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Geology l/cpf.
Reserve Room
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STATE OF ILLINOIS ^
DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION
DIVISION OF THE
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVE
FRANK W. DE WOLF. Chief
Cooperative Mining Series
BULLETIN 26
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
BY
GILBERT H. CADY
ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS
Prepared under a cooperative agreement between the Illinois State Geologica Survey
Division, the Engineering Experiment Station of the University of
Illinois, and the U. S Bureau of Mines
PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
URBANA, ILLINOIS
1921
The Forty-seventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, with
a view of conserving the lives of the mine workers and the mineral
resources of the State, authorized an investigation of the coal resources
and mining practices of Illinois by the Department of Mining Engi¬
neering of the University of Illinois and the State Geological Survey
Division in cooperation with the United States Bureau of Mines. A
cooperative agreement was approved by the Secretary of the Interior
and by representatives of the State of Illinois.
The direction of this investigation is vested in the Director of the
United States Bureau of Mines, the Chief of the State Geological
Survey Division, and the Director, Engineering Experiment Station,
University of Illinois, who jointly determined the methods to be
employed in the conduct of the work and exercise general editorial
supervision over the publication of the results, but each party to the
agreement directs the work of its agent in carrying on the investiga¬
tion thus mutually agreed on.
The reports of the investigation are issued in the form of bulle¬
tins, either by the State Geological Survey Division, the Engineering
Experiment Station, University of Illinois, or the United States
Bureau of Mines. For copies of the bulletins issued by the State
Geological Survey Division, address State Geological Survey Division,
Urbana, Illinois; for those issued by the Engineering Station, address
Engineering Station, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois; and for
those issued by the U. S. Bureau of Mines, address Director, U. S.
Bureau of Mines, Washington, D. C. (See list at end of book.)
STATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION
DIVISION OF THE
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
FRANK W. DE WOLF. Chief
Cooperative Mining Series
BULLETIN 26
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
BY
GILBERT H. CADY
ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS
Prepared under a cooperative agreement between the Illinois State Geological Survey
Division, the Engineering Experiment Station of the University of
Illinois, and the U. S. Bureau of Mines
PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
URBANA, ILLINOIS
1921
STATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION
DIVISION OF THE
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
FRANK W. DeWOLF, Chief
Committee of the Board of Natural Resources
and Conservation
W. H. H. Miller, Chairman
Director of Registration and Education
Kendric C. Babcock
Representing the President of the University
of Illinois
Rollin D. Salisbury
Geologist
50736
CONTENTS
PART I—GEOLOGIC RELATIONS IN DISTRICT IV
PAGE
Introduction . 9
Importance of the area. 9
Acknowledgments . 9
Geography . 11
Topography and glacial drift. 11
Transportation and markets. 15
Towns . 15
Use of drill records. 15
Rock formations of District IV. 17
Coal-bearing rocks . 17
General description . 17
Divisions of the Pennsylvanian system. 20
Pottsville formation . 20
General description . 20
Strata comprising the Pottsville formation. 25
Carbondale formation . 31
General description . 31
Strata comprising the Carbondale formation. 32
McLeansboro formation . 37
General description . 37
Distinctive horizons . 37
Limestone above No. 6 coal. 41
Variegated below No. 7 coal. 41
No. 7 coal. 41
Lonsdale limestone . 42
No. 8 coal . 42
Carlinville limestone . 43
Higher distinctive horizons . 44
Chemical value of coals. 45
Structure . 57
PART II—COUNTY REPORTS
Introduction . 58
Cass County. 62
Production and mines . 62
Coal-bearing rocks . 62
Dip of the rocks. 65
No. 2 coal . 65
( 3 )
ILLINOIS STATE LIBRARY
Christian County . 67
Coal-bearing rocks . 67
DeWitt County . 68
Introduction . 68
Surficial deposits . 68
Coal-bearing rocks . 69
Structure . 74
Coals . 74
Fukon County. 76
Production and mines. 76
Surficial deposits . 76
Coal-bearing rocks . 76
Structure . 82
Minable coals. 84
No. 6 coal . 84
Distribution and occurrence . 84
Character . . 84
No. 5 coal . 87
Mine notes . 91
Coal beds below No. 5 coal. 105
Knox County . 106
Production and mines. 106
Surficial deposits. 106
Coal-bearing rocks . 107
Mine notes . 115
Logan County . 117
Production and mines . 117
Surficial deposits . 117
C:a!-bearing rocks . 119
Mine no'es . 123
McLean County . 127
Production and mines. 127
Surficial deposits . 127
Coal-bearirg rocks . 127
Mine notes . 132
Macon County . 139
Production and mines . 139
Coal-bearing rocks . 139
Known minable coals . 144
No. 5 coal. 144
Mine notes . 145
No. 6 coal . 147
Mine notes . 147
Mason County . 148
Introduction . 148
Surficial deposits. 148
Coal-bearing rocks . 148
Menard County . 149
Production and mires. 149
Coal-bearing rocks . 149
Mine notes .. 150
( 4 )
Peoria County . 155
Coal-bearing rocks . 155
Pottsville formation . 158
Carbondale formation . 160
No. 2 coal . 161
Strata between No. 2 and No. 5 coals. 161
No. 5 coal . 161
Distribution . 161
Strata between No. 5 and No. 6 coals. 163
Discussion of the channel sandstones. 165
No. 6 coal . 175
McLeansboro formation . 176
S J rata between No. 6 and No. 7 coals. 176
No. 7 coal . 178
Strata above No. 7 coal. 178
Deposits above the coal-bearing rocks. 179
The minable coals of Peoria County. 180
No. 7 coal . 180
Mine notes . 181
No. 6 coal. 182
Mine notes . 184
No. 5 coal. 186
Mine notes . 191
No. 2 coal . 199
Mine notes . 200
No. 1 coal. 202
Sangamon County. 203
Production and mines . 203
Coal-bearing rocks . 203
Kinds of rock in the area. 204
Surficial materials . 204
Indurated rocks . 204
General description . 204
Pottsville formation . 205
Carbondale formation . 205
McLeansboro formation . 207
Structure . 208
Tallula and Springfield quadrangles. 209
Coals . 210
Coals below No. 5. 210
No. 5 coal . 210
Characteristics . 210
Clay seams . 210
Origin . 212
Concretions . 213
No. 6 coal . 214
No. 7 coal. 214
No. 8 coal . 214
Mine Notes . 216
( 5 )
Page
Schuyler County . 224
Production and mines . 224
Coal-bearing rocks . 224
Coals . 225
No. 5 coal. 225
No. 2 coal. 225
No. 1 coal. 225
Tazewell County . 226
Production and mines . 226
Surficial deposits . 226
Coal-bearing rocks . 226
Pottsville formation . 229
Carbondale formation . 229
McLeansboro formation. 232
Minable coals . 232
No. 2 coal. 232
No. 5 coal . 232
Mine notes . 233
ILLUSTRATIONS
PLATE PAGE
I. Map of District IV, showing coal mines, and having special refer¬
ence to the depth, position and distribution of No. 5 coal .In pocket
II. Sections showing the stratigraphic relations of the coal-bear¬
ing rocks in District IV. 20
III. Structural sections of the coal-bearing rocks in District IV .In pocket
IV. Graphic average analyses of Illinois coals by beds.. . 56
V. Map showing the structure of the Cannon and Avon quadrangles
and an adjoining area . 82
VI. Map of the Peoria quadrangle, showing the approximate eleva¬
tion, in feet above sea level, of the surface of bed rock. 162
VII. Stratigraphic sections from the Springfield quadrangle. 204
VIII. Structure map of the Tallula and Springfield quadrangles, lying
mostly in Sangamon County, but partly in Menard County. 208
FIGURE
1. Map showing area covered in the report. 10
2. Map showing position of the glacial moraines in District IV. .. . 12
3. Map showing the areal geology of the surface upon which the
Pennsylvanian strata were deposited. 18
4. Diagrammatic section showing the distinctive strata of the Mc¬
Leansboro formation in Districts I, IV, and VII. 36
5. Diagrammatic sketch showing the relations of horsebacks to rolls
in the roof and floor, and the accompanying faulting. 87
6. Limestone “boulder” in the floor of the Monmouth Coal Com¬
pany’s mine at Brereton. 88
7. Sketch of a clay vein (“horseback”) in the Latham-Lincoln Coal
Company’s mine at Lincoln . 125
( 6 )
Page
8. Graphic sections showing the Pennsylvanian succession at La
Salle, Bloomington and an intermediate point. 131
9. Section of the slope between No. 2 and No. 5 coals in the Mc¬
Lean County Coal Company’s mine at Bloomington, show¬
ing diagrammatically the character of the intervening strata
and the cracking resulting from subsidence. 135
10. Sketch of a clay vein (“horseback”) in the Niantic Carbon Coal
Company’s mine at Niantic. 145
11. Sketch of a nearly vertical clay vein (“horseback”) in the Union
Fuel Company’s No. 4 mine at Athens. The fracture is not
accompanied by an offset. 153
12. Sketch of an inclined clay vein (“horseback”) in the Union Fuel
Company’s No. 4 mine at Athens. The bed is offset. 154
13. Graphic sections showing the character of the Pottsville forma¬
tion in Peoria County. 157
14. Photograph of a block of the roof shale of No. 5 coal in Peoria
County, showing laminated structure . 160
15. Sections of main entry of the Leitner (formerly German) Coal
Company’s mine showing the relations of the channel sand¬
stone to the coal. 166
16. Photograph of the roof and southwest wall of the main entry of
the Leitner Coal Company’s mine. 167
17. Photograph of wall of the main entry of Leitner Coal Com¬
pany’s mine . 168
18. Photograph of wall of the main entry in the Leitner Coal Com¬
pany’s mine . 169
19. Photograph of the northeast wall of the main entry in the Leitner
Coal Company’s mine. 170
20. Photograph of wall of the main entry in the Leitner Coal Com¬
pany’s mine . 171
21. Diagrammatic sketch, indicating probable original conditions,
movements and results, in the formation of the channel sand¬
stones (“faults”) of Peoria County. 172
22. Map showing the position of the channel sandstone south of
Peoria . 174
23. Diagrammatic sketch showing the manner in which faulting
along a horseback will effect an apparent thinning of the
coal bed. 188
24. Sketch showing the cracks cutting the roof along the 6th south¬
east entry of the Leitner Coal Company’s mine. 189
25. Sketch of the contact of coal and “fault” in the 6th west off main
north entry of the M. E. Case Coal Company’s No. 1
(Walben) mine . 196
26. Photograph of a shale bed a short distance above No. 7 coal, ex¬
posed in the south bank of Spring Creek, N. E. % sec. 25,
T.16 N, R.6 W. 206
27 View of the sandstone below No. 8 coal, exposed in the north bank
of Sangamon River at Carpenter’s bridge, N. W. M sec. 1,
T. 16 N., R. 5 W. 207
28. Sketch of typical clay seam or “horseback” seen in the Spring-
field Coal Mining Company’s No. 5 mine, near Springfield.. 211
( 7 )
Page
29. Photograph of No. 5 coal in outcrop northeast of Rushville,
near the center of sec. 23, T. 2 N., R. 1 W.; the bed is cut
by a small fault and a nearby “horseback”. 224
30. Sketch of a “horseback” in No. 5 coal in the Groveland Coal
Mining Company’s No. 1 mine at East Peoria. 234
31. Sketch of a “horseback” in No. 5 coal in the Tazewell Coal Com¬
pany’s No. 1 mine at Pekin. 237
TABLES
PAGE
1. Interval between No. 8 and No. 7 coals in District IV, compared
with the range of interval in District VII. 43
2. Intervals between the Carlinville limestone and No. 6 and No. 7
coals. 43
3. Analyses of mine samples from District IV. 46
4. Average analytical and heat values for No. 1, No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6
coals, by counties, and for the district. 54
5. Average analyses of Illinois coals by districts. 56
6. List of shipping mines in District IV, 1920. 59
7. Thicknesses of the several coal beds in the Springfield and Tailula
quadrangles and the distance between them in mine shafts and
borings. 215
( 8 )
GOAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
By Gilbert H. Cady
PART I.—GEOLOGIC RELATIONS IN DISTRICT IV
INTRODUCTION
Importance of the Area
District IV of the Illinois Cooperative Investigations (Fig. 1)
includes that part of the central portion of the State in which the coal
production is from the No. 5 or Springfield bed. Within the district
lie those counties having a large production from No. 5 coal, namely,
all of Peoria County, a large part of Fulton County, and the part
of Sangamon County north of Chatham; and in addition other counties
or parts of counties which produce smaller amounts, or are at least
underlain by this coal, namely, Cass, Christian, Dewitt, Knox, Logan,
McLean, Macon, Mason, Menard, and Tazewell. From the entire dis¬
trict in the year ending June 30, 1920, over 11 million tons were pro¬
duced from the No. 5 bed. Among the districts of the Cooperative In¬
vestigations this one ranks third in order of production. In area it
ranks second, and in amount of workable coal present possibly first.
The quantity produced since 1881 approximates 140 million tons from
No. 5 coal, a tonnage which represents only a small per cent of the
coal originally present in the area.
The present report is one of a series on the geology of the coal¬
bearing rocks and on the coal resources of Illinois. The coal field
has been subdivided into districts for convenience, study, and descrip¬
tion, the basis for the subdivision being stated in the preliminary
bulletin 1 of the series. The outlines of the various districts are in¬
dicated on the accompanying sketch map (Fig. 1).
Acknowledgments
As has been the case with earlier reports in the series, this bulle¬
tin represents compilation of material secured from various sources.
iPreliminary Bulletin Illinois Coal Mining Investigations, p. 12, 1913.
9
10
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Fig. 1.—Map showing extent of District IV and an adjacent area covered
in the report.
INTRODUCTION
11
Reports on the three important coal-mining areas in the district, name¬
ly those in Fulton, Peoria, and Sangamon counties, have already been
published and another is in manuscript form. 1
Acknowledgment is herewith made of a large use of the material
presented in these reports, considerable parts of which are directly
quoted. Of special assistance have been the field notes of members
of the Investigations, especially those of Iv. D. White and F. FI. Kay.
The miscellaneous notes of J. A. Udden, F. F. Grout, W. F. Wheeler,
Thomas Moses, T. E. Savage, and others have also been of great as¬
sistance.
The availability of drill and shaft records and the information col¬
lected in the mines is due to the courtesy of the operators and miners
in the district. Grateful acknowledgment is made of the Survey’s
indebtedness to the kindness and generosity of those in a position to
give information necessary for its work in connection with the coal
mining industry in this and other districts.
Geography
TOPOGRAPHY AND GLACIAL DRIFT
District IV is an area of undulating plain which slopes toward the
valley of the Illinois. Much of the area is monotonously level, the
Illinois valley being the single important interruption in the
continuity of the plain. This valley has a depth of about 200 to 250
feet between Peoria and Chillicothe.
•
The surface of central Illinois is essentially as left by the last re¬
treating glacier, deposits from which filled up and obliterated all sur¬
face indications of valleys and other irregularities which existed in the
rock surface prior to glacial time. Within certain lobate belts 2 to
10 miles in width which mark stationary positions of the ice front for
long periods, thicker amounts of material accumulated in ridges known
as glacial moraines that rise 100 feet or more above the adjacent bor¬
dering plains and that are rolling and irregular in profile. The “drift,”
as the material left by the ice is called, is commonly thicker beneath
iShaw, E. W., and Savage, T. E., U. S. Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, Tallula-
Springfield folio (No. 188), 1913.
Udden, J. A. Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle,
Illinois: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 506, 1912.
Savage, T. E., Geology and mineral resources of the Springfield quad¬
rangle: Illinois State Survey Bull. 20, p. 97, 1915.
Savage, T. E., Geologic structure of the Canton and Avon quadrangles: Ill.
State Geol. Survey Bull. 33, p. 91, 1916.
Fig. 2.—Map showing position of the glacial moraines in District IV
Springfield
INTRODUCTION
13
the moraine than beneath the plains, and the height and position of
the moraine seems not to be controlled by the relief of the bed rock.
Students of glacial geology in Illinois have mapped two moraines
crossing District IV east of the Illinois (Fig. 2), the two uniting
north of Peoria and running as a single ridge of thick drift parallel
to and west of the Illinois valley through northeastern Peoria Coun¬
ty and western Marshall County, to and beyond the boundary of
the district. East of the Illinois, one ridge, known as the Shelbyville
moraine, swings in lobate curves southward through central Tazewell,
eastward through northeast Logan, south through eastern Dewitt and
central Macon counties into Shelby County. Clinton, Decatur, and
Shelbyville are located on or near this moraine, as are also the villages
of Macon, Harristown, Warrensburg, Hallsville, Waynesville, Atlanta,
and Delavan. Throughout much of its course the moraine rises or¬
dinarily 75 to 100 feet above the plain and stands out in bold relief
when viewed from the south or outer border. “From the north the
relief is less noticeable, and is more pronounced for a few miles north
and south of the Illinois River than elsewhere in its course, but even
there scarcely exceeds 75 feet.” 1 The moraine has a breadth of sev¬
eral miles, averaging six to eight, but in places as much as twelve.
The relief of the Shelbyville moraine is a rough indication of
the increase in thickness of the drift along the ridge as compared with
its thickness on the plains within and without the moraine. In other
words, along these ridges a greater thickness of unconsolidated sur¬
face material must be penetrated in drilling or shaft sinking than off
the ridges. The following table shows the depth to the rock at a num¬
ber of places along the Shelbyville moraine.
Thickness of drift along the Shelbyville moraine
Feet
Findlay . 168
Windsor, Shelby County, more than. 127
Macon . 170
Decatur . 140
Maroa . 273
Clinton . 352, 261
Atlanta, more than. 200
Delavan, more than. 300
The foregoing figures may well be compared with the following,
which show the drift to be much thinner at certain places south and
west of the moraine.
lLeverett, Frank, The Illinois glacial lobe: U. S. Geological Survey Mono¬
graph 38, p. 194, 1899.
14
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Thickness of drift south and west of the Shelbyville moraine
Feet
Shelbyville . 27
Tower Hill . 31
Blue Mound . 75
Niantic . 82
The northern morainic belt extending from Peoria through Mc¬
Lean County is known as the Bloomington moraine. Its relief on the
southern border seldom falls below 50 feet; the average relief is prob¬
ably 75 or 100 feet. In Tazewell County the surface south of the
moraine varies in altitude from 650 to 725 feet, whereas the crest
of the moraine has an altitude varying from 700 to 825 feet above
sea level. In McLean County the outer border varies in altitude from
700 to 820 feet and the crest from 775 to 913 feet above sea level.
Along the Bloomington moraine as along the Shelbyville ridge, the
drift is much thicker than in the bordering plains. In one shaft at
Bloomington 254 feet of drift were encountered and 358 feet in an¬
other. Some of this difference is no doubt due to irregularity in the
bed-rock surface. At Saybrook a drilling passed through 247 feet of
drift and at Washington in Tazewell County 335 feet.
East and north of the moraine in Woodford County at Eureka
the drift is 151 feet in thickness. In general, it is believed to be thin¬
ner than along the ridge, by an amount just about equivalent to the re¬
lief of the moraine. At the position of preglacial depressions or valleys,
the distribution and direction of which are independent of the posi¬
tion of the moraines, the drift is always exceptionally thick, in the plain
as well as along the moraine.
The thickness of glacial material has an important bearing on
mining operations because shaft sinking is commonly more difficult
through unconsolidated material of glacial origin than through rock.
Especially is this true if the drift is thick and made up in part of
beds of water-bearing gravel, as is commonly the case. For in¬
stance, in a drilling near Washington in Tazewell County, the lower
128 feet of the 335 feet of drift present is described as sand, quick¬
sand, and gravel. The possibility that a considerable amount of such
material may be present makes it very important to determine the char¬
acter of the drift to the rock, before locating a shaft near or in one of
the morainic belts. A definite knowledge of the position and trend
of the various large preglacial valleys would be of much practical
value, as where these exist the drift is commonly made up of a
larger proportion of loose, water-bearing material than it is elsewhere.
Unfortunately this information is not available except for small areas
in the district where detailed field examinations have been made.
INTRODUCTION
15
TRANSPORTATION AND MARKETS
Except as the relief of the country reflects changes in the char¬
acter and thickness of the drift or other surface material, physio¬
graphic factors in Illinois exercise little control over the coal industry.
To a certain extent, however, the Illinois valley is a barrier separating
the coal lands in Schuyler, Fulton, Peoria, and Knox counties from
those east of the river. As a result the market for coals west of the
river has been more largely to the west than is the case with coals
east of the river. Within each part of the district communication is
easy and railroads numerous. The western portion is, however, less
fortunate than the eastern because it is served by fewer railroads, is
more dissected by streams, and is not everywhere so readily acces¬
sible. In general, however, the district is in close touch by railroad
with Chicago, St. Louis, and the markets of the northwest.
The importance to the coal industry of Illinois River as a means
of river transportation for the district may well be pointed out.
The coal mines of Peoria and Tazewell counties are especially acces¬
sible to barge traffic and it is not improbable that with improve¬
ment Sangamon River could be made suitable for water transportation
as far upstream as Petersburg, Menard County, and possibly even to
Springfield. It is possible likewise that Spoon River could be used in
the same way for some distance above its mouth. This is a transpor¬
tation resource of great potential usefulness which at present is al¬
most entirely neglected, as only one mine in the area, namely that at
Lancaster Landing is equipped with facilities for barge loading.
TOWNS
Several important cities and many smaller towns and villages lie
within the area. Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington, Decatur, Clinton,
Canton, Lincoln, and Pekin are the larger cities of the district. In
each of these communities except Clinton the coal-mining industry
has been an agent contributory to its growth.
Use of Dried Records
Exploration work with the drill has been carried on much less ex¬
tensively in this district than in other districts of the State with the
exception of District III to the west. It is important, therefore,
that the Survey be furnished with the results of all new drilling in
this district; especially is this true in Menard, Logan, and Dewitt
counties, where there has been so little drilling that the stratigraphic
succession remains in considerable doubt. Records of drilling should
be supplied so far as possible, and the examination by members of
16
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
the Survey of churn-drill cuttings and diamond-drill cores is highly
desirable. Upon request cloth sacks in which cuttings can be saved,
will be furnished drillers or operators using the churn-drill in ex¬
ploration work. After 40 or 50 of the sacks have been filled they may
be forwarded to the State Geological Survey, Urbana, by express
collect. It is highly desirable that operators arrange for such study
as outlined in connection with contemplated drilling operations. Drill
cores are the best means of studying the formations in a drift-covered
area of flat-lying rocks like Illinois, and through the cooperation of
operators it has been possible for the Survey to obtain such cores from
a number of places in the State for examination in this office. One
core has been furnished from this district, coming from a well located
just south of Springfield, and it is hoped that opportunities will arise
of obtaining others at various localities in this district. Upon request
the Survey will furnish boxes suitable for the shipment of diamond-
drill cores.
ROCK FORMATIONS OF DISTRICT IV
Coal-bearing Rocks
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The coal-bearing strata in Illinois belong, with unimportant ex¬
ceptions, to what is known as the Pennsylvanian system of strata, so
called because the system is very completely represented by the coal¬
bearing strata of that State. This system is also commonly called the
‘‘Coal Measures,” a name which will be used frequently in this report.
The Pennsylvanian strata are underlain by strata of various ages; in
the southern part of the district by rocks of Mississippian age, the
next preceding system ; and in the northern part of the coal basin by
rocks of still older systems, specifically of Devonian and Silurian age.
These relationships are shown in figure 3. In District IV the north¬
ern boundary of the Mississippian rocks below the “Coal Measures”
runs east and west, north of Peoria and Bloomington, and Devonian
or possibly Niagaran strata underlie the Pennsylvanian rocks north
of the Mississippian boundary to some distance north of the boun¬
dary of the district. The Pennsylvanian system is overlain by the
unconsolidated clays, sands, and gravels which constitute the glacial
drift, as explained in an earlier section of the bulletin, or by river
deposits. Without this covering the coal-bearing beds would form
the surface material for the entire area considered in this report.
The strata of the Pennsylvanian or ‘Coal Measures” system con¬
sist of shales and sandstones, and minor amounts of limestone, clay,
and coal. The system thickens gradually toward the southeast part
of the State, where it attains a thickness of about 2,000 feet. In this
district the greatest known thickness of the “Coal Measures” is along
its south boundary in Macon County, where the base of the Pennsyl¬
vanian lies at a depth of about 1,100 feet, with drift of variable thick¬
ness up to about 200 feet at the surface. In the western part of the
district the Pennsylvanian or “Coal Measures” strata have a thick¬
ness of only about 200 feet or less, the thinning being largely due to
the gradual rising of the strata in that direction, the upper beds being
planed off or truncated by erosion. In the northern part of the area
the base of the Pennsylvanian rocks lies at a depth of between 300 and
600 feet, depending upon the altitude of the surface.
Shales comprise the greater part of the strata and vary, on the
one hand, through sandy shales to sandstones, and on the other,
17
18
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Fig. 3. —Map showing the areal geology of the surface upon which the
Pennsylvanian strata were deposited.
( Preliminary )
ROCK FORMATIONS
19
through limy shales to limestones. A commonly occurring grayish,
fine-grained, well-laminated shale, which is very slippery when wet is
called “soapstone” by the miners. Hard gray shale with well-devel-
loped laminae goes under the name of “slate,” especially if its color
is dark or black. Shale containing a considerable amount of lime¬
stone distributed irregularly may receive the name “lime shell” or
simply “shell” from the miner or driller. “Niggerheads” are concre¬
tionary masses of lime and iron pyrites or lime alone, having more
or less concentric structure, which are found in some of the “Coal
Measures” strata. Such concretionary nodules or masses are com¬
monly found in the roof shale of the No. 5 (Springfield) coal in this
district.
Sandstones are prominent at several horizons in the Pennsyl¬
vanian. The system commonly terminates at the base in a coarse sand¬
stone, especially in the western part of the district. Other sandstones
are rather widespread about the middle of the system. These beds
are generally lenticular in cross-section and some, especially in the
vicinity of Peoria, seem to be in the nature of channel deposits of
rather local distribution; accordingly, the sandstones cannot be identi¬
fied with much certainty from drill hole to drill hole, particularly when
the drilling is as scattered as it is in this district. The sandstones are
commonly fine-grained and micaceous, with numerous fragments of
coaly material embedded in them, which represent logs, branches, or
pieces of wood which were buried in the sand.
The limestones, although constituting but a small part of the
“Coal Measures,” are nevertheless stratigraphically important, as they
furnish a means of identifying strata with which they are associated.
Several horizons have been identified and traced over a large part of
this and adjoining areas. One of these is the cap rock of No. 6 coal
which is commonly found less than 30 feet above the coal. In a few
places this limestone is reported to rest directly upon the coal, but
most commonly it is separated from the coal by a few feet of shale. A
limestone known as the Lonsdale in the Peoria district and as the
Rock Creek in the Springfield district seems to be widespread in
District IV. This limestone is found about 100 feet above No. 6 coal
in Peoria County and about 75 feet above the coal in the Springfield
area. It has been traced west into Fulton County, north into Bureau
County, and northeast into Livingston and LaSalle counties. In the
southern part of the district two limestones are found in the interval
lying between 200 and 300 feet above No. 6 coal. The lower is known
as the Carlinville and the upper as the Shoal Creek limestone. Where
only one of these limestones is recorded by the driller it is not always
20
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
possible to determine which one is present. In the Springfield region a
limestone known as the Crows Mill limestone, found about 230 feet
above No. 6 coal, may correspond either to the Carlinville or to the
Shoal Creek limestone. The New Haven limestone, which lies about
500 feet above No. 6 coal, and is of rather wide distribution in the
southern half of the coal basin, is not known to underlie any of this
district except possibly southern Macon and northern Christian coun¬
ties.
Fire clays are normally associated with coal beds. Fire clays
at or near the top of the Pottsville formation have some economic
importance in the western counties of this district, chiefly in Schuyler
and Fulton counties, but these clays are of still greater importance west
of the district.
DIVISIONS OF PENNSYLVANIAN SYSTEM
For convenience of study, the coal bearing beds of Illinois have
been separated into the following divisions, each of which is called a
formation. The formations are numbered in the order of age and
deposition:
3. McLeansboro
2. Carbondale
1. Pottsville
POTTSVILLE FORMATION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Pottsville formation, the oldest division of the “Coal Meas¬
ures” rocks, consists of a succession of sandstones, shales, and thin
coals, all of which lie below No. 2 coal. The beds were deposited upon
an old land surface and consequently are variable in thickness and
character. Furthermore, these deposits were apparently made in a
rising sea, in a relatively shallow basin, so that the upper beds of
the formation are more widespread than the lower, and the forma¬
tion becomes thinner toward the border of the coal field.
Information concerning the Pottsville in this district is based
upon exposures in Schuyler and Fulton counties and a few drillings in
Fulton, Peoria, Sangamon, Logan, Macon, and McLean counties. The
log of one of these drill holes, located half a mile southwest of Spring-
field in the S.E. % sec. 5, T. 15 N., R. 5 W., supplies the most re¬
liable section of the Pottsville formation in the Survey files. The
drillers’ record of this hole, together with the core, was turned over
' . ~ 'f rr r - i-
*' /}■'- ' l-i ■■
PENN8YL VAN1AN
Illinois State Geological Survey
Mining Investigations Bull. 26, Pirate If
1. Drilling between Fiatt and Cuba, Ful¬
ton County.
2. Shaft of Blue Fly (old Wantling) mine
at Pottstown, Peoria County.
3. Drilling in the SE. % sec. 5, T. 15 N.,
R. 5 W., Sangamon County.
4. Drilling near Blue Mound, Macon
County, Illinois.
5. Shaft of Assumption mine in the NW.
% SE. 14 sec. 2, T. 12 N., R. 1 E.,
Christian County.
Plate II.—Sections showing the stratigraphic relations of the coal-bearing
rocks in District IV.
VERTICAL SCALE IH FEET
ROCK FORMATIONS
21
to the Survey. The log, verified and revised from the core by T. E.
Savage, is given below and is shown graphically on Plate II:
Log of boring half a mile southwest of Springfield, in the S. E. 14 sec. 5,
T. 15 N., R 5 W. 1
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system
Pleistocene and Recent—
Ft.
In.
Ft.
In.
Clay and gravel....
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro formation—
34
34
Coal (No. 8)..
1
6
35
6
Clay shale...
4
_
39
6
Shale, fine, gray, micaceous sandy....
5
_
44
6
Sandstone, fine grained, grav.
5
6
50
....
Shale, sandy, micaceous.
Shale, fine, sandy, micaceous, with
15
....
65
....
many dark carbonaceous spots..
45
____
110
....
Shale, dark...
3
110
3
Shale, bluish, micaceous..
17
4
127
7
Shale, dark bluish, fossiliferous..
2
_ _ _ _
129
7
Shale, dark blue...
3
3
132
10
Shale, black, coaly (No. 7 coal).
2
133
....
Clay shale, light gray..
Shale, gray, with red bands and
10
5
143
5
blotches....
6
5
149
10
Limestone, gray argillaceous.
1
4
151
2
Shale, gray.
4
10
156
....
Shale, dark.....
5
....
161
....
Shale, yellowish, calcareous.
Limestone with Fusulina, Reticu-
laria, Seminula , and Productus
4
11
165
11
semireticulatus .
6
9
172
8
Shale, blue to grav.
Carbondale formation—
n
a
....
175
8
Coal, Herrin (No. 6 ).
....
6
176
2
Shale, bluish gray.
4
....
180
2
Shale, light grav.
1
10
182
....
Shale, gray, calcareous.
3
3
185
3
Shale, gray.
24
....
209
3
Limestone, gray, shalv.
/
....
10
210
1
lU. S. Geol. Survey Folio 1S8, p. 2, 1913.
22
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Log of boring half a mile sotithwest of Springfield —Continued
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Shale, black, fissile, with Orbicu-
loidea and other fossils.
4
6
214
7
Shale, black, shelly, pyritiferous.
....
6
215
1
Coal, Springfield (No. 5).
6
4
221
5
Shale, gray (fire clay)...
6
8
228
1
Shale, bluish._•...
6
_
234
1
Shale, black
3
4
237
5
Shale, gray.
3
8
240
1
Shale, grayish blue to yellow.
35
2
275
3
Coal (No. 4).
2
8
277
11
Shale, gray,
impure (fire clay).....
1
----
278
11
Shale, black, carbonaceous.
_
8
279
7
Shale. dark_
20
5
300
Shale, blue.
31
331
Shale, black...
2
333
....
Coal (No. 3)...
1
6
334
6
Shale, clay..
_ __________
12
6
347
....
Shale, bluish gray.....
15
362
....
Shale, black.
1
4
363
4
Coal.
_
3
363
7
Shale, blue.
2
5
366
....
Shale, sandy, micaceous.
5
6
371
6
Shale, bluish.
5
____
376
6
Shale, gray.
2
—
378
6
Sandstone, shalv, micaceous.
11
6
390
----
Shale, bluish_ _
1
391
Sandstone,
coarse grained, micaceous
9
....
400
....
Shale, dark,
micaceous....
7
_
407
....
Clay shale...
1
—
408
....
Shale, brown, with hard bands.
5
_
413
....
Coal
[
1
3
414
3
Dark shale
^oal (Murphysboro i
3
11
418
2
Coal
or No. 2)
10
419
....
Pottsville formation—
•
Shale, blue.
8
____
427
....
Shale, dark
10
437
Clay shale..
2
____
439
....
Shale, dark
gray-.-.-
12
2
451
2
Coal.
1
4
452
6
Shale, dark
gray-.
6
6
459
....
Shale, black..
4
....
463
——
Shale, gray.
6
—
469
....
Shale, black.
5
6
474
6
Shale, light gray.
1
6
476
....
Shale, dark, slickensided.
....
6
476
6
ROCK FORMATIONS
23
Log of boring half a mile southwest of Springfield —Continued
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Shale, light...
3
6
480
....
Shale, dark.
49
....
529
....
Shale, sandy...
IS
4
544
4
Shale, light blue...
1
____
545
4
Shale, dark blue..
1
....
546
4
Shale, light, clayey..
7
....
553
4
Shale, black..
1
554
4
Coal (No. 1?)....
____
10
555
2
Shale, black..
Sandstone, coarse, carbonaceous, in
24
10
580
....
places micaceous.
13
_
593
....
Sandstone...
1
_ _ _ _
594
....
Shale, dark....
27
__
621
....
Shale, light....
4
625
....
Shale, black.
Shale, conglomeratic, carbonaceous,
2
4
627
4
and gray sandstone.
23
2
650
6
Shale, dark..
Shale, conglomeratic, dark, and sand-
6
....
656
6
stone interlaminated.
4
10
661
4
Sandstone, coarse, brown to gray.
Mississippian system—
St. Louis and Spergen limestones—
36
2
697
6
Limestone.
12
6
710
....
Shale, hard, light colored__
Limestone, light gray, argillaceous,
2
....
712
....
somewhat conglomeratic.....
11
....
723
....
Limestone, argillaceous..
11
....
734
....
Limestone, impure, argillaceous.
Shale, gray, in places calcareous and
26
760
....
somewhat conglomeratic.
15
....
775
....
Limestone, gray.
Shale, bluish, variable and somewhat
7
....
782
....
calcareous.
Limestone, impure, gray, in places
10
....
792
....
with argillaceous bands.
16
----
808
....
Limestone, gray.
20
....
828
....
Limestone, arenaceous.
14
....
842
....
Limestone, dark, sandy.
8
....
850
....
Shale, impure.
2
....
852
....
Shale, calcareous.
Limestone, impure, shaly, and in
9
....
861
....
places sandy.
35
....
896
....
Limestone, white.
5
....
901
....
Limestone, sandy or shaly.
12
....
913
....
24
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Log of boring half a mile southwest of Springfield —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Warsaw and Keokuk formations—
Ft.
In.
Ft.
In.
Shale, calcareous.
14
....
927
....
Shale, blue....
5
6
932
6
Shale, sandy.
3
4
935
10
Shale, blue.
2
2
938
....
Shale, dark..
4
----
942
....
Limestone...
1
....
943
....
Shale, gray.
12
955
—
Shale, blue..
6
----
961
_
Shale, sandy...
3
964
Sandstone.
1
965
Shale, sandy......
2
3
967
3
Sandstone.....
3
9
971
_
Shale, sandy.
14
6
985
6
Shale, bluish gray.
19
6
1005
Shale, hard, gray.
15
1020
____
Shale, hard, bluish gray.
33
4
1053
4
Limestone, oolitic.
3
8
1057
....
Shale, blue...
6
____
1063
....
Shale, blue, with limestone bands.
Burlington limestone—
14
....
1077
....
Limestone, hard, with chert bands....
4
_
1081
....
Limestone, hard, grav...
20
1101
....
Limestone...
9
....
1110
....
Limestone, broken, cherty..
15
....
1125
—
Limestone, cherty..
7
__
1132
—
Chert.....
Limestone, cherty, with Spirifer
10
6
1142
6
grimesi and other fossils..
16
....
1158
6
Chert, with some limestone___
9
_
1167
6
Limestone, with some chert.
Kinderhook group—
Limestone, reddish, shaly, in places
16
"
1183
6
cherty.
43
6
1227
....
Limestone, gray, with chert bands....
14
—
1241
—
Shale, greenish..
11
....
1252
....
Shale, hard, greenish gray..
Shale, bluish gray, upper part with
34
....
1286
— -
zones of fine-grained oolite.
Devonian system—
Shale, black or very dark, with
Sporangites, Lingula, etc., com-
53
1339
mon.
133
....
1472
....
Limestone, gray.
28
....
1500
....
ROCK FORMATIONS
25
STRATA COMPRISING THE POTTSVILLE FORMATION
The rock at the base of the Pottsville formation is commonly a
coarse-grained sandstone. Such a sandstone is present in the well
near Springfield, as shown in the log reproduced above with a thick¬
ness of about 36 feet, with conglomerate shale beds above for a dis¬
tance of 25 or 30 feet. Thirty feet of sandstone lie near the base
of the Pennsylvanian in a well near Macon at a depth of about 1,020
feet. In the Peoria region the base of the Pennsylvanian seems to
be argillaceous material reported as either soapstone or shale, a sand¬
stone 10 feet in thickness being reported in one out of seven water
wells. 1 Farther west in Fulton County where the Pottsville is relative¬
ly thin the basal member is commonly sandstone or sandy shale. To¬
ward the northern part of the district and farther north in District I
sandstone is not a conspicuous constituent of the Pottsville. It seems
probable, therefore, that the basal sandstone member is limited in dis¬
tribution to the western border of the district and to the central and
southern portions with possibly a greater thickness to the south¬
east than elsewhere.
Other sandstones are not uncommon in the Pottsville formation
east of the Illinois and probably, as in District YII, they are variable
in character and distribution. Drillings are too few, however, to test
this probability or to justify reliable generalizations concerning the
details of the rock succession over much of the area. A sandstone or
sandy shale is noted in several wells in the upper 90 feet of the forma¬
tion above the horizon of No. 1 coal as noted below.
A few coals lie within the Pottsville. Locally one bed, known as
No. 1 (Rock Island, or Seville) coal, is of workable thickness. This
is one of the two important coals of District III to the west and is of
workable thickness beneath at least part of Fulton County in this dis¬
trict. The coal is mined at Seville and Ellisville along Spoon River,
where it occurs about midway in the Pottsville section, 35 to 55 feet
below No. 2 coal. At Seville it is 3 to A l / 2 feet thick and at Ellisville
3 to S l / 2 feet. The character and distribution of No. 1 coal in Fulton
and Peoria counties will receive attention in greater detail in later
sections of the report, and in the bulletin describing the coal resources
of District III.
In the Peoria region what is possibly No. 1 coal lies 130 feet
lUdden, J. A., Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle:
U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 506, p. 13, 1912.
26
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
below Xo. 2 coal. 1 This coal was at one time mined in a shaft at
Pottstown. Doctor Udden states in regard to it:
“It is in two benches, the lower one varying from 2 feet 2 inches to 3
feet in the Pottstown mine, and the upper measuring about 1 foot 3 inches.
The two benches are separated by nearly 3 feet of shale. The average
thickness of the coal and the included shale is 6 feet.” 2
At Peoria a thin, probably lenticular, coal lies at a still greater
depth, about 80 to 104 feet, below No. 1 coal, or 20 feet above the
base of the Pottsville formation at one locality. The Pottstown shafts
and two water wells penetrated a thin coal about 40 feet above the
horizon of NT. 1 coal. Between this coal and No. 2 all exploration in
the Peoria region shows considerable sandstone or sandy shale meas¬
uring from 70 to 80 feet in thickness.
In the Springfield region a 10-inch coal bed which lies about 142
feet above the base of the Pennsylvanian system and 140 feet below
No. 2 coal, probably corresponds to the coal designated as No. 1 in the
Peoria region. One boring, at least, indicates the presence of sand¬
stone between No. 1 and No. 2 coals as in the Peoria region. A coal
12 to 16 inches thick is found in places in the Springfield region 35 to
40 feet below No. 2 coal.
Farther west a record of a diamond-drill boring at Blue Mound
in Macon County reports several coals in the upper 130 feet of the
Pottsville formation. The record of the boring at Blue Mound is
reproduced herewith and is shown graphically on Plate II.
Record of a diamond-drill boring near Blue Mound, Macon County
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
-
Ft.
In.
Ft.
In.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay and sand...
18
----
18
Sand.
5
23
Clay and coarse gravel.
3
26
Clay and gravel cemented .
5
31
Clay, blue.
22
53
Clay and gravel, cemented.
3
56
Clay and sand.
14
....
70
....
Clay and gravel, cemented ...
3
73
Boulders and gravel.
2
....
75
....
9
lOp. cit., p. 24.
2Qp. cit., p. 25.
ROCK FORMATIONS
27
Record of a diamond-drill boring near Blue Mound —Continued
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Clay and shale, soft.
23
98
....
Clay, soft.....
1
_
99
....
Shale, black...
1
100
....
Coal, bone....
....
6
100
6
Clay and shale, soft.
10
6
111
....
Sand shale...
3
__
114
....
Limestone.....
5
....
119
....
Sandstone...
6
....
125
....
Clay shale...
9
----
134
....
Clay shale.
20
____
154
....
Clay shale..
9
_
163
....
Clav shale with hard bands.
22
_
185
....
Clay shale.
6
_
191
....
Limestone (Carlinville?).
9
200
....
Clay shale, blue.
1
_ _ _ _
201
....
Shale, black.
4
....
205
....
Shale, dark blue....
7
10
212
10
Bone...
2
213
....
Fire clay.
5
----
218
....
Limestone, bastard.
7
_ _ __
225
....
Clay shale, blue.
7
----
232
....
Limestone.
1
....
233
....
Clay shale, light......
6
239
....
Sand and limestone mixed with shale
5
....
244
Shale, sandv.
11
____
255
....
Shale, sandv.
5
260
....
Sand shale.
8
....
268
....
Sand shale.
7
....
275
....
Clay shale.
16
291
....
Clay shale.
10
....
301
....
Shale, black.
1
....
302
....
Coal.
6
302
6
Fire clay.
1
6
304
....
Shale, clay.
9
....
313
....
Clay shale with hard bands.
17
....
330
....
Clay shale with hard bands.
22
....
350
....
Clay shale, black.
15
....
365
....
Clay shale, soft, will cave.
12
....
377
....
“Soapstone,” soft, red.
5
382
“Soapstone,” soft, red.
3
385
Limestone.
4
389
Clay shale.
6
395
Clay shale.
14
....
409
....
28
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of a diamond-drill boring near Blue Mound —Continued
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Clay shale__
6
....
415
....
Clav shale.
4
419
....
Clay shale...
9
__ __
428
....
Shale, dark blue.
4
8
432
8
Coal....
2
6
. 435
2
Fire Clay.
1
6
436
8
Coal......
8
437
4
Clay shale....
13
8
451
....
Limestone.
4
6
455
6
Clay shale.
4
3
459
3
Carbondale—
Coal (No. 6).
3
6
463
3
Shale.
1
3
464
6
Limestone.
4
6
469
....
Clay shale.
10
....
479
....
Clay shale.
7
486
....
Shale, black.
3
389
....
Coal, clean parting (No. 5).
5
3
494
3
Fire clay.
1
6
495
9
Clay shale.
8
3
504
....
Clay shale...
14
——
518
....
Clay shale...
12
....
530
....
Shale, black.
3
533
——
Coal.
1
8
534
8
Shale, soft crum
jly...
3
4
538
....
Clay shale.
5
....
543
....
Clay shale with hard bands.
21
....
564
....
Clay shale with hard bands...
18
....
582
....
Coal.
3
6
585
6
Sand, clay, shale, mixed.
12
6
598
....
Sand, clay, shale, mixed.
2
....
600
....
Shale, black sandy.
2
....
602
....
Coal.
1
5
603
5
Clav and sandy shale mixed..
5
7
608
....
Clay and sandy shale mixed....
18
....
626
....
Clay shale..
13
4
639
4
Coal
'
1
2
640
6
Shale, mucky
1
6
642
....
Shale, mucky
1
....
643
....
Sandstone, hard
9
....
652
....
Shale, black
•(No. 2 coal) . \
1
....
653
.—
Coal
3
653
3
Shale, black
2
7
655
10
Coal mixed with
sulphur
2
5
658
3
ROCK FORMATIONS
21 )
Record of a diamond-drill boring near Bine Mound —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
In.
Ft.
In.
Pottsville—
Fire clay...
1
6
659
9
Clay shale....
4
3
664
....
Sandstone.
4
_
668
Sandstone and sand shale mixed.
Flowing salt water at 670 feet...
15
....
683
....
Clay shale with hard bands......
7
6
690
6
Shale, black.....
2
3
692
9
Coal.....
6
693
3
Clay shale...
1
9
695
....
Clay shale.
12
_
707
Clay shale.....
' 3
_ _ _ _
710
Sandstone...
6
....
716
....
Shale, black...
3
719
....
Coal...
8
719
8
Clay shale.....
2
4
732
....
Clay shale.....
14
....
736
....
Shale, dark.......
2
....
738
....
Clay shale.......
2
740
....
Coal...
....
2
740
2
Clay shale.
1
10
742
....
Coal.
....
6
742
6
Clay shale...
3
6
746
....
Shale, dark.
3
....
749
....
Coal and sulphur____ . ..
_ _ _ _
8
749
8
Sandstone and sand shale.......
10
4
760
....
Clay shale, dark...
2
....
762
....
Clay shale, dark.....
3
....
765
....
Shale, black.
7
....
772
....
Coal
(
....
8
772
8
Clay shale |
3
4
776
....
Sandstone f(No. 1 coal?). 1
3
779
....
Sand shale |
10
....
789
....
Coal J
3
....
792
....
Clay shale.
1
....
793
....
Sandstone.
14
....
807
....
Sandstone.
11
....
818
....
Sand shale and clay shale mixed.
6
....
823
....
Clay shale.
12
....
835
....
Sandstone.
5
....
840
....
Sandstone, hard.
10
....
850
....
30
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
On the basis of the correlation made in Plate II, a rough simi¬
larity is apparent in the sections at Blue Mound and Assumption,
with an interval between coals No. 5 and No. 2 in one locality of 145
feet and in the other 155, and an interval betwen No. 1 and No. 2
of 115 feet at Blue Mound and 131 feet 7 inches at Assumption.
These latter figures are not greatly different from those given for
the interval between No. 1 and No. 2 coals in the Springfield and
Peoria region.
In Sangamon, Macon, and Christian counties No. 2 coal seems
to be everywhere in two benches.
A thin coal about 30 to 40 feet below No. 2 is apparently wide¬
spread as far northward as District I in Marshall and Bureau counties,
and is possibly present at La Salle.
Limestone in the Pottsville is rather uncommon except in the
western part of the district between No. 1 and No. 2 coals. In Dis¬
trict III from Greene County to Rock Island County a limestone is
nearly everywhere found between the two coals, commonly within a
few feet of the upper coal, so that the underclay of this coal rests
upon the limestone. This relationship, however, is more common to
the south than to the north as the interval increases northward. In
Fulton County, No. 1 coal is commonly overlain by a dark, shaly,
somewhat impure limestone that varies in thickness from 5 to 20
feet, which may be separated from the coal by ^2 to 3 feet of dark
shale. Between the limestone and No. 2 coal is an interval of about
35 to 40 feet.
Except in the southeastern portion of the district the Pottsville
sediments rest on a thick limestone of Mississippian age and the
base can be definitely placed. In Macon and adjacent counties the
Pennsylvanian system seems to be underlain by rocks belonging to the
Chester group of the Mississippian system. These strata resemble the
rocks of the Pottsville formation in being largely sandstone and
sandy shales, so that it is not always possible to determine the posi¬
tion of contact of the two systems. The Chester, however, contains
some limestone members, and as limestones are generally lacking in
the Pottsville, it is the custom in the interpretation of drilling rec¬
ords from the central and southern part of the State arbitrarily to
place the base of the Pottsville at the top of the first limestone after
the drill has passed through all the main coal beds and has been
working for some distance in a series composed mostly of sandstone.
The top of the formation is difficult to identify where No. 2 coal is
absent or not reported; in the Springfield region it averages about
240 feet below No. 6 coal; in the Peoria region in one shaft it is 140
ROCK FORMATIONS
31
feet below No. 6; in Macon County it is about 200 feet below No. 6.
In general there is a decrease in interval northward through the State
with the greatest difference taking place near the boundary between
Districts VII and IV.
David White 1 has studied the fossil plants found in the forma¬
tions and regards the Illinois beds as corresponding in age to beds
of the same name in Pennsylvania.
CARBONDALE FORMATION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Carbondale formation which is typically exposed near Car¬
bondale, Jackson County, includes all the beds from the base of No.
2 coal to the top of No. 6 coal. Shale predominates in this formation,
and only lenticular sandstones and minor amounts of limestone and
coal are present. The Carbondale includes all of the productive coal
beds in Illinois, except the Rock Island or Seville (No. 1), the Dan¬
ville or Streator (No. 7) coals, three beds below No. 2 mined
locally in Gallatin County, and two or three beds, high in the Penn¬
sylvanian system, mined locally in the southeastern part of the State.
Its total thickness varies from about 240 feet at Springfield and in
the southeastern part of the district, to about 150 to 175 feet in the
northern and northwestern parts.
The coal beds of commercial thickness in the region are No. 2,
No. 5, and No. 6. The significance of these numbers has been ade¬
quately explained in preceding bulletins of this series, as has also the
system of geographic names used by the State and the U. S. Geological
Surveys for the same coals. By this system No. 2 coal is called the Mur-
physboro, La Salle, or Colchester coal; No. 5 coal is called the Spring-
field or Harrisburg coal; and No. 6 the Herrin, Belleville, or Grape
Creek coal. Similarly, No. 1 of the Pottsville formation has been de¬
signated the Rock Island or Seville coal, and No. 7 of the McLeans-
boro formation, the Danville or Streator coal. It has been regarded
as advantageous by the State Geological Survey to continue the use of
numbers as synonymous with place names in this series of bulletins,
calling attention, however, to the synonymous nomenclature.
The area of District IV includes most of that part of the State
lying along the Illinois valley, wherein exposures of coal beds are
lWhite, David, Paleontological work in Illinois in 1908: Ill. State Geol. Sur¬
vey Bull. 14, p. 193, 1910.
32
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
found that furnished the basis for the Illinois valley section of the
“Coal Measures ,, prepared by Worthen and presented in Volume III
of the Geological Survey of Illinois (pages 3 to 6). In this region
Worthen believed that he had identified ten beds of coal in a vertical
thickness of about 600 feet. All were identified in the immediate vicin¬
ity of Illinois River except coal No. 4, which was seen only near
Cuba in Fulton County. He numbered the coals from No. 1 up¬
ward, Nos. 1, 2, 5, and 6 corresponding to the numbers now being
used for the respective beds. After investigations in the Fulton
County region, Professor T. E. Savage states that the bed identified
by Worthen as No. 4 is really No. 5, the original error being due to a
decrease in the interval (undiscovered by Worthen) between No. 2 and
No. 5 coals toward the west in Fulton County. Worthen’s No. 3
coal has possibly not been identified with certainty by later investi¬
gators.
STRATA COMPRISING THE CAR30NDALE FORMATION
The rock strata listed by Worthen 1 in the Carbondale portion of
his section of the “Coal Measures” in central and northern Illinois
are as follows:
Thickness Total
of stratum thickness
Feet Feet
Coal (No. 6) . 6 6
Fire clay passing into nodular limestone with fossils 3 9
Sandstone and sandy or argillaceous shale. 35 44
Limestone, hard, bituminous . 2 46
Shale, black . 3 49
Coal (No. 5) . 6 55
Fire clay, some places passing into argillaceous lime¬
stone . 3 58
Shale and sandstone . 20 78
Coal (No. 4) . 3 81
Sandstone and sandy shale with dark blue and choco¬
late-colored bands at the base. 80-100 181
Coal (No. 3) . 3 184
Sandstone and sandy shales becoming argillaceous
toward the base and inclosing nodules with fossil
plants, insects, fishes, etc. 75 259
Coal (No. 2) . 3 262
The stratigraphic units of the Carbondale in the Avon-Canton
quadrangles as determined by T. E. Savage, are believed to be more
accurate than those of Worthen, and are as follows:
iW T orthen, A. H., Geological Survey of Illinois, Vol. Ill, pp. 5 and 6, 18GS.
ROCK FORMATIONS
33
16.
Coal (No. 6, or Herrin) .
Thickness
Ft. In.
4-6
Total
thickness
Ft. In.
6
15.
Shale, gray to yellow .
6-8
• •
14
• •
14.
Shale, sandy, and thin sandstone layers and
sandstone .
13
• •
27
• •
13.
-U nconf ormity-
Shale, gray (Canton shale) .
17
44
12.
Shale, blue to gray, calcareous; “clod” .
1
8
45
8
11.
Limestone, nodular .
8
46
4
10.
Shale, black .
2
• •
48
4
9.
Coal (No. 5, or Springfield) .
5
3
53
7
8.
Clay .
2
6
56
1
7.
Limestone, nodular .
1
• •
57
1
6.
Shale, gray .
12
2
69
3
5.
Sandstone and sandy shale .
25
• •
94
3
4.
Shale, gray .
47
• •
141
3
3.
Shale, black, with layer of nodular septaria
boulders of limestone .
3-6
147
3
2.
(Horizon of Worthen’s No. 3 coal)
Shale .
9-14
161
3
1.
Coal (No. 2, or Avon) .
2
6
163
9
The formation in the Fulton County region, especially near Cuba,
is broken by an unconformity between No. 5 and No. 6 coals, whereby
the interval between the two coals is lessened to apparent contact in
at last one place, with various distances separating the coal up to the
usual interval of about 65 feet as found near Canton. This varying
interval between the coals was apparently not noted by Worthen,
so that No. 5 was erroneously called No. 4 where it was the greater
distance below No. 6, and No. 5 where it was the lesser.
In the Peoria County region the Carbondale section apparently be¬
gins with the No. 2 (Pdue Fly) coal bed which was worked at Potts-
town and Orchard. This coal lies 190 to 200 feet below the top of
the formation or 140 feet below No. 5 coal, which is about 30 feet
more than the interval in the Fulton County region. In both Fulton
and Peoria counties No. 2 coal is covered by “soapstone” followed by
black shale probably containing “niggerheads” or boulders of septaria
limestone. The correlation of the other members of the section is
impossible with the data at hand. As in the Fulton County region,
however, the lower part of the section is shale and the upper part
up to the underclay of No. 5 coal is largely sandstone.
The succession between No. 5 and No. 6 coals in the Peoria re¬
gion is very similar to that in the Fulton County area. The uncon¬
formity mentioned above in the description of the Fulton County
34
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
section is present in the Peoria area and in both regions the material
resting upon the eroded surface is sandstone or sandy shale. Udden
states 1 as follows:
“The surface separating this shale from the overlying sandstone is not
always a straight line or even plane. There are many broad low combs in
the lower surface of the sandstone which extend down into the shale. On
close inspection of the bared bottom of overhanging parts of the sandstone,
especially in places where it has a coarse texture, these combs are seen to
have the forms of molds made in small channels, which were cut by rills
into the mud bottom of the underlying shale. The largest of these chan¬
nels noted on the old mud flats is 3 feet wide and about 9 inches deep,
evidently a cut such as might have been made by the receding tide. To
what extent the differences already mentioned in the thickness of the shale
may be due to more extensive erosion at this level it is not possible to say,
but it appears probable that some erosion had taken place.”
In the Springfield region the average thickness of the Carbondale
formation is about 243 feet, or about 50 feet more than in the Peoria
region. No. 2 coal, at the base, is commonly in two beds, each ranging
from 7 to 24 inches in thickness. They are separated by a few feet
of dark shale. Above the coal there is about 10 to 15 feet of shale or
shaly sandstone, upon which lies 25 to 35 feet of micaceous and
somewhat argillaceous sandstone interbedded with layers of shale.
Prom the top of the sandstone to the base of the Springfield (No. 5)
coal the strata consist of a series of shale beds varying in color from
gray to blue or black. At some places they appear to be slightly
sandy; at others they contain thin beds of coal. In the Springfield
boring a thin coal bed was encountered 56 feet above the base of the
formation and a similar coal was found at nearly the same horizon
in a drilling near Riverton. About 30 feet above this bed another thin
coal was found in each hole, and still another 140 to 150 feet above
the base of the formation.
The interval between No. 5 and No. 6 coals is much the same
throughout the Springfield region. Above the No. 5 coal is commonly
black “slate,” with niggerheads and with irregular gray markings
resembling fucoid impressions traversing the beds and appearing on
the edges of the blocks as light-gray laminae intercalated between
darker material. Locally in the Springfield region a layer of “clod”
or calcareous shale containing much pyrite lies between the coal and
the black shale. In Peoria and Fulton counties “clod” is found lo¬
cally at the position of the limestone “cap rock” above the black
slate. Overlying the “cap rock” commonly is a shale of varying
lUdden, J. A., Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle:
U. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, p. 31, 1912.
ROCK FORMATIONS
35
thickness overlain in turn by sandstone which latter member is par¬
ticularly conspicuous in the Peoria region, where in places it is ex¬
posed to a thickness of 55 to 60 feet. Between the sandstone and
underlying strata is probably an erosional unconformity. A similar
sandstone lies above No. 5 coal in places in the La Salle region, and
west of the La Salle anticline possibly in places extends below the
horizon of No. 5 within about 100 feet or less of No. 2 coal. In
District I this sandstone has been designated the Vermilionville sand¬
stone. In District IV the sandstone changes vertically somewhat
abruptly into shale and fire clay, the latter forming the underclay of
No. 6 coal. There is commonly 7 to 10 feet of this shale between the
coal and the sandstone.
The thickness of the Carbondale formation apparently is some¬
what more in Sangamon County than it is to either the east or the
west. Its thickness of 240 feet near Springfield has already been
compared with a thickness of 190 to 200 feet at Peoria. In Macon
County there is about 190 feet of Carbondale sediments present, and
at Bloomington between 132 and possibly 175 feet. No. 6 coal is ap¬
parently absent over much of McLean County so that the exact posi¬
tion of the top of the Carbondale is undeterminable.
No. 6 coal is not widespread in this district. In the Springfield
area it is found as a thin coal 14 inches or less in thickness and at
an average interval of 50 feet above No. 5 coal. The coal increases
in thickness southward rather rapidly, so that at Auburn and Chatham
it is 5 to 8 feet thick. In the Peoria and Fulton County region, also,
it is 4 to 6 feet thick. Very locally at Springfield the coal thickens
to 5 or 6 feet as in the shaft at Mechanicsburg. To the east and
north the coal entirely plays out so that the exact position of the top
of the Carbondale formation is indeterminable and No. 7 coal is the
next bed of workable thickness above No. 5 coal. This relationship
persists northward over much if not all of District I. The absence
of No. 6 coal is thought to be due to an interval of erosion or non¬
deposition near the end of Carbondale time. The gap may be due to the
same causes which produced the erosion unconformity already de¬
scribed between No. 5 and No. 6 coals in the Fulton and Peoria County
region, sandstone deposition continuing for longer period in the central
portion of the State than it did to the west. This seems to be in
harmony with movements which apparently took place along the
La Salle anticline at about the end of the Carbondale period, one
effect of which would doubtless have been to make the adjacent por¬
tion of the coal basin unfavorably located for peat deposition. There
is considerable State-wide evidence for believing that an emergence
36
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
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o
VERTICAL SCALE IN FEET
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Fig 4. —Diagrammatic section showing the distinctive strata of the McLeansboro formation:
In District IV as a whole 3. In Macon County and District VII
In the Peoria region 4. In the northern part of District IV and in District I
ROCK FORMATIONS
37
of the sea bottom accompanied by erosion took place near the end of
Carbondale time, but the exact position of the line of unconformity
in the various parts of the State varies across the horizon of coal
No. 6, in some places being above and in other places below or at
the horizon of the coal. In southeastern Illinois and western Ken¬
tucky the line of this unconformity is thought to be marked by the
base of the Anvil Rock sandstone, which lies near the base of the
McLeansboro formation.
MCLEANSBORO FORMATION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The McLeansboro formation includes all of the “Coal Measures”
strata above No. 6 coal. It takes its name from McLeansboro, Ham¬
ilton County, Illinois, where borings have penetrated it to a depth of
one thousand feet. It underlies the entire region north and east
of the line of outcrop of No. 6 coal, and in most of the district is
covered by a variable thickness of glacial drift.
The formation consists of shale and minor amounts of sandstone,
limestone, and coal. Although some of the coals above No. 6 are
persistent in distribution, only No. 7 coal is anywhere sufficiently
thick in this area to be of commercial value. In its barrenness of
productive coals and in general age, the McLeansboro is similar to
the Conemaugh formation of Pennsylvania.
DISTINCTIVE STRATA
The well differentiated distinctive strata of the McLeansboro
formation in this region as a whole may be enumerated as follows
(Fig. 4) :
6. Crows Mill limestone; about 275 feet above No. 6 coal.
5. No. 8 coal, with limestone above and greenish-gray shale below;
about 150 feet above No. 6 coal.
4. Lonsdale or Rock Creek limestone; about 75 feet above No. 6 coal
and 30 to 40 feet above No. 7 coal.
3. No. 7 coal; averages about 50 feet above No. 6 coal.
2. Variegated shale between cap rock of No. 6 coal and No. 7.
1. A hard limestone cap rock overlying or a few feet above No. 6 coal.
In the Peoria region the following units may be observed (Fig. 4) :
5. Lonsdale limestone; about 15 feet thick, 30 to 40 feet above No. 7
coal.
4. No. 7 coal; about 18 inches thick, 20 to 50 feet above No. 6 coal.
3. Variegated shale 8 feet and less in thickness; 18 to 40 feet above
No. 6 coal.
2. Sandstone; 10 to 25 feet thick, 8 to 17 feet above No. 6 coal.
1. Limestone; about 5 feet thick, 2 to 4 feet above No. 6 coal.
38
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
In Macon County a section similar to that noted in District VII 1
to the south is recorded at Blue Mound, including the following dis¬
tinctive horizons (Fig. 4) :
6. Shoal Creek limestone; about 100 feet above the Carlinville lime¬
stone, and 300 feet above No. 6 coal.
5. Carlinville limestone; about 230 feet above No. 6 coal.
4. No. 8 coal; 150 to 180 feet above No. 6 coal.
3. Variegated shale; about 60 feet above No. 6 coal.
2. No. 7 coal.
1. Cap rock of No. 6 coal.
The section in the northern part of this district seems to be much
like the section in District I where the following distinctive horizons
may be recognized (Fig. 4) :
7. Variegated shales; about 250 feet above No. 7 coal.
6. Coal; about 232 feet above No. 7 coal.
5. Limestone, La Salle; about 180 feet above No. 7 coal.
4. Limestone, Spring Valley; about 150 feet above No. 7 coal.
3. No. 8 coal; about 140 feet above No. 7 coal.
2. Lonsdale limestone; about 75 feet above No. 7 coal.
1. No. 7 coal, of commercial thickness; possibly about 50 feet above
the base of the McLeansboro formation, No. 6 coal not being
present.
The identification of the various strata of the McLeansboro for¬
mation as well as those of the earlier formations is accomplished
by comparison of sections in adjacent drill holes and by a few ex¬
posures in the upper part of the section in the central part of the dis¬
trict. Similarity of interval between successive distinctive strata in
various places is practically the only criterion of identification, as fossil
studies have not as yet yielded index fossils for the various positions
in “Coal Measures,” as they may do if collections were systematically
made and studied.
Identifications of strata on the basis of lithologic similarity and
similarity in stratigraphic interval have been rather satisfactory in the
southern part of the State where drilling is closely spaced, and the
various formations are widespread at characteristic intervals. Com¬
parison of sections in various parts of northern Illinois seems to in¬
dicate that the same method is applicable here likewise, but in all parts
of the coal basin there is need for paleontologic verification of such
identifications by the aid of fossil collections.
Because of the irregularity in the distribution of drilling, and
geologic and other exploratory work, and because of the consequent
lKay, Fred H., Coal Resources of District VII: Ill. Min. Investigations Bull.
11, p. 23, 1915.
ROCK FORMATIONS
39
lack of knowledge of conditions in Menard, Logan, and DeWitt coun¬
ties, the southern part of the district, comprising Sangamon and Macon
counties, is isolated from the northern and western part of the district
including Schuyler, Fulton, Peoria, Tazewell, McLean, Woodford, and
Livingston counties and the area included in District I. The section
for Peoria and Fulton counties continues northward and in Marshall
County merges into the section which is characteristic of District I as
displayed in the La Salle region west of the La Salle anticline. At
Sparland, No. 6 coal pinches out and is not present northward. No. 7
coal persists from the Peoria region into the La Salle region becoming
thicker in that direction, and the Lonsdale limestone can be traced al¬
most continuously from one district to the other. At Toluca, No. 6
coal is absent, but a limestone, possibly the cap rock of No. 6, below
which is a black “slate/’ has been encountered in one drill hole, in¬
dicating a transition from the conditions in one area to those in the
other. The following record of a drilling at Toluca illustrates the re¬
lationships.
Record of boring near Toluca, in the S. W. Y± N. E. % sec. 5, T. 29
N., R. 1 E.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
In.
Ft.
In.
Soil, black.
1
....
1
Clay, brown..
5
....
6
....
Clay, gray..
6
....
12
....
Sand clay, brown...
5
....
17
Sand (water).
8
....
25
....
Clay, gray and red.
43
....
68
....
Limestone.
3
....
71
....
Soapstone, light red..
20
....
91
....
“Soapstone,” pink.
8
....
99
....
Limestone.
3
....
102
....
Silt, black.
3
....
105
....
Soapstone, light gray.
8
....
113
....
“Soapstone,” red..
4
....
117
....
Limestone.
7
6
124
6
“Soapstone,” gray.
5
6
130
....
Limestone..
2
....
132
....
“Soapstone,” dark...
3
....
135
....
“Soapstone,” gray...
2
....
137
....
Clay, red.
11
——
148
....
Limestone.
7
....
155
....
Clay, red.
1
....
156
....
“Soapstone,” red.
4
....
160
....
40
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of boring near Toluca —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Clay, red...
7
167
“Soapstone,” gray.
3
170
Clay, red...
2
172
“Soapstone,” gray.
11
•
183
“Slate,” black.
2
185
“Soapstone,” gray.
1
186
Limestone.
13
199
Clay, red.....
9
208
“Soapstone,” dark.
8
216
Limestone..
5
221
“Soapstone,” gray.
14
235
Sandstone...
14
249
“Soapstone,” gray.
14
263
“Soapstone,” sandy.
9
272
“Soapstone,” gray.
7
279
“Slate,” black.
3
282
“Soapstone,” gray.
6
288
Coal (“1st vein” or No. 7).
4
3
292
3
Fire clay.
8
9
301
“Soapstone,” gray.
16
6
317
6
Limestone.
1
6
319
“Slate,” black.
4
323
“Soapstone,” gray.
5
328
“Slate,” black..
14
342
Coal (“2d vein” or No. 5).
2
344
Fire clay.
7
349
....
“Soapstone,” gray.
17
....
366
....
Fire clay.
4
mmmm
370
....
“Soapstone”.
15
_ _ _ _
385
Sand shale.
10
395
....
Sand shale..
9
404
“Soapstone,” sandy.
90
....
494
....
“Soapstone,” gray.
5
....
499
....
Coal (“3d vein” or No. 2).
2
6
501
6
Fire clay.
3
6
505
....
The succession of the Dongwall District, which as has been stated,
can be traced into the Peoria area along the Illinois valley, persists
southward in the eastern part of District IV along the line of the
Illinois Central Railroad at least at far as Bloomington. Accordingly,
as in the Longwall District, the coals in the northern part of District IV
are commonly known as “first,” “second,” and “third vein” coals, and,
ROCK FORMATIONS
41
as in the La Salle region, the “first vein” is No. 7 of the Illinois sec¬
tion, the “second vein,” No. 5, and the “third vein” is No. 2. No. 6
coal, as has been stated, is absent in this part of the State.
Between Bloomington and the south boundary of the district, the
section changes with the thinning of No. 7 coal, and with the intercala¬
tion of No. 6 coal and its cap-rock limestone between coals No. 7 and
No. 5. The stages of this transition have not been determined, as the
details of the section between Bloomington and Decatur are not well
known, very little drilling having been done in that part of the dis¬
trict. Not improbably it is very similar to the change that takes place
in the section along the Illinois valley between Peoria and the Longwall
District.
In the following paragraphs each of the distinctive strata of Dis¬
trict IV in the McLeansboro formation as previously listed, will be de¬
scribed in some detail.
1. Limestone above No. 6 coal. —No. 6 coal is of workable thick¬
ness in this district only in Fulton, Schuyler, and Peoria counties. In
most of the area it is absent. Where this coal is present it has a per¬
sistent limestone cap rock which possibly has a wider distribution than
the coal itself. In the Peoria region this cap rock ranges in thickness
from 3 inches to 4 feet and averages a little more than 2 feet. In
places it is absent from the section. A similar limestone is reported
over the No. 6 coal in Springfield region. A black shale commonly
separates the coal from the limestone in all regions, but in places in the
Peoria region this shale and even the limestone and some of the coal
is replaced by a variable sandy deposit known among the miners as
“white top.” In the northern part of the State a similar material is
found associated with No. 5 coal, particularly at La Salle and Cherry.
2. Variegated shale below No. 7 coal .—Savage reports a per¬
sistent bed of variegated calcareous shale, red, blue, greenish, choco¬
late-colored, and mottled, occupying part of the section between the
cap rock of No. 6 coal and No. 7 coal in the Springfield region. Red¬
dish shales at about the same horizon have been noted by Savage in the
Canton region and bv Udden in the Peoria region. It is noteworthy
that similar variegated shales are remarkably persistent in District IV
at a higher horizon, namely, about 50 feet above No. 6 coal and as a
rule a short distance above rather than below the horizon of No. 7 coal.
Reddish shales do not occur in the northern part of the district or in
District I nearer than about 40 feet above No. 7 coal, but above that
level are rather common.
3. No. 7 coal. —No. 7 coal is one of the three persistent coal beds
of this district. It is thin to the south and southwest, averaging only
42
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
2y 2 inches in thickness in the Springfield quadrangle, 1 and in pluses
represented only by a thin bed of black shale. In the Peoria quadrangle
it averages 1 foot 5 inches in thickness, and Savage reports an average
thickness of 12 to 18 inches in the Avon and Canton quadrangles.
North from Bloomington and Chillicothe the coal becomes of work¬
able thickness, and it has been mined at various places in the northern
part of the State, most notably at Streator. This coal will be described
in greater detail on later pages.
4. Lonsdale limestone .—The Lonsdale limestone is one of the
widely distributed limestones in the “Coal Measures” of northern Illi¬
nois. It has not been identified south of Sangamon County, but it oc¬
cupies a stratigraphic position similar to that of certain limestones
found in Randolph and Perry counties a short distance above the coal
identified as No. 7. The limestone has been traced from Fulton County
northward to Bureau County, is probably represented by one of the
several limestones in the upper part of the Pennsylvanian system in the
La Salle region, and has been tentatively correlated with the limestone
outcrop along Vermilion River between Streator and Pontiac. It is
believed to be the same as the Rock Creek limestone of the Springfield
region. 2
This limestone was first described by Worthen 3 from the old Lons¬
dale quarries in the Peoria region. U'dden 4 describes it as consisting
of a lower 5 feet of firmly cemented, largely organic limestone in beds
varying in thickness from 6 inches to 18 inches, and in character
from typical crinoidal limestone to calcareous mud-lump breccia; and
an upper bed 15 feet thick of slightly argillaceous more flaggy rock, in
which concretionarv structures can nearlv always be detected.
In the Peoria region this limestone lies 40 to 50 feet above No. 7
coal; in the Canton region about 60 feet above the coal; in the Spring-
field region (supposing it to be the same as the Rock Creek limestone),
about 45 feet; in the Streator region about 70 feet; and at Bloomington
possibly about 70 feet. The Lonsdale limestone has not been definitely
identified in the southeast part of the district nor generally in the
southern part of the State.
5. No. 8 coal. —No. 8 coal, although too thin to be of commercial
importance, has a persistence comparable to that of any coal beds of thfc.
State. It can be traced throughout Districts VII, VI, and probably V,
practically to Ohio River. It is commonly between 12 to 18 inches
thick, but locally increases to 30 inches. Locally it is absent. It is gen-
iU. S. Geological Survey Folio 188, p. 5.
2 T T . S. Geological Survey Folio 188, o. 6.
3Worthen, A. H., Geological Survey of Illinois Vol. 5, p. 238, 1873.
4Udden, J. A.. Geologj^ and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle:
U. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, pp. 39-40, 1912-
ROCK FORMATIONS
43
erally overlain by black shale. This thin coal lies approximately halt-
way between No. 6 coal and the Carlinville limestone. The various in¬
tervals between this coal and No. 7 m District IV may be observed by
inspection of the following table:
Table 1. — Interval betiueen No 8 and No. 7 coals in District IV cornpared
with the range of interval in District VII _ ,
Locality Interval
Feet
Springfield
Niantic . . .
Blue Mound
Decatur ...
Lovington .
Assumption
Divernon .
La Salle . .
Saybrook ..
District VII
.... 77
....100
....140
_130 +
....150
....130
....120
. .. 147?
... 169
150-180
6. Carlinville limestone .—The Carlinville limestone is one of the
most widely distributed beds in the “Coal Measures” of Illinois. It
has been traced from the Indiana State line in Gallatin County north¬
east to Carlinville, Macoupin County, and is probably the same as the
Crows Mill limestone of the Springfield region and the La Salle lime¬
stone of the La Salle region.
In the type localities this limestone is, according to Udden 1 , “gen¬
erally bluish gray, compact, close-textured, and very hard, breaking
into irregular, splintery pieces. On weathering it assumes a rusty
color. It averages about 7 feet in thickness. There are two features
that are characteristic of this limestone, one a blotchy appearance and
the other its tendency to weather into seams two and one-half or three
inches in thickness.”
The various intervals between this limestone and No. 6 and No. 7
%
coal, so far as either or both are present, is shown in the accompanying
table.
Table 2.— Intervals between the Carlinville limestone and
No. 6 and No. 7 coals
Interval
Locality
To No. 6 coal
To No. 7 coal
y... . jl(
Feet
Feet
Macoupin County .
. 200-220
200±
Springfield ((’rows Mill limestone).
. 210-215
160
Divernon .
. 215+-
160
Niantic ..
. 190
175
Blue Mound .
. 225
190
Maroa .
. 225
200
Decatur .
. 190
180
lUrlden, J. A., Shoal Creek limestone; Illinois State Geological Survey
Bull. 8, p. 119, 1908.
44
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Interval
Locality
To No. 6 coal
To No. 7 coal
Feet
Feet
Lovington (Shoal Creek limestone?)....
. 300
270
Assumption .
220
Toluca .
. 190+
170
Saybrook .
. 290?
180
District VII
(Central and southern parts) .
. 275-325
• • •
(Northern part) .
. 200-275
• • •
As in the case of the interval between the No. 7 coal and the Lons¬
dale limestone and No. 8 coal, there is a general decrease in interval
in the Sangamon County region in passing from adjacent regions to the
east and southeast, and possibly to the northwest.
The equivalency of the Carlinville and La Salle limestones was
postulated as probable by Worthen, 1 who says:
“I have been inclined to regard this limestone as the equivalent of that
at Carlinville, which it resembles, both in its lithologic character and in
the specific character of its embedded fossils. * * * It is rather more
argillaceous here than in Macoupin County, but otherwise it bears a close
resemblance to that rock, and its position is about where that limestone,
if present here, should be found.’'
While investigations by the present Survey have yielded no definite
evidence from fossil collections of the correlation of the two lime¬
stones, they indicate the probable correctness of Worthen’s determina¬
tion ; at least, they do not throw any doubt upon it.
7. Higher distinctive horizons .—Erosion has cut off the Penn¬
sylvanian strata in the district shortly above the horizon of the Carlin¬
ville limestone. Possibly in Macon, Dewitt, and southeastern McLean
counties, strata as high as No. 9 coal and the Shoal Creek limestone
are preserved where the rock surface is highest. Such is not known to
be the case, however. Both of these members are possibly present
very locally in the La Salle region.
The New Haven limestone, which is fairly widespread in southern
Illinois within the area surrounded by its outcrop, lies about 200 to
250 feet above the Carlinville limestone, and apparently outcrops near
the north boundary of District VII between Assumption and Loving-
ton on the south and southeast, and Decatur on the north.
According to the old classification of Worthen whereby the Penn¬
sylvanian strata in Illinois were separated into lower and upper “Coal
Measures” at the horizon of No. 9 coal, the upper measures are lack¬
ing in this district except possibly for a narrow belt extending north¬
ward along the east boundary
lGeological Survey of Illinois, Vol. 7, p. 48.
CHEMICAL VALUE OF COALS IN DISTRICT IV
A detailed report on the chemical character of Illinois coals has
been published as Bulletin 3 ] of this series, so that a discussion of the
quality of the coals in this district is not necessary. However, for con¬
venience, tables 3, 4 and 5 are here given. Tables 3 and 4 relate only
to the coals in the counties treated in this report. Table 5, which shows
the average district analyses of coals, is presented for ease of general
comparison of the District IV coals with those of the other districts.
In Plate IV the same material as is given in table 5 is presented in
graphic form.
A very brief statement of the meaning of each of the several col¬
umns, which give the results of analyses in tables 3, 4 and 5, will doubt¬
less be of service in rendering these results more intelligible, and
therefore of greater usefulness to the average reader unfamiliar with
the technology of coal.
The “Proximate analysis” columns group the compounds which either
make up the coal or are derived from it, into water, ash, volatile matter,
and fixed carbon, the last two comprising the combustible matter. A recal¬
culation of the results of each analysis is given on the second line in most
cases, showing percentage of the various constituents on the hypothetical
basis of no moisture in the coal.
The moisture content of coal though unavoidable is detrimental. Not
only does the water displace its own weight of combustible matter, but in
addition it absorbs heat during burning, 100 B.t.u’s per pound being a com¬
mon figure for ordinary bituminous coal of average mois ure content. Ob¬
viously, other factors being equal, a coal of the lowest possible moisture con¬
tent should be purchased.
