We may also here notice a fact which may be interesting, and which may have some connection with the divisions of the seams in this locality, or vice versa.
It will be found farther on that the coal measures in Western Kentucky, and in the same general geological range or position in the great basin with the Kanawha, are in like manner divided and represented by nume rous small seams instead of a few large ones, as in sonic portions of the anthracite regions, where the coal measures reach the same elevation.
The seams which we give in the following table exist, we have reason to believe, under the Pittsburg scam, and do not, therefore, represent all the productive coal measures of West Virginia. There are still several seams found in the higher grounds back from the river, or on the head-waters of Elk, Coal, Gauley, and other large streams emptying into the Great Kanawha; also on the Little Kanawha, Guyandotte, Big Sandy, dzc. Yet we have not found the same productive condition in any other part of the Great Alleghany coal-field as compared with the measures between Coal and Kanawha Rivers. The thickness of the strata is estimated in this table, but the seams have been practically developed.
A short distance above the conglomerate a small seam exists, not con sidered workable. But about fifty feet from the conglomerate a variable seam is found, ranging from five to ten feet in thickness: this coal in all probability lies below the level of Lenn's Creek, at the forks, and is not found above water-level. Above this exists the large seam of
iron ore to be noticed farther on. The third seam of coal appears to be small, but varies from two to four feet. The fourth is a cannel coal of about four feet, but varies from three to six feet. The fifth seam is a hard bituminous, ranging from two to four feet in thickness. The sixth is likewise bituminous, but not generally over three or four feet thick, and is sometimes smaller. The seventh seam, sometimes cannel coal, ranges from three to five feet thick. The eighth and ninth are hard, bituminous seams, from thirty inches to four feet thick. The tenth seam is generally large, ranging from seven to ten feet, but is divided by fire-clay, which sometimes, in practical effect, makes two workable seams of the one. The eleventh is a fine cannel seam, known as the "Peytona"(?) cannel, five to six feet thick. The twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth are not opened or developed, but, from appearances, are known to be seams of good work able dimensions, and one of them is supposed to be cannel. The average dimensions of the seams and the thickness of the intervening strata are about as given in the accompanying table: