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6
MICtOCOfY nsolUTION TBT CHART
(ANSI and ISO TEST CHART Mo 2)
-^="-^^ ("6) 2P« - 5989 - Fa.
Ow>L3aiCAL Hl'BVBT 0¥ CANADA.
Vol.. XV, Part V, Plati I.
«
. ^
■*|iP-*^.4f;
**•-/' ^#ii|
mi
1
■is •
•
■^
^
.k. ,
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if ^rrt«.;' 7
»^^,-^?»J?4"«**-
f^R^Jfc ffl {,11
^ ■*
gp_---i!
iM>r
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^ *•* '.^jfi&ii^^^K—'' '^'
"•
.^^nSH
■^*g^
. -^
D. B. D., photo.
Ha!!kard and Nkw 801.-RIH Mink.
i',K>a.
D. B. D , i>tioto.
New S01BI8 Mine.
1002.
*•*•*" AS»- W«*»:«» .'iH^wAa^T* ^ ^y^-
■2ora.H t
eSCi !CS* -CK B¥<
7y
.^«.*3v
2
o
10
(ftcolo9al$>'nnif(!i of (flanaba
RMiHT stu.sc o..Kim»m.o..»a.rn&.ACimt dihcton
i»o».
riON OK Nor
tOM ESTEVANl
4
.^
vi
imr CRFCK
SECTION ON NOHTH lANK SOUMS fllVEII
PNOM aiVIMt TO HOCHC PCNC^
>NS OF THE 80URIS CQMrFIELO, DISTRICT OF ASSIMROU.
in &DOfWUlVliBAJBI«-
(tolo^ciii^itnievi of (flanalia
KMCNT UU.Sc 0. ««<«*> LLOi, MO. rR&.ACTtNfi OIMCCTOII
mar
Jaaofl
imooift.
emt€
irMft.
SECTION ON BAMtt OF SHORT CREEK
J<^*»fL
SECTiON OK NOr
FROM CSTEVANl
SECTiom or THE soums comtFielo, district of assiwboia
To tteeampmBgr B,«part of
&&]>0WIJIia&A3«.
— r--¥ \
SECTION or ROITN UU% OF SOURM MVCll
EAST mw iioc()c rincit
ib.ssa
11
3 !
«
(iKOUKilCAL .^rnVKV OF CAN \I) V
l«"HEKT nKr,L.«c.I,. .f..T....,.M|,. I.LI,, k ,{,«,. Ih.u.
HE PORT
"N I UK
COAL FIELD OF THE SOURIS RfVEH
EASTERN ASSINIBOIA
D. U. noVM.iNU, H.Ap.Sc.
• V'. ' . juji. ' gj_ i f
OTTAWA
- ....VTKl, BY S. K. I.AWSO- , PUIXTKR TO THK KIN.i.S M.JST
1904
^o, T86.
1»-F.
ii
*Vj
r
To Dr. Robert Bell,
Acting Director, Geological Surrey of Canada.
Sin,_I have the honour to sul.init the inc'o.ed report on investiVa-
tions conducted during part of the summer of 190- in the Coal Field
of the SourH river. To illustrate the report, I have made to scale a
model showing the surface features of the «.gion from Estevan ea.t-
ward to a point beyond the coalmines, and photographs of this are
submitted for reproduction. A few photographs of natural features
and sections also accompany this report, as well as sections plotted to
show the probable trend of the different coal seams.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servatr,
Ottawa, April 29, 1903.
D. B. DOVVLING.
15-
-U
PI
}•■
■'^-. I
m y j i i i s j ■■
n
SUMMARY OF C()NTE^'T.■^
UcntTjil featureK fif S»niris coal Held
The'ciial hi irizons
I'pper hori7.t>n
Middle linrii^.>ii.. . .
Li)H'«'r Iinrizoii ,
ISurning of cm] mwhk
Mines <i|it.'riiting
Amount and character of coal
Age of de|x)sit8
DetaiU of niitural exiioMiiri's and sections . . .
Xoith »i(h' of vaUey, Estevan eastwarii
,So\ith side of valley
Short creek
Souris river from Kstevan tioiitliwanl ..
I'.V.K
',)
!l
1"
11
1-.'
i;<
14
ir.
17
28
r«
37
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Views of HasMard and Xew Soiiri.s Mines Frontis
Natural eximaures of sanda above coal n
The Sugar Loaf hill jy
Pers|n.cti\e i.f model, liKiking north 24
lVrs|)ective of model, Short creek 32
Photograph of model of .Souris cc«il field Knd
.Sections, of Souris coal field
•'A.
i
REPORT
COAL FIELD OF THE SOURIS RIVER
EASTERN AS8INIB0IA
By D. B. DowLiyo.
GeXERAL KEATURE.S ok 8OUKIS COAL FIELD.
The actual area over which the coal-bearing rocks of this district
*tend, is not exactly known, principally because there are so few ex-
posures in the stream valleys, on account of an extra thickness of sur-
face deposits, eastward from the area now mined. This great mantle
of drift consisting of boulder-clay extends northward through the
Moose mountains and is continued north of the Assiniboine river. It
has concealed the eastern outcrop of the coal rocks and their extension
can be learned only by boring. At Oxbow a deep well for the water,
supply of the town had penetrated sandstone at 230 feet below the sur-
face and small particles of coaly matter came up in the overflow pipe.
This indicates their eastward extension to at least the raouth of Moose
Mountain creek. The lower land between that creek and Turtle
mountain is probably eroded to beneath this horiz'-n. Westward it is
supposed that the Tertiary coal bearing rocks extend to the Cot" u
an 1 also occupy the summit of Wood mountain.
Along the face of the Coteau extends a wide flat which is drai .
al present both to the northwest and southeast by parallel streams
which appear to have a very slight fall. Moosejaw creek heads
in the Yellowgrass marsh near the head also of the Souris river.
The elevation of the surface at the nearest railway station, 1889
feet, is not very much above that at Estevan or Pasqua, so that this
strip may be said to be a nearly level plain bordered on both sides
by a slight rise. The only deep river valley cutting into this is that
of the Souris river and its main branch Long creek. From the north
tiit'i-al
iitiires.
Si Miri-'.
11
8 r
EASTERN A88JKIII0U
DrainaK''.
U^nudittioii
of valleys
Side giilUes.
Width and
depth cif
valley.
*», ^™na«, ha« M vet cut only a short valley from the Qu'Ai elle to
SZ^aw wTa fall in tLt di-Unc. of 1 36 feet. This northward
ra;nagreer:::if:r!:L be .uch .ore recent than that to the south
Srrr^roZ=i:^rr^^
:^S 1 eJ^ t^an e^^ to the north, so that 'n this area the
LTeint has been slight in either direction and. a. noted above, pro-
bably the northern part has been slightly depresssed.
The main valley of the old drainage is now occupied by Ix,ng creek
as ;hown" n the maps, but a slight depression just to the east of the
CoLau carries another stream which joins the large valley oppo«,te
S^van This carries about the same or even less -f ^^^'-I-"*
^tkand is called Souris, although it would seem that the other should
hTvehad the name. This part of the Souris has -t a very - -
and short valley above its junction with the large one at Estevan
Evidlndof the very level nature of the surface drained is seen m he
Sng of tie channel which led from the edge of the pla.n mto the
va^^lv causing a series of parallel lateral valleys on the north s.de
Iw Ce Perc^. Many of these lateral gorges were eroded by
:^" Von streams which have gradually lost their water supply^
rSLpeningof thechannelof the main stream. Several small olated
Slls "?he v'alley remain to show the former continuance of the side
walls of these companion valleye.
South of the Souris and east of Short creek there is a decided rise
i/the Surface amounting to about 100 feet ^bove t e gene^l F^^^^
level From this to the bed of the river there is a fall o 240 feet in a
i" nee of only two miles and as th. ^ocks underlying t.e surface a^
very friable they are easily eroded aud the drainage of this slope h«
Ixlat^ a number of very large and wide gullies which have dis^cted
a b'^d area. On the north side the banks below Roche Perc^are
hi.h^nd where the lower co.l seam is being mined are intersected by
namTw steep cuts which are taken advantage of in getting attheseam.
South of Estevan the valley is wide and is in fact a double valley
aWa mile and a half wide and 110 feet deep. At the mines it is
£^ than a mile in width and over 130 feet in depth. The nver-flat is
:^1 Jessed and a fringe of ti^s skirts the stream. Many ox-bow
Takes Tow the gradual shifting of the channel by cutting off bends.
ISkOUNJH'AI. SlKVEY OK CaNAIiA.
Vol.. XV, Part K. Platk II.
fjK.' •■ • -'^
J.-../.
I). It. I).. pIlMtO.
I'.m-.'
Natihal Kxi'o«iiiE C'LAVs AM) .Sanhs jist a ivk L(>wkuC<iai> cin Skc. 1;<. Ti'. •!. K.
I>. B. !>., pliuto.
W'KATHKUEri Sandstone, Skc. VA, T\: ■_'. R. s.
\W>.
II
:: j -
ouwimo 1
TIIIC COAL HOBIZOSS
» r
Thb Coal Horizos*.
The coal .e«m. cxpo«e<l in the .li.trict are many hut in the .mall
area here deHcribe,! .hey may be grouped in three h"'""— ^ j;-
Middle and I»wer. Each of thene may .ont.u. se>eral .earn, but .n
each, workable seams occur at places.
Up]ter Horizon.
This contains generally a four feet seavn that is fairly continuous rp,.r ..
throughout the di.trict except whereerodtnl away by the -tream. or a,
n„ Short creek where it either thins out or is joined by the seam, of th.
Ld.: LTon to form a seven feet seam. The eo-j -^ ^^^^^^^^^
hv denosits of sand and clay that are very variable m their thickness
a^IJ^ distribution-measures that are r-ominent in some section,
h^inr absent in others «o that a series of small seams may by the
See of thei partings, be brought intoone. The upper horizon has ^, „
b^nTspected in the vicinity of Estevan at severa points and though
♦^ iL ifBenerally an inferior lignite it serves for local use. The first
mfneot"^ in the^ii-trict was o.i this upper seam, locally thic ened
r^Zi^l or thereabout,. On the hillside just south of the towr,
leral thin seams are exposed, probably ot the upper and middle
Ter exUu" ot his horizon was noted for some disUnce to the east-
\ !nSTh a«ain well exposed in a ravine north of the Taylor mine.
Ttts te b^TLed in Several places and being near the praine-
ever he ll waseasily teamed northward t. someof the stations on the
railway Above the Luris and Roche Percee mines it is still m ev i
"enle and is opened in several places. On Sec. 35 it was reach^ n
tu-hoie arabout ^^^^ X:^i^t:. :ts: r.
;Crtr;::r t^samTseam at a higher level thanin Uie W^
5 The sections accompanying this report are drawn to scale so hat
.t ^ftlon of the seams can be measured, but as a rule the absolute
?e:gCrgv:nr.Hetextalongwiththede^^^^^^^^^
In referring to the sections it will te seen that along the north side of
tJe r V r the upper coal is probably continued at a distance from the
tmXte brin'of the valley and may undulate slightly. Near t^he
eTtetendof the field there seems tobe avery pronounced wave in the
^rilow, and p^bably the upper seam follows the same curve. The
ml. ■
10 r
GAiTBRM AMIMIBOIA
««clioni ncrou the large valley and up the imaller on»^ it. from th«
Taylor mine up Short creeW, and from the 800 nun* up the Houriit, ihcw
flrxtly that on Short creek there iit a depresiion to the touth whereby
the upier and middle •earn* are brought together and »ec«ndly that on
the upper part o( the SourU the upper leam ri»e« slightly to the wuth.
■^Al
I
iff
Middl' Hwrhon.
Alo.ig the north side of the valley thin horizon is found to be expoaed
in Mnernl places but showf a great tendency to thin out in placen and
east of the mines k. is hardly di»cernible. The isolated hill west of
Noitli .iiltof Estevan, in which a tunnel has be«n run is probably a representative
"^•^' of this horizon. There the coal is split up into three seains— the lower
one only being mined. Again on the face of the hill south of the town
a four feet seam slightly lower in elevation is its probable representa-
tive. Aliove the 800 mine a three feet seam of coal and sliale at I'/DO
feet U pnjliably of the middle horizon. Further east it is doubtful
whether the seam in the Duncan mine belongs to this or the lower
horizon and may be the burnt seam that is exposed at the top of the
l)ank in the south-east corner of Sec. 1 4. A seam thiit was on fire in thu
north east corner of Sec. ti of the next township to the ea.at may belong
to the middle group. A valley to the north of this would deHect the
outcrop to the north leaving a long oblong hill with a portion of thi»
coal near its top. Burnt shales indicate ft ebly its presence along the
bank to near the mouth of Short creek. An exposure at one of the
bends of the river shows four feet of burnt shale, indicating a burnt
seam of fair thickness and as it is about at the proper elevation for this
horizon it is so marked on the section. In the ravine north of the
Taylor mine at an elevation of 1807 feet there has >jeen a tunnel driven
on a 3 ft. G in. seam which is below the up(>er coal ' ut eastward from
this the seam becomes insignificant and split up by partings. In the
Hassard mine there is a two feet seam at this horizon, but this, is
represented in the Sugar I^af section, by two seams of a foot each,
separated by a foot of gray clay. No trace of lignite is found farther
east on the north bank.
In the southward Ijend of the upper part of the Souris, the middle
seam takes a prominent place and is found well up the bank near the
larger valley with a thickness of six feet. Good exposures are rare in
this part but it is found near Wood End in a seven feet seam and the
percentage of fixed carbon left by fast cooking- shows that it is of as
good quality there as the average of the coals 01 .le valley. On Short
creek, as before mentioned, there is a thinning out of the measures
>r(.imi ]
TUB COAL IIOmzUNS
11 r
»>
between the uiid.lle an.l u|ip«r c<«U .nd t\wy .ei-in to ciine toK.tthcr.
Several ihort tunnelt. hnve U.*-!! run into the Unk* to extract cml
from thia H«am and apparently the supply ha. Uon i«|uired hy Mttlem
of the immediate vicinity and acron* the boundary lini^. There i» a sliKht
ri»e in the metwu .o the i-a-t m an to l.rinK up the s. ., again on the
ean branch of this creek in Set. G near tl.c lnternali<.„„| Uundary.
Loii-ff lliiritiiii.
Tld« i« the ra.Mit iuipiTtant in th.- diHtrict. a« in it ih.. lower neunis \„rth .i.l.. „f
are of li.-tter (|uality as a rule thiin any in the upper horizons In the "*-'■
wpHtern end ..f the district th«re are s.-veral small seanis <KCH8ionally
of workal.le thickno-s but east of tlio mouth of Short creek these are
Kathertsi together in an eight feet seam that is bt-ing mined on aniu. h
larger scale than near Ksteva.i. West of the mouth of Short cn-ek
the outcrop of the seams is low down in I he valli-y and m..,t of it would
be below the river flat, but it is probable that it Im^ U-en eroded cl-.se
to the sides of the valley and the river llai lillcd with river doposit.
The dip of the ^eams in this lower horizon is not very constant in any
direction. The uectiou shows a consi<l«niblf wavu at the east end on
the north side of the valley with a general tend ncy to becom- lower to
the west. South from the mines the outcrop seems to be b.>low its position
on the north and this southward dip is further pioved in a boring on Sec-
10, in which the seam is foumi at 20 feet above its position in the bore
on Sec. 3.".. This may however only mean that the crown of the anti-
cline in the seam at the Souris and Roche Percee mines is continued
in a N.N.E. direction. Thi.s if produced southward will pass through
Sec. 5 near the boundary and bring up the midille and upoer seams
that go Ijelow the valley bottom at the conical hill at the mouth of tlie
east branch.
In the upper part of the valley, >outh from Kstevnn, the lower .^,„„|, fr,„„
horizon rises slightly and is found higher up the river than expected. ''""•^•'"•
In the bed of the stream on Sec. i'l the lower coal was seen for • !ie last
time in that direction. Near Estevan exposures i,i the h.west pirt of
this horizon are seen on the south border of Sec. 14. Up the valley
toward the town the measures rise slightly and U-ds, probably of this
horizon, are faund l.,w down in the banks as at the S<k) mine. On the
south side of the valley a mine is opened in the south-east corner of
Sec. 11 on two seams of tive and six feet thickness th"! are somewhat
higher above the river-bed than those of the same horizon northward,
but in the sec on given op ^'c. 10 it is found again split up into
several small ones.
At 111'- "'I'""
I/iwint (team
,., ^ r.A«TKI»«« AMIWHIOU
i^t»Min th.' beml •>< th« HourU »nd
Very few .x,.««r«. ^^ ;«•" ,-^,:" U«- who h.v. pn.U».ly
the mouth of «'-««'-• •;;^:^"rvrrl valuable ^am..t«cce..ible
.unU t«t piU -P-t '»• ' ;^,;; ", „,, ^,., of th, ...outh of short
l.K!.tion. in thw p*rt of tb« vftUey. a ^^^^^
.„., „n H... 3. the. is "^-^-^X'TZ^r part . very
..f the creek. Th.. U not •'' P"'*" ';»" ;,„„ ,^., .eamn-th.
.lirty. Wut a .hort di-Unce "»•;••;* '^.^P";^, ,„y ,.ir .,-ality of
lower, two f..et th.ee .nch t»..ck. »-, n ^^^ ^^.^^.^.^
liRnite which on cok.ng U-iven 3H.jy per c ^ . ,. , .„«
. The other expo-u.-e. that ..cur .«t of ^'"" -;;'-;: .^'.tJu
I .i.„ T.vliir mine the »e»in j«n\eieei wivn -
at the mine*. In the lft>lor .nine w i,.»ii„ thins out towiird*
the e..t. --'^ -'-•;»••'.;;"" „':,':.^rkh.gH thi. occasionally thicken.,
ne,« of eight foet of hgmte. In the J ... g ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^
up to a maximum ot twelv.- foet for shori »_^ ,,„,, on Hec.
ple.e mine the .earn i. ..««'■ ':^^''^^ , .^ "J^ of the
35 there were .even feet h.x inches. ^""^ °* ^ ,,^ ,i,, ^ ^,u,
lower coal ha., been .ouml i.v '^'V""";, ,;;/«« lytuo low.-r .earn
«ide of the river on Hec. 28. at the -^^\"l ^^fj^^' ,, down it i.
was found and «>.ne coal was extracted, but a. it was
;:Uble that th. water interfered with -he work., gs.
,.U.e..re.hole put down by Dr. "^^^J.^ r-'altdenir^^
i„ Se. 6 he proUbly did not .tr.ke -^ °' ;^'',^;,^;^,:rin the series,
.trate that there U y^^-^'^ -^'^ jf J fZd nearer the .urface
;i^::rr:rr:ite:t.::ard, that have .en gene-
rally considered nonproductive.
Burning of Coal ieam».
Enquiries made at the mines
have elicited the information that in
Enquiries niade at the ""-'U, extends at farthest on'y about
the vicinity, the burn.ng of '« '"^"'''.JJ^^^^^^^nhe .earns catching
one hundred feet, back from f '""^^^ J,';^"^;" j" i„g ,ut and di.in-
«re at the -^i;^^::^i:::::::2Z ^ u k^died. The
t^gratmg of the lignite «♦ »^« ^ ^^^^^ drying by its heat
ignited --; -'y --^^ - ; VLt con^uined as far back as the
; roTmr::: aUoir The further consumption of the lower part
proceeds very slowly bef<,re it is extinguished.
--f|
■wwkKa
r;iK co\i. iroHizoNi
I.I r
.UilOl$ ll/H'llltillg.
I»urinj{ tim luminar rm»ny of th.* minHi. ar." not in opiMuticii ii* the
inarki't for <\w prinluct ..f Mmullcr oiihh in pun-jy |,,ciil .mil th« .l.iimiKl
only for tho winter m.mthH. In tl... K.l.-v«n .li.fri.t »:,. re w.sonly o,... I)„„ch,, „,i„..
(lliti H.incuii iiiino) that win i.lii|>|>iiiK i.m.1 by tar l-.l». TliU wnsilrnwri
l>y Imin toH npur or M.lin.-M.n tlie Imnk i«»)ove' The mini- i^ not (iev..|o|H<.l
tv mij .-xtent, NN yft only four r.-.n^, t wo on »-«.h >U\f of th.> entranc.-,
•>einj{ ininwl out ami 1 1 r timlierinii rp.|uire(l ix not very i-xl.n.ivi. Ot' the
■Soo mine, which ih ^al,l t« \h> worknl in th.- winter, no infornwition a» rr,-,..ct
to the chiiracter of the worlcin«» rouhl !«• ohtiiin.d n* li,e ilope wan ""•"''"
ll<KKh.d with water. Many open outn aloi.K the. ,i<Ie hill are to he neen
near the town where farmer-, have <lu>.' m. .•.w| for home »»,e. Aitohh
the valley on S,-c. 11 a tuni.ol is ilriv.r. into the Unk on a nix feet
nearn and a iilope farther in lead.H down to a low.r seaiu. maid to be live
feet thick. An the tunnel was not well tiuil er.d part of the r.mf had
fallen and the interior wan not nevu. About two mile* up the Souri«
from the Iwnd, a tunnel Ih Iw.ng duj.' . »to the hill on the we«t tide of
the valley, probably on the middle Meani.
The Souri* Coal Co., which ,ow has control of the mines workinjj \l.i....at r. ,
ftt Coal Field east of Uoche Perc.'e, hn« for the prewnt eloHed up the '''''''' "' "
Taylor mine near the latter station and confine.! its ope-rations to tho
group known an the Haosnrd, New S,.uris Farmer and the l(oi-he
Percee mines. I hese are ail .m an eight l.-et seam. The entrance to
the Haswrd it. from the west si.le of the «uN.'. n the southern part of
Hec. 4 As the seam hu-. an easy slope to tli. west, the entrance is on
a iliKht incline and the drainuge of tne mine is a. coniplishe.1 by a
steam plant which also compresses air f"r the cutting iiinchimg. In
the New .S.juris mine the entrance is to the east and just opposite the
Hassaid. In this the seam is reache<i by a short slope and as it
rises ..lightly towar.l the north-t.ist the loaded cars re<|uiie very
little power to hnul them to the foot of the slope. The drainage is very
simp!.- ami miyht Iw said to be natural. In the Hoche Perce.- ifline
the tntranc." is from the level and the seam for a short distance, rises
slightly and tl.oi! runs on nearly a level, with p..rhaps a diyht tall to
the norlh .-.ist. The drainage is principally by a siphon to the mouth
but an a,i it level has been cut eastward to the next gully.
The system of mining is ..-enerally by the ro.jm and pillar method. Sv-t.„, „f
Double entries from the foot of the slope or from near the entrance """'"^
are driven with a width of alK)vt six feet, leavi • > pi||„r of at least
twenty feet between them. Side entries run from the main ones and
Vfntiliitioii.
Tiintj«MiiiK-
Charaitir.
14 F
EASTERN AS81SIII01A
AiiMnnit <if
coal.
£..o„> these the rooms are opened about twenty feet wid.- with a pillar
of the same width.
The ventilation is induced by chin.neyn opening to the surface of
the prairie above, in which a fire is kept burning and the en cu at on o
air is controlled by a systen, of doors on the entr.es and small tunnels
from these to the rooms.
* Ti„.bering in the entries is made dose, but in the rooms it is found
th t a doubt row of posts at six feet apart is sutficient. the roof though
gtlally of soft sandstone does not fall su.ldenly and often a th.n roof
of coal is left, as it is brittle and by <=•-''•"« ^•''^"^**'^ "'r;.";^
parts of the mines where the seam is very wet, the en.nes are e tended
so as to cut out large areas and the block is allowed a season to dram
out.
Amount and eliaractT of coal.
As the coal is a lignite, its physical condition renders i* •li«;<="l^;';
transport without loss from both slacking and crush.ng Its chem c
composition shows not only a high percentage of water but also o
Itile combustible u.atter. The water is readily >o«^ ^« » >-f « -*-
by exposure to the air so that it is generally sh.pFK-d ,n closed box ca,.
'nd cle is also taken in storing it in a closed she.L The loss of the
listure causes it to crack and the poorer part is reduced to powder.
In the mining the friable nature of this coal causes aNo a large loss
bv wast* in the process, so that instead of a culnc content of wenty^
fiVe feet making a ton it is tnore generally found that at least th rty
f^t are necessary and in parts of a seam u higher percentage of loss
etu If the miner could extract all the coal in the m ne at even
Tpercentageof loss there would still be for this ei.Ut «.. se m
total of 10,890 tons to the s.,uare acre or for the square nule 6.96J,G00
tons This amount is all that can be expected from the one seam, but
for local use there are several sea.ns as outlined prevotisly, al,ove the
onjat present being .nined and the total supply can thus be greatly
added to.
In a .eneral way the lignites of the plains, ,n b«ls not disturbed by
lateral pressure or folding, are very similar, but it is found by aruvlj-s^
that th' percentage of fixed cav.>on decreases eastward from he moun-
TL A few exa,nples are here tabulated to show the fa.rly general
tendency. The samples are from natural exposures.
, T„r.l..n.mn.ai„. |..k..ta, fix..! caiU,„ :«1 -.H, ''"ly •«• <•;"
, Siirv. >... 27 1 1. 74.
,. lH,S-.'-.><;tS4 llM.
»v\
-*^
DawLixa.]
THE CO\L HORIZONS
i:
■-> F
t i
I
4
3 Hiiy Hat. \V,„,(1 iiiiMiiitaiii. lurlxm 3s:,» Animal K.in.rt ls.sr> 3m.
4 Maintain. Min- 7 uiUvs \V. „f .\|,.,li,ii..- Hat. ,ail«,n »ir.,l. .\nimal KHp. ls.-ij I,,
5 Cial liaiik.s ii.ar L.'tlil)ricl^,'i.. lailx.n rui l!.|..rt ..f l"i.«r.-s 1H«l"..s;).H4 3ipm.
<i Niirth .•.l^',. .,f .Milk riv.T I idp. n.ar Ki«-il , ..iil.-.-. lai I..11 t'.is.-,. Ann. K.p. ]A<, .-..11
: Xiirtli lurk ..f Ol.j Man riv.r at has.- ..f Kuikv in..ui.tains caili..n .W-4ci. K.]-.. t ..f
s .Soiitli f..rk of 01,1 .Man river, < iiU.n .■hWl. Annual (!.|.,.it lsnr> Km.
!l (Vscailr niinv, l!,,w ri\.-r, ca.lK.n 74-3.-.. K.|«,rt nf I'i-,.„-i, ... |.w.> S.J.S) 41v.
Nos. 7, 8 and 9 are true coals— the last one being a seinianthracitp.
In a general way the lower seams or those having a greater thickness
of strata alxjve them are better in cliaracter than those nearer the
surface. This is shown in several analyses made by Dr. Daw son of the
seams exposed on Sec. 10, south of Kstevan, and given in paragraph 210
in the International boundary report. The members of the section are
numbered from the top downward.
No. -2 is a lignite having 3010 per cent of fixed carbon.
No. 10 is a lignite having 3G-68 percent of fixed carbon.
No. 17. A weathered specimen (percentage low) 2801.
No. 19. Lignite (weathered) 38-3r) per cent fixed carbon.
In following the seam, given above as No. 2, up the valley to the
south, it becomes covered by a greater thickness of strata and near
Wood E!id an analysis shows 34-97 per cent fixed carbon. Manv of
the seams show a tendency to change in character— sometimes indeed
passing into a dark shale with hardly a trace of carbon.
Incrua«v nf
carUxi with
lllptll llI'li.W
surfacr.
Aye 0/ the deposit s.
From the fossil remains collected at different tir.ies from this locality, \^,.. ,,,
it has been generally recognized that these lieds are directly comparabie ''-V"»it»
with the Fort Union group. In the Edmonton district of northern
Alberta, the beds which were referred to the Laramie are divided into
two series, the lower deposited in brnckish water and the upper iti fresh
water. The upper .series, the F'askapoo, contains a fauna that is cer-
tainly veiy similar to that found in the Souris and may therefore be
correlated with it. The Souris rocks are thus probably situated at the
base of the Tertiary and above the upper part of the transition series
at the top of the Cr<>taceou8.
The division drawn between the upper and lower parts of the I^ramie
probably comes below the coal seams of the district, and the lower part
coiiparable to the Edmonton beds is to be found in the section given
in the borehole put down by Dr. Selwyn ea>t of the mines. The" coal
16 F
EASTERN AS81NIR0IA
horizon reached by this bore at about 300 feet, probably represents that
which is repeated in the lower slopes of Turtle mountiiin in Manitoba
and again to the west in the western part of the Coteau and the Wood
mountains.
This would show a wide shallow syncline alon^' the International
lx)undary, the centre of which, showing the highest beds, being in the
neighborhood of the mines at Roche Percee — the high plateau east of
•Short creek and the eastern part of the Coteau.
The horizon at which most of the fossils were found is above the
lower coal seams which are here exposed and many of them come from
the beds between the upper and middle horizons. The plants are from
the shales above the lower «:oal.
The loUowing forms are compiled from the lists already published ;
Unio princun. M. and H.
Corbula mactrijormis, M. and H.
Thaumastus limncijorrnia M. and H.
(Joniohasin Sfibrascensis, M. and H.
O'oniobasis teniiiearinata, M. and H.
Campeloma productum, White.
Campeloma muftilineatum, M. and H.
Viviparun troehiformis, M. and H.
VirijMTus Leai, M. and H.
Viviparna Conradi ?
i'latanus lulerophyUus, Newberry
Platanus nobi/is, Newberry.
Sansafraa Sel>n/ni, Dawson.
Quercus. Sp.
Ta-ntes Ohiki, Heer.
I'axites occidentaHs, Newberry.
Beside the above wc made a collection of plants which are not yet
determined, as well as a small collection, mainly the same forms as in
the above list ; and from just above the lower coal a claw of a turtle
and a vertebra, probably of a reptile of the type of C'hampsusaurus
were obtained.
■^ 'i
(iEOI.lK.lr.M, SiHVKV OK f'ASAIiA.
\()|.. XV. I'Ain K, I'l.ATK III.
I), i;. i>.. |.iiut.>.
TiiK Sn.Ai! l.oAK llii.i.. Sunns Minks.
I'.Ni-.',
I), li. !)., ,,l,..tn, |.,|,2
WkaIMKHKI. SAMi>rn\K. .^i il 111 .S||.K ny Sill HIS \'aI.I,E\.
I-
■■ A
IIEI.MI.S OF NATURAL EXFOSUIiKS AND SKCIIONfS
17 K
NATLHAL EXPOSURKS AND sKfTIONS
Xoi-th side of valley from EHftmn eau/irnrd.
Just west of the station yard at Estevaii, tlie railway cross.-s a deep
gully running west to the valley of the Souris. In this the first
extensive work of extracting coal was liegun in what was called the
■>ld Dominion mine. This was on the upper seam, which is generally
found to be about four feet in thickness over a large part of this ama.
Here however it had a thickness of about eight feet but the .|uality
pro'.ing poor the enterprise was abandoned. As th<' old workings
are blocked up th.- only exposures now to be seen are in a small tunnel
about one hundred yards west of the trestle, running into the south
bank. Here the seam is eight feet but very dirty looking—a bright
part aljout ten inches thick near the top being th«! ..nly good coiil in
the section. On the northern side of the gully the old entrances to
the levels of the Dominion mine still st.ind though the railway tracks
that formed a spu rdown the coulee have been removed. From all appe
ranees the seam worked was of a friable nature and very dusty. It is
only about twenty feet below the surface in the vicinity of the town.
The elevation by comparison with the rails at the station is 18(0 to
183S feet above tide.
In the valley to the south tliis seam is not well exf«se<l as tl.-e slopes
are mainly gra,ss covered. On the slopes of an isolated hill almost
■^outh of the old mine several of the upper seams are well exposed.
The upper four foot seam is re[presented by a few streaks of lignite.
Bekw this the middle seams, which along the valley are generally burnt
at the OL- -.crop, are here represented by quite important beds. The
section ii the hill is given below.
I'" t ill. Ap|ir..\. Kl. \;iti.iii.
<^''-'-V '' » T.,|,,,C hill |st7
i'5(»i(' tliiii -tiiMk.-. . j.,,1
t'li».v ir, (I
'r..|ii t (-..al I-:'.-,
Liiinitf . 1 t;
Clay ■> i;
Lignite 1 II
'■'■ly i; I)
Limiitf ;{ j;
liuttulli ,if
sf-ction Isl (
N'ear the n irth end of this, another level has l)een excavate<l into
the hill tn strike the s-me bed but it had been burnt out.
I'l'lllllllnll
lilllli-.
'■■•■'Irll III
;lllt'\ Wf^t
ti l'!stpvan.
IS ¥
KASTKUX ASSlMltOIA
On the edge wf the Imnk ^outli of Estevaii .station iiini iirnr the pu>t
marking the conjunction of the four' sections iiuiiilicrtfi I t, 1."). JJ ariii
■_'3, II ra\ iii»- cuts into tlie liank for a short distance h'uvinu' a projecting;
jKiint in section I'l. On Wnih sides nf tills point the upper andniiddh'
coal seams are exposed. <»nt lie west .side the upper seam has been
opened along its outcrop and cunsideralile coal taken out without
mining. Mere the elevation of the .seam is ls2.j feet aliove sea. The
.seam, probably the one at the Dominion mine, contains oidy 17 inches
of fair coal covered by two feet of carbonaceous shale almost a lignite.
On the eastern edge of this point the same seam is again e.xpo.sKl
with a covering of light clay six feet in thickness to the top of the
bank. Below iheie is grey clay for eight feet to the top of another small
seam. V'llcjw sandy clay with ironstone nodules occurs at the bottom
of this e.\posure below the last coal seam. South of this section and
above the road leading down from the town, at 1810 feet or Iti feet
below the upper .seam there is an exposure of four feet of poor dusty
lignite of which only the lowest foot appears to be fairly hard. (Jrey
clay five feet in thickness lies lielow this and then another small lignite
seam is seen. The beds beneatli the road leading "ut of the coulee
ought to be on the horizon of the seams at ihe .Soo mine in the next
ravine to th(! east.
The .secti'in here can be sunniiarized as below :--
It. s.
bi.'lit ^'li-v i-lay .
loiy elfiy
Tliiii SfaiM of lignite .
Yellciw clay and saiiil
/■;/■./((
(.11
cl:-.
.Mr:i-iif» s folicfall'l
y.';/."'* 1 ft (iiiarri*'<l
.\p|'i'i\. l'!l»'\.ition.
■I'Mi.iif l,ai,l; \.<m;
1;m-i .if s..aiii ISL'i;
Isls
]•...;■ .1 ~r:ihl ISM
r,.ii.i,.;,i,.,l o,
t.r.it.if -l.'|.l'
The north east quarter of J^ec. li is cut ll^) by a large coulee openiiv..;
southwaid at til? lentri' of the section. The exposures in this show
tiie liea\i.'-,t coal horizon t(. be :it aliout (tie lowest part or floor of tlie
aieat'iuis e!(.ded. t)n the outei edge of tli.- banks as th.ey approach
the river x.iiiey there appears to be a sligiil dip to the simlli west s.,
as to carry tl.o co;ii seam^ beneath the river llat. This may me.in.
however, that the C(«il is burnt out along the edge of the valley and
into the banks to the north, ^'i letting .lowii the top measures tivir i-i
six {ec. t >n the north sicl.- ..t tln' aiiiphitheatre hero fornu'd is the
IMiHLIXil. I DKT.XILH OK NAITHAI. EM'osrRKS AMI >*Kril(i\> I'.l K
Soo mine. A slopinj^ tunnel lea.)- down fr tlir foot »t' a scaipi-d s,
Imnk iind coiil lias Iwen mined hen^ by Mr. Vardlcy. XeartT ihf railway.
in H narrDwr valley. » upper seam lia.s Iteen opened l>y prospect holes
near the surface. It h.is there a thickness of »i, feet hut it is soft
and dusty and would not hear much transhipment.
The section here is as follows ;
I-''' I. 111. .\|.|,rn\. Kl x.ili,,!!.
(ii:i»i"y «|..|.i-. lii. ;i«iiri -(■micwi'.-il.. , II ii 'r.i|. ..f hili Isl.i
/.(>/"i7(, .Hcillll f\|HiSC(l ill niVlllf. . , I II I!;!-! nl .. Ill, |sl7.
limy cluV witll ;.J<ll(ly ~Hr^lli» III
lilfllitl II I,
(oay chiy. .". i,
^'l•ll,lw striiik
limyiinil vlluw >:in'ly i lay i; ii
ll-onstnilr lll^xiules
Uriiy clay -j ii
Li^iuili ami ^liali' :i ii
.Sail<l.it(lllr . 7 I,
I 'l.iy iiiiti:<t(im' layi-r
Lifinilr I i:
I'.lack shale .s
Lif/nitf lu
Clay anil sanil , , | i;
Lianitf, scaiii U-iii^' iiiini'l 1,\- Mi,
Varill.-v :; i^ T..i. i.f ,-,,al 17;:.
In the ne.Kt side gully east from the 800 mine, proliahly on the nor- I'm
thern part of the south-west ijuarter of Sec. 14, an openin;; has Keen
made at nearly the same level as at the S.k) mine, \>y .Nlr. P. I^unean.
Here the partings between the three lower seams have disappeared and
nearly eiyht feet of coal is being mined. The slope extends into the
hill about two chains, and two rooms have been e.ictended back aliout
forty feet from the tunnel on each side. The face of the seam shows
a fair quality of lir;nite, with a dull portion in the centre-the lower
part being of better i|uality. A roof of more than a foot of the coal is
left and about six feet and a half is taken out. This is beiii^' shipped
in ear lots- the tran-sfer from the mine being made by team to a spur
on th(^ railway abiive the mine.
The top of the coal seam is at alif.ut 17sl feet above sea or nearly
on a level with tlie top cif the three lo'ver .seams at the .Soo mine.
The south-west i|uarter of Sec. 14 is homesteaded by Mr. M. Carroll <'■-.
and is mostly ,i broad river flat, In the .southern jiart two isolated
hills are beinK cut into by the stream along their south side and
three seams are exposed. The lower one is of fair coal about four tVit
1.5— F—2.^
20 »•
KAHTEKN AgfllNIIIOIA
mil.'
.fti.n,- |:i |,
ill lliickiiessand it has Ijem niine<l tfi •ome extent. T' ring tloijds
aiinoHt reiicii the mouth of tiic tunne! but it is «("■ Iki- i 1") fi-et
iiixive the NtrfiiDi. Abdvo this £i)ur fe<'t seam .»ppeiirti to Iw a
lignite of f.iir average ijuality, tho section shows l fc ' of yellow -ancly
flay t'olloweil hy 18 inches of poorer lignite. A variable amount from
J** in. to 24 in. of light clay showing seftions of stems and pieces of
rarlM>ni/'>(l wcmkI is above the middle Sfam and a thickness of 14 in. of
poor coal represents the upp»!r part </f this coal horizon. In tracing
thi-. upper seam around the hill it appears to thin out considerably.
.Miove the coal is live feet of clay, at the top of which is a clay iron-
ston;( layer. The ironstime is found at the eastern end of the hill at
two feet above the coal so that the intervening; clay deposit is very
viiriable in thickness. The ironstone is covered by clay.s and sands to
the top iif the hill, almut 2"> feet.
The river makes a strong Ijend to the east and touches the south-
west pirt of Section 13. A high point at the extreme south-west
corner is scarped and shows a section of nearly "(T feet. The faint
exposures along the banks from filstevan eastward would seem to indi-
cate that the same beds were e.xposedall along. If the coal seams found
here an tho same as at the Soo mine, there nnust be a slight dip to the
east amounting to forty feet from the mine to the south-eastern corner
'if the same section which will be seen on a comparison of the elevation
given for the two sections. The section at this place is given bi;low
in descending order.
Kl.
valiiiM
l>.
in.
Ft. in
V'i\> iif f\|iii*iii-f . .
i::il 11
N'clldu NandHtonc (ixt-rlyiiifj h tiu 'liiilf.
Itfiicath
whii'li is a »i-ii(s rif -amis aiTaiitfPfl
in liaml.s
ycllou and ltcv
'2~
(1
I.ifiniti .
1
K
'May lijrht ^ji-t-v
:i
)i
lloiiHtiini' lianii
.slanily clay
i;
r,
t 'lay iniiistnnt' . .
t'lay and ininsroiit- ...
<)
Ltfiiiitf . . . ...
1
I)
< 'liiy
1
(1
I.igiiile mil- fiiot to tiftiiii inrln - ....
I
A
Satnly clav
i
t\
Tiip of c'lial scaiii
174* li
LitjtuU.
1
i;
C'.vt-rcd to wat'-r
s
)i
K'tiniatcd IfVf! uf watnr in riv.-r ....