The ash in coal (chiefly compounds of silica, alumina, lime, and iron,
together with smaller quantities of magnesia, titanium, and alkali com¬
pounds) is another harmful constituent. Not only does it displace its own
weight of heat-forming compounds, and decrease the efficiency of com¬
bustion just as does the moisture content, but in addition any increase in
ash percentage means a corresponding increase in the cost of handling the
coal, by making bo'h freight costs and costs of disposition of the refuse
greater. Furthermore, certain types of ash contain such high percentages
of iron and alumina that they fuse easily and cause clinkering trouble
in furnaces.
The “volatile matter” and “fixed carbon” columns give the relative
amounts of gaseous and solid combustible mat er. They are, of course,
the heat-producing constituents. For domestic use a low-volatile coal is to
be preferred because the ordinary domestic stoves and furnaces are capable
of utilizing only a small proportion of the volatile matter. However, mod¬
ern steam-generating appliances such as are used industrially are so con¬
structed as to take care of the gases satisfactorily and either low- or high-
volatile coal can be used with equal efficiency.
iParr, S. W., a chemical study of Illinois coals: Ill. Coal Mining Investigations
Bull. 3, 1916. This bulletin is out of print, but the analyses it contains have been
reprinted in State Geological Survey Bulletin 29, in a paper by S. W. Parr on “The
Purchase and Sale of Illinois Coal under Specifications.”
45
46
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Sulphur is present generally in the form of pyrite (iron sulphide.)
It is especially deleterious in the manufacture of coke and gas, and if asso¬
ciated with an ash of high lime and iron content it may help to cause
clinkering. Otherwise it is not particularly harmful, for as a rule it dis¬
places a negligible amount of combustible material, and has some virtue
in that it does not absorb heat as do water and ash, but will even pro¬
duce about a third as much heat as does carbon.
The “B.t.u.'” column gives the calorific (heat) values of the coals in
British thermal uni's per pound of coal. These values indicate the propor¬
tional heating power of the coals and are therefore extremely important
as a means of comparison. In their calculation, account is taken of the ash
and moisture present, as well as the combustible matter.
“Unit coal/’ on the contrary, takes account only of the pure coal sub¬
stance, free from ash, moisture, sulphur, or other impurities. Since the
“pure coal” is essentially the same for any single mine from year to year,
the “unit-coal” figure will remain practically unchanged; the “B.t.u.” figure,
however, will vary in proportion to the variations from place to place in
the mine in the amount of ash, sulphur, and moisture present, and therefore
for the average practical user, up-to-date B.t.u. values will afford a more
satisfactory means of comparison of the coals than will the “unit-coal”
values, useful though they may be for certain purposes.
Table 3 —Analyses of mine samples from District IV
Not exactly indicative of commercial output
6
2
X
' — ^
o’
2
V
£
Date of analysis ( c
County
U
Proximate analysis of coal
1st: “As reed,” with total
moisture.
2nd: “Dry” or moisture free
u
3
£
W
u
4-S
££
Unit coal
Moisture
Volatile
matter
Fixed
carbon
03
<
5229
1602
7/12
Christian..
1
11 .27
38 68
40.55
9.50
2.07
.33
11445
C21
Dry
43.59
45.70
10.71
2.33
.37
12898
14666
5230
1602
7/12
Christian_
1
11 .52
38.78
41 .01
8.69
2.42
.97
11648
C21
Dry
43.83
46.35
9.82
2 .73
1.10
13163
14707
5231
1602
7/12
Christian.
1
11.13
39.21
41 .26
8.40
2.56
.61
11715
C21
Dry
44.12
46.43
9.45
2.88
.69
13183
14779
5205
1602
7/12
Christian..
2
12 .07
39.36
41.91
6 66
3.74
.07
11776
C21
Dry
44.77
47.66
7.57
4.26
.09
13393
14730
5206
1602
7/12
Christian.
2
12.53
38.00
40.62
8.25
3.67
.31
11389
C21
Dry
44.12
46.44
9.44
4.22
.35
13020
14641
5207
1602
7/12
Christian.
2
14.30
39.54
40.30
5.86
2.00
.24
11609
C21
Dry
46.14
47.02
6.84
2.33
.28
13544
14702
1869
1602
10/08
Christian.
2
11.54
36.65
42.89
8.92
3.87
11631
Dry
41.42
48.50
10.08
4.38
13148
14912
12469
0328
4/21
Fulton.
1
11 .38
38.66
39.51
10.45
4.52
.87
11436
Dry
43.62
44.58
11.80
5.10
,98
12905
14979
12470
0328
4/21
Fulton
1
11.42
38 17
40 .07
10 34
4.76
.45
11409
Dry
43.09
45.24
11.67
5.37
.51
12880
14934
12471
0328
4/21
Fulton.
1
10.84
38.42
40.91
9.83
5.61
. 54
11554
Dry
43.09
45.88
11 .03
6.29
.61
12959
14939
CHEMICAL VALUE OF COALS
47
Table 3 — Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Continued
6
£
X)
'w'
6
£
fc
Date of analysis ( c
County
Coal bed
Proximate analysis of coal
1st: “As reed,” with total
moisture.
2nd: “Dry” or moisture free.
Sulphur
w
u
B. t. u.
Unit coal
Moisture
Vola tile
ma tter
Fixed
carbon
Ash
1858
0328
9/08
Fulton.
1
17 .21
37.49
38 69
6.61
3.90
11147
Dry
45.28
46.73
7.99
4.71
13464
14904
2753
1422
Fulton .
2
14.87
35.80
43 88
5 45
11641
Dry
42.06
51 .54
6.40
3.69
13674
14083
12442
0102
4/21
Fulton.
5
15.43
33.62
39.47
11.48
2.50
1 .41
10389
Dry
39.76
46.67
13.57
2.66
1 .67
12285
14473
12443
0103
4/21 c
Fulton ..
5
14.43
34.60
39 09
11 88
2.82
2.45
10320
Dry
40 43
45.69
13.88
3.29
2.86
12061
14297
12444
0103
4/21
Fulton.
5
15.00
33.10
37.31
14.59
3.38
2.86
9834
Dry
38.94
43.89
17.17
3.98
3.36
11569
14300
12445
0103
4/21
Fulton
5
14.69
34 07
40 18
11 06
2.83
1 .75
10383
Dry
39.94
47.09
12.97
3.32
2.05
12172
14266
12446
0103
4/21
Fulton
5
14 52
34 46
37 64
13 38
2.91
2.74
10045
Dry
40.31
44.04
15.65
3.40
3.21
11752
14261
12447
0103
4/21
Fulton
5
14 75
33 18
38 89
13 18
3.70
1 .54
9869
Dry
38.92
45.62
15.46
4.34
1 .81
11577
14298
12448
0103
4/21
Fulton
5
14 28
34 93
38 76
12 03
2 56
1 .98
10329
Dry
40.75
45.22
14.03
2.99
2.31
12061
14316
12472
0104
4/21
Fulton
5
15.32
35 12
38 05
1151
2.59
1 .41
10482
Dry
41 .48
44 .93
13 .59
3 .06
1 .66
12379
14617
12473
0104
4/21
Fulton
5
15 09
13 37
39 41
10 13
2.68
1.79
10741
Dry
41 .66
46.41
11.93
3.16
1 .66
12650
14631
12474
0104
4/21
Fulton
5
15.56
35 68
38 92
9.84
2.43
1 .33
10753
Dry
42.26
46.09
11.65
2.88
1.58
12735
14668
12475
0104
4/21
Fulton.
5
14.56
35.37
38.98
11 09
2.72
1 .38
10581
Dry
41 .40
45.62
12.98
3.19
1 .62
12384
14512
12476
0104
4/21
Fulton .
5
15.39
33.82
38.77
12.02
3.40
1 67
10338
Dry
39.97
45.82
14.21
4.02
1.97
12219
14565
12477
0104
4/21
Fulton
5
15 66
34 65
37 56
12 13
2.93
1 .88
10242
Dry
41.08
44.54
14.38
3.47
2 23
12144
14583
12439
0111
4/21
Fulton
5
13 37
36 03
39 03
11.57
3.06
1.46
10787
Dry
41.59
45.06
13.35
3.52
1.69
12452
14670
12440
0111
4/21
Fulton...
5
14.44
34.71
38.58
12.27
2.17
1 .80
10578
Dry
40.57
45.09
14.34
2.54
2.10
12364
14683
12441
01)1
4/21
Fulton
14 96
33 65
39 96
11 43
4 32
111
10502
Dry
39.57
46.99
13.44
5.08
1 .30
12352
11616
°) The analyses that have “US” laboratory numbers were made by either the U. S. Bureau
of Mines or the U. S. Geological Survey, as indicated in later footnotes which make reference
to their place of publication.
&) Analyses having the same file number are for a single mine. It should be remembered
that as much dependence can not be placed on a single analysis from a given mine as may be
placed on a group from one mine.
Analyses having “C” file numbers are republished from State Geological Survey Bulletin
29, and Illinois Mining Investigations Bulletin 3, and belong to a series made by J. M. Lindgren
under the general supervision of Professor S. W. Parr of the University of Illinois, for those
bulletins.
c ) The Fulton County analyses that have April, 1921, as the date of analysis, were made
on samples recently collected by or under the supervision of H. E. Culver of the Survey staff.
48
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Table 3 —Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Continued
Z
V
z
Date of analysis ( c
County
0
Proximate analysis of coal
1st: “As reed,” with total
moisture.
2nd: “Dry” or moisture free.
Sulphur
w
u
-4-2
A*)
Unit coal
•Z
X
1
TZ c
-5 n
> 5
*-£
g
<
5345
0115
8/12
Fulton.
5
16.36
33.91
38.19
11.54
2.93
1 .27
10186
C30
Dry
40.54
45.66
13.80
3.50
1.51
12179
14431
5346
0115
8/12
Fulton .
5
16 33
35.50
37 .01
11.16
2.89
1 .84
10220
C30
Dry
42.42
44.23
13.35
3.45
2 .20
12213
14389
5347
0115
8/12
Fulton_
5
15.85
36.12
38 12
9.91
3.36
1 .47
10494
C30
Dry
42.92
45.30
11.78
4.00
1 .75
12471
14386
5293
0127
8/12
Fulton .
5
17.13
36.23
34.44
12.20
3.03
1 .79
9846
C29
Dry
43.72
41 .55
14.73
3.66
2.16
11882
14252
5297
0127
8/12
Fulton.
5
16.59
35.98
37.20
10 .23
4 07
1 .77
10271
C29
Dry
43.14
44.61
12.25
4.88
2 12
12314
14354
5300
0127
8/12
Fulton.
5
15.41
35.67
39.04
9.88
3.31
.52
10579
C29
Dry
42.16
46.15
11 .69
3.92
.61
12505
14443
12459
0134
4/21
Fulton..
5
14.57
35.24
39.58
10.61
2.89
1 .00
10562
Dry
41.25
46.33
12.42
3.38
1.17
12363
14391
12460
0134
4/21
Fulton.
5
16.16
35.65
37.89
10.30
2.50
1 .56
10422
Dry
42.52
45.19
12.29
2.98
1.86
12431
14434
1246 L
0134
4/21
Fulton...
5
13.35
37.84
39.86
8 95
9 9 9
1 .77
10843
Dry
43.67
46.00
10.33
2.56
2.04
12514
14150
12462
0134
4/21
Fulton
5
15.86
35.20
37.32
11 62
3.49
1 .31
10198
Dry
41 84
44.35
13.81
4.15
1 .56
12120
14380
12463
0134
4/21
Fulton..
5
14.34
35.09
36.72
13.85
3.84
2.47
9944
Dry
40.96
42.87
16.17
4.48
2.89
11609
14217
12464
0134
4/21
Fulton
5
14.62
36.18
39 21
9.99
2.43
1.49
10719
Dry
42.38
45.92
11.70
2.85
1.74
12555
14465
5342
0728
8/12
Fulton
5
13.66
38.46
37.06
10.82
3.64
1 .26
10689
C32
Dry
44.54
42.92
12.54
4.22
1.46
12379
14462
5343
0728
8/12
Fulton.
5
14.53
37.46
38.35
9.66
3 18
1 .60
10804
C32
Dry
43.83
44.87
11 .30
3.72
1.87
12641
14525
5344
0728
8/12
Fulton .
5
15.80
35.84
37.67
10.69
3.00
1.79
10460
C32
Dry
42.56
44. l 4
12.70
3.57
2 12
12423
14520
5292
0811
8/12
Fulton
5
17 39
37.00
35.69
9.92
2.74
1.14
10273
C28
Dry
44.79
43.20
12.01
3.28
1 .36
12435
14416
5295
0811
8/12
Fulton
5
16 33
36 27
36.58
10.82
3.40
1 .94
10246
C28
Dry
43.34
43.72
19
4.06
2.32
12247
14371
5299
0811
8/12
Fulton.
5
16.33
36.75
38.02
8.90
2.59
1.02
10604
C28
Dry
43.92
45.44
10.64
3.10
1 .22
12674
14421
12436
0814
4/21
Fulton
5
15.88
33 .96
38.75
11 41
4.38
.92
10330
Dry
40.37
46.07
13.56
5.21
1.10
12280
14569
12437
0814
4/21
Fulton
5
16 68
35 46
37.90
9.96
3 82
.61
10464
Dry
42.56
45.49
11.95
4.58
.74
12559
14579
12438
0814
4/21
Fulton
5
14.53
35.68
38 .23
11 .56
3.45
1 .00
10608
Dry
41.74
44.73
13.53
4.04
1.17
12411
14679
1404
0832
4 /08
Fulton
5
15 09
35.39
38 89
10.63
3.21
10573
Dry
41 .68
45.80
12.52
3.79
12450
14447
5283
1116
8/12
Fulton
5
15.18
37.17
35.17
12.48
3.45
1 .70
10201
C31
Dry
43.82
41.45
14.73
4.07
2.00
12026
14441
CHEMICAL VALUE OF COALS
49
Table 3 —Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Continued
O
d
£
File No. (b
Date of analysis ( c
County
Coal bed
Proxi
1 st: 4
2 nd:
c
s-
05
i
mate an
‘As reed
moistui
“Dry” o
V u
Ci
—— £3
> 2
alysis of
with
re.
r moistu
£ 2
*-2
coal
total
re free.
-C
03
<
Sulphur
N
/-s
U
4-3
/■Ti
Unit coal
5284
1116
8/12
Fulton.
5
16.94
35.68
37.1 5
10.23
2 .98
1 .31
10314
C31
Dry
42.95
44.73
12.32
3.59
1.57
12418
14446
5285
1116
8/12
Fulton.
5
18.42
34.98
37.66
8 94
2.33
.86
10270
C31
Dry
42.88
46.15
10.97
2.85
1.06
12587
14371
5296
1116
8/12
Fulton.
5
16.82
37.28
33.45
12.45
2.84
1 .69
10580
C31
Dry
44.81
40.23
14.96
3.42
2.02
12038
14479
5298
1116
8/12
Fulton .
5
16.52
37.17
36.54
9 .77
3 .91
.81
10394
C31
Dry
44.52
43.78
11.70
4.69
.97
12451
14409
5341
1116
8/12
Fulton.
5
17.37
35.71
37.86
9.06
2.34
1 .14
10420
C31
Dry
43.22
45.82
10.96
2.83
1 .38
12610
14398
1856
1217a
9/08
Fulton.
5
15.44
35 .88
38.35
10.33
3.52
10711
Dry
42.42
45.36
12 .22
4.17
12666
14673
4387
1220
8/11
Fulton.
5
12.03
36 30
39.67
12.00
3.35
.72
10779
Dry
41 27
45.08
13.65
3.81
.82
12254
14652
4388
1220
8/11
Fulton.
5
14.04
36.14
39.28
10 54
3.46
.56
10721
Dry
42.04
45.69
12.27
4.02
.65
12472
14627
2651
1220 a
8/09
Fulton__
5
14.35
34.48
36.98
14.19
4.44
10324
Dry
40.25
43.18
16.57
5.19
12053
14771
1796
0521
9/08
Knox ( f l.
5?
14.55
38 25
40 37
6.83
4.31
11207
Dry
44.75
47.26
7.99
5.05
13113
14528
1797
0521
9/08
K nox.
5?
14.54
37.73
40.57
7.16
4.47
11187
Dry
44.15
47 .46
8.39
5.24
13090
14578
1798
1132
9/08
Knox.
5?
14.45
36 74
38.76
10.05
2 .23
10820
Dry
42.95
45.31
11 .74
2.60
12645
14475
2769
0622
Knox..
6 ?
17.94
33.99
39.47
8 60
2.60
10367
Dry
48.10
41 .42
10.48
3.16
12632
14353
2756
1336
Knox.
D
13.30
41 17
38.85
6.68
3.15
11603
Dry
47.85
44.81
7.71
3.63
.
13383
14721
5263
0730
8/12
Logan..
5
14.64
37.87
35.56
11 93
3.60
1 .10
10400
C33
Dry
44.36
41 .66
13.98
4.22
1 .28
12183
14497
5264
0730
8/12
Logan . .
5
13 98
36 86
37.98
11.18
3.14
1 .43
10549
C33
Dry
42 .84
44.16
13.00
3.65
1 67
12264
14391
5265
0730
8/12
Logan. ..
5
13.99
36.85
38.17
10.99
3 .26
1 .32
10519
C33
Dry
42.85
44.37
12.78
3.79
1 .53
12230
14313
US 288 ]<•
0730
Logan
5
14.77
32.90
39.75
12.58
3.95
10406
US 2882 r
0730
Logan. .
5
15.52
32.27
39 86
12.35
3.65
US 3003*
0730
Logan. .
5
15.68
32.41
39.82
12.09
3.51
10215
720
0730
9/07
I.ogan .
5
14 80
11.76
3 .03
10586
I )ry
13.81
3.56
12426
14626
1889
1514
10/08
Logan.
5
1 1 83
36 45
40.92
10.80
2.98
10912
Dry
41 33
46.42
12.25
3 38
12376
14261
d) The Knox County analyses were not included in making the averages for Table 4
because of the uncertainty of identification of the coals in that area.
e) IJ. S. Geological Survey Bull. 322. p. 103. 1908.
50
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Table 3 —Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Continued
z
'w'
n
z
_o
£
Date of analysis ( c
County
W
Proximate analysis of coal
1st: “As reed,” with total
moisture.
2nd: “Dry” or moisture free
U
r*
o
w
u
CC
Unit coal
U
1
—
Volatile
matter
Fixed
carbon
<
5426
1905
8/12
McLean.
2
10 13
45.00
35.92
8.95
3.27
.74
11710
C100
Dry
50.07
39.97
9.96
3.59
.82
13029
14723
5427
1905
8/12
McLean...
2
11 34
40.05
39 18
9.43
3.18
.90
11394
C100
Dry
45.17
44.19
10.64
3.58
1.01
12851
14643
5428
1905
8/12
McLean_...
2
10.61
41 .87
35.94
11 58
3.79
.92
11225
C100
Dry
46.84
40.21
12.95
4.24
1.03
12557
14752
5429
1905
8/12
McLean.
2
12.31
42.17
38.03
7.49
2.69
.94
11636
C100
Dry
48.09
43.37
8.54
3.07
1.07
13270
14722
5430
1905
8/12
McLean..
2
12.00
42.00
37.96
8.04
2.37
1 .23
11634
C100
Dry
47.73
43.14
9.13
2.70
1 .40
13220
14759
5433
1905
8/12
McLean.
2
11 27
42.17
39 .27
7.29
2.91
1.12
11784
C100
Dry
47.53
44.25
8.22
3.28
1 .26
13279
14684
1748
1905
8/08
McLean
2
12.02
40 86
38 .21
8.91
2.96
11419
Dry
46.44
43 43
10.13
3.36
12980
14635
1749
1905
8/08
McLean
2
12.56
39 44
35.70
12.30
4.15
10754
Dry
45.10
40.84
14.06
4.74
12299
14591
US 3044 f
0100
McLean.
5
10.25
35.88
40.11
13.76
2.80
11149
US 3045 f
0100
McLean
5
9.88
35.99
38.22
15.91
3.15
5431
1905
8/12
McLean...
5
12.88
38.84
35.80
12.48
3.60
1 17
10601
C100
Dry
44.58
41.09
14.33
4.14
1 .35
12168
14544
5432
1905
8/12
McLean
o
13.34
38.39
36.72
11 .55
3.59
1 .31
10743
C100
Dry
44.30
42.37
13.33
4.14
1 .51
12397
14629
5434
1905
8/12
McLean
5
13.73
36.79
36.14
13.34
3.99
1.19
10399
C100
Dry
42.64
41.89
15.47
4.62
1 .30
12054
14639
1847
1103
9/08
McLean
6 ?
14.15
37.00
37 .23
11.62
2.42
10719
Dry
43.08
43.38
13.54
2.82
12485
14607
5200
1114
7/12
Macon
5
13.52
36.72
39.66
10.10
4.23
.09
10646
C42
Dry
42.46
45.86
11 .68
4.95
.11
12443
14405
5201
1114
7/12
Macon . .
5
13.62
37.72
40.34
8.32
3.39
.00
11046
C42
Dry
43.68
46.70
9.62
3.93
.00
12788
14403
5202
1114
7/12
Macon
5
14 36
38 06
39 35
9.33
3 87
.19
10963
C42
Dry
43.88
45.37
10.75
4.46
.22
12638
14447
1569 a
1114
6/08
Macon
5
13 91
37.00
39.33
9.76
3.29
10804
Dry
42 95
45 72
11 33
3 82
12549
5244
W1212
7/12
Macon
5
14 76
35 46
38.08
11.70
3.24
.90
10390
C41
Dry
41 .60
44.67
13.73
3.81
1 .06
12189
14443
5245
W1212
7/12
Macon
5
14.54
36.33
38.01
11.12
3.47
.68
10465
C41
Dry
42.51
44.47
13.01
4.06
.79
12244
14385
5346
VY1212
7/12
Macon
5
14 14
36 21
38.07
11.58
3.24
1 .12
10493
C41
Dry
42.18
44.34
13.48
3.77
1 .31
12210
14433
1874
W1212
10/08
Macon.
5
14 07
37 10
36 66
10 17
3 68
10780
Dry
43.19
43.99
11.82
4.28
12545
14470
f ) U. S. Bureau of Mines Bull. 22, Part I, p. 85, 1913.
CHEMICAL VALUE OF COALS
51
Table 3 —Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Continued
6
z
File No. (b
Date of analysis (°
County
Coal bed
Proximate analysis of coal
1st: “As reed,” with total
moisture.
2nd: “Dry” or moisture free.
Sulphur
O
u
B. t. u.
Unit coal
Moisture
Volatile
matter
Fixed
carbon
&
<
2804
1332
12/09
Macon..
6
15.42
39.68
44.05
10.85
4.25
11814
Dry
41 .96
46.57
11.47
4.50
12492
14396
1411
1814
4/08
Peoria...
2
12.05
40.49
37.88
9.58
3.94
11316
Dry
46.03
43.07
10.90
4.48
12866
14698
1409
1224
4/08
Peoria..
5
13.45
34.81
37.32
14.42
3 .09
10398
Dry
40.22
43.12
16.66
3.58
12014
14636
US22982?
1510
Peoria..
5
15 .03
34.56
39.05
11 .36
2.64
10490
US22983?
1510
Peoria...
5
15.41
33.87
38.85
11 .87
2.88
10386
US22984?
1510
Peoria....
5
15.51
34.77
38.68
11.03
2.62
10489
US22985?
1510
Peoria.
5
15.57
34.08
38.18
12.17
3.42
10283
5289
1610
8/12
Peoria.....
5
14.23
36 65
37.04
12.08
3 39
1 55
10483
C25
Dry
42.73
43.18
14.09
3.96
1.81
12220
14553
5290
1610
8/12
Peoria...__
5
14.54
37.41
37.32
10.73
3 .27
1.18
10705
C25
Dry
43.77
43.67
12.56
3.82
1.38
12526
14625
5291
1610
8/12
Peoria..
5
16.00
36.46
37.28
10 .26
3 65
.90
10583
C25
Dry
43.41
44.38
12.21
4.35
1 .07
12598
14664
2642
1610
7/09
Peoria.....
5
16 16
35.41
39.52
8.91
2.38
10895
Dry
42.23
47.14
10.63
2.84
12995
14644
1410
1610
4/08
Peoria..
5
14.73
35.92
36.74
12.61
3.38
10451
Dry
42.13
43.09
14.78
3.97
12257
14619
5303
1612
8/12
Peoria..
5
16.00
36.06
37.54
10.40
2.90
l .27
10515
C26
Dry
42.93
44.69
12.38
3.46
1.51
12518
14773
5304
1612
8/12
Peoria...
5
14.23
37.41
37 .36
11 . 00
3 14
2.17
10573
C26
Dry
43.62
43.56
12.82
3.66
2.53
12327
14433
5305
1612
8/12
Peoria.
r*
.)
14.76
35 95
35 .34
13 95
3 19
2.00
10173
C26
Dry
42.18
41.46
16.36
3.74
2.34
11935
14636
US210328
1626
Peoria.
5
15.66
34 74
40 38
0 99
2 64
10798
US21033S
1626
Peoria.
5
15.38
34 51
39 48
10 63
2 75
10645
US21034K
1626
Peoria.
5
15.34
34.25
40.80
9 61
3.11
10741
1403
1626
4/08
Peoria.
5
14.29
34.79
37.67
13 .25
2.71
10365
Dry
40.60
43.94
15.46
3.16
12094
14493
2644
1814
8/09
Peoria.
3
15.41
35.33
38.57
10 69
3 60
10677
Dry
41 .77
45.59
12.64
4.25
.
12622
14697
2643
1926
8/09
Peoria.
5?
15.34
34.92
37 .62
12.12
2.85
10497
Dry
41.25
44.44
14.31
3.37
.
1 2385
14685
2637
0424
7/09
Peoria.
6
17.16
35 .66
38 1 I
9.07
2.78
10465
Dry
43.05
46.00
10.95
3.36
12633
14371
2640
0103
7/09
Peoria.
7
14.54
34 .01
37 .07
1 1 38
3 05
10155
Dry
39.79
43.38
16.83
3.57
11881
14493
{?) U. S. Bureau of Mines Bull 123, p. 35, 1918.
52
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Table 3 —Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Continued
z
'w'
z
Jh
Date of analysis ( 2
ilysis of
with t
e.
moistur
.*■£
fc «
;oal
otal
e free.
00
<
Sulphur
U
Unit coal
5187
0317
7/12
Sangamon..
5
I
14.82
37.18
38.22
9 78
4.30
.72
10683
C40
Dry
43.65
44.87
11.48
4.52
.84
12541
14483
5188
0317
7/12
Sangamon.
5
16 05
35.58
38 04
10.33
4.18
17
10113
C40
Dry
42.38
45.32
12.30
4.98
20
12404
14476
5180
0317
7/12
Sangamon_
5
14.31
37.31
38.20
10.18
4.21
90
10655
C40
Dry
43.54
44.58
11.88
4.91
1 .05
12434
14251
5166
0436
7/12
Sangamon.
5
13.38
37 20
36.40
13 01
4.78
96
10338
C39
Dry
42.95
42.03
15.02
5.52
1 10
11934
14439
5167
0436
7/12
Sangamon_
5
13.35
36 64
37.12
12.89
4.80
.84
10348
C39
Dry
42.27
42.85
14.88
5.53
.97
11942
14423
5168
0436
7/12
Sangamon_
5
13.19
38 44
36.47
11 90
4 61
1 .05
10513
C39
Dry
44 28
42 .00
13 72
5.31
1.20
12110
14397
5128
0913
7/12
Sangamon_
5
14.08
37.38
37.56
10.98
3.97
.33
9471
C37
Dry
43.51
43.71
12.78
5.1 1
.49
12337
14492
5129
0913
7/12
Sangamon
5
13.86
37.11
39.05
9.98
2.57
.52
10726
C37
Dry
43.08
45.34
11.58
4.07
.61
12451
14365
5118
1010
7/12
Sangamon
5
16 05
35.82
37.14
10.99
3.55
.67
10330
C36
Dry
42.66
44.25
13.09
4.22
.80
12306
14476
5119
1010
7/12
Sangamon
5
15.53
36 36
38.05
10.06
3.86
. 55
10522
C36
Dry
43.04
45 .05
11.91
4.57
. 66
12457
14450
5120
1010
7/12
Sangamon
5
14.45
37.46
38.27
9 82
3.59
. 55
10704
C36
Dry
43.79
44.73
11.48
4.19
.65
12512
14423
5196
1503
7/12
Sangamon
5
14.25
37 25
37.07
11.43
4.76
.98
10414
C38
Dry
43.44
43.24
13 32
5.55
1.15
12147
14381
5197
1503
7/12
Sangamon
5
14 10
38 74
37.66
9.50
3 86
.75
10790
C38
Dry
45.09
43.85
11.06
4.50
.87
12564
14415
5198
1503
7/12
Sangamon
5
14.44
38.22
37.68
9.66
3.79
.63
10746
C38
Dry
44.67
44.04
11 .29
4.43
.73
12549
14435
5199
1503
7/12
Sangamon
5
14 .08
38.05
35.30
12.57
5 87
.60
10228
C38
Dry
44.28
41.09
14.63
6.83
.69
11903
14366
5130
2421
7/12
Sangamon
6
15 22
38 23
37.36
9.19
4.38
.38
10579
C74
Dry
45.09
44.07
10.84
5.17
.45
12478
14301
5131
2421
7/12
Sangamon..
6
13.10
38.86
37.25
10.79
5.08
.41
10592
C74
Dry
44.72
42.86
12.42
5.86
.47
12187
14268
5132
2421
7/12
Sangamon.
6
14.43
38.14
37.07
10.36
4.77
.40
10495
C74
Dry
44.58
43.32
12.10
5.58
.47
12265
14292
5115
9 515
8 /1 9
Sangamon
6
14.97
36 90
38.36
9 .77
3.53
.59
10598
C75
Dry
43.39
45.12
11.49
4.16
.67
12466
14361
5116
2515
8/12
Sangamon..
6
14.51
1 37.60
39.69
8.20
3.44
.22
10911
C75
Dry
43.98
46.43
9.59
4.02
.25
12763
14373
5117
2515
8/12
Sangamon..
6
12.98
38.23
i 38.92
9.87
4.32
.56
10845
C75
Dry
43.94
44.72
11 .34
4.96
. 65
12463
14368
CHEMICAL VALUE OF COALS
53
Table 3. —Analyses of mine samples from District IV —Concluded
r<
w
0
z
1
JD
fa
Date of analysis ( c
County
6
Proxi
1 st: ‘
2 nd:
o
u
09
0
£
mate anr
As reed,
moistur
“Dry” o
—
> s
dysis of
with t
e.
r moistu
.§-£
^ o
coal
otal
re free
05
<
Sulphur
U
w
Unit coal
9708
0136
11/16
Schuyler .
2
12.73
37.56
41 .88
7.83
4.77
11621
Dry
43.04
47.99
8.97
5.46
13316
14924
9709
0136
11/16
Schuyler..
2
12.34
38.11
42.29
7.26
4.32
11841
Dry
43.48
48 24
8.28
4.92
13507
15011
1812
0819
9/08
Schuyler.
6
12.99
37.28
38.62
11.11
3 .75
11057
Dry
42.84
44.40
12.76
4.31
12709
14827
5277
0906a
7/12
Tazewell..
5
14.71
37.46
38.57
10 26
3.51
1 15
10801
C27
Dry
40.06
44.03
11 91
4.07
1 .33
12516
14500
5278
0906a
7/12
Tazewell .
5
13.88
37.58
40.01
8.53
2.55
.95
11076
C27
Dry
43.64
46 .45
9.91
2.96
1.10
12860
14499
5281
0906a
8/12
Tazewell _
5
15.56
37.60
36.70
10 14
3.23
1 .50
10552
C27
Dry
44.53
43.46
12.01
3.83
1.78
12496
14488
1412
0407
4/08
Tazewell.
6
14.30
36.74
39.11
9.85
3 34
10875
Dry
42.87
45.64
11 .49
3.90
12690
14562
1413
0906a
4/08
Tazewell
6
14.35
36 95
38.04
10.66
3 02
10709
Dry
43.14
44.41
12.45
3 53
12504
14482
a ) The analyses that have “US” laboratory numbers were made by either the L T . S.
Bureau of Mines or the U. S. Geological Survey, as indicated in following footnotes which
make reference to their place of publication.
b) Analyses having' the same file number are for a single mine. It should be re¬
membered that as much dependence can not be placed on a single analysis from a given
mine as may be placed on a group from one mine.
Analyses having “C” file numbers are republished from State Geological Survey
Bulletin 29, and Illinois Mining Investigations Bulletin 3, and belong to a series made by
J. M. Lindgren under the general supervision of Professor S. W. Parr of the Univer¬
sity of Illinois, for those bulletins.
c ) The Fulton County analyses that have April, 1921, as the date of analysis, were
made on samples collected by or under the supervision of H. E. Culver of the Survey
staff.
54
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Table 4. —Average analytical and heat values for No. I, No. 2, No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 coals
by counties and for the district
No. of analyses
GO
c
c
Proximate analysis of coal
1st: “As red,” with total
moisture.
2nd: “Dry” or moisture free
u
"3
E
0
6
Z
County
-C
6
Moisture
Volatile
matter
Fixed
carbon
Ash
Sulphi
**
O
u
B. t. t
o
£
NO. l COAL
3
1
Christian.
1
11.31
Dry
38.89
43.85
40.94
46.16
8.86
9.99
2.35
2.65
.64
.72
11603
13081
14717
4
1
Fulton....
1
12.71
Dry
38.19
43.77
39.79
45.61
9.31
10.62
4.70
5.37
.62
.70
11387
13052
14939
7
2
Average.
1
12.11
Dry
38.49
43.80
40.29
45.84
9.12
10.35
3.69
4.20
.63
.71
11479
13065
14844
NO. 2 COAL
4
1
Christian.
2
12.61
38.39
41.43
7.42
3.32
.21
11601
Dry
44.11
47.41
8.48
3.80
.24
14276
14746
1
1
Fulton...
2
14.87
35.80
43 .88
5.45
11641
Dry
42.06
51.54
6.40
3.69
13674
14083
8
1
McLean.
2
11.53
41 .45
37.53
9.25
3.17
.98
11445
Dry
47.12
42.43
10.45
3.57
1.10
12936
14686
1
1
Peoria...
2
12.05
40.49
37.88
9.58
3.94
11316
Dry
46.03
43.07
10.90
4.48
12866
14698
2
1
Schuyler.
2
12.54
37.81
42.09
7.55
4.55
11731
Dry
43.26
48.12
8.63
5.19
13412
14968
16
5
Average.
2
12.16
39.92
39.49
8.36
3.44
.72
11524
Dry
45.50
44.99
9.50
3.89
.81
13122
14701
NO. 5 COAL
48
14
Fulton...
5
15.36
35.04
38.00
10.90
3.13
1.48
10421
Dry
41.95
44.90
13.14
3.68
1.70
12295
14465
8
2
Loga n.
5
14.4C
35.09
38.87
11 .71
3.39
1.28
10512
Dry
42.85
44.15
13.16
3.72
1.49
12296
14418
5
McLean......
5
12.02
37.18
37.40
13.41
3.43
1.22
10723
Dry
43.84
41.78
14.38
4.30
1.39
12206
14572
8
2
Macon...
5
14.14
36.83
38.69
10.26
3.55
.50
10698
Dry
42.56
45.14
11.93
4.14
.58
12451
14427
18
6
Peoria.
5
15.09
35.39
38.17
11.34
3.04
1.51
10536
Dry
42.33
43.98
13.69
3.71
1.77
12372
14616
15
5
Sangamon
5
14.35
37.30
37.57
10.78
4.16
.59
10555
Dry
43.55
43.86
12.59
4.86
.69
12323
14415
3
1
Tazewell ....
5
14.72
37.55
38.43
9.64
3.09
1.20
10810
Dry
42.74
44.65
11.28
3.62
1.40
12624
14496
105
37
Average .
5
14.83
35.73
38.05
11 .07
3.33
1.24
10497
Dry
42.43
44.49
13.01
3.95
1.43
12326
14474
CHEMICAL VALUE OF COALS
55
Table 4—Concluded
Proximate analysis of coal
©
1 st: “
As reed.
” with total
moisture.
CO
>>
CO
©
©
2 nd:
‘Dry” or moisture free.
u
CO
Cm
Cm
County
•M
©
t-
3
-2
n: a?
-2*
co»
©
0
0
6
—
yj
© X
X -f
*
C/j
p
6
6
"o
^ cC
<
Z
Z
§
> s
* «
NO. 6 COAL
Macon ..
6
15.42
39.68
44.05
10.85
4.25
11814
Dry
41 .96
46.57
11.47
4.50
12492
14396
Peoria .
6
17.16
35.66
38.11
9.07
2,7P
10465
Dry
43.05
46.00
10.95
3.36
12633
14371
Sangamon.
6
14.20
37.99
38.11
9.70
4.26
.42
10671
Dry
44.28
44.42
11.30
4.96
.49
12437
14329
Schuyler...
6
12.99
37 .28
38.62
11.11
3.75
11057
Dry
42.84
44.40
12.76
4.31
12709
14827
Tazewell . .
6
14.33
36.85
38.58
10 .26
3.18
10297
Dry
43.01
45.03
11.97
3.72
12597
14522
Average.
6
14.49
37.66
38.78
9.97
3.88
.42
10813
Dry
43.60
44.87
11.54
4.49
.49
12514
14418
NO. 7 COAL
1
Peoria _ __
7
14.54
34.01
37.07
14.38
3.051 _
10155
Dry
39.79
43.38
16 83
3.57 .
11881
14493
Table 5. —Average analyses of Illinois coals by districts
56
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
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a ) The difference in the average analysis here given from that given in Table 4 is explained by the fact that (1) a somewhat
larger area is covered by Table 4, and (2) more analyses have been used in arriving at the Table 4 average, some of them from the
United States laboratories, and others made very recently.
Illinois State Geological Survey
Mining Investigations Bull. 26, Plate IV
District No. 1
District No. 2
District No. 3.
District No. 4.
District No. 5
District No. 0
District No. 7
District No. 8a
District No. 8b.
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter 38.83
Fixed Carbon 37.89
Moisture 16.18
Sulphur 2.89
Ash 70s
BTU 10981
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
33.98
Fixed Carbon
51.02
MSIsture
9.28
Sulphur
1.29
Ash
5.72
B.T.U
12488
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
33.16
Fixed Carbon
39.75
Moisture
13.46
Sulphur
3.59
Ash
8.63
B.T.U
11036
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Mailer
36.79
Fixed Carbon
37.59
Moisture
15.10
Sulphur
3.52
Ash
10.53
BTU
10514
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
35.49
Fixed Carbon
48.72
Moisture
6.75
Sulphur
2.92
Ash
904
BTU
12276
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
34.00
Fixed Carbon
48.08
Moisture
9.21
Sulphur
1.53
Ash
8.71
BTU
• 1825
AVERAGE
ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
38.05
Fixed Carbon
39.06
Moisture
12.56
Sulphur
4.01
Ash
10.33
BTU
10847
AVERAGE ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
35.88
Fixed Carbon
40.33
Moisture
14.45
Sulphur
2.55
Ash
934
&T.U.
10919
AVERAGE
ANALYSIS
Volatile Matter
3339
Fixed Carbon
38.75
Moisture
12.99
Sulphur
2.93
Ash
9.98
B.T.U.
11143
o - *»
§88
O O o
DISTRICTS
1. La Salle or Lorvg~wall.
Coal No. 2.
2- Jackson County.
Coal No. 2.
3. Rock Island and
Mercer Counties.
