145
SPENCER AND WARRICK COUNTIES.

A visit was made to these counties, in advance of the detailed survey, in order to determine the character and extent of the Block-coal seams in the southern part of the Indiana coal-fields.
Spencer County: This county contains the most southerly land in the State,* and is well supplied with seams of good block coal. The measures are represented from the millstone grit at the base, to coal L, which is in the upper part of the Indiana column of coals, given in another part of this Report. The heavy bedded sandstone, called the "Lady Washington Rock," which forms a high bluff on the Ohio river at Rockport, has been referred by Prof. Leo Lesquereux to the horizon of the Mahoning sandstone of Pennsylvania.† I am satisfied that this is a mistake, and have no hesitation in pronouncing the "Lady Washington Rock" to be the equivalent of the massive sandstone which forms the cliff above Cannelton, in Perry county, and underlies the main seam of coal at that place. In my next report I hope
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* The State maps generally show the most southerly land to be in Posey county; this is an error; as be reference to the United States Postal Route map, it will be seen that Spencer county extends decidedly farther south than Posey county.
† Indiana Geological Survey by Richard Owen, 1859-60, page 309.

S. G. R. -- 10
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to be able to furnish a section of the rocks which outcrop along the southern border of the State, along the Ohio river, and thus supply the data which has served to convince me that the "Lady Washington Rock" is referable to the millstone grit. It is a coarse-grained, brownish red sandstone, and contains no pebbles, such as are seen in this stratum at Cannelton, and near Shoals, in Martin county.
The sandstone near the top of the "Knobs," four miles north of Rockport, lies above coal L. The section obtained at the "Knob," coal is as follows: 
      _______________________________________________________________
     |              SECTION AT THE "KNOB" COAL.                      |
     |_______________________________________________________________|
     | SPACE. |       | FT. | IN. |                                  |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|__________________________________|
     |  50.   |       |  50 |     | Covered space, Sandstone and     |
     |        |       |     |     |   siliceous Shale.               |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |   5.10 |XXXXXXX|   5 |  10 | COAL L. (Knob Coal.)             |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |        |       |   4 |     | Fire Clay.                       |
     |        |_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |  33.   |       |  25 |     | Siliceous Shale.                 |
     |        |_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |        |       |   1 |     | Limestone.                       |
     |        |_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |        |       |   3 |     | Black, bituminous, sheety Shale. |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |    1.8 |XXXXXXX|   1 |   8 | COAL K.                          |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |   30.  |       |  30?|     | Covered space.                   |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |    2.6 |XXXXXXX|   2 |   6 | COAL I.                          |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |   35.  |       |  35?|     | Covered space.                   |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|                                  |
     |        |       |   ? |     | COAL G ?                         |
     |________|_______|_____|_____|__________________________________|
     |  158.     TOTAL.                                              |
     |_______________________________________________________________|
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Coal L, which is here known as the "Knob" coal, covers but a small area near the top of a high ridge, and the seam has been nearly worked out in this township:
The quality of the coal is remarkably good. It is free from sulphur bands and, in physical structure, the lower two feet of the seam has some of the characteristics of a true block coal. The middle and upper parts resemble the main coal at Washington, in Daviess county, but contains less fixed carbon. The following analyses will show the approximate constituents of the coal taken from the different portions of the seam where mined by Barr & Bro.:

BARR & BRO.'S coal L, (upper part.) 
     Specific gravity, 1.274; one cubic foot weighs 79.62 lbs.
                             { Ash, brown,    -     -     2.50
   Coke,    -     -   48.50  { Fixed carbon,  -    -     46.00
                             { Water,    -     -    -     3.50
   Volatile matter,   51.50  { Gas,     -     -     -    48.00
                    ________                           ________
                     100.00                             100.00
The coke is puffed, swollen and vitreous.

BARR & BRO.'S coal L, (middle part.) 
     Specific gravity, 1.282; one cubic foot weighs 80.12 lbs.
                             { Ash, light brown,    -     2.50
   Coke,    -     -   51.00  { Fixed carbon,    -    -   48.50
                             { Water,     -     -     -   4.00
   Volatile matter,   49.00  { Gas,     -     -    -     45.00
                    ________                           ________
                     100.00                             100.00
The coke is slightly puffed, with metallic lustre.