17:tM)
liKlAII.«i OK NATURAL KXI'OHfRKS A!*l> sKCllONs
Jl K
[n the lower pitit, now concfaloij \>y u lutul'^lidp, llifrc ib e\iileni»" to
hIiow that coal han livcti luiiiod hen', Iml tht; s| i.i;^ t'lexhi'ts llooil the
workings anil (Jrii;{ down more of Ihi- cliff. It is reported that the
farmers open up ii fimr-fcel scum that ccjiin ^ alxivc the water-level at
thai seuMoii each wititi i Tt i> |irolMilily a seam wliicli i>* partly cosered
by the preiicnt streani in IIo(i '.
Strata on the nortli iiartrjf S.-iv 12 Just south of the half niile mound, s.
in descendiiiif oriler :
I'.l.
l.cth.ll
Kt,
111. I'r
T.,|..
l| HtMlitlll . , . ,
1 ill y cluy aii't niHf V ftMiltM .
■J't
IIS
\?y
Vclli.u fluy v\ itii ;i -tniik t.f i
(itl^fo
!•• l\>> till
.,
at iNjttftin
L'"
II
Ittuk •''(ff-onitcrtu xhn/c . . . . . .
I
n
(iifV day . . ...
<i
1)
Cl.iv
itoiiMtoiu )innil ...
Lit/i'.tti
W'liitt- wiiinUtuiiff* . . .
.s
1
i;
M
l.i'Jtt
itc. tluckm's> uiikiinuii
.Slt.|«' lOVHitHl tM watti
,;
.,
I..-.
! of livrr. ...
\:m>
A i;rass-covc red valley with steep slope runs parallel to the river.
This depres.sion e.xtend.s from Se •. .'$3 to the town of Kstevan and thus
forms a narrow ridge between it and the river. Side valleys cuttinj^
directly back from the river have tie^jjun the jjradual dissection of the
ridge into long hills, a process which can be seen at a later stage in the
lines of small ridges in the larger valley.
Exposures are not freijuent along this part but a small section is >;, ,
shown in a hill in the north east part of Sec. fi, township 2, range 7, ''
where one of the side gullies is cutting across the narrow ridge.
'i'o|» of exposure
Yellow saiulstone
'rif|. of i-o;*l >»'jiiii on tii-e
Liijnttv itpiii-oxiiiiatf tliickne
Kle\;itiiiii.
Ft. in. l-'t.
1H1(>
I7tW
A small conical hill just here has had the coal seam which formetl
its top burned away. Below this a clay i.unstone band apjx-ars at
ITT.'t feet.
The section under it is ;
L'J K
KAtl'EK.N ANHINIIIOIA
It
'■.. T|
li.
■■: T|. :■
rii|i III 1 lav ii'iiiiotiiiii'
'In J 1 liiy «itli yillim -tr.iik-
t'lmr /.riiHli ;lliil Maik -Iml.-
Sa.,.1
W.I. « .</,,. ^
It.itt.iiii III
lAI.
Kl' \iiti.iii.
It. III. Kt.
I II
I7ii;i
.•»e<tioii nil river lumk in Sec. ."i, township L', riini{f 7 :
Diri'ctly south from tin; centre of tiie section on tliu river Imnk ii
"umll cxponure shows tliree i.niiill «eiiii s nenr tUi- wnter. At 180;i feel,
the top of the e.xpo.sure, yellow sHmls unti cliiys with u few beds
hnrdeneil into s ind.stone form the nwNs of tiie upper 3U feel. At 177.J
feet or .10 feet dow i, ii Wmiul red hand sliow.s where the . Oiil seam nnted
a mile up the river as lieiii.; on fire, 1ms b<en l)urned out. (Jriiy clays
>how to 1742 feet or 12 feet aU.ve the water, underlaid by ihiee sniiill
coal seiinjs.
Hection on south-west corner, Sec. .1, townnhip l', run^e 7.
I'.eils altojjether above those exposed in the last section are here seen
and the horizon of the upper coal should bo exposed. It may probably
|je represented by two thin .seams in the upper part of the section.
si <
rraiii.' l.Ml
•'lay ami »iiiall fra>fiiii?it« .if inin^tiuiM.
(irny clay. . .
r.lat-k cai'liDii.it iiH>liaIi'
ISiiiwii shall partly li)fiiitr
l.iK'lit yrllow sanily clay
Ilriji'it yi'lluw tiiiiniiiKi'-aiiily clay |iartlv
<.lIHlf-tll!H- .....
l.iiliutt .... ,
lifdwn mill i{ray ilay
Yi'llow saiKl>ti.iii' anil ilav irniistiia.
• iray clay. .
N'l'lliiw i.lay ii-on^tmir ami thin luilihij
c-lay.'*
\Vhiti..h UTay Kaliil.»tiili.-
Iia.*.' iif AIM.SMC*- .....
.\lj|iriiv.
. .1
III.
h-VHtii.|l.
.*"»
li
II
1
11
II
II
4
II
II
lxl.1
n
Hxposure on south-east part of .Sec. ,35, township 1, range 7.
The upper beds of the exposure given abo\ e are not repeated between
this and Roche Percee as the lianks are much Ux> lew near the river
DKI.MI.K O* N.VrUNAI. KXI'ONL'HKH AVr> NMTIONl*
.>3 I
itiiii the oulfniji woul.l |iri)bubly tnllow iDitli oi thf towri.liip liiif A ^-
• liy vall»«y panllel U> ttm |.r. wnt dim- uff.iicls nii easy ^ritdf tor tho ''
ittilwiiy ".lit of tli»> .iilli-y on iIip noiili siili-. 'fli.' point tliiH out otl i-
Moi us high lis til" ,iv»!iii:4- .,f llm Ixuiks .•U.'wjiero. A U-mi of tlic
rivor cuttiii;,' into it iiflonls ii I'lnnl .xpogun- of thi" lower l)«'«U. Th<-
top of thr cxposuru I'oriiiu- noi- rnjir mehiiieof the oim iiiMivc iind
may in>'hi
olilnr
■ ic soin" ol
f it Til.' f'lliuwing is ihf -.uctioii in clp-itt'iiiluiu
AiM.r..
Siiif.,
■•1>
ll..uM..t iImv :,ri.| -Mil..
i'''i»WIl MiOMlotMtl*-
• in;, rhty
S.lllcl«t"lir«
I 'lay with nluli^.
K^il liiirnt -.lull' K
\t lliitt- Hint lillli' rl.iv.
lira.- »»iiily "liiili
^'l■!l.^\^ «;(iifUT>>n>'
<ii;iy iaiiili.tiiiLi'M »itli iliiik > l,iv .it i.iji.
(iruy I'liiy »itli ^.tiv^.k ..I liifniti' .it t"|i.
r^ailllntiilli'
• liiiy 1 liiy, ri il -tiv.ik iit U<\< .
hiirk ttriiy ilay, ••rcmii iit tup.
l.'iinilr imicli wi'.itli-ifil, «iili iti .iik-
clay m-ar Imi-.*-
('(MKTaitil t*i watt-r of --tn-aiu.
Hi
,i».ui. wi:
I7>.i
■C. Tl. I.
i:;iii
riic buriieil .strain iil l"t>3 appHuis at tlie rij;ht. i-Unatioii for a conti-
iiualiou of thi- .s.'am noted ii.s l>ping on fire in Sec. ti, aliout four miles
lo the west. It is impossible to l)e certain without sections iloser-
toi;ether international l)Ut the beds --eera to be undisturlwii. The expo-
suii! are continued aloiijj the bank to Sec. 2"). The references to these
in tho Internatonal boundary .eportaro in the following' paragraph : —
•207 sections more or less perfect are exhibited in many places in
the Souris valley, a mile or two west of the entrance into it, from tlie
south, of Short creek ; and more especially on the north side of the
valley. They show a j;re.it similarity, though not absolutely the same
in any two places.
'One of the most perfect exposures seen was in the face of a bank
from sixty to seventy feet high, and consisted of .sand, sandy clavs,
and hard tine clays very regularly ,i 1 perfectly stratified and coloured
in various shade*- of yellow-gray, g , and light dra' At two differ-
BAllTKK>i' ANHlNlltOIA
Hec. , , ' ..
R. 7
Hw.Ml, Ti..
K. H.
Taylur mm*'.
' tint levalN harrlor Han<liitoni) hiyeii of Mimll thiikrifsn were imu nml
•Ido thi«(> diHtinct l>Mlit of liunite.
' '1 li« luwMt IK /I hard coinpiu't lii^nite rcsftiililing cnnnel orxtl in M|M>ot,
mul iwo feet thrw incho« tliic k. A fow ftTt uIkivp thi« a McomI wmu,
eiKhtttm inohe« thick, hccum, nml mill hinhir in thn Norit-ii, ami alxiut
half w»y up lli.< Iditik, n thiitl, ..f tim sum,, tliirkneoii. At thi< tn|, of
the lumk Koiiii- Inijje nearly ^plmrical nolul.-s rent, nmi Imv.' evidently
Ijeon ileriv.d fi-om n >iuperior l<ml which hnit been reinovt-d liy ih-nudii
tiiin. Thceliiyi and nrfinaceciuH shalcfi, at smtTal diffcri'nt IbvpIh incliidf
n-mainfi of inolliiitca, but the.M- an- very frugincntary, having iMen
crushed hy the . oinpre-'tion of the containing lualerial. A -pecies of
I'nioiM ahundant, and reuiainsof ({iiHtero|)oda nUo occur, though rarely,
and in poor prenerxation.
I Kastward and north of Kot!he IVrccc utation the exjiOHUres an- not
very dixtinct but the i-oal ^eains of the lower hf>ri/on appear to ri.-e
slightly and at the Taylor mine in the Houth-eost corner of S«k'. ."M.
townnhip I, range •;. a thicknesn of five feet of good lignite is mined-
•JS feet alxive the water of the stream. Alwve the coal is a veil detinotl
band :i{ fcindstone weathering out along the top of the hill in irrejrulai
forms. This sandstone band can be traced from the middle of the section
iriven above and is Ijetween the lower coal and the burnt seam of the
middle of the exposure. The full .section at the Taylor mine in found
to be rep.esented north aUmg the banks of a .small glream. In the
mouth of a valley cotuing from Sec. .,. a . « i shows a .- -i uon of itljout
25 feet of .sandstone al)Ove wat«i and it probably reached downward to
within 10 or 15 feet of the coal seam of the mine.
The total section in the side valley and the mine could be repre
sentetl by the following scheme : —
Suif.'iCf of prairu- siiiitli «Hi(^i' nf S«'c. '1 . .
.Stjrfacf' (lt>|>OMit . . . ,
Yellnw ?,illldrttone
Yt'llow day .
£i;/)ii(c iiartly liiirmil »t c)Utcrii|i. niinicl
at several jifiintM in the valley
Lt'vcl of flo<)r <if tunnel
Wliitisli clay with soine i.anilstoiie
l.iRlit yillciwiHli days ami ■.iitids.
Liynitr
Itlulsh clay.< willi several carl»)nao<(.ii.s
layers
I^rown sitndy iitnistone
I Iralp clays, rlarker streaks of lignite
Keel
4
«
4
s
IL'
li
ti
1
1
Kle\ati(>n.
Aisne tide
ISO:' h
1M4M
(JEOLOtilCAL SlHVKV OF CANADA.
I'ERSl'KCTIVK OF StoOKI. L^Kl|
Vol.. X\', I'.VKl K, I'l..\Tl£ IV,
_ ; -^ •■-» ;
ni>Ki. r,<KiKr.N<; N\mTn.
J
r
I
xi
mf.
I
■»H
f-.
DKTAIL8 OF NATURAL EXPOSURKS AND SKniOVS
'2i) r
K.-et
Dane iif ex|KiHure
C'onct'uli'<ltiit<<|t(>f cdiiUfaiiiniiitVl m^Avby
Cfxtf^ tif/mtc .
Concealed to tnirU of ^^»'ll at uUmt
Sandntimt'.^ in well, at leu^t
San(lNtunt'Hex|iOHe(la)Mjvf tht'Taylorfifain
Top of coal at mine n»-ar river
Liffnitf, Taylor scam
Clay;* Ac. to water of stream
Klevatioii
aixtve titlt'.
IMl't (i
IHH (i
1701
Mr. Thompson the former raanagor of the Tajlor mine informs nie
that in drilling by hand l>elow the seam of the mine anotl\er scam of
■J.' inches of lignite was found and that for a considerab'^ depth below
that seam the measures were barren. This would agree with the record
of the bore put down by Dr. Selwyn six miles to the east.
East of this there is a group of mines now in active operation on an >!„,
eight feet seam which appears to be a continuation and combination }'""
of the seams of the lower horizon. In the Walsh mine there is reported
a clay parting which is first developed in the Hassard mine just to the
north. In this latter mine the seam dips to the west and the clay
parting increases in that direction. To the east in the New Souris
mine there is no clay parting and the seam maintains a thicknessof l,.iHir »faih
eight feet and sometimes considerably exceeds that volume. The jililji,,'-^/ '•*
same may be '-■■'' of the seam in the other mines to the east. There seems
to bs no d , -t the coal splits ingoing westward. This is also
borne out ir ions near Estevan where this horizon is represented
by several tb . ouams.
The section in the vicinity of the mines is well represented l)y the iiidulution
exposures on the steep hill east of the Walsh mine called the Sugar J"j,"!'.. "'
I.x>af. The group of mines are all on the one seam and it is noted that
there is a considerable diflference in elevation at the several localities
indicating an undulation of some magnitude. The following elevations
arranged in order from the west will serve to show this : —
Taylor mine
Sugar Loaf ....
Soutiti iiiiiic
Farmer mine
Roche IVrc^-e mine . . . .
Trial i)it east of mine . .
Bore hole on Sec. 35 . . .
Trial pit on Sec. fi east..
Elevation.
8 ft. seam. 4 ft. seam.
Feet.
!:.-><•.
