
Coo/
Sh.
Coci/ 9 '
(Coaf if-"
\f-.Ct. + '
•la'.'si. 6"
/ Coa.1 &
I C/ccy
S.S.
'Sa.C. r//J
Sa.C- \3
'ot.st. j-
C/aty
•5.J.
Th'tn Coo,/
Coa.1 a-f
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
115
able coals, and is not known to rise to it again elsewhere along
the main stream above.
For higher coals it is necessary to go somewhat back of
the low river hills here, in order to get much area.
Ft'q. ItS
tfyo
Coal Jfat'n
Cotti <f'
Bt.Sl.t2."
vTA. /"
Cea.1 3.6,
Co ex/
S*.
Coa.1
•Sh.
Coat
<S.S .
- Creek
F~o fi ff j o F~
LEATHERWOOD CREEK
Little Leatherwood. — The section of
figure 115, taken about four mies up Lit-
tle Leatherwood in 1884, contains no
workable coal, and it is hardly probable
that any has been discovered there since
then.
The Elkhorn bed, at or below drain-
age level begins to thicken to its large
proportions only towards the head of the
river above Whitesburg.
The Fire-clay coal is, presumably,
the 26 in. coal at elevation 1410. The
surrounding openings of this bed, though
they are distant, are against any favor-
able anticipation of this vicinity.
The stain of the Haddix bed might
give a satisfactory result if opened, but
the bed appears to have nearly run out
before reaching as far south as Hazard,
and does not seem to recover working
thickness except at far distant points.
The only favorable prospect is in
the Hazard bed, which is in good condi-
tion on main Leatherwood and on Line
Fork. The hill with the section taken
is not high enough for a mining area
of this coal, but others in the vicinity
are.
3"
116
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
rig. 1/7
•'/• . J
Bench
Coa.1 Stu'tn
Bench
L.S.Iran Or«.
Bench
Coa
3.S.
s.s.
c00.t
Cree/c
At Henry Sin-
gleton's, 4 miles up
main Leatherwooa,
£ mile up a right
branch and 240 feet
above the creek, the
Fire-clay "coal has
been entered some
80 yards. The bot-
tom seam of coal
is here absent, the
dark, flint tire-
clay floor be-
ing the usual parting. The remainder
of the bed, showing as in figure 116, is
not seriously injured by its parting,
which, being a soft bituminous shale, can
be made available as a mining seam.
Beech Fork.— Figure 117 represents
a section taken two and one-half miles up
Beech fork. Without additional infor-
mation the identity
of the coal beds
cannot be decisive-
ly stated, but it is
probable that the
.Fre-clay coal is the
lowest of the sec-
tion, ( shown en-
larged in figure
118) its rider being
20 feet above it.
F~f'. //<?
</.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
117
A new bed, or one not elsewhere on the North fork
worthy of note, appears then 70 feet above the Fire-clay coal,
become conspicuous because of its many partings. What is
perhaps the same bed is found at rare intervals on Middle fork
waters, sometimes so close to the lower bed as to have become
a rider to it, and to have absorbed the more usual rider.
The coal stain 230 feet higher in the section is probably
of the Hazard bed, and should develop into good thickness
with a large area in the high hill where it was found.
The higher coal stain, reported carrying cannel coal,
should be of the same bed as the Babcock coal (57 in. thick)
on Mace's creek near its mouth. While the bed is rather
variable the prospect is fair of finding it workable here.
The upper bench may mark the level df the Hindman
bed, and its 100 feet of covering gives promise of a restricted
r/9- "t workable area, obtainable at such height
.«./•» j-' on^ ^7 a thick and valuable coal, such
as that bed is found to be at other points.
Coctl
6,0
Coett
rt Coit.cfr
Grave Branch. — On the left, one and
one-half miles above Beech fork.
Beside this branch 90 feet above
its mouth, an opening has been made
into what is called the four foot bed, (the
Fire-clay coal of Oldhouse branch far-
ther up Leatherwood), but it is now
closed so that nothing can be seen of the
coal. It is believed that the Fire-clay
coal is about 80 feet higher, at elevation
1390, corresponding more nearly with
the Henry Singleton (p. 116) and J. B. C.
Cornett opening (p. 119).
118 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The opening shown in figure 119, on the right of Grave
branch | mile up it, is then in position for the Hazard coal,
but the correlation of this, as of other high coals toward the
head of the main creek, requires more data for certainty.
On the main creek, at its level, two miles above Beech
fork, openings have been made into a 3 foot bed of clean coal,
elevation 1225, which, though apparently too high for it, may
be the Elkhorn coal. It does not appear that the bed main-
tains its thickness farther down the creek, and farther up
it is below water level.
Clover Fork. — Coal, said to be two and one-half feet thick,
has been dug from a bed in the right fork of this creek, two
miles from its mouth, at elevation 1400. This appears to be
the level of the Fire-clay coal.
Fig. i z.0 At the extreme head of the fork,
,£•<*/•/•/, about three miles up, to the right of the
path to Laurel fork of Cutshin creek,
340 feet above the lower coal, the coal of
figure 120 is opened. This, as on Grave
branch, appears to be of the Hazard bed.
It is opened again on Laurel fork of Cut-
shin, having cannel coal there.
An interesting occurrence of con-
glomerate pebbles in quantity was noted,
in the stream below this opening. In
tracing to their source they seem to come
from a soft sandstone, two feet thick,
. "** outcropping in the bed of the stream 90
fouer For At
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 319
feet below the coal ; but none of them were found in the sand-
stone itself. They probably come from the upper Conglomer-
ate sandstone especially conspicuous in the Black Mountains
of Harlan county.
Oldhouse Branch. — On the right, one and one-fourth miles
above Clover fork.
On J. B. C. Cornett's land at the road forks, £ mile up
this branch the top of an old opening on the right showed: —
Shale and clay 10 ft.
Coal 14 in.
Shale 10 in.
Coal 5 in.
Shale 2 ft.
Some four to six feet of the opening below was covered,
but in a private report to the Tennis Coal Co., there is stated
to be in the entry driven there 46 in. fine bright coal, (more
or less of it soft and coking coal). The measurement is
without doubt accurate and is shown in the lower bed of figure
121.
The elevation of the bed, 1455, makes it probably the
Fire-clay coal, with its rider still visible above it. It is 125
feet above the mouth of the branch.
On the left road fork, one and one-half miles from the
main creek, William Shepard has a small entry 375 feet high-
er than that just described, with coal as represented in the
upper bed of figure 121. This is probably of the Hazard bed,
the apparent increased interval from the Fire-clay coal being
due to a rise of strata between the openings.
In my sample of this coal the upper 17 in. was not in-
cluded, and it is stated, in the report before referred to, that
at no time in mining was more than 46 inches of coal used,
120
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fiy. /SLI
Coal
the mixed coal and shale at the bottom
providing a mining seam. The 46 in.
solid coal underground, which may be
considered the true thickness, is a fino.
bright coal, partly splint. My sample,
taken on the discovery of the coal by the
Survey, was from the outcrop, and is evi-
dently too high in ash. Dr. E. Peter
gives its analysis as follows:
\ Sfta.lt
Coa.1
™fl Col."
Coa.1
|/«J»
Co a/
Chem. Report No. 2545
Moisture 1.40
Volatile combustible matter 28.60
Fixed carbon ___, 58.00
Ash (very light gray) 12.00
OIvLnou&e.
This coal is
are 20 to 30
100.00
Sulphur 0.958
Specific gravity 1.362
Coke . dense
"A weathered sample of what ap-
pear to be bituminous and splint coals,
„ which seem to be pretty pure."
y-4>
On the right fork, one mile from the
main creek, at elevation 1800, an old en-
try with the bottom coal covered still
has visible three to three and one-half
feet of coal, with shaly sandstone roof.
Brj
evidently of the same .bed as the preceding; both
feet below a very conspicuous bench.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
121
'1,0
Iv.V
y. /22
S.S.
•S p. Coa.1
Coat
Sh.fOre 13'
Cornel C. -7"
u 7* -
CociC tl.
Gl.SC. 3"
S/t.S.S.
J.J.
FA. r Coo./ ^"
.. . JBf.Sf. 3»
I J/J.C. J"
Mouth <Stontf
f.
Stony Fork — In
the section, fig-
aire 122, the low-
est bed of note is
the Fire-clay coal
of elevation 1490,
which is exposed
along a cliff at
Friley Browning's,
a mile up the fork
and 25 feet above
it. In the 20 to 30
yards exposure,
partly mined under
roof, there is little
variation in the
upper coal seams
and partings, but
the bottom seam
varies from 30 in.
to 41 in. in thick-
ness, and in char-
acter from a mixed
splint and block
coal, to the same
partly slickenseit.
A second measure-
ment of the bed is
given in the lowest
coal of figure 123.
My sample of
the bottom bench
of this coal and
specimen of this
Pig.
'/I**-
Goaf
•<f,o
F~lo. q Co a I
Ha za.rct Coo./
re CYay Co a I
122 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
slickenseit were analyzed by Dr. E. Peter with the following
results: •
Chem. Report No. 2539 2547
FIRE-CLAY COAL Lower Bench Slickenseit
Moisture 1.40 1.44
Volatile combustile matter 28.20 38.06
Fixed carbon 53.90 54.90
Ash . _ 16.50 5.60
100.00 100.00
Sulphur 0.978 0.972
Specific gravity 1.799 1.276
Coke dense dense
Ash very light gray nearly white
No. 2539. Though taken from a muddy outcrop Dr. Peter
reports: "A pretty pure-looking sample. Breaking into thin,
irregular laminae, with some fibrous coal apparent, but no
pyrites visible." The excessive ash cannot all be attributed
to adhering mud, nor does a late view of the well-opened bed
indicate a poor coal.
No. 2547. "Pitch-black pure-looking coal. Fracture
irregular. No fibrous coal or pyrite apparent."
The coal at elevation 1805 of the section, shown enlarged
in figure 123, is taken ifrom a report to the Tennis Coal Co., as
found on land of J. B. C. Cornett. The bottom is said to be
hard block coal, and the 27 in. next above a bright block. It
is doubtless the same coal as that described farther down
Leatherwood as presumably of the Hazard bed.
Smith Branch. — The Flag >coal, the upper coal of figure
123, found on this branch of Stony fork, but not identified
elsewhere in >a long 'distance, gives incentive for a special
search for it in this region. The three beds together make
a rich field, especially as even the higher ones have a large
area in the extension of Kentucky ridge between the heads of
Leatherwood 'and Line fork.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
123
'ivo
Coa.1 iSfcLtrt
i.S. Iron Ore.
3.S.
S.3.
Coat
Coa.1
3.9.
Coal
Con/
s.s.
... Coat
20
17'
Sh.S.S.
In the section, figure 124, the Fire-
clay coal, at elevation 1460, appears to
have diminished to 19 in., but this seems
likely to be due to a local disturbance of
small area. The cannel coal at the top
of the bed gives added inducement to
further investigation.
What variation of interval from the
Fire-clay coal to the Haddix may have
occurred in the many miles from the
nearest recognized opening of the latter
is not known, but is probably slight, and
the 29 in. coal, of which most is slicken-
seit, may answer for the latter bed. The
known irregularities in thickness and
quality of this bed should lead to, rather
than discourage further investigation in
this region (as well as elsewhere.)
The Haddix and Flag beds, the lat-
ter the top coal of the section, both have
large areas in the main ridge at the head
of the creek, and the Hindman bed is
also worth looking after. The ridge is
high enough to give them workable
areas, and there is almost a certainty
that the Hindman bed will disclose a
thick coking coal.
LINE FORK.
At the mouth of Line fork the strata
have so far emerged above the river that
_ »T0<tr* of s*ony /r.the Elkhorn bed should be above drain-
er HEAD OF cn. age, as well as other coals below it, but
Coo./
a." Bo.sTo.rd.
124
(Caett &„
\Cann*(C. /z.
4-Sho.i* *" ,;
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
none of any value have been found near
their level and it seems that nothing has
been done toward their identification.
Some coal was mined from a bed report-
ed four feet thick, with shale parting
and black slate roof, some 300 feet above
the creek, which may be of the Whites-
burg or Fire-clay coal; but the opening
having been abandoned was not visited.
Coa,/ y-7'
^:>Xx
Coa./ •Sto.in
Coo./
Tftirt Coat
Thin 3/ocA: /ran Ort
,J Coa/
IC/ary
5.J.
(A/.S/.
•< Coa./
•Secft'on oJ~ Ira. <STa.m»tirj
low deserves notice
In going up Line fork there is an ad-
ditional emergence, but still the lower
beds, so far as yet discovered, remain
thin.
Turkey Creek. — The section, figure
125, taken near the head of Turkey creek,
should show, if complete, the Elkhorn
bed near its base, the Fire-clay bed and
its rider being probably represented in
the <coal stains at elevation 1605-1620.
The Hazard bed
is then, and with
little reason to
doubt, the thick
coal at elevation
1895, shown en-
larged in figure
126. The preval-
ence of thick coal
in this bed, and the
uniformity of its
distance (about
300 feet) from the
Fire-clay coal be-
here.
13 6
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
125
>83€>
Hill 7S' H/yher
Coo./
i at?
•'I:
Thin Iron Ore
Coo.1
Sho.lt
Coo./
Shot/a
Coo./
COOL/
Coa.1
•S.S
Green <Sha./e
Coat
Cant
The Flag coal, if such it is, (mostly
cannel) near the top of the section, is
higher than usual above the Hazard, but
if there is no actual thickening this may
be accounted for
by the pitch of
strata between the
two openings, or
by barometric in-
accuracy.
The section of
figure 127, near the
mouth of Defeated
creek, gives per-
haps the lowest
strata exposed on
Line fork, about
600 feet below the
Hazard coal, and
probably within
100 feet olf the con-
glomerate meas-
ures.
The Fire-clay
coal appears to be
cut out by sand-
stone here, and the
36 in. coal, at ele-
vation 1480, to be
too high for its
rider, yet a bed of
the same thickness
appearing lower on
Defeated creek,
tends to such cor-
relation. There can
be little question of
the identity of the
thicker coal at ele- /noaef t#om
vation 1660, shown in enlarged scale, the upper bed of figure
128. It is of the Hazard bed.
tf-AfaS
at Mose s
126 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Defeated Creek.— At Ira Hall's, some
• two miles up this creek and 60 feet above
it, the Fire-clay coal, at elevation 1400,
has been stripped with the following
section :
Ira. Hall
Massive sandstone.
Shale with coal 3 ft.
Cannel coal 15 in.
Cannel slate _: , 3 in.
Cannel coal 7 in.
Cannel slate _.
The slate is apparently the bottom of the bed, and below
this is a thick shale mixed with black slate and sandstone, in-
stead of the cliff-making sandstone found down the river.
Where this coal goes under the branch on the left of the creek
it measures 36 in. solid cannel, as in figure 129, and lies di-
rectly under the massive sandstone.
A mile farther up Defeated creek, behind Jack Frasier's
house, the rider is opened 70 feet by barometer above the
cannel openings, but, allowing for rise of strata, probably
about half that distance above the Fire-clay coal. Under
sandstone, it has 35 in. bituminous coal separated by one in.
to two in. bone coal, and eight feet below this is another seam
of coal six in. to eight in. thick.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
127
s s.
t^f^ET- shd/e /''
Co A/
'I fo
/jo By the road, 40 feet above Line fork
at Joseph Cornett's, two miles above De-
feated creek, an entry is driven into the
.coal and slate represented in figure 130.
None of the coal looks very good, and
there is no clear line of demarkation be-
tween the coal and slate, the two coming
jout easily in one block. More coal is said
,to lie below, but it is probably nothing
more than black slate and it is not mined.
Analysis by Dr. A. M. Peter, of my sam-
ple of the 43 in. cannel from the mouth
u Comett of the entry as given below, shows the
:oal to be worthless, but it is evidently of the same bed as the
excellent King's creek coal, four miles east of it. It lies close
to the horizon of the Elkhorn bed.
Laboratory No. 2736
Moisture 1.01
Volatile combustible matter 34.04
Fixed carbon 39.10
Ash (reddish brown) 25.85
100.00
Sulphur 0.54
Specific gravity 1.493
Coke friable.
Total carbon 58.63
B. T. U. per pound of coal 11,307
"Average sample of bright rather pure-looking cannel
coal, somewhat weathered as if from near the outcrop. ' ' The
ash was not materially increased by inclusion of foreign mat-
ter in the sample.
Dry Fork.— On the left, two and one-half miles above
Defeated creek.
The same bed shows in outcrop by the road but little over
one foot of cannel coal.
128
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fi
g.
-, ,
**". (
" (
Coatl
tney /ran Ore.
At the mill a mile above Dry fork the coal and slate of
the same bed have been taken from, the creek, with thickness
not ascertained. The best of this coal does not present an
attractive appearance.
The section, figure 131, taken about
two miles above Dry fork, though show-
„ ing no coal beds in characteristic form,
y* is" can be used to approximate the position
of some of them.
The 22 in. coal at elevation 1330 ap-
pears to be of the Fire-clay bed, recog-
nized a mile farther up the creek. The
Haddix coal is then one, or both, of the
coals at elevations 1475 and 1500, and
the Hazard and Flag coals are represen-
ted by the beds at elevation 1575 and
1630. The exhibit is not promising for
the region, but it is quite possible that
the main coal beds may be in the spaces
covered with earth, left blank in the sec-
tion, or that an unfortunate selection of
place was made for taking the section.
The fact that nothing better has been
discovered in the vicinity in the last 22
years, since the section was taken, is
not encouraging.
In this end of the extension of Ken-
tucky ridge there is area enough and
should be good thickness of coal in the
Hindman bed. Its height has rendered
its discovery less likely than that of
lower beds.
'•*" At Jesse Holcomb's, three miles
above Dry fork, (one mile below the
~e f0rH Hurricane Gap road) at elevation 1400
H Ho/con&s and 140 feet above the creek, £ mile up
Elkhorn Iron Ore
Coat 3i
fC S/. //"
Coa.1 /3
1 Sh.vOrc Ji"
i Coat Z
I Sha/e tf. '
( Coa/ 7
Coal
(Coo./
I -Shatf
) Coo./
---- -t Sho./e
} Cocn
{ Shatf
( Coa.1
3.S.
COCL( ^
Sh S-3 .
T"/7/^> Coa./
S S
Coal t
Sh.&.S.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 129
the branch, the Fire-clay coal, is opened 30 in. to 32 in. thick
in an eight yard entry. It is a hard, compact, brecciated coal,
partly slickenseit and with some splint. Only the upper seam
of the bed is present, brown flint fire-clay, the usual parting,
making the floor of the bed. The strong sandstone roof has
permitted making the entry broader than it is long, almost
without props.
Higher coals have not been opened here, but 220 feet
above the entry is what is called the main bench of the moun-
tain, the floor, probably, of the Haddix coal.
An impure black and gray limestone a foot or more thick
containing small fragments of shells in no great abundance
lies 270 feet above the Fire-clay coal. (See also figure 173,
elevation 1945.)
At William Cornett's, two miles above the Hurricane Gap
road, 50 feet above the creek, at elevation 1390 as obtained,
but probably higher, the Fire-clay coal bed has 34 in. clean
coal under sandstone. The brown, flint fire-clay parting forms
the floor, and contains here abundant plant remains and some
lime.
rig. 132. A mile farther up, on William Cor-
nett's land, elevation 1535, (145 feet
above his Fire-clay coal) is the coal of
figure 132. The bed is probably the Had-
dix with the 200 feet interval to the Fire-
clay bed farther down the North fork
diminished, as openings on lower Line
fork indicate. The latter bed must be
near the creek level. The apparent dip
of strata from Jesse Holcomb's, below
Dry fork is probably due to errors in
ascertaining heights, for the strata as
exposed evidently lie nearly level along
_ the creek.
Corneff
130
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
.
F.ig.
Iron Ore. Bto&aom
Co a/ 6z"
Co At
C/ay
for/r
<Sect>'on a* **,<*;„ Spartans
Coils Branch. — On the Hardin
Sparkman tract, now Burt and Brabb
Lumber Co., four miles up from Hurri-
cane Gap road, the section of figure 133
was taken.
According to the elevations of the
last two preceding openings the Haddix
and Hazard beds should be somewhat
under the two sandstones of the section,
and the upper coal then corresponds in
distance above the Hazard to the Flag
coal on Turkey creek, figure 125. It is
rather difficult to believe, however, that
this is not the same bed as the Hazard of
Turkey creek, and until further investi-
gation is made the 'Correlation must re-
main in doubt.
Whatever bed it isn
there is a lar^
area of it in the I
high Kentucky
ridge, and it is a
very pure coal as
shown by the fol-
lowing analysis by
Dr. E. Peter of my
muddy outcrop
sample. It isl
shown on larger
in figure 134. H.
Coa.1 62.
I&OO
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 131
Cliem. Report No. 2537
Moisture 3.06
Volatile combustible matter 33.54
Fixed carbon 59.20
Ash (salmon colored) 4.20
100.00
Sulphur 0.547
Specific gravity 1.321
Ooke dense.
"A pure-looking, pitch-black coal. Fracture generally
irregular; some portions in irregular laminae. No appear-
ance of pyrites and very little of fibrous coal. " " This appears
to be remarkably pure and good coal- It is probable that
beyond the weathered outcrop the proportion of its ash may
be somewhat smaller, while its sulphur percentage may be
slightly larger."
At the forks of the creek, a mile farther up, W. B. Lewis
has opened two coals as given below.
Elevation
Shale 8 ft.
Slickenseit coal 31 in. 1580
Sandstone 3 ft.
Shale 5 ft.
Coal 3 in.
Shale 4 in.
Coal 12 in.
Clay 12 in.
Coal 11 in. 1520
Creek at forks 1480
One or other of these appears to be of the Haddix bed,
possibly both are, for a separation of the bed into two parts
seems to have begun farther down the creek (See figure 131,
elevation 1475 and 1500) and coals on streams farther west
indicate it.
132
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coal
<Sh i Sh.
Coa.1
,,{:
s.s.
>A«x/e IT.
Coa.1 */-
S S
(Cann^tC. i."
Coal J'
<S/>a'e 2.'
Sp.Ccat Ij'
C/ay
\5ecf-/on acf
Four miles up the river from Line
fork was taken the section given in figure
135. The coal at elevation 1150 is, with
little doubt, the Elkhorn bed. The ten-
dency of the bed toward cannel, shown
in the two inch cannel at the top of the
bed here, being duplicated in the bottom
of the bed at the mouth of Potter's fork
and elsewhere near the head of the river.
The Fire-clay coal, 260 feet higher
is determined here without question by
its distinguishing parting. The lower
partings contain siderite in the shale, as
do those of two higher beds on Line fork.
(Figure 131, elevations 1475 and 1575)
The Hazard being the next bed above
the Fire-clay coal at all likely to be thick,
and some 600 feet above the river, with
small area in the river hills, the coal of
this vicinity can be of but little value.
ROCKHOUSE CREEK.
At the mouth of Doty branch, on the
left, five miles up Eockhouse, Grant
Isom opened what is probably the Elk-
horn bed, 80 feet above the creek, under
sandstone. He reported it a very hard
coal 32 in. thick.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
133
fiy. /Jfc
f/'re C/a.y Co a.1
Gra.nt
Fig. 137
Above it, 185 feet, the following bed
section was found, probably of the
Whitesburg bed:
Elevation
tj-o" .Shale 4 ft.
Coal 6 in.
Shale 2 in.
Coal 4 in.
, • Bituminous sandstone 1 in.
„ Coal _ 12 in.
/o
1335
Doty Branch. — At 45 feet above the
preceding coal, or 230 feet above the
probable Elkhorn bed, Isom's 30-yard
entry into the Fire-clay coal gives the
section of figure 136.