Coal No. 1.
4. Springfleld-Reoria.
Coal No. 0.
0. Saline County.
Coal No. 0.
6. Williamson and
Franklin Counties.
Coal No. 0
7 Southwestern
Illinois. West of
DuQuoin. Coal No. 0.
8a. Danville. Coal No. 0
Grape Creek Bed
Qb. Danville. Coal No. 7
Danville Bed
LEGEND
Volatile Matter
Fixed Carbon.
Moisture.
Sulphur
Ash.
The projections on the sides
at the analysis diagrams show
comparative B.T.U., according
to scale, measured (rom the cir¬
cumference ol the circles.
NOTE
On the diagrams the
sulphur content, usually
considered as an addition
lo the proximate analysis
is divided equally betwci n
fixed carbon and volatile
matter and overlaps
equal parts of both.
Percentogea refer to
Coal "As received”
diagrams
showing
AVERAGE COMPOSITION
and
COMPARATIVE VALUE
of
ILLINOIS COALS.
1914
Plate IV.—Graphic average analyses of Illinois coals by beds.
STRUCTURE
The structure of the several counties covered by this report is
discussed in some detail by county units in Part II. For the con¬
venience of those interested in the structure of District IV as a whole,
Plates I and III have been prepared.
On the map, Plate I, structure contours on the top of No. 5 coal
show the lay of the rock in the area as closely as it can be determined
from a study of outcrops and available drill and shaft records. The
locations of all the active shipping mines in the district and of such
other mines and borings as gave information useful in the preparation
of the map, are also shown, as well as the position of the outcrop of
No. 5 coal.
Plate III consists of three structure sections, two approximately
east and west and one north and south across the district.
The numbered red lines on the map, Plate I, are structure con¬
tours on No. 5 coal. Any given contour connects all known points
where the elevation of No. 5 coal is the same and the numbers on
the lines state that elevation. In Plate I, the contour interval used
west of Illinois River is 25 feet, which means that between any two
adjacent contours the coal bed dips more or less uniformly from the
higher elevation to the lower. East of the Illinois the interval is 50
feet, and a fifty-foot change in elevation from one contour to the next
is implied.
Study of the structure shown on the map shows that the general
regional dip is to the southeast, from 650 feet above sea level in south-
central Knox County to only 50 feet above sea level in southeastern
Mason County.
This regional dip in the direction of the major synclinal basin
that roughly parallels the La Salle anticline. In Eastern McLean
County is found the only exception to the general regional dip—there
the strata are beginning to rise, as shown by the No. 5 coal contours,
to form the west Hank of the La Salle anticline.
It will be noticed that the contours are more irregular in Peoria,
Fulton, and Sangamon counties than in the remainder of the area. This
difference does not mean that in those counties dips are more variable
than they are elsewhere; in all probability irrgularities of the same sort
characterize the whole district, but outside the counties mentioned,
well logs and outcrops are so few and scattered that it was not pos¬
sible to work out details of structure.
57
PART II.—COUNTY REPORTS
INTRODUCTION
The detailed description of the geological conditions in the district
as affecting mining is thought to be most conveniently presented by the
county unit. County reports are therefore presented in alphabetical
order in the following pages.
A complete list of shipping mines in District IV for the year 1920
is given herewith as table 6.
58
TABLE 6. —List of shipping mines in District IV, 19W
INTRODUCTION
59
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( b ) For the fiscal year; as reported to the Department of Mines and Minerals and published in the annual coal reports.
Table 6.— List of shipping mines in District IV, 1920 —Continued
60 COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
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0) In (.he SW. y 4 of this section, the Warsaw Coal Company has two drift mines, No. 3 and No. 4, which are run as one mine, the tipple being in the NW.
Table 6 .—List of shipping mines in District IV, 1920 —Concluded
INTRODUCTION
61
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CASS COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons, year ended June 30, 1920. 4,233
Average annual production, 1916 to 1920. 1,858
Total production, 1881 to 1920.155,785
The production in 1920 came from four local mines, two along
the Illinois valley bluff near Beardstown, one at Chandlerville, and
one at Ashland. These mines are all small, so that the resources of this
county are essentially untouched.
Coal-bearing Rocks
All of Cass County is underlain by “Coal Measures” strata ex¬
cept for the area between Illinois River and its valley bluff, and in
the lower part of the Sangamon valley, below Chandlerville, where the
“Coal Measures” have been entirely eroded, so as to expose the under¬
lying Mississippian limestone.
Since the line of outcrop of No. 5 coal nearly coincides with the
eastern boundary of the county, it is believed that most of the area
is underlain by Pennsylvanian strata older than No. 5 coal, that is by
strata of lower Carbondale and Pottsville age. These formations
contain at least one and probably two beds of coal neither of which,
apparently, is more than three feet thick. The most widespread of
these coals is the No. 2 (Colchester, Murphysboro, or La Salle “Third
Vein”) coal which outcrops' along the Illinois and Sangamon valley
bluffs between Bluff Springs and Chandlerville, and has been mined
at Virginia at a depth of about 200. It is probably this same bed
which at one time was mined at Ashland at a depth of 205 feet. 1
As the identity of this coal is not determined, and as it may be younger
than No. 2, it may be the same as a bed encountered in a drill hole
just south of Springfield, between 50 and 60 feet below No. 5 (Spring-
field) coal.
The character of the strata with which the coals are interbedded
is not well known. Worthen 2 reports the following succession taken
at an old shaft near Bluff Springs:
iThird Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, p. 506, 1884.
-Geological Survey of Illinois. Vol. 4. p. 165, 1870.
62
CASS COUNTY
63
Section of Pennsylvanian strata near Bluff Springs , Cass County
Thickness Depth
Feet Feet
1. Soil (loess) . 15 15
2. Sandstone, brownish, with plant impressions. 13 28
3. Limestone (‘'blue rock”) . 2 30
4. Clay shale (“soapstone’ 7 ) . 12 42
5. Coal. 3 45
6. Fire clay, very hard . 4 49
The sandstone, No. 2 of the above section, can be traced along
the bluff northeastward nearly to Chandlerville, and it is present in
the shaft at Virginia with a thickness of 70 feet, as may be noted in the
following drill record of a coal prospect at that place.
Record of a boring for coal at Virginia, Cass County, Illinois 1
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
In.
Ft.
In.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil, and clay, brown....
7
....
7
....
Clay, yellow...
2
6
9
6
Clay, blue......
29
8
39
2
Hardpan... ..
28
....
67
2
Forest bed (ancient soil)...
3
_ _..
70
2
Hardpan.
44
10
115
....
Pennsylvanian system—
Sandstone.
71
11
186
11
Limestone, hard.
1
1
188
....
Shale, black.....
2
6
190
6
Shale, clay.
10
3
200
9
Coal (No. 2) (base of Pottsville).
3
6
204
3
Fire clay.
3
....
207
3
Shale, black.
....
3
207
6
Shale, clay.
7
6
215
....
Clay, “potter’s”.
13
....
228
....
Coal. . ...
....
2
228
2
Sandstone and shale.
6
1
234
3
Coal......
....
3
234
6
Sandstone and shale
6
9
241
3
Coal.
8
241
11
Sandstone and shale
Horizon of
16
4
258
3
Coal.
r No. 1 .
3
258
6
Sandstone.
2
9
261
3
Coal.
....
2
261
5
Sandstone and shale.
3
9
265
2
Clay shale.
4
....
269
2
lGeological Survey of Illinois, Vol. 7, p. 15, 1883.
64
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of a boring for coal at Virginia, Cass County —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
De
pth
Sandstone_ _
Ft.
7
in.
5
Ft.
276
in.
6
Rock, hard siliceous. ...
2
278
7
Clay shale.....
2
6
281
1
Rock, hard siliceous....
3
6
284
7
Shale, hard green... . .. _
2
10
287
5
Mississippian system—
St. Louis and Warsaw—
Shale, hard green_ ___
2
10
287
5
Limestone......
9
1
296
6
Sandstone......
1
8
298
2
Limestone .... __
62
4
360
6
Sandstone ... __
8
368
6
Limestone, gray.
1
369
6
Sandstone ...
2
371
6
Limestone . .......
2
3
373
9
Sandstone .......
18
391
9
Keokuk—
Clay shale, drab.....
6
6
398
3
Shale, sandy .
5
3
403
6
Limestone, shalv.
4
1
407
7
Quartz band ....
4
407
11
Limestone, shaly....
3
8
411
7
Shale, clay. .
6
412
1
Limestone, shalv.. ..
16
9
428
10
Flint band, vellow....
1
428
11
Shale, clay.
3
7
432
6
Limestone, hard gray .
4
1
436
7
Limestone, shaly..
6
2 .
442
9
Shale, with brvozoans...
2
2
444
11
Limestone, shaly.
4
7
449
6
The correlation of the coal mined at Bluff Springs and Virginia
is based upon comparisons made by V orthen, 1 who points out the
similarity of this coal to the coal mined and outcropping at Exeter,
Scott County. Observations by the writer in Scott County indicate
that the coal at Exeter and Alsey is the same coal as that mined near
Roodhouse and Whitehall in Greene County and at Upper Alton in
Madison County, and is to be correlated with the No. 2 coal. This coal
in southwestern Illinois has a roof of black paper-shale, commonly
called “slate” which has a variable thickness up to about 20 feet; but
in certain areas, especially toward the north, gray shale or “soap¬
stone” lies between the coal and “slate.” About 5 feet below the coal
iWorthen, A. H. Geological Survey of Illinois, Vol. 4, p. 173.
CASS COUNTY
65
is a bed of limestone 2 to 5 feet thick, known locally as the “sump
rock.” These relationships render the identification of the No. 2 coal
very definite throughout the southwestern part of the coal basin, so
that there is not much doubt as to the correlation of the coal at Bluff
Springs, provided it is the same as the coal at Exeter.
Drp of the Rocks
In Cass County the coal-bearing strata dip at a low angle to the
east, at the rate of 8 to 10 feet per mile. Thus, coal which outcrops
along the bluff east of Beardstown is at a depth of about 200 feet at
Virginia and, provided the coal formerly mined at Ashland is No. 2,
possibly 50 feet lower at Ashland. Because of the eastward dip,
younger and younger rocks underlie the glacial material in that direc¬
tion, so that the outcrop of the No. 5 or Springfield coal nearly coin¬
cides with the east line of the county. 1 Whether or not there are large
irregularities or significant interruptions in the general eastward dip
is not known. In general it is believed unlikely that there are any ir¬
regularities in the “lay” of the coal that will seriously interfere with
mining.
No. 2 Coae
The principal coal of Cass County is undoubtedly the No. 2 bed,
which underlies all the county east of Illinois valley, probably cross¬
ing the Sangamon valley near Chandlerville. This coal is commonly
between 3 and 3^4 feet in thickness, and elsewhere possesses great
regularity in thickness and in physical characteristics, though very
little is known as to its physical characteristics in this county. It is
probable, however, that the coal has the usual gray shale or black
“slate” roof found above No. 2 coal in adjacent counties to the south
and west, a description of which is given in some detail in the chapter
assigned to the resources of Fulton County. An analysis of No. 2 coal
made from a sample collected in Schuyler County may also be found in
the same section.
Because this coal is relatively so thin and its area of outcrop so
small that mining by drift or slope entrance is practicable in only a
small part of the county, the development of the coal resources in Cass
County is probably not a matter of immediate concern. Diamond
drilling should precede future development, as the data available are
entirely too meager to justify undertaking mining operations.
As the rock surface below the drift is more or less irregular, it
is not improbable that isolated and local areas of No. 5 coal may be
iShaw, E. W., .and Savage, T. E., U. S. Geological Survey Geol. Atlas:
Tallula-Springfield Folio (No. 188), Areal geology sheet, 1913.
66
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
present in places in the eastern part of the county, west of the principal
line of outcrop.
The correlation of the coal found between Ashland and Prentice
in Morgan County, as shown in the record of drilling near Prentice
given below, is uncertain.
Drilling near Prentice, Morgan County
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pennsylvanian system—
“Slate,” rotten black_
2
6
2
6
Coal _____
_
2
2
8
Fire clay..........
12
4
15
—
Shale.........
1
_
16
_
Coal.........
....
2
16
2
Fire clay........
1
3
16
5
Sandstone and shale__.___
16
7
34
Shale, with bands of ironstone_
56
_
90
_
“Slate,” black (fossiliferous)...
3
10
93
10
Sandstone, soft.........
15
_
108
10
Shale__
14
122
10
Limestone......
1
_
123
10
“Slate”________
2
_
125
10
Coal (No. 2?)....
2
10
128
8
Fire clay ...
6
—
134
8
The stratigraphic succession is more suggestive of strata asso¬
ciated with No. 2 than with any other coal, but such a correlation
would possibly give an unusual altitude to the coal at this place.
No analyses of the coal in Cass County are available.
CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Only the northern part of Christian County from Edinburg north¬
ward is included in the area of this lcport. The Greenwood Coal Com¬
pany at this place mines No. 5 coal. This is the farthest south that this
coal is worked in the central part of the State.
Coal-bearing Rocks
The geology of Christian County has been adequately discussed in
Illinois Mining Investigations Bulletin 11, Coal Resources of District
VII, and no additional data can be added relative to the coal in the
northern part of the county. However, the following paragraphs may
fitly be quoted from Bulletin 11:
‘‘The coals below No. 6 are lenticular and hence less easily traceable.
Moreover, the interval between the beds, especially between No. 5 and No.
6 coals, varies considerably in short distances, thus adding 1 to the difficulty
of correlation. For example, the interval between No. 6 coal and the next
lower important coal varies from 20 feet in the vicinity of sec. 34, T. 14
N., R. 2 W., to about 75 feet in sec. 13, T. 13 N., R. 2 W. The lower bed
ranges in thickness from 1 foot to 5 feet and averages 3% feet in eight
diamond drill holes in the townships mentioned. It is probable that it
should be called No. 5 coal since the larger interval is not uncommon in the
counties south of Christian, and the smaller one is well known to the north
as in the mine at Mechanicsburg. Even at Springfield the average in¬
terval between No. 5 and No. 6 coals is but 39 feet. This bed tends to
become thicker toward the north, and in secs. 13, 22, 32 and 34, T. 14 N.,
R. 2 W., No. 5 and No. 6 coals are of about equal importance. In a ma¬
jority of the holes the roof of No. 5 coal is composed of a few feet of black
shale capped by a thin limestone, this succession of beds being the normal
one in the Springfield district, where No. 5 coal is mined. Near Edinburg
and Sharps the cap-rock is absent.
“* * * Three main horizons appear to exist below No. 5 coal. Owing
to the lenticular nature of the coal it is not believed that all three horizons
contain commercial coals throughout the county. * * * The lenticular
character of (these) coal beds renders predictions unsafe, but the existence
of coals that may prove to be commercial, as at Assumption, is highly
probable. With this in mind it seems reasonable to suggest 'hat * * *
a few holes should be continued from 250 to 300 feet below No. 6 coal in
order to test all the possibilities of the area.” 1
iKay, Fred H. Coal Resources of District VII: Illinois Mining' Investiga¬
tions Bull. 11, pp. 80-81, 1915.
67
DEWITT COUNTY
Introduction
DeWitt County lies across the trough of the Illinois coal basin.
It is the only county in District IV in which coal has never been mined,
nor is coal of workable thickness definitely known to underlie it.
Surficial Deposits
Special attention should be directed to the excessive thickness of
the glacial drift which so effectively covers the hard rocks in DeWitt
County that “Coal Measures” outcrops are unknown. The few deep
drillings that have been made, records of which are reproduced above,
show thicknesses of glacial material of from 163 to 350 feet. Lev-
erett 1 states that the average thickness of the drift is probably more
than 200 feet. The following data, compiled from Leverett’s report,
will give some idea of the thickness of the drift at various places in
the county.
Thickness of the drift in De Witt County
Town
Depth of Well
Terminal strata
Depth of
rock
Farmer City (city well) . . .
. 176
sand
entered
• • •
Farmer City (coal prospect)
.. .
189
Parnell .
. 200
• • •
• • •
Clinton (water wells) .
. . . 80-100
sand and gravel
• • •
Clinton (coal boring) .
. ..
352
Clinton (coal boring) .
...
270
Clinton (Barnett’s gas well, 8
west) .
miles
. 137
sand
Hallsville (several gas wells)
. 117-127
sand
.. .
Kenney .
. 291
sand and gravel
Waynesville (city wells).
. 150?
• • •
. . .
Wapella (water wells.
. 80-100
till or sand
• • •
Maroa (Macon County) .
. . .
270
The lower part of the drift commonly contains considerable sand
and gravel, and some loose sand or quicksand, which are water-bearing
and therefore sources of difficulty to be guarded against in shaft sink¬
ing. Furthermore, buried muck and peat beds and associated sands
contain inflammable gas derived probably from the muck, and such
beds would also probably be a source of considerable inconvenience
and risk in opening mines.
lLeverett, Frank, Illinois Glacial Lobe: U. S. Geological Survey Mon. 38,
p. 705, 1899.
68
DEWITT COUNTY
69
Coal-bearing Rocks
As has been said, coal of workable thickness is not definitely
known to underlie DeWitt County. An unsubstantiated record of an
old boring at Farmer City reproduced herewith reports 4 feet 4 inches
of coal at 564 feet and 4 feet 9 inches at 665 feet. It is possible that
the upper of these coals is No. 7, and the lower, No. 5 ; No. 6 being
represented by a 9-inch bed at 606 feet. If the suggested correlations
of the coal are correct, it is possible that the limestone beds between
300 and 340 feet represent the Carlinville limestone.
Record of drilling at Farmer City, T. 21 N., R 5 E., DeWitt County
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil__. . ..
2
_ _
2
_
Clay, yellow__ ... ..
9
_
11
Clay, blue_____
36
_
47
_
Quicksand.
2
_
49
Clay, blue, and gravel___
6
_
55
Clav, blue, and gravel__
15
_
70
_
Sand and gravel . .
40
_
110
_
Clay, blue.
6
_
116
_
Sand and gravel . . .
8
_
124
—
Clay, blue, and sand_ _
40
_
164
_
Sand and gravel
10
_
174
—
Quicksand...
13
187
_
Clay, blue.. . .
2
189
....
Pennsylvanian system—
M cLeansbo r o—
Sandstone.
4
193
Sand shale..
11
204
Shale, red..
2
206
....
Shale, blue.. ..
4
206
4
Shale, calcareous . .
2
8
209
____
Shale, blue.
1
....
210
....
Shale, red.
8
218
Shale with limestone seams.
2
....
220
Sand shale..
17
237
_ _ _ _
Shale, black
3
240
....
Coal.
1
2
241
2
Clay shale. .
39
6
280
8
Clay shale. .
8
288
8
Shale, blue.
4
292
8
Limestone.
8
300
8
Shale, black.
2
....
302
8
Shale, red and gray.
9
....
311
8
70
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of drilling at Farmer City —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Limestone....
2
....
313
8
Sand shale.. .
5
....
318
8
Limestone......
4
322
8
Shale, blue.....
18
340
8
Sand shale....
10
350
8
Shale lime_ . . _
10
360
8
Shale, red_ _ __ __
5
365
8
Shale, red___ _
6
....
371
8
Sandstone_______
16
....
388
8
Sandstone, soft___ __
20
....
408
8
Shale, red and gray___
7
_
415
8
Sand shale.....
22
....
437
8
Shale, blue.....
46
_
483
8
Shale, blue....
17
6
501
2
Coal.
1
....
502
2
Fire clay.....
6
6
508
8
Shale, gray....____
10
518
8
Sandstone____
6
_
524
8
Sand shale __
7
....
531
8
Sandstone________
17
548
8
Shale, blue____
7
_
555
8
Shale, blue_ _
3
_ _ _ _
558
8
Shale, black....
1
3
559
11
Shale, gray.......
2
—
561
11
Shale, black._____
1
7
563-
6
Coal (No. 7?)..........
4
4
567
10
Fire clay____
3
9
571
7
Sandstone___ ____
3
_
574
7
Sand shale__ __
6
_
580
7
Shale, blue. ....
15
_
595
7
Shale, gray___
4
....
599
7
Shale, bituminous...
Carbondale—
6
....
605
7
Coal (No. 6?)____
....
9
606
4
Clay shale__ _
3
3
609
7
Lime shale........
6
_
615
7
Shale, blue___
10
_
625
7
Sand shale.......
10
_
635
7
Sand shale. _ __
7
_
642
7
Shale, blue.....
22
9
665
4
Coal (No. 5?)...-..
4
9
669
1
Shale, blue...-
....
9
669
10
Two deep drillings for oil have been put down in T. 20 N., R. 2. E.
(Clinton Township), one in section 10 and the other in section 32.
Both records are reproduced herewith, the record of the well in section
DEWITT COUNTY
71
10 being copied from the Geological Survey of Illinois. Vol. 8, pages
34 and 35.
Record of drilling in sec. 10, T. 20 N , R. 2 E. (Clinton Toivnship)
DeWitt County
Description of Strata
Thic
cness
De
pth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Surface soil.
5
5
....
Quicksand . . __
15
_
20
....
Sand with gravel and boulders_
17
_
37
....
Sand and clay mixed ..
53
....
90
....
Hardpan. .
12
_
102
Gravel_ ......
1
_ _ _ _
103
....
Hardpan... .
4
....
107
....
Clay and sand .
4
....
111
....
Gravel and clay____
7
_
118
....
Hardpan.
3
_
121
....
Clay and sand... . ...
7
_
128
....
Clay and gravel.... _
14
....
142
....
Clay.
4
....
146
....
Hardpan_ . . ...
6
—
152
....
Clay and gravel... .
8
_
160
....
Quicksand_ _
5
....
165
....
Sand and gravel .. .
2
....
167
....
Coarse gravel. .
2
....
169
....
Clay.
6
....
175
....
Gravelly hardpan ....
25
....
200
....
Quicksand_
6
206
Sand and clay...
7
....
213
Gravel_ .
9
....
222
....
Sand.
11
233
Gravel.
9
242
....
Sand.
9
....
251
....
Quicksand and gravel .
101
....
352
....
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro and Carbondale—
Slate, black.
1
....
353
Fire clay.
3
....
356
....
Limestone (Lonsdale?).
19
....
375
....
Fire clay.
1
....
376
....
Shale, gray.
1
....
377
....
Shale, red and gray.
10
....
387
....
Shale, gray.
2
....
389
....
Sandstone.
36
425
....
Shale, gray.
32
....
457
....
Shale, dark. .
6
....
463
....
72
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of drilling in sec. 10, T. 20 N , R. 2 E .—Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Shale, gray.......
5
468
Coal (No. 7?)..___
2
9
470
9
Coal and “slate”...
9
471
6
Fire clay..
7
3
478
9
Limestone....
22
_
500
9
Sandstone.......
6
....
506
9
Clay shale, gray......
11
_
517
9
Sandstone...
11
_
528
9
Shale, gray....
8
_
536
9
Slate, black, and coal....
3
_
539
9
Limestone.. ...
7
____
546
9
Sandstone. ....
19
....
565
9
Shale, gray_____
10
_
575
9
“Slate,” black.............
3
_ ___
578
9
“Slate,” black and coal...
4
_
582
9
Shale, gray..
21
_
603
9
“Slate," black......
3
_
606
9
Coal (Worthen’s No. 3)..
1
_
607
9
“Slate," black and trace of coal_
2
_
609
9
Clav shale, gray....
3
—
612
9
Coal (No. 2?). .
1
613
9
Pottsville—
“Slate,” black and trace of coal..
3
_
616
9
Shale, gray......
16
—
632
9
Limestone, hard impure.....
1
—
633
9
Sandstone, hard___
3
_
636
9
Shale, gray____
5
—
641
9
“Slate,” black.____
8
_
649
9
Sandstone_________
10
_
659
9
Shale, gray_____
3
—
662
9
“Slate,” black____
2
_
664
9
Shale, gray____
8
—
672
9
Shale, sandy_____
11
—
683
9
Shale, gray..
9
—
692
9
Limestone, hard ...
1
693
9
Sandstone, hard .. ...
2
695
9
Shale, dark. . .. .. ...
3
698
9
Shale, gray.........
3
—
701
9
Shale, sandy_____
3
—
704
9
Sandstone .. ...
6
710
9
“Slate,” black, with trace of coal...-
2
....
712
9
Shale, gray.....
82
—
792
9
Coal (No. 1 ?) ..
1
793
9
Shale, gray....—.
10
—
803
9
Sandstone and shale
25
_
828
9
DEWITT COUNTY
73
Record of C. C Morris' ivell near center sec 32, T. 20 N., R. 2 E.,
DeWitt County
Description of Strata
Thickness
Dep
Quaternary system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil____
5
_
5
(i ravel_
12
....
17
Quicksand...___
2
_
19
Clay and gravel, mixed....
13
_
32
Clay and gravel, mixed ...
78
_
110
Clay and gravel, mixed..__
40
_
150
Quicksand__ _
20
170
1 Iardpan___
50
_
220
Quicksand_ _
45
_
265
Pennsylvanian system—
Limestone and “slate”__
3
268
“Slate” rock, different color_
8
....
276
Coal..... .
5
....
281
“Slate,” changing color....
24
_
305
Sand___
7
....
312
“Slate,” first red found_ _
12
....
324
Shell and “slate”.... .
17
341
Limestone..
7
348
“Casey oil-bearing strata”.
10
_
358
“Slate”.....
19
' ....
377
Limestone, hard. ..
2
379
“Slate” and coal. .
4
383
“Slate”.. .
25
408
Coal (No. 7?).
6
....
414
“Slate” of different color..
49
463
Limestone___
3
466
Sand..
4
470
“Slate”.
57
527
Coal (No. 5?)..
2
....
529
“Slate,” change color.
33
562
Sand “slate”_
15
577
“Slate”.
90
667
Limestone.
7
674
“Slate”.
80
754
“Slate,” sandy..
12
766
“Slate,” black, no coal
18
784
Sand, limy .
4
788
“Slate”.
16
804
Sand water
6
810
“Slate”.
19
829
With oil scum
50
879
“Slate”.
71
950
Mississippian system—
“Marble, limy looking”..
160
1110
“Some strange formation”.
40
1150
“Slate”.
40
1190
Shell.
3
1193
“Slate”.
7
8
1200
74
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Worthen states that the drilling in section 10 was made with the
diamond drill, and that it probably penetrated to the base of the
‘‘Coal Measures.” He tentatively correlates the coal at 468 feet (2 feet
9 inches) with the upper vein (No. 7) in the Bloomington shaft, a
record of which is given in the McLean County chapter; and regards
the coals at 715 and 721 as possibly equivalent to No. 2 or No. 3, the
latter coal not definitely recognized by the present Survey, and the
coal at 903 as No. 1. These correlations seem to be consistent with the
data assembled since the publication of Worthen’s reports. Accord¬
ingly, a correlation of the upper coal at Clinton at 468 with the upper
coal at Farmer City at 575 seems likely, especially as it is consistent
with regional dip toward the trough at the foot of the west slope of
the La Salle anticline. The actual difference in altitude may even be
slightly more than is indicated by the difference in depth, as the surface
altitude at Farmer City is less than at Clinton. It is possible that the
limestone at a depth of 356 feet at Clinton is to be correlated with the
Lonsdale. If so, the 114-foot interval between the limestone and No.
7 coal is only 25 to 30 feet greater than the usual interval to the north
and west.
The log of the boring southwest of Clinton in section 32 is a
churn-drill record, and the strata noted do not correspond closely with
those reported to have been encountered in the drilling north of Clinton.
However, the record is of interest in showing, probably accurately, the
depth of the drift and the thickness of the Pennsylvanian; massive
Mississippian limestone underlying the “Coal Measures” is entered at
950 feet, about 50 feet below the lower coal in the well north of
Clinton. Accordingly it is probable that the well north of Clinton
penetrated or nearly penetrated the Pennsylvanian strata at a depth
of 942 feet, as suggested by Worthen. Correlations of the coal in the
well in section 32 at 410 feet with No. 7 coal, and that at 527 feet with
No. 5 is suggested.
Structure
DeWitt County lies near the center of the trough of the Illinois
coal basin, the drilling at Farmer City possibly being approximately
along the axis of the trough. It is believed that the strata dip gently
eastward toward this trough, possibly at the rate of between 5 to 10
feet per mile. Data are insufficient to show whether or not there are
important departures from the general dip. The eastward dip is also
slightly modified by a still gentler southward dip of probably not over
5 feet per mile.
DEWITT COUNTY
75
Coals
Three workable coals, No. 7, No. 5, and No. 2, possible underlie
DeWitt County. The indications are that all the coals are thinner in
the central part of the county in the vicinity of Clinton than to the
east near Farmer City. The two upper coals are separated by 100 feet
of strata and the two lower coals by about 150 to 175 feet of strata,
consisting of sandstone and shale with some limestone. These intervals
between coals No. 2, No. 5, and No. 7 persist directly northward into
La Salle County and District I west of the La Salle anticline. To the
northwest, west, and southward the intervals vary.
Further drilling is necessary in order to prove the presence or ab¬
sence of considerable areas of workable coals in the county and the
character of the roof and floor. No. 7 is reported to have a black
shale cover at both Clinton and Farmer City, which is similar to con¬
ditions reported at Bloomington and farther north in the State. Blue
shale is reported above No. 5 coal at Farmer City, and dark shale at
Clinton. The coal is commonly capped by black shale elsewhere in
the State.
It is possible that the coal resources of this county are large, but
such data as are available do not encourage great expectation of large
discoveries. Further careful prospecting is essential to a correct under¬
standing of conditions.
FULTON COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons, year ended June 30, 1920. 2,331,975
Average annual production, 1916 to 1920. 2,367,754
Total production, 1881 to 1920.47,178,407
Fulton County ranked twelfth in 1920, among the coal-producing
counties, the output in that fiscal year being between 3 and 4 per cent
of the total output of the State.
Table 6 lists the 27 shipping mines operating in 1920.
Besides the shipping mines 131 local or wagon mines also operated
in 1920 with a total production of 150,320 tons. All the shipping
mines in Fulton County with one exception operate No. 5 coal; the
Spoon River Colliery Company, located at Ellisville, operates No. 1
or Rock Island coal. The local banks operate No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, and
No. 6 coals, and a coal possibly correctly called No. 3.
Surficial Deposits
The thickness of glacial drift is known to be as much as 155 feet
in one place, but the average of 293 wells in the area of the Canton
and Avon quadrangles is only 38 feet. The drift consists of glacial
stony clay or till with which is commonly associated one or two beds
of gravel. Above those a mantle of yellow loess or silt 5 to 20 feet
thick covers much of the upland surface, and deposits of alluvium lie
in the valleys.
It has been determined from data concerning water wells between
Put and Lost Grove creeks, that the drift is thick, so that the outcrop
of No. 5 coal lies farther east than is the case south of Put Creek, and
north of Lost Grove Creek. The position of this outcrop is indicated
on the map, Plate V. This is the only pre-glacial drainage line that
has yet been discovered in the county and it is probably the only one
within the area underlain by No. 5 coal.
Coal-bearing Rocks.
The general succession of coal-bearing rocks in Fulton County has
been indicated to some extent in Part I. It was there stated that be¬
cause of special field examination in the area of the Avon and Canton
76
FULTON COUNTY
77
quadrangles, which includes nearly all the north half of the county,
and also because of the many exposures and coal prospects, knowledge
of the coal-bearing rocks in this county is more definite than it is for
the other counties in the district. However, as investigations and the
commercial mining operations are restricted to the northern part of the
county, conditions in the southern part can be less thoroughly de¬
scribed. It is believed that the southern part of the county, a large
part of which is remote from a railroad, is probably not underlain by
large bodies of the thicker and higher No. 5 and No. 6 coals, but that
the lower coals may nevertheless be continuous. It is not improbable,
however, that situated near the hill summits there are rather numerous
small bodies of the thicker coal which may be suitable for stripping
operations and local banks. The determinations of the actual amount
of such coal require detailed field investigations which will probably
be undertaken a little later. The present report concerns itself, there¬
fore, chiefly with the area in the northeast part of the county under¬
lain by No. 5 coal. The area to the west beyond the outcrop of this
coal will receive more detailed description in the proposed report on
District III in which coals No. 1 and No. 2 in the western part of
the State from Rock Island to Alton will receive special attention.
Drill records show that the base of the coal-bearing rocks declines east¬
ward, so that these rocks are thickest in the eastern part of the county.
In a deep well at Canton 465 feet of Pennsylvanian and overlying gla¬
cial material was penetrated; on the other hand, in the western part of
the county near New Philadelphia, the base of the coal-bearing rocks is
only 225 feet below the surface.
The youngest Pennsylvanian stratum exposed in the area is the
Lonsdale limestone, which underlies the glacial drift in a small area
in the northeast part of the county near Farmington. The special sig¬
nificance of this limestone in this study is the fact that its character¬
istic interval of about 60 feet above No. 7 coal furnishes a basis for the
identification of this coal throughout Districts I and III. The lime¬
stone underlies a large area in Peoria County where it has been quar¬
ried to some extent. In this county No. 7 coal is too thin to be of com¬
mercial importance.
No. 6 coal is found outcropping in many places in the county
between the outcrop of No. 5 coal and the area underlain by the Lons¬
dale limestone. It underlies an area of 35 to 40 square miles in the
northeast part of the county, extending south from the north line to
within two miles of Canton, and west as far as Fairview. It is also
78
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
present in small areas northeast of Cuba. The approximate outcrop of
this coal on the Canton and Avon quadrangles, as determined by Sav¬
age, is indicated on the structure map, Plate V. Like all the “Coal
Measures” strata, it dips eastward at a low angle. No. 6 (Herrin) coal
has in this region, as elsewhere, a limestone cap-rock 3j4 to 4 feet
thick, separated from the coal by 6 to 14 inches of bluish to dark cal¬
careous shale. The cap-rock contains the fossil found in Illinois only
in this stratum, namely, Girtyina ventricosa. Savage has identified
twenty-two other fossils from this same bed in this county, but none
has the value of Girtyina ventricosa in identifying the limestone.
The strata between the cap-rock of No. 6 coal and the Lonsdale
limestone consist largely of shale. Savage states that overlying the
cap-rock of the Herrin coal there is usually 10 to 15 feet of shale, fol¬
lowed by a few feet of sandstone, and which in turn is overlain by
about 14 feet of gray and 18 inches of blue shale. No. 7 coal lies 33 to
36 feet above No. 6 coal. Above No. 7 coal is about 40 feet of gray
shale, followed by 10 to 12 feet of dark shale which underlies the Lons¬
dale limestone. It is of some interest that the variegated shales near
the horizon of No. 7 coal are found in the Peoria-Springfield areas
and are widespread in District VII. They are not known, however,
in all districts.
The interval between No. 6 and No. 5 coals varies somewhat
in the county. In the northeastern part where the main body of the
upper coal lies, the interval is normally about 65 feet. In Putnam
Township, however, in the vicinity of Cuba, the interval decreases
to such an extent that locally the two coals are thought to be in con¬
tact. They have been seen in outcrop within 7 l / 2 feet of each other,
and one drilling in the vicinity of Cuba found 10 feet of coal. It is
thought that this unusual thickness is probably due to lack of inter¬
vening strata between the two coal beds, No. 6 lying directly upon
No. 5.
The strata between No. 5 and No. 6 consist of a black “slate”
above No. 5 coal, 2 to 6 inches, above which is 9 to 20 inches of lime¬
stone cap-rock, 12 to 20 inches of soft gray shale or “clod,” 20 to 30
feet of gray shale, a variable thickness of sandy shale and sandstone,
6 to 8 feet of yellowish shale, and 1 to 3 feet of the under clay of No.
6 coal. Between the 20- to 30-foot shale member, known as the Can¬
ton shale, and the sandy stratum overlying it, is an uneven plane of
contact, which results in considerable variation in the thickness of
both of these strata. In places, especially in Putnam Township, the
Canton shale member is entirely out, so that the sandstone rests on the
FULTON COUNTY
79
cap-rock of No. 5 coal or even locally upon the coal itself. Rarely
all the strata normally occurring between the Springfield and Herrin
coals are wanting, and more rarely a part or all of the No. 5 coal is
absent.
The area in which No. 5 and No. 6 are actually in contact is small;
and it is only in a small area lying mainly between the line of the
Toledo, Peoria, and Western Railroad and Put Creek, in the north
half of Putnam Township, that the nearness of No. 5 to No. 6 is espe¬
cially noteworthy.
No. 5 coal is persistently present in that part of the county east
of its line of outcrop. Numerous more or less detached areas of coal
probably exist beneath the uplands along the main divides even south
of Spoon River, since this coal has been mined at Astoria and in
Schuyler County near Rushville. The outcrop of the coal within the
Avon and Canton quadrangles is shown in Plate V.
Savage states that the No. 5 coal is uniform in thickness where
it is found within the quadrangle, averaging 4 feet 8 inches in 141
well records and 43 measured sections, and generally departing less
than 6 inches from the average. In the eastern and northern portions
of the county, where the usual sequence of strata overlies this coal,
the bed is commonly cut by numerous clay-filled fissures (clay seams
or horsebacks), such as are characteristic of this coal in Sangamon
County and in other parts of the State. Where sandstone overlies the
coal in the vicinity of Cuba, no clay seams have developed. No. 5
coal is commonly correlated by its physical characteristics, especially
the presence of horsebacks, and by the physical character of its roof.
The black fissile shale containing ironstone or pyritic concretions, rang¬
ing from 3 to 4 inches to as many feet in diameter, is the very
characteristic roof of the bed, a similar roof not being associated with
the other coals. The clod and cap-rock are of local assistance in
identifying the coal, but have not the State-wide distribution of the
black “slate.” The niggerheads, clod, and cap-rock are all fossiliferous,
but as they lack definitely identifying forms, do not have the same
value in correlation studies as the type fossil of the cap-rock of No. 6
coal. However, they are more or less characteristic.
Although coals helow No. 5 are present in Fulton County within
the area underlain by No. 5, they are worked only in areas west of the
outcrop of this coal. There are two workable coals below No. 5, No.
1 (Rock Island) coal and No. 2 (Colchester or Pa Salle “Third Vein”)
coal. No. 2 coal has hc*en worked at Avon; No. 1 is mined at Ellisville
and has been worked recently at Seville; at local banks in the western
and southern part of the county each of these coals is being worked.
80
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Drilling in the northeastern part of the county, especially in Putnam
and Buckheart townships, indicates the probable widespread presence
of at least one of these lower coals.
No. 2 (Colchester) coal lies about 90 to 135 feet below No. 5, the
lesser interval being found in the Cuba region, and the greater in the
northeast part of the county. The strata between No. 5 and No. 2
consist mainly of shale and sandstone, a massive sandstone being rather
widespread in the upper third of the section. The roof of No. 2 con¬
sists of gray shale or “soapstone” 9 to 14 feet in thickness in the
northern and western parts of the county, but thicker toward the south.
It is followed above by a black fissile shale 3 to 6 feet thick with
which is commonly found a band of fossiliferous, septarian, nodular
limestone one-half to one foot thick. Savage states that this is an
easily recognized succession which is exposed in many places in the
western part of the county. It is noteworthy also that essentially the
same succession is found above No. 2 coal in the La Salle district west
of the La Salle anticline and in much of District III to the west. The
coal has a common thickness of about 2 feet 6 inches, but varies be¬
tween 2 and 3 feet.