BARR & BRO.'S coal L, (lower part.) 
      Specific gravity, 1.278; one cubic foot weighs, 79.87 lbs.
                              { Ash, light red,    -    -  3.00
   Coke,    -     -   48.50   { Fixed carbon,    -    -   45.50
                              { Water,     -     -    -    4.50
   Volatile matter,   51.50   { Gas,     -     -     -    47.00
                    ________                            ________
                     100.00                              100.00
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The coke is swollen, puffed and vitreous.
This seam is found, also, in a high ridge about one mile northeast of Centerville, on section 9, township 6, range 6, and is mined by Peter McGarvey, on land owned by R. L. Crosby.[should read: Crosley.] It is here from four and a half to six feet thick, and contains some sulphur bands. The analysis is here given:

CROSBY'S [should read: CROSLEY'S] COAL, L. 
      Specific gravity, 1.267; one cubic foot weighs 79.17 lbs.
                              { Ash, red,    -     -    -  4.00
   Coke,     -    -   51.50   { Fixed carbon,    -    -   48.50
                              { Water,     -     -     -   3.50
   Volatile matter,   48.50   { Gas,     -     -     -    45.00
                    ________                            ________
                     100.00                              100.00
The coke is porous, puffed and lustreless.
For generating steam, coal L was highly esteemed by boatmen, and always brought a higher price than any other coal sold on the river.
Coal K lies thirty feet below L at Crosby's; [should read: Crosley's;] is sixteen inches thick, and overlaid by black shale and limestone. Half a mile east of this place, on Goodman's land, it is reported to be two feet thick.
The following section was obtained on Mr. John Hims' land, opposite Lewisport, in Kentucky:

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      ________________________________________________________________
     |          SECTION OPPOSITE LEWISPORT, KENTUCKY.                 |
     |________________________________________________________________|
     | SPACE. |        |FEET.| IN.|                                   |
     |________|________|_____|____|___________________________________|
     |        |        |  15 |    | Covered space to top of hill.     |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |  20 |    | Arenaceous Shale.                 |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |   6 |    | Massive bluish gray Sandstone.    |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |  105.  |        |   5 |    | Schistose Sandstone.              |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |   6 |    | Fire Clay.                        |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |  20 |    | Covered space.                    |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |   3?|    | Bluish cherty Limestone.          |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |  30 |    | Schistose Sandstone.              |
     |________|________|_____|____|                                   |
     |    2.6 |XXXXXXXX|   2 |  6 | COAL I. (Lewisport seam.)         |
     |________|________|_____|____|                                   |
     |        |        |   ? |    | Fire Clay.                        |
     |        |________|_____|____|                                   |
     |   32.  |        |  32 |    | Shale and schistose Sandstone.    |
     |________|________|_____|____|                                   |
     |    1.6 |        |   1 |  6 | COAL G.                           |
     |________|________|_____|____|                                   |
     |    3.  |        |   3 |    | Space to high water of Ohio river.|
     |________|________|_____|____|___________________________________|
     |  144.     TOTAL.                                               |
     |________________________________________________________________|
The coals in this section are block, but the seams are thin and mixed with bands of pyrites.
If I am correct in the correlation of the coal in this section, then the Lewisport seam, which is No. 9 of the Kentucky column, is the equivalent of I of the Indiana column.
On Crooked Creek, at Ira Breshears and J. M. Howard's saw mill, on section 9, township 6, range 4, coal I is opened and mined for neighborhood use. It is a true block coal, two and a half feet thick, but is full of sulphur bands, which render it useless as a fuel for smelting iron. The section

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obtained at this mine shows the following succession of strata: 
     Covered slope to top of hill,     -      -      30 ft.
     Fossiliferous limestone, with chert,           3-4 ft.
     Shale,     -     -    -     -     -     -        ?
     COAL not opened, said to be thin,     -    -     ?
     Fire clay,      -      -     -      -       -    ?
     Heavy bedded sandstone,     -     -     -        6 ft.
     COAL I, block coal,     -     -      -    -      2 ft. 6 in.
     Fire clay,     -      -      -      -     -      ?
     Covered space,     -      -      -      -       30 ft.
     COAL G,      -      -      -      -      -       1 ft. 6 in.
     Bed of creek,      -      -      -      -        0 ft.
The following analysis will show the character of the coal at these mines:

BRASHEAR & HOWARD'S coal I. 
       Specific gravity, 1.281; one cubic foot weighs 80.06 lbs.
                               { Ash, white,    -    -     1.00
    Coke,     -     -   53.50  { Fixed carbon,     -      52.50
                               { Water,     -      -       3.50
    Volatile matter,    46.50  { Gas,     -     -    -    43.00
                      ________                          ________
                       100.00                            100.00
The coke is laminated, vitreous and not swollen.
In the middle and northern part of the county, coal seams I and K are both of workable thickness, and possess the characteristics of block or semi-block coal. In Clay township, coal I has been worked at a number of places, is between three and four feet thick, and mostly a hard, firm block coal, free from sulphur bands and suited for the blast furnace. The following is a list of owners on whose land this coal has been found. Though by no means complete, it will serve to show the extent of coal I over a large portion of the county, and where it is block or semi-block, it is marked with an asterisk:

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*Brashears & Howard,       S. 9, T.6, R.4, Coal I & K, 2  ft.  6 in.
John Jims,        -        " 30, " 6, " 4,  "   I      2  ft.  6 in.
John Meeks,        -       "  2, " 6, " 5,  "   I & K, 4? ft.
L. Stone, near Newtonville,                 "   I ?    2  ft.  6 in.
Grandview, coal in well,                    "   I ?    ?  ft.
Stockings,        -        S.16, T.5, " 5,  "   I & K, 3  ft. 10 in.
Wm. Scott,         -       " 21, " 5, " 5,  "   I ?    4? ft.
Fleggers,     -      -     " 29, " 5, " 5,  "   I ?    4? ft.
Mylers, in a well,         "  5, " 5, " 5,  "   I ?    4? ft.
James Egnew,               " 33, " 5, " 5,  "   I ?    4? ft.
John Bufkins,              " 28, " 5, " 5,  "   I ?    4? ft.
*W. S. Barker,             "  7, " 5, " 5,  "   I      3  ft.  6 in.
John Townsend,             " 34, " 4, " 5,  "   I      4  ft.
Coal I, mined by Stocking is three feet, ten inches thick, is a caking coal, and has the following composition: 
                       STOCKING'S COAL I.

       Specific gravity, 1.267, one cubic foot weighs 79.18 lbs.
                               { Ash, dark brown,    -      3.00
    Coke,     -    -    49.60  { Fixed carbon,    -    -   46.60
                               { Water,     -     -     -   2.50
    Volatile matter,    50.40  { Gas,     -     -    -     47.90
                      ________                           ________
                       100.00                             100.00
The coke is swollen, porous and lusterless.
The crop of coal K is seen in the hill above this seam.
At W. S. Barker's, coal I is three feet, six inches thick, and is a good block coal, but the specimen analyzed appears to contain a large per cent. of ash. 
                     W. S. BARKER'S COAL I.

       Specific gravity, 1.317, one cubic foot weighs 82.31 lbs.
                               { Ash, brown,     -    -     6.50
   Coke,    -      -     50.00 { Fixed carbon,    -    -   43.50
                               { Water,     -     -    -    2.50
   Volatile matter,      50.00 { Gas,    -      -    -     47.50
                       ________                           _______
                        100.00                            100.00
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The coke is dense, laminated and has a metallic lustre.
Another specimen, obtained of Dr. Littlepage, and said to be from a mine south of Buffalo, was also analyzed: 
                 COAL I, FROM NEAR BUFFALO.

Specific gravity, 1.294, one cubic foot will weigh 78.06 lbs.
                         { Ash, white,    -    -     1.00
Coke,     -    -   48.50 { Fixed carbon,     -      47.50
                         { Water,     -    -    -    4.00
Volatile matter,   51.50 { Gas,    -    -     -   - 47.50
                 ________                         ________
                  100.00                           100.00
The coke is porous, puffed and vitreous.
In the vicinity of Gentryville, a thin seam, probably K, has been opened at a number of places, and a well, dug in the village, passed through: 
        Brown and gray sandstone,     -    27 ft. 0 in.
        Coal,      -      -      -      -   0 ft. 6 in.
This coal is said to be thirty inches thick in other wells, but is thin where seen at the crop on the hill side.
In the neighborhood of Dale, in Carter township, coal I has been opened at many places.
At Wood's mine, on section 19, township 4. range 5, one and a half miles southwest of Dale, coal I is thirty three inches thick, and is a semi-block coal. The following is the analysis: 
                       WOOD'S COAL I.