Coo./
¥-0
Coat
B. M.
Fire
Coo.(
Blair Branch. — On the right, six
i.-iles up Eockhouse.
B. M. Blair's 17-yard entry into the
Fire-clay coal, 330 feet above the creek,
a half mile up the branch, having water
in it, was measured at its mouth with
the result given in figure 137.
134
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coo./
'-»* Little Colly. — No information was
' obtained of the coals on this stream,
excepting opposite the extreme head of
Camp branch. Some 15 feet above the
road there an entry has been made into
the Whitesburg bed, showing 41 in., as
/( in figure 138, of hard bright coal without
face or butt cleavage. It is the first
known opening of workable thickness
into this bed above Hazard, and, when
taken in connection with those on Snaoot
of Ltrtie Cot/y and Dry 'creek, it proves a good area of
:fesi>u.rtj coa( rather high but workable coal.
The Fire-clay coal was once opened about 30 feet higher
in the same cove.
/7fJ~
Millstone Branch. — On .the left, three miles above Little
Colly creek.
Ten feet above the mouth of this branch, at elevation
1115, is a coal with parting about two feet thick to which
Prof. A. R. Crandall of the Survey gave the name of Sand-
Lick. Being most conspicuous, more regular and typical on
Rockhouse creek, the name of that creek is now adopted for
the bed. On its covering of 30 feet shaly sandstone and shale
is one foot more of coal very persistent for some miles up the
creek, the two seams showing frequently in close proximity.
Another thin seam, less conspicuous, lies about the same
distance below the Rockhouse bed.
John Sexton has a 10-yard entry into the Fire-clay coal,
a half mile up the branch and 350 feet above its mouth. Its
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
135
section as taken at the mouth of the entry, is shown in figure
139, the bottom 8 in. having been measured in mud and water.
Surrounding, though distant, openings
indicate that the upper partings will not
u remain constant, and the middle parting
„ of bituminous shale is particularly likely
to disappear. The cannel coal, ap-
parently in one block, presents an
u especially handsome appearance, and a
specimen of it was taken for analysis,
from which Dr. Alfred M. Peter obtained
the following results:
F,9. /Jf
- _| ^'s- '«
y^=^£I==J 3f-,a./<i '
Coot/
Coal
Bit. 3h.
COOL I
limj&F.Cfav
ne / Coot/ '8
John iSejffo/7
Fire Clay Coat
FIRE-CLAY CANNEL. Laboratory No. 2754
Moisture .39
Volatile combustible matter 46.11
Fixed carbon 40.50
Ash (grayish brown) 13.00
Coo./
Co at/ / 8
II /O
Mouth of Caf-np 3r.
se Coo./
100.00
Sulphur 2.00
Specific gravity 1.309
Coke dense.
B. T. U. per pound of coal 13,893
Total carbon 74.3
By the road just below the mouth
of Camp branch is an entry into the
Rockhouse (or Sand-Lick) bed, which
has at its mouth the section shown in
figure 140.
136
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
,
Colling C.
«S. J.
Coat
Camp Branch.— The section of figure
141, taken on Camp branch near its
mouth, is, like all other figures of sec-
tions on North fork waters following in
this report, reproduced from an early
report of Prof. Crandall for the Survey.
(coa.1 U)'
lcZ~n*/c. The Eockhouse coal, at elevation
V ZV-"
1190, rising slightly faster than the
stream bed, is somewhat thicker here
than below Camp branch, and probably
continues so with some exceptions nearly
to the head of Eockhouse.
Prof. Crandall 's sample of this coal
from the J. M. Collins ' opening, where it
?6" is 44 in. thick, analyzed by Dr. E. Peter
gave:
*Th'/n COOL/
Coa.1 2*4-"
S.S.
Co At
S.S
Coo.1
. Beet of Cree.fr
ROCK HOUSE BED. Chem. Report No. 2357
Moisture 1.46
Volatile combustible matter 35.84
Fixed carbon 58.60
Ash (brownish gray) 4.10
\5ecf-ron a./ S71ou.f^ of
100.00
Sulphur 1.068
Specific gravity 1.242
Coke (light spongy) 62.70
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
137
'76-r
F/'a. /V-3
m
CTH
•S.-S.
vS.vT.
Coat
(Coa.1
\Sha./e /*
J
]
(
3
/*
Coa.1 /
v3 "
Coa.( V
s.s.
Coo./
SA.S. s.
C0et f /Z
_ Bed of Ct
r- of Cctm/o
The Elkhorn bed is shown in the
section 150 feet higher, and again in the
bottom coal of figure 142.
Pig.
Co a / 60 " f
The Fire-clay
coal, 205 feet high-
er, is shown next
in both figures,
with the cannel
at the bottom in-
creased to 24 in.,
but the measure-
ments of the whole
bed are given with
some question,
doubtless due to
imperfect opening.
The section,
figure 143, taken
near the head of
Camp branch,
shows the three
principal beds of
lower Camp
branch at about
C.IHhorn Coai
me same respective , .
CoU/rts
lieights from the creek and intervals
° part as at the mouth of the creek. The
r=^--=* SA*/e i" ?
7anne/ Coot/
Fire CVay Coo.1
Coat,/
138
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Clkhorn Coo./
r/9. /*v middle, Elkhorn, bed is given on en-
_ • larged scale in figure 144.
Farther up the stream, toward
Thornton creek, the thin coal 30 feet
above the Rockhouse bed is conspicuous
for some distance just before it goes
under drainage.
There is little reason to expect a
workable quantity of coal here higher
on the hill than the upper one of these
beds, but they all three are probably
workable throughout the length of the
creek; the highest being but little more
than 400 feet above drainage, and they
all appear to be of excellent quality, one of them probably a
good coking coal and another in part cannel of good quality,
as judged by its condition on Millstone branch. (See
page 135).
Besides these three, under the Fire-clay coal, is the
Whitesburg bed with 41 in. clean coal just across the divide,
on the head of Little Colly, likely to give workable coal on
Camp branch. Altogether it is one of the most promising
localities of the Kentucky river basin.
Right Fork. — Two miles up Camp
branch.
The Rockhouse coal shown in figure
145 contains four knife-edge partings
not likely to be continuous underground.
The opening is at stream level a quarter
mile up the fork and 2£ miles from the
main creek.
About 30 feet higher is 8 in. coal
under sandstone.
[ — •=-— \-Sha./e Co
Rockhou $ « Co a. t
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
139
The Fire-clay coal is well opened in
a 10-yard level entry 100 yards to the
left of the road in the Sand-Lick gap, its
parting of flint clay having increased
somewhat, and its coal much less. Its
bed section is shown in figure 146.
Trace Branch. — On the left, one mile
above Camp branch; Hindman- Whites-
burg road.
The thin coal
formerly mined by
Coal
•S . S.
Co a./ <Sfa
S S
Coa.1
.5. ,5.
Co mis Co a. /
<Secf/ofi on~7~jra.CH 4
\>ancL L/'cX Ga/s
fire C/ay Coa.1
Mr. Combs, at the mouth of this branch,
shown in the 'bottom coal of the Trace
branch section, figure 147, was identified
by Prof. Crandall as the bed 30 feet be-
low the Rockhouse bed. The latter bed
appears not yet to have been opened
about here.
The 26 in. coal, 110 feet higher on
the section, is probably the Elkhorn coal
(needing further examination to prove
its reduction from usually constant
thickness). The opening was probably
made some distance up the branch, and
as the strata dip in that direction the
actual interval between this bed and
those below is greater than is shown and
doubtless is nearly in accord with those
obtained on Camp branch.
140
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
. m-a
Coot/
32.
|S^?=| tJ/ct/y Co a/ 8
Coott /&.
TVoece Br.
Fire C/ct CooY
The Fire-clay coal shown enlarged
in figure 148, called a splint coal, has a
parting of slaty splint coal in place of
the usual fire-clay. The analysis by Dr.
R. Peter of the 32 in. upper seam shows
it a remarkably pure coal.
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2369
Moisture 1.30
Volatile combustible matter 38.10
Fixed carbon 58.40
Ash (purplish-gray) 2.20
100.00
Sulphur .71
Coke (light spongy) 60.60
f/g.
S .•S. to
"A very pure-looking, pitch-black coal. Fracture gen
erally irregular, with brilliant surfaces. Small bird's-eye
structure in parts. No fibrous coal apparent, and very little
of bright pyrites." It seems to resemble
cannel in appearance, but not in com-
position.
Two miles above Camp branch, 20
feet above the creek, is the coal shown
in figmre 149, which, from its position and
thickness, is judged to be of the Rock-
house bed. Those beds immediately
above and below it are not known to
attain -a workable thickness anywhere
on the creek.
Coo./
// gs-
Euan s
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
141
' o
8
/ Jo o
ftockhou.se Co o /
Mai-tin
•S . •S: to
Indian Creek. — On the right, three
and three quarter miles above Camp
branch.
At Allen Martin's, two miles up the
creek, the Bockhouse bed, at creek level,
has four feet of clean, good coal, as in
figure 150. For half a mile or more the
bed is in view in long exposures with
almost unvarying thickness, rising with
the stream and nowhere more than five
feet above it. At the forks, three miles
up, the bed is no longer visible, but is
still close to stream level.
A half mile up the point between
the forks is the Sargent, Fire-clay coal
of figure 151. The lower six in. of this
coal, in water when visited, was said to
be cannel. The parting is without the
usual flinty character of the Fire-clay
coal, but the bed could hardly be mis-
taken. The sandstone roof shows a tend-
ency toward shale. Though the bed is about level with the
road gap to Millstone, there is a large area of it available in
this region.
fire Clo-if COOL I
142
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
/(f/O
:•?:•<&
3V
Coo,/
72.'
COOL I •Sf'tt.in
Coat,/
S.S.
Co o.l
3.3.
f Br.
f,'g./S3
COCLI
Love Branch. — On the left, four and
one half miles above Camp branch.
In the section,
figure 152, the low-
est coal is evident-
ly of the Bock-
house bed, and the
42 in. coal, of
which the lower
half is splint,
doubtless repre-
sents the Elkhorn
bed, although the
interval shown is
smaller than is
usual. This is to
be accounted Ifor,
as on Trace branch,
page 139) by the
supposition that
the higher bed was
found farther up
the branch and
down the dip than
was the lower.
The lower coal of
figure 153 repre-
sents this Elkhorn
n Ct>a.l
Coa.1
Love. &/•,
,'~+ Coa.1
opening.
The Fire-clay coal of elevation 1610 is shown on enlarged
scale, the solid, Kizer, 72 in. coal of figure 153. The measure-
ment of this bed having been taken where it had broken off
and slipped from the rest of the bed, it is quite possible that
its fire-clay (and perhaps other) parting had slipped out
altogether. The following analyses of the coal, by Dr. B.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
143
Peter, were made from samples collected for the Survey by
J. A. ShackelfoTd; No. 2365 from the bed in place, showing
a very superior coal; No. 2366 showing the effect of a large
infusion of mud into the bed, increasing the ash at the
expense of the valuable constituents.
Chem. Report Nos.
FIRE-CLAY COAL. No. 2365 No. 2356
Moisture 7.70 6.66
Volatile combustible matter 35.50 31.00
Fixed carbon 51.96 46.94
Ash . . 4.84 15.40
100.00 100.00
Sulphur .832 .488
Coke (pulverulent) 56.80 62.34
Specific gravity 1.373 1.483
Color of ash light grayish purplish
brown. gray.
No. 2365. "A much weathered sample of what seems to
be a splint coal. Much soiled with ferruginous and argilla-
ceous material."
No. 2366. "A much weathered sample, much soiled with
clay, etc. In small pieces."
F«3-'5-+ The bed with many partings, figure
154, was opened also on Love branch,
and, correlated in a former report with
the preceding coal, it was used to il-
lustrate the variations which the bed
displays. Inasmuch as the rather ex-
ceptional upstream dip was probably
undiscovered at that time, it may be re-
garded as an open question if this cor-
relation is correct. Across the ridge
from the head of Carr fork down it for
some miles on Big branch the Fire-clay
coal has been found quite regular in
thickness and parting.
The dip continuing through the
ridge on the north brings the Hazard
coal down to a level likely to provide in
144
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
the future a workable area, but it is too difficult of access to
receive further consideration now. Though a moderate
amount of prospecting for it might enhance the value of the
region considerably.
fi
Cea.1
C/a.y
.
/Z
Coo./
37'
f. C/*
Co o.l
//
Semi -Carrie/ <&
1(3*0
Qeo. Cooftc
flockhou.te Coo./
Big Branch. — On the left, five and
one-fourth miles above Camp branch.
On this branch the Bockhouse bed
is at stream level, |- mile up it and 50 feet
above Rockhouse, elevation 1270, 33 in.
coal with five feet shale over it.
On the left, a mile up the branch,
at elevation 1630, is the Collins Fire-clay
coal, with flint clay parting, shown in
figure 155. Its height above the Rock-
house coal exposure, 360 feet, is some-
what-less than the actual interval be-
tween beds because of the dip in going
up-stream. A large area of this coal with
excellent thickness can be depended upon
in the dividing ridge and spurs between
Rockhouse creek here and the head of
Carr fork.
Fig. 156 represents the Rockhouse
coal at George Cook's entry, just started,
five and three-fourth miles from Camp
branch and directly under the low gap
and road through it to Indian creek. It
is 45 feet above the creek, elevation 1270.
Again the Rockhouse bed is opened
in an entry of Riley Bentley's, -J mile far-
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
145
fig.
/fis
tide
(COO.L
\Cannel
Jy'
ther up, at the same elevation, and with
the same thickness of coal and same
roof.
In the cliff opposite Bentley's house
the bed below the Rockhouse coal, 25 feet
above the creek, has the section :
Sandstone 5 ft.
Coal 2 in.
Shale 3 in.
Coal 26 in.
It is a rather poor looking coal as
well as thin.
At J. Q. Bent-
ley's, where was
formerly Eazor Blade P. 0. at the mouth
of Mill branch, on the left, 7 miles above
Camp branch, the section of figure 157
was taken.
The 42 in. coal at elevation 1330 is
of the Rockhouse bed, maintaining a
nearly uniform height above the creek.
It is shown enlarged in figure 158.
The upper coal of the section, and
of figure 158, is of the Elkhorn bed, hav-
ing here, as at the mouth of Potter's
fork, a thin seam of cannel at the bottom.
A specimen of this cannel, collected by
J. A. Shackelford, was analyzed by Dr.
R. Peter with the results following:
Fig. IS8
Jtf
Ca.HHel Coa.1
Elk-horn Coo/
Coaf
146 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
ELKHORN CANNEL. Chem. Report No. 2364
Moisture 1.90
Volatile combustible matter 39.32
Fixed carbon 51.88
Ash (purplish gray) 6.90
100.00
Sulphur 1.115
Coke (dense) 58.78
Specific gravity 1.305
1 ' Sample much soiled with argillaceous material. No ap-
parent pyrites. It seems to be a weathered sample."
At John L. Bentley's, Dean P. 0., opposite the left fork
of Eockhouse, seven and one quarter miles above Camp
branch, the lower coal, (the Kockhouse) partly opened 25
feet above the creek, shows fully 48 inches of clean coal.
F,'9 . ts? Left Fork. — A half mile up this fork
, from Dean P. O. a cliff by the road
shows the section given in figure 159,
the coal at the bottom ten feet above the
<creek. This is the Eockhouse coal
y<»" again. A quarter mile farther up stream
it is opened in a small entry by the road,
five feet above the creek, with about 42
in. coal. Beyond this point it goes below
drainage, the creek having a much more
A/&&r Hmat of
raPid descent.
co*,
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
147
fig • 1 6 o
Co a/
'33e
* Mite a.6 Dean
Rockheu.se Coo.
^==^d Sfjo./t
3*"
Co*/ /£"
Ja.c.A: r-ocf( 2."
Coo./ fo"
Bane Cat*./ ?
'ay beef.
Right Fork.— At the Splash dam,
three quarter mile above Dean P. 0.,
eight miles above Camp branch, the
Eockhouse coal is exposed with the sec-
tion of figure 160. But ten feet abovb
the creek, it must go below drainage a
short distance, farther up stream.
In a left branch near the head of
Bockhouse, about ten miles above Camp
branch, the Fire-clay coal has been open-
ed in a small entry with the section
given in figure 161. The double parting
is unusual and the fire-clay is not char-
acteristic, but the identity of the bed
can hardly be questioned. The hard
bone coal at the bottom appears to be
the floor of the bed.
A small stream, on the right of the
', two miles above Eockhouse creek.
148
1 + toS-
II (To
ill?
107
Thin Sfl. Co o.t
s.s.
Coue.r-e.oC
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Figure 162, giving a section from
this creek, shows little more than the
paucity of coal in this vicinity, further
illustrated in the section (fig. 135) be-
low Kockhouse creek.
There is little opportunity for, and
less reason to expect, good coal in the
lower part of the section, the Eockhouse
coal being, probably, one of the thin
seams near the bottom ; and in the upper
part of the section the Whitesburg and
Fire-clay coals alone give hope of value.
One of these is probably represented by
the thin splint at elevation 1460. The
other should be found.
Co a. /
-S.J.
Coal
if
' (e
'Co
Coa.1
Coa.1
• Mo,
fi
g.
KINGS CREEK.
The section
given in figure 163
shows the Kings
Creek, or "Field
cannel," coal and
seams lying direct-'
ly over it near the
head of the creek. -
No search was
n tU- ^./v/4 /'//a >*•*/• j made on this
stream for higher beds.
The quite noted coal at the bottom
of the section is of the same bed as the
Cornett coal (page 127) of Line fork,
but here it is of far finer quality. It ap-
pears to be a local enlargement of the Section o.t- heo^ct. *
Elkhorn bed, elsewhere in this vicinity generally thin.
.Tf, 7~o(«o/1 Cr
>3~jo
Coa.1
Coo.1
Coctt
Coo./
( S/a • Coo. I
:\ Coo.1
Cr.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
149
Though called cannel coal but little of it is cannel, though
the splint coal has much the appearance of it. It seems to
be just about at the transition point. A full length block cut
for exposition purposes had no cannel in it, and the
measurements of figure 164 were taken from that block. An
earlier sample of the bed, taken by Prof. Crandall from a
five feet face of splint and cannel, six feet thick, yielded, to
Dr. B. Peter's analysis:
fi
g.
FIELD'S COAL. Chem. Report No. 2353
Moisture 1.10
Volatile combustible matter 34.30
Fixed carbon 58.10
Ash (light buff-gray) 6.50
100.00
Sulphur .890
Ooke (spongy) 64.60
Specific gravity 1.292
Coal *v" u^ mixed sample, partly of bright
pure-looking splint coal, of pitch-black
/Z9° color; partly of tougher, brownish-black,
w D Jone* «w Co ^u^' canne^ coal some small ferrugin-
ous stains on the exterior surface, no appearance of pyrites,
and very little of fibrous coal."
150
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
>Sio
ste'si
SMOOT CREEK.
t* S.S.
'¥9°
f.S.
Coat
3.S.
S.S.
fc"
Jfc'
•S. f. K-
«J/i. j r.
Coo./ v3
S.S.
Coa.t 2.'
Figure 165 repre-
sents a section from
near the mouth of
this creek to near
the top of the hill,
on the left vabout
half way up the
creek. The three
thickest coals are
shown on larger
scale in figure 166.
Eockhouse creek
coals furnish a key
to correlation here.
The two feet
coal near the bot-
tom of the section
is probably a part
of the Eockhouse
bed, which appears
in similar form on
lower Eockhouse,
but it may be of a
(contiguous higher
seam. The three
feet coal 110 feet
higher, the bottom
coal of figure 166.
appears to be of an
unnamed bed,
found nowhere be-
Coctl
Fi re C/ay Coo.f
COOL/ <t>"
Car>r>€./ C.
Wh /Ye s 6 ury Coa.1
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK. 151
low on North fork waters of workable thickness, thin on
Dry creek (the next creek east), but quite constantly work-
able towards the head of the North fork. However that may
be, the 380 feet from the bottom to the top coal corresponds
closely with the distance from the Rockhouse to the Fire-clay
coal, 410 feet at the head of Camp branch, where about 30
feet deduction should be made for dip. The Smoot creek sec-
tion was taken, apparently, nearly on the strike and with
strata not far from horizontal. The elevations given show
a slight dip through the ridge southeast from Blair branch of
Rockhouse, due, possibly, to inaccuracy of assumed elevations
of streams, from which the heights were obtained. Probably
the southeast rise is continuous from Troublesome creek
waters, but in this vicinity, and above near the main North
fork, it is evidently slight.
The top coal of the section being of the Fire-clay bed,
the coal 95 feet below it, as given in the section, is doubtless
of the Whitesburg bed, though the interval is 35 feet greater
than should be expected, and than is found on the next creek
above. The cannal was found to vary within the limits of the
section from 36 in. to 18 in. These two coals are shown on a
large scale in figure 166.
With a height of hill of 400 feet or more above the Fire-
clay coal, it is not unlikely that small workable areas of the
Hazard coal may be found in the ridge north of Smoot creek :
South of it there probably are none.
152
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fig.
^
^YoQ/ f~o$S'/£.*S-
/{jZo
L. S. Ore
tCoaf ..Jto"
( Co'a./ 22."
Co&/ vT*"
•'•>. "^T.'
J.J.
;^4- • •
'/'-•;•
J S.
/Zoo
f.S r Ore
j/y J
—
_ *f». ffeiwki/rlBr.
Coo. I 1*+"
\5ee//o/7 erf Dry Cf*.
DRY CREEK.
This stream is on the left of the
river, three miles above Smoot creek.
Here the section, figure 167, is so
like that of Smoot creek that their cor-
relation is almost self-evident.
The 24 in. coal outcropping on the
creek below the level of the mouth of
Hawkins branch (on the left one and one
half miles (?) up the creek) is again
probably one seam of the Eockhouse bed.
The 31 in. coal at elevation 1280 is
then of the Elkhorn bed, now approach-
ing workable thickness.
The Fire-clay coal is, again, the top
bed of the section, showing here a shale
parting in place of fire-clay with the
largest seam of coal above the parting,
as is most common on North fork waters.
Its distance from the bottom coal is
about right for the interval between it
and the Kockhouse bed.
The 58 in. coal at elevation 1430,
shown enlarged with the Fire-clay coal
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
153
Fig. l<o»
\ fire Cta.Lf Coo./
in figure 168, is of the Whitesburg bed.
This opening in connection with those
on Little Colly and opposite Whitesburg
indicated an important bed in this vicin-
36 " ity, which, though not reliable in thick-
ness deserves full investigation.
The occurrence of a fossil limestone
above the Fire-clay bed conforms with
findings of the same on Troublesome
2.2."
creek above Trace branch and at several
places on Middle fork above Hyden, and
on Red Bird creek, Clay County.
Coaf
WhifeskcLrg Coo./
COWAN CREEK.
Bert Estis Branch. — On the left, three
miles from the river, one mile above
Little Cowan.
A half mile up the branch, 110 feet
above its mouth, on land of Daniel B.
Day, coal has been opened showing the
section following:
Sandstone 5 ft.
Coal 4 in.
Shale 4 in.
Coal —31 in.
Elevation.
1360
154 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
r,'g./t>9 The main seam appears to be a
coking coal. A quarter mile farther up,
MASS. 3.3. /,$-' a^ ^ne same elevation and level with the
branch, what appears to be a higher coal
is opened to 36 in. thickness at its best,
„ as in figure 169, but it shows also but
26 in. by the side of the thicker coal.
No attempt was made at correlation. The
•coal is at the base of Pine mountain, and
was evidently much disturbed by its up-
:-T^; /•
MB
lift.