17(W
176ii
17!W
1797
178M
17.'>2
Feet.
184.S
i«;t7
183!)
1.SI2
1823
2C
EASTKKX AS.SIN'IHOIA
Tliivt llie seam slopes up to the north i^ shown in the Imie miulc on
the -ioulli east corner of Sec. lU. Her" the eleviitiuiis are, tor the lower
seam al)OUt 178:5 and for the upper one 1^48 oi' only 14 feet helow the
sui-fiu-e, wliile on Sec. 14 the upper one was not found at all, prohalily
reaching the surface l)etwei'ii the two places.
Section of the strata in the Sugar Loaf.
n
I I
I
S'ivMl l...af
■.tctiim :it
tiiili' -.
Soil
Villow sillily clays
Strciik uf li^'iiite
>!iindyclay witli I'lHicri'tiun .m' ir n. -toil''
Litjiiiti ...
Clay aiiH limwii <lia!f
SaiKl.-^tf pne
\"»lln\v clay HiiiiH- lij^iiite.
VrlliiW saniUtoiie
Liijintt
Uark clay
I.i;.'lit yillnw .■•allfi'itiiiK".
Streak tif lit,'nile
VflUiw and jtray elay
Tui] iif lEiiiMlf scam
Lignite
(Jray clay
fjifnilr
(iray clay
Li'initc
(iray clay shal^
Vellnw to lirfiwn sandstone
Vt-lldw aiul f?i'a\" clay
I )iali clay and shall-
Yelliiw clay
( 1 ray clay
CarlHinaceiius clay
Dark clay
Dark clay witli streaks iif litniiii'
Li'iniU
tJray clay
Yi-Uiiw ami s'ay sandy clay, with thin
sanilstiMie I'l-ds hardencil A in
Slialy ligniti-
CI ly .
Top of lower coal
Ctxtl '(I'm . ■ .
• It
II
ill.
ti
r.ii
\atiuM
l.s.-,.-,
1)
2
1 10
•J
i;
1(1
1
1)
1
11
-
.*»
4
H
<l
1
tl
1
.?
II
7
1)
n
>)
:i
II
i;
1
li
2
II
1
a
4
1
3
2
II
1!
1
HI
II
86
IMI
IT'ti
At the Souris mine the coal is overlaid by sandstone in most of the
e.\posures. Occasionally the ro- i is clay. Below the eight feet seam in
UKTAILS OK NATrliAL KVPOSIHK-* AM- liKCTKlNS
un
er
he
,ly
the
the SouriM, anollier, two feet in tliicknor-s, is exjioseJ iit almut tivc I'cct
helijw, on the roiuj lietweeii the Souris and the K.-inijor mine.
The eight feet seam has |iroVfd to he nt' a fair i)Uality of lignite, ami Tti.- - fimt
its thickness is ample to admit of efonomical wdikin;;. It has heen '"""'
traced along the face of thi> valley on the north side fr.nii the Walsh
mine to Sec 35, and the bore put down near the cent- ■ of this section
in 190"_' proved its existence there, out east of this it has nut been
found. The levels given above .hinv that in this part its surface is ,-,|,,,||.„|„„„
undulatini; : and eiustward from the bore it is expected to dip to t)ie
east and go below the surface of the river-llat. |{educing the elevations
to show the height alwve tiie bridge, crossing the river n> the mines,
will more clearly show the amount of rise and fall jf tlie seam at
its outcrop. At the T.iylor mine it is about 1.^ feet al)o\e the bridi,'e
— at the Souris mine 40 feet— at the Farmer mine (i-l feet— at Koche
Percee mine 71 feet— at trial pit east of above mine G'J feet — at bore
on Sec. 3o, 20 feet. It is thus seen to bi' descending rapidly to the
east from the latter point and it was looked for at an expfjsure on .Sec.
3G, a mile east of the bore-hole.
The river there cuts the bank and exposes over 100 feet. At the s,-,- :«•, Tp. 1,
lower part are several holes made by the mine::, in trying to locate tlie ''■ ''■
lower seam apparently without success. The measures aie not \er'^
well shown but the followin;; section was made out : —
K..I 1 1
T,.|
To,,
f |«iiiit ^Ii^,'lltl.v back finiii tlif lintik
Co!u-fale<l l>y >?rassy slopt-
Sandstjues partly har'lomil
f iipiKT coal seam
Lignitt ...
bi^fht f^ray ilay an-I sonit- saiui..
l)arki 1- fjiay clay.
romi-al»<l to i-i\i-r .
Watfi- of ri\fi- ....
l-^ItAatioii
.\lM,v,ti.|,-.
I.s.%S
1 ix-l
iri-j
The upper seam is here only G6 feet above the river and to the north
east in Sec. 6 at a distance of about a mile it has risen to 115 feet
above the stream. This is probably the direction of the greatest dip.
The lower seam might be c :pected to be present in the bank below this
exposure, but more likely toolowdow ,o work. Ivist of this it proba-
l)ly rises and might be found by digging, but the superficial deposits
are found to be much more thickly strewn over the sides of the valley
as well as on the upper surface, so that there are no exposures and the
eliort of individual miners is not eijual to overcoming the increased
thickness of this bouldery m'^ture.
I
28 f
KASTKHN A.SSIXIIIOIA
H. I..
SkCTIONS on hoi TIIRKN hank Oh SolKIS IMVKI!.
As the river here iimlces ii bend to tlii' nortlicust tl.e sections on the
soutli side slimilil indicate the continuance of the seams a short distance.
None of these exposures show tlie lower seam, hut the Itest section is
that ),'iven by Dr. :>eiwyn in !St. Peters sully. This is probably the
IV I. one that cuts through the eastern part of Sec. J.">, township 1, ninu'e li,
judging from sketchi's in his note book His barometer reading aloiij;
St. C t.
if'ill.v-
Kailgi' Ti.
the face of the bank and on the prairie
Would place his lower
.■t.
III.
.\i~
^. ti.l
ir.i
1"
1.
:<
seam at 03 feet above the Sonris. Comparing tliis with the section !
have given across the atream on the north bank, wheic the upper 4 fei-t
.seam is iit 06 feet above the water, I ,im inclined to think that the
lower coal of his section is the 4 feet seam above the one at the mines.
Reducing tlie elevations to the known position> of the stream and the
t'ip of the bank, the section should be placed as below :
Dr. Selwyn's section, St. I'eter.? gully.
Tii|,of lialik..
St»il iiMii .>aini\ i-liiy
Li'jitttt .
I';ls(. I if fiial
Siift drill) Mindstimi'
Iniimtiir.c liiiiid
Miift ilrali Minii.^timi- ...
Liqnili ...
Hi.>euf uoal
Saiuly day sliiiK'
lron^'tolle with city sliale
Sandy slialf
Sandy ^liali- witli cailniiiacotis Btrl'ak^
Saiidst.on(' and cdncrt'tionar.v »sandi'(H k
witli fiM iti;;in()ti.< liandr. and e(increti'>n~.
<-'liiy sliales
Carlxinacwms streak,
Clay wiiales. sandy
Irenstoni- and whale
/.i'.<;/i/(f (underlaid by stiff clay sliak-1 .
I^ittoni of seani
ISJili
lsi:i
i:;."'
VI! II
While boring near here in 1880, Dr. Selwyn made an effort to trace
these seams eastward to near the site of the borehole. His notes
show that this seam rises rapidly to the northeast and that in the
well section there wau no chance of striking this series. The outcrops
are all concealed, but by sinking a pit in the centre of Sec. ;il, a seam
1
UIIWI.IIIIl I
>Ki riONS ON SOUTMKUN HANK Df' .•iDtUIIi lilVKH
1.'9 K
lit' liyiiite •) ;t " wiis uiucivcieil iil lo:! feci aixivc tlii" ^trt'iim. Thi- l>i'. Hi-, i.i - ;ini«
Sclwyii assuiiifil til lj« tilt! iiiiddli- simti nt' tlii' ■^tclioii iilmvi', and sn
I'xpfctfd 111 striki' it jii>t iiliovd thn liore liolo f.irtliei '■ust. Tin" top
scum lie timt'd h sluirt iliHtiiiifc and supimsi'd tliat it nin-* out In tlie
-urface. It is inoit' piolialilir hnwi-M-r that this wii>, tin- lower siain nt'
his section and so would show nliout tin- >ainp rati' of ri'if as in the
sani(" sf>a>'" on the nrntli hank. The elevations fur these localities,
assuniini; all to helori'' to one aeaiii ate :
St. Pcti-i- unllv.
f Viitrt- lit Sei', ;iii
< 'lilt IV • if Sei'. :ll
TfinI |itt nil Si'i . ti
i;;'. It.
lii:i
ii:i
Tlii'se elevations do not allow of a sinjile plane passing thi()Uj»li tlieiii
all, but show a rise to the north-east increasing norththe of line joinini{
the second and third of the list ahove. Leaving out the first and pro-
jpcting the plane passinj; through the others to the site of the liore hole
in the s<iutli-oast corner of Sec. 6, township 2, range 5, it is found that
the plane shou'd there he at 138 feet above the river. This is near the
lop of the bank and taking thi' distance lielow that at which the lower
S feet seam was found in the Ixire on Sec. .3.'>, it would lirin^ the probable
po-iition of the lower seam .S6 feet above the river.
Both these heiahts are alxive the month of the Ixire and of a well
or pit sunk by hand to strike the seam. The elevations here reduced
to sea level a'e : —
l'r..l.a[,
tliiTl of
.It l«.ri.
IsSll.
• •aitll^
hi .In if
\V,it.i 111 -tri-.ui:. .
Silicic.' iit lK,rt-li, I,.
Siirf.H'.' ;it |iit i:! f.'.t il..|i
Krttil.iateil (n.^itlnll ot' S ff.-t fii-aill
K^tiiiiiiti-il jH.^itirtn i)f iifi]M r 4 f.TT -earn
Ti.p.if iMllk
Fi.t.
171 IS
17ti7
17:il
17'.il
IS 111
ls.-,.(
The bore was sunk to a depth of J'.i."i feet and at 27'.' feet or 140.T
feet above tide, a seam six feet thick was reached. The details nf this
drilling ate given in Dr. Selwyn ?, report for tliut year.*
The character of the coal is yiven in the same volume p. i<il. Kor
the sake of comparison with otheis of this held it is here rept-ated.
"Analyses bv slow and fast coking gave the followini; results : —
l!.|K,ii lit I'rivii s- (li-i.l, .Sun. Call. iS7'i^". |i. .'*.\
I
Mi F
KXSTKHS AHhlMHOIA
('•«) from
ImiH- holt'.
I' l»tM'r H«
''itiitli i>f I
Vun- L>:
inin*-.
■m
ll,Vu'lli-,.i|,il- \\Mt>-|
N'.ilatilr triiiiliiistili|>' iiiitri-r
Kivi'ci C!lll«ill . . .
A.li
Sliiw I'ii-t
cnkiiii^. (-"kiiikr'
ir Ts i: :■<
14 ;t»i II 17
.X :t.". N ;!;.
|IM) tNI IIKI (Kl
l!;ili.. nf iiiliiuli- < l.ii^iililr iii:itt.T r,. H\..liMrliiin 1 t^ t.-'iO I t.. 1,'jr,
'III the siiutli si(li> of llif river tlio exposures, with tlie excppliim of
llnu a'wvu tor St. IVtcr.-i ^ully an.' not >r''neriilly so easily iiiaile out,
Coiil has licpii mined on Sep, I't; in one of llio L'uilies, prol»il)iy from the
-iviiii represented in the lower purl of the St, Peter section. .\ good
e\p(>-iure of this is seen in tlie niilwiiy ciittinj; at tlie southenstern
rorncr of Sec, 34, Four feet six inches i.s the thickness iit this poinc at
an elevation for the Imttoni of the seam, of 103 feet aUove the bridge
or l'<L'.' feet aliove sen.
In the lai'ne l)ranchin;; »ide valley on Sec. '27 traces of this scam
are seen occasionally at al)oiit this same elevation all around the
cH-,tcrn part. To the west it lowers somewhat and in the ne,\t de-
pression which in plan is rouf,'hly leaf-shapeil. it is bein;; mined
from an exposure on the hillside in Sec, "_'>* at an elevation of about
.s3 feet .ibovc the bridge. Along the south .side of the main valley
this seam, west of the lonj; trestle, is not exp ised but probably runs
along jiliove the railway cutting, A small scam i- exposed in the cut-
tin;.' at about Til feet above the river sliowing ;i slight dip to the west.
This is probably represented in the Sugar Loaf by one of the middle
seams.
The uppei' scam where mined on Sec, :2S is from 50 to 50 inche>
tliiik and is of very good appearance. The section here is not very
e.Ntcnsive, only '.'7 feet of beds being seen,
."section at Knight and Carlson's Pure Liiinite mine, N', W, quarter
Sec. J8, Tp, 1, I!, 6,
1-.
Mniltnii'! yclluwUli clay :iT t"]*
I.it.'hf v.-l|ciw eliiy
I >.ii k Ki'> c]ji>'
/..■J.,, I, . .. .
I',3S. .-f ,-.,iil
Saii'!-t"n» . .
(uny cl:t,\'
r...tt.,ii, .if . \|i.
i hi.
.\l)..\,
ri.lc.
Isl'.l
i n
■_> II
4 4
ISIIll
•J II
4 II
11 111
I7V-'
■ji; 10
tp^
»KCriONS ()\ SOlillKIlN I.VNK I'l >0l 111-. UWKU
:il 1
Uuriu ihiilcM on the sidi's of tin- liilU iurroun<iiiiir tlii^ liir;;f il«iiiiil>il
tract iii'liL-fttB a foriiu-r tmtL'io|) ot lliis -^i-iim. ISiit wlifie tli»-.i- liiii^
surround i^toliited liilU it is |iiiii)iil>li' dull iiio-t of the i.oul has luen
iiiirii)-d nwiiy.