A coal believed to be the equivalent of the coal mined in Rock
Island County and known as No. 1 or Rock Island coal, lies 60 to 90
feet below No. 2 coal, the interval being greatest to the east. The area
in which this coal is best developed seems to lie west or south of the
outcrop of No. 5 coal. The few drill holes to the base of the Penn¬
sylvanian rocks east of the outcrop of No. 5 show coal thick enough
to be of commercial value only at the horizon of the Rock Island coal
in one or two cores, and these holes are located along the outcrop of the
No. 5 coal in Putnam Township. The coal attains locally a thickness
of about feet in the vicinity of Cuba, but there appears to be no
large body of it and very commonly the seam is separated by shale
partings. Where it is worked in the western part of the county at
Ellisville, it is 3 to S l /2 feet thick. This coal seems to have been laid
down in a narrow trough or basin running north and south through the
western part of the State, from Brown to Rock Island County, the
eastern edge of which crossed the central part of Fulton County. Its
area of main development is therefore west of this district in Dis¬
trict III.
No. 1 coal where characteristically developed has a readily recog¬
nizable bluish, fossiliferous, limestone cap-rock 5 to 20 feet thick,
which is separated from the coal by 6 inches to 3 feet of dark shale.
In its typical development this cap-rock seems to be restricted to the
same area as No. 1 coal, and to become thinner and possibly disap-
FULTON COUNTY
81
pear entirely toward the east. The few drill holes in eastern Fulton
County that penetrate No. 1 coal do not find a cap-rock above No. 1
coal.
No. 1 and No. 2 coals will be described in greater detail in a pro¬
posed later bulletin which will discuss the coal resources of District III.
Coals between No. 1 and No. 2 seem to be somewhat more num¬
erous in the eastern part of the county than in the western. Between
No. 1 and No. 2, lying 20 to 30 feet below No. 2, Savage reports a thin
coal, 18 inches thick, which seems to be fairly persistent as it is found
in outcrop in the western and central parts of the county and in drilling
in the eastern part. Whereas this is the only persistent coal known in
the section in the western part of the county where strata outcrop,
drilling in the vicinity of Cuba, St. David, and Dunfermline reveals
the presence of one or two other coals between No. 2 and No. 1. In the
Cuba region the interval between No. 2 and No. 1 coals is about 80
feet. The following record of a hole drilled between Fiatt and Cuba
is typical of the succession in that part of the county.
Record of drilling between Fiatt and Cuba See Plate II, No. 1
Description of Strata
Thic
kness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay......
18
....
18
____
Pennsylvanian system—
Carbondale—
Sandstone, yellow__
10
4
28
4
Slate, dark__ _
1
10
30
2
Coal (No. 5)___ _
4
6
34
8
Shale, light_ ..
2
4
37
Sandstone, light.. .
2
39
Shale, mixed. ...
19
58
....
Sandstone, light . . _
12
70
Shale, sandy.... .. ..
37
....
107
Shale, gray....
20
....
127
____
“Slate,” dark. .
1
128
Rock (limestone?), dark.
1
____
129
Shale, light.
14
143
Coal (No. 2) .
2
4
145
2
Pottsville—
Shale, sandy, light. .
18
8
164
....
Coal.
1
165
Shale, light, sandy. .
12
177
Shale, dark.
1
178
Coal...’.
■•••
4
178
4
82
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of drilling between Fiatt and Cuba —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Shale, light, sandy.....
18
_
196
4
Shale, dark___
7
_
203
4
Coal_____
4
203
8
Sulphur (pyrite)___
_
2
203
10
Coal....
3
2
207
....
Sandy bottom_____
____
4
207
4
Rock, boulder (limestone?).
8
208
—
Limestone, dark.. ....
11
_
219
Shale, dark, hard......
6
7
225
7
Coal (No. 1) ....
4
4
229
11
Shale, light, sandy.
6
1
236
....
The lower coal with the dark limestone cap-rock is without ques¬
tion No. 1. In the Cuba region rather systematic testing of this coal in
certain areas reveals large variations in thickness and character. Its
commercial value, therefore, for the present, at least, is small. The
limestone cap-rock is commonly about 10 feet in thickness but in
places is absent and in other places as thick as 20 feet. The coal over-
lying the cap-rock or but a short distance above it, is lenticular. In a
few holes it has a thickness of about 4 feet, but commonly is less than
a foot thick, and so interbedded with shale that it has no value. It is
not known just how persistent this bed is in the southern part of the
county. It is possible that outcrops of this bed in the vicinity of Lewis¬
ton were confused with No. 2 coal by Worthen, resulting in the mis¬
interpretation of the section that appears in his discussion of the
geology of Fulton County in Volume IV of the Geological Survey of
Illinois.
The two other coals that are fairly continuous in the section, one
12 to 20 or 25 feet below No. 2 coal, and the other about 30 feet lower,
are generally thin. In some holes, however, the upper of the two is
reported 2 feet or more thick, but it is more commonly found a foot or
less in thickness. It is quite possible that this coal outcropping near
Lewiston was the one which was confused with No. 2 coal instead of
the lower coal as described in the preceding paragraph.
Aside from the limestone and coals noted above, the strata between
No. 1 and No. 2 coals are mainly shale, with a sandstone 3 to 8 feet
thick rather persistent 17 to 25 feet below No. 2.
Structure
Geologic structure of the whole of Fulton County has not been
determined. A report on the structure based on the altitude of No. 2
Illinois State Geological Survey
Mining Investigations Bull. 26, Plate V
R.1 E. R.2E. R.3E R.4 E.
County line.
- Township line.
-- Section line.
^ Outcrop of No. 2 (Col-
Chester) coaL
Outcrop of No.
f field) coal.
5 (Spring-
Outcrop of No. 6 (Her¬
rin) coal.
Contours showing the ele¬
vation of No. 2 coal
above sea level.
Contours showing the ele¬
vation of No 6 coal
above sea level.
Plate V. — Map showing the structure of the Canton and Avon quadrangles
and an adjoining area, by means of contours on No. 2 coal and No. 6 coal.
FULTON COUNTY
83
coal in the Avon and Canton quadrangles appears in Bulletin 33/ and
Plate V is a reduction of the maps in that report.
Concerning the structures of the Canton and Avon quadrangles,
Savage 2 states:
“In the Colmar region farther west, the oil is found in the upper
part of a dome, and in a terrace on its side. Even on this favorable
structure, the sand is present only in limited areas. Consequently, any
recommendations for test borings for oil in the Avon and Canton area,
based on the usual structure features, must be recognized as carrying
an unusual amount of uncertainty. However, since it is not possible
to tell before borings are made whether the Hoing sand is present or to
what extent it is saturated with water in any particular locality, if test
borings are to be made, it would seem wise to proceed first on the
usual assumption that the rocks will be thoroughly saturated with
water, and to test first the places where the structure is favorable, as
the highest parts of the anticlines and domes.
“From the structure maps [Plate Y] it will be seen that a broad
dome is present northwest of Fairview, the highest point of which is
in the NE. Ei sec - 29, and the SE. J4 sec - 20, T. 8 N., R. 3 E. South¬
west of Farmington in secs. 10 and 11, T. 8 N., R. 4 E., there is a low
arch in which the beds are somewhat higher than to the north or south.
“From Fiatt a low arch extends toward the southeast corner of
the Canton quadrangle. The axis passes about one-half mile north of
Jones School, SW. cor. sec. 27, T. 7 N., R. 3 E., and has been traced
southeast to the center of sec. 10, T. 6 N., R. 4 E.
“In the northwest quarter of the Avon quadrangle [Plate V], a
low anticline is present in the SE. *4 sec. 14, T. 8 N., R. 1 W. The
beds here are somewhat higher than to the west, south, ana east; but
no outcrops are available toward the north, and the dip in that direction
is uncertain. One mile north of Babylon in secs. 11 and the western
part of 12, T. 7 N., R. 1 E., the beds are higher than in any other
direction except northwest.”
The foregoing interpretation of the structure in the Canton and
Avon quadrangles was designed to meet inquiries concerning the pos¬
sible existence of structure favoring oil and gas accumulation in the
area. In general such gentle structure does not affect the value of
the coal, although knowledge of the structure is of some importance in
laying out mines in order to take advantage of the natural slopes for
drainage or haulage. However, where regional structure is as gentle
as it is here, local variation in the level of the coal may largely offset
iSavage, T. E., Geologic structure of Canton and Avon quadrangles: Illi¬
nois State Geological Survey Bull. 33, p. 91, 1917.
2Qp. cit., p. 99.
84
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
regional dip, and hence it becomes a distinctly local engineering prob¬
lem to determine the structure or dip of the coal within each property
to be developed. The present maps are of value in determining the
general lay or dip of the bed and approximate depth, but should be
used guardedly as a basis for laying out mining operations.
On Plate V is included a structure map, which constitutes an ap¬
pendix to Savage’s maps and shows the ‘“lay” of the No. 5 seam in a
strip south of the Canton quadrangle, based on detailed drilling and
elevation of the surface, as determined by the company. In publishing
the map the Survey does not assume the responsibility for the ac¬
curacy of these determinations which in all cases do not seem to check
closely with the topography on the Canton sheet. However, the map
is valuable, especially as it illustrates the slight irregularities that af¬
fect the coal and shows how the eastward dip is in places eliminated or
even reversed, and hence illustrates the importance of detailed drilling
in the accurate determination of the structure prior to laying out prop¬
erties for mining.
Minor irregularities in the coal beds encountered in mines will be
discussed in later paragraphs.
Min able Coals of Eastern Fulton County
The coals of Fulton County known to have present economic value
—that is, those that can be profitably worked at this time—are Nos.
6, 5, 2, and 1. Possibly a coal lying between Nos. 1 and 2 may also
be workable locally. These coals will be described in the order given.
no. 6 coal
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
No. 6 ( Herrin or “blue band”) coal is present over about 35 to 40
square miles in the northeast part of the county, north of Canton, over
a much smaller area north of Cuba. Other small areas not improbably
exist, though they are not definitely known to be present. The out¬
crop of the coal on the Canton quadrangle is shown in the map,
Plate V. The area underlain by coal has not been entirely delineated
near Cuba. Savage states that the coal lies so near the surface, usually
from a few to 50 feet, that its quality has been injured by the action of
ground water so that even where it is present the shafts of the com¬
mercial mines are put down through this coal to the No. 5 (Springfield)
bed which is normally about 65 feet lower.
character of no. 6 coal
No. 6 coal in Fulton County is not regarded with as much favor
as is No. 5 coal. It is not always possible to tell from a physical
FULTON COUNTY
85
examination of a coal bed why the coal is regarded as better or less
satisfactory than the coal of an adjacent bed, as the differences are
not entirely physical. The relative acceptability of different coals rests
largely on the following factors: (1) The amount of ash; (2) the
amount of volatile hydrocarbons; (3) the clinkering character of the
ash, which is probably the same as the fusibility of the ash ; (4) the
hardness of the coal, or its ability to withstand handling; and (5)
the heat value. For a certain class of users knowledge of the coking
quality of the coal is also important. As the coal lies in the bed it is
not possible to determine the relative value of the coal with respect
to any of the above factors unless it be the amount of ash, and so it
is only as a result of experience that judgment can be passed upon
the acceptability of a coal.
In general judgment is made on the basis of results attained by
the haphazard methods of firing in most steam plants and practically
all domestic heaters. Since the fact that popular and careless method:}
may not be adapted to a coal in question commonly does not enter inU
the popular judgment, it is quite possible that with better practices in
firing and improvements in heating systems coal at present less de¬
sirable would eventually come into more popular favor. It is also
true that improvements in mining practice particularly in the method of
handling the coal at the face, and at the tipple, may largely reduce the
differences that exist among coals, especially as concerns the ash con¬
tent.
The reasons for popular judgment against No. 6 coal and pref¬
erence for No. 5 are not fully tangible. The general opinion is that
this coal is dirtier; that it contains more shale bone, blackjack, and
pyrite than No. 5 ; and that it is smokier, higher in volatile hydrocar¬
bons, and probably somewhat softer, than the lower bed. Some of
the prejudice against the upper coal arises from the fact that it lies
relatively near the surface and is thought to have suffered somewhat
from weathering. A considerable quantity is probably “outcrop” coal,
which is usually soft and contains much infiltered clay. Outcrops
of No. 6 west of Farmington are usually very poor, especially where
the bed lies near the prairie surface, and the coal has a reputation of
being generally unsuitable to mine. East of the line of the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad, between Farmington and Canton,
however, along Copperas Creek, the cover is solid and the coal little
affected by weathering, except for a few feet immediately along the
outcrop. Failure to develop this coal in the shafts between Canton
and Farmington is by some laid to the supposed ill effects of weather¬
ing, in spite of the fact that it is 50 to 60 feet down. It is possible,
86
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
however, that the coal was affected somewhat by pre-glacial weather¬
ing, as the pre-glacial surface was much nearer the coal than is the
present surface.
Where the coal has been observed in adjacent parts of Peoria
County the only physical characteristic of the bed which suggests that
it might have a value somewhat inferior to that of No. 5 is the rather
high ash content, which is indicated by the presence of numerous
sulphur balls and by the existence of a continuous blue band. Other¬
wise the coal does not appear notably different from No. 5 coal. It
might justly he argued that the horsebacks of No. 5 coal represent
a much more important source of impurities in that coal than do the
sulphur balls and blue band in No. 6, so that the prejudice against No.
6 coal is probably based upon qualities not physically displayed in out¬
crop and at the face in mines.
Analyses and tests show very little difference between No. 5 and
No. 6 coals in western Illinois, but whatever difference exists is to the
advantage of the lower coal. The No. 6 coal averages about 4 per
cent higher in volatile matter on the moisture-free basis, and possibly
2 to 4 per cent higher in moisture. Both coals, however, are relatively
high in moisture, varying between 13 and 18 per cent, so that probably
the difference in moisture content is of little consequence, and the
difference in volatile content likewise hardly warrants favoring one
coal more than the other on this score. It is possible, however, the
higher coal yields its volatile matter at a lower temperature and hence
is less desirable for general use. There is, however, no scientific
basis for believing that a difference in the character of the volatile
matter exists. Similarly also, whereas the ash of No. 6 coal may be
considerably less refractory and hence harder to handle than the ash of
No. 5 coal, this has not been scientifically established, and may or may
not be a sound basis of difference. So much of the success in handling
depends upon the adaptability of the furnace to the coal being used,
upon the skill and experience of the fireman, and upon the method of
firing that it is always a question until the matter has been authorita¬
tively established, how much basis there is for popular discriminations
as between different coals.
Physically No. 6 coal has the usual characteristics of the Illinois
coals; namely, it is banded or laminated with alternations of dull and
bright coal and occasional mother coal streaks. As a special char¬
acteristic of No. 6 coal, there exists a clay or “blue band” about a
foot to 15 inches above the base of the bed. This is about 1 to ljA
inches thick and very persistent. Generally the coal is subdivided into
three benches, the topmost of which is 12 to 15 inches. Between the
FULTON COUNTY
87
top and middle bench is generally a mother coal parting. Commonly
the coal has a dark shale roof that is hard to hold, for it generally
falls up to the cap-rock, a distance of three feet or less, shortly after
the coal is removed. The cap-rock is a 3- to 5-foot limestone, generally
solid. The underclay is hard and 1 to 3 feet thick. The expense of
moving the roof shale is a handicap against the profitable mining of
this coal, although in general roof and floor conditions are not dis¬
tinctly unfavorable.
no. 5 coal
The No. 5 or Springfield bed is the chief source of coal in the
shipping mines in Fulton County. Except for a few local mines
where No. 6 is worked, it is the only source of coal east of the No.
5 outcrop.
The general physical characteristics of No. 5 coal in Fulton County
are similar to those elsewhere in the district, namely, regularity in
Fig. 5.—Diagrammatic sketch showing the relations of horsebacks to rolls
in the roof and floor, and the accompanying faulting.
thickness, common occurrence of clay slips or horsebacks, and a per¬
sistent black “slate” roof. Like all Illinois coals, No. 5 is well laminated
or banded in structure, and contains lenses, streaks, or partings of
mother coal, and occasional masses of bone coal. Balls and lenses
of brassy pyrite occur in greater or less fequency, and not uncom¬
monly the coal is “frozen” to the roof by a lens or layer of pyrite.
The amount of pyrite varies considerably from mine to mine.
No physical characteristics peculiar to No. 5 coal in Fulton
County distinguish it from the same coal elsewhere in the State. As
in other parts of the district there is considerable irregularity in the
distribution of the horsebacks, sulphur balls, and other features that
detract from the value of the coal in the bed. A few mines in the
county are so fortunately located as to be working a block of coal
relatively free from impurities. Indeed, one mine reported that anv
88
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
payment to the miners for horsebacks, rolls, or boulders was the excep¬
tion rather than the rule. In many other mines the extra pay for
such irregularities is a serious item of expense. Necessarily this
means a great difference in the profits for the various mines in the
county. In 1917 the payment for horsebacks amounted to $2.84 for
each horseback having an average thickness of 2 to 6 inches in the
middle of the bed and 19 cents for each additional inch. In some mines
the horsebacks are found as commonly as 12 to 15 feet; in other mines
they are very unusual. No good reason has been arrived at for the
erratic distribution of the horsebacks.
The horsebacks are usually accompanied by “rolls” in the roof and
floor, which also must be paid for when removed. Those in the floor
are usually removed, as they are thought to interfere with efficient
shooting when left. Their removal is necessary to permit machine¬
mining. These rolls are apparently of two kinds: (1) In most in-
Scale in feet
Fig. 6.— Limestone “boulder” in the floor of the Monmouth Coal Company’s
mine at Brereton.
stances, as in figure 5, faulting as well as fracturing has taken place
at the horsebacks, and the coal, roof, and floor, has been offset from a
few inches to as much as 18 to 24 inches in places. The upthrow
side of the fault in the floor is called a roll in the floor, and the down¬
throw side of the fault in the roof is called a .roll in the roof. In the
case of low angle faulting the upthrow side of the floor is directly
under the downthrow side of the roof, thereby reducing the apparent
thickness of the coal in some places to 3 feet or less. In such in¬
stances the roof must be heightened to make head-room for the mules.
(2) Rolls also may occur beneath horsebacks where the coal has not
been faulted. They are commonly found under rather wide horse¬
backs and appear to be simply a bulge of the fire clay into the crack
to a height of 6 to 12 inches. Rolls of the latter variety are usually
small. Rolls are paid for by the inch per running yard.
FULTON COUNTY
89
An additional source of extra expense in some mines in the county
consists of the floor “boulders” (fig. 6), which protrude from the
fire clay into the bottom of the coal for a maximum distance of about
3 feet. They are commonly less than 2 feet in height in the coal, but
may be nearly 3 feet thick, as has been stated, and extend laterally
4 to 5 feet. In 1917 the cost of their removal ran from $2.84 for those
18 to 24 inches high, down to $1.42 for those 6 to 12 inches high.
No scale for large ones has been established, as they are uncommon.
The boulders are masses of rather waxy-looking, silicified rock, part
of a brownish color and part black. Both kinds seem to represent
the silicification of woody material. These brownish parts show very
distinct wood structure, and appear to be simply petrified. Material
of the same character may be calcareous rather than siliceous. The
black material, on the other hand, seems to represent silicified peat, or
something of that nature, in which the unchanged carbon remains as
a residue, making the rock black. The material has the appearance
of a very carbonaceous quartzite. Such siliceous boulders are of
course very hard and rather difficult to remove.
Some comment should be made upon the occurrence of the “spar”
horsebacks that are found in this bed. These are as troublesome if not
more troublesome than the clay slips, because they are harder along
the immediate position of the fracture and the coal on each side of
the fracture commonly contains a wider impregnation of pyrite. They
consist merely of veins of pyrite in more or less vertical fractures,
entirely resembling the horseback fractures except that they are not
as wide and apparently do not extend to as great a distance vertically
through the overlying rock. Rarely is the coal bed offset along such
spar horsebacks.
The semi-monthly adjustment for horsebacks, rolls, and boulders
is an ever-present source of bickerings and misunderstandings between
miners and foremen, because of the difficulty in the interpretation of
the rules of the agreement. It is exceedingly difficult to ascertain a
fair average value for the thickness of a horseback or to accurately
measure the size of a roll, especially as the adjustment is usually made
after the roll and horseback has been removed from the room or entry
and the measurement is made on the cross-section appearing on the
rib. A more satisfactory adjustment of this labor problem will obviate
much of the difficulty in mining the coal.
Where the coal is undisturbed by irregularities, conditions are
relatively favorable for mining. The underclay is hard and generally
thin and does not creep readily, so that it rarely causes trouble be-
90
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
cause of squeezes. The overlying black shale is usually hard and
stands well without much timbering after the removal of the coal.
Certain difficulties are encountered, however. The niggerheads in the
shale, which are occasionally large enough to interfere with operation
if left up in a roadway, are heavy and rather difficult to handle.
Occasionally one of those left in the roof will loosen and fall. There¬
fore, to some extent they are a source of possible injury to miner or
mule. In some of the mines near Farmington the lower 2 to 3 inches
of the “slate” called “draw slate" separates from the main body of the
“slate" at what is known as a “false parting" as the coal is removed.
When this happens the coal is usually “frozen” to the “draw slate,”
so that in discarding the “slate” considerable coal, frequently as much
as 6 to 8 inches, is thrown into the gob. The “freezing” of coal and
“draw slate" is apparently due to a layer of pyrite or pyritized lime¬
stone in the top of the coal, the presence of which makes it very dif¬
ficult to separate the coal from the shale. In one mine where this
“draw slate” exists it is reported that its removal is not desired, as the
overlying shale is rather difficult to hold. A more desirable condition
is to have the coal break away from the roof just below the top of the
seam, leaving the sulphur streak in the roof.
In the mines south of Canton and more or less throughout the
county, the most serious difficulty arises from the tendency of the
“draw slate” to come away with the coal. As long as this lower layer
of the shale stays up and the air is kept away from the overlying shale,
the roof will remain solid, but once it falls the conditions are almost
immediately bad, the shale and overlying clod falling up to the cap-
rock. In places even the cap-rock lacks coherence to withstand the
strain put upon it when the “slate” falls and the resulting holes in the
roof of the mine are expensive to handle.
In one or two mines west of Farmington, a fairly persistent thin
“mud seam” occupies a position in the bed about 8 inches below the
top. It was reported that in one mine there were several rooms in
which the coal had been shot off below this mud seam. It was stated
that unless the miner exercises care in placing his holes so that they
end above this mud seam, the coal tends to break below it. A similar
mud seam lies about 18 inches from the floor in this same mine, and
similar care must be taken that the powder holes be driven below the
band to insure complete removal of the bed. These bands are not per¬
sistent but are very common.
In some of the mines southwest of Canton lying in the bottom of
the coal is a band of blackjack, 1 to 3 inches thick, which shoots up
FULTON COUNTY
91
with the coal and must all be handled and thrown into the gob. As
separation from the coal is not clean, considerable coal is in this way
wasted. The blackjack consists of soft carbonaceous shale and coal
containing lenses of pyrite up to about 1 inch in thickness and making
up about one-fourth of the mass.
MINE NOTES, NO. 5 COAL
ALDEN COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 5, AT FARMINGTON
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal, 185 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 feet 9 inches to 4 feet 2 inches;
averages 4 feet.
Section of the coal:
Ft.
in.
Thickness
Ft. in.
Ft.
in.
Roof: Black “slate”.
Coal .
. 3
IV 2
4
3y 2
2
1
Sulphur .
y 2
• •
• •
• •
1
Coal .
9 %
• •
• •
1
10
Floor: Fire Clay .
• •
• •
• •
• •
• •
3
11 %
4
31/2
4
0 '
Character of the coal:
The coal is
comparatively
clean
as com
pared
with the same bed in Peoria County. The horsebacks are fairly numerous
but rather narrow, commonly not over 4 inches through. About as com¬
mon as the clay slips are the “spar” horsebacks which are hard and con¬
tain crystalline pyrite that fills the crack and ramifies into the coal for
several inches on each side, producing a belt of hard coal often nearly
8 inches to a foot wide, through the center of which runs the vertical
irregular fissure. “Facings” of pyrite in the joint cracks of the coal are
not uncommon. Gypsum or pyrite facings are not common. Clay and
mother-coal streaks are rarely more than half an inch thick and are neither
continuous, nor especially numerous.
Pyrite in balls or niggerheads is not uncommon. This is pure shiny
pyrite apparently of good quality, averaging probably at least 45 per cent
sulphur for the hand-cleaned specimen. The masses of pyrite are said to
attain a thickness of about 12 inches and to extend for a distance of 5 to
6 feet. None of this size were seen, the largest noted being about 6 inches
thick with a lateral extension of possibly 3 to 4 feet. The rooms do not
commonly have more than one sulphur ball in the face at one time, averag¬
ing possibly IV 2 inches thick and 2 inches in diameter. The amount of
pyrite actually seen in the face is probably less than 0.5 per cent by weight
of the coal.
Character of the roof: The roof is very regular. It consists of the
usual succession of black “slate” with niggerheads 8 to 14 inches thick,
clod 6 to 8 inches thick, and cap-rock 4 to 8 inches thick. The niggerheads
are commonly about 18 inches in diameter, though some are of still larger
size. They parallel the bedding of the “slate” and are nearly as thick from
top to bottom as is the “slate.” These protrude down into the coal and
are frequently slick on the surface and lie more or less loosely in the
shale, so that they generally drop out. Many are considerably pyritized,
92
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
some of the smaller ones completely so, but the larger ones for a distance
of only about half an inch from the surface. The change fTom the cal¬
careous center to the pyritic outer layer seems to be direct and not gradual.
Ordinarily, however, there is more or less pyrite all through the boulders
with an increase in amount toward the pyritic shell.
The lower 2 to 6 inches of the black shale or “slate’’ is known as the
“draw slate.” Between it and the overlying shale is what is known as a
false parting, along which the two beds separate in places in the mine.
More often there is a good parting between the coal and the “draw slate,”
and the latter does not come away. Where the coal and “draw slate” stick
together, a lens of fossiliferous limestone, for the most part highly pyritized,
in most cases lies just at the top of the coal. The limits of pyritization are
rather indefinite, extending outward into both the coal and “slate,” so as
to cause the adherence of the whole mass and the fall of the “draw slate”
with the coal when the latter is shot.
Character of the floor: The floor clay in this mine, about which there
is nothing unusual, is reported to be about 2 feet thick on the average. It
apparently does not heave much. Along entries it is the practice to remove
about 10 inches of the floor clay to make headway for the mules.
ALDEN COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 6, AT NORRIS
Entrance: Shaft, depth 190 feet to No. 5 coal.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No 5 coal in the Alden Coal Company’s No. 6 mine
Face entry main
2d north off east
Entry face main
west 1900 feet
entry 1200 feet
east 2000 feet
from shaft
from shaft
from shaft
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft in.
Coal, dull .
. 7
• • • •
4
Coal bright .
. 1 8
4 1
3 8
Coal, dull .
. %
• • • •
• • • •
Coal, bright .
. 1 10
. .
• • • •
4 1*4
4 1
4 0
ASTORIA WOODLAND COAL COMPANY’S ABANDONED MINE
Entrance: Shaft; depth to coal, 58 feet.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 5 feet to 614 feet; averages
5V2 feet.
Section of the coal:
Section of No. 5 coal in the NE. entry about 1700 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale
Coal .
Black jack .
Coal .
Mother coal ....
Coal .
Sulphur ..
Coal .
Floor: Fire clay
2
1
1
1
1
%
10
%
11
11 %
5
FULTON COUNTY
93
The top coal is dark and often broken. At the top of the uppermost
of the two 1-foot coals there is commonly a very dark-colored hard cannel-
like coal 2 to 3 inches thick. The lowermost of these two coals is soft, and
has irregular streaks of sulphur. The bottom bench is a very bright, hard
coal. The roof is black shale, more than 3 feet thick, with large nigger-
heads or balls of iron pyrite. The floor is fire clay, at least 3 feet thick.
The irregularities include large clay veins, some displacing the coal 18
inches. These veins which are exceptionally large, commonly cut entirely
through the coal and are as much as 12 feet long and 3 to 4 feet wide.
This property was abandoned in 1910.
BIG CREEK COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO 2, AT ST. DAVID
Entrance: Drift; No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 2 inches;
averages 5 feet.
Sections of the coal:
Sections 3 to 8 are taken from United States Bureau of Mines Bull.
22, p. 495.
Sections of No . 5 coal in the Big Creek Coal Company's
No. 2 (St. David) mine
(1) (2)
2,200 feet N. 2,500 feet west
W. of drift of drift
mouth mouth
Thickness
Ft.
in.
Ft
in.
Coal .
2
• •
3
V 2
Sulphur .
• •
%
• •
%
Coal .
• •
6
1
7%
Blackjack .
• •
Vs
• .
Shale .
• •
• •
2
Coal .
1
10%
• •
Blackjack .
• •
1
• •
Shale .
• •
2%
• •
4
4%
4
81/4
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
Room 3
Entry face
Entry face
Entry face
Entry face
Entry face
18th E.
7th W.
15th N.
11th N.
7th E.
14th E.
6000 ft.
4500 ft.
6000 ft.
6000 ft.
5000 ft.
5500 ft.
from
from
from
from
from
from
opening
opening
opening
opening
opening
opening
Thickness
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Coal, dull .
1 2
1 . .
8
• • • •
9
Sulphur .
. . Vs
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
Coal, bright .
3 7
4 3
4 . .
2 1
4 4
• • • •
Coal, dull .
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
4
• • • •
• • • •
Mother coal ....
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
. . %
Coal, bright .
• • • •
• • • •
■ • • •
2 8
• • • •
1 11
Sulphur .
• • • •
• • . .
• • • •
• • , .
.. Vs
Coal, bright .
• •
. .
. .
. .
. .
1 10
Total.
4 9 Vs
5 3
4 8
5 1
4 4
4 6%
94
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: The coal bed is uniform throughout, without
persistent benches. Small pyrite bands and streaks of mother coal are
present. Some gypsum is reported in the facings. At the time the mine
was examined in the summer of 1912 the number of horsebacks in the
working face was reported as relatively small. In 1908 an earlier observer
reported a large number in the mine, which indicates that the coal prcbably
varies considerably as regards frequency of the horsebacks.
Character of the roof: The roof consists of a “draw slate,” composed
of fine-banded, sandy shale, more or less impregnated with pyrite, 1 to 2
inches thick, black “slate” 2 to 4 feet thick, and a limestone cap-rock. The
cap-rock, which is notably persistent, varies in thickness from 6 to 18
inches, but is commonly about 10 inches thick. Its distance above the coal
varies from 1 to 4 feet, but is, for the most part, 2 to 2 Vz feet. The “draw
slate” noted above is not a typical “draw slate” as it is usually left up.
It probably has about the same characteristics as the “draw slate” observed
in mine No. 4 of this company.
Character of the floor: The floor is a hard, bluish-gray clay, 2 feet 6
inches in average thickness. This clay is undercut by mining machines.
It heaves somewhat after standing 18 months to two years.
RIG CREEK COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 4, AT DUNFERMLINE
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal about 82 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4% feet to 5% feet; averages 5 feet
8 inches.
Character of the coal: The coal is very similar to that southwest of
Canton. The bed is fairly massive, but to some extent tends to shoot off
in benches due to the presence of rather conspicuous but not entirely per¬
sistent “dirt” or charcoal bands. Commonly four thin dirt bands lie about 8,
14, 24, and 30 inches from the top, respectively. The coal has distinct
horizontal partings and tends to shoot up rather fine. The considerable
quantity of mother coal present makes the coal sooty and dirty to handle.
A blackjack or clay band about 1*4 inches thick is practically continuous.
It does not contain the gray sulphur found in the Middleton and Eagle
mines near Canton.
Horsebacks are present in about the usual number, but are apparently
thinner than they are farther north, so that as a whole they constitute a
somewhat less serious difficulty. Pyrite is present in the coal as balls of
clean pyrite and to less extent as lenses of grayish laminated pyrite. The
balls are most commonly 214 to 3 inches thick and 8 to 14 inches in diam¬
eter, and weigh 20 to 30 pounds. The largest ones, however, may weigh
as much as 200 pounds. It is estimated that about one ton of pyrite a day
or about or.e-tenth of one per cent of the total coal mined is uncovered in
the coal.
Character of the roof: Roof conditions are similar to those generally
found in the mines south and southwest of Canton. The interval between
the cap-rock and the coal increases to the south and the cap-rock is some¬
what thicker than it is north of Canton. It is more difficult to distinguish
the stratum called “draw slate” from the black shale above, as neither does
it contain the whitish limy concretions found in the mines farther north,
FULTON COUNTY
95
nor are the limestone lenses present which in the mines north of Canton
are so commonly found at the top of the coal and the base of the “slate.”
The parting between coal and “slate” is better than to the north so that
the coal breaks away, leaving the “slate” undisturbed. Where the “draw
slate” falls, conditions are almost immediately bad, for the black shale
and clod (the upper part of the shale) have very little coherence. Over
many of the entries the cap-rock is exposed the intervening shale having
fallen in. It is higher above the coal than is commonly the case north of
Canton, generally being 4 to 5 feet. In places the cap-rock is thin, espe¬
cially where its lower surface is smooth instead of knobby, as is more
frequently the case. The special problem in the mine seems to be that of
holding the thin layer of “draw slate” in the rooms. The main haulage-
ways are commonly brushed up to the cap-rock. The expense of this dead
work of course is to be avoided if possible in the rooms.
Character of the floor: When machines are used the coal is cut just
above the blackjack band in the base of the coal. In solid shooting the
entire bed shoots out and the blackjack must then be cleaned off the coal.
The underclay is about 2 feet thick. The floor rolls, as a rule, under the
horsebacks.
CANTON COAL MINING COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE (ABANDONED),
SOUTH OF CANTON
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal about 55 feet.
Thickness of the coal: Reported to average 5 feet in thickness.
Section of the coal: In room No. 1 off the third southwest entry the
coal was 53 inches thick, and had 2 inches of bone or blackjack at the
base. The coal is probably similar to that elsewhere south and south¬
west of Canton.
EAGLE MINING COMPANY’S MINE AT CANTON
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal 103 feet.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 4 to 5^ feet; averages 4 feet
11 inches.
Sections of the coal:
Section measured in the Eagle Mine near Cayiton
1000 feet north-northeast of shaft; face of Uth east entry off the main
north entry Thickness
Slate . . .
Coal ....
Dirt band
Fire clay
Ft. in.
10
4 7V 2
1V 2
2 +
Character of the coal: The coal in this mine is representative of the
seam south of Canton. It differs from that to the north in being more
slabby. Three fairly persistent soot or clay partings, which may vary
in position as much as an inch or two each way, lie about 8, 14, and 22
inches from the top, respectively. Commonly a sulphur parting is found
96
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
22 to 24 inches from the bottom or about 35 inches from the top, which
in places enlarges to become a bright sulphur ball 3 to 6 inches thick. Sul¬
phur lenses and balls are also present here and there in the bed, but are
found most frequently in the middle of the bed or up near the roof, and
adjacent to horsebacks. In the bottom of the coal is a band of fire clay,
coal, and sulphur, 1 to 3 inches thick, called blackjack, which shoots up
with the coal and must be cleaned by the miner. The pyrite in the black¬
jack is of a gray banded variety similar to the brown sulphur found in
some of the mines in the Peoria district.
Horsebacks are rather frequent, occurring probably about every
twenty feet, but are generally less than 4 inches thick. As elsewhere they
are separated from the coal that is loaded out. and a large per cent of
the discarded mass is good coal. The waste represented by their removal
makes up a considerable but not definitely known per cent of the bed.
Character of the roof: The roof of the seam is the usual black
“slate” and clod. The black “slate” is about 10 inches and the clod 14
inches thick. The “draw slate,” which is commonly 2 to 3 inches thick
and contains numerous small scattered lenses of whitish limestone not
larger than % inch by 1 inch, usually stays up. In places an inch or so
of the coal stays up in the roof with the “slate,” but in other places the
coal is separated from the “slate” by a smooth parting. The shale con¬
tains a good many niggerheads which tend to fall out, bringing more or
less of the shale with them and thereby weakening the roof. When the
“draw slate”' comes down and the air gets to the black “slate” and clod,
they also generally fall. The cap-rock may or may not be strong enough
to hold after the shale has fallen. Roof conditions in this mine are not
especially satisfactory; room occasionally have to be abandoned on ac¬
count of the poor roof conditions.
Character of the floor: The floor consists of the ordinary fire clay
and ordinary floor conditions prevail.
EAST CUBA COAL MINING COMPANY’S LOCAL MINE NO. 1 (ABANDONED), AT CUBA
Entrance: Shaft; about 71 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 4 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 4 inches;
averages 5 feet.
Sections of the coal:
Section in the mine of the East Cuba Coal Mining Company
Room 1, off 2d east off 1st south off west
Thickness
Ft. in.
Coal . 1 11 %
Sulphur . l /4
Coal . 8%
Sulphur . %
Coal . 2
Sulphur .
Coal . 1%
Fire clay. 4 10p 2
Character of the coal: Except for the lower \y% to 2 inches of the
coal, which is blackjack, the coal is bright, black, and hard.
FULTON COUNTY
97
Character of the roof: The roof is a black shale 2% feet thick over-
lain by six inches of clod or soft gray shale, followed by the cap-rock,
which is about 2% feet thick.
Character of the floor: The floor is gray clay.
Irregularities: The continuity of the bed is broken by what is de¬
scribed as an old stream channel, probably a buried pre-glacial or glacial
line of drainage along which the coal has been removed.
MAPLEWOOD COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 1, AT FARMINGTON
Entrance: Shaft; about 122 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 feet 10 inches to 5 feet; averages
4 feet 2 inches.
Character of the coal: The coal is noted as black, shiny, long grain,
and uniform from top to bottom. The horsebacks or clay veins are com¬
monly 3 to 6 inches thick, but exceptionally 3 to 4 feet. The smaller veins
are the harder.
Character of the roof: The roof consists of 4 inches of black “draw
slate,” about 24 inches of black shale, and about 10 inches of limestone
cap-rock. Above the cap-rock is 15 feet more or less of light sandy shale.
Character of the floor: The floor consists of fire clay 20 inches
thick, resting upon a 1-foot limestone layer.
MAPLEWOOD COLLIERY COMPANY’S MINE NO. 2, AT FARMINGTON
Entrance: Shaft; about 146 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 V 2 to 4 feet; averages 3 feet 9
inches.
Sections of the coal:
Sections in mine No. 2, Maplewood Colliery Company
Section /—Third south off third west entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof; shale, black, sheety, with niggerheads.
Shale, black, draw . 4
Coal . 4
4 4
Section 2—Face of room 1 off 5th west off north entry, U,000 feet
from shaft Thickness
Ft. in.
Coal, dull . 9
Coal, bright . 2 11
3 8
98
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section 3—Entry rib in the 2d west off main north entry, 3,500 feet
from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Coal, dull . 1
Blackjack . *4
Coal, dull . 9
Blackjack . Vt
Coal, bright . 10
Pyrite . Vs
Coal, bright . 4%
Coal, bony . V 2
Coal, bright . 2
Coal, bony . %
Coal, bright . 10
4 1%
Character of the coal: The coal has no special peculiarities. It is
without benches and conspicuous bedded irregularities. The most per¬
sistent banded irregularity is a thin layer of blackjack and pyrite 6 to 8
inches above the base of the coal. The coal is commonly “frozen” to the
roof shale, so that it does not come away very evenly.
Character of the roof: The roof consists of 4 to 6 inches of carbon-
■ '
aceous shale or “draw slate,” 18 to 30 inches of black shale, and 12 to 18
inches of limestone cap-rock.
Section of the roof of mine No. 2, Maplewood Colliery Company, 700 feet
east of the shaft on the main east entry
Shale, carbonaceous, rather soft, with ironstone concre¬
tions, about .
Cap-rock; a dark gray limestone with irregular fracture.
Bottom of limestone very uneven .
Clod; a black sheety shale with fossil shells.
“Slate;” black, hard, sheety shale with bands of ironstone
nodules. Lower 4 inches filled with bands of ironstone,
limestone, and pyrite nodules .