Near the head of Cowan, at elevation 1610, 35 feet above
a coal stain in the road to Kings creek, to the right of which
it lies, is a rather fine showing of iron ore on a limestone
apparently pure, possibly the sub-carboniferous limestone.
The deposit appears to be of very small area.
The following analyses by Dr. K. Peter of samples col-
lected by Prof. Crandall are presumably from the Rockhouse
bed. No. 2356, from Mr. Nickels' coal-bank, below Whites-
burg, on the Kentucky river, Nos. 2358, 2359 the upper and
lower seams, respectively, from Cau dill's bank, one and one
half (or two) miles below Whitesburg, on the Kentucky river.
The bed-section of the Caudill bank is given as top coal 25 in.,
slate parting including a thin coal 8 in. to 14 in., bottom coal
28 in.
Chem. Report Nos.
No. 2356 No. 2358 No. 2359
Moisture 1.84 1.30 1.60
Volatile Combustible matter 33.26 39.60 36.40
Fixed carbon 59.70 55.20 56.60
Ash . 5.20 3.90 5.40
100.00 100.00 100.09
Sulphur .678 2.812 1.060
Specific gravity 1.286 1.277 1.286
Coke dense light spongy light spongy
Color of ash _ It. buff-gray brownish brownish-gray
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
155
No. 2356. "A much weathered sample of splint coal.
Shows some fibrous coal in the form of reed-leaf-like impres-
sions between the irregular laminae; no pyrites apparent, but
a red ochreous incrustation on some of the exterior surfaces."
No. 2358. "Appears to be a pure sample of splint coal,
some fibrous coal between the laminae, but no apparent py-
rites. ' '
The high sulphur appears to be exceptional: The up-
per bench of the coal on Sand Lick creek yielded but half
as much.
No. 2359. " A weathered sample; approaches cannel coal
in some of the laminae."
SAND-LICK CREEK.
The section, figure 170, shows the
relation of the lower coals on this creek.
Fig.no
ftfo
Ca/e.
Cone.
Coo./
se.s.s.
~Thift Coot/
~SancL L/'cK C
*r. ~r JA. J. S.
Bif.Jft.
Co a.t
3e c tion on 6o.net t/
The Rockhouse bed
is represented in
figure 171 as meas-
ured lately at the
mouth of a small
mine on the right,
a quarter mile up
the creek, 90 feet
above its mouth.
In an early re-
port the bed is giv-
en the following
^ section: —
f> '9 .
2-7
=£==3 Coo.t 2. a
Coctt Z8
<-t/o
ftoc.fr he use Coo./
156 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coal 20 in. : 28 in.
Shale 2 in. : 16 in.
Coal 30 in. : 38 in.
As measured at J. N. Thompson's on Sand-Lick, one and
one-half miles from Whitesburg.
There is little doubt that these openings are all in the
same bed, yet it appears that the opening a quarter mile
up the creek is 60 feet lower than this one about a half mile up.
A part of this difference can be accounted for by barometric
inaccuracy, but there is probably a low syncline within a mile
of the mouth of the creek.
The upper and lower seams, respectively, of the Thomp-
son coal, sampled by J. A. Shackelford, analyzed by Dr. R.
Peter, gave results as shown under numbers 2354, 2355.
Chem. Report Nos.
ROCKHOUSE COAL. No. 2354. No. 2355.
Moisture 1.10 1.10
Volatile combustible matter 40.90 34.30
Fixed carbon 55.40 57.20
Ash . 2.60 7.40
100.00 100.00
Sulphur 1.453 .889
Specific gravity 1.191 1.279
Coke (spongy) 58.00 64.60
Color of ash brownish-gray light gray.
No. 2354. "A pure-looking pitch-black splint coal, quite
brilliant on the fractured surfaces and on some of the faces of
the laminae. Very little fibrous coal apparent, and no visible
pyrites. ' '
No. 2355. "This sample contains some dull layers, with a
thin pyritous laminae (sic) and more fibrous coal than in the
preceding sample."
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
157
9- '72.
Coa.1
About three miles up the creek an
opening into the same bed, by the road,
at elevation 1210, shows coal an.l eight
partings five and one-half feet thick, but
50 yards farther up the better and more
characteristic section given in figure 172
obtains. Beyond this the bed is below
drainage.
These Sand-Lick sections in connec-
tion with those on Colly creek, next
above, where the parting is eliminated,
give an excellent prospect, doubly valu-
able, if, as appears, the coal will coke.
The Elkhorn coal shows in the road
on the ascent to the gap to Camp branch,
probably in two seams, 20 feet apart, the
lower seam two feet thick and the upper
three to three and one-half feet, the floor, interval and roof,
all being shale. The three and one-half feet seam, at elevation
1400, is 190 feet above the Eockhouse bed, and 180 feet below
the Fire-clay coal at the head of Camp branch. On account
of the dip an addition of 15 to 20 feet should be made to
obtain the actual interval — about 200 feet in each case.
Coa.1
flocfthoLtse Ceo./
WHITESBURG.
Whitesburg, (like Manchester, Clay county), is built main-
ly on the upper part of the Conglomerate formation, the top of
which is 90 feet above the river. The first 40 feet up from
the river is a hard sandstone forming the cliff at the upper
158
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
2.010
'Iff
it 7o
'77f
'fcJC
f-Tto
"— ^
• • • —
7-,, C/A//Y anc^ l°wer ends °f the town. On this is
a thin coal above town, cut out in the
Basted. L.s. town itself. Then 50 feet of sandstone,
F*> *»// /. .5 THO^tl V Soi?i" tllP ^OllTPP aT~>T>aT*PTltl V ("»f
abundant pebbles found in the town, but
W:
£»*•'*« not seen imbedded in the rock. On the
Mass. «$.£.
sandstone lie 40 feet of yellow shales up
to old coal openings into the bed below
r«0r,, s.s. the Backhouse (or Sand-Lick) coal.
The latter has not been found in
/r/rf/,«y «•/•« satisfactory condition near town. It is
likely that its two seams are split far
or-'y- apart.
J* Following are notes taken along the
Coo.( *fo*
road from Whitesburg towards Cowan
creek, and a section, figure 173, by Prof.
Crandall from the next hollow east, taken
before the road was made.
S,S.
Couere a Elevation.
Road Gap to Cowan _ 1550
^^?=
n
^^
*+ 1 — _ . _
. — •" «-• . " -•
\s v5 Coal stain in road 1649
Kidney Iron Ore in Road 1545
Shale _____ 2 ft-
ro</«^««£ Qoaj __ _ s in
Shale _ 8 in.
•s-s- Coal _ _ _ 11 in. 1635
'Sf'a-ff Coal (figure 174) 1595
" '*^s~'~
— j. -1__ — V
•s.s. Sandstone _ _
Shale . 3ft.
flao
•<"-'" "-**
Cotx,t
f* Coal and Shale _ _ Sin.
Shale _ _ _ _ — 18 in.
Ca<tf. 3f Coal __ ._ 6 in. 1575
**9o
9o o.teof f?>a»r- ^
Coal 2 ft. 1220
7<tj» rYhite.iA,,*, River . 1100
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
159
fiy.
tf. i5. v?
r^=^6it.<SS>. /'
Coa.t
-S/xx/e /'
Coat <3&
f{oa.oL fb Coc*ja.rr Of.
Coo.1
fig. /7«f
Coal +0
Whifesbu-rtf Cea.1
Fr alter
The Rockbouse coal is shown in the
figure at elevation 1235, and the Elk-
horn coal lies still undiscovered in the
blank space, 180 to 200 feet higher.
The Whitesburg coal lies at elevation
1595, opened, as in figure 174, in a small
entry on the right under the sharp turn
of road near the top of the hill. Unlike
its general condition the coal here is
mostly soft, and instead of slate the roof
is a bituminous shale. In the figure, the
40 in. coal, at elevation 1620, formerly
Nickels' Splint, now Frazier mine, is of
the Whitesburg bed. Enlarged it is
shown in figure 175. The roof here, as
almost invariably, is black slate, though
not so found on Smoot and Dry creeks.
Prof. Crandall's sample of this coal,
mainly splint, from the seven-yard entry,
yielded, to Dr. R. Peter's analysis:
WHITESBURG BED. Chem. Report No. 2362
Moisture 1.34
Volatile combustible matter 34.16
Fixed carbon 56.70
Ash, (chocolate-gray) 7.80
100 00
Sulphur 1.318
Specific gravity 1.320
Coke _ spongy.
160 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
"Quite a pure-looking pitch-black coal. Some fibrous
coal between the laminae, but very little granular pyrites.
Quite a firm coal."
The coal stain in figure 173, at elevation 1695 is probably
represented by the 19 in. coal in the road. Either that or the
coal in the gap, and perhaps both, is of the Fire-clay coal bed.
The fossil limestone, shown near the top of the section,
figure 173, 250 feet above the fire-clay coal found also on Line
fork, is of interest as giving possibly an additional clue to the
correlation of these coals with those south of Pine mountain.
The Fire-clay coal, having been identified as the Dean coal of
the Cumberland river, some 400 feet below the fossil limestone
there, there is good reason to believe that this fossil limestone
will eventually be correlated with that in Harlan county.
At several points in the road between Whitesburg and
Colly creek at a height above the river of 60 to 100 feet,
floating pebbles indicate (but do not prove) the conglomerate
formation. They all appear to have come from friable sand-
stone, but search for them in the rock itself has as elsewhere
been unsuccessful.
COLLY CREEK.
At J. B. Stallard's, on the left of the creek, three-fourths
mile up it, the following coals were found:
Elevation.
Shale 4ft.
Coal 23 in.
Shale with coal 4 ft.
Coal 9ft. 1330
Shale 5ft.
Reported, Coal 3ft.
Reported. Sandstone 3ft.
Reported, Coal 2ft. 1315
Coal 10 in- 118°
Creek . 1170
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
161
The 10 in. coal appears to be that belonging in the Con-
glomerate, 40 feet above the river at Whitesburg, and the
upper coal of the Whitesburg bed. The intermediate bed may
possibly be a slip from the upper. Part of its upper seam
only was visible when visited.
Meadow or Long Branch. — On the
right, tw;o and one-half miles up.
At James H. Frazier's, on the right,
three-fourths mile up this branch the
coal of figure 176 is opened in a small
entry. It is 710 feet above the mouth of
the branch, and 630 feet above a coal
• showing one-fourth mile up the branch
supposed to be of the Eockhouse coal.
If so, this is probably of the Haddix bed.
There is enough covering to give a fairly
good area, and if the intermediate coals
prove workable, as seems likely, an un-
usually favorable locality is existent here.
Licking Rock Branch. — On the right, three miles up. A
road to Thornton creek follows this branch.
A quarter mile up this branch, at Patrick Blair's, and
one-eighth mile up his branch on the left, he has opened the
Eockhouse coal, just above drainage, in a 30-yard entry with
section as follows :
162
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
F/9 m
2.2.
Elevation.
Laminated sandstone 10 ft.
Shale 6 ft
Coal 1-2 ft-
Soft shale with coal li ft.
Coal 2i ft. 1380
The bottom was not visible. The roof at the face is shaly
sandstone.
The same bed is opened again at the
same elevation, about 20 feet above Lick-
ing Bock branch, three-eighths miles
from its mouth, by James Pendleton. Its
section is shown in figure 177.
The coal has an irregular fracture
and much is dull and bony-looking as
shown in the dump. It includes a thin
streak of cannel and shows much pyrites.
The gap at the head of this branch
is so low that all rf'9.,7t
coals above the
Elkhorn are cut
out by it.
At Samuel C. Hart's, three and one-
half miles up Colly, the Bockhouse bed is
opened again, 10 feet above the creek,
with section as in figure 178.
And, again, at creek level a quarter
mile farther up, one-eighth mile up the
right fork, at Shade Comb's, where the
section is identical, except that the five
in. of shale parting has increased to ten
/Joc/f/rouse Coo./
in- (Sas&ue/ C. Hart
•SAa/e
&/. -Sf.
S'
z'
Rock houLi c Co«
Co a. I 2S'
Coo.(
Co a.1 H
Co a.1
Coal /
Sf>. /i"
Can**/ C. <f*
3.-S.
3 s
COCL(
3.3.
Coo.'
Coo./
'oa-t trt C re
Coa.1
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
THORNTON CREEK. r/g .180
/79 In the section,
figure 179, the 59
in. coal of Jasper
Craft's entry, one-
fourth mile up the
creek, appears toj
be of the Eock|
house bed; thejs^^
cannel, 180
higher, of the Elk- 1
horn bed; the next
coal of the Whites-
biurg bed, and the
upper coal shown,)
of the Fire-clay I
coal.The three beds,
opened are shown;
enlarged in figure |=^^~-=i Sf*<*'* 7/
180.
163
36'
2V'
*5cc//o/» en Thornton Cr.
At one and
one-half miles up
Thornton, on a
branch road to Col-
ly creek, one of the
lowest beds of the
above section is
partly opened,
showing the sec-
tion:
Lower Thornton Cr.
Elevation.
Shaly sandstone 10 ft.
Coal 20 in.
Shale with coal 4 in.
Coal _ __is in.
1315
164
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
ton,
An eighth mile farther up the road, 100 feet above Thorn-
at elevation 1400, the Eockhouse bed is opened, showing
46 in. coal under three feet of shale.
181
Numerous other openings have been
made into this bed up to where it goes
under the creek, three and one-half miles
from its mouth, with 51 in. coal, at ele-
vation 1380. Two on the left of the creek
remaining open, were measured as
shown in figure 181, one and three-
fourths miles up, and in figure 182, three
and one-fourth miles up.
MILLSTONE CREEK.
Coctf
— ' Sha/e 4 Prof. Crandall gives, in an early re-
port, the coal of figure 183, found near
the mouth of the creek. He gives it no
elevation, but re- r.g.iea
fers it to the Elk-
horn bed. If, as it
appears, this coal
is the same as the
Mead coal, near
the head of the
creek, it must be of the Eockhouse
bed, for the latter coal is nearly 400 feet
below the Fire-clay coal, lately opened
farther up the creek.
/ j ft-
v3t
i fe &
OeeA-
Coa.1
Co a f
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
165
= — "=-l Shale / o
Co a.1
Left Fork.— A mile up this fork, 50
feet above the creek and again one and
one-half miles tip it, are openings into
the Rockhouse bed, each with about 4
feet of coal and both at elevation 1360.
The latter is shown in figure 184.
fiochhou.se coo. i Right Fork. — Two miles up this
r/9. is s fork, on a right branch near its mouth,
^^, 15 feet above the fork, at elevation 1405,
Meads (!) entry into the Rockhouse
bed shows 48 in. coal as in figure 185.
At three miles r/g.tat
I Co*/ 48" up ig Melvin Tolli_
ver's house. A half
mile up the left
branch there, 315
^^^1 '+OJ~ feet above its
F\ock house. Coaf
/v?eacf mouth, at eleva-
tion 1800, is opened the Fire-clay coal
bed as shown in figure 186. It is the
farthest up the North Fork of any
known opening into this bed. It has a
fairly good area here.
My sample of the coal analyzed by
Dr. A. M. Peter, gave :
Coetf
Coett
8
Coal
igoo
F/'re C/eu/ Co o.l
/V7.
166 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Laboratory No. 2753
Moisture 1.43
Volatile combustible matter 37.00
Fixed carbon 53.35
Ash (buff) 8.22
100.00
Sulphur .71
Phosphorus - -007
Specific gravity 1.333
Coke -spongy
Total Carbon 75.43
B. T. U. per pound of coal 13.893
"Average sample. Some pieces iron-stained."
For locating openings on the North Fork waters above
Millstone creek reference is made to the page-map following,
duplicated from Bulletin No. 4 of the Survey. It is the only
map of the region yet published approaching accuracy.
167
NORTH F'K'KY RIYE.R,
LLKHORN
Scole ^"- 1 M, I e
Coal Opening n
'' above
168
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
\Joh
BOONE FORK.
John Bentley has an opening, one
and one-half miles up Boone, one-fourth
mile up a branch on the right and 180
feet above its mouth, elevation 1515, rep-
resented in figure 188. The lower part
of the bed was not seen, but the measure-
ment is nearly exact. It is the first ex-
hibit going up the river, where the Elk-
horn coal begins to approach the thick-
ness which, beyond, has. made it noted.
At the mouth of Potter's fork, two
miles up, this bed is still 180 feet above
the stream, elevation 1525. At the mouth
of Wright's fork it is opened to over 5
feet thickness, 155 feet above stream, elevation 1520.
Quillan Fork.— This name is applied to the left fork of
Boone (or Yonts Fork) a mile above Wright's fork.
A quarter mile up is an incomplete opening on the right,
showing over 3 feet of coal, which, by following by eye
the benches up from Wright's fork, appears to be about 80
feet below the Elkhorn coal.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
169
Fig. 189
A half mile up, 100 yards up a
branch on the right, this bed is opened
at the same elevation, 1470, in an entry
20 feet above the fork, 51 in. coal, as in
figure 189. The lower half of the coal is,
in part, of irregular cleavage.
The thickness of this coal, its fine
shaly sandstone roof, and position rela-
tive to the drainage, all make it difficult
to believe that this is not the 4 foot
bed, so often opened and so constant in
character on the three creeks below and
uniformity of the results there obtained, viz.: the Elkhorn
coal 200 feet -and the Eockhouse, 4 foot bed, 400 feet be-
low the Fire-clay coal, establishes that correlation almost be-
yond the possibility of doubt. The conclusion is then forced
that this 51 in. bed is one not heretofore f,\
recognized on the Kentucky river
waters, except on Smoot creek, and is!
the 36 in. coal of the Elkhorn section on
the margin of the page-map, figure 187.^^B r»*t *+
The 9 foot coal of that section, 150
feet above the Elkhorn, is evidently ofj
the Fire-clay coal, or of the Whitesburgj
bed.
Yonts (or Yantz) Fork.*— On the
right of this stream, one and one quarter)
miles up and 135 feet above it, is the
Elkhom section of figure 190. An
earlier opening, location not given,
showed :
/6o a
Coa.1
*The following North Fork notes are taken almost wholly '
from the report of Prof. A. R. Crandall, made for the Survey. of fonfs for^f
170
F~/q . 191
=^-= — . <S/>a./e
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coal 26 in.
Shale lin.
Coal . 35 in.
Coo./
Co a/
Wright's Fork.
, — A half mile up
the fork, and three
and one half miles
up the main fork,
are the Elkhorn
sections figures 191
and 192.
Potter's Fork.—
At Sherman Quil-
lan's, one quarter
mile up this fork,
180 feet above its
Coo.1 8+*
Elk horn Coo. I
Heo-dof Wr,qh1s
"mouth, elevation 1525, an entry partly
closed showed over 8 feet of coal,
with cannel reported 3 in. thick at the
bottom. There is some slickenseit coal,
but the cleavage is generally regular.
Roof is of shale.
At two miles up, on the right, the
section of figure 193 was obtained, 115
feet above stream; at two and one half
miles up, one half mile up a right branch,
a like section.
2 M/'/es tjL
CIHhorn Coat
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH FORK.
171
Coo I
Co a/
3o
Coa/
Mi'/es up
Elkhorn Coa.1
On the right, three and one half miles
up and 150 feet above the stream, is the
section of figure 194.
The following analyses by McCreath
for parties interested, it is stated, are
from samples collected with reference to
reliable average results.
ELKHORN COAL— POTTERS FORK.
Elevation 1600— Thickness 83 in.
Coal 48 h'rs coke 72 h'rs coke
Water —
1.950
0.302
0.170
Volatile C. M.
37.350
1.623
1.135
Fixed C. _
57.367
91.320
91.731
Ash .
2.800
6.165
6.505
Sulphur _ - -
.533
.590
.459
100.00
100.00
100.00
fig. i
?.T
The value of the ,7C
Elkhorn coal is too
well established to
require comment
here.
LAUREL BRANCH.
On the left, two miles above Boone'
fork.
The section, figure 195, shows
principally the Elkhorn coal, enlarged
•••Y-.tv
:^*^;:
•5/3 I
Coo-f
S.S.
(C. if
_.. , \S. Z" ,
Elkhorn J c. JL
Cov.1 ] OJ. 7" .
I C. 7o
Coo./ 22."
s.s.
...Coa.1 2t4
~ Mou.th of Or.
'Sect ''on o.f Ho(com6s
172
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
r;g.
Coat
Coo.f
l <Sha.t* 7
Coat
Holcomb
Elkhorn Coo./
in figure 196, and what is probably the
Fire-clay coal, 220 feet above it. The
nearness to Pine Mountain appears not
to have affected materially the section
or the level of the coals.
Samples of the coal from Holcomb 's
collected by Prof. Crandall, analyzed by
Dr. B. Peter, yielded:
Chem. Report Nos. 2360
Upper
2ft.
Moisture 8.00
Volatile combustible matter 30.06
Fixed carbon 57.60
Ash, (light buffi) 4.34
2361
Lower
68 in.
2.86
31.54
62.10
3.50
100.00 100.00
Sulphur .494 .535
Specific gravity 1.355 1.319
Coke _ pulverulent dense
No. 2360. " Sample much weathered and somewhat
friable, the seams covered generally with 'a greyish incrusta-
tion, part of which seems to be clay, which may increase the
apparent ash percentage. Some fibrous coal between the
laminae, but no pyrites apparent."
No. 2361. "Generally a bright, pitch-black, pure-looking
coal, except in the somewhat weathered portions. A little
fibrous coal and fine granular pyrites between the laminae,
and a few bright, thin pyrites scales in some of the seams.
KENTUCKY RIVER, NORTH PORK.
173
Coo./
Coal
Coo./
On the left of the river, four miles
above Boone the section of Elkhorn coal,
figure 197 was taken.
For description of the coal field as
it extends down the waters of the Big
Sandy river see Bulletin No. 4 of the
Survey.
ElKhorn Coo./
Head of North Fork
174 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
KENTUCKY RIVER.— MIDDLE FORK.
Little prospecting appears to have been done on Middle
Fork waters in Breathitt county, or else results were not
satisfactory, for on a recent visit to the upper part of the
county no new important openings were reported in that
vicinity.
It is to be hoped that this paucity is due to want of system-
atic search, which probably may be aided by the descriptions
given in this report of contiguous coals on the North Fork, to
which are added for that purpose, rather than as descriptive
of the coal region, such notes as have been obtained from
along the lower part <of Middle Fork.
BEGINNING BRANCH.
On the left, one and one half miles above the Wolfe-
Breathitt county line.
A cannel coal opened at 0. Crawford's in what appears
likely to prove of the Fire-clay coal, lying 230 feet above the
river, elevation 940 feet, was reported 18 in. thick, in two
blocks of 7 in. and 11 in. The dip is southeastward, probably
about 40 feet to the mile. My specimen of the cannel, stained
strongly with iron peroxide, yielded, by analysis of Dr. B.
Peter:
CANNEL. Chem. Report No. 2619
Moisture 1.00
Volatile combustible matter 41.10
Fixed carbon 46.70
Ash (dark gray) 11.20
100.00
Sulphur 1.120
Specific gravity 1.274
Coke _ —dense.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
175
TURKEY CREEK.
Fifty-five feet above the mouth of the creek and three
quarters mile up it is 16 in. coal in a thick bed of black shale,
possibly of the Whitesburg bed, for the cannel of Beginning
branch shows again, 25 feet above it, at Isaac Terry's, the
following section:
/ <? a
fQ 10
Sfc
7lf
Can ml Coat
a.6au.f Z f.
Thin COOL(
Thin Co 0.1
Coa.t
Coo.1
Thin Coal
Canoe for Ac
a./
Elevation.
Sandstone 3 ft.
Cannel coal 6 in.
Coal 14 in.
Sandstone L ft.
Shale .
775
The up-stream dip is very much re-
duced here, but this seems to result from
a change in its direction to more nearly
eastward and across the river. From
this point up the river to above Long's
creek there is a slight rise of strata.
CANE CREEK.
The section of figure 198 does not
promise well for this region, but it was
taken over 20 years ago, when it was
easy to overlook important coals.
The thin coal at the bottom of the
section is nearly in the place of the Fire-
clay coal.
The Granville Spicer coal at eleva-
tion 1090, likely to be of the Flag coal
bed, was reported 20 in. cannel coal
under 6 in. bituminous. The cannel coal
is of uniisuaily fine appearance, but
seems inclined toward a change to bituminous coal.
176 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
LONG'S CREEK.
Deacon's coal, | mile up this creek, 15 feet a^ove its
mouth, shows the following section:
Elevation.
Shale 5 ft.
Black slate 3 ft.
Coal 13 in.
Shale 1 in.
Coal 2< in.
Shale 5 in.
Coal ._ 8 in.
An earlier measurement gave 31 in. coal with 4 in. part-
ing. Its black slate roof is indicative of the Whitesburg bed.
Ground-Hog Branch.— On the left of Long's creek, £
mile up it.
The Berry Turner coal of figure 199, \ mile up the branch
r'i '" and £ mile up a left branch, 250 feet
above the preceding, is supposed to be
of the Haddix bed. My muddy outcrop
sample of the lower 30 in. of this coal,
analyzed by Dr. E. Peter, gave the fol-
lowing results :
Coal
3.1
Co o.t
COOL(
Co*/
LOWER 30 IN. Chem. Report No. 2611
Moisture 2.00
Volatile combustible matter 35.36
Fixed carbon 57.36
Ash (white) - 5.28
2-0
100.00
Turner
Sulphur i-019
Specific gravity 1.275
Coke _. light spongy.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
177
No. 2611. "A pure-looking, pitch-black coal; fracture
irregular, with shining surfaces. No pyrites apparent and
very little fibrous coal."
The Deacon bed of Long's creek shows along the river
road above the creek, and is especially noticeable where it is
seen to be wholly cut out in a sandstone cliff about three miles
above Long.
At three and three quarter miles above Long, Orville An-
derson has opened what appears to be the same bed, without
the black slate. 30 feet above the river, one eighth mile up a
branch on the left, with the section following:
Sandstone 5 ft.
Clay sandstone 2£ ft.
Coal 26 in.
Shale 7 in.
Coal ._ 5 in.
Elevation .
775
Johnson?
Ha-ctctiX. Ceo./
At five miles above Long, Henry
Johnson's opening, figure 200, into the
Haddix bed, is 245 feet above the river.
From this point there seems to be
a rapid up-river rise of strata, corres-
ponding to a similar rise on the North
Fork between Wolf and Grapevine
creeks, and perhaps barely noticeable on
Lost creek above Cockerel fork. It may
have caused the extreme crookedness of
the North and Middle. Forks where
crossing them, and have resulted in the
sudden termination of the high hills
south of Little Bull skin on the South
Fork.
178 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
SQUABBLE CREEK.
A mile up this creek, 305 feet above its mouth, is a bed
of some local renown from which .the following section was
taken :
Elevation.
Black slate 3 ft.
Cannel slate 20 in.
Black slate 20 in.
Cannel coal 5 in.
Black slate _. 1050
It lies near the level of the Haddix bed, and probably
is a local variation of it. In the near vicinity an old opening
showed blocks of cannel, thicker than five in., probably from
the place of the cannel slate.
On the right of the river, 285 feet above it, one quarter mile
above Squabble, is the Peter Gross mine opened into the Had-
dix bed, figure 201. My sample of it was
taken from the face 25 yards under-
«s. *. ground, and, analyzed by Dr. R. Peter,
it gave:
I
Coa.(
HADDIX BED. Chem. Report No. 2795
Moisture 1.90
Volatile combustible matter 37.10
Fixed carbon 57.90
Ash (light purplish gray) 3.10
0 _,
Peter 6ro** gpecific gravity
100.00
Sulphur __________________________________ . 0.749
61<00
11 Generally pitch-black coal, breaking irregularly with
irregular shining surfaces, a few pieces dull and laminated.
No pyrites apparent, and but very little fibrous coal."
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
179
As mined, the coal is of particularly fine appearance; a dull
black, hard and strong, and nearly uniform coal, a part of it
almost without visible lines of lamination. By general report
of the neighborhood it was the finest coal shipped down the
Middle Fork, and brought an advanced price in the market.
It is perhaps the only bituminous coal from the Haddix bed
ever sent down the Middle Fork.
GUYS CREEK.
The Fire-clay coal bed shows its characteristic parting
of hard black fire-clay for the first time on Middle Fork at
an opening one quarter mile up the creek, 245 feet above the
river, with its section as shown in figure 202. My sample of
the upper seam was taken from a muddy outcrop and is there-
fore too high in ash, as analyzed by Dr. R. Peter, his results
being given below:
FIRE-CLAY COAL BED. Chem. Report No. 2790
Moisture __________________________________ 3.40
Volatile combustible matter ______________ 31.00
Fixed carbon ______________________________ 55.30
Ash (very light gray) --------------------- 10.30
100.00
Sulphur ----------------------------------- 0.557
Specific gravity ___________________________ 1.366
Coke ------------------------------------- friable.
Coaf
Coaf
990
/•+.
»rt/e cf/» Cree*
r* c/ay Ceo./
"Generally dull-black splint coal.
Some fine fibrous pyrites and fibrous
coal. Portions shining pitch black."
180
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fire C/a.i/ Coo./
u/9 Creetc,
At two miles up the creek the same
bed, 55 feet lower, has a total thickness
of 47 in. No fire-clay parting was no-
ticed in it, but the section is probably
about as represented in figure 203. The
openings of the bed on Eversole branch,
North Fork, give good reason to expect
a continuous working and nearly uniform
section through the dividing ridge.
A mile up the creek, at elevation 805,
and therefore about 160 feet, below the
Fire-clay bed, is a coal 21 in. thick with
two in. parting, with floor of shale, containing siderite, and
eight feet of black slate roof. This is too far below the for-
mer bed to be considered of the Whitesburg, but it may be
of the Elkhorn bed. Becoming of workable thickness at in-
tervals farther up the river, it is still of little importance so
far as developed, and even if that name is properly applied, it
is liable to be misleading as indicative of a deposit of great
value.
A mile above Leatherwood and about five miles above
Guy's creek, 445 feet above the river, the Haddix coal was
opened in 1886 with the section shown in figure 204. My
F; 9 . 2. o ^ specimen . of the ten in. cannel seam,
analyzed by Dr. R. Peter, yielded:
HADDIX CANNEL. Chem. Report No. 2784
Co at /7~ Moisture 0.80
Volatile combustible matter 44.80
Fixed carbon 37.60
Cannot C. >o" Ash (gray-brown) 16.80
Co a/
1 2osr
100.00
3 Miles 06 Guys Cr. Sulphur 0.970
Coo/ Coke . pulverulent.
KENTUCKY RIVER. MIDDLE FORK.
181
"A somewhat weathered sample. Ferruginous incrus-
tation on some of the surfaces." This gives an unusually
heavy ash for Haddix cannel.
G-. B. Barnes, on the left of the river, had, in 1906, a
five-yard entry near (or possibly in) the same place. Fallen
in, the upper and cannel seams measured about the same as
above, and the bottom coal is nearly the same. The bed is
covered by a massive sandstone cliff, common to the Haddix,
about 40 feet high.
RUSH CREEK.
At former William, now James Bowling's a mile up the
creek, at its level and 60 feet above its mouth, is the same
probable Elkhorn coal found on Guy's creek, with the section
here of figure 205, lying on a heavy sandstone. My samples
of the two seams taken separately were analyzed by Dr. E.
Peter with results following:
Fig. 2of
\B/.S/. /o'
Coal 2.0'
Cfa.y T "
Coa.1 2-f-
fif
AV/77. Bouul/nef
Chem Report.
No. 2785 No. 2786
Upper
Seam
Moisture ____________________ 1.20
Volatile combustible matter.. 39.60
Fixed carbon ________________ 52.70
Ash ------------------------- 6.50
100.00
Sulphur --------------------- 1.327
Specific gravity ______________ 1.279
Coke ------------------------- spongy
Ash
lilac gray
Lower
Seam
1.20
35.90
55.30
7.60
100.00
0.654
1.300
spongy
nearly
white
182
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
HSo
/2fo
lit
880
3.S.
S.S
Bench
s.s
2. Thin Co a. Is a net
No. 2785. "A pure-looking coal.
No apparent pyrites. Some little fibrous
coal."
No. 2786. "Resembles (the above,)
but is somewhat brighter."
A quarter mile above the mouth of
Elkhorn creek, on the river and 70 feet
above it, is a 35 in. coal with shale roof,
elevation 830, which is probably of the
same bed as Bowling's, on Rush creek,
the black slate roof not being continuous.
The section of figure 206 was taken
at Moses Hignite 's near Confluence P. 0.,
five miles above Elkhorn, and may serve
as a guide to find coals not yet dis-
covered. That at 855 appears to be of
the Whitesburg bed and the Bowling coal
is therefore below river level; the Fire-
clay coal is about at elevation 920; the
Haddix shown at 1130; the Hazard on
the bench at 1250 ; and the Flag coal at
about 1325, under the high peaks.
R/i/er
••Sec ft on at
Mo set Hi
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 183
GRASSY BRANCH.
In the section, figure 207, the Bowl-
ing coal is below drainage. It is evi-
dent that the Whitesburg and Fire-clay
coals are of no account, the latter be-
longing at elevation about 900. The Had-
dix belongs probably on top of the upper
M. sandstone shown in the section; the
Hazard bed above the upper coal.
s/>.s.s.
~ /**
S.J
\ •-.-./.,
Coa.1 8
,n Co 0.1
WILDER BRANCH.
.— • ~ •' Coaf tf."
Co«, #,*,•„ g" Qn the right of the riyer^ ^ ^^
above Grassy branch. Thick coal is re-
ported in the river at the mouth of this
co a/ 8" branch, evidently the same as the Bush
creek, Bowling coal. The report is
probably true, but there is also a report
that this river coal, here or above Cut-
shin creek, is so cut up by partings and
coo./ 6" so sulphurous as to be worthless. Can-
s nel coal 8 in. thick, supposed to be
of the Haddix bed, is exposed, at eleva-
tion not noted, in the midst of massive
Yi9u.ih*F&r. sandstone. It should be some 350 feet
&r. above the river.
90f
fit
184 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fig. Zo8
PEACH-ORCHARD BRANCH.
On the right, one and one half miles
above Grassy branch.
The only note taken on this stream
was of a hard, black, fossiliferous lime-
stone five feet thick, at elevation 1330,
on the head of the branch. It was found
345 feet above a Fire-clay coal opening
with strata lying probably nearly level
between the two points. It is shown in
the section, figure 208. Considerable
work has been done upon it in a futile
search for silver ore.
No similar deposit, so thick and at
such height, on Kentucky river waters, is
known to the writer, but that found op-
posite Whitesburg by Prof. Crandall,
about 250 feet above the Fire-clay coal
may possibly be of the same character
and bed ; that on Line fork appears quite
different. The Peach-Orchard limestone
probably lies between the Hazard and
Flag 'coal beds.
HELL-FOR-CERTAIN CREEK.
The section given in figure 208 is
representative (like some other sections
given) only of what it shows. Thick
coal has been found on the creek since it
was taken.
From the bottom of the section up
to the Fire-clay coal at elevation 985
considerable reduction should probably
be made in vertical distances, because of the rise of strata in
the horizontal distance covered, that coal opening being on
(Coal
\ Sh. J"
JCoat
\-tt> t"
\CUAI
Sh.
a/.si.
C/ay
SA.
Coatf
Coal
9.3.
{•
Ceo.t
Coo.1
Coo./
Coo,/
•Sh
-3.S
7'
4"
fo
f Cr
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 185
Devil 's Jump branch, two and one half miles from the mouth of
the main creek. A less reduction should be made on the re-
mainder of the section, carried one and one half miles farther
up the creek. The down stream dip is probably about at the
rate of 20 feet per mile.
The Fire-clay coal rider, 19 in. splint coal, is noticeable
here for the first time on Middle Fork. Farther nip it be-
comes quite important.
The Haddix bed is represented at elevation 1190, and the
Hazard bed, probably the thick one of more recent discovery,
was not found.
The limestone is referred to on page 185, and the coal
shown just above it is of the Flag coal bed.
In the low gap, five miles up, at the head of Bullskin
creek the sandstone often forming cliffs over the Haddix coal
is peculiarly conspicuous.
OLDHOUSE BRANCH.
On the left, one mile above Hell-f or-Certain creek.
A quarter mile up, a quarter mile up a left branch, and
again, on the right, three quarter miles up main Oldhouse, the
latter five feet lower than the former, has been opened the
Haddix bed, with the sections following:
Elevation .
Earth
Coal stain 6 in.
Clay 8 in.
Coal 4 in.
Shale 7 in.
Coal 14 in.
Bituminous shale 1 ft.
Covered .__ 7 ft.
Hard splint coal 17 in. 1330
Clay 1 ft.
Coal 6 in.±
Yellow earth
Clay and shale li ft.
Hard splint coal , 14 in.=h 1325
186
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
More digging in the latter would probably have developed
the higher seams where only yellow earth appeared.
rf 2e On the left, a mile up Oldhouse, 20
feet above it and 450 feet above its mouth
|V^\£j *•*•'*
Lg^M is the Henry Begley, ten-yard entry into
; the Hazard coal, shown in figure 209. My
^ sample of this coal was analyzed by S. D.
I Co a/ 2. 9 .
; : Averitt, for the Survey, with the results
v J below:
one C.
Coat
C.
Coat
HAZARD COAL. Laboratory No. 2734
Moisture 1.91
Volatile combustible matter 38.29
Fixed carbon 52.45
Ash (light buff) 7.35
100.00
I i +0
Haz a.rd . Coa /
Sulphur — 0.74
Phosphorus 0.023
Coke (dense spongy) 59.80
Specific gravity 1.299
Total carbon 73.62
B. T. U. per pound of coal 13.613
"This should be a fairly good coking coal." It is a hard
coal, with considerable mixture of splint, little injured by the
bone coal included.
CUTSHIN CREEK.
No investigation has been made of the coals on this creek
near its mouth, but at W. C. Wooten's, on the left, two miles
up, the Fire-clay bed has been opened, 100 feet above the creek,
at elevation 915. It is reported 3 feet of coal on 3 in. of
fire-clay and 1 foot of coal under it.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
187
rig. 2.10
s.s to
W. D. Wooteti
Fire C/ay Co a/
Mackintosh Creek. — But one open-
ing is known on this creek, which gives
the main road from Hyden to Hazard.
It is at W. D. Wooten's, an entry on the
left, at the month of the <creek and 115
feet above it, at elevation 935. It is
shown in figure 210. The flint-clay part-
ing varies from 4 in. to 7 in. The coal
is mostly a good rich-looking block coal
with a little splint and an inch of bone.
Fiy. in
.- 1 Sfle^/ff (o
Feckley Branch. — On the right of
Cutshin, one mile above Mackintosh
Co « i vsva. in i a " cr eek .
3 Coa.1 crSA.
Coa.f
Hart Branch. — On the right, oao
and one quarter miles up Feckley
•branch.
The following section was obtained
here :
I /J~6o
I
Jonalhatn Hexi*1~
Hi rid man Coal
Hilltop _ 1620
Hindman coal bed 1560
Flag coal bed 1460
Fire-clay coal bed 1015
Month of Hart branch _ _ 960
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
r'
'9
/330
920
s. ,y.
Coa.1 ne
The opening into the Fire-clay coal bed, at stream level
one quarter mile up Hart branch, had fallen in so that the coal
was not visible. The coal above it, at suitable elevation for the
FJag coal, imperfectly opened, gave 22 in.
coal under massive sandstone with 5
in. shale and -clay between. Under the
- coal is about 18 in. shale (with some coal
included,) the bottom of the cut not
visible.
The opening into the Hindman bed,
figure 211, showed a full face, but the
parting, if such it is, has so much
bitumen in it that there is reason to
doubt if it be not coal. Though carry-
ing 6 feet of coal, the bed is here of
no value because of its restricted area,
ror does there appear to be much greater
area anywhere in the vicinity.
The three openings, all on land of
Jonathan Hart, being near together and
nearly in the direction of the line of
lh» strike, give close approximation to the
actual distances apart of the several
beds, 535 feet from the lower to the up-
per here corresponding with the interval
of 530 feet found on the head of Trouble-
some creek, Eight Fork.
(Sh.
Coaf
C/a.y
'Coo/ J
] C/a. y
Coaf Sf-
C/«xy
S.5.
Coal 0.6011. f
s.s.
Co a.1
'•Sh.
2. "
2.0
Coo./
OL+
The section of figure 212 was taken
about two miles above Mackintosh creek.
Here the Whitesburg coal, at the bottom
of the section, is found 55 feet below the
Fire-clay coal at elevation 920. The
rider to the latter is also shown.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
189
Fi re
Apparently a thickening of the sand-
stone on the Hazard coal has cut the lat-
ter, at elevation 1200, down to almost
nothing, but the Flag coal at the top of
the section is more nearly of normal
thickness.
*7' The 51 in. coal of the Fire-clay bed
was found at John C. Lewis', and its
bed-section is given in figure 213. My
sample of the coal from solid outcrop
yielded, to analysis by Dr. E. Peter:
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2535
/Vla^tfa.ro( Moisture 2.00
I/ Coo./ Volatile combustible matter 31.00
Fixed carbon 59.94
Ash (nearly white) 7.06
ni Coa.1
U. C.
Fir* C/oy **"
Brewer
Clatf' Coal
100.00
Sulphur 0.665
Coke (spongy) 67.00
Specific gravity 1.319
"A portion of the sample is in pure-
looking, pitch-black fragments, breaking
irregularly, with shining surfaces;
another portion is dull-black and irreg-
ularly laminated. Very little fibrous
coal and no pyrites 'apparent. : ' A
weathered sample, as its considerable
proportion of moisture indicates. No
doubt it gives more ash than will be
found in the unweathered coal."
A mile farther up the creek, and 80
feet above it, is the J. C. Brewer opening
into the Fire-clay coal, shown in figure
214.
190
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fi ' q .
Coat/ 3.1
C/oy Coo./
Wooten Creek. — At Minter Bailey's,
one and one half miles Tip this creek and
one. quarter mile up a branch on the
right, near water level, is the Fire-clay
coal opening of figure 215.
On the same branch one and one half
miles up and on the Right Fork, at John
Melton's house, is a big bench, at
elevation 1320, probably marking the
location of the Hazard coal. A 20-
foot sandstone cliff is exposed direct-
ly above it. At elevation 1560 Mel-
ton's opening at the head of the Right
Fork, fallen in, is said to have 7
feet of coal, underlaid by 2 feet
of coal and shale. Without correc-
tion for dip, which is doubtless very
slight, this bed is 570 feet above the Fire-
clay coal. It is therefore of the Kind-
man bed, with an apparent interval from
the Fire-clay bed 35 feet more than on
Feckley branch, a difference possibly
due to barometric inaccuracy but more
likely to thickening of strata.
On the main creek, 25 feet above it,
at the school house two and one half
miles up. the outcrop of the Fire-clay
bed gives the section of figure 216.
At John Bailey's, at the mouth of
Cane branch, three miles up, an entry,
five feet above the stream, at elevation
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
191
1010, has been made into the upper seam of the Fire-clay coal,
38 in. thick, without parting and with massive sandstone roof.
Beyond this the bed soon goes below drainage.
2/7
JS30
Jijo
Coa.1
-3" Co.nnel
fron Ore
Coat
Coa-f
Coa-t z
-Sh. /"
Coaf Z
Bl.S/ 8"
/ay J"
oei/ 2.
Coo./ g
Polecat Branch. — On the left foui-
miles up Wooten creek.
On the right, one half mile up this
branch, some 40 feet above it, at eleva-
tion 3220, the Haddix bed shows cannel
coal in an old opening, fallen in. An-
other opening, 40 feet higher, also closed,
though unusually close to the Haddix
seems to be of the Hazard bed.
Coon Creek.—
Wolf Creek. — The section of figure
217 was taken from Christopher Lewis'
house, a mile up the creek, along
it for a mile above the house. The
Fire-clay coal at 1060 has its usual
parting, but the clay is not as pure as
usual. The whole bed is cut out by
sandstone in a neighboring rock-house.
The Haddix bed appears to be repre-
sented by the splint coals at eleva-
tion 1170. The Hazard bed was proba-
s s bly not discovered, but the 37 in. coal at
1370 may be the Flag-coal; it is all very
bright, the lower eight in. splint coal.
The coal at 1530, though rather low for
creek the Hindman bed, and containing cannel,
in of CAr;s.tecL"*'seems likely to be of that bed, as its stain
192
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
is frequently prominent near the hill-
tops.
With a reduction of partings and
increase of coal the Haddix (?) bed
shows far better on Coon creek, two
Pig. 2/9
(Coal tf."
la/ J/. V-"
•IS.S v3o" _.
1 Coal tt*
^C/ay 2. if."
S.S.S.
Ba.sta.rct £.S. t,'
S.S.
Coa/ 13.'
Thin Coal
•S.5.
Ctjitihin CV.
/7
2.0
<L Mites ct*o</e
miles above Wolf,
at elevation 1180,
as shown in figure
218. The distance
of this bed from
the Fire-clay bed
is much less than
was to be expected, but there appears
to be a similar reduction of interval on
Line fork, Perry county. There seem
to be in this region more irregularities
of the coals than is usual, as is more
fully shown on White Oak creek, next
south of Coon.
At 2^ miles above Wolf the Hazard
bed gives (if the last opening is of the
Haddix) the following section:
Elevation
Shale and sandstone 30 ft.
Coal 3 in.
Parting 10 in.
Coal 10 in.
Parting 3 in.
Coal 2 in.
Parting 2 in.
Coal 11 in.
Parting 25 in.
Coal _ 3 in.
1270
atj_;Pen*,n?ton'*
In the section, figure 219, taken
about |- mile above Paul's creek, the thin
coal near tlie bottom is in the place of
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 193
Z.2o
the Whitesburg coal. The Fire-clay coal
at 1030 is inconsequent, though reported
in good condition and mined considera-
bly for local use on Paul's creek. The
rider here with its 5 feet of coal needs
to be more fully developed. There seems
to be a tendency in this bed to thicken
and to carry cannel coal on the main
heads, of the Middle Fork. The upper
coal of the section is, apparently, of the
Hazard bed.
Figure 220 shows the Fire-clay coal
and its rider on enlarged scale. The
bituminous slate at the bottom of the
lower bed looks so much like cannel that
my sample of the coal for analysis was
taken with the slate included. The result
as given below, even with liberal allow-
ance for a muddy outcrop sample, shows
that the slate cannot be utilized; and the
lower bed is therefore not workable at
this point. Analysis by Dr. E. Peter:
FIRE-CLAY COAL,
(with slate floor included.) Chem. Report No. 2536
Moisture , 2.20
Volatile combustible matter ._ 26.14
Fixed carbon _ 33.05
Ash (very light gray) _ _ 39.50
100.00
Sulphur 0>519
Coke (pulverulent) _ 71.56
Specific gravity 1.595
194
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
"A much weathered and soiled sample of what looks like
a bituminous shale."
The light rise of strata up the creek, which is shown by
the foregoing openings into the Fire-clay coal, continues at
the rate of about 20 feet per mile to near its head.
At three miles above Paul's creek,
"* on the left, 60 feet above the road and
130 feet above the creek, the rider is
opened with:
Hi it
Coo.( t Iron Ore
in
*"
A 0.
Shaly sandstone 7 ft.