Thi' Siiiidstoiifs hclow the scam uidrh siiurt iloii'^ thf -idc i.f thi- I;
viiliey to thf wost nud m-nr lioriii' 1 'hi (■•■>■ art- iiii';;u tily hmdi'iud
so )is to Wfiilhi Mil in cistillatml forms so well (!■ sfrihcd by I)r.
l>;iwsoii, in 'hi I «et which follows ;
* 'I )|l till- Sob . -lidt' of thr Souris vidh'v, and a -horl distaiii<> to
thi' cast of tlie valley of Short ircik, tiie Itochc FVnie tjioiip of loik-.
is siturttt'd.
'This loLidily has ahrady hi'i-n discrilied liy Dr. Ili'Ctorand ('a|itaiTi
Pailiser wlio made a branch ex(pcdilioii to it from thi; iiorlii, in Aui;usi
if«57, bfini; induced to do .so by the reports of Indians and lialfbrceds.
These reinarkalile rocits whicii have loiii,r been objec'.s of su{)erstitiou
to tiie Indian.s inlialjitinj; the surroundinj,' country, owe their curious
forms to the woatherinj{ aw.iy of a soft yray .sandstone from lielow a
bed of siu-ilar rock whii'h weathers yi'llow and is reiidereil ihual)le iiy
an aliuiidant calcareous lehienl. i'.oth the upper and lower sandstones
show false-be<ldcd structure in yreal perfection : thouj,di that in the
upper liaril jmrtion, is on a smaller scale, owinj; to the thinner divisional
planes ot the rock. The cijipini; sandstone is not hardened in a |ier-
feetly uniform manner, but in belts several yards in width, lyiny
jiarallel in a northwest and southeast direction, and separated by
spaces more ea.sy of disintefjration. There is also a system of cross-
joiiitiniT nearly at ri;»ht aiii,'les to this main direction '
'This com ;,ition of structure has given rise, under the loni; con-
tinued action of the weather, to the remarkably <astellated, fantastic
and picturesque rock scenery of this part of the Souris valley. The
hard belt.s form tongues projectini,' diagonally from the grass covered
bank, and th« erosion of the underlyii.g soft saudstone. parallel to the
cross joints, has, in several places produced window-like iipenini;-
tlirough them. The soft rock be.iis in many places rude Indian carvings,
representing various animals and birds, strings of beads, etc.''
The only trace of the lower seam was in the mouth of the gully a! |
the northwest corner of Sec. L'8 below the I'ure Lignite mine " "
on the up[iei seam. It is at about the level of the small stream which
here crosses the railway and has been oj ened iind probably minei! tor
Ki'l"', I ..n th'i;i..i|..,-yMlcl IJ.'^ourcHsdf tlii-fMitv iiikMi |.ar;.ll.l I'Vll. M. I i,in>. M.
M.'iitr-'.^l. Is7."). p. St;,
I . I .
.1-' ►
KAttTRIIN AMMINIHOIA
•'I
M...,th..f
Short rp.. t
a »lii)rt tiiii.', i)ut .IS It i, «,. |,,w tht' wutcr ■»«' tlip .stieam |.n.lM»l>ly
llocil.-.l ihi- workinK>*. !'■< ••IfViiliim hero is oiilv tiiici- fi-ft «l»iv(. tin.
Iirid),"' or l7;.".ialxMp .ca.
Ki)llowing tlif sli.jK-. wi'st to ttii' inoulli <it' Shciit i r.i'k, llie upjior iitiil
iiii'lilli' M'liiin iiri- oiiH-ioiiiiUy iiiillc.itiMl l.y burni'd shiili't liul no certain
lirii' i>t' outcro|> can 1)" mil ic out. It i^ vp.y pidhiitile, li«>w<n«r, tlmt
tlu'V an- icprcsciitcil in tlic section at the nioiil'i of tlifcn-ck at Sumpi-
laiid- niinin;; liicution, mca^urwl l>y l»r. Seiwyn in \f*#<\. The (>x|iosiiic
• Mciiis at II sliiiip li.'iiil in the stieiiin as it cnicryi's troin tlit- narrow
valley of Short creek mil cuts into the east bank, 'l he face of the
Imrik is beinj; lapiilly eroded and slides are fre(|uenl. coiici alin:; the
natural section. As the bank is only itO feet hijjh the scciion jiublinhtd
by Dr. I'ielwyn is piiz/linjj as it totals over LOO feet. This nii^ht lie
explaiiiwl by suppoxin;; that the fiijures are in links imd cha'ns and
alio ineiLsured on the slope of the bank. Reduced as in the foll.iwini.'
it would as^ree better with wh;it I wnn able to make out of the i.riL'inal
-ection.
•'..il ami -iL|«.rficia! .liiii
inNtiiit.. ,t|. siiiiiiv fl;n' ,
. j."/iftt ,
1 n.irk ilnib pi ■ l.n -li.il.-
■• I'il'K!' .. . :,
i; Whiti-h >..f! • .ii.|-i..ii... , . .tj
7 /.w.nV. .... '.
>i Soft liiiiwii ^.iniUidiH' II
'I \V'liii..y l)r(i«n s.iinl«tiiiii. (ciiiita'iiiii^ ii(>ii.ituni. Iumt i'> ti>
7 f|.<-t thick III which were i.iillecti.i| hw.il |.,.i\i.») , . ;(2
I 11
■> i|
II
I)
Siith. I
tmiiiil
Ian. I'. Several tuns of coal were taken from a tunnel mi the live feet m am
in l'<.>^0 and shipped to \Vinni[ 1% probably the tirst shipme t of coal
from this valley. A tunnel 78 feet in length having been driven, the
con: was loaded upon b irges and sent down the then svfollen stream.
Dr. Seiwyn says of the coal ;— *'In the tunnel the lii'nite appeared
to be solid and of good iiuality. The upper .seam is only between 15
and -JO feet lielow the prairie level, and thus .slight depressions in the
surface would sullice to have caused its removal. An analysis of this
lignite was subseiiuently made in the lalxiratory of the Survey by iJr.
HoflFmann who furnished the following report.T
- K.|..,it (if I'p.L'i.K I ;.■,,]. Siii-v. Cull.. iHTii-Sup. ."..\.
» l;.|«rt i.t I'll. ..'r-si. I ;..,.!. Siirv. Can., 18711 .SO p. '.IH.
I'"* (.nil
>IIOIi| I KRK.K
33 r
■ A hrowiii-h liliH'k, •'■)iii[>m'i lit(i>it<'. li^ui'ouH U-xtun* vnry mnrkiHl • '
limtrc for tin* ;(i«iitpr puri iliill, in innic itltcriiil |i(iit>4 xub rv.itiou* tn
rt"»iiii>U'« . Iim;;h ; fnuiiin' mi the « |ii>|h iimvt'n, iK'tniitmiilly, however.
vi'i;j;iii;{ 1)11 thi' -.uli riiiioliiii«iiil . tUivn not ^<iil thfi HiiyiTii, jmiwcIi'I- bluck,
with a l>riiwiii)-h linuc i; I'oiMiiiiiiiicitti'H .i iliTp tiruwni^h rntl coioui'
til II iMtilitig Htitutiun ><i t'liuttii' tKttnMli ; liy i'.\|x>Hur« to tlii' air In-coiupo
more or Ihhji fiH~iir»'cl.
^^ll•|•i(ll• i{r.ivity 1. 1 |ti'< — Wi'i«lii ut -if -oliii luhj.' f.Kit >><..'i.'i |iouii<l«,
AiiulyHfi l>y >lo» auii fast coking ifnw n^ folluwn :
V.illltll.' C'.lllll>ll-.tll.l>
ri\i'il carU.ii
\.h
SI. .IV
...klh.-
■.'I *i
.<•-• 1".
II I.I
I III
"k)ii>:
■.'\ SI
;'. I'.'
■,s 1. 1
I 40
.1 I |.|>i
I!:il1..'il I. .lull. ■..•lull
I'll IHI
|l. II-.'
I.I III
lllil>'ll:.llt. r l..ti\t''ll .lll'.M I I., rj^l, I t" rill
Siioill c'rkkk.
I'p tlif viilli'v lit' .**liiirt cii-eU -.evi'ral ol' the oxfinsurcH show gooii s,
seciiiintt of tin- nn-kH and ciiftl sfaiiid. The first ont? of whii'h I iiiatle
an exaniinatiiMi t* mi the louth-wext side of u long jioiiit running to tho
nouth eiixt from tUf northwest corner of Sec. 24. .\ section nipiisiired
hy Dr. |)iiw- on ni'ur tlie L'nwsing place of tlie (^.mmissioll tniil, must Ihi
near this, as the »i'i|Ui'nci' of lieils is very similar. The tniil asccniln
the west liank an'l ;;.iinH tlie prairie le\cl near tlic cutliank. The
Section as rueaHured liy Dr. l>uwsoii is as below.
T|.. 1
\l.(.i.
.li'V
1 H.,\\ ...
•J V.-M..«i!-li .-.ihiT.-m -:iii(l. k'r.iv . \t>Tiial v. uinl
holiliiiff ^.Hiii- unu'li l.iukfH I'lii" likt* ^hi'lU nr
itsliiiKf
:t I i ray cl.vv
4 Y.lldwinli Kiid thill l.i'.j.lril a:<iiil» :umI -iimly cliiys.
with M-vt-ral vt-iy tl'in ii'..n.>t>'Ui- In >■»■!.., Ai-itthiTiinf
iininKt'-riHl exl'Tiiii'Iy.
."i t i rny il;iy
ti Similar t.. \n. 4 witli .lnMynl friii.'nc.-iit- i.f ifii«teni-
jkul hIii'IU
ID—K— 3
1 i:
IL- I)
■J 10
12 II
1X40
34 F KA8TKRN ASSISIBOIA
3 ;
Fitt. in.
A|.|>rtix.
iflev.
T AUo similar to X<>. 4 Imt with n gii-ftt iiiuiiIkt »f
tliin iionstime ^licets .
S H:n(l yell<iwinh sanely clay, a fi'w inihi's at tlii' tiip
carlxmact'ous
'.I (;(K)<I liaril liijiulr
Ill Hard yi'llowish saiuly flay
11 (iiKKl lijfnitp
IL' (Irayisli <anrl and sandy clay, showing lini's of str.i-
titication ; in sonii' places soft and incohinnt. in
othiMB with Uiiye comntions. and sometimes for-
ming a nearly solid sand-tone.
i:i Hard tfriiy elay
14 Cravisliyellow clay, with many thin layers of
orange-weathering,' iroii.Htone
l."i Lignite
10 (ireyish and yellowish har<l s.ind and sandy clay. . .
Section concealed liy slo|ie of di-tritns, atxnit.
3 "I
In
•» ■>
4 !•
;!
o
11
11
I-.'
II
iKt 2
174(>
To show the change in coraposition of beds, in even a short distance,
the section measured in possibly the same bank near its eastern end is
added below. The top beds bear the same general resemblance with
perhaps an addition of another bed of sandstone at the top.
Kwl. in.
No. 8 of above section -Yellowish sandstone weatliering very
light, .") to
f Lujnite
No. 9 of alwve section , „^^^^.„ earU.nacefms shale
Jfo. 10 .. .■ —Yellowish sandy clay
No. 11 " " -Li'jnitc
/(Jreyish sand and sandy clay
\ Sandstone cfjncretiims
No. 13 .. •• —Yellowish sandy clay
No. 14 " —dray clay with lignite streak at top.
No. I.") " ■' —Liijnilr
No. Ifi .• —Concealed to water of stn-am, aljoiit ..
No. 12
ti
o
('■
.")
T)
2
(>
•>
II
f;
II
3
4
-.0
The beds of this section were recognized in the field as bearing a
great resemblance to those in the large gully on Sees. 28 ami 29, and
the seam at the Pure Lignite mine was then correlated with the one in
the section numbered 1 1 . This would also be tlie 5 feet seam at the
mouth of the river, at Sutherl ind's tunnel. The lower seam does not
again appear in any section above this on the creek. The others were
traced to the mouth of the eastern branch — being then in the bed of
the creek.
^^i^«gg^s v!%»iJ'*mtt#w
1
HIIORT CREEK
35 V
:i
On Sec. 23 the seam!) are disclosed by a line of red burnt shale run- s...
ning on both sides at about the same elevation as on Sec. 24. Sand- ''i'-
stone is seen in harder beds above the coal on the west bank and
farther up the stream. A settler living on the north-east (|uarter of Sec.
14 has beon digging in the '■ ank for coal with poor success. First he
oi)ened a hole on the upi^ui in seam and it was very pof)r in quality.
Again he stJirted lower down and reached the horizon of the larger seara
but it was all burnt out in the small hill in which he was digging.
Under the steeper bank the burning probably will be found not to
have penetrated very far. The burnt clays are at about 20 feet above
the river.
In Sec. 1 1 there is a good exposure on the eastern bank. Near the ,^.
water, a resident settler has opened a tunnel on the thicker seam and "
taken out coal for local use. The thickness of the seam is here seven
fe(!t and the coal appears to be of as good quality as most of that mined
in the district.
The following is a section of the beds : —
.. 1 4 A
1, K. 7
Il,'l'l>. 1,
Fwt. ill. A
•
Siirfacp fU'iKwit almiit 2
Clays iinil clay iioiiMtimps "i
f 'lay and sand 5 6
Brown and ^ray cIhvs with strcal^ of limiitfat top . . 4
Hrown and (fray streakHof sandy clay with dark streak
at top .')