Coal .
Thickness
Ft. in.
6
1 3
1 2
1 3
MONMOUTH COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 1, AT NORRIS
Entrance: Shaft; about 142 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4 feet to 4 feet 8 inches; averages
4 feet 4 inches.
FULTON COUNTY
99
Sections of the coal:
Sections of coal in No. 1 mine of Monmouth Coal Company
(1)
(2)
(3)
Entry face 1st E.
offS. (16th N.)
4200 ft. from
shaft.
23d W. off main
south 4500 ft.
from shaft.
Entry face 15th
S. off 1st west
north side 4500
feet from shaft
Thicknesses
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft.
in.
Coal
. 4 2
• • • •
• •
• •
Coal,
dull .
• • • •
• •
7
Coal,
bright .
2 9
3
9
Sulphur .
Vs
• •
• •
Coal,
bright .
1 8
• •
• •
4 2
4 5Vs
4
4
Character of the coal: The coal is uniform throughout in general
appearance, and does not lie in benches. Streaks of pyrite and mother
coal are not uncommon, but for the most part the coal is laminated, bright,
and blocky, and is typical for Illinois. The greatest difficulty consists of
the horsebacks which average 1 to 2 inches in width and which often con¬
tain considerable pyrite.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is 18 inches to 2 feet
of black shale called “slate/’ with a gritty limestone cap-rock about 6
inches thick.
Character of the floor: The floor is fire clay 1 to IV 2 feet thick,
containing boulders and nodules of pyrite. The boulders in the clay are
reported by one observer to be septarian in character, that is, crossed by
cracks and containing cavities lined with calcite. The coal is reported
to ride over the boulders as shown in the accompanying reproduction of a
sketch (fig. 6) made in the northeast part of the mine. The boulders
are especially numerous on the north side of the shaft and are also found
in the mines at Norris.
STAR COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 1, AT FIATT
Entrance: Shaft; depth of No. 5 coal about 56 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 414 to 5 feet; averages 4 feet 8
inches.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of the coal in mine No. 1 of the Star Coal Company
Section 1—Room face, room 39 off 15th south, off main east
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black sheety shale containing niggerheads.
Coal: Rather dull and hard with irregular rather than
banded appearance. A few vertical irregular veinlets
of pyrite, and a little calcite in facings is present and
mother coal in slight amount in thickness up to about
X A inch . 4 7
Floor: Fire clay, soft, dark gray; heaves badly in air as
well as in water; considerable pyrite in upper two
inches .
100
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Sections 2 to U
(2)
(3)
(4)
Entry face 20th
Entry face 15th
Entry face
16th
south 4500 ft.
south 3500 ft.
4000 ft.
from
from opening
from opening
opening
Thicknesses
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft.
in.
Coal, dull .
. 10
• • • •
• .
• •
Coal, bright .
4 4
4
3
Mother coal .
. %
• • • •
Coal, bright .
6
• •
Mother coal .
. y 2
• • • •
Coal bright .
. 2
• • • •
Mother coal .
. . . . y 2
• • • •
Coal, bright .
. 1 2
..
4 9
4 4
4
3
Character of the coal: The coal is not subdivided into benches. It is
fairly hard, dull in appearance and has hackly fracture and laminated
structure. A little pyrite is ordinarily interbedded about 18 inches from
the top. There are no clay slips.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is black “slate” 6 to 20
inches thick, above which is a micaceous sandstone 2 feet or less in
thickness. The lower 2 inches of the “slate,” called the sulphur band, is
crowded with fossils largely pyritized.
Section of roof of No. 5 coal, mine No. 1, of the Star Coal Company,
at Fiatt
Section 1—1800 feet from opening on the mam east entry
Sandstone.
Soapstone, unconformable in relation to strata below; in places cuts
out cap-rock.
Cap-rock; a fine-grained, calcareous and micaceous sandstone, carry¬
ing carbonaceous material; thickness up to 6 inches.
Clod; a dark brownish-gray shale with many shells—3 inches.
“Slate;” a black sheety shale, 1 foot 6 inches.
Coal.
Section 2—2500 feet from portal on main east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Soapstone; dark gray sandy shale, irregularly bedded, about 4
Cap-rock and clod . few inches
“Slate;” hard black sheety shale . 1 3
Shale; sheety, hard, with pyrite. 4
Coal .... .. ..
STAR COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 3, AT CUBA
Entrance: Shaft; 26 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Averages 4 feet 8 inches.
Section of the coal:
FULTON COUNTY
101
Section of the coal in mine No. 3 of the Star Coal Company
(Measured in temporary north entry)
Thickness
Ft. in
Coal . 1 9
Parting .
Coal . 8
“Soot” seam .
Coal . 1 8
4 1
Character of the coal: At the section given above, the coal was
uniform in appearance, hard, and rather tough. A narrow vertical sul¬
phur streak lay in the upper part of the bed. Horsebacks are not numerous.
Character of the roof: The roof consists of 2 1 / 4 feet of black “slate’ 7
above which is the cap-rock, about 12 to 18 inches thick.
Character of the floor: The floor consists of fire clay.
MIDDLETON COAL COMPANY’S MIDDLETON MINE, AT CANTON
Entrance: Shaft; 60 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4% to 5 feet; averages 4 feet 9
inches.
Character of the coal: The coal is separated into poorly distin¬
guished benches by thin clay and mother coal partings, one about 8 inches
from the top and another about 1 foot lower. The partings are fairly per¬
sistent and the tendency of the coal to break along them must be considered
in placing the shots, in order that all the seam may be loosened. A black¬
jack seam 1 to 3 inches thick at the bottom of the bed is an important
impurity. It is composed largely of soft carbonaceous shale and coal with
lenses of pyrite up to about 1 inch in thickness making up about one-
fourth of the mass. It commonly shoots up with the coal and must be
separated by the miner. Considerable coal is wasted in this way. This
material makes up the greater part of the gob.
Pyrite is present in the coal as balls of hard, bright “sulphur” and
in the blackjack band in a grayer, more earthy form. Sulphur balls were
observed at the face of about two-thirds of the rooms and entries visited.
They are commonly 2% by 10 or 12 inches, but in rare cases are 6 inches
thick and 3 feet across. A few horsebacks cut the coal, occurring possibly
every 50 to 75 feet, but they are not especially troublesome.
Character of the roof: Roof conditions in this mine are somewhat
different from those in the mines north of Canton. The “draw slate” is
not well differentiated. The coal more commonly breaks smoothly away from
the “slate” so that over much of the mine a smooth clean roof is present.
In places, however, the coal is “frozen” to the “slate,” and coal and slate
come away together. This weakens the roof so that eventually it falls
even through the cap-rock. Above the cap-rock is a layer of weak clay
shale which is called clod, but which is not to be confused with the clod
between the black “slate” and cap-rock. Above the upper clod is a gray
soapstone. As the shales above the cap-rock carry considerable water,
water enters where falls occur.
Character of the floor: The floor is fire clay.
102
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT II
SILVER CREEK COLLIERY COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE, AT FARMINGTON
Entrance: Shaft; 41 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 feet to 4 feet 2 inches; averages
4 feet.
Character of the coal: The coal does not lie in benches but contains
a few discontinuous thin partings Vs to 14 inch thick, and an occasional
nodule of clean, brassy pyrite. Clay and “spar” horsebacks are rather
numerous; the removal of this material necessitates extra expense and
results in considerable waste. That the amount of bright brassy-looking
pyrite is small is indicated by the fact that out of 17 rooms visited, two
had one nodule each in the face. One of these was 4 to 6 inches thick and
12 to 15 inches in length, and the other 3 to 4 inches thick and 18 inches
across. The amount of pyrite present is rather below the average for the
mines of the county.
The peculiar hard masses, called boulders, at the base of the coal,
consist of masses of hard brownish rock with a porous texture. Certain
of these boulders have the appearance of coke. The material seems to be
silicified or calcified wood or peat, as certain fragments show very clearly
the wood structure. The character of the replacing mineral varies, some
boulders being part silica and part calcite. Further investigation is neces¬
sary in order to determine the exact nature of this impurity. One of these
boulders measured 14 inches high by about 2 feet across but they vary
greatly in size.
Character of the roof: The roof succession, which is similar to that
in the other mines of the Farmington region, consists of the “draw slate,”
“slate,” and cap-rock. The behavior of the “draw slate” is uncertain. In
places the coal parts freely from the “slate” and the latter stays up, so that
slightly less head room is left than is necessary for the mules, and along
considerable stretches of the entries about 10 inches of fire clay must be
dug up. Commonly, however, the coal sticks to the “draw slate” because
a band of pyrite or limestone at the junction of the two strata “freezes”
the coal to the “slate.” Under these circumstances the “draw slate” comes
down with the coal, a condition which is desired even though the coal must
then be cleaned off by the miner.
Character of the floor: The floor is fire clay. The layer is about
6 inches in thickness and squeezes up into the entries somewhat where
they are wet.
NATIONAL COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE, WEST OF FARMINGTON
Entrance: Shaft; 105 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 to 4 feet; averages 3 feet 10 inches.
Character of the coal: The rooms and entries of only the north and
west sides were visited. The property adjoins that operated by the Silver
Creek Colliery Company on the east and it is probable that conditions in
the adjacent parts of the two mines are similar.
At the face the coal displays a slight tendency toward benching. Two
“mud” bands a quarter of an inch or less in thickness are commonly pres¬
ent, one about 8 inches from the top and another about 18 inches from
the bottom. These are not persistent in the Farmington district, and even
FULTON COUNTY
103
in the National mine, are not continuous; but they are reported in at least
one other mine. Their presence makes it necessary for the miner to drill
his holes so that they end above the upper seam and below the lower;
otherwise the middle bench will break away from the upper and lower
portions of the bed.
Impurities other than the clay bands noted in the preceding para¬
graph are not common. Horsebacks of either the clay or “spar” variety
seem to be somewhat less common than in most of the mines in the county.
The amount of pyrite present in balls and lenses is small. Although no
boulders in the bottom of the coal were observed, their occurrence in the
adjoining Silver Creek mine would indicate that they may be found or at
least expected occasionally in the National mine.
Character of the roof: Roof conditions in general are excellent.
The succession is similar to that in other mines in the vicinity, namely,
“draw slate,” about 3 inches; “slate,” 8 to 14 inches, averaging about 10
inches; “clod,” about 10 inches; and cap-rock, about 18 inches. In some
places pre-glacial erosion channels have cut down nearly to the coal, so
that the rock above the seam is only 15 to 20 feet thick. Under such places
the roof tends to be weak, so that the rooms cave and let in water. Such
falls are the principal difficulty encountered in the mine.
Character of the floor: The floor is fire clay 12 to 18 inches thick and
has hard rock below it. The clay heaves but little if any.
GENUINE NORRIS COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE NO. 1,
AT NORRIS
Entrance: Shaft; 180 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 3 feet 9 inches to 4 feet 2 inches;
averages 4 feet.
Character of the coal: The coal is without benches, and contains a
few streaks of clay and mother coal one-eighth inch or less in thickness,
none of them regular, and here and there a pyrite nodule 2 to 3 inches
by 6 to 8 inches. These latter are not common. The horsebacks occur in
about the usual frequency and size. The impurity most difficult to handle
consists of the floor boulders. These are masses of very hard brownish
to black rock occupying the lower part of the bed. Some are nearly 3 feet
thick and extend laterally 4 to 5 feet. They are similar to the boulders
noticed in the mine of the Silver Creek Colliery Company and apparently
consist of areas of silicification. Pyrite is present in only relatively small
amount as spar sulphur and balls. It is an impurity of little consequence
in this mine.
Character of the roof: The usual roof conditions for this area exist.
The “draw slate” is persistent. Best mining practice in this mine requires
that the “draw slate” remain up, for considerable difficulty is experienced
in holding the black “slate” and clod after the “draw slate” falls. The
cap-rock seems to be fairly good, but is crossed here and there by incipient
cracks which widen on exposure to the air, thereby loosening the rock.
At one locality in the mine along the main south entry, above the
black “slate,” a massive sandy rock is present v/hich appears to be a very
sandy phase of the cap-rock. The sandstone “rolls” down through the
clod so that it rests upon the black “slate” within 14 inches of the coal.
At this place the coal also dips rather sharply beneath the roll. This is the
104
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
only structural irregularity, other than th e clay or spar slips, that has been
noted in the county.
The “draw slate” is a limy black “slate" containing small lenticular
bodies of calcareous sandstone or sandy limestone about Vs inch thick and
1 inch in diameter. In places it becomes very calcareous and contains
lenses of limestone composed of shells which are commonly pyritiferous.
The niggerheads seem to be of different origin. They are apparently con¬
cretionary and generally not fossiliferous. They seem to be embedded
mainly in the black shale or “slate” and to extend down into the “draw
slate” or even into the coal.
Character of the floor: The floor is described as fire clay and is said
to be about 2 feet thick.
SIMMONS COAL COMPANY’S MINE, AT CANTON
Entrance: Shaft; 121 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 4 to 414 feet; averages 4 feet
4 inches.
Character of the coal: The coal face was not observed in this mine.
The coal is reported to be cut by fewer horsebacks than usual for this
area, and the quantity of pyrite is also small. Some bright pyrite in balls
is present, however. No boulders in the floor are reported.
The coal bed is interrupted both to the north and south by “faults.”
They appear to be deposits of sand and gravel made in pre-glacial chan¬
nels, the floors of which were below the level of the coal.
Character of the roof: The roof is of the usual character. There is
generally about 3 inches of “draw slate” present, black “slate” with clod
above, about 18 inches thick in all, and the ordinary limestone cap-rock
4 to 10 inches thick.
CRIPPLE CREEK COAL COMPANY’S MINES AT BRYANT
Entrance: Drift; No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 4 f:et 6 inches to 5 feet 2 inches;
averages 4 feet 8 inches.
Character of the coal: The coal lies in benches due to three thin
“soot” or mother-coal bands, 8, 22, and 31 inches from the top of the bed
respectively. Horsebacks are present but are thin, rarely being more
than 2 to 3 inches across. Rolls in the floor are usually less than 6 inches
in height. In most of the rooms the coal breaks smoothly V 2 to 1 inch
below the “slate,” leaving a fairly even top, a condition which is rather
uncommon for this area. Niggerheads generally work loose and fall out
and then the rest of the roof up to the cap-rock falls down. Pyrite is
not common.
Character of the roof: The general succession above the coal is the
same as in other mines in the area. The black shale and clod above the
coal varies in thickness from 3 to 5 feet and the limestone cap-rock is
4 inches or more thick.
FULTON COUNTY
105
COAL BEDS BELOW NO. 5 COAL
In Fulton County the two coals which represent the largest re¬
source are beds No. 2 and No. 1. The former seems to be widespread
east of its outcrop. It is thin, but in many records of drilling it varies
between 2 feet 6 inches and 3 feet, so that very probably there are large
areas that could be profitably mined later if not now. Fortunately the
need for the exploitation of such bodies of coal does not exist. No. 2
coal has the usual soapstone or gray shale roof commonly found over
this coal in northern Illinois, with a 3-foot bed of black sheety shale at
various intervals above the coal, up to possibly about 20 feet. The
roof is such as to favor the longwall system of extraction, which is
practically always employed where the coal is mined. The bed is
usually fairly free from impurities and the coal of somewhat better
quality than the coal in the higher beds in the same region.
The lower coal, No. 1 (Rock Island) bed has a much more erratic
distribution than have the upper beds. It seems to be fairly persistent,
but varies greatly in thickness and is commonly interrupted by lenses
of shale which would render it unminable. It is not impossible, al¬
though the possibility is gradually being lessened by drilling, that there
are areas of sufficient size to be of importance in which No. 1 coal
attains a continuous thickness of more than 4 feet. Its normal develop¬
ment, however, is in lenticular bodies, the exploration and outlining of
which is expensive, so that it will not be generally undertaken for many
years. Furthermore, the roof conditions of this coal are irregular and
result in high mining costs. Where it is present close to the coal the
limestone cap-rock makes an excellent roof; but too commonly there is
a mass of rather loose shale between the coal and the limestone which
under present practice must usually be moved. The irregular char¬
acter of this coal makes possible the discovery of small areas from
which large returns can be expected, but for the most part No. 1 prob¬
ably is not as important a resource as No. 2 coal.
Intermediate thin coals between No. 2 and No. 1, each generally
less than a foot thick, locally thicken so as to be workable. Sometime
there will no doubt be an eager search for workable areas of these
coals, but at present they seem to have no commercial importance.
KNOX COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons year ending June 30, 1920. 34,753
Average annual production, 1916-1920. 29,387
Total production, 1881-1920.1,866,061
The production of coal from Knox County in 1920 was entirely
from wagon or local mines, about three-fourths from No. 6 coal, about
one-fourth from No. 5, and a small amount from another bed possibly
No. 1. The statistics of labor tabulate 27 mines, of which more than
half are drift and slope mines. The county ranked thirty-ninth among
the fifty-three producers.
Members of the present Survey have visited only four operations
in the county and none of these is now in operation. The outcrop and
structure of the various coals have never been determined, and for
general geological conditions reliance is placed chiefly upon the report
by Worthen in the Geological Survey of Illinois, Vol. IV, pp. 313 to
324. His account of the coals underlying the county is unfortunately
confusing because of the wrong identification of at least one and pos¬
sibly other coals, and because of general uncertainty as to correlation.
Knox and Fulton counties occupy a corresponding position across
the outcropping edges of the commercial beds of the State. All the
beds of commercial importance except No. 7 and possibly No. 1 out¬
crop within the county in more or less parallel belts extending north
and south. No. 6 lies near the east line and what is possibly No. 1
near the west line. The coal of greatest importance in quantity is
probably No. 5. No. 2 probably underlies the largest area, whereas
No. 6 is limited to a small area in the eastern part of the county,
bounded by its line of outcrop on the west, and No. 1 is limited as a
commercial coal in its distribution by its decrease in thickness to the
east.
Surficial Deposits
A factor which greatly hinders the development of the consider¬
able amount of outcrop coal in the county is the covering of glacial
drift.
The glacial drift is generally but 20 to 30 feet in depth, but in
places where valleys have been filled, the depth may reach 100 feet or
more. 1
lLeverett, Frank, Illinois Glacial Lobe: U. S. Geological Survey Mon. 38,
p. 676, 1898.
106
KNOX COUNTY
107
The upper part of the drift is composed of fine yellowish silt or
loess, which is somewhat more widespread than the glacial clay or till
and is especially efifective in concealing outcrops.
The position of the pre-glacial channels which cross the county
has not been determined.
CoAU-BEARING ROCKS
It is believed that in general the succession of coal-bearing rocks
in Knox County is the same as in Fulton County eastward, and the
coals outcrop in more or less parallel belts extending north and south.
No. 6 coal underlies the higher parts of the county south and east of
Spoon River, with No. 5 coal outcropping at lower levels. North of
Spoon River, No. 6 coal is present on the uplands in the north half of
the county as far west as Wataga, Oneida, and possibly Knoxville, but
it is probably not generally present south of the Santa Fe Railroad.
The area wherein No. 5 coal lies nearest the surface has not been well
defined, due to some extent to the confusion in the correlation of this
coal. Coal which is described by Worthen 1 as No. 4 is probably No. 5,
just as is the case in Fulton County. Other coals, such as that mined
at Soperville, which have been called No. 5, are still lacking definite
correlation but appear to lie below No. 5 coal. No. 2 coal seems to be
the coal nearest the surface in the western part of the county along
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, running south from
Galesburg through Abingdon and St. Augustine. There are many
outcrops of this coal along Spoon River and its tributaries at relatively
low altitudes in the county. It is also exposed at a few places near
the western edge of the county north of Galesburg. No. 1 coal is
possibly of workable thickness along Spoon River valley near the south
line of the county, since it is being worked but a short distance south
in Fulton County at Ellisville. However, as elsewhere in the State the
distribution of this coal is irregular; whether it is generally present in
workable thickness is doubtful.
For the general succession in the county we are dependent upon a
few records of scattered drilling, the most of which are located in
Henderson Township. Other holes have been drilled in Lynn, Gales¬
burg, Copley, Persifer, and Knox townships.
The succession in Henderson Township is illustrated by the fol¬
lowing drill records:
lGeological Survey of Illinois, Vol. IV, pp. 313-324.
108
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of drilling on the farm of J. Snodgrass in the STF. 44 NE. 44 sec. 10,
T. 12 N., R. 1 E., Knox County , Illinois.
Estimated elevation about 800 feet above sea level.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay, sandy......
20
....
20
—
Pennsylvanian system—
Shale, gray.......
33
—
53
“Slate”, dark......
2
1
55
1
Coal________
1
2
56
3
Shale, gray..
2
7
58
10
Sandstone, light....
3
2
62
_
Shale, light____
2
2
64
2
Sandstone, light.....
1
4
65
6
Shale, light____
15
3
80
9
“Boulder” (limestone?), light..
2
2
82
11
Shale, grav....
8
1
91
—
Shale, sandv brown...
30
_
120
_
Sandstone, grav...—-
15
4
135
4
Shale, dark_____
7
11
143
3
Limestone, blue, very hard..
2
....
145
3
Shale, dark...___
7
9
153
_
“Slate,” dark..___
1
11
154
11
Coal
1
7
156
6
Coal, impure }(No. 1?)..*
—
2
156
8
Coal J [
_
4
157
—
Fire clay______
2
—
159
....
Sandstone, white____
8
10
167
10
Shale, sandy, light_______
4
10
172
8
Shale, sandy, gray......
7
8
180
4
Shale, sandy, light___
5
8
186
....
Coal, soft_____
1
—
187
....
Shale, sandy, light___
2
2
189
2
Shale, lime__
4
4
193
6
Sandstone, light..____
3
10
197
4
Shale, sandv, light___
1
4
198
8
Sandstone, light, very hard__
4
2
202
10
Shale, sandv, light____
7
6
210
4
Shale, gray...
2
7
212
11
Coal .....
1
2
214
1
Shale, gray, sandy......
5
11
220
....
Sandstone, grav.—.....
—
6
220
5
Shale, dark ... ___
1
8
222
2
“Cap rock” (limestone?), very hare
1
1
223
3
Coal, impure.....
2
4
225
7
Sandstone, gray, hard. ..
—
10
226
5
KNOX COUNTY
109
Record of drilling on the farm of J. Snodgrass —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Sandstone, light, hard.
3
3
229
8
Shale, sandy, light....
7
4
237
_
Shale, sandy, gray_____
10
3
247
3
Coal..
____
11
248
2
Shale, gray__
3
6
251
8
Shale, light gray....______
4
—
255
8
Shale, sandy, gray....
8
1
263
9
Coal... ...
3
264
>--•
Fire clay.....
1
4
265
4
Shale, sandy, gray....
4
1
269
5
Coal.
2
269
7
Shale, sandy, light__
....
10
270
5
Sandstone, light, hard..
2
8
273
1
“Slate,” dark.....
10
6
283
7
Sandstone, light, very hard_
1
6
285
1
Shale, dark......
36
____
321
1
“Slate,” dark, hard__
15
10
336
11
Sandstone, light, hard....
2
6
339
5
Record of a drilling on the H. Smith farm in the SE. % SW. 14 sec. 16, T.
12 N., R. 1 E., Knox County, Illinois.
Estimated elevation about 750 feet above sea level.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay.....
26
....
26
....
Sand, gray..........
35
4
61
4
Sand and gravel..
5
----
66
4
Pennsylvanian system—
Shale, dark__ _
....
6
66
10
Coal.
3
1
69
11
Shale, light. ... _
6
9
76
8
Coal...
2
76
10
Shale, sandy, brown_ _
6
2
83
Sandstone, dark..
7
90
....
Sandstone, light.
25
....
115
....
Shale, gray, light.
3
2
118
2
Shale, dark..
8
6
126
8
“Cap-rock” (limestone?).
2
128
8
Shale, dark.
7
2
135
10
Shale, bituminous..
2
3
138
1
Shale, light gray..
1
6
139
7
Coal, (No. 1?).
2
3
141
10
“False bottom” .
....
4
142
2
Fire clay.....
1
10
144
....
110
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
The identification of the coals in the foregoing records is not
definite. The nine holes drilled in the vicinity of Henderson are alike
in showing a coal at a depth of 125 to 150 feet which is apparently the
coal found at 154 feet 11 inches in the drilling on the Snodgrass farm
and at 139 feet 9 inches in the drilling on the Smith farm. The pres¬
ence of a hard blue limestone cap-rock a few feet above this coal
suggests its correlation with No. 1 coal of Mercer and Rock Island
counties. It is thought that this same bed is worked at Soperville by
T. H. Milan and Company, where the coal is 100 feet below the sur¬
face. In this shaft the cap-rock (or “bed-rock,” as it is called) is
about 8 feet above the coal. The seam is from 2 to 4 y 2 feet thick, with
an average thickness of about 4 feet. If this is No. 1 coal, then the
stratigraphic succession in northwestern Knox County varies from that
farther south in that the Pottsville formation is thicker and the Car-
bondale formation probably thinner to the south and southeast.
It is believed that the coal underlying Henderson Township is
certainly below the horizon of No. 5, and accordingly that this part of
the county, as well as Rio, Galesburg, Cedar, Indian Point, Orange, and
Chestnut townships forms part of District III, in which coals No. 1 and
No. 2 are the principal coals mined. They will accordingly be included
in the District III report. It is believed that with a small amount of
additional field work the correlation of the coals in this part of the
county can be satisfactorily settled.
The coals lying below No. 1 or the Soperville coal as shown in the
record of the drilling on the Snodgrass farm are not commonly pres¬
ent in Illinois, except possibly in adjacent parts of Henry, Mercer, and
Rock Island counties. Except in these counties 200 feet or more of
Pottsville is unusual in the northern part of the State. It is possible
that locally some of these lower coals may be of workable thickness,
but they are not known to be worked in Knox County.
The succession in Galesburg Township is known only from the
logs of churn-drill holes for water made by the city. Although these
records are of little service in determining the character of the strata,
they indicate, however, that the base of the Pennsylvanian strata is at
a depth of about 330 feet below the surface at well No. 3. Of this
thickness about 80 feet is drift and the remainder probably Pottsville.
At Knoxville, in Knox Township, the base of the Pennsylvanian is
possibly at a depth of 480 feet, as indicated by the deep water well
record.
The following record is that of a diamond-drill hole near Etherly
in Copley Township, the exact location of which is not known:
KNOX COUNTY
111
Record of drilling for the Etherly Coal Company, near Etherly, T. 12 N.,
R. 3 E , Knox County, Illinois.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay, yellow...
33
....
33
——
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Sandstone___
9
....
42
....
Shale, light....
3
....
45
....
“Soapstone”.
16
....
61
....
Limestone, blue.
1
3
62
3
Clay.
6
62
9
Carbondale—
Coal (No. 6) ..
4
2
66
11
Clay.
....
6
67
5
“Slate”.
7
7
78
....
Limestone____
5
....
83
....
“Soapstone”. __
14
....
97
....
Shale, dark___
30
....
127
....
Shale, black... _
18
....
145
“Slate”.
6
4
151
4
Coal
f
••..
11
152
3
“Slate”
“(No. 5 coal?). \
2
....
154
3
Coal
....
8
154
11
Shale, light___ ___
12
1
167
....
Clay. ...
5
....
172
....
Shale, light_
34
....
206
....
Limestone_ _
2
....
208
....
Shale, dark. ..
14
....
222
....
Clay, fine__ . _
8
....
230
....
“Soapstone,” black_ ..._
17
....
247
....
Limestone.. . _
1
....
248
....
“Soapstone,” black.
2
....
250
Limestone.
• •••
4
250
4
“Slate”.
5
8
256
....
Clay.
....
9
256
9
Coal (No. 2) .
3
6
260
3
Pottsville—
Clay _
1
8
261
11
Limestone.
....
3
262
2
Of the coals listed above, it is probable that the one at 62 feet 9
inches is No. 6 coal and the one at 256 feet 9 inches, No. 2. No. 5
coal does not seem to be present, though it may be represented by the
thin coals at 151 feet 4 inches, and 154 feet 3 inches. The interval
112
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
between Xo. 2 and No. 6 in this drilling, namely, 190 feet, is about
the same as it is in Fulton County.
A boring near Dahinda in Persifer Township penetrated strata
to a depth of 220 feet, beginning apparently about 30 feet above the
level of Xo. 2 coal. Xo coal was encountered below No. 2. The record
is reproduced below.
Record of a boring near Dahinda, Knox County, on the Sargent farm
Drilled 19 H
Description of Strata
Thiel
cness
De]
3th
Quaternary system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay, sandv...
6
....
6
....
Sand and gravel___
3
6
9
6
Sand, gray....
13
....
22
6
Sand......
1
6
24
....
Pennsylvanian system—
Carbondale?—•
Coal, soft drift_
2
8
26
8
Shale, light_____
3
5
30
1
Coal (No. 2?) .......
2
9
32
10
Potts viller—
Fire clay......
2
....
34
10
Sandstone, light_____
11
7
46
5
Shale, sandy, light gray..
14
....
60
5
Shale, light...
4
10
65
3
Sandstone, gray.____
57
8
122
11
Sandstone, light......
10
6
133
5
Sandstone, gray......
11
....
144
5
Shale, sandy, gray....___
1
4
145
9
Shale, dark....
1
2
147
11
Fire clay.......
....
9
148
8
Shale, dark____
2
1
149
9
Fire clay.....
4
10
154
7
Shale, sandy, gray.....
11
2
165
9
Shale, dark......
2
....
167
9
Limestone, dark______
13
....
180
9
“Slate,” dark......
1
4
182
1
Shale, light sandy...
3
6
185
7
Sandstone, light....
4
....
189
7
Sandstone, hard, white__
7
2
196
9
Shale, gray.
11
2
207
11
Shale, light, sandy....
8
....
215
11
Sandstone, light........
3
6
219
5
Shale, light, sandy.
1
4
220
9
A boring in the extreme northeast corner of the county shows a
total thickness of about 420 feet of drift and Pennsylvanian strata. If
KNOX COUNTY
113
the record can be relied on, the stratigraphic succession in the locality
seems to differ considerably from that in the southern part of the
county. Although there is little basis for the correlation of any of the
coals, a tentative correlation is suggested in the record which follows:
Record of coal prospect in sec. 1, T. 13 N., R. U E , Knox County
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clav, gravel and sand___
36
_
36
....
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Sandstone, gray______
9
....
45
_ _ _ _
“Slate,” gray__
9
54
_
“Slate,” dark___ .....
42
_
96
_
“Slate,” dark, gritty___
4
....
100
»...
Carbondale—
Coal (No. 6) ____
....
4
100
4
Fire clav, blue.._
2
9
103
1
“Slate,” light....... .....
2
105
1
Sand rock, gray__
5
—
110
1
“Slate,” light....____
4
—
114
1
Sand and rock, gray____
5
_
119
1
“Slate,” light....____
3
_
122
1
“Slate,” gritty, gray _____
43
165
1
“Slate,” dark....__
20
____
185
1
“Slate,” mild black___
22
8
207
9
“Slate,” gritty, blue___
4
....
211
9
“Slate,” gray......
3
9
215
6
Coal (No. 5) ..
2
6
218
Fire clav, light. ..
2
11
220
11
“Slate,” gray.. ...
5
....
225
11
“Slate,” dark....__ __
2
....
227
11
Shale, light..
11
238
11
Sand rock, gray.. ...
3
....
241
11
“Slate,” light__ .
8
....
249
11
Sand rock, gray..
12
....
261
11
“Slate,” dark.
1
8
263
7
Coal (No. 4) .
1
10
265
5
Sand rock, gray.
2
6
267
11
“Slate,” dark.
6
5
274
4
Coal (No. 3) _ ___
....
7
274
11
Fire clay, light... .
3
....
277
11
“Slate,” dark.
10
....
287
11
“Slate,” black. .
2
....
289
11
“Slate,” light. . .
11
....
300
11
“Slate,” dark. .
16
6
317
5
Coal (No. 2).
1
1
318
6
114
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of coal prospect in sec. 1, T. 13 N., R. 4 E., Knox County —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Pottsville—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Fire clay, light....
1
5
319
11
“Slate,” light_.____
3
....
322
11
Sand rock, light_____
10
....
332
11
“Slate,” dark____ ...
12
....
344
11
Coal (No. 1)......
....
11
345
10
Fire clay, dark blue....
4
1
349
11
Shale, light...
3
....
352
11
Rock, hard, gritty, white_
4
4
357
3
Lime shale, blue
12
8
369
11
The foregoing represents the information available concerning
coal in Knox County, aside from that found in Volume IV of the
Geological Survey of Illinois, which may be briefly summerized as
follows:
“No. 6 coal is found principally in the eastern half of the county. It
varies in thickness from 4 to 6 feet and has a blue band lVz to 2 feet from
the floor. The coal has been worked probably entirely by wagon mines, in
T. 13 N., R. 2 E., sec. 36; in T. 12 N., R. 4. E., secs. 4, 5, 17, 18, 19,
29, 30, 31 and 32; in T. 12 N., R. 3 E,, secs. 1, 10, 11, 18, 19 and 20; in
T. 12 N., R. 2 E., secs. 12, 13, 15, 22, 23 and 24; in T. 11 N., R. 3 E., secs.
3, 4 and 5; in T. 10 N., R. 4 E., sec. 15; in T. 9 N., R. 4 E., secs. 23, 24, 31,
and probably 32 and 33; and in T. 9 N., R. 3 E., in sec. 35. The coal has
a limestone cap-rock which in places is 4 feet thick.
“The coal is only found in the higher portions of the county, which
are principally in the eastern half, and north of Spoon River in the western
half of Victoria Township, T. 12 N., R. 4 E., and northwest part of T. 12
N., R. 3 E., Copley Township, and east part of Sparta, T. 12 N., R. 2 E.”
No. 5 coal (Worthen No. 4?) lies 40 to 60 feet below No. 6 and
commonly varies between 3 and 4 feet in thickness. Mines have been
operated in this coal in sec. 25, T. 12 N., R. 4 E., and in secs. 2 and 3,
T. 13 N., R. 1 E., possibly along Sugar Creek in T. 12 N., R. 3 E.,
secs. 9, 16, 32, and along Middle Creek in T. 11 N., R. 2 E., and sec.
25, T. 11 N., R. 1 E., sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 4 E., and secs. 26 and 27,
T. 10 N., R. 4 E.
This coal underlies more of the county than does No. 6; it is
probably present in T. 13 N., Rs. 2, 3, and 4 E., and the eastern part
of R. IE.
No. 2 coal is generally from l T A to 3. feet thick and of good
quality in comparison with other coals in the county. It has been
worked in secs. 20, 21, 29, 30, 32, and 33, in T. 12 N., R. 1 E.; in secs.
16 and 23, T. 11 N., R. 2 E.; in secs. 13, 19, 22, 23, and 35, T. 11 N.,
KNOX COUNTY
115
R. 3 E.; at various places in Truro Township, T. 11 N., R. 4 E., along
Spoon River; in secs. 8, 16, 19, 29, T. 10 N., R. 3 E.; in secs. 14, 22,
23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, T. 10 N., R. 2 E. , These operations are by
drifting or stripping. There were no shafts to No. 2 when Worthen’s
report was written in 1870.
No. 1 coal (Worthen correlation) was worked in one place in
sec. 21, T. 12 N., R. 1 E., where it is 6 feet thick. It was worked by a
shaft 30 feet deep. This is probably the same bed now worked at
Soperville. ,, -» T
r Mine Notes
Detailed information about the mines in Knox County is very
meager. Four mines have been visited by members of the Survey,
none of which is now in operation.
The following data are available concerning these operations:
MINE OF ALBERT WALBURG, KNOXVILLE
Wagon mine.
Entrance: Shaft, 45 feet in depth. Coal mined is probably No. 5.
The coal is cut by numerous vertical clay “veins” which pass into the coal,
some from the floor and others from the roof. A section of the bed is
measured about 300 feet southwest of shaft, as follows:
Section of coal at Walburg mine
Thickness Thickness
of coal
Ft. in. Ft. in.
Roof: Shale, black. 2
Sulphur . 2
Coal . 1 10 )
Sulphur . V 2 t 2 5
Coal . 6 Vs j
Floor: Fire clay. 1
JOHN D. YOUNG MINE, NEAR ABINGDON
Drift mine, operating No. 2 coal, with an average thickness of 2 feet,
but varies from 20 to 26 inches. The coal is bright, hard, with brownish
streaks. It breaks into cubical pieces, with a conchoidal fracture. Sulphur
occurs in irregular lenses at various places in the bed. The following
section was measured about 100 feet southeast of entrance:
Section of coal at Young mine
Thickness
Roof: Shale gray
Coal .
Sulphur .
Coal ..
Floor: Fire clay
Ft.
6
1
Thickness
of coal
Ft. in.
• • • •
1 11 %
3
116
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
The roof is fine gray shale, falling in layers 2 to 4 inches thick. It
has a thickness of 6 feet or more. The floor is a shale or fire clay at least
3 feet thick.
MINE OF PENDERGAST BROS., AT SOPERVILLE
Entrance: Shaft 120 feet deep, to No. 1 coal. The record of the shaft
is as follows:
Record of Pendergast shaft
Thickness Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Drift .
. 10
, ,
10
• •
“Soapstone,” gray .
. 85
• •
95
• •
“Slate” .
. 2
6
97
6
Coal .
. 1
10
99
4
Shale, blue .
. 7
# #
106
4
Limestone, white, flinty.
. 1
2
107
6
Limestone, bluish .
. 7
114
6
Coal (No. 1)..
. 5
# .
119
6
This is apparently No. 1 coal of Mercer and Rock Island counties.
Another coal, about 40 feet lower, outcrops in places along the creek.
The coal was measured in 2d room north, on the east side of shaft about
75 feet east and 100 feet north of opening.
Section of coal in Pendergast mine
Thickness
Thickness
Ft.
in.
of
Ft.
coal
in.
Roof: Limestone. 7
Coal .
Black jack .
Coal . 2
7 '
2
• •
3
5%
Sulphur .
Coal .
Floor: Fire clay. 4
%
8V 2
j
MINE OF GALVA MINING CO., NEAR WATAGA
Shaft mine, 68 feet 6 inches to the floor. Coal averages 4 feet in
thickness, varying from 3 feet 4 inches to 4 feet 2 inches. The cap-rock
is black to gray shale, iy 2 to 4 feet, with a limestone cap-rock 3 feet or
more thick. The coal was measured at the 2d north entry about 450 feet
from the shaft.
Section of coal in Galva mine
Thickness Thickness
of coal
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Roof: Gray to black shale.
. 1
6+
Coal .
. 1
2 1
Sulphur and soft shale.
V 2
Coal .
10
2
ioy 2
Shale, soft (blue band?).
. 22
2
Coal .
8
LOGAN COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons year ending June 3, 1920. 2,263,222
Average annual production 1916-1920. 452,644
Total production, 1881-1920.10,130,415
Logan County produced a little more than y 2 of 1 per cent of the
total output for Illinois during the year ending June 30, 1920, and
ranked twenty-third in the State. Two mines, both at Lincoln, are
now being operated in this county, one by the Latham Lincoln Coal and
Mining Company, and the other by the Citizens Coal Mining Company.
Table 6 is a list of the shipping mines and data concerning them.
Surficiae Deposits
The rock succession in Logan County is known only as it is shown
by the records of three drill holes and of three shafts. The drill holes
are located at Atlanta and near Lincoln and the shafts at Lincoln and
at Mt. Pulaski. One of the drill holes at Atlanta does not enter rock,
although it is 151 feet deep.