Coal 1 ft.
Shale 1 ft.
Coal _ _ li ft.
Elevation.
113Q
At four and one half miles above
Paul, five feet above the creek, what is
either the Fire-clay coal or bed below it
shows.
Massive sandstone — 4 ft.
Shaly sandstone 4 ft.
Coal 6 in.
Splint coal 12 in.
Elevation.
1085
•Sec tt art a./ 2.
If this is of the Fire-clay coal a roll
has carried it down 50 feet below the
level to which a uniform rise would take
it.
Figure 221 represents the section
found six miles above Paul's creek, and
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
195
. 22.2.
figure 222 its two principal beds, the
Fire-clay coal and its rider. The former,
though rare as cannel on the Middle Fork
is quite common as such on the North
Fork; and the rider has cannel to the
southwest on Greasy creek and else-
where. A quarter to half mile farther
up, at the mouth of Mud Lick, and 80
feet above it, elevation 1230, there is
32 in. clean coal probably belonging to
the Fire-clay coal rider. Over it is three
feet of shale.
Laurel Fork. — In the creek at the
Coo./ 3Z mouth of this fork is 29 in. coal under
massive sandstone roof, which appears
to be also of the Fire-clay coal rider.
C/oy Coat
In a rockhouse one quarter mile up
the fork, 170 feet higher than its mouth,
the following section is exposed:
Massive sandstone — 20 ft.
Coal 9 in.
Shale 1 in.
Coal 4 in.
Bituminous clay shale 5 in.
Fire-clay 3 ft.
Elevation.
1420
While this seems likely to be of the Haddix bed more
knowledge of the coals of the vicinity is requisite for its de-
termination.
Three miles up Laurel fork, one eighth mile to the left
up "Wolf -pen branch, and 50 feet above it on the right, is
196
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Co a.f
^ •Sha.f i
Coo.1.
Coo.{ 31'
3-23 the Arch. Cornett opening shown in
figure 223. Assuming a rise of strata of
» about one per cent up Laurel fork would
bring this coal into position of the Haz-
ard bed, and such it probably is, con-
forming with the deductions as to coals
on Leatherwood creek. Just across the
ridge from this opening is one into the
,same bed on the head of Clover fork of
Leatherwood, containing 5^ feet of
nearly clean, mainly soft coal.
Of the following analyses of coal
from this opening Nos. 2532-3-4 were by
Dr. E. Peter, and Nos. 2738-7 by Dr.
A. M. Peter, all from my samples, the
former collected from the solid outcrop in 1885, the latter from
two yards underground in 1906. In Noi 2737 the 6 in. bitu-
minous coal was included because of no visible cleavage, the
whole 29 in. appearing to form one solid block.
HAZARD (?) BED Chem.
2532
Upper 10 in.
&Lower 10 in.
Moisture 1.80
Volatile com. matter 34.60
Fixed carbon 57.70
Ash . 5.90
Report Nos.
2533
18 in.
Laboratory Nos.
2534
Cannel
2738
Upper 10 in.
2737
Cannel &
Seam
&next 18 in . 6 in below
1.60
0.60
1.67
1.56
32.06
45.30
38.78
46.94
61.24
47.20
53.91
45.16
5.10
6.90
5.64
6.34
100.00
Sulphur 1.055
Phosphorus
Coke > spongy
Specific gravity 1.243
Color of ash brown
gray
100.00
0.737
100.00
100.00
100. oa
0.72
spongy
1.243
light brown
gray
0.683 1.34
0.004 ._
dense dense spongy dense
1.255 1.290 1.225
light brown light buff
gray brown
Total carbon 76.65 74.56
B. T. U. per pound of coal 14.142 14,143
No. 2532. "A portion of the sample has irregular laminat-
KENTUCKY RIY^ER, MIDDLE FORK.
197
ed structure, showing very little fibrous coal and no apparent
pyrites; another portion breaks with irregular fracture and
shining surfaces; is pitch black and pure-looking."
No. 2533. "Mostly a pure-looking, pitch-black coal with
irregular shining fracture. Some portions are irregularly
laminated and more dull in appearance. Very little fibrous
coal and no pyrites apparent. ' '
No. 2534. "A very tough, dull-black coal. Fracture very
flat, imperfect conchoidal. No apparent fibrous coal or pyrites.
Some parts of the sample somewhat soiled with clay."
No. 2738. "Average sample of soft, bright coal, somewhat
weathered and with some ferruginous incrustation.
•No. 2737. "Average sample, mostly cannel, but
with a small proportion of soft, bright, pitch-like coal."
Gu.1hr'/e.
Guthrie Fork.— On the left one and
one-half miles above Laurel Fork.
A half mile up this fork and one
quarter mile up its Eight fork, in a field
on the right, at elevation 1620, is the
coal of figure 224. It is probable that
this does not represent quite the full
thickness of the bed as the opening was
partly covered when visited, and only
the visible coal was measured. With a
like allowance for rise of strata as for
the Laurel fork opening, this one also
comes to the level of the Hazard bed, to
which it is referred with little doubt.
198
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Ftq.lZf
89,
S.S.
Co a.1
C/oy
,5.5.
(Coa.1
,-iSfto.te 8
(_ C90.C
S.3.
ftto u.th
Figure 225 represents a section taken
near the mouth of Bull creek. Coal is
reported as having been taken from the
river bottom along here, from a bed
about 9 feet thick, but including so much
shale and sulphur as to be almost worth-
less. Its location corresponds well with
the Bowling coal on Rush creek, below,
and such thickness as was reported
tends to correlation with the Elkhorn
coal, and adds interest to the bed in this
redon. The thin coal lowest in the
O
section is noticeable as being worked one
and one-half miles above Bull creek.
The Fire-clay coal with its one in. part-
ing is barely distinguishable, at elevation
995 and the rider is either absent or is in
the much split coal above it in the sec-
tion. Apparently the 16 in. coal at the
top is the Haddix coal, but further
search for this bed is desirable before
final conclusion.
ONE MILE BRANCH.
On the right, one and one half miles
above Bull creek.
On the left, one quarter mile up the
branch, William Sisemore has opened, in
<Secf''on near mau.ih
a fiveayard" entry, the lowest bed of figure225 with 30 in. clean
coal with laminatedsandstone roof, elevation 875.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
199
ffg. 226
NIGHWAY BRANCH.
On the right, one and three quarter
miles above Bull creek.
A quarter mile up, 205 feet above the
river, Bart. Sisemore has opened the
Fire-clay coal with the following section,
shale and bone coal here taking the place
of the usual parting.
Elevation.
Shale or shaly sandstone — 5 ft
Coal 2 in.
Shale i in.
Coal 31 in.
Shale \ in.
Bone coal 1 in.
Coal —11 in.
1010
On the right of the river, two miles above Bull creek the
William Couch opening, at the same level as the preceding,
gives the section of figure 226, in which the flint clay is black
and looks much like coal.
ASHER BRANCH.
On the right, four miles above Bull creek and two miles
below Hyden.
Of the two openings on this branch shown in figure 227,
the lower is of the Elkhorn bed, giving its maximum thick-
ness in this region, so far as seen. Considerable coal was ship-
ped down the river in former times from the entries here, 50
feet above the river and one eighth mile from it, but they are
now all fallen in. They are known as the Asher mines. My
200
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
sample taken from three yards underground gave the follow-
ing results to .Dr. B. Peter's analysis:
fia. 227
£=ir==g JA. S'
Coo. I
Coa,l
Coet.1 J~'
I OJTo
t Fire CYo.y Coo./
ELKHORN BED. Chem. Report No. 2742
Moisture 1.80
Volatile combustible matter 34.14
Fixed carbon 57.86
Ash (light lilac gray) 6.20
100.00
Sulphur 0.613
'oke (dense) 64.06
Ipecific gravity 1.321
"Some fibrous coal between the la-
minae, but no apparent pyrites."
On the left a half mile up the branch,
a 20-yard entry of Mrs. Annie Steel's
^ives the upper coal of figure 227, with
flint day parting characteristic, and the
upper seam but little hurt by the bone
coal it contains. The whole bed gives
here an unusually fine section of the Fire
clay coal bed.
On the right, three quarters mile up,
245 feet above the Fire-clay coal, at ele-
vation 1295, are two thin coals, three feet
apart, under massive sandstone. They
are apparently too high for the Haddix
bed and too low for the Hazard.
ROBERTS BRANCH.
On the right, five and one half miles
above Bull creek and one half mile be-
low Hvden.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 2O1
Nathaniel Roberts' entry, one eighth
mile up and 240 feet above the river,
shows the Fire-clay coal as in figure 228.
AA^ater in the entry prevented investigat-
ing its floor, which is probably of the
flint-clay parting, with coal below it.
Hughes Asher has an opening on the
right one quarter mile up and 260 feet
above the Fire-clay coal, which has the
following section:
Elevation.
Sandstone (prominent cliff) 20 ft.
Coal 11 in.
Bituminous shale 1 in.
Coal 4 in.
Bituminous shale 3 in.
Coal 14 in.
Clay l* in.
Coal 3 in. 1320
The sandstone here indicates the same bed as the upper
one on Asher branch, but more knowledge is required to de-
termine its correlation beyond that.
ROCKHOUSE CREEK. (Hyden).
The lower coal of Asher branch is opened just below and
at the upper end of Hyden, both places in rather thin coal, but
the latter in the point of a spur, unfavorable for finding full
thickness. It is on the right, about 50 feet above and one
eighth mile from the river, and at the face of the entry, four
yards in, gave the section:
202
'James
f/'re C/a.tf Coo./
ft'g. 23o
Coa(
Coa.(
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Elevation.
Sandstone 10 ft.
Shale 2 ft.
Coal 27 in.
Clay i in.
Bony coal 5 in. 875
The main seam looks like a coking
coal, and the bony coal at the bottom
not bad.
The section at the mouth of the James
Lewis mine in Hyden is given in figure
229. The upper seam, a block coal, alone
is mined, and the flint clay and coal be-
low are given as reported by a miner
there. At the face, some 150 yards in,
the main coal is 51 in. thick. A test of
the coal, over night in the grate, showed
it to be non-coking.
The coal is delivered by incline upon
the main street of the town, and in view
of the fact that here is the only coal
incline now on either of the three forks,
and that the bed is well developed here,
the name of Hyden is particularly ap-
propriate to it. Though often called the
Sizemore coal in this vicinity, it is quite
generally known as the Fire-clay coal
bed throughout the whole region, and
hence that name is used in this report.
It is the Dean coal of the Jellico and
Cumberland river regions.
2.6,
Coo./
fire Clay Coo. I
The bed-section of figure 230 is
from two miles above Hyden and one
half mile up a right branch. The ele-
vation obtained is probably too low.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
203
f/tj. -2 31
tefo
10 10
S-S
Mat/t/y «S.<S.
The upper seam of coal may be here
the rider to the bed, making the whole
of unusual thickness.
My sample of the upper 63 in. of
this coal gave to Dr. E. Peter's analy-
sis:
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2737
Moisture 0.74
Volatile combustible matter 36.06
Fixed carbon 54.00
Ash (grayish brown) 9.20
^ "-'
100.00
Sulphur 1.307
Coke (spongy) 63.20
Specific gravity 1.279
" A pure-looking firm coal, generally
breaking irregularly, with irregular sur-
faces. A portion with lamellar fracture,
and some fibrous coal; no pyrites ap-
parent. ' '
At the Joseph Lewis' opening, 3^
miles up the creek, 100 feet above it on
the left, the fire-clay parting and coal
below it were reported, but not visible,
the main seam is reduced to 31 in., and
the rider, with 25 feet of shaly sand-
stone between, is 22 in. thick.
At the forks, four miles up, and
thence up the Left fork the section of
j.H,NaLpters figure 231 was taken.
The Fire-clay coal, at elevation 1080, still diminishing in
thickness, gives little promise of anything beyond, yet on its
•*-fCoo.f
. . J Coo./
S6.S.S.
Coo./
Sb.S.S.
fCoa.{
\ Coo./
3.S
f Cr.
204
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
first appearance across the ridge, and at intervals on Bed
Bird creek, it has good thickness.
Other coals of the section are quite as unpromising, but
one thick coal may have been missed. The Hazard bed, 300
feet above the Fire-clay coal has 7 feet of coal across on
the head of Sugar creek. The Haddix bed at 1280 and Flag
bed at 1485, if such they are, are of no avail here.
HURST BRANCH.
The A slier coal shows again, £ mile up this branch, 40
feet above the river, with the following section :
.232.
Coo./ /7'
^^^ COO.1
Cotx.1
Coa.1
Elevation .
Shaly sandstone 10 ft.
Coal 27 in.
Shale 3 in.
Coal 8 in. 88«
And \ mile up, 200 feet above the
river, the Fire-clay coal as in figure 232.
The lower parting is an impure fire-clay;
the main coal in part splint, and the up-
per seam of coal possibly the rider.
It is said that fossil limestone from
this branch was used for making lime
for the Hyden courthouse, an unusual
instance of the utilization of such mater-
ial. The position of the quarry relative
to the Fire-clay coal is not known, but
is probably 150 to 200 feet above it.
A mile above Hyden, at Morgan's,
KENTUCKY RIVER. MIDDLE FORK.
205
/ofco
96 1
vsfc'/.V
'
,
(.C/.y
*.C/. i
••y
. s.s.
Coo.t
i. f Iron Ore
Co«.f
Jo'
S.S.
32.'
J "
. a."
•S*-
Coo./
S.5.
f7'
f?/</er
Af/'/S
•See f /'on o.t </no.
200 feet above the river, the Fire-clay
coal has the following section:
Elevation.
Coal, sandstone and shale. 3 ft.
Coal -: 30 in.
Fire-clay 5 in.
Coal _ _ 5 in.
1045
At two miles above Hyden the sec-
tion of figure 233 was taken, in which
the Fire-clay coal is again 200 feet above
the river. The 17 in. coal near the bot-
tom, with its shaly sandstone roof, ap-
pears to represent the Asher mine coal,
with perhaps the 32 in. coal, which has
two thin partings, an offshoot from it.
The ribbed coal
at elevation 990 is
in position of the
Whitesburg bed,
but the black slate
over the next seam
above seems to
designate that as at
least a part of the
Whitesburg, though
abnormally near
the Fire-clay coal
at elevation 1060.
A second opening,
at Bowling's, Of /r/re C/aV Coa/
the Fire-clay coal gives the section shown in figure 234.
Of the higher beds the Haddix appears not to have been
206
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
found (under its massive sandstone), and the Hazard bed,
highest in the section shows pretty thorough disintegration.
BURNT CAMP BRANCH.
The Fire-clay coal of figure 235 is
210 feet above the river.
My sample of coal from this opening
analyzed by Dr. R. Peter gave:
3S- FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 2738
Moisture 0.70
Volatile combustible matter 34.70
Fixed carbon 55.20
Ash (light purplish gray) 9.40
/& 100.00
Sulphur 0.983
Coke (spongy) 64.60
Jesse MorqcL*t Specific gravity 1.291
f~/ff C/Q.y COOL/
These results are remarkably close to those of the Size-
more coal, Kockhouse creek, page 203. "The sample seems to
have more splint coal."
From this creek up, the river becoming more rapid, the
Fire-clay coal gradually approaches it.
GREASY CREEK.
At Elias Howard's, three miles up the creek and 30 feet
above it, the Whitesburg (?) bed has 31 in. coal under sand-
stone roof and with a cliff immediately below it. A 12 in.
coal under shale lies 40 feet higher, possibly the lower seam
of the Fire-clav coal.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
207
.236
tofo
••;.•• v
:t--y^-
o. s.
Coa.f' 2/'
ir> Coaf
<S
Ceo./
S S
5/i. f tren Ore
Coo./ ,
7-
COOL/ /^'
Mai4.lt>
Lick Branch. — On the right, 3£
miles up Greasy creek.
Also at Elias Howard's. The Fire-
clay coal on this branch is 24 in. thick,
with impure fire-clay floor and 30 feet
sandstone covering. Elevation 1130. A
half mile up the branch, elevation 1255,
is 21 in. coal under 15 feet massive sand-
stone.
Honey Branch. — On the right, 5£
miles up Greasy creek.
In the section, figure 236, either the
lowest coal or the next to it is of the
Fire-clay coal, but the parting of the
latter is soft and white, instead of flint-
clay. In either case the thin coal at
elevation 1410 is of the Haddix bed, or
a part of it. The next coal is probably
of the Hazard bed, and the 24 in. coal at
the top is of the Flag coal bed.
On Carnegie branch, North Fork,
below Hazard, iron ore lies in shale 100
feet above the Fire-clay coal, as in this
section.
208
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
235
Co a/
Sf,.
Coaf toy.'
/tttf
roa/
•
Co a.(
Coa.1
C/ay
c00.f 73
Elk Branch.— On
the right, 1\ miles
up.
The Henry Chap-
pell opening, figure
237, i mile up Elk
and 20 feet above
its mouth, is prob-
ably of the Fire-
clay coal, with per-
haps, the rider in-
cluded. The bot-
tom 24 in. is whol-
ly splint coal.
r/f i37
//. Cha./>j>e//
Laurel Fork.— On the right of
Greasy creek.
Feds Branch.— On the left, | mile
up Laurel Fork.
A quarter mile up this branch, 40
feet above its mouth, the following sec-
tion was obtained.
Elevation .
Shaly sandstone 15 ft.
/8- Shale : 7 ft
Coal 28 in.
Fire-clay 6 in.
Coal 6 in. 1140
Shale
The fire-clay parting returned here
to its normal condition.
Upper Double Branch.— On the
ootA6/e Br. Y\g\^ 9± miies up Laurel fork.
The section taken on this branch, shown in figure 238,
KENTUCKY RIVER. MIDDLE FORK. 209
gives, doubtless, the Fire-clay coal and its rider in the 73
in. coal at the bottom, though the fire-clay parting is again
wanting or altered here.
The coal at elevation 1355 is probably the same as that
found on Line fork, Perry county, considered a split down
from the Haddix bed.
The coal at elevation 1625 cannot now be correlated
though it comes about in the place of the Flag coal as found
farther down stream.
The coal at elevation 1925 is believed to be of the Hind-
man bed, although by barometer 705 feet above the Fire-
clay coal, instead of about 500 feet as in Perry county. But
little of this increase can be accounted for by barometric error
or by pitch of strata. Either a new bed above the Hindman
is discovered here, or a thickening of strata southward be-
tween the Hindman and the Fire-clay coal has occurred, and,
assuming the thick coals found high on the hills here, on
White Oak creek (on the left of Greasy next above Laurel
fork) on Oldhouse branch (lower Beech fork) and on Reuben
branch and at Kate Spring (Beech fork, near head) assuming
these to be of one bed, a constant increase of interval toward
Pine mountain is evidenced. This in itself is almost con-
clusive proof that the assuption is correct and that this upper
coal is of the Hindman bed.
210
f/y .23?
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coa.f
Cocif
Coa.t
C/o y i
Coa.f
/ 1 2,0
N «
fire C/o.y CooS
Figure 239 re-
presents, enlarged,
the lowest coal of
the section, and
figure 240 the up-
per opening. My
outcrop samples of
the three lower
seams of the Fire-
clay coal, and of
the two lower
seams of the upper
bed, analyzed by
Er. E. Peter, yield-
ed.
COOL(
Coa.(
C/<xy '*
Coo./ &"
N.
Co a. I
Fire-clay Coal Hindman Bed
Chem. Report No. 2733
Moisture 3.20
Volatile corn, matter 29.70
Fixed carbon 57.50
Ash . . 9.60
100.00
2734
1.72
35.68
51.20
11.40
100.00
Sulphur 0.626 1.367
Coke dense light spongy
Color of ash light brownish light purplish
gray
Specific gravity 1.342 1.363
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 211
No. 2733. "A weathered and somewhat soiled sample of
what seems to be a good coal."
No. 2734. "Seems to be a splint coal. Sample somewhat
weathered. Some little fibrous coal, but no pyrites apparent."
The coal will probably make good coke, and there is a fair
working area of it in this vicinity.
Figure 241 represents either the
>s*. *.' Fire-clay coal or its rider as opened
where going under Laurel fork. The
lower seam of coal was partly covered,
and further exploration is necessary to
disprove the presence of such thick coal
(>"- as was found at the mouth of Lower
M//e a6ove
Qou.6/e 8r.
Double branch.
Gill Branch.— On the left, five miles up Laurel Fork.
At 540 feet above the forks of Laurel at Incline P. 0.,
the following section was obtained of a coal probably some-
what under the Hindman bed, opened on the Gill branch side
of the spur.
fig. 2</-z Elevation .
Sandstone.
Shale containing iron ore _ 4 ft.
Shale --------------------------- 16 in.
Coal ---------------------------- 32 in. 1990
On the left of Laurel fork at the
town of Incline, five feet above the forks,
elevation 1455, is the coal of figure 242,
possibly of the lower Haddix bed. It
is a slickenseit coal rich in bitumen and
<it /~r///7e rather heavy in ash.
212
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
tr»n Off
Coo,/
Sh.
Ceo.(
Coa.1
S.S.
Co
-SA J 5
<*/>.
-.. (Coa.1
Sh. ( C«k/
J S.
COO.C
JA. a. j.
. (Coo./
(Coo./
MouJh of C»
>Sha.fe.
White Oak Creek.— The section of
figure 243 was taken along the creek,
via Pace Trace up to the head of Coon
and Upper Bad
creeks. The Fire-
clay coal near tl
bottom is shownl
again in figure 244.1
The rider appears!
in the long section,]
but thence to the
top coal correla-H|
tion is uncertain,
though it
seems /="/>« c/ay coo./
,-, fVea.r mou.fh of Cr.
that the
— -^-=^ Sha,/e 8
Coa.1
\Sha.l* JO
Coa.1
J6
<$ect
likely
Hazard bed lies at
elevation 1480.
Figure 245 repre-
sents this bed as
found above John
Turner's, 3| miles
up the creek, and
the following in I
pabular form shows
the variations in^^^ /36°
this bed and the Jno.~Tu.mer
two below it, and of intervals between
them, which occur within a short dis-
tance, C. K. York's being about 1^ miles
below Turner's. A reversal of the gen-
eral direction of dip is also indicated.
Correlated coals are between the same
horizontal lines.
toft on
OO.A- Cr
KENTUCKY RIVER. MIDDLE FORK.
213
At C. K. York's, 2 Miles
up Creek.
% Mile up Left Fork
From J. Turner's.
Y± Mile up Right Fork
From J. Turner's.
Y4 Mile up Right Fork
From Turner's
Shale 3"
8' Shale
Heavy coal stain
Shale 4"
Coal 3"
Coal 2"
Coal 3"
Shale 35
Shale 10"
Elev. 1,390
Shale 9"
Coal . 9
Sp. coal 36
Coal 9"
Clay
Elev 1 480
Elev. 1,360
Elev. 1,440
{35' Covered
5 Sandstone
4 Shale
1 Sandstone
20' Covered
20' Covered
Bitum. coal, 19"
Bit. coal and can. si. 9"
Bit. coal 14"
01 \ Covered
( Shale
7' Covered
2' Yellow shale
! Shale
Covered
2' yellow shale
Coal 1"
Coal 8"
Shale 12"
Block Bit. c. 17"
Shale 2"
Sp coal 15"
Coal 4"
Strata exposed below York's show a rise up stream con-
siderably in excess of the average, and it is believed that near
and above his house an anticlinal axis of an unusually large
roll, running southeast, crosses the creek and determined its
course, so nearly contrary to the direction of the general
drainage.
Pace Trace. — On the left, two miles up White Oak creek.