Yellow and biiittii clay» witli sMi'aks of iiiinstniii'. , ;i
Dark lirowii shalf 'A
Sandstoiin 1"_'
< !ray and dark yellow clays, a few luiii'l'^ ulied ironstone 22
•Small streak of lifrnite f>
Yellow sandstone not very niucli liaideiied 2.5
Lignitf 1 (i
(Irayclav 2 !t
Li'jnitr " 2
(tray cl.ay ,1
Lignite 4
Clay to water of stream ... 2
pprux.
lev.
lH7ti
101
1770
In this the thickne.ss of the main seam is greater than farther down
the stream. The elevation above the water, only 5 feet, brings it
below the general level of the river Hat and the danger of flooding in
the spring is much greater.
I6_p_3j
3(; f EASTKKN A8H1NIB0IA
At the junction of Short creek and its eastern branch, a conical hill
is situat-.J in the centre of the branch and on the eastern .-.Ige of the
laruer valley The waters of l)oth streams nearly join above the hill
but are deflected to the north. In high water the lar.'er stream divules
around the hill. In the channel thus made an outcrop of coal was d-s
covered, lH>ing part of the thick seam of the section j-ivenju.t above.
Only tiVe feet of it could l.e made out, as the remainder, if any, was
beneath the water of a pool. Three feet were above water and two or
more below. In the banks, sandstones are expose<l in almost the same
section as farther up the east branch. Hoth north and south the clays
at the bottom of the bank are reddened where the coal has been burnt.
Sfctionnon the east branch of Short creek.
(Jrassy slopes conceal most of the rocks with the excep " ■ of two
or three exposures where the sandstones are slightly har- id term
steeper slopes. The first noted is at the southeast co- < ^ec. 11
where the following order was observed :—
Kii't. ill ft
IS70 alwvf tidr
S.f. tl. Tp. 1, Tupoflmnk ■ ,,
Yl J ' t'ont-eiiUd by ;;iasBy sIuik-
Yilluwisli saiiiUtiinc:vii(i st:raksi)f clay -^
Y. Ilottisli dav with a f.w sandy ,stn>ak» -'" "
Tliin iroiistoM.- band lyinn un fal«- 1»-<1'I"1 -'""<V "-'■''V^ ^ •'
(Jray clnys with Inio shelly top sandy '-^ ||
Liijnitc II
Clay, gray t.) lij?lit y.llow
Sandstoui- to watiT of stream '"
KUvation of watir »i sticani aliout ' '
, .r 1 The next exposure is at the centre of Sec. 6 on the north bank
^7.'" '■• ' where sandy clays show in the bank, and 45 feet down, a tunnel is
opened on a fair coal seam. In the tunnel the coal is from o< to bO
inches thick with a clay parting of 8 inches separating it below from
a smaller seam of 10 inches. The tunnel is about 14 feet above the
water This is probably the seven foot seam recorded by Dr. Selwyn, as
being near the International lK,undary. As the banks lower very much
in that direction and the seam maintains its position above the water
the rocks of the upper part of the exposure run out. Another mme
is opens, .n this seam a quarter of a mile east of the one noted above.
Section on the south-east quarter of Sec. 6, opposite a small branch
from the south.
DOWUKO.
SOUKI-i ItlVKIi KROM K.STKVAS SOUTIIWARU
37 K
Smfnci' iif imiiiif . ...
V''lhiw I Imv ami -;iml . .
llollHtiillr
CUiy
Lifjnitf ...
Clay ...
hitiiMi"
Chiy ...
t.,.,.u!. ...
('i.|icc:llfil to Willi r .il >u.:ilii
Kli'VMtiull nl >tli iVlu iilmllt
K.-.-t. in. K'lt.
l».V.i al«'v.'tiil>'
; on
7 IMI
t ik;
In
11 111
II 117
•) U-*
IL; I"'
l.slll
IS IIS
1: li.
•■., T|.. 1,
r)r. Selwvn's note* on another I'xposuie Co tlie east of tliis is ; • Ti-
the south. ii few yards nortli of wliere the International boundary < rosses
the east branch of Short creek, a scam is exposed in the hank seven feet
thick, with a shaly parting of tiirce iiiclies, at about two feet from the
top. It is not more than fifteen feet beneatli the surfac.i '.f the plain,
and the drift coverin-,' is thin. Kiglit or ten feet l)t.low tlie seam is
the water level of tlie creek.
ll can hardly be .supposed that the-e seam* are other than the ones
exposed at a lower level in the main valley of Short creek. This w.juld
indicate a dip of the beds to the west which is ,ilso noted in the
sections nearer the mouth in Sec. 24, with the exception, tint in the
north the sandstones separating tlie lower beds of coal from the one
at Sutherland's tunnel thin out very much.
Evidence of this in the sections at tiie south can only be obtained
bv boring.
SOUKIS KIVKH KROM RsTKV.W SOlTIIW.MiD,
T"he branch which here runs northward throu^di the townships to the x, „
lar^e v.dley passini;"to the south of Kstevan is much newer in point of
a-e°than that which conies from the west in the larger valley. The
amount of erosion which the southern branch has been able to accom-
plish is much less, but the channel it has worn down is deep and
narrow. Cut banks are numerous but the superficial coveriii',' of drift
is found to be much thicker away from the large valley on either hand,
so that the sections as noted in many cases above, are obscured by the
sli<ling down over their face of the tiner grained material found in the
drift.
.lllev.
K.lH.rt nf I'roCTc..'!, (Id 1. Surv. Can. 1S71I-S0 p. 'i.\.
38 r
EA8TEKS ASSINIBOIA
<fr»di'i)f
!-tri'aiii.
Irf)Wfr
huii/.<>ii.
^*-
Middl.'
tini-i/.itn.
; .1 •:
The grade of the bed of the stream on this branch being in a new
channel is much steeper than in the old valley. From the International
boundary the fall is in the vicinity of one hundred feet. The grade is
very uniform but steeper in the central portion or from Sees. 15 to 2«.
The sections as given above show that the stream has cut through and
exposed all the seams that are seen in the vicinity of Estevaii. The
plotting of the sections also show that there is a perceptible rise in the
beds toward the south.
The lower horizon as expo^sed at Carrels on Sec. 14 is shown in Dr.
Dawson's section (Paragraph 210) to consist of three seam.s. the uppi-r
one divided into two by a dark carbonaceous shale. The character of
the lowest member is given in the following analysis*.
' Souru Vallu Layer UK A weathered specimen separating
into laminae horizontally. Clay from overlying bed filling tissuies. Ash
yellow-brown.
Water
Kixe<I (ailxm
V.ilatilf C(iiii>>n''tiM"- iMMtt^v.
Ash
13 !I4
4.^ 27
35 W
r, 7!i
15y rapid cokiiiK
KK) Oil
These seams are also exposed in several places to the southern par'
of Sec. 28 where coal seams are found in the bed of the stream at a
series of rapids.
The middle horizon or the one supposed to be represented by the
seam mined out in the hill south of the Dominion mine, is represented
in Dr. Dawson's .section by an upper seam of six feet six inches. This
is probably good enough in quality for local use. The specimens analysed
being weathered, the result is not promising.
' 401 Sourix Valley Layer ;!. A weathered specimen, soft and
crumblint;. Ash, grayish-white.
WiltlT
Fixfd earlwui
VoKltllf CUlllluiStilllH llliltli-
Asli
17 117
By rapid coking
:v.' H<i
3010
14 '*'<
4 m
ItM) mi
This middle seam was opened near Sec
and the coal is said to be of fair quality.
9 by one of the settlers
Burnt .shales indicating
* Ki-i»>rt on thf (Jetilogy and Resources of tlit- rfgion in tlu' vicinity of the Forty
ninth Purallcl, In C. M. Dawson. Montr.al. 1S7.">, p. 17".
*--,
..]
SOUKlh RIVER FROM ESTEVAN SOUTHWARD
39 F
its presence along the aides of the valley were 'seen at slightly
higher elevations in going up the valley. On Sec 33 the level of the
burned shales is at about 1825 feet. No exposures of this seuiii are
to be seen up to the southern part of Sec. 22, where it is given in the
section iiuoted as having a thickness of 7 feet an'l 3 inches (!Sec. 2U>)
The analysis by Dr. Dawson shows it to be of jjoikI (quality : tetter than
the specimen from near the mouth of the river.*
' 40s Soiiriii Valley 7 loot seam. Hard compact black lignite,
breaking with pseudo-coiichoidal fracture, and showing traces of struc-
ture of wood. Ash, yellowish-white, light.
Water
Kixt'J cjirlxjn
Volatilf coiiibustilili- mutter.
.\»li
15 11 Uy raiiid diking
47 •■)- 41 li;
:« 7U
4 ."it;
ino (Ki
On Sec. 14, Tp. 1, R. 8, it was opened by the Boundary Commis-
sion for use in tlie smithy. The analysis given by Dr. Dawson is as
follows :t
' 402 Souriis Valley. Black compact lignite with much woody struc-
ture apparent. Ash yellow.
Water
Fixed Ciirlmn
V.ilatile lo'iilpiistilile matter.
.\sli
14 7'.i I'.v lapiil C'iking
I.' 48 ;!4»7
:i!t ".111
•J SO
10" o<i
The fall in the river here would indicate that if the seam did not
rise much to the south it would proi)ably cross the stream in Sec. 15 or
perhaps a little further south. The grade of the river above this becomes
much flatter indicating probably a more compact l)ed forming the floor
for a short distance and the cut banks above this are covered by slidden
clay from the surface. A g<x)d exposure was soui^ht for in the almost
circular bend in the bottom of which is situated the Mounted Police
outpost Wood End. The banks surrounding this are all scarped but
show only clay. The seam should be found near the water.
The upper horizon, represented at Estevan by the four foot .seam pnd
the Dor inion seam, is not represented in the sections in the lower part
of the narrow valley but makes its appearance in Sec. 33 just below
* See lioumlary re|Kirt as hefore, p. 171.
t Idem ]•. 170.
r,.i-.r
hori/.i'M.
40 V
KA8TKRN ASSIXIInaA
the iKJul.ler clay. Two mile« farti.er soutl.-east a h.rnecl sea... on >ec:
27 is probal.ly of tl.w horizon and is seen .i^'aii. on Sec. JJ. No go«
exposure of this in to 1h. mmle nut in Sec. i.t, but Dr. DawHO,. toumi
four feet of coul :vt about fitt,.en feet below the ,.ra..'.e level. I.e.-
pnrai|raph quotet) 217 p. 4^) r).
.-'
;fc
i-i
D.lallt (if •"'■ fill"''
Section at coal mine, .south-eiisl .juurter ot Se,'. 11 Tp. -' H. ■<•
K.-.t ,„. '•''■'■'■
Y..ll..w.lay , '• •n.,u...M— ''^'-
LiRlit (<ro> !'••'>■ ' ']
l.iimitr ';
l.iglit ixrriy cliiv ■' ''
k;:;:::..u.w,.:::. ..::.: " " "- " '- •■ ■"''
Cl-lV 1 "
£^,;„ ■• " I„.v..l,.f ».....■ in .Inu^l, ... 1
. One of the men who opened this .sea... and the tunnel to tL-t the
" coal Mr Rook of Estevan, informs n.e that below the six foot seam
they found a clay parting of 12 inches and a live foot seam of very
...H,d lignite iH-neath. The coal that was taken out of this tunnel is
admitted by seve.al in the town to have been the best in <iuality ot
imy mined in the .listrict near Estevan.
Near the western edge of Sec. 11, the clays and sands exposed on
the eastern part of the .sa.ne section above the coal are again seen, but,
the upper part of the series is somewhat .litlerent. The exposure does
n.t show the coal although it is probably present beneath the li.assy
slope.
Ell-vatic 111.
V'l-ct ill. Kilt in.
l.Mjd i;
Top. if i'\|».suiv _^.^ ^y
(iiiiy cliivi V s:..|,UtiMii- ■■ - ' _
Irinistoii- liitiul .
1 1 "
(ii-av I'lav
nrnwii flay
i"""'' ., „
dray ilay, lii-ii«ii ut till". . • _
liiittulll iif i'>ll»i*>l''<'
\ little farther to the west where the stieatn enters the laiger valley.
on the point and just inside the bend on Sec. 10, the lower coal seams
are partly exposed. The su.face is decomposed tind the thickness of
of
UkoUXIK'AI. Hl'RVIV OK Canaiia.
*
V <i»
^' ^f^yp^BjHjH
■J
»g^-
1
' x:
)
* ^R^F 1 A.
24
1
IL *■/
M
1 3
^ ' 3 i 7
»«^
^
^
^^^^^!T^^^^^^^^^
1'hoto. <>k Moi.Ki, OK Soims Oiai. Kiklh, k^
Scale iipproxiinatfly 'J in
V(PI. XV. I'AKT y, I'lATK \ I.
, KlKLlP, BV I). B. ndWI.lM^
iimtHlv 2 miles to the inch.
Lli.llT KKliM 1.EKT.
f
:>i;,i
DOWLiaO
SOI-IIM RIVKH KHOM EHTKV VN xorTII\V\HI.
41 r
thf! Keiims is n..t well broUKl.t ..ut Tlierc iipj*..!- tc. 1h. tw,. ..r thre.- of ^;' i". Tp.
tlu'tn, l.ut all riithor thin. At iilx.nt "it f.-et alxivo tin- rivet . a i.<l l>aii<l
sh .ws wher.' a weaiii has Ihcii l.urriiMl out. This iniiy I* thouiiJdl.-««uiii
..t' the »t!Ct ion act.. -s the river. It wouIiIIm. h<Tt. at iilK.iit IS-.'Ote-t
alx.ve wa. A tVw feet of har<lfn<-.l saiiilstoii.- !<ho» «l aUnit \M^'' feet.
This Imnit Heam is not shown in the M-oti".ii at the mim', a mil.- to
thecttttnnd is pn.Ubly abovv tho l««l« ther.- exi,....'.!. Th.' yllo*
sanildtono there Hceti in not reprewntod in this section, nor is it -eeu
near Kstevan and in prol>al.ly not a per>i.stent ni»-ndH.r.