   Specific gravity, 1.289, one cubic foot will weigh 80.56 lbs.
                            { Ash, dark brown,    -       3.50
 Coke,     -     -   51.50  { Fixed carbon,   -     -    48.00
                            { Water,     -     -     -    3.00
 Volatile matter,    48.50  { Gas,    -     -     -      45.50
                   ________                            ________
                    100.00                              100.00
The coke is porous, puffed and lustreless.
In Harrison township, on the head waters of Crooked creek, and on the branches of Anderson creek, coal I ranges

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from three and a half to four and a half feet in thickness, and is a remarkably fine quality of semi-block coal, eminently suited for the blast furnace.
At Mike Staab's, on section 8, township 4, range 4, this seam is three feet thick and overlaid by a dark arenaceous shale; the under clay has the appearance of being a good potter's clay. Prof. M. Delafontaine, of Chicago, made two analyses of coal from this seam, which are here given in connection with the analysis made in my laboratory.*

Analysis of two specimens of STAAB'S COAL, by Prof. M. Delafontaine: 
                                    No. 1.       No. 2.
     Water, dried at 212° F.,         1.86         3.91
     Volatile matter,    -     -     37.11        30.84
     Fixed carbon,     -      -      58.23        62.81
     Ashes,    -     -     -    -     2.80         2.44
     Color of ashes,    -    -       gray.      faint yellow.
Analysis of STAAB'S COAL, made in my laboratory: 
    Specific gravity, 1.243; one cubic foot will weigh 77.68 lbs.
                             { Ash, white,    -     -     1.60
Coke,     -     -     55.60  { Fixed carbon,     -       54.00
                             { Water,     -     -    -    1.80
Volatile matter,      44.40  { Gas,     -     -     -    42.60
                    ________                           _________
                     100.00                             100.00
The coke is puffed, swollen and vitreous.
Prof. Delafontaine, also, analyzed the ash of this coal and found that "One hundred parts of ash, contained two parts of oxide of iron, with alumina, silica and lime, but gave no traces of alkalies."

___________________________________________________________________________

* The difference observed in the amount of fixed carbon in these analyses may, in part, be owing to a variation in the specimens, taken for analysis. My analyses are all made under similar conditions and are, therefore, comparable, one with another. For determining the coke and volatile matter, one gramme of coal is weighed out and ignited in a covered platinum crucible to a cherry red heat. The hygrometic moisture is ascertained by the loss of weight, after drying a decigramme of the crushed coal for half an hour, at a temperature of 212° F. It is then burned and the weight of the mineral residue gives the amount of ash which it contains.

154
I did not have an opportunity to visit the Priest seam, on Anderson creek, on section 14, township 4, range 6. This seam is four feet and four inches thick and is referred by Col J. W. Foster, to coal A;* and, judging from the specimens I have seen, it is a semi-block coal and suited for smelting iron.
In this hasty sketch of the geology of Spencer county, I simply desire to point out, in advance of the detailed survey, the extent and character of the coals; enough, however, has been done to show that there is no lack of coal, suitable in its raw state for smelting and working iron. Two important railroads have been located to cross the coals of this county, and, surely, the value and great importance of this fossil fuel will ensure their completion.
The Indiana Mineral Railway, of which Mr. John Alexander is President, starts from a point on the Ohio river, in section 15, township 6, range 4, named Iron City, and pases northward by the way of Staab's, Jasper in Dubois county, Clark's station on the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, in Daviess county, to Bloomfield in Greene connty, where it connects with the Indiana North and South Railway, of which Dr. E. B. Thomas, is president. The latter road runs through Brazil in Clay county, Rockville in Parke county, Attica in Fountain county and thence northward to Chicago.
The other road is the Cincinnati, Rockport and Southwestern Railway, of which Josiah Kirby, president, and E. H. Sabin, vice-president and general superintendent. This road starts from Rockport, on the Ohio river, and runs northward between Buffalo and Gentryville, through Dale, thence to Jasper, in Dubois county, and Mitchell, on the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, in Lawrence county.
Spencer county is not only rich in minerals, but the soil is highly productive, and the lands are falling into the hands of a thrifty class of farmers, so that the marketable

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* Report on the Iron Smelting Coals of Southern Indiana, adjacent to the Indiana Mineral Railway, 1871, by J. W. Foster, LL. D.

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products of the county will supply these roads with an amount of freight that will prove remunerative.
For special favors, while in this county, I am under obligations to Mr. John Stephenson, Hon. H. Q. DeBruler, L. G. Smith, Jesse Laird, Hon. H. Kerchival, John Stocking, and Calvin Jones, editor of the Rockville Democrat.

Warrick County

1870 Table of Contents

Geology Library, Indiana University, Bloomington