The coal at the top of figure 243, shown in detail in figure
246, found at the head of the Trace, may be slightly above its
normal position on account of this roll, and it appears in the
section higher above the Fire-clay coal than its normal interval
214
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
because of the actual rise of strata. This rise would suffice
to bring the upper coal into position to correlate with the Hind-
man bed, which it undoubtedly belongs to, as its bed-section
and relation to the hill-top both imply, but a part of the 625
feet difference in elevation of the openings in the two beds
is attributable to an increase in thickness of strata between
them.
F/ "g .2.4-6,
Coa.(
r^^^^d 3ho.fe //
The opening made into the upper
bed was not carried far enough to reach
solid coal, and my sample of the lower
53 in., which seemed to be of fairly good
coal, analyzed by Dr. E. Peter with re-
sults as given below, is, doubtless, con-
siderably too high in ash:
HINDMAN BED. .Chem. Report No. 2736
Moisture 9.40
Volatile combustible matter 32.20
Fixed carbon 48.80
Ash (nearly white) 9.60
Coctf
100.00
/ 8»s~
. Bo./cer
/-/r'r7ctrrja.r7 Co a/
Sulphur • 0.433
Coke (pulverulent) 58.40
Specific gravity 1.509
" A weathered sample of what seems
to be a good splint coal."
Tantrough Branch. — On the left, one mile above White
Oak creek.
Cannel coal, reported 46 in. thick, has been taken from
openings on this branch, one eighth mile up, five to ten feet
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
215
above it, and 50 feet above Greasy creek. It appears to have
come from the Fire-clay coal rider, though the sandstone
under it looks like that under the main bed.
Lewis Creek. — A half mile up, 35 feet above the mouth,
the Fire-clay coal was opened with the section of figure 247.
The upper seam is in part splint, inclined to slickenseit. My
sample yielded to Dr. B. Peter's analysis:
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chern. Report No. 2735
Moisture 1.72
Volatile combustible matter 35.02
Fixed carbon 57.60
Ash (light brownish gray) 5.66
100.00
Sulphur 0.599
Coke (spongy) 63.26
Specific gravity 1.251
Fi'q. 2.47
"A somewhat weathered sample of
what seems to be a good splint coal."
The rider to this bed, opened 25 feet
* higher, has 13 in. good cannel coal on
10 in. bituminous, under shale roof.
Fossil limestone reported in the creek
one eighth mile up the right fork is ap-
parently less than 100 feet above the
Fire-clay coal.
216
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Figure 248 represents in the 45 in. seam a part of the
Fire-clay coal at an opening on the left, 30 feet above Greasy
creek and three quarters mile above Lewis creek.
Neither roof nor floor was visible. The same bed is
opened on the right, 25 feet above Greasy and a mile above
Lewis creek, with the bed-section shown in the middle of the
figure. Again the floor was covered, but the 21 in. coal at the
bottom was evidently the full thickness of that seam — less
than half that in the preceding opening. On the right of the
figure is shown the whole of the Fire-clay coal as opened op-
posite the mouth of Abner's branch, 10 feet above it. The
main parting is here a true flint clay.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
217
f~' . 2. tTo
Abner's Branch. — On the right, two
miles above Lewis creek.
Fry.
73 7«
Mass S.S.
Coa.1
Coo. I 2.3'
8
Ha.(f A///e Br.
Coals found on
the right, one-half
mile up Abner's
branch, are shown
in figure 249. It
appears likely that
the lowest coal, shown again in figure
250, is of the Fire-clay coal bed, and that
an intrusion of sandstone has carried the
rider (with its cannel coal) to elevation
1370, far above its usual distance from
the main bed. Comparison with the
Gabe's branch coals, following, supports
this view.
Muddy outcrop sample of the three
thickest bituminous seams of coal in the
»• higher bed figure 251 and including also
r One seven in. cannel seam, analyzed by
V
Dr. E. Peter, yielded:
Chem. Report
FIRE-CLAY COAL RIDER (?) No. 2538.
Moisture 5.10
Volatile combustible matter 24.70
Fixed carbon 52.00
Ash (light buff) 18.20
&r. •/
100.00
Sulphur 0.725
Coke (pulverulent) 70.20
Specific gravity 1.505
218
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coa t
Coo./
3.9
f 'fort erg
C/e
Coa./
Con fie/ Coat.1 7*
\BI. -si.
J~
Coa/
Co o>.l
"No doubt this coal will be found to
give less ash deeper in the bed, where it
has not undergone the process of weath-
ering. But, even with its more than
twenty-three per cent, of ash and mois-
, • ture, it yet contains more than seventy-
six per cent, of combustible matters, and
hence it may be available for fuel, in
many cases, in the vicinity of the mine. ' '
Gabe's Branch. — On the right, four
miles above Lewis creek.
On the right, one eighth mile up this
'branch and 25 feet above its mouth, at
elevation 1325, is 20 in. coal under 15
feet or more of sandstone, which seems to
be one seam of the Fire-clay coal, though
j'possibly of its rider.
In the branch, one half mile up, at
elevation 1325, nearly up to the level of
the variegated bed on Abner's branch,
which also carries black slate, is the fol-
lowing section, which may be correlated
with that on Abner's branch.
Laminated sandstone 10 ft.
Shale 4 ft.
Coal (with shale partings) 30 in.
Black slate (with coal) 12 in.+
Coal _ ._ 7 in.
The bottom coal is a slickenseit, and so is the black slate,
an occurrence not known to the writer elsewhere in the region.
/J/o
fire C/ay
Co a./ /f / cfe r
/V
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE PORK.
219
Big Laurel Creek. — On the left, five miles above Lewis
creek. (Little Laurel is on the left one and one-half mile?
farther up).
On the right of the road and stream, two and one half miles
up, 60 feet above it and 1 20 feet above its mouth is 32 in. coal
with 3 in. hard shale parting, the upper seam in part a
fine, hard, splint coal. This is about on the level of the Shepard
coal on Oldhouse branch of Leatherwood and is either of the
same, or of a bed near it. Thick coal is reported found in the
creek, a mile or more above at about this level.
The section given in figure 252 is of
coals found one half mile above Big
Laurel, supposed to represent a part of
the Fire-clay coal rider. Its base is at
creek level.
On the left, six miles above Lewis
creek, one half mile from Pine Mountain.
50 feet above Greasy, an entry gives the
bedsection of figure 253. The same bed
measured in 1886, near the mouth
•Bl S
, Cot
' t*f
.. ICe
(c/
*' S
«*
I tCoa.1
\ 6/. St
Qaitorct JL .S.
For** of
Cr.
Isaac branch and 25 feet above it, gave
55 in. coal with 8 in. in two partings,
elevation 1650. An opening into the
same bed, on the right, just above the
mouth of Isaac branch, now fallen in, is
reported to have thick coal. The bed
appears to be in the neighborhood of the
Hazard coal, and is most likely that one,
though the coal is softer than is usual
in it. It is a good, clean, bright, cok-
ing (?) coal, the lowest seam of the
earliest opening a slickenseit. The en-
try now supplies the town of Incline, on
the head of Laurel fork, and the locomo-
tive running to it over tramroad for
timber.
220
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Coot/
/<*•
Isaac Branch. — On the left at base of Pine Mountain, six
and one half miles above Lewis creek.
r/y.2ft. On the left, a
half mile up the
branch, 170 feet I7cf
above it, elevation
1790, William
Creech has 20 in.
coal with three ,6if
shale partings ag-
gregating 6 in.,
and above this is
the coal of figure
254, which appears
to be of the Hind-
man bed. It is be-
lieve'd that the /«
partings of the lat-
ter will diminish materially when the
opening is carried to solid cover.
Hill no h'<$
t/r*'
""••]!?
*" '*>'
:--rir ."•>."•.'•
AIa«i/ Co*/
S.S V. C/ay
I C/a.y
/4"
•'j~Stv
J. S.
.^-"•v^^.
A*
Harmon Branch. — The three lower
coals of the section, figure 255 were
found on the right of the mouth of
Saltwell branch, the others on the left
of Harmon branch, one-half mile or more
above its mouth.
The section shows the Whitesburg'
bed with its black slate roof, detailed in
Coa.1
Coa.1
Coa.1
Coa.1
S3,
MouLth -Sa.lfuue'1 6p
n a,t
Harmon &r~
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
221
>7So
/6to
if So
1379
a tf
fl/ vJ/Ol-
Coat
Coo./
S*c./f
CooY
5Ao/a
Coo/
Coa/
Huqhes
9 2 r 7 figure 256, at eleva-
tion 1055, as a good
workable coal,
which, being at the
base of the hill, is
well worth thor-
ough investigation.
It has a like sec-
tion above Beech
fork.
The two coal
stains next above
in the section are
evidently of the
Fire-clay coal and
its rider, while the
Haddix and Haz-
ard beds appear to *w,/»<«.*4<xr9 coa/
be represented above them.
It is probable that the Hindman coal
is above the upper coal of the section,
but the three beds shown near the top
of the section are of interest, because
little is known of what coals lie near
that bed in this region. One of them
was opened again on Feckley branch,
Cutshin creek, and one or two higher
beds on Reuben branch, toward the head
of Middle fork, but their correlation can-
not yet be determined.
BEECH FORK.
Oldhouse Branch. — On the right, five
it otaLho^teBr. miles up the fork.
Top of hill LaS»
N<n.nT$ COA/ \S
(Coat /3"
(Coa/ to~
(SS. to'
\Sh. *'
"S Coa.* 7"
Coa/ 1 2"
SS5Sr5
Sh.
(Sh. /f*
Jfosj,'/ L. S 9"
/( Co'^r'*' ',*»
SA.
",^
S.4.
Thin Ceetf
V-TV'.V ' -'•
==Srd??3
COA./ V-~
Co a.1 /»*
^^^™"
."•?--.' •'.'•
*. 1 Com.( ft *
222
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Fi
Considerable detail work, following
my original exploration, was made on
this branch for the Survey in 1891, by
H. M. McConathy, but without finding
any new coals of importance. The orig-
inal section, given in figure 257, probably
includes all coals up to the Nantz coal
near the top of the section.
The Fire-clay coal is nearly down to
j stream level, and the 38 in. cannel is,
in whole or in part, of the rider above it.
* I>oth beds are shown on enlarged scale
in figure 258.
My sample of the 38 in. outcrop of the
oannel rider was analyzed by Dr. R.
Peter with the following results:
Chem. Report
FIRE-CLAY COAL RIDER. No. 2739.
Moisture 1.10
Volatile combustible matter 44.20
Fixed carbon 43.70
« Ash (light gray-brown) 11.00
Coat
f/Sf
100.00
Sulphur ___. 0.690
Coke (dense) 54.70
Coo.(
At 185 feet above the Fire-clay coal
Mr. McConathy discovered a dark fossil
limestone 6 in. to 12 in. thick, apparently not continuous
there, yet marking the horizon of what seems to be a wide-
spread bed, or the approximate location of two or more beds,
often, if not always, fossiliferous.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
223
The Silas Nantz coal, figure 259, was opened one and
three quarters miles up the branch, 590 feet above its mouth
(one quarter mile and 140 feet above the Nantz house).
At 565 feet above the Fire-clay coal,
it is assuredly of the Hindman bed, for,
though there is room for a slight cor-
'*" rection for dip, the openings of the two
beds are not far off the line of strike, and
there is no other known bed in this region
of such thickness near this level.
Analysis by Dr. E. Peter of my sample
of the 46 in. splint coal follows. The
ash content is surprisingly large, as the
coal is fine-looking. Probably an under-
Tround sample would give much better
^sults.
IINDMAN BED. Chem. Report No. 2743
loisture 1.30
Volatile combustible matter 32.36
Fixed carbon 50.34
Ash (lilac gray) 16.00
<S/7a.s
100.00
Sulphur 1.409
Coke (dense spongy) 66.34
Specific gravity 1.502
"Seems to be somwhat weathered. Ferruginous incrusta-
tion on some pieces. Some fibrous coal apparent, but no
pyrites. ' '
On a left branch above the Silas Nantz house Mr. McCon-
athy found the bed with but one bench of coal 44 in. thick,
with a knife edge parting a foot from the top.
224 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
More recent openings of the Fire-clay coal and rider, on
the left, * * just above the mouth of Oldhouse branch, near the
level of the wagon road" are reliably reported:
Cannel coal i 40 in.
Shale 8 ft.
Coal and four partings 46 in.
Trace Branch. — On the right, one and one half miles up
Beech fork.
On the right, one quarter mile up (?), the cannel coal is
15 in. thick, with 12 in. bituminous coal directly under it;
elevation 1210.
At six and one half miles up Beech fork the rider is re-
duced to the section following, and is but 15 feet above the
fork:
Elevation.
Sandstone 25 ft.
Black slate 5 in.
Cannel coal 6 in.
Bituminous coal 14 in. 1205
Figuring on a rise of strata of 20 feet per mile up stream
from Oldhouse branch would bring the Fire-clay coal about
100 feet below drainage at Eeuben branch, 11 miles up from
the mouth of Beech fork, and this is probably pretty nearly
correct. For this vicinity it will be assumed quite so.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
225
fi
'9-
s.s.
Coa.t <, 3
2./'
Coo./
Coo./
s.s.
Roc Ar
(Co a.1 2.°
;.;:i*£< **
(Qoo.t 2.y
_ - - i JT/J. tt."
\ Coa.f
•*•*
. . Mouith fi ecx6e n Br.
s. s.
Coat '8"
. Bee c h for /f
n Br.
S.S. g
Coo.1
Coaf
He i r s of Jo. s .
Ho.-z.ard Coo.1
The Fire-clay r'9-
coal being assumed
at elevation 1300,
the coal of figure
260, on the left one
quarter mile below
Eeuben branch,
finds place as of
the Hazard bed.
Its section was
measured here at
the face of an
eight-yard room,
five yards under-
ground. At the main face, seven yards
in, the parting is 18 in. thick; one quarter
mile down the river at G. W. Hoskins' it
is nine in. thick, with coal as shown in
figure 261, elevation 1630.
Reuben Branch. — On the right, 11
miles up Beech fork.
The coals found on this branch are
shown in the section, figure 261, to-
gether with coals at elevations 1370,
1630 and 1780, found a half mile below
the branch, and the coal of Chumley
rock, one half mile above the branch.
The coal at 1630 being recognized as
the Hazard coal, that at 2080 is most
probably of the Hindman bed, with inter-
226
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
J.J.
Coat 2.1
o.lf -S/fft'nf-
C/«y
C/a.y
£". To//tver
HincLman Coo./
val of 450 feet between them, an increase
from about 300 feet near Hyden.
Without much additional investiga-
tion it is impossible to determine where
in the strata this thickening takes place,
but it is believed to be almost wholly be-
low the coal at 1985, which then is the
Flag coal. This coal was opened on the
left, three quarters mile up the right
fork, one and one quarter miles from
Beech fork.
On the right, one mile up the right
fork, at Elijah Tolliver's, is the (former)
Dale Bledsoe coal, at elevation 2080,
shown in detail in figure 262. Ample
covering to provide good working area
lies over it. My muddy outcrop sample
of this coal, analyzed by Dr. E. Peter
with results below, contained much ex-
traneous matter to increase the percentage of ash .
HINDMAN BED. Chem. Report No. 2667.
Moisture 1.60
Volatile combustible matter 33.30
Fixed carbon 49.70
Ash , (lilac gray) 15.40
100.00
Sulphur 1.491
Coke (spongy) 65.10
"A somewhat weathered sample. Has no, apparent
pyrites. ' *
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 227
A mile up the left fork, at G. W. Cooper's, are two
openings which would correspond with those on the right
fork except that the former are 230 feet higher, by barometer,
than the latter.
Possibly the lower Cooper is the same as the Tolliver coal
of the right fork, but more likely they are both of higher beds.
An entry into the lower one gives 3 feet of coal with
2 feet more reported under a thick parting; elevation 2220.
An unfinished cut in the upper one gave about 2£ feet of
coal on li feet of shale, with 2 feet of coal below; elevation
2310.
The top of the ridge is about 150 feet higher.
At the mouth of Chumley branch, 11^ miles up Beech fork,
is "Chumley rock" a cliff rising from the water nearly 100
feet. At 35 feet up on this cliff, elevation 1485, say 170 feet
above the Fire-clay coal, is 2 feet of limestone, apparently,
which, opposite the mouth of Oldhouse branch, 12^ miles up,
shows at the edge of the stream bed one and one half feet
fossil lime shale; elevation 1520.
On the Oldhouse branch, five miles up Beech fork, fossil
limestone is found 185 feet above the Fire-clay coal, as before
noted.
At 12^ miles up, at "Kate Spring," and 12f miles up are
entries giving the bed-sections shown in figure 263, (see next
page) (the lower 8 in. of each measured in water). With
the Fire-clay coal at a calculated elevation of 1380 these open-
ings, about 750 feet above it, appear to be of the Hindman bed.
This view is supported by the gradual increase of interval
228 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
-_=r .•.\Lam.S.3. 2o'
Coat
Fi 9 . <L (o 3
Coo.(
J h a. ( e
Coat
COCL(
lllj.0
Fig.
Z."
Coat
l/3o
Coo./
\$a m u.f/ C/1 e e c h
between the two beds evidenced at points
above Hyden noted herein.
There is a large area of this coal in
. Kentucky ridge, and the high ridges on
each side of Beech fork should contain
much of it.
9
In a cliff on the right, one and one
half miles above the mouth of Beech
fork, 40 feet above Middle Fork, the
Whitesburg bed has been opened as in
figure 264. The main seam of coal is
probably not given its full thickness, as
the lower foot was measured in water
and mud, and the floor was not reached.
Both coal seams have black slate roof.
The resemblance to the coal of figure
256 is close, and argues for a good work-
ing area of this coal.
/7*
Htf
ihin Iron Ore
Coal
Coa.1.
S.S.
S"
(S
s
c0« i
~r.
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
WHITE OAK BRANCH.
On the right,five Qn
miles above Beech
fork.
As on Oldhouse
branch of Beech
fork, Mr. McCon-
athy has made
careful investiga-
tion for the sur-
vey of the coals on
this branch. His
section " B "
figure 265 is plac-
ed in juxtaposit-
ion with my earlier
one "A". Both
show the Whites-
burg coal with
cannel at the bot-
tom, both the Fire-
clay coal, not work-
able, a,nd, with the
hill too low for the
Hindman bed, no-
thing workable
above the
clay coal.
On the left, by
the road, six and
one-half miles a-
above Beech fork,,
feet above the
creek, is the fol-
lowing: -r, P&nnt
229
3o '
2. O
7-
jn
-.r^;
*
•s.s.
56
h
-^
S. J.
1-
•^_2_
Co a( f 3h
£ '
e
—rTpE
17
=-^3^—
(Coo./ 7
If-
I-
•
'•';i'
Co a./
>7'
.-
n
; v •' • . *
Coa.1
*
/ O
Coat
s
f
• , -//.
/
• ^ - ^
>_
--^-_ -_
(Coal
\Coo.l *
"I"
-
Coctf
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r
h
h
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m
fast// L. •S.
Coal
/ 9 **
e
SS
(Coal
2."
e
. • • * ••
•S/t. Z"
— =_=— L-
Coal
8"
— — —
•Sh. '/*
t
r- •-*'•'.
Coo./
9"
-
= =3^
(Co a/
Stt.fC. J"
•3"
r-^-^=
Coo. 1
J"
/J/O-
•'.'•'V..;'
Coo./
So"
Coat
1 mL '
1
^ - '^_
.Coo./ '.
•* t~
/ 2.8f~-
— ^^^:
I^C/JK/ ;
loaf
r» '
ti"
JtZ-SJ-
""..'••/ ••;
/Coo./
#'
|
\^--;~
\Coo./
ICon.S/. i
i*
(Bony C.C.
IV-'
—
Coo./
//'
230
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,
Elevation.
Sandstone.
Shale 2 ft.
Coal — 4 in.
Parting 1 in.
Coal 12 in.
Parting 5 in.
Coal —11 in.
1300
F!tj, 266
Coo./
===^=1 -Sha./*
Coot/
. C/ay
This is evidently of the Fire-clay coal
bed, but the lower parting, not a true
flint-clay, is a "jack rock," similar to
that found occasionally in the bed on
North Fork waters, and near the head of
Red Bird creek.
At seven miles up, near the mouth of
MarrowTbone branch, the Fire-clay coal
has the section of figure 266.
On the point of a hill in a barren field
on the left eight and one half miles above
Beech fork, 25 feet above the stream,
the Fire-clay coal outcrop is exposed in
shale with the characteristic flint clay,
very prominent, about 3 in. thick. Ele-
vation 1380.
ROARK BRANCH.
c/«»y
On the left, nine miles above Beech
fork.
At E. J. Lewis' store at the mouth of this branch, the upper
seam of the Fire-clay coal at elevation 1420, has been dug from
the branch, ten feet above the river, 26 in. thick, and coal below
a hard parting was reported, but was deep in water when
visited. A thin coal with two partings lies 20 feet higher,
with shale between.
On the left, nine and one half miles up, five feet above the
river, is 35 in. coal under 20 feet shale with 5 feet laminated
sandstone above the latter. This seems to be the last ap:
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK. 231
pearance of the top of the Fire-clay coal on this fork — at
elevation 1380.
On the left, nine and three quarter miles up, 25 feet above
the river, at elevation 1425, the rider shows 35 in. fine, hard
coal, partly slickenseit, with five feet of shale over it. It
probably goes below drainage at the mouth of Spruce Pine.
SPRUCE PINE BRANCH.
On the left, ten miles above Beech fork.
On the right of the first right branch
of Spruce Pine, an opening 695 feet
above its mouth is stated, in a report to
the Tennis Coal Co. by Neil Eobinson,
to have the section shown in figure 267.
The Fire-clay coal being probably
about 30 feet under the mouth of Spruce
Pine makes this, the Hindman bed, about
725 feet above it.
On. the left, 11 miles above Beech fork
near the head of the
branch at E. L.
Helton's, his coal
-Spruce P/'n e &r . , • f
has the section ot
riinaLmart Coa/
figure 268. It is again the Hindman coal,
showing finely as exposed in a wide out-
crop opening. The coal looks favorable
for coking, though in part splint. A
streak of pyrites six in. from the bottom
on one side of the opening, gives the only
visible sign of sulphur.
Though this coal is cut out, or nearly
so, by gaps at the heads of Peter branch
and Salt Trace, Straight creek, the main
Kentucky ridge, being several hundred
feet higher, gives scope for large mining
operations in this bed. ///v,eCmo« co«/
IbS
COOL£
Coal
COCL!
2.1 fo
,9'
232
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
£Zo*
a."
it."
The section of figure 269, with bt*se
at the junction of the road to Philips
fork of Red Bird with that down Middle
fork, shows the coals found on Rainbow
(or Meadow) branch, along the road to-
ward Philips fork.
The upper coal, at William Helton's,
shown also in figure 270, may be of the
Hazard bed, the Hindman bed being here
probably near the top of the hill. The
same bed is opened again, in better con-
dition, at the head ft 9. Z7o
of the main stream, ^^^
as shown above.
On the right of
the splash-dam at
the forks of the
main stream, one
and three quarter
miles from the
splash- dam at the
above road forks,
a.f w™. Helton's coal 26 in. thick, at
elevation 1845, is exposed in a rockhouse, evidently the same
as the 26 in. coal of figure 269.
Nearly one half mile up the left fork from this coal, on
the right, 100 yards beyond the upper house on the Middle
.
Coo.1
s.s.
Coo.1
Coo./
Coo./
s. s.
Coo.1
Belche
18'
20 2.0
Helton
KENTUCKY RIVER, MIDDLE FORK.
233
S.S. t'
SH . J~
_ c../
r^^Zj •$>»<»/*
Coal
Ft $• in Fork, is the coal of figure 271. This, in
connection with the opening of figure 270
indicates a good workable coal of possi-
2." ble large area lying 150 to 200 feet below
the Hindman coal, likely to prove of
much value in this vicinity, especially in
Kentucky ridge. A still higher bed may
20 prove workable. Notes of some coals
on the south side of the ridge therefore
follow, which should aid development.