The sections given by Dr. Dawson, though tiot very exact as tu
l.K^ation are earef.dly mea.-' ed and llmt ^iven on p. Sltof llie re|,«rl »m
the (ieoh.f^y and KeHounes of the 4!)ih Parallel, is perhajis l.iken at
(lie bend in Se.'. 10, where we rioted a similar arranuement of the btj.!-.
The para.,'raph referrinj,' to this lo<.ality is as b.low ;
"'jOO. Six miles north from Wood Knd I'epot, on the l)eri.i of the
river, the f«.lU>wing section occurs :—
1 K.ill.ll l.illiU. !l.. -i-rll.i.|. I.a...il'i
•J Hii'fU »tr.ititii.<i i.'ni>i~li "^iii'l^ ' 1>>
:'. I.i'iiii" ....
1 S.iii-I> rli- . u'l '.^isli. liOiiirnI' I, uirlii.i ML tw i-.a l"'l- ••I'll
l..\i illi'ln" tl:i>l>
.-, \,.llHWi-lih!M ■..inav.l.'n fa-iun i" l"" >< ^lii.^ -'ft -.ii"l«t..ii''
C. li.iMsti'ii.-. :i lilar lay.T
7 I ;ia\ <la>
K Wliili-ii i-lay
!t <'iirl"'iiiii-i-.iw« sli.il''
10 (OMl '■li>\
i; lniii''t"ni'
r. .t. :„.
S II
7
" 7
I! .■'
I "
1 'I
;■• ;i
II -2
A.-
The be<ls appear to lie perfectly hnri/ontHl. Tlio>e of sand ai.'l
arenaceous clay, though having the appearance of well ciiaracterize.l
layers at a littk distance, and giving the banks a nbboiu'd aspect are
found, on closer examinalion, to pass almost imperceptibly into eacli
other This peculiarity is often to be observe! in almost all li-^Hlitie-
where those rocks are found. The .so-called leaf beds are of .i grayish
purple Mnt, and .ontain many impressi.ms of tlatr-like, parallel-veined
leaves, which, though <listinct enougii when freshly taken i -om the
bank, are iinpo.ssiblo to preserve on account of tlio crumbling nature
of the matrix. The ironstone, though generally forming extensive
sheets, is nodular in structure, and varies a g'Xrfl deal in thickness. It
'Af-\
41 f
BAHTtH^J A^HISII'OIA
„ J, ., , , * in l.luUh t.. yHllowwli «r.»y.
;„ > . ,i,un oulhof tl.i. l.-lity. the »«nW.how« the
WJ y,..! . n very j»Tfwtly -
.11.1 'Inft
K.<-t III.
I
1 '■
•-' "
1 <•
I '
I "
:.
II ii
I 7
1 >'<
•I ■»
■I II
I ">
1 i;
:! -J
,.„^,„. ,,>v..ll..n...H.Kltiii..- Kan.l.>mlv.l-- H '|
I) r..ii»tW" "''^ '■'
- „av!-h.H,l ■ i-lx-l*)"
« • ttlx'lliX ■ '
, ,;,.„ .„'' ,.,i.'.ui.. .
lii l.ttititU . . 1 .
J , II .vv 1 . ,,111.11. ■! 'MiU 1 Win ■
11 Cruy and yilliiw i.."ii'.'i
|.j l,,,ii!.I..ii<'liii'<l"l»''i
\H Litini''
1 1 (•»rl»'iu"<nii' "liiil"'
I". /.,;<"'''
1(, liriiy «.inily '^'''V
■ . Sii.i.ly Mii,l.r.l.iy w.tl, liiri..- .ind •.iniU
I'.l /.. ;/"!'■
•Jii (;niyi"li <■""'>■ '^'"^'
,'i7 T
. iio,.* ..imlitv tiiin and cimipiict,
The lower lignite WW are of -7' ^X"^^,,,. .„.«eturc> of the
,„, in siiiiie .''--;'"-^P';;.:tt;;:ivrphuuly apparent. Th-
compo«...t wooa is also m nmny " sun es V P J^ ^
uppeHigniio, lyu.«im.uKJ.atelyV.c^l- ^' " ^J^^^ ,„. ^,, f,,,„. a>K.v...
wEe expo>e,l, being in '"-yP''^^-' ;:":'> the lower V.d. wl.ei-
U .uight however, prove e.,uahy ^ ^ /J 1„^,„ ;, .,,,„ H,,.,,.
unili^turhed. Uyer '8- '« «"'V;;'';„jlW with roots. The in n
,a.s observed to lie upon an -•"''\,;^f,t section. Owing .0 che
stones are specially good and eo. pact n h. ^^ ^^ .^ ^^^^^.^^^^
wearing away of the Hoi erst at., a la,, e , .
strews the surface of the hdlsule.
Of the sections -l-t^^ abi.ve, the hrst a^--^^ ^^_ ^.,,
blance to that given as exposed -;;>;;;, ^^^^onstone hands a,-
,he except.on that the "--- ^^^^^^^^'^^ .-Heh appear, to ha..
,here .omewhat thvnn... /^e ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^.^^ ,^,,i ,„.,
»^n -.n the narrov. valley « -^-t ^ ^^^ ^^ ,,, ,„„,« e.sy slope of
^ ,hows the coal seams which are
noVMtn hivKR rHoM MTKVAN HnrTiiwAKn
» » r
I
tllK wid« river line Tim upp.r .■.ml xxiuiinf tin- wilioti, f. f.'Pt ft ill. Ik'H
in thiokn..«n, i.t p,.)l),»l.ly ii„w Imrn.-.! aLmi^ lli.' ..ut»r..|, mi.t iip|«.,ir« ii|{Hin
•it All iiiipnivixmi lini<< ktlii wlnrc thiM-U-vatK.n of !lii» l.iirnt mmiii i, at
IN2U f«ct Tills is no il.Mil.t (ii^f|„.r thiiii tliiU ..f tli- » in I Ir.
iMwtim'H «Ttion iin.l w..ul<l hI,..* » slight rue to iK.- «...ith, flux i-.
»b..nt «M(«iil to the ri-^^ ..f th* kmi of th^ «trmiii for « »li..rt .fiMAtic.
' tJic north pan of .V.-. i tlu- .'oxU-rn Uink shows a ^ml. i 1 H.^. :i3, T|>. I,
outcrop ni'iir the Uij. /ind ngnin luenr tint *tr<'iMn.
U. «.
H.
S.trfi.r*' "f i«niiri
ll.iilil.r . Ir.v ■. (.■41 ...I |wrc .< .1 ,, 11111 i.f (i|, .
(■..*.r..,| t..
Sall.l.ti.ll.. ffil l>.irui,| '. )., ,
IV.ImIJi' Uirnf -m.ii.i.
''ti\.-r.'.l to
* li4>' inmNt.in' liiii.l,
S..viral thill 11.1.1 ...iiiii- ,1- II H.-,-. In
LfVft o/ itrKini. .
IKVI
ITT-i
till.
TJif .«••(•« if»ii (fiven l.y Dr Dawsou m piiraKitiph JIJ of thi- rvport
citA-d in prolmhly near this unci is ns follows.
'21i. Nearly threo miles -outhwanlfroro th« lust incntioncd liHMlity.
in £ollowin(f up the v.illcy, anotlier very -..oil s.-.^tion occurs on thi-
east si.le of the str.Hiii. where in one of ils nmny devious wm.lings, it
hiiH uiiilerniine.1 the hank. This spciion i« s|»'oially in!r.«-r»»ating, iis
atl'oidinK uiie of the liest localitieH for the eolleetion ..f -hells ,,t
iM.iiluHCii characteristic of th.- fornmf ..ii. Th.' .section !■> as lielow,
measurements lieinK estimateil : —
Siinil iinij «i.(..lv chiy, »lr:itih<i| nnil y.ll..\n-li in l
LenticiilHi iiiii»« (if t>itir lUy ir..|i.-tiiiieiiiiiiiiii>f nui
ilir.-cti.iii..
Ifriiy muikI
Slieil ),.,i .
/..J^H'//
S;uii| oiil i'|.i\
I'- - t.
.i.i.li- inl"'il
'21.1. Till- slieil 1)C(1 is of hard jfi.ii- sai iy clay an.l in s .me pl.„.ps
i.s very full .if shells, which are .iiso le;.M ■ ■ iisheil ami in h. n r state. .f
pr. .•'crvntion fli.in is usual in thi foriiiati-.ii. The most .-..n inon Mol-
lusk is Miflnnw \'ebniHC>-nH.i, M. .v H. which oc. uis in all st,i^'.> . of ^jrowth
inil several varietal forms. There is also a secon.l specie.s of thi< j^.'nus or
of Gonin^xuu ■ tragmentof Unio and fahtdimi uiA a few examples .,f
N'.i'iw -yftliiin N.'liru-rt'nsi!. i
iiiLsl
X'l.nif.
n;;;,ii.l
S.'.'. •-"J.
KASTKliN A8.SIMH0IA
44 F
;. \l V U Thr latter must be con-
f;;:;::;:l-:::- --'---'••-'-" "■•
ti.M, of tl.<- Iv'l^* 1"'<-'- represent.-.!. ^
, From the bon.i in S.-.-. ^^ ^^''^^'^'^^XZJZ.^ >^^2. JLn.l
- ;,„..,..l .io„« theea,o .-t 'f •; ^taiH y-th.- fa.esh..win. ...y
U.e sect...n is .reatly -;';;;^;^'^4 riro.'f.ne i- very WUe U.t .n
.t„nv in tlie Wiiter. . ,
..,. Se... .., near the oenue, a cut-ban. on the e... ...e, s..„.. U.
f,.ll.>win^ -
';:.;:;;U:;:!;u,....u.n,,:.,pn,.;>.i.rnt..:,,,:.s..c;
.T.,,.of y.-llow-,m.ls.m.l>.m...t.m.-
I'l. iil".M- till.'.
iHr>r>
IX ir.
.* .his Sec IS Ih.; .xiio-u..- on ti.e west side
, >n th.. ..u,h...t -"-■ ;^ ^ - Zv^^^. L pu-...a,,h nr. As
•" ":rr ""is;:: « -Uln is «.ven ......w with t,.. ..roh.
L::; :;::i:!::;^-- parew;th,ny sections:
. ..V u.tsecti..n.ndahout one „>ile nearly ch,.-n..rth
■-1- '^"'"^'•"'''"'T.rW Hn.l nepot.au exposure, sh.win.
:-;:;;::;;;:::^!:;;e;i:/-se,.^
U.>1. The h.'.is lire arran-e.l thus: -
,ili.-ci.i"i 1"
Kt. in. K~t. li.'v
H 11" isw
,j irti ls:is
7 o;l is;!l
1 IK) ..r ini'lr
4.1. .> ^"i>
»• tl„. liLMVt.- is about twenty-Hv feet above tha
'-^'^- ^'''''''Tlw !ith at., tlu.secti..n. though appare..,ly
„v„ ot the ',— ;;"-';7; ,;";.,ly, ,,ue those overlyin, it, is obseure.
consistin, ..t yellowish -"'' '^ ^^^ „^,^^, ,,.„ ,,„,,,e.l feet alon.
,i,ul thickness.
SOLHIS IIIVEK mOM K.STKVAN SOlTMWAUn
t". F
•I
' Externally it is often ii'unihlint;, iinil mixed with rlay wliioli lias
penetrated its joints from aliovo ; hut where freshly exposed ; it i> hard
and C()ni[>act. It is <|iiite hlack on freshly fractured sulfa 'es, Ijut has
a brown streak, and in many plaees the stiui-tunj of the oiijiin.l wood
is (juite discernahle. Some surfaces are strewn with frafi;iiients ot mi-
neral charcoal like that found in many true coals. ( )ther ■-pcciinens
are apparently structun^less, and resemlile caiinel-cnal in appfarance
though not in composition. The upper beds of arenaceou'; cliy yield
a few poorly i)roservcd shells ( /'iihidhui, il'c.)
"217. On the opi>osite side of tlie river valley, near this place, the s. . ■_'.;. Ti i,
upper part of the hank shows a go(Hl section of arenaceous clay, below '■
which, and some fifteen or twi nty feet Ix'low the prairie level is a seam
of lij;nite of pood i|uality, four feet in thickness. This lignite ImmI
would seem to occuj>v a position strati)j;rHphically su])erior tothe la«t. '
This section in the abo\e paiiij,'raph (-17) is probably im the south
west corner of Sec. L'.'i. Thw bank is well cut i-howiiij,' ulmul forty-ti''e
feet of clays and dark yellow sands near tiie top. There are two
iif;nil<' exposures in the bank, but we could not dii; out .'i yocnl siction
owinji to the ' t that a gr-j.t deal of it had been burnt. Tln're is a
broad patch oi red burnt clay at thirty-live feel above the stream. This
must be about the hori/.on of the - -am ol>sei I by Dr. l>aw.-on across
the river. At \SKO feet or about 10 or 12 feet below the prairie level
tliere is another lignite streak l)Ut at the only point at which I cou! 1
reach it most of the coal had been burni'il. This is no doubt the
four feet seam of the paragraph above.
On Sec. 14 on the east bank near the centre of the Sec. the lo^-er -■. It.
lignite aj^ain outcrops about 15 feet above the stream. While tin'
lioundary Commission had a depot near this place coal was taken
from this seam for the smithy, but Or. Dawson observes that it did im'
sjive a sulliciently intense heat for welding.
The sandstones alxive the lower coal seam outcrop again on Sec. I'^ ^,,^., |-, ^ ^
but the banks above this are not .so high and are generally gra.s.s.growii.
In Sec. 4 there is a cut-bank 40 feet high, but it shows mostly drift
material. In Sec. 6 the banks are only thirty fe .t high and show only
sands and clavs slidden from the surface.