According to Worthen 1 the outcrops in this county are limited to
certain exposures of limestone along Salt Creek in T. 19 N., Rs. 3 and
4 W. Most of the county is thickly covered by drift. In the vicinity
of Atlanta the drift has a known thickness of over 200 feet.- The
character of the material in the drift sheet is shown by the following
record of a drilling at Atlanta.
Log of the well at the waterworks at Atlanta, Illinois
Description of strata
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil, black .
Clay, yellow .
Clay, blue .
Sand and gravel.
Clay, blue .
Sand and gravel.
Clay, white, and sand..
Clay, blue, with gas...
Sand, white, and gravel
Sand .
Thickness
Depth
Feet
Feet
3
3
. 15
18
. 10
28
, . 10
38
2
40
9
49
7
56
3
59
. . 10
69
6
75
lGeology of Illinois, Vol. 4, p. 184, 1870.
2Leverett, Frank, Illinois Glacial Lobe: U. S. Geological Survey Mon. 38,
pp. 205 and 206, 1899.
117
118
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Log of the Atlanta ivell -—Concluded Thickness Depth
Description of strata Feet Feet
Sand, dry, and gravel with gas. 13 88
Clay, blue . 4 92
Clay, sand, gravel, and gas. 16 108
Hardpan . 9 117
Drift, black . 6 123
Clay, white . 2 125
Clay, green ... 7. 4 129
Hardpan . 10 139
Gravel and water. 12 141
A less detailed record of another boring at Atlanta shows that the
drift has a thickness of at least 217 feet in this vicinity.
Record of a coal prospect near Atlanta, Illinois
Description of strata
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil .
Clay, yellow .
Clay, blue.
Hardpan .
Drift, black .
Clay, green .
Hardpan .
Gravel with water.
Gravel and sand, cemented.
Sand and gravel with water
Clay and gravel and sand. .
Loam, yellow .
Sandstone, yellow .
Clay, soft, pink.
Pennsylvanian system—
“Soapstone” .
Limestone .
Fire clay .
Limestone (?) .
Shale with clay...
“Slate” .
Coal (No. 5?).
Fire clay .
Limestone .
Thickness
Depth
Feet
Feet
3
3
. 17
20
. 50
70
. 55
125
8
133
7
140
o
CO
170
2
172
. 18
190
3
193
. 14
207
4
211
1
212
5
217
3
220
1
221
3
224
. 53
277
. 40
317
A 7
324
\ 4
328
. • 1
329
.' 1
330
As the northern part of the county is crossed by a glacial moraine,
the drift is thicker there than it is in the southern part. At Lincoln
and Mt. Pulaski records show that the glacial covering is generally
Bis
LOGAN COUNTY 119
• if'
between 75 and 100 feet deep. Because of the difficulties attendant
upon sinking shafts through unconsolidated material the desirability of
given areas for mining operations becomes less as the thickness of the
drift increases. Accordingly the exploitation of the coal resources of
the northern part of Bogan County will probably be greatly delayed
with respect to the development of the southern part, especially as the
character and thickness of the coal is apparently as good in the south¬
ern portion as it is in the northern.
CoAL-BEARTNG ROCKS
The character of the coal-bearing strata of the county is known
from the record of the Atlanta coal prospect given above, and the few
outcrops noted above, and from the following records of three other
holes:
Record of the shaft of the Citizens Coal Mining Company,
Lincoln, Illinois
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil and clay_____
18
_
18
....
Drift... .
3
_
21
....
Clay, blue. .. .
8
_
29
—
Hardpan__
16
—
45
—
Sand and water..
16
61
_
Sand and hardpan (water)_
24
_
85
_
Gravel, coarse.....
3
88'
_
Hardpan..
1
5
89
5
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Fire clay... .
3
5
92
10
Limestone, impure_ .. ....
20
....
112
10
Shale, black.
1
5
114
3
Fire clay.
2
....
116
3
Clay, red and white.
12
128
3
Fire clay.
2
....
130'
3
“Conglomerate”.
12
....
142
3
“Slate,” brown...
30
172
3
“Slate,” black..
4
176
3
Coal (No. 7) .
1
5
177
8
Fire clay.
10
....
187
8
Sandstone, blue.
22
....
209
8
“Slate,” black.
1
210
8
120
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of the shaft of the Citizens Coal Mining Company —Concluded.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Carbondale—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Coal (No. 6?) ...
1
----
211
8
Fire clay.....
3
5
215
1
Sandstone, blue... .....
18
....
233
1
“Soapstone”_______
3
...„
236
1
Rock, fine blue.... ...
7
....
243
1
Shale, blue...
18
....
261
1
Limestone......
1
6
262
7
“Slate,” black........____
3
4
265
11
Coal (No. 5) ......
5
2
271
1
Record of a boring for oil in the NE. % sec. 3, T. 19 N., R 2 W.,
Logan County
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil......
19
._
19
Gravel. ..
20
39
....
Quicksand_______
14
....
53
....
Clay and sand in streaks...
18
....
71
....
Pennsylvanian system—
Limestone, shell.....
2
73
....
Shale, sandy....
20
_
93
....
Shale, blue, mucky......
8
—
101
....
Quicksand and water_ _
25
—
126
....
Shale (mud), blue..
7
_
133
....
Limestone, hard, flinty (Lonsdale?)....
12
----
145
....
Shale, red, sandy.....
15
160
....
Shale (“marrow”?), blue____
5
_
165
....
Limestone, shell...
2
_
167
....
Shale, red.....
10
_
177
....
Shale (“marrow”?), blue..
30
_
207
....
Limestone, shell.. .
2
____
209
....
Shale, white...
16
225
....
“Slate,” blue.....
4
6
229
6
Limestone, shell........
1
....
230
6
Coal, (No. 5)_____
4
....
234
6
Shale, white_ __
20
....
254
6
Shale, blue......
3
6
258
—
Shale, white......
20
278
....
Limestone, shell.....
1
_
279
....
Shale, black.......
7
____
286
....
“Slate ” blue.....
3
289
....
“Slate,” white...._____.—
20
_
309
....
Limestone, white; water.
10
....
319
....
LOGAN COUNTY
121
Record of a boring for oil in the NE. 14 sec. 3, T. 19 N. y R. 2 W.,
Logan County —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
“Slate,” white......
101
....
420
....
“Slate,” sandy, black___
5
....
425
....
Shale, white......
98
....
523
....
Shale, blue.......
2
....
525
Shale, white....
5
....
530
“Slate,” black.......
30
....
560
“Slate.” white_____
5
....
565
....
Shale, dark........
12
....
577
....
“Slate,” white.....
33
610
Shale, black...
15
....
625
Sand, black; gas and water.
10
....
635
....
“Slate.” white...
4
....
639
....
Coal.....
....
6
639
6
Shale, blue.....
20
6
660
....
“Slate,” white.....
12
....
672
Shale, black, sandy...
14
686
....
Shale, white.......
10
....
696
....
Mississippian system—
Limestone....
25
721
Sandstone......
3
....
724
....
“Slate,” white; streaks of limestone
18
....
742
....
Limestone.
20
....
762
....
Sandstone; salt water.
8
....
770
Limestone...
4
....
774
....
Shale, sandy.
5
779
“Cap rock”...
1
6
780
6
Sand, gas...
1
6
782
----
“Cap rock”.....
7
789
____
Limestone, hard and soft layers.
81
«...
870
....
Shale, sandy, dark.
3
....
873
“Cap rock”.
3
. _. _
876
....
Sandstone; salt water.
14
....
890
“Soapstone”. .
1
....
891
....
Shale, dark. .
3
....
894
....
“Cap rock,” hard.
1
....
895
....
“Cap rock”.
2
....
897
....
Sandstone, dark.
....
4
897
4
Sandy shale, dark..
1
••••
898
4
“Cap rock”.
1
....
899
4
Sandstone; gas.
4
899
8
Rock, very hard.
8
4
907
122
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of a coal mine shaft, Mount Pulaski, Illinois 1
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—-
Pleistocene and Recent
Drift clay and gravel___
92
—
92
....
Pennsylvanian system—
Shale, sandy.
20
_
112
....
Limestone...... ..
1
_ _ _ _
113
Fire clay.....
1
6
114
6
“Slate,” gray.
20
—
134
6
Shale, sandy___
40
_
174
6
Limestone__ _
2
_ _ _ _
176
6
Shale, black_
1
....
177 .
6
Coal (No. 8?) ____
1
6
179
....
Fire clay____
2
_
181
....
Shale, clay____
4
_
185
....
Shale, gray, sandy___
60
—
245
....
Limestone, conglomeratic. .
15
_
260
....
Shale, clay..— ....
2
262
....
“Slate,” black___ ....
1
__ _ _
263
Coal....
....
6
263
6
Fire clay...
....
6
264
....
“Slate,” black__ ...
....
10
264
10
Coal.....
4
265
2
Fire clay___
____
8
265
10
Shale, reddish.
10
_
275
10
Sandstone___
30
_
305
10
Shale, sandy, clay...._
30
....
335
10
Limestone, black...
8
_
343
10
Coal (No. 5) .. .
4
_
347
10
Fire clay____
4
....
351
10
The foregoing records differ so much from one another that it is
impossible to make a generalization that is of much value in regard to
rock succession in the county. The only workable coal in the section,
however, seems to be No. 5, at least under present conditions. The
only drill hole penetrating the horizon of No. 2 coal is the oil prospect,
and as this was drilled by a churn drill, the details are not to be relied
upon for accuracy. The absence of a coal which can be correlated with
No. 2 in this record is of no great significance.
lGeological Survey of Illinois, Vol. 8, p. 51, 1890.
LOGAN COUNTY
123
Mine Notes
MINE OF THE CITIZENS COAL MINING COMPANY, AT LINCOLN
Entrance: Shaft; 266 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Averages 5 feet 2 inches; maximum observed,
6 feet.
Character of the coal: The bed lies in a single bench with no per¬
sistent partings. It contains a few thin streaks of mother coal or “black¬
jack” (pyritized mother coal), commonly less than tV of an inch in thick¬
ness. Pyrite lenses and balls are uncommon in the coal. Horsebacks are
numerous and vary in width from mere cracks with pyrite filling to open¬
ings 3 to 4 inches in width, filled with clay. Rarely the horsebacks or
clay slips are as much as 2 feet across. As a general thing the clay veins
do not seem to be quite so hard and difficult to handle as are those in
some of the mines in the Peoria region. However, the expense of the dead
work produced because of the presence of the clay vein is a considerable
handicap against the profitable operation of this mine.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is a black shale which in
places is hard and sheety, carrying niggerheads. Over much of the mine,
however, the black shale is more massive, softer and thicker, and tends
to break out in chunks rather than in sheets. This sort of roof is difficult
to hold, especially as the limestone cap-rock is also thin or absent at these
places. The cap-rock is a thin gray to whitish limestone, discontinuous
in distribution and varying considerably in thickness, but generally present.
Where the black “slate” is hard, sheety, and about 3 feet thick, the cap-
rock is generally believed to be present, and to be thicker and harder than
elsewhere, possibly 12 to 15 inches thick. That this is actually the case
must be inferred from the few places where the “slate” has been taken
down, as under ordinary conditions it does not fall so that the roof can
be seen. Elsewhere the limestone is more clayey, softer, thinner, and in
places entirely absent.
Between the coal and the better “slate” roof there is generally a
%-inch sheet of pyrite, which sticks to the roof rock and remains up.
Where the pyrite is present in this manner, the roof is easier to hold;
and the absence of the pyrite band generally indicates that roof conditions
will be bad.
Character of the floor: Underclay lies beneath the coal. It has not
been penetrated but is known to be 5 to 6 feet thick in places. The clay
heaves some when it is wet.
The mine encounters some difficulty in handling the water that enters
the shaft from a gravel bed 45 to 61 feet from the surface, as shown in
the record given above. It is evident that this water was not properly
sealed off at the time the shaft was sunk.
MINE OF THE LATHAM LINCOLN COAL COMPANY, AT LINCOLN
Entrance: Shaft; 280 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 3 inches;
averages 5 feet.
124
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Sections of the coal:
SECTIONS OF NO. 5 COAL IN MINE OF LATHAM LINCOLN COAL COMPANY,
LINCOLN, ILLINOIS
Section 1—Room 3, off first stub off straight south entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean, hard. 5
Mother coal, soft. y 2
Coal, dirty . 2 4
Pyrite . y 8
Coal, clean and bright. 3
Pyrite lens . %
Coal, dirty, bright. 1 10 Vz
5 0
Sectioji 2—Room 1, off second right off straight east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean, bright, hard
Mother coal .
Coal, fairly clean.
Mother coal .
Coal, dirty .
Pyrite .
Coal, very dirty.
3
%
2 4V 2
10y 2
Section 3—Room 2, off second stub off third right off north entry 1
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black slate .
Pyrite .:. V*
Coal, fairly clean and hard. 2 %
Mother coal . i/i
Coal, dirty . 2
Pyrite . 1
Coal, dirty . 1 SV 2
Coal, bony (pyrite and black jack). 2%
Coal, very dirty. 1 2 1 /;
Floor: Underclay .
5
%
iU. S. Bureau of Mines Bull 22, p. 497.
LOGAN COUNTY
125
Section If — 1,600 feet N. E. of shaft, room 1, third entry off main
cross entry on the northwest side 1 Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Shale
Coal .
Sulphur . . .
Coal .
Sulphur . ..
Coal .
Floor: Shale
10
y 2
3 6
%
6
4 10%
1 1 -
— i • i
- ' ~~ l
~T - 1 ~ 1
l 1 -
~ i" r
1 1
- —1-1 L_I_1 1 Limestnnfl ( ( II 1 1
. J_L
AAA ,
A
- 1
1 ~TA
1 1
i i r i i i l a \a r:ir i
Fig. 7. —Sketch of a clay vein (‘‘horseback”) in the Latham-Lincoln Coal
Company’s mine at Lincoln.
Section 5 — 1,500 feet southeast of shaft in room 11 off the third
south stub Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Shale ...
Coal . 4%
Shale . %
Coal . 9
Sulphur . y 8
Coal . 3 8
Floor: Shale ...
iOp. cit.
4
10 %
126
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: The coal lies in a single bench with no per¬
sistent impurities. There are thin mother-coal partings and the lower 2
inches of the bed in places contains bony coal. There is very little pyrite
present. Usually also the top 2 inches of the coal is bony. Clay veins
or “horsebacks ” are rather numerous. The accompanying reproduction of
a sketch of one of the clay veins (fig. 7) shows the way in which it plays
out in the roof shale.
Character of the roof: The roof is a carbonaceous and sheety black
“slate,” commonly about 3 feet thick. Above the “slate” is a few inches
of dark shale or clod upon which lies the cap-rock. This is a dark-gray
fossiliferous limestone, the bottom of which is nodular and uneven. The
thickness of the cap-rock averages 8 to 10 inches, but varies from 1 to 18
inches. Overlying the cap-rock there is usually soapstone or gray shale.
At the base of the black “slate” and in contact with the coal there is
usually a shell of pyrite 2 to 3 inches thick. This generally stays up,
forming a good roof. Niggerheads are common along the contact of the
coal and “slate.”
Character of the floor: The fire clay is said to be 12 feet thick. It
slakes in the air and heaves when wet.
MINE OF MT. PULASKI COLLIERY COMPANY (ABANDONED), AT MT.
PULASKI, ILLINOIS
Entrance: Shaft 365 feet deep. Figure possibly refers to depth to
the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet 4 inches,
averaging 4 feet.
Section of the coal:
Section of No. 5 coal in mine of the Mt. Pulaski. Colliery Company,
Mt. Pulaski, Illinois
Room 9 off back east entry off main south; 200 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Coal . 1 9
Pyrite . 1%
Coal .:.. 1
2 10 %
Character of the coal: The coal is all fairly hard and blocky. Pyrite
is present in regular streaks but is fairly common. Clay veins or “horse¬
backs” are numerous, varying in thickness from 2 inches to 2 feet.
Character of the roof: The roof is black “slate” up to 4 feet in thick¬
ness.
Character of the floor: The underclay beneath the seam is said to be
10 feet thick. It tends to heave somewhat.
McLEAN COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons, year ending June 30, 1920. 43,357
Average production, 1916-1920. 71,308
Total production, 1881-1920.5,478,350
McEean County ranked 37th in 1920, having a total production of
about 0.05 per cent of the entire output. The output was from one
mine, that at Bloomington. The Colfax mine reported no production.
Table 6 gives data concerning both mines.
Surficial Deposits
Like most of the counties in central Illinois, McLean County is
covered by glacial drift, and in this county its thickness averages prob¬
ably over 200 feet. Leverett 1 makes the following statement concern¬
ing the thickness of the drift:
“The drift is of great depth, averaging probably over 200 feet.
Records of ten deep borings were obtained which reach rock at an average
of 155 feet, but twenty-one others have an average depth of 174 feet
without entering rock. The drift is apparently thinnest in the northern
part of the county, where rock is struck at about 100 feet- The drift in
the central and southern portions has a depth of 200 to 250 feet. Buried
soils are found at two or more horizons at depths usually of 100 feet or
more, but on the plain outside the morainic system a soil occurs at 40
feet or less. The drift above the first buried soil is usually a soft blue
till. At greater depths the till is frequently found to be very hard, as in
the neighboring counties to the north and northeast, already discussed.
In some of the deep borings a large amount of sand and gravel is found
in the lower part of the drift. Many wells have been sunk to a depth of
150 to 200 feet in order to reach the water-bearing beds beneath the blue
till, there being only a small amount of water-bearing gravel interbedded
with the blue till.”
CoAE-BEARING ROCKS
Because of the thick covering of glacial material and the con¬
sequent lack of outcrops, the geology of the coal-bearing rocks can be
determined only by borings or shafts. The only available information
of the sort is the record of two drill holes at Saybrook, and three drill
or shaft records at Bloomington. The record of a deep boring for oil
at Heyworth is too generalized to be of service in these studies.
Such of these records as are not confidential are reproduced here¬
with.
lLeverett, Frank, Illinois Glacial Lobe: U. S. Geological Survey Mon. 38.
p. 693, 1899.
127
128
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of the shaft of the Bloomington Coal Company 1
Description of Strata ~ Thickness Depth
Quaternary system— Ft. Ft.
Pleistocene and Recent—
Surface soil and brown clay. 10 10
Clay, blue . 40 50
“Hardpan,” gravelly . 60 110
Mold, black; pieces of wood, etc. 13 123
“Hardpan” and clay . 89 212
Mold, black, etc. 6 218
Clay, blue . 34 252
Quicksand, buff and drab; fossils. 2 254
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Shale, clay . 16 270
Sandstone . 32 302
Shale, clay . 1 303
Coal (No. 6 or 7) . 4 307
Record of the shaft of the McLean County Coal Company,
Bloomington, Illinois.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Surface soil and gravel____
19
7
19
7
Clay, blue....
61
2
80
9
Sand (water).
4
....
84
9
Clay, blue.....
76
4
161
1
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro and Carbondale—
“Soapstone”...
39
—-
200
1
Limestone....
1
____
201
1
Clay, blue.....
35
5
236
6
Clay, yellow..
15
10
252
4
Shale........
4
....
256
4
Sandstone, soft, grav.
11
....
267
4
Limestone, hard, conglomerate__
12
6
279
10
“Soapstone”.
5
....
284
10
Coal (No. 7?).
3
6
288
4
Fire clay.
9
3
297
7
Sandstone, gray.
4
....
301
7
“Soapstone”.
22
6
324
1
Shale, dark...
8
6
332
7
“Soapstone”.
9
6
342
1
Fire clav.
10
— -
352
1
lGeol. Survey of Illinois, Vol. IV, pp. 178 and 186.
MCLEAN COUNTY
129
Record of the shaft of the McLean County Coal Company —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Shale, gray.
22
____
374
1
Shale, black (“slate”).
5
_ _
379
1
Coal (No. 5).
4
4
383
5
Fire clay.
10
____
393
5
“Slate”.
3
_ _ _ _
396
5
Fire clay.
4
6
400
11
Sandstone......
20
6
421
5
“Soapstone”......
62
5
484
10
Shale, black (“slate”).
2
7
486
5
Fire clay.
1
7
488
“Sulphur” rock. ...
1
2
489
2
Shale, gray.
11
1
500
3
Shale...
1
2
501
5
Limestone, hard....
2
1
503
6
Shale, gray.
2
8
506
2
“Soapstone”..
6
8
512
10
Coal (No. 2).
3
8
516
6
Pottsville—
“Soapstone,” coal, and “slate”
25
541
6
Record of a drilling near Say brook, in the SE. x k NW. %, sec. 28,
T 23 N., R. 0 E.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil, dark.
4
4
Clay, blue.
2
6
Gravel.
2
6
8
6
Clay, blue.
20
28
6
Clay, blue, with some sand and
pebbles....
10
____
38
6
Sand, coarse, with some clay.
12
....
50
6
Gravel, coarse, mixed with sand.
45
....
95
6
Clay, hard, and gravel.
55
....
150
6
Quicksand.
3
153
6
Clay, blue.
4
....
157
6
Clay, hard, and gravel.
36
6
194
....
Sand and gravel; water.
3
....
197
....
Sand, coarse, gray.
11
....
208
....
Clay, soft, blue.
1
....
209
Sand and fine gravel.
2
....
211
....
Sand and gravel, cemented.
12
....
223
....
Sand, fine, with small boulders.
11
234
Sand, soft.
1
6
235
6
Sand, coarse, red.
2
6
238
....
130
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of drilling near Saybrook —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Pennsylvanian system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Sandstone, soft, red...
1
....
239
....
Limestone...
____
8
239
8
“Soapstone” and shale.....
10
9
250
5
Shale, black, and coal__
__
6
250
11
Shale.
16
....
266
11
Limestone..
7
267
6
Shale, blue.
6
6
274
....
Shale, with streaks of limestone.
14
....
288
....
Shale, dark.
1
....
289
....
“Soapstone”..
3
6
292
6
Shale.....
4
....
296
6
Shale, with spots of limestone.
14
310
6
Limestone, hard..
15
6
326
....
Limestone and shale.
8
....
334
....
Shale...
19
6
353
6
Shale and sandv shale.....
51
_
404
6
Shale, blue, tough.......
8
7
413
1
Shale, soft, in loose lavers..
7
_
420
1
Shale, black, and coal......
____
4
420
5
Coal (No. 7?).
2
6
422
11
Clay, soft.
—
8
423
7
Shale, with some sandy shale..
94
....
517
7
Sandstone.
6
....
523
7
Shale, sandy, gray....
2
....
525
7
Shale, black.
1
....
526
7
Shale, dark, with limestone bands....
5
6
532
1
Limestone, hard, fine.
_
6
532
7
Coal (No. 6?).
1
....
533
7
Shale, clav.
5
....
538
7
“Soapstone”...
3
....
541
7
Shale, clay, bluish.
14
....
555
7
Shale, bluish, soft.....
16
....
571
7
Shale, gray, hard..
2
9
574
4
Coal, cannel
5
4
579
8
Coal /( No - 5? > .1
3
....
582
8
Fire clay and shale......
6
8
589
4
The interpretation of the records is practicable to a certain extent.
The lowest coal at Bloomington, at 512 feet 10 inches, is No. 2 coal, or
the same bed that is mined in the Longwall field. The middle bed at
379 feet is No. 5 or Springfield coal. Both of these beds are worked
in the McLean County Coal Company’s mine at Bloomington. The
upper coal at 285 feet is either No. 6 or No. 7 coal, but the probabilities
3
Ol
100-
200 -
300-
400-
500-
60CH
700-
800 -
-<
- -. - y Pleistocene
*■ McLeansboro
- Carbondale
Pottsville
LEGEND
Shale
Clay
Sandy Shale
Sandstone
X X X X X X
X X X X X X
. V. • v
X X X X X X
•V-'-vV-:.
Fireclay
Sand
"I~ 1"
Coal
Limestone
Fig. 8. —Graphic sections showing- the Pennsylvanian succession at La Salle,
Bloomington, and an intermediate point.
1. La Salle 2. Toluca. 3. Bloomington.
PENNS YL VAN IAN
132
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
seem to be that it is No. 7, although Worthen regarded it as No. 6.
It seems probable that this upper bed is the same as the upper bed at
La Salle, which is considered to be No. 7. North from Bloomington
the Pennsylvanian section resembles closely the section in the La Salle
field west of the La Salle anticline as may be noted from a comparison
of the accompanying graphic sections (fig. 8) showing the succession
at La Salle, Bloomington, and an intermediate point, Toluca.
The coals encountered in the drilling at Saybrook can not be
definitely identified, as neither the thickness nor the intervals between
the coals, or the associated strata are characteristic. The writer is
inclined to regard the lowermost coal and overlying cannel coal as
No. 5 coal, and possibly the other two coals are No. 6 and No. 7,
respectively, in their order of occurrence above No. 5. It is unfor¬
tunate that the drill did not penetrate to a greater depth, as there is a
possibility that there are coals below 590 feet, which can not be proved
without exploring the entire thickness of Pennsylvanian strata.
It seems quite probable that McLean County is very largely if not
entirely underlain by three workable beds of coal. The upper bed may
be eroded in places and is probably not as desirable as are the other
two beds. This coal is probably No. 7 of the Illinois section, which is
the same as the Streator coal and the upper or First Vein at La Salle.
The second bed is the No. 5 or Springfield coal, which is the same as
the Second Vein coal at La Salle, formerly mined at Cherry and now
mined by the Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company at La Salle. The
lowest bed is No. 2 (La Salle) or Third Vein coal.
The coal mined at Colfax is apparently the upper bed, either
No. 6 or No. 7.
Field notes are available for two mines in McLean County.
Mine Notes
MINE OF THE COLFAX COAL COMPANY, AT COLFAX
Entrance: Shaft; 406 feet deep; No. 6? coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4 to 6 feet; averages 5 feet 6 inches.
Section of the coal:
Section of the coal in the mine of the Colfax Coal Company
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Gray shale
Coal .
Pyrite and clay.
Coal .
Pyrite .
Coal .
Floor: Underclay
3 11%
%
11 %
iy 2
4
5%
5
MCLEAN COUNTY
133
Character of the coal: The coal lies in three benches. The bottom
coal is bony and dull, with small bands of shale. The middle 11% inches
has a dull luster with no shale bands; the upper 3 feet 11% inches is a
very bright, glossy hard coal. The seam has no regular bands of sulphur
but this impurity is present in irregular lenses.
Although this coal has been designated as No. 6 by the State inspector,
it does not possess the identifying characteristics such as the “blue band”
and the limestone cap-rock carrying the characteristic fossil Girtyina
ventricosa. The coal also lacks the characteristics that might correlate it
with No. 5, namely, the black shale roof and “horsebacks” or clay slips.
The conditions at Colfax possibly resemble those found in the mines at
Fairbury and Pontiac, the coal in each of these places being worked under
a gray shale roof. However, facts do not warrant a definite correlation
of the Colfax coal with that at Fairbury and Pontiac. Furthermore,
whether the Pontiac coal should be correlated with No. 5, No. 6, or No. 7,
or with any of these coals is a question. The permanent closing of the
mine at Colfax will probably make definite correlation of this coal impos¬
sible without considerable drilling.
MINE OF THE MCLEAN COUNTY COAL COMPANY, AT BLOOMINGTON
Two seams, No. 5 and No. 2, are operated from this shaft.
NO. 2 COAL
Entrance: Shaft; depth to the coal 513 feet.
Thickness of coal: Averages 3 feet 8 inches; the coal maintains a
very uniform thickness.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 2 coal in the mine of McLean Comity Coal Company,
at Bloomington
Section 1—Room 21, 5th south off straight west entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Gray shale or “soapstone”.
Pyrite . %
Coal, clean, hard, and bright. 9%
Mother coal . %
Coal, clean and bright. 6%
Mother coal . %
Coal, fairly clean. 1 3
Bone . %
Coal, dirty . 5
Floor: Dark underclay.
o
o
1 V 2
134
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section 2 —Face of straight west entry, 7,000 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Gray shale.
Coal, clean, bright, hard. 1 4
Bone and pyrite. %
Coal, clean, dull, and hard. 1
Bone . %
Coal, dull, bony. 6
Floor: Fire clay.
2 11
Section 5—Room No. 3 off 5th north off main west entry,
7,300 feet from the shaft Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, hard, clean, and bright. IOV 2
Mother coal and bone. V 2
Coal, clean and hard. 5
Mother coal . 14
Coal, clean and bright. 1 1
Bone . %
Coal, soft, dirty. 6 V 2
Floor: Underclay .
3 6 Y 2
Character of the coal: The coal lies in a single bench. It is hard
and tough, but seems to be lighter and cleaner than the upper bed (No. 5).
Pyrite balls are rather common, but are easily separated from the coal.
There are also lenses of “black jack,” which apparently consists of mother
coal impregnated with pyrite. These lenses are about as hard as pure
pyrite nodules. There is a fairly continuous band of pyrite 4 to 8 inches
above the bottom of the bed. This is lenticular in character, the lenses
thickening up to about 1 inch. About 1 foot from the top there is a
streak of dirty coal 4 to 5 inches thick in part of the mine. The pyrite
balls attain a thickness of 6 to 8 inches by 24 inches across, but more
commonly they are 1 to IV 2 inches thick and 6 to 8 inches across. This
coal is said to be dry because it does not “sweat” like the upper coal.
Character of the roof: The typical roof is gray shale, called “soap¬
stone,” which is generally about 10 feet thick. In places, however, it has
a thickness of 20 feet, and in other places is absent, the black “slate”
which elsewhere overlies it resting here upon the coal. The “soapstone’’
resembles in all respects the shale roof of No. 2 coal noted at La Salle
and in the Pottstown mine in Peoria County. It is a fine-grained gray
shale, containing small nodules, which weather to a brownish color. The
black sheety shale, or “slate,” also resembles its counterpart in the La
Salle and Peoria regions. It is about 3 feet thick and in places contains
large niggerheads or limestone concretions. The coal is reported to be
somewhat thinner under the black “slate” than under the gray shale.
Where the shale overlies the coal and contains large niggerheads, they
MCLEAN COUNTY
135
may extend well down into the coal, cutting it out in a small area. The
coal under the “slate” is spoken of by the miners as being “depressed,”
as though it had been crushed. There is said to be more pyrite in the
coal in this situation; this opinion could not be verified, however, although
it may be the case.
The miners speak of the gray shale, overlying the black shale, as the
cap-rock. There is no true limestone or sandstone within a short distance
above the coal.
Character of the floor: The underclay below the coal is said to have
a thickness of about 3 feet. This clay heaves somewhat. The gob from
the mine including the floor clay has been used in brick manufacture by a
neighboring plant within recent years.
Fig. 9.—Section of the slope between No. 2 and No. 5 coals in the McLean
County Company’s mine at Bloomington, showing diagrammatically the
character of the intervening strata and the cracking resulting from
subsidence.
no. 5 COAL
Entrance: A slope extends from the upper seam to No. 2 coal down
which the coal is run to the shaft, where it is hoisted to the top. The
bottom of No. 5 coal lies at a depth of 380 feet, according to Worthen, 1
there being an interval of about 130 feet between the two coals. The
slope between the beds shows the character of the intervening strata and
the effect of subsidence is clearly shown in the walls. The section as meas¬
ured roughly and the amount of cracking in evidence is given herewith
and is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9.
lGeological Survey of Illinois, Vol. 4, p. 185, 1870.
136
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section of strata measured in slope between No. 5 and No. 2 coals in mine
of the McLean County Coal Company
Description of Strata
Thief
.ness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Coal (No. 5) ...
4
4
Fire clay.
2
_
6
____
Shale and sandy shale....
12
_
18
....
Shale, black...
....
11
18
11
Coal......
....
1
19
Fire clay.
5
24
_ _ _ _
Shale, sandy and clay shale...
15
____
39
Shale, lime; few cracks near bottom
60
_
99
_
Shale, gray, cracked__
5
_
104
____
“Slate,” black; not cracked_
1
_
105
....
Shale, limy; cracked slightly.
5
__ __
110
....
“Slate,” black; few cracks..
1
____
111
_
Shale, gray (cap-rock); cracked_
15
....
_
“Slate,” black; few cracks..
3
_
129
_
Shale; “Soapstone”; cracked..
11
....
140
....
The preceding section may be compared with the following log of the
shaft between the two coals as given by Worthen. 1
Section of strata between No. 5 and No. 2 coal encountered in the shaft
of the McLean County Coal Company
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Coal (No. 5) __
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Fire clay.......
10
_
10
....
“Slate”.......
3
....
13
....
Fire clay...
4
6
17
6
Sandstone____
20
6
38
....
“Soapstone”......
62
5
100
5
Slate, black___
2
7
103
....
Fire clay..
1
7
104
7
Sulphur rock___
1
2
104
9
Slate, gray..
11
1
116
10
Shale....
1
2
118
....
Limestone, hard___
2
1
120
1
Slate, gray.
2
8
122
9
“Soapstone”....
6
8
129
5
Coal (No. 2)..
3
8
133
1
Thickness of coal: Averages about 4 feet, varying from about 3 feet
8 inches to 4 feet 6 inches. The bed maintains a nearly uniform thickness.
iOp. cit.
MCLEAN COUNTY
137
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No 5 coal in the mine of the McLean County Coal Company,
Bloomington, Illinois
Section 1—Face of straight west entry Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean, hard, bright. 1 614
Pyrite . Vs
Coal, clean, bright, hard. 1014
Pyrite . Vs
Coal, clean, bright, hard. 9
Pyrite . Vs
Coal, fairly clean, hard.•. 11
4 1%
Section 2—Straight east entry, 600 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black “slate”.
Coal, bright . 1 8
Sulphur . 1
Coal, bright . 5
Sulphur . 14
Coal, bright . 1 4
Sulphur . 14
Coal, dull . 3
Floor: Fire clay.
3 9%
Section 3—North side of pillar, 150 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black “slate” .
Coal, bright . 1 714
Sulphur . %
Coal, bright . 4
Sulphur . %
Coal, bright . 7
Sulphur . Vs
Coal . 2
“Blackjack” . 14
Coal, bright . 5
“Blackjack” . 9
Coal, bright . 9
Floor: Underclay .
10 %
4
138
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: The coal is rather impure because of numerous
pyrite streaks and plates, and numerous horsebacks. The pyrite plates
are commonly less than a quarter of an inch in thickness and not readily
removed from the coal, though an attempt to reject all pyrite is made.
None of the pyrite lies persistently at one horizon. The horsebacks are
of the usual sort; they are somewhat harder than those found in the
Peoria region, however, due to the unusually high pyrite content. Pyrite
veins or “spar” veins are also rather common. The coal is also commonly
impregnated with pyrite for several inches either side of a clay or “spar”
vein, so that the percentage of coal discarded on account of the horse¬
backs is high. In general, the coal presents no unusual characteristics.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is a very fine black
shale, 1 to 7 inches in thickness, which is almost a cannel coal. The con¬
tact between the coal and “slate” is very close, the upper part of the coal
and the slate commonly being “frozen” by an intervening layer of pyrite,
so that usually the upper 2 to 5 inches of the coal is left in the roof. A
persistent layer of nodular limestone about IV 2 inches thick lies above the
lower black “slate”; overlying this another black “slate” about 11 inches
thick, containing streaks of limestone. This is overlain by dark gray
shale, which is black when wet and which is called “soapstone.” It is be¬
tween 1 and 2 feet thick and is overlain by a hard gray shale known as
the “cap-rock.” There is no very good contact between the last-mentioned
strata and it is probable that they grade into each other.
Character of the floor: The underclay of No. 5 coal is 2 to 3 feet
thick. It has no unusual characteristics.
MACON COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons year ending June 30, 1920. 218,820
Average annual production, 1916-1920. 252,426
Total production, 1881-1920.10,783,991
In 1920 Macon County ranked twenty-sixth among the counties
of the State, having a coal production of about .3 per cent of the
entire Illinois output. There were three shipping mines in operation,
all working No. 5 coal, two at Decatur, operated by the Macon County
Coal Company and the Decatur Coal Company, and one at Niantic,
operated by the Niantic Carbon Coal Company. Table 6 lists the
shipping mines and gives data concerning them.
COAE-BEARING ROCKS
Lying below a cover of drift, which has an average thickness of
100 feet, are the coal-bearing rocks of Macon County varying in
thickness from 800 feet or less to 1,100 feet. They tend to be some¬
what thicker to the south than to the north and considerably thicker
to the west than to the east. Rock does not outcrop in the county, so
that the geology of the coal-bearing strata is known only from drill
and shaft records, seventeen in number, most of which are in the
vicinity of Decatur.
From the information furnished by these records and the records
of holes in adjacent counties, it appears that Macon County lies but a
short distance west of the axis of the Illinois coal basin. The strata
dip eastward toward the axis, so that No. 6 coal has a depth at Niantic
of 310 feet, at Decatur, about 560 feet, and at Lovington in Moultrie
County, 900 feet. There is also a slight increase in depth southward
through the county, but it is less than the increase to the east. The
eastward dip of the rock effects a thickening of the Pennsylvanian
system in that direction, as noted above, and younger and younger rock
underlies the drift toward the east. It is probable that the New Haven
limestone, commonly found about 600 feet above No. 6 coal, outcrops
below the drift in a belt running approximately north and south in
eastern Macon County or western Moultrie County.
The Carlinville and Shoal Creek limestones possibly outcrop below
the drift in parallel belts in western Macon County west of Niantic.
One of these limestones, probably the Shoal Creek, underlies the drift
in the shaft at Niantic. It seems probable, therefore, that the Pennsyl-
139
140
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
vanian rock below the drift includes strata lying between the horizon
of the Carlinville limestone and strata adjacent to the New Haven
limestone; that is, between about 300 and about 600 feet above No. 6
coal.
In Macon County the occurrence and distribution of the coals are
somewhat similar to the occurrence and distribution in Sangamon
County, which lies adjacent in District VII. In the extreme southern
part of the county No. 6 is probably present in commercial thickness,
but as far south as Moweaqua, Shelby County, No. 5 coal is possibly
of as great or greater importance. In the northern part of the county
No. 6 coal plays out, so that only No. 5 coal can be mined. Thus a
thinning of No. 6 comparable to the thinning of that coal in Sangamon
County exists in Macon County.
No. 2 coal in a thickness not known to exceed 2j4 feet, is probably
present 150 to 175 feet below No. 5. No. 1 coal, mined at Assumption
in Christian County, is also present, possibly generally, about 100 feet
below No. 2, with a maximum known thickness in the county of about
3 feet. It is doubtful whether either of the lower coals is at present
of workable thickness in competition with the thicker overlying beds.
The following records, together with the Blue Mound record given
in Part I, will aid the driller and prospector in identifying beds in
Macon County.
Log of air shaft at Decatur, about one-lialf mile southwest of the coal shaft
near bluffs of the Sangamon river q sec 14?, T 1C A r ., R. 2 E.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Soil and loamy clav...
25
25
Sand and water (flow of 400 gallons
per minute).
30
55
Clay, blue .__
4
59
Soil and drift wood...
2
61
__
Sand, green...-
4
—
65
—
Sand, gray.....
6
—
71
—
Clay, hard blue..
9
_
80
—
Sand and gravel (five strata).
37
_
117
—
Hardpan.......
23
....
140
....
lGeological Survey of Illinois, Vol. VIII, pp. 48-49.
MACON COUNTY
141
Log of air shaft at Decatur —Continued
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Pennsylvanian system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
McLeansboro—
Sandstone....
1
6
141
6
Shale, soft.
6
_
147
6
Shale, gray and blue, sandy.
28
_
175
6
Clay shale..
15
_
190
6
“Slate,” blue..
17
____
207
6
Fire clay, ferruginous..
6
_
213
6
Limestone, conglomerate..
7
—
220
6
“Slate,” brown....
10
_
230
6
Flint stone......
2
6
233
....
“Slate,” black...
1
. _ _ _
234
....