CUMBERLAND RIVER.
Straight Creek.
Peter Branch. — On the left, one mile
above Salt Trace (on which is the road
from Middle Fork).
At Millard Whitehead's, two miles
up, one quarter mile up a right branch, Hindman(!) coal, 43
in. without parting; elevation 2150.
Coo./
Salt Trace. — On the right, by the road, what is probably
the Fire-clay coal or its rider, coal reported 28 in. under ten
feet of shale containing siderite; elevation 1485.
On the left at Salt Trace P. 0. three quarter mile up.
Elevation.
Shale arid sandstone 15 ft.
Black slate or slaty coal 8 in.+
Shale 8 in.+
Coal —32 in.+ 1795
234 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Laurel Branch. — On the north, one and one half miles
below Salt Trace.
Opening near head of branch, one and one quarter miles
west of Salt Trace P. 0.
Elevation.
Shale, clay and earth 10 ft.
Coal 1 ft.
Clay with coal 2i ft.
Coal, reported 4 ft. 2265
Of the 4 feet of coal reported only 8 in. of the top was
visible, but the excavation indicated a bed of that thick-
ness. Some extra fine, splint coal lay on the dump. The bed
fs about 100 feet above the Hindman ( I ) coal, and seems likely
to be of the upper Cooper coal of Reuben branch, page 228.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
KENTUCKY RIVER.— SOUTH FORK.
No investigation by the writer has been made of the coals
on this fork in Lee and Owsley counties, hence this area must
be passed over with but the statement that the Beattyville
coal, going under drainage probably close above the mouth of
the South Fork, lies but little below the stream level up to the
Clay county line, or even to Manchester.
Its favorable condition in the vicinity of Beattyville and on
Sturgeon creek should induce boring for it on South Fork
waters.
SEXTON CREEK.
Not having examined recently the coals on this creek the
following are introduced as matter of record only, taken from
my report of 1886.
On Hogskin branch of a left fork of Sexton a coal 21 in.
thick is referred to Coal No. 2 and at Mrs. Eeid's at the head
of Sexton, coal 31 in. thick, with black slate roof, is probably
of the same bed, 100 to 125 feet above Coal 1, which here will
be called the Manchester bed.
At the old Salt works, Ammie postoffice, one quarter mile
below Bullskin, the Manchester bed is about 3 feet thick,
without parting, as mined on both sides of the river and but
little above its level.
37'
Daui cL<son
Ma. *•? c h e s fe r Go a. I
Big Branch. — On the right, six miles
up Bullskin creek.
Mr. S. Davidson has a six-yard
entry on a left branch, a mile up and 265
feet above the mouth of the branch, into
the Fire-clay coal, which gives the fol-
lowing section:
236 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
BULLSKIN CREEK.
At the mouth of Little Bullskin, close to its level, the Man-
chester bed is 24 in. thick without parting; elevation 740.
r,'g .2.72. At Mr. Davidson's, three and one half
miles up, it has 39 in. coal as in figure
272, the strata having risen so that the
bed is here 30 feet
above the creek.
At Samuel Dav-
idson '>s, four and
one half miles up,-*
the section of fig-"0'5'
ure 273 was taken,
in which the Man-
chester coal is at
or below drainage level, and the Fire-
clay coal, at elevation 1205, makes
its first known appearance on this fork,
thin here, but showing well at a number
of places on Bed Bird tributaries. The
rider to the Fire-clay coal is also ap-
parent.
Co 0.1
St..
COCL/
Coat
i nil/ 5 • 5 •
Sh.
Co*./
C/ay
at. sr.
Coo.1
Coo.1 '2.
Co a.1
Sh.
Coo./
Sf>.
Coo./
•i.s * fs> cvff
COL/C . Co n e .
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
237
Sandstone 5 ft.
Shale 6 in.
Coal 27 in.
Flint fire-clay 5 in.
Coal _ ._ 6 in.
Elevation.
1075
Showing, if elevations are correct, a
considerable dip from four and one half
0/- miles up the creek almost due east.
At seven and one half miles up, 15
feet above the creek, is 25 in. coal under
eight feet of shale, elevation 860, which
is probably the equivalent of the 27 in.
coal at elevation 930 in the section of
figure 273.
Trace Branch. — On the right, eight
and one quarter miles up Bull skin.
' ' f 6 C/dy too./
On the Tight, one-half mile up the branch, 205 feet above
its mouth, James Warnock's four-yard entry gives the bed-
section of figure 274, nearly level with the Fire-clay coal on
Big branch.
By the road, some 12 miles up Bullskin and a mile from
the head of Hell-for-Certain creek, the top seam of the Fire-
clay coal is opened 26 in. thick under sandstone roof. The
flint clay shows on the floor and coal is probably under it:
elevation, with some question, is 1075.
238
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
990 --
) st>.
/Coo./
\. CVoy
, COAf
3."
Coo./
Coo./
Co a.1
RED BIRD CREEK.
Hector Creek. — The section taken at
Addison Lewis', five miles up the creek,
shown in figure 275, gives the two beds
under the Fire-clay coal varying in
thickness and relative position remark
ably little from what was found on Bull-
skin, figure 273.
The Fire-clay coal at 1370 is 165 feet
higher than on Bullskin, and has either
lost its lower member, or it was not
found, while the usual parting is here an
impure fire-clay. The rider, too, resem-
bles closely that of figure 273.
Jack's Creek.— On the left, one mile
above Hector (there is another Jack's
creek above Bo wen creek).
Bowling Branch. — On the left, two miles up Jack's creek.
On the left, one eighth mile up the branch, 160 feet above
Eed Bird, Bowling's six-yard entry gives the Fire-clay
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
239
coal as shown in figure 276. Directly
across the ridge to the north on Big
branch of Bullskin, the same bed gives
33 in. coal, as noted.
The bed is reported opened again
farther up the creek.
Big Creek.— In 1891, Mr. G. M. Sulli-
. van made for the State Survey a detailed
0 . . ., . . examination of parts of this and other
DcLUtoL Oousltrtg
F.'re c/«v coo./ ^ec^ Bird tributaries above it, and,
in addition to my own notes, his report is largely incor-
porated, and his page maps inserted. The location of his
openings can be seen on the maps, and their elevations can be
estimated generally by reference to the base of his sections,
to which I have given elevations as obtained from the United
States map. His page maps, though based on that map,
earlier and less accurate than his, have their details sketched
in with a fair approach to accuracy.
On the following page is his map of Big creek and branches
and his section taken on School-house branch of Ulysses fork.
rig . 2 T 7
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
241
fire C/at
Bear Branch. — A mile up this, branch,
openings by Mr. Clarkson, probably un-
2 ,-> finished, developed, according to Mr.
Sullivan :
Coal 6 in.
Clay 5 in.
Coal 20 in.
And coal 33 in. , the latter 5 feet below the former.
In apparently the same place (on
the right of a left branch), my recent
visit found a six-yard entry with coal
as in figure 278. The floor of the entry
is a common hard underclay with thick
sandstone below it. The entry is in the
Bear Br.
F/re C/a.y Co a./
Fire-clay coal bed.
Between the upper forks of the branch, one and one quarter
miles from its mouth, at water level of the left fork, the bed
shows:
Coal , 16 in.
Shale 5 in.
Coal 24 in.
the lower 6 in. in water and bottom
nearly but not quite found.
Mr. Eoberts has opened, on the north
of Big creek and just below Ulysses fork,
the same bed with the result shown in
figure 279. An upper bench of coal (the
rider (?) was hidden by timbering. No
flint clay in this or the two next preced-
ing openings was found, but there is no
Fiq . 27?
C/at
COOL/
C/oy
Co a.1
Fire Cloy Coat
/tf."
question as to identity of the bed.
242 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Ulysses Fork — School-House Branch. — Mr. Sullivan's
vertical, section, with his page-map, gives probably all the
coals in o'utcrop on this section, with none but the Fire-clay
rf*9~:<e.6«' coal of workable thickness. Of four
openings made, but one, nearest the
I mouth of the fork, is in thick coal,
and it probably includes the rider, as
Co a/ 27" shown in figure 280.
Mr. Sullivan's sample from the badly
weathered outcrop of the 38 in. seam
..
: c/«y st> gave, to Dr. R. Peter's analysis:
FIRE-CLAY COAL. Chem. Report No. 3129.
Moisture 5-80
Volatile combustible matter 27 84
Co A/ Jg" Fixed carbon - 55.16
Ash (light gray) 11.20
100.00
Sulphur -526
Coke (pulverulent) 66.36
f/re C/OLt/ Coat
The next two openings up the fork
are as follows, the latter dipping at a
sharp angle, N. 20 degrees W.
i.
Coal 3 in.
Clay 1 in.
Coal 24 in.
Flint-Clay 4 in.
2.
Coal 24 in.
Flint-Clay 4 in.
The fourth opening is also in thin
coal.
Near the head of the branch, on the
road to Jack's and Bullskin creeks, J. M.
Finley has a 50-yard entry of more recent
date, showing at its mouth as in figure
281. The floor is a bituminous shale,
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
243
and the lower 8 in. exposed is a bony coal not now mined.
At the face about 4 feet of coal is taken. It is evidently
of the Fire-clay coal bed.
McFadden Branch.
—On the right of
the road to Bock-
house creek and
Hyden, one mile
above Hall's (or
Hal's) fork.
CO 0.1
*fa.//r/y J 3.
Br.
Of the two prin-
cipal coals shown
in the section fig-
ure 282 the lower
is of the Fire-clay
coal bed, and the
upper, unless the
interval has chan-
ged largely from
that on the Middle
Fork below Hyden,
is of the Hazard
bed. These are
represented on en-
larged scale in fig-
ure 283.
My sample of the
upper coal gave
the following an- ¥j$j$\F-
alysis, by Dr. E.
Peter:
2o
Coo./ /Z~
; HcL-*.a.rct Coal
C/ay Coo./
244
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
HAZARD BED. Chein. Report No. 2740.
Moisture 1.60
Volatile combustible matter 34.94
Fixed carbon 55.46
Ash (lilac gray) 8.00
100.00
Sulphur 1.066
Coke (spongy ) 63.46
Specific gravity 1.322
"No pyrites apparent, and but little fibrous coal."
On the right, opposite the mouth of Patton branch, 60
feet above it, elevation 1075, the Fire-clay coal shows good
thickness in an opening too much covered for measurement.
A streak of pyrites, 2 in. thick, 18 in. from the top, appears
to have replaced the 5 in. shale parting in the McFadden
branch opening.
Pation Branch. — On the left, two
miles above Hall's fork.
A half mile up, at stream level, is an
opening into the Fire-clay coal bed show-
ing as in figure 284.
Coo./
Coo./
3 h a. I e
' i h o
Pa. ~ffo n
Fire C/«ay Co 0.1
On the left of Big creek, five feet
above it, two and one quarter miles above
Hall's fork the former Pleasant Sisemore
opening, now Richard Collins bank,
shows the Fire-clay coal, also as in figure
284, except that the flint-clay parting is 2
in. thicker. The main seam is in part
splint coal.
My sample of this coal, formerly
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
245
Coo./
(Co
Coo./
Coa.1
S'
•a.( S"
Coo./ f iff.
Sh.S.S
Bt. S*.
Coo./ /J.
COOL.I
tjt6/c Cr.
out
m. Ho &krrr
given as on Hal's fork, and Prof. Cran-
d all's sample of the same, reported from
Howell's fork, analyzed by Dr. B. Peter,
gave results, respectively, as reported
under Nos. 2741 and 3187.
Chem.
FIRE-CLAY COAL BED. No. 2741
Moisture 1.40
Volatile combustible matter 35.68
Fixed carbon 58.92
Ash (light reddish gray),
(brownish gray) 4.00
Report
No. 3187
2.98
33.98
59.98
3.06
100.00
Sulphur 0.667
Coke (spongy) 62.92
Specific gravity 1.285
100.00
.404
63.04
No. 2741. "No apparent pyrites,
and but little fibrous coal."
The ash is remarkably low, and es-
pecially for this bed.
The rider shows in the cliff above this
opening, 22 in. thick, with 10 feet of sand-
stone and shale between and with a roof
of sandstone, eight feet exposed.
Big Double Creek.— Figure 285
represents a section taken on this
creek, two miles up from its mouth.
The Fire-clay coal and its rider are
of chief interest here though of
no value. Coals below it cannot now
be correlated, nor can coals above
it, though they are suggestive of
the Haddix, Hazard and Flag coals,
246
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
as found on the North Fork, and the cannel of the upper bed,
common in the Flag coal, strengthens the suggestion.
Sugar Creek, Spruce Pine or Piney Branch. — On the left,
one mile up Sugar creek.
Mr. Sullivan gives the measure of an opening into the
Fire-clay coal on the right, one eighth mile up, (now fallen
in) as:
Coal 3 in.
Shale 3 in.
Coal 26 in.
Flint Clay 5 in.
Its elevation I make 1125.
s.s.
CO A/
Coo.t
Coo./
s-r
Ha tar d. Co a/
Laurel Branch. — On the left two
miles up Sugar creek.
At the extreme head of this branch,
across from the head of Spruce Pine
branch, on the McCullom tract, an excel-
lent entry has been driven into the Haz-
ard bed, from which figure 286 is de-
rived. Being only 60 feet under the hill-
top no mining can be done here, but
with the coal dipping eastward into
the higher main ridge, a good field of
it may be found in that direction. The
upper McFadden coal of Big creek (fig-
ure 283) gives additional reason for ex-
pecting it, but it has not been found of
workable thickness elsewhere on Bed
Bird waters.
Prof. A. E. CrandalPs sample from
the lower 55 in. of coal yielded, to Dr.
R. Peter's analvsis:
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK. 247
HAZARD BED. Chem. Report No. 3188.
Moisture 1.80
Volatile combustible matter 34.00
Fixed carbon 57.06
Ash (light gray) - 7.14
100.00
Sulphur 0.742
Coke (spongy) 64.20
It looks like a good coking coal, as seen at the face of the
entry.
Gilbert's Creek. — The following page-map by Mr. Sulli-
van, figure 287, gives the location of openings on this creek,
and the vertical section on the left shows the paucity of its
coals.
The complete section was taken about two miles up the
creek, and but little over four miles southward from that of
School-house branch, Ulysses fork. It includes fourteen
coals, none of them two feet thick.
The Fire-clay coal, opened in five places, each having the
flint-clay as parting or floor, gave a maximum thickness of
coal of 22 in. The Hazard coal was found thin, but there is
yet possibility of its being thick (as on Sugar creek) near
the head of the creek, where its area must be fairly large.
Fig .2.87
I INCH * / AT/ LE
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
249
Elisha's Creek. — The page-map and vertical section of
figure 287 give thirteen coals on this creek as found by Mr.
Sullivan. The principal coal is of the Whitesburg bed, known
in the vicinity as the Gilbert cannel coal.
This bed more recently opened on the right, a mile up the
creek, 130 feet above it, gave, in a six-yard entry, the coal of
figure 288. The bituminous coal is bright and fine-looking,
r'9 ' i86 the cannel of light weight and excellent
fracture and there is no plane of cleav-
age between them.
-^-"=j -Shale
Coal
nnel Coal '7
Gilbert-
Vtfhi fesAurq Coal
The bed-sections
Mr. Sullivan reports four openings
into this bed, one a 50 foot entry one half
mile up the main creek, two on the
middle fork and one on the left fork, the
first of them alone having cannel coal,
of three of them measured:
MAIN CREEK.
Shale
Coal 1 in.
Slate 1 in.
Coal 17i in.
Cannel coal _. — 12 in.
MIDDLE FORK. LEFT FORK.
Shale , Coal - 4 in.
Coal 27 in. Shale 2 in.
Clay 1 in. Coal 2 in.
Coal -i in. Clay 11 in.
Coal 4 in.
Clay 25 in.
Coal . __11 in.
250
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Mr. Sullivan's sample of the firm oannel coal, analyzed by
Dr. B. Peter, gave :
WHITESBURG BED. Chem. Report No. 3128.
Moisture 0.60
Volatile combustible matter 49.20
Fixed carbon 43.00
Ash (light brownish gray) 7.20
100.00
Sulphur .483
Coke (very dense) 50.20
The Fire-clay coal 60 feet above the next preceding, is
noted at six different points, each with flint clay and coal
over it varying from one in. to eight in.
The 24 in. coal under black slate, 200 feet above the Fire-
clay coal 10 in. thick on Gilbert creek (of the Hazard bed (?)
appears to be the next in importance.
Flat Creek. — In the bed of Bed Bird,
near the mouth of this creek, what is
probably the Manchester bed goes below
drainage with about 2 feet of coal.
Right Fork, Panther Branch.— On
the left, near the head of the fork, Flat
Short creek.
Figure 289 represents the coal at an opening north of Mr.
Short's house, below the road to Martin's creek. He reports
2 feet more of coal in the bottom of the bed, under a parting
of li feet, and also 3 feet of coal 40 feet lower.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
251
100
gap
f-SAo/e
Cca/
Coa/
Figure 290 represents coal opened
yards north of the Martin's creek
and 25 feet above it. Mr. Short's
reports would indi-
cate that this coal,
said to be shown
complete, lies be-
low that which he
has opened, and
its elevation and
the general pitch
of strata tend to
confirm this view,
but the Section? Martin s Cr.
of the two openings are so like that
there is good reason to believe that they
are of the same bed. With the 2 feet
of reported coal added underneath the
bed-section resembles that of Mr. Walk-
er's cannel coal on Martin's creek,
page 281-
These coals are too high in the hills
to be of ;any very great value here, but
southward their areas increase rapidly.
Until additional data are obtained their
correlation must remain in doubt, but
they are not far from the Fire-clay coal
bed. The opening at the gap appears
most likely to be of that bed.
Cr.
Cr.
Bowen's Creek. — In addition to my
early section of the lower coals on this
creek, given in figure 291, a number of
openings since made for the N. Y. &
252 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Ky. Land & Lumber Co., were all reported thin. A very thick
bed is currently reported, however, as opened in 1906.
Spring Creek. — This stream also has been prospected by
the N. Y. & Ky. Land & Lumber Co. without finding any
thick coal.
Katy's Creek. — On the following page is given in figure
292, Mr. Sullivan's map of this region, and, on the right of
that map, his vertical section of strata found on the creek.
F!g. 2*2.
/ INCH = / MILE.
9oo
•Sect -/on
on
Aa/y* Cr.
254
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Of the ten coals he found, the Fire-clay coal at elevation
1155 is of most interest, showing itself here in a new phase,
with cannel slate in place of the coal on the flint-clay, and the
lower coal separated from it by common clay.
My early section is given on the left of the map, all coals
in it but the upper one having been found in a right branch
about two miles up; the upper one three miles up.
Opposite the right branch, three miles up the creek and
next above the Alvis Hubbard house, 80 feet higher than the
latter, the coal of figure 293 was found. Allowing for a rapid
rise, for such there is, from the location of Mr. Sullivan's
section, this coal must be near the horizon of the Fire-clay
coal bed. It is, perhaps, the upper seam, apart from its usual
parting, or else the rider to that bed. My outcrop sample of
this coal, too high in ash to represent the coal fairly, analysed
by Dr. E. Peter, gave :
Chem. Report No. 2654.
Moisture l.GO
Volatile combustible matter 34.28
Fixed carbon 54.82
Ash (purplish brown) 9.30
-38
100.00
Sulphur 1.766
Coke (dense spongy) 64.12
Specific gravity 1.290
"A somewhat weathered sample."
Mr. Sullivan, in search of this open-
Hu66a.rd ing^ found, probably in the same bed, on
the opposite side of the creek as shown on this map, but 24 in.
coal, without parting. Local knowledge of the original open-
ing had been lost.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
255
Bear Creek.— On the left of tho
creek, behind the Sisemore house two
miles up, the coal of figure 294 is opened.
The floor is not flint clay, but, as with
the 40 in. coal on Katy's creek, this
seems most likely to be the upper seam
of the Fire-clay coal, or its rider. The
coal dips quite rapidly southeast and an
anticline is probably between this and
Katy's creek.
Jack's Creek. — The general results of Mr. Sullivan's
work on this creek are given in the section on the right of
the page-map, figure 295.
Co a./ t
Coa./ uj',rt> PcLrli'mff
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
257
Coo/
f CVee/f
fire C/ay Coa.1 ft, tie
the sections stated below:
"A complete section was made near
the mouth, and a partial one about three
miles above, and near the forks of, the
creek. Thirteen coals were developed in
this region and all of them were thin
excepting one."
The Fire-clay coal was found on
Oakley Cave branch, near its level, and
on Beech fork near its mouth, carrying
flint-clay and but little coal.
Thirty feet higher the rider was
opened at the mouth of the creek, badly
split up, as in figure 296. Other open-
ings, on the Left fork and on Oakley
Cave branch, near ^/> .297
their mouths have
LEFT FORK}, OAKLEY CAVE.
Coal 15i in 13$ in.
Clay 2i in 1 in.
Bit. shale 1$ in l£ in.
Coal 26 in 24 in.
A fourth opening into this bed, on
the left of a right branch, one-half mile
up the Eight fork, gave the section of
figure 297. The two lower seams of
coal are not now visible.
From all but the first of these four
openings samples of firm coal were taken
by Mr. Sullivan, and analyzed by Dr. K.
Peter with the results following: :
Coal
Coo./
C/o-y
Co a. I
i"
Coat
/o
B/'ret
C/ay COOL/ 4/of«r
258
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Chemical Report
No. 3183 No. 3184 No. 3186
FIRE-CLAY COAL RIDER. Left Fork Oakley Cave Right Fork
Moisture
1.20
1.04
0.74
Volatile com. matter
27.88
33.36
33.86
Fixed carbon
64 . 92
59.68
57.48
Ash _ _
_ _ 6.00
5.92
7.92
100.00
100.00
100.00
Sulphur .721 .357 .532
Coke - 70.92 dense 65.60spongy 65.40spongy
Color of ash very light gray gray light gray
Higher coals appear not to have been investigated toward
the head of the creek, where there is some reason to believe
thick coal may be found, especially in the Hazard bed, 300
feet above the Fire-clay coal. Strata lie nearly level along the
creek and through the ridge down White Oak branch to Mid-
dle Fork.
Fossil limestone is not known to occur elsewhere 50 feet
under the Fire-clay coal, and its position in the section is
doubtless erroneous. It is located on the map well up the
creek, where the Fire-clay coal must be below drainage, and
Mr. Sullivan reports, "a bituminous fossil limestone was
noted about 170 feet above the flint clay coal." This corres-
ponds closely with its estimated position
near the head of Middle Fork. In the
creek bank, on the left about two miles
up, and about 70 feet below the Fire-clay
coal, (possibly but 50, as in the section)
is a bastard limestone, 1^ feet thick,
unique in its cleavage into blocks, some-
what like cannel coal. I saw this from
across the creek and did not look for
fossils in it.
— -Sha/e
/t .«/.>? $/> e r
Fire C/a</ Co a I
Mr. Neil Robinson reported to the
Tennis Coal Co. the coal of figure 298,
at "Jack" Asher's, at the mouth of Phil-
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
259
199
Caa.1 J/a/'/r
6.3.
COCL{
•SA. S.S.
(Co* I
-\r.cto.u
' (Co a/
,. C«o./
-' (Co a./
,-} iff.
(Ceo/
af
ip's fork and 115 feet above it; the 29
in. seam a block coal. This, the Fire-
clay coal, has not shown such thickness
elsewhere in the vicinity, but the report
should not be discredited.
Philips Fork.— The preceding page-
map, figure 295, includes Philip's fork,
and on its left margin is Mr. Sullivan's
section, with seventeen coals, obtained
on that fork. My earlier and less com-
plete section, figure 299, taken in the
same vicinity, shows variation of coals,
as well as some barometric inaccuracies,
resulting in apparent differences of in-
tervals between coals.
The splitting up of the Whitesburg
bed, 60 feet below the Fire-clay coal,
into several thin ones is made evident in
my section.
Mr. Sullivan made four openings in-
o the Fire-clay coal bed, all giving about
J in. of coal above, and 13 in. below,
.he flint clay parting, none quite as fa-
vorable as mine, and all far inferior to
that at the mouth of the fork. He re-
ports the bed as going below drainage
near the mouth of Eocky Point branch.
260
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
f"f o . 3ee
Coo./
f/'re
Coal ffi dfr
The rider to the Fire-clay coal was
not discovered in my early examination,
but was found at a recent opening as in
figure 300 at Lucy (or James) Asher's,
on the left, one-half mile up the fork.
The bottom of the bed, in water, was not
seen.
In A, B and C of figure 301 are Mr.
Sullivan's measurements of the bed as
'+ opened, respectively, on the left and on
the right, 1^ miles up "below the old
Matilda Asher house," and at Mr.
Eoark's just above the mouth of Pups
branch.
He gives the bed, also the following
Fi<j. So i _
\Coal
Coat to
^^^ $ha-le I"
Coal //'
C/ay 3"
Coa/
C/atf /
Co*/
Coal
C/oy /
Coa(
C/ay /
Co <L(
C/Oy /'
Coo./
Coo./
Coo./
/o
•^^=3 QhoL/e 12."
Coo.1 S-'
Coct. I Jo
Fire Clay Coo.1 Rider
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK. 261
section, as found on a small branch on the west of the main
creek, £ mile below E. L. Morgan's house:
Cannel slate 4 in.
Coal 18 in.
Clay l in.
Coal 6 in.
Clay 4 in.
Coal _ l In.
It is not impossible that on pushing well underground the
above partings would disappear, and higher benches of coal
come in ; nor does it appear likely that all the clay of the
figured openings continues far underground.
Mr. Sullivan's sample, from the opening UA," "slightly
weathered and containing infiltered clay," gave the following
results to Dr. E. Peter's analvsis:
Chem. Report
RIDER TO FIRE-CLAY COAL ("A") No. 3185
Moisture 0.74
Volatile combustible matter 32.90
Fixed carbon ; 58.44
Ash (light gray) . 7.92
100.00
Sulphur .892
Coke (spongy) 66.36
' * Sample from the outcrop, taken from lower 44 in., with
one thin clay parting."
As on Jack's creek, the fossil limestone was found about
170 feet above the Fire-clay coal, but here it is close above
14 in. of coal.
262
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
<3o 3
4 </
On the left, £ mile above Philips
fork, the rider to the Fire-clay coal,
figure 303, is opened, 235 feet, as
recorded, above the creek. Actually it is
probably considerably less, as the place
of the bed at the mouth of Philips fork
seems to be but 145 feet up, at elevation
1105, and there is little reason to sup-
pose such rapid inclination oif strata
here, as such a difference in level would
necessitate. Approximate measure of the
bottom coal was due to water 'covering it.
o. 1/cLcAson Blue Hole Creek. — On the right, two
c/ay coa./ A/cttr miles above Philips fork.
Mr. Sullivan's page-map of this creek, accompanied by
his vertical section on both sides of the map, is given in figure
304. Though no workable coal was found on the creek, the
results are not without value.
Coa./ 9"
Coa./ 2-
Coal 2e>"
'COO. I J '
l.cct/ /'a
'.foe
Coa/
C/ov
Coa/
Coo./
Cfa.fi
Coa.(
'-Coa./
Coa./
Fl. Cta.
8 "
S~
2. *
(
<
'jt
A7e>. of Or
Sccfion on
B/ueho/e Br.
- / MILE: .
S.5
Cfat <,"
C/oy *"
'
Coa I l» '
264
O •/*;//
:y.;7.i
Coo.*
Co a/
Sft.
Co a/
'<*
9
I .
1 (Cetktt ih.
Co a. I
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The Fire-clay coal was opened 240
^ee^ 'ak°ve the mouth of the creek, thin,
as shown in the section ; and the rider u
but little better. Its bed-section, near
„ the mouth of Bear Wallow, 1^ miles up,
and analysis by Dr. E. Peter, from Mr.
Sullivan's sample of the firm coal at that
point, are given as follows:
" RIDER TO FIRE-CLAY COAL.
Coal --------------------------------------- 5i in.
Clay __________________________ _ ____________ \ in.
Coal -------------------------------------- 26J in.
Chem. Report No. 3127
Moisture ---------------------------------- 1.20
Volatile combustible matter _______________ 29.80
Fixed carbon ___ _ __________________________ 65.00
Ash (light brownish gray) _________________ 4.00
../
(
'•1
(C
./- ,
(Co a. I
Coo.t
Ceo. I
Coat
\ J •**•
<" St.
COO.L
9.9.
6"
Co<
JA. S.I.
.f
s.s:
Wot+tt,
f Br.
100.00
Sulphur .755
J" Coke (dense) 69.00
a./ *
The nine coals found above this bed
were all thin, as shown in the section.
Lick Branch.— On the right, four
miles above Philips fork.
The section taken on this creek,
running from its mouth well up toward
its head, is shown in figure 305, the Fire-
clay coal at elevation 1330, having been
opened a mile up this branch. A rise
of strata, in general about with the
creek, is noted in coming up Eed Bird
from Philips fork, but a westerly dip
going up Lick branch reduced the inter-
vals shown between 'coals in the section
somewhat below what they actually are.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
265
Fiq. Jo 6
i •Shaft
The Fire-clay coal as opened on the
left, -| mile up and 240 feet above the
mouth of the branch, is shown in figure
306. The "jack rock" is a change from
the pure flint clay which is not uncom-
mon. This is the second place above
Sugar creek where the bed has been
found workable, and a mile up the
branch it is thin again, as shown in the
section, figure 305. The impure fire-clay
parting there is, perhaps, a transition
stage from the jack-rock just mentioned,
/j . j. /\$her The 80 feet apparent drop of the bed in
Fire c/ay Coal the half mile between the two openings
needs verification.
The 32 in. rider to the Fire-clay coal is of consequence
only as it may lead to its discovery in better condition else-
where. It is very much as on Blue Hole creek.
F; <f . 307
The three coals near the top of the
section are of interest, as being, perhaps,
of the Hindman bed, lost sight of above
Sugar creek, coming back now towards
a working condition.
Rich Branch. — On the left, 5f miles
above Philips fork.
On the right, $ mile up this branch,
70 feet above its mouth an opening into
the Fire-clay coal gives the section of
figure 307. If the opening had been
started lower, it is likely that lower
seams of the bed would have been uncovered.
^r'
266
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
if. Jo 8
(.f-lL/Jy^ C/ay S.S.
Coo./
JWWWVKI /•/ — -
mRww c/<xv 7
\V///-v\vd
r«a./
Meadow Fork. — On the right, six
miles above Philips fork, (giving the
road to Left fork, Straight creek).
On the left, f mile up this fork, 30
feet above it, a 3-yard entry gives the
Fire-clay coal as in figure 308, again
with jack-rock parting, possibly with
coal below it. The measurements ob-
tained of coal and partings varied con-
siderably, the entry having a very ir-
regular roof.
the Path a half mile to the left of
the gap to Left fork, Straight creek, 180
hiher than it and 40 feet under the
c/a</ Coo./
top of Kentucky ridge, is an old cannel coal opening showing
several feet thickness; at elevation 2140, some 650 feet above
the Fire-clay coal, it is probably either of the Hindman bed,
or of one close to it.
Cow Fork.— On the left, i mile
above Meadow fork, 6| miles above
Philip's fork.
A 5-yard entry into the Fire-clay
coal on the left, 15 feet above the forkr
a mile up, gives the section of figure 309.
The jack-rock parting serves to establish
its correlation.
^s
ire c/ay Coal
On the head of the main creek, on
\ mile above Cow fork a 60-
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
267
•S.-S. Zo
Coal
\J. 3- A>T u.c/f /es
Fire C/at/ Coaf
r/9.j,o yard entry with
rooms gives coal
of varying thick-
ness in a consider-
able roll. On its
slope the bed has
been mined where
over 6 feet thick,
and elsewhere the
top seam is down
to 27 in. thickness.
Figure 310 gives
the section where
it appears to be
nearest normal.
The bottom coal is not mined. The dis-
tinctive parting may be lower, but in any
case, intermediate in direction and level
between the Cow and Meadow forks coals
and with a like roof, it is confidently as-
sumed to be of the Fire-clay coal bed.
This bed, 100 feet higher on the head
of Left fork, Straight creek, has the flint-
clay parting in its floor. A cannel coal lies
30 feet above it there, and fossil lime-
stones 180 and 420 feet above it. It is
known widely on Cumberland river
waters as the Dean coal.
GOOSE CREEK.
S.S
Sf,. i S.
(Coo./
Sfi.S.S.
•Sf,. S. S.
Sf, S.S.
( Coa.{ Ji"
(Ca.r,net f. / f '
•Sf,
Co a. I /J "
i a( J. M- Jones
Beech Creek. — On this creek, near its mouth, the Man-
chester, or No. 1, coal has been opened with a thickness of
about 3 feet.
268
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The section of figure 311, taken about four miles up the
creek, shows but one coal of workable thickness, cor-
^•/>.J/z related as No. la in my report of 1886.
Its bed-section is given in figure 312, and
analyses by Dr. K. Peter, of my samples
of the cannel and of the 32 in. bituminous
coal, are given below. Both are unduly
high in ash because of included mud, but
j." the cannel sample evidently included,
also, black slate from the bottom of the
bed. to which the good cannel changes
•s~" by imperceptible degrees. If but 10 in.
to 12 in. of cannel had been sampled, the
result would have been but a fair per-
centage of ash, and perhaps a great
J. M.Jones diminution of sulphur.
( Co
Chem. Report No. 2652
Cannel
Moisture 0.42,
Volatile com. matter 32.38
Fixed carbon 35.20
Ash . _ 32.00
2651
Bituminous
0.92
37.54
53.44
8.10
100.00
100.00
Sulphur 6.042 1.601
Coke dense spongy
Specific gravity 1.313
Color of ash brown light brownish
gray
The Fire-clay coal is the only higher coal which gives
any promise of being of value, and as that must lie well up
towards the tops of the hills, and is thin on Hector creek, its
promise is very slight.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
269
J. L. Horn<s6y
COOL/
Laurel Creek. — Rising quite rapidly,
up this creek, the Manchester coal, a
mile from the mouth, has the section of
figure 313, one of its best in Clay county.
My sample from this opening, taken
from 3 yards underground, gave the
following results to Dr. E. Peter's
analysis :
MANCHESTER BED. Chem. Report No. 2650
Moisture 1.46
Volatile combustible matter 34.84
Fixed carbon , 57.70
Ash (nearly white) 6.00
100.00
Sulphur 0.531
Coke (spongy) 63.70
Specific gravity 1.292
" Apparently a good splint coal. No apparent pyrites,
but some ferruginous .stains ; seems to be a somewhat weather-
ed sample."
A mile beyond the Hornsby opening the coal is but 30
inches thick, but farther up the creek it is said to be thicker
again. <
Manchester. — The Conglomerate formation which barely
rises to river level at the mouth of Goose creek makes here
the foundation for the town and rises to 100 feet above the
270 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
creek. Close above it is the Manchester coal, which has been
opened in several places in the immediate vicinity, all
abandoned for thicker coal at a greater distance.
Horse Creek. — Numerous mines on
this creek are worked for town supply
in the Manchester bed, which is a little
above creek level and rises with it
for several miles. It is called here
Coat <js" a 4_f00t bed, but the coal is nowhere
quite so thick, and rarely reaches 3£
feet. Figure 314, an opening a mile
up the 'creek, reproduced from a former
report, is believed to give a fair average
Coo./ thickness on this creek, where the bed
is at its best in Clay county so far as yet found.
From Manchester the coal dips southward about 60 feet
per mile to the Garrard mine at the former Salt works, on
the right of the creek, 25 feet above it. The coal in this mine
varies in thickness ''from 12 in. to 42 in. with an average of
32 in.* By a later measure at 400 yards in, it had increased
to 44 in. thickness. On the left of the creek, at the face of
another Garrard mine, it measured 31 in. My sample from
this point, 70 yards in, analysed by Dr. E. Peter, gave :
*C. J. Norwood, report of State Inspector of Mines.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK. 271
MANCHESTER BED. Chem. Report No. 2648
Moisture 1.20
Volatile combustible matter 38.10
Fixed carbon 54.90
Ash (lilac-gray) 5.80
100.00
Sulphur 1.793
Coke (spongy) 60.70
Specific gravity 1.287
"A pure-looking pitch-black coal with very little fibrous
coal and only a few specks of pyrites. ' '
Collins Fork. — The southerly dip of strata from Man-
chester to the mouth of Collins fork, and again farther south,
led to the belief that the dip was continuous, but by a late
examination, needing verification, it appears that a short
reversal of dip, or long roll, occurs just south of the Garrard
mines, by which the Manchester coal is brought well above
the bottom lands again. This will be assumed as the case
in the following Goose creek details.
Buzzard Creek. — Two miles up on the left fork of Buz-
zard, Isaac Swafford had an entry into the Manchester bed,
at elevation 1000, with coal 36 in. thick, but the entry is
now abandoned (probably because of running down the dip)
for one in which the coal is 31 in. thick at the mouth, and
but 30 in. at the face, 20 yards in. Directly under this, as
shown by an abandoned opening by the roadside, is:
Shale 3 ft.
Coal and shale 9 in.
Coal _ —16 in.
272
szzo
9* f
<5.<S
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
corresponding with exposures on Otter
creek, where the upper seam is wanting.
A reported thick cannel coal open-
ing, fallen in, far up the right fork of
Buzzard, is likely to prove of the Fire-
clay coal rider.
At James Adams', 1^ miles up Col-
lins fork, ^ mile up a left branch, au old
opening into the Manchester bed gave:
S . •S-
COCL/
fl/.S/.
Coo./
<S.S.
a.t L.A Byron'S
Elevation.
Shale 5 ft.
Coal 9 in.
Shale 6 in.
Coal .__24 in.
960
Showing a very slight westward dip
from Swafford's on Buzzard creek.
Aery Branch.— On the right, 1|
miles above Buzzard creek.
A 9 in. splint coal under 21 in.
black slate, found J mile up the branch,
at elevation 1045, is of the No. 2 Coal,
and of value only for tracing the beds.
Ingram Branch. — On the left, two
miles above Buzzard creek.
The section, figure 315, was taken
from the mouth to two miles up ths
branch.
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
273
The lowest coal shown, found also on Aery branch, in-
dicates a southerly dip again, but not enough to carry the
Manchester coal below drainage. It probably lies directly on
the sandstone at the bottom of the section.
The coal at elevation 1100 is, in its position and con-
dition, at least a reminder of the Elkhorn coal, but much more
development is necessary before it can be correlated with
any degree of confidence.
The upper' coal of the section is nearly on the horizon
of the Fire-clay coal. It is believed that coal should be
r/j.^/6 found here to correspond with the can-
nel reported on Buzzard creek.
Bl. JA
Cea/
B /.SI. f'
.v IS
«?.,$.
.
Ca/7/re/ Coaf
COOL! //'
Figure 316 shows a section as taken
near the mouth of Bull creek, below and
opposite Hammond's fork. From In-
gram branch the strata appear to rise
about with the creek, so the 26 in. very
slaty cannel, somewhat inclined to splint
coal and with black slate roof, is
probably the bottom coal of the next
preceding section. (The No. 2 of my
former report.) This 26 in. coal was
found £ mile up Bull creek. At T.
Jones', two miles up the creel^, the same
bed has the following section:
Elevation.
Shale 3 ft.
Spliuty cannel 15 in.
Bituminous coal 1 to 4 in.
Lime concretions 3 to 0 in.
$ecf-tona.t Mr3,Hof>j»e.r*] Bituminous coal 7 in. 1100
The Manchester coal should then be close below the creek
level, and the Fire-clay coal rider, the Stinking creek cannel
coal, well up toward the top of the hill.
274
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
At Mrs. S. A. White's mine, on the main or left fork of
Goose creek, five miles above Manchester, is the coal of figure
317, now correlated with the Manchester
bed. Analysis by Dr. E. Peter of my
sample, omitting the bottom 4 inches,
from seven yards underground, is given
below:
MANCHESTER BED. Chem. Report No. 2649
Moisture 1.48
Volatile combustible matter 35.92
Fixed carbon 54.70
Ash (light lilac gray) . 7.90
100.00
Sulphur 0.885
Coke (spongy) 62.60
Specific gravity ± 1.278
" Resembles the preceding,
pyrites apparent."
(The Garrard coal.) No
The bed shows itself conspicuously at several points along
the road up to Martin's creek. At Elhannon Wilson's entry,
by the road ^ mile below that creek, it has the following sec-
tion:
Elevation.
Shale 8 ft.
Coal 2 in.
Shale 1 in.
Coal 2 in.
Shale 1 in.
Coal 16 in.
Shale 10 in.
Coal . —15 in.
1020
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
275
Martin's Creek. — By the road, f mile up this creek, the
Manchester bed shows the following:
F,'<j.3i8
Shale ____________ 8 ft.
Coal
Shale ___________ 14 ft.
Elevation.
23 in.
2 in-
1 <Sha/e
coo. i
7" with possibly more seams of coal below.
At J. B. Walker's two miles up, the bed
lying nearly horizontal, is probably
2i" about at creek level.
Mr. Walker has an entry into the
Fire-clay coal rider, as it appears, which
. .
is represented, in figure 318, as measur-
ed at the mouth. At the face, 60 yards
s" inj the bottom coals are reduced from 18
,0 in- to 15 in. and the parting next above
them is increased to 24 in. The cannel
is fine-looking, of light weight and with-
. .
out division plane between it and the coal on it.
The opening is close to the hill-top, and, perhaps, drains
into Timber-tree creek, but it is reached by road from Mar-
tin's creek.
\Caffftf(
B. Walker
Otter Creek. — The Manchester bed is opened in an entry
at the mouth of this creek, 30 feet above it, and also at frequent
intervals along the creek until it goes below drainage. Sections
are here given taken at the mouth and at an entry a mile up the
creek, five feet above it.
276
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
' /Sit C/AV
l*.*r. /*;
•j Ceo./ /,
vr«.j*. 5 -y.
Thin6i»nlr Iron
Co a. I <f
/...S.
COOL I
C/ay
•« <?/-«. 3*
//» COOL I
S.3.
Coo./
> Coo./
ISA.
l.Coa.f
».J.5.
Co*,/
C.
Jo
Tom'* Ar.
AT MOUTH.
Shale 8 ft.
Coal and shale 9 in.
Coal 16 in.
Shale 8 in.
Coal 2 in.
Under-clay.
Sandstone cliff.
ONE MILE UP.
Laminated sandstone 15 ft.
Shale and coal 7 in.
Coal _ .__22 in.
The laminated sandstone shows a
tendency to honeycomb. The bed rises
about 20 feet in the mile.
Tom's Branch. — On the right, three
miles above Otter creek.
The Manchester coal, having passed
below drainage about half way up from
Otter Creek is
some 40 feet under
at the mouth of
Tom's branch.
The cannel coal
bed near the bot-
tom of the section,
figure 319 shown
enlarged in figure
F"t'a . <3 ? o
- . Sh S •S..
Coal
•Jo
nnff Coat
/T Q.I J.T. $m,-th'* 320, is therefore ,/ •
85 feet more or less, above the Manchester coal. This bed
carries cannel also on Beech creek (below Manchester) and on
Bull creek, at the head of Collins fork. My sample of the 30
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK. 277
in. bituminous and of a specimen of the cannel coal, from Mr.
Smith's entry, taken from five yards underground, yielded,
on analysis by Dr. E. Peter :
Chein. Report
COAL No. 2. No. 2653. No. 2653.
Bituminous. Camiel.
Moisture 2.80 0.30
Volatile combustible matter- 29.40 44.16
Fixed carbon 57.00 43.74
Ash . _ 10.80 11.80
100.00 100.00
Sulphur 1.178 1.244
Coke dense friable dense
Color of ash light brown dark gray
Specific gravity 1.160
Compared with the bottom coal of figure 315, Ingram 's
branch, a very slight northwesterly dip is evidenced, so slight
that the line of strike is probably about northwest.
It appears that the Fire-clay coal and its rider are near
the levels of the two top coals of the section, but nothing was
found by which to identify them.
Woodson Mills has an opening opposite the mouth of
A slier fork, 135 feet above it, in which the following measure-
ments were taken:
Elevation.
Shale 5 ft.
Coal _ 1 in.
Shale 5 in.
Coal 1 in.
Shale 1 in.
Coal 4 in.
Shale 2 in.
Coal 18 in.
Black slate 3 in.
Coal 4 in.f . 1185
KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
He/rs of
Pi re C/ctty Co a. I
r/ .322
Coal
The Tom's branch cannel (No. 2
Coal) is at or slightly below the creek
level, and the opening is, therefore, near
the level of the Elkhorn bed, and proba-
bly represents it.
On the left 1| miles above Asher
fork, at the Jackson mill, an old opening,
85 feet above the creek gave the bed-sec-
tion of figure 321. With much doubt as
to correlation it is assigned to the Fire-
clay coal bed.
MHion Jackson)
r/r« c/ay
Hun Jackson Branch. — On the right
£ miles above Asher fork.
An eighth mile up this branch the
same bed is opened as shown in figure
322. It is difficult to believe that this
does not give the Fire-clay bed and its
rider, the latter as cannel coal, as often
tj
Pound and especially conspicuous as such
across Kentucky ridge on Stinking
creek; and no coal below it in the Ken-
tucky river region is known to have such
a section. Moreover, considering this
as the Fire-clay coal, an unusual similar-
ity is apparent between the section of
KENTUCKY RIVER, SOUTH FORK.
279
figure 323, in which this coal is shown, and that of the Blue-
hole creek section, figure 304, taken a few miles east from
the former.
The Jackson opening is lower in the
ridge than was to be expected of the
Fire-clay coal ; it is apparently over 100
feet lower than the latter on Blue-hole
creek, directly east, and on Stinking
creek directly west, but half of that dif-
ference may be due to error in ascer-
taining its level. Nothing was seen in
going up Goose creek from Asher fork
to indicate such a dip as would bring the
Fire-clay coal bed to the level of the
Jackson opening. Notwithstanding all
this the preponderance of evidence is in
favor of the proposed correlation.
Analysis of my sample of the 51 in.
bituminous coal, by Dr. E. Peter, yield-
ed:
'.X
•55.
3.S.
S.J
a/ v?/.
Co a. I
9. S,
Cot
FIRE-CLAY COAL (?) Chem. Report No. 2647
Moisture 1.10
Volatile combustible matter 35.60
Fixed carbon 56.90
Ash (light brownish-gray) 6.40
Cr.at
<Sech'on art /
100.00
Sulphur 0.885
* *f /'// Coke (light spongy) 63.30
6s-ave Br, Specific gravity 1.288
' ' A pure-looking coal. No apparent pyrites and but little
fibrous coal. Ferruginous stains on some of the pieces."
The section of figure 323 shows only the lower coals found
280 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
along Indian Grave branch in a distance of two miles. While
there are no thick coals above the Fire-clay coal known on this
creek, or toward the head of Red Bird, the high Kentucky
ridge and spurs from it about the heads of these creeks still
offer a fair field for search of them, with reasonable prospect
of finding workable beds.
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