Flint rock.....
2
6
236
6
Coal (No. 11)..
_
10
237
4
Fire clay....
8
_
245
4
Shale, blue sandy__
10
_
255
4
Flint stone.....
3
_ _ _ _
258
4
Clay shale....
5
_
263
4
Shale, sandy..
21
_
284
4
“Slate,” black___
2
6
286
10
Coal (No. 10)...
1
_
287
10
Fire clay..
6
_
293
10
Shale, black, and 1 inch of coal .
8
1
301
11
Fire clay...
6
____
307
11
Shale, black____
3
_ _ _ _
310
11
Limestone, impure....
1
____
311
11
Shale, brown.....
8
____
319
11
Sandstone.....
1
....
320
11
“Slate,” black....
4
....
324
11
Flint stone.... .
11
....
335
11
“Slate,” black.......
12
....
347
11
Fire clay....
4
....
351
11
Limestone (Shoal Creek)....
10
....
361
11
“Slate,” black (No. 9 coal).
2
....
363
11
Fire clay.
8
....
371
11
Clay shale.
13
....
384
11
Sandstone...
5
mmmm
389
11
Flint stone.
2
....
391
11
“Slate,” blue.
8
....
399
11
Clay shale.
39
....
438
11
Sandstone, blue.
1
....
439
11
“Slate,” black. ..
3
....
442
11
Coal (No. 8).
1
4
444
3
Fire clay.
6
....
450
3
Shale, sandy.
10
....
460
3
Shale, black.
33
....
493
j
“Slate,” hard black....
5
....
498
3
— - -S
142
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Log of air shaft at Decatur —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Coal (local)......
3
498
6
Fire clay....
4
....
502
6
Limestone.
11
513
6
Shale, black____
4
517
6
Clay shale.
2
_
519
6
Coal (No. 7)...
_ _ _ _
4
519
10
Fire clay...
2
_
521
10
Stone, conglomerate..
3
_
524
10
Clay shale,
gray and blue..
14
538
10
“Slate,” black and }/£ inch of coal....
4
....
542
10
Fire clay....
4
....
546
10
Sandstone..
7
553
10
Shale, gray
6
559
10
“Slate,” black....
2
561
10
Carbondale—
Coal
[
1
4
563
2
Clay shale
(No. 6)..
....
6
563
8
Coal
1
2
10
566
6
Shale, hard
gray.-----
8
....
574
6
Limestone.
2
6
577
....
Shale bituminous and coal__
....
6
577
6
Fire clay....
4
581
6
Sandstone..
17
....
598
6
Clay shale.
3
_
601
6
Sandstone..
13
....
614
6
Clay shale, dark.....____
8
....
622
6
“Slate,” black_______
1
6
624
....
Coal (No. 5)
4
6
628
6
Log of well on farm cf T. C. Grady , T. IS N., R. 2 E., Maroa, Illinois.
Elevation—720 feet
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Clay.-
62
_
62
----
Gravel, hardpan..
6
_
68
—
Clay.
16
....
84
----
Hardpan..
129
----
213
....
Hardpan, sandy.
6
219
Clay, hardpan.....
54
....
273
....
MACON COUNTY
143
Log of well on farm of T. C. Grady —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Limestone......
15
_ _
288
....
Shale, light.....
1
_
289
....
Shale, black.....
2
_
291
....
Shale, gray...
5
—
296
....
Limestone.....
4
_
300
....
Shale, light.....
12
____
312
....
Sand shale....
30
_
342
....
Shale, gray....
28
_
370
....
Limestone......
10
_
380
Shale, gray.
19
_
399
....
Shale, sandy....
90
_
489
....
“Slate,” dark....
10
____
499
....
Carbondale—
Coal (No. 6).....
____
6
499
6
Fire clay_____
1
6
501
....
Sandstone, gray___
3
____
504
....
Shale, light......
8
____
512
....
Limestone... ..
9
_
521
....
Shale, blue......
4
_ _
525
....
Limestone........
7
....
532
....
Sand shale.........
34
....
566
....
“Slate,” black..
3
6
569
6
Coal (No. 5)......
1
6
571
....
“Slate,” dark......
4
....
575
....
Limestone.....
17
....
592
....
Sand shale....
20
....
612
....
Slate, black...
4
....
616
....
Shale, light.....
6
....
622
....
Limestone...
4
....
626
....
Log of Niantic Carbon Coal Company's shaft, sec. 12, T. 16 N., R. 1 W. 1
Elevation—585 feet
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Soil and clay, brown.
11
11
Sand and gravel.
4
....
15
....
Hardpan, gravelly.
25
....
40
....
Hardpan, blue.
10
....
50
....
Clay, soft..
15
....
65
....
Hardpan, gray.
10
....
75
....
Clay, soft brown. .
7
....
82
....
lGeologfcal Survey of Illinois, Vol. VII, p. 19.
144
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Log of Niantic Carbon Coal Company's shaft —Concluded
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Limestone...
10
....
92
....
Rock, blue flinty.
2
....
94
....
“Slate,” black....
3
....
97
....
Fire-clay..
6
103
----
Limestone...
10
_ _
113
....
Shale, blue and gray.
7
_
120
....
Shale, black..
1
121
....
Coal (No. 9)._..
....
2
121
2
Fire-clay.
1
122
2
Limestone, nodular...
5
....
127
2
Clay shale.....
5
132
2
Sandstone, soft blue...
16
....
148
2
Shale, gray...
42
....
190
2
Coal (No. 8)..
1
3
191
5
Fire-clay....
2
6
193
11
Sandstone.....
10
203
11
Shale, gray...
45
....
248
11
Rock, hard flinty.
10
....
258
11
Shale, black.
3
261
11
Fire-clay....
9
270
11
Shale, blue and red....
15
....
285
11
“Slate,” black.
5
....
290
11
Coal (No. 7).
1
3
292
2
Fire-clay...
4
6
296
8
Shale, black...
11
....
307
8
Carbondale—
Coal (No. 6).
2
6
310
2
Clay shale.
15
....
325
2
Shale, black......
3
....
328
2
Coal (local).
....
10
329
....
Fire-clay..
2
....
331
....
Shale, gray.
14
....
345
....
Rock, hard, black (limestone).
1
....
346
....
“Slate,” black....
3
....
349
....
Coal (No. 5).
5
6
354
6
Known Minable Coals in Macon County
no. 5 coal
So far as is known, No. 5 coal is present in workable thickness
below the entire area of Macon County. There has been no prospect¬
ing so far as known in the eastern part of the county and future
drilling may call for a reversal of the opinion expressed about the
continuity of the coal.
MACON COUNTY
145
MINE NOTES
The best information concerning No. 5 coal is that found in mine
notes taken in the various mines of the county as summarized below.
MINE OF THE NIANTIC CARBON COAL COMPANY, AT NIANTIC
Entrance by shaft; 360 feet to No. 5 coal. Working No. 5 coal, which
has an average thickness of 5 V 2 feet, varying between 5 and 6 feet. The
coal contains small sulphur streaks in the upper part of the bed, but these
are not persistent. The clay veins or “horsebacks,” characteristic of the
Fig. 10. Sketch of a clay vein (“horseback”) in the Niantic Carbon Coal
Company’s mine at Niantic.
bed, are present. A sketch of one made near the face of the main west
entry in 1912 is shown in figure 10. In this instance the filling is described
as being of two kinds of rock, hard and soft. The former seems calcareous
and contains pyrite. The soft part is clay. The clay veins are numerous
and greatly increase mining costs.
The roof of the coal is commonly black shale or “slate,” but varies
locally from blue to gray and has a thickness of about 3 feet. Nigger-
heads are common in this roof. A cap-rock 4 to 12 inches thick is present
above the shale.
Sections of the coal in this mine are given herewith.
146
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Sections of No. 5 coal in Niantic mine
Section 1 — 3d west entry off south entry on the east side
*
Roof: Shale, black.
Coal, fairly clean and bright.
Sulphur parting .
Coal, clean and bright.
Sulphur parting .
Coal, fairly clean .
Mother coal .
Coal, dirty .
Mother coal ..
Coal, dirty .
Mother coal .
Coal, fairly clean .
Floor: Fire clay, dark .
Thickness
Ft. in.
3
2 y 2
• •
8 1/2
V4
2%
%
2 V 2
%
7
• •
5 2
Section 2 — 8th east off north on east side
Roof: Shale, black .
Coal, fairly clean, bright .
Sulphur .
Coal, streaked with mother coal .
Floor: Fire clay, dark .
Thickness
Ft. in.
2 6
Vs
2 8
2 2 Vs
Section 3 — 1st west off northwest entry, room 35
Roof: Shale, black.
Coal, top, local only .
Coal, clean, bright, slightly streaked .
Sulphur parting .
Coal, streaked with bone .
Sulphur parting .
Coal, fairly clean but with some bone.
Thickness
Ft. in.
1
2
5
3%
8 %
Vs
4 Vi
MINE OF THE MACON COUNTY COAL COMPANY, AT DECATUR 1
Entrance by shaft, 560 feet to the floor of mine. No. 5 coal here has
a thickness of 4V& feet and 5 feet 1 inch, respectively, where measured in
two places. The coal contains some sulphur in bands or lenses, but this
impurity is not in large amount. There are some horsebacks. The roof
is black, fine-grained shale or “slate” containing niggerheads, which in
places in the mine are numerous and of a large size. One was noted
which cut out the coal to within one foot of the floor. Above the “slate’’
is the cap-rock, a hard limestone 10 to 24 inches thick. This is followed
by gray shale, 4 to 5 inches thick, overlying w T hieh is sandstone.
lFormerly Manufacturers and Consumers Coal Company.
MACON COUNTY
147
The following sections of coal in this mine are available.
Sections of No 5 coal in the mine of the Macon County Coal Company
Section 1—At face, 3d left entry off the 1st east off 1st south
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean, hard, bright, blocky . 3 7
Coal, bony, with little sulphur. 1
Coal, clean, bright . 414
Mother coal . V 2
Coal, fairly clean . 7
Floor: Fire clay .
4 8
Section 2—Face of the 9th west off 1st south Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean, bright, hard . 2 4
Bone and coal . 114
Coal, fairly clean and hard. 814
Pyrite . 14
Coal, fairly clean . 7
Mother coal, soft . 14
Coal, dirty . 1014
NO. 6 COAL, 4 8
MINE NOTES
No. 6 coal has been mined at only one mine in this county. Con¬
ditions in the mine are shown in the following notes.
ABANDONED MINE OF THE BLUE MOUND COAL COMPANY, AT BLUE MOUND
Entrance by shaft, 472 feet to floor. The coal averages 5 feet, varying
between 314 feet and 614 feet.
A section measured in the mine is as follows:
Section of No. 6 coal at Blue Mound , face of 1st entry off main west
Thickness
Coal .
Sulphur .
Coal .
Sulphur .
Coal .
Sulphur .
Coal .
Blue band .
Coal .
Floor: Fire clay
Ft. in.
2 6
. . 14
5
14
1 6
14
714
1
9
6 0
The roof in this mine is shale or limestone. The shale varies up to
314 feet and the limestone is known to be as thick as 17 feet.
MASON COUNTY
Introduction
Coal has never been mined in Mason County and so far as is
known, only one drill hole, the one located at Mason City, has pene¬
trated the Pennsylvanian rocks.
SurficiaIv Deposits
The coal-bearing rocks are deeply covered by glacial drift which
in the hole at Mason City has a thickness of 204 feet. Its thickness in
other places in the county is not known. Leverett says: “The county
occupies a low basin-like expansion of the Illinois valley, heavily
covered with sand, except where the old river channels have left a
surface deposit of muck.” 1
CoAE-BEARING ROCICS
Except for information afforded by the drilling at Mason City,
and for a general knowledge of conditions in surrounding counties,
nothing is known concerning the coal which possibly underlies Mason
County. In the drill hole a coal 34 inches thick was struck at a
depth of 290 to 293 feet. This thickness of the coal suggests correla¬
tion with No. 2 rather than with one of the higher coals. Further
evidence in support of this correlation is that No. 5 coal at Lincoln
lies at about the same depth and latitude as the coal at Mason City,
whereas by reason of the regional eastward dip, No. 5 coal should be
considerably higher at Mason City than at Lincoln; in fact, high enough
to bring it above erosion level beneath the drift.
It is probable, therefore, though by no means established, that if
Mason City is underlain by coal, it is No. 2 rather than one of the
higher beds, except in the eastern part of the county, where locally
the drift may be thin and one of the higher coals, possibly No. 5, may
be present in small areas.
lLeverett, Frank, The Illinois Glacial Lobe: U. S. Geological Survey, Mon
38, p. 688, 1899.
148
MENARD COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons, year ending June 30, 1920. 145,868
Average annual production, 1916-1920. 179,861
Total production, 1881-1920.10,639,327
One shipping mine and eight wagon mines reported production
in Menard County during the fiscal year 1920. The total production
was a little less than .2 per cent of the State’s entire output, and the
county ranked thirty-first in order of production. Table 6 gives data
concerning the shipping mine.
CoAR-BEARING ROCKS
The southern part of Menard County, including the town of
Tallula and others, is included in the area of the Tallula-Springfield
quadrangles. 1 The north line of these quadrangles passes within less
than one mile of Petersburg. The mining operations of the county
accordingly lie mostly within the boundaries of these quadrangles,
and the description of the coal-bearing strata on those areas given
in the U. S. Geological Survey report, is adequate for the county.
The strata underlying Menard County are a continuation north¬
ward of those underlying the west half of Sangamon County. The
description of these strata presented in the discussion of the coal-bear¬
ing rocks of that county will apply approximately to the strata under¬
lying Menard County.
The rocks immediately underlying the drift are included between
No. 5 coal which is thought to outcrop near the west line of the county,
and the Lonsdale limestone. Accordingly No. 5 coal probably underlies
the entire county, and so far as is known is everywhere of workable
thickness. No. 6 and No. 7 coals are present east of their lines of out¬
crop, which run parallel to that of No. 5, between Tallula and the county
line to the west. These coals are thin and of no commercial value.
No. 2 coal is probably present but it may be too. thin to be profitably
worked in competition with No. 5. The interval between these coals and
the character of the intervening strata have been discussed in the de¬
scription of the coal-bearing rocks of Sangamon County. The reader
is also referred for further detail concerning the geology of the region
to the Tallula-Springfield Folio, cited above.
Only six records of drilling or shafts are available in the county,
and none exceeds a depth of 165 feet. The only one of these that
has sufficient detail to make it of value to this report is reproduced
herewith.’
iShaw, E. W., and Savage, T. E., Tallula-Springfield Folio: U. S. Geologi¬
cal Survey Geologic Folio 188, 1913.
149
150
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record, of shaft of the Lcyd coal mine in the NW. Y± sec. 23, T. 17 N.,
R. 7 W.
Record given from memory by H. C. Bradt
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary stystem—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay, surface.......
20
_
20
Pennsylvanian system—
McLeansboro—
Limestone_____
7
____
27
____
Shale, blue......
15
_
42
____
Rock, blue........
5
_
47
____
Shale, blue..
5
_
52
_
Rock, blue.....
5
57
....
Carbondale—
Coal (No. 6?).
1
2
58
2
Fire clay.
4
----
62
2
Flint rock (limestone)....
4
....
66
2
Sandstone.....
11
_
77
2
Shale, blue and red...
15
_
92
2
Cap rock (limestone?).
----
6
92
8
Slate.......
1
2
93
10
Coal (No. 5)..
5
10
99
8
Mine Notes
Observation has been made in four mines in Menard County.
ABANDONED MINE OF THE MIDDLETOWN COAL CO., AT MIDDLETOWN
Entrance: Shaft; 210 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 2 inches.
The average thickness is 6 feet.
Section of the coal:
Section of No. 5 coal in the mine of the Middletown Coal Company,
at Middletown
2d west entry off 3d south main entry, about 1,375 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black fissile shale.
Coal . 2 1
Pyrite . Vs
Coal . 1 9V 2
Pyrite . %
Coal . 1 8
Floor: Fire clay
5
6 %
MENARD COUNTY
151
Character of the coal: The top coal in the foregoing section is very
black and brittle, and has a bright lustre. The rest is not so bright and
is softer. Most of the pyrite is found in the middle portion in irregular
lenses. Mother coal is less common in the upper coal than in the lower
part of the bed. The bed is cut by the usual horsebacks.
Character of the roof and floor: The roof is black fissile shale 114
to 6 feet thick, with a limestone cap-rock 4 inches to 3 feet thick. The
floor is clay above limestone.
ABANDONED MINE OF THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN COAL CO., AT PETERSBURG
Entrance: Slope, 80 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 514 to 7 feet, averaging 6 feet.
Section of the coal:
Section of No. 5 coal in the South Mountain Coal Company's mine,
at Petersburg
1st entry off the 7th east entry about 2,600 feet from slope
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Shale
Coal .
Pyrite .
Coal .
Mother coal
Coal .
Pyrite .
Coal .
Pyrite .
Coal .
• • • •
1 4
Vs
11
1
7
Vs
1 6
Vs
1 6 V 2
5 11%
Character of the coal and roof: The coal is reported to be cut by
clay veins. The roof is shale, probably black, 114 to 6 feet thick, with a
cap rock of limestone 214 feet or less in thickness usually present.
UNION FUEL COMPANY’S NO. 4 MINE, AT ATHENS
Entrance: Shaft; 203 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 5 to 6 feet; averages 5 feet 8 inches.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in the No. h mine of the Union Fuel Company,
at Athens
Section 1—Room 1 off 11th north off main west entry, 6,500 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black “slate”.
Coal, bright . 2 7
Pyrite . 14
Coal, bright . 3 3
Floor: Fire clay.
5
10
152
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section 2 — 19th south off main west; entry face, 5,800 feet from shaft
Thickness
Roof: Black “slate”
Coal, bright .
Mother coal .
Coal, bright .
Mother coal ..
Coal, bright .
Floor: Fire clay. . .
Ft. in.
4
%
6
V4
4 11
5 9%
Section 3
Coal, bright
Pyrite streak
Coal, bright
—Entry face on the main east stub; 1,500 feet from shaft
Thickness
Ft. in.
. 3 8
. V4
. 1 5
5 11/4
Character of the coal: The coal lies in a single bed without partings.
The middle of the bed contains a few pyrite lenses running parallel to
the bedding, and the bottom 4 inches of the coal is bony in many places.
There are no persistent impurities, however. “Horsebacks” occur with
the usual frequency. The accompanying figures 11 and 12 are reproduced
from sketches made of two kinds of clay veins, in one of which the frac¬
ture is about vertical and there has been no offset of the bed, and in the
other an inclined fracture is accompanied by offset. Figure 11 shows
also how the clay in the floor bulges up toward the “horseback” but does
not enter it, the vein material being apparently entirely different from
the underclay. In figure 12 it will be noted that the fracture does not
extend up into the cap rock.
The coal is broken also by what seems to be true faults which cross
all the strata associated with the coal. In this case the limestone rests
upon the coal; the difference in the character of the fractures may be
due to this fact.
The clay veins vary in width, but their maximum is about 2 feet-
The filling consists of clay with small fragments of coal scattered through
it. These fragments are sharp, unshattered, and have the same appear¬
ance as the coal in the bed. In one case where the floor has apparently
been pushed up about 18 inches, no displacement was noted in the roof
of the coal, although the fracture extended into the cap-rock, with a width
of 1 to IV 2 feet across, slightly less than its width in the coal.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is usually black “slate,”
which varies from 6 inches to 6 feet in thickness, but averages 2 feet.
In places it is less hard and sheety and becomes less like a “slate.” This
more massive shale is most everywhere wet and eventually falls to the
cap rock. The cap rock is usually strong enough to stand where these
falls occur.
MENARD COUNTY
153
The cap rock is a very carbonaceous limestone about 5 feet in thick¬
ness. Ordinarily it forms a good roof. In a few places the limestone
is in contact with the coal. This contact, however, is not sharp on account
of the common occurrence of coal stringers in the lower 2 inches of the rock.
The cap rock locally also cuts down through the “slate” as a “roll”
under which the coal is ordinarily somewhat crushed. Overlying the cap
rock is a gray “soapstone” or shale. In places the cap rock is represented
Fig. 11. —Sketch of a nearly vertical clay vein (“horseback”) in the Unior.
Fuel Company’s No. 4 mine at Athens. The fracture is
not accompanied by an offset.
154
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
only by a band of boulders, the gray shale resting directly upon the black
“slate,” except for these nodules.
Character of the floor: The underclay is reported to have a thick¬
ness of 14 feet. The upper 7 feet is said to be rather soft and to contain
many nodules or “boulders.” The upper 18 inches is said to heave some¬
what.
ABANDONED MINE OF THE TALLULA COAL COMPANY, AT TALLULA
Entrance: Shaft; 179 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 5 feet 8 inches to 7 feet 6 inches;
averages 6 feet.
Section of the coal:
I
Scale in feet
Fig. 12. —Sketch of an inclined clay vein (“horseback”) in the Union Fuel
Company’s No. 4 mine at Athens. The bed is offset.
Section of No. 5 coal, Tallula Coal Company, at Tallula.
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal . 1 3
Pyrite . Vs
Coal . 2 6
Pyrite . 1
Coal . 6
Pyrite . Vs
Coal . 1 8
Floor: Fire clay
6 %
Character of the coal, roof, and floor: The coal bed is crossed by
numerous clay veins. It has the usual black “slate” roof 14 inches to 6 feet
thick, with a limestone cap rock 3 inches to 3 feet thick.
PEORIA COUNTY
Production in tons, year ending June 30, 1920. 1,244,013
Average annual production 1916 to 1920. 1,327,926
Total production 1881 to 1920.31,867,000
Peoria County ranked 14 in production in 1920; the output in
that fiscal year (1919-1920) was 1.7 per cent of the total output of
the State. During 1920 there were 2 shipping mines operating in this
county and 51 local or wagon mines. The local mines produced 183,-
689 tons of coal. Most of the mines operated in No. 5 coal, but there
was some coal mined from No. 6 coal, and plans have been made
to resume operations in No. 2 coal in the Wantling (Blue Fly) mine
at Pottstown.
Coal-bearing Rocks
The geology of the portion of this county in which mining opera¬
tions are most active has been described in detail after careful field
examination by Dr. J. A. Udden. 1 Much of the geological informa¬
tion included in the following paragraph is drawn from his publication.
The thickness of the coal-bearing strata is about 520 feet, of which
the lower 300 feet is known only from drilling or mine shafts. The
exposed 220 feet extends downward 20 feet below the chief productive
coal bed. The most reliable and detailed information concerning the
lower unexposed portion of the section is based upon the records of
two shafts. One of these, located at Pottstown, passes through No. 2
coal at a depth of 106 feet, has a depth of 240 feet, and reaches a bed
believed to be equivalent to the Ellisville or Rock Island coal. The
workings in No. 2 coal in this mine have been reopened. The other
shaft, at Orchard about 4 miles south of Bartonville, extended down
to a coal bed believed to be No. 2, and equivalent to the upper bed
in the Pottstown shaft. The section of strata in these two shafts
follows:
lUdden, J. A., Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle,
Illinois: U.S. Geological Survey Bull, 506, 1912.
155
156
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section of rocks penetrated by the shaft of the Blue Fly mine at Pottstown,
west side of the SIT. % sec. 36, Kickapoo Township, Peoria County 1
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system—
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Pleistocene and Recent—
Alluvium-.....
10
_
10
....
Sand, dry.
6
....
16
....
Gravel.....
3
....
19
....
Hardpan..
2
....
21
....
Pennsylvanian system—
Carbondale formation—
Soapstone, white...
10
....
31
....
Iron band...-..
....
2
31
2
Soapstone..
8
....
39
2
Iron band_____
3
39
5
Shale, black......
20
....
59
5
Iron band....
3
59
8
Soapstone, white.....
20
....
79
8
Iron band...........
____
2
79
10
Shale, white......
4
83
10
Iron band....
....
4
84
2
Shale, white....
3
....
87
2
Iron band......
....
2
87
4
Shale, dark...
6
93
4
Cap rock.....
2
....
95
4
Slate, black....
2
8
98
....
Shale, white......
9
....
107
....
Coal (No. 2)....
2
8
109
8
Pottsville formation—
Fire clay.
4
....
113
8
Sandstone..*....
17
....
130
8
Soapstone.......
6
....
136
8
Sandstone, white...
56
6
193
2
Clod, black...
3
6
196
8
Fire clay.
1
6
198
2
Coal.
2
4
200
6
Sandstone, dark___
4
6
205
....
Rock, hard______
3
6
208
6
Clod, dark.
8
....
216
6
Sandstone, hard........
7
6
224
....
Slate, black...
3
....
227
....
Shale....
2
....
229
....
Rock, white_____
3
....
232
Coal
1
4
233
4
Clod, black }> No. 1____
3
6
236
10
Coal J [
3
....
239
10
Fire clay.....
1
....
240
10
J Op. eit., p. 23.
Fig. 13. —Graphic sections showing the character of the Pottsville formation in Peoria County.
cn
o
o
o
o
CO
o
o
o
o
o
to
o
o
VERTICAL SCALE IN FEET
J
—y
x
V
J
M1SSISS1PP1AN
PENNSYLVANIAN
158
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section of the Orchard shaft 1 , about U miles south of Bartonville
Description of Strata
Thick
mess
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Surface......
3
_ m
3
____
“Fire clay”.
2
5
Hardpan......
1
8
6
8
Loam, black........
3
6
10
2
Pennsylvanian system—
Carbondale—
Shale, black......
....
9
10
11
Soapstone, soft______
2
—
12
11
Shale, sandy..
7
6
20
5
Limestone..
2
_
22
5
Sandstone......
17
_ _
39
5
Soapstone....
4
43
5
Iron band....
__
8
44
1
Soapstone____
18
----
62
1
Sandstone, blue.....
4
____
66
1
Soapstone.
36
....
102
1
Slate, gray, and iron band mixed_
16
118
1
Slate, black....
4
8
122
9
Hardpan........
1
8
124
5
Slate, black........
----
10
125
3
Soapstone...
12
....
137
3
Coal (No. 2). ..
2
6
139
9
Pottsville—
Fire clay........
1
10
141
7
POTTSVILLE FORMATION
The succession of the Pottsville formation in Peoria County is not
very definitely known. Several of the better records are reproduced
graphically in the accompanying figure (Fig. 13).
Study of the available drill records, several of which are included
in figure 13, indicates that the base of the Pennsylvanian system is
commonly at an elevation of about 140 feet above sea level in the
vicinity of Peoria. Although this figure is a generalization, it is
thought to be accurate within about 25 feet. In the northwest part
of the county near Princeville, the base of the “Coal Measures” is
probably more than 300 feet above sea level, and along the Fulton
County line near Farmington, between 270 and 300 feet. The pre-
lOp. cit., p. 24.
PEORIA COUNTY
159
Pennsylvanian surface accordingly probably slopes about 10 feet to the
mile. There is some evidence that the surface of the Mississippian
strata upon which the “Coal Measures” rest is uneven, aside from the
general slope just mentioned, and therefore the Mississippian may be
reached at depths which vary somewhat from what would be expected.
However, if the character of the drilling chips is carefully noted when
wells or tests are being put down, there should ordinarily be no dif¬
ficulty in determining the base of the “Coal Measures,” as at that
horizon the drill passes from a succession of shales, sandy shales, and
sandstones into massive limestone.
The strata in the lower 100 feet of the Pottsville are apparently
mostly shale, with interbedded sandstone reported in two wells. Drill
cuttings from the Glen Oak Park well, taken about 20 feet above the
base of the “Coal Measures,” contained coal, according to Udden. 1
Coal was reported in the Carter well in East Peoria at about the same
level but was either not recorded or not present in other wells in the
region. In the interval from about 100 feet above the base of the
formation (at an altitude of 220 to 240 feet) up to No. 2 coal (at
various altitudes between 330 and 380 feet) there seem to be several
coal beds. The meager information at hand is sufficient for correla¬
tion of the coals found in the different holes. It is not even safe to
assume that the coal found in several holes at an altitude of 220 to 240
feet is a continuous bed, as Pottsville coals in Illinois are characteris¬
tically lenticular, having been deposited in what apparently were local
basins that probably did not synchronize.
Coal at an altitude of 226 feet and at a depth of 236 feet has been
mined at Pottstown. The coal in this mine lies in two benches, the
lower one according to Udden, 2 varying from 2 feet 2 inches to 3 feet,
and the upper measuring 1 foot 3 inches. The two benches are sepa¬
rated by nearly 3 feet of shale, and the average thickness of the coal
and included shale is 6 feet. Udden states that this coal bed has been
recognized in no less than six of the artesian borings in the vicinity
of Peoria and Pekin, but as was stated in the previous paragraph, the
correlation of these lower coals upon the basis of water-well records,
in several cases of doubtful accuracy, is not possible; especially is this
evident when several diamond-drill holes the records of which have
become available since the field work on the Peoria cpiadrangle was
completed, show several thin coals in the section below No. 2 coal.
Yet it is not at all improbable that this lower coal may be fairly con-
lU. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, p. 35.
20p. cil., p. 25.
160
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
tinuous, at least in the southern part of the county, for it is reported
in a drilling at Elmwood at the west edge of the county.
The strata in the upper part of the Pottsville above the lower coal,
which Udden 1 suggests is the No. 1 coal, are variable. In the Potts-
town shaft they are largely sandstones with a 28-inch coal bed about
40 feet above the No. 1 coal. Two records in Limestone Township
report several black shales and thin coals in the succession, as well
as a large amount of sandstone and sandy shales. These records both
report coal between 1 and 2 feet thick about 30 feet below the top
of the formation, or No. 2 coal. The record of the drilling at Elm-
Fig 14.—Photograph of a block of the roof shale of No. 5 coal in Peoria
County, showing laminated structure.
wood shows almost continuous shale. The interval between coals No.
2 and No. 1 seems to vary from about 100 to 140 feet. It is not prob¬
able that any of the intervening coals are of workable thickness.
CARBONDALE FORMATION
The Carbondale formation includes all the coal beds worked in the
county, and is economically the most important part of the “Coal
Measures” section, not only in this county but in the State as a whole.
With the exception of the small mine at Pottstown which has recently
reopened an old development in No. 2 coal the commercial operations
lOp. cit., p. 81.
PEORIA COUNTY
161
in the county are all in No. 5 coal. No. 6 coal has a little development
by wagon mines at various places in the county.
no. 2 COAL
No. 2 coal lying at the base of the formation has the usual char¬
acteristics of that bed in the northern part of the State. It is about
30 inches thick and is overlain by the gray ‘'soapstone” and black fissile
shale which is the very characteristic roof of this coal in the typical
La Salle region. The coal contains the bright sulphur balls also com¬
mon to this bed. Besides its similarity in appearance and occurrence
as a basis of correlation with No. 2 coal, there is a similarity in the
flora in the shale above this coal and in that above the coal at La Salle,
which Dr. David White 1 regards as suggestive of correlation.
STRATA BETWEEN NO. 2 AND NO. 5 COALS
The interval between No. 2 and No. 5 coals varies from 110 to 140
feet, and except for the uppermost 25 feet, is known only from records
of test holes, wells, and shafts. The section seems to be largely shale
with some bands of ironstone or hard limestone probably containing
considerable pyrite or iron carbonate, and with layers of sandstone.
A few records show streaks of coal interbedded with the shale. The
massive sandstone found in the upper part of the series between coals
No. 2 and No. 5 in Fulton County does not seem to be generally pres¬
ent at least in eastern Peoria County.
no. 5 COAL
No. 5 coal is a single bed without partings or bands and varies
from about 4 feet to 4 feet 8 inches in thickness. The bed is cut by
numerous clay “veins” which also penetrate the strata above the coal
for an undetermined distance. When narrow and not filled with clay
gouge, the vertical fractures are commonly cemented by a pyritic vein
material. The coal contains several varieties of “sulphur” or pyrite,
such as sulphur balls, lenses of gray and brown sulphur, sulphur spars
or vein filling noted in the preceding sentence, and “blackjack” or py-
ritized mother coal. Of these forms probably the gray to brown
lenses of laminated pyrite which occur in special abundance near the
horsebacks constitute the most characteristic variety. The coal dis¬
plays no physical characteristics in itself that serve to distinguish it
from other coals in the State. It has the usual banded appearance of
Illinois coals due to interlamination of dull and bright coal.
Distribution of No. 5 coal .—As No. 5 coal lies above the level
of the present drainage lines in a considerable part of the county, it is
consequently absent within the Illinois valley and for some distance
iOp. cit., p. 26.
162
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
up the larger tributary valleys. Above Kramm, the coal outcrops along
the sides of Ivickapoo Creek and is mined by drift mines.
The distribution of the coal is further limited by pre-glacial drain¬
age lines which apparently correspond in general with those of the
present, though the earlier valleys are wider and deeper than those
now existing. A map of the pre-glacial surface for the whole of the
county is not possible with the information now available, but Plate
VI reproduced here from Doctor Udden’s report 1 shows the pre-glacial
surface for the Peoria quadrangle. The following description of the
bed-rock surface in the Peoria region is also reprinted from the same
report.
Erosion in pre-glacial time had produced a land surface which dif¬
fered considerably from the present topography. Since that time the land
has been rebuilt by glaciation, the general effect of which has been to
reduce the relief. The old land surface has undergone some changes by
post-glacial agencies, but these are small. The present surface of bed
rock is known mainly from wells and other excavations that have pene¬
trated the drift. These data are not very numerous, but an attempt has
been made to present the general features of the rock surface in the
quadrangle by contour lines on a separate map (PI. VI). Where data
are wanting, the probable course of these contours is indicated by inter¬
rupted lines.
In the area west of Kickapoo Creek and Illinois River, the old rock
surface closely parallels that of the land today. In Limestone Township
it reaches an elevation of 675 feet in secs. 5 and 6. From here it descends
southward to an average height of 550 feet in the uplands of Hollis Town¬
ship. The two Lamarsh creeks and Kickapoo Creek above Pottstown
occupy valleys which were eroded before the deposition of the drift. Below
Pottstown the last-named stream evidently has been lately crowded up on
the east slope of the old upland to the west, and from Horseshoe Bottom
to Bartonville it has cut a new and comparatively narrow valley on
this slope.
Under Peoria, and also under the upland for a distance of 3 miles
north from the city, and on the east side of the river north of Farm Creek,
the rock surface has an average altitude of about 400 feet above sea level.
This is 200 feet lower than the same surface in Limestone and Hollis
townships. It rises, however, north from Pottstown, so as to bring the
“Coal Measures” again into view in some of the creeks immediately north
of the north boundary of the quadrangle. South from Farm Creek, on
the east side of Illinois River, bed rock rises and reaches its highest alti¬
tude of 600 feet above the sea in sec. 7, Groveland Township. Under the
upland to the south it gradually sinks to an average height, as far as
known, of about 525 feet in the south part of Elm Grove Township. Two
wells on the lowland south of Pekin reached altitudes of 430 and 420 feet
above sea level without entering bed rock. In and near the present valley
iOp. cit., p. 51.
Illinois State Geological Survi
Plate VI. —Map of the
elevation, in feet al
Illinois State Geological Survey
Mining Investigations Bull. 26, Plate VI
i h
5 Miles
Plate VI.—Map of the Peoria quadrangle, showing the approximate
elevation, in feet above sea level, of the surface of bed rock.
PEORIA COUNTY
163
of the river the surface of bed rock is lower than in other localities, as
shown by an altitude of 355 feet above sea level at the Colean factory
well, 345 feet near Iowa Junction, and 340 feet in the Pekin water¬
works wells.
It is not improbable that beyond the boundary of the Peoria
quadrangle similar irregularities in the pre-glacial surface also exist
and it is quite possible that in places lines of pre-glacial or inter-glacial
drainage might have developed in positions not now occupied by
streams. Such is the case in the eastern part of Fulton County and
it is not improbable that some of these drainage lines extend into
western Peoria County.
A third limitation upon the distribution of this coal is an intra-
formational sandstone which apparently occupies channels cut through
the coal some time after the No. 5 coal was deposited but prior to the
deposition of No. 6 coal. In other words it is believed that after the
accumulation the peat and overlying muds which later became No. 5
coal and its roof shales, land streams came into existence and cut chan¬
nels into and in many places through the muds and peat; and that
eventually the channels were filled with sand, which later became sand¬
stone. The channel deposits apparently have a fairly definite align¬
ment similar to an ordinary stream channel and probably have the usual
branches or tributaries, and gradient. Along such channel lines, the
coal is now absent, the bed terminating laterally against a massive sand¬
stone, the sandstone in places presenting a nearly vertical wall, and
in other places appearing first in the roof and gradually pinching the
coal out toward the bottom.
In parts of Peoria County it has been possible to outline the posi¬
tion of the channel deposits (fig. 22), but for most of the area in¬
formation on which to base a map is insufficient. As this sandstone
is younger than No. 5 coal, further discussion is reserved for the fol¬
lowing section on the strata between No. 5 and No. 6 coals.
It may well be emphasized here, however, that in exploring new
properties in Peoria County the determination of the position and
depth of the lines of pre-glacial drainage and the location of channel
sandstones which may cut through the No. 5 coal become matters of
great importance. It is not safe to open any property in the county
without learning the facts in regard to these two uncertain elements.
Carelessness in this regard may result in the operator suddenly find¬
ing himself without adequate roof and even without coal.
STRATA BETWEEN NO. 5 AND NO. 6 COALS
Over No. 5 coal is a black fissile shale (“miners’ slate”) similar
to that of Fulton County. In the course of Doctor Udden’s more de-
164
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
tailed description, 1 he mentions the whitish streaks found in this shale
as shown in figure 14, and describes small calcareous nodules and the
larger “niggerheads” which characterize this bed. Above the roof
shale is a layer of limy shale which merges into the limestone cap-
rock above. When the clay and limestone above is soft, it is generally
known as clod and is very fossiliferous. 2 At the top of the clod in
many places is a bed of sulphur (marcasite) 2 to 6 inches thick, the
lower surface of which is very irregular due to protuberances 1 to 3
inches in height and width, called by the miners, “cat” or “cat claw.”
Where the marcasite is more calcareous and clayey, it is called the
“iron band.”
Above the clod is a shale which in most places measure 4 to 8
feet but which reaches a thickness of 20 feet locally, due to its uneven
upper surface. This is overlain by a sandstone averaging 55 feet in
thickness, the lower surface of which conforms with the irregularities
of the uneven surface of the shale, as described above. It is this sand¬
stone that in places continues down through the horizon of No. 5 coal,
forming what have been alluded to above as the channel sandstones;
and it is described by Udden as the most conspicuous unit in the ex¬
posed section of the “Coal Measures” in this region. It is present
almost continuously in the west bluffs of Kickapoo Creek from Bar-
tonville to Pottstown and in the bluffs of the same stream south of
Edwards. It appears along almost every stream which drains the up¬
land on the west side of Illinois River and Kickapoo Creek and also
in some creeks near East Peoria in Tazewell County.
The sandstone just described changes somewhat abruptly into
shale and fire clay above. 3 There is generally 3 to 4 feet of dark or
gray, slightly sandy shale above the sandstone, which is overlain by
2 to 3 feet of fire clay of greenish-gray color. The fire clay immedi¬
ately underlies No. 6 coal.
By way of summary, a section of the outcropping strata from
No. 5 coal to some distance above No. 6 coal is given below.
iOp nit., pp 29-30
2Qp. cit., p. 30
3 Op. cit , p. 32.
PEORIA COUNTY
165
Section of the rocks in the ivest bluff of Kickapoo Creek, near the Schmidt
mine near the south line of sec. 13, Limestone Township
Description of Strata
Drift..
Sandstone, thin bedded..
Shale, black.
Coal, impure,
weathered..
Coal. > No. 6.'
Clay, red.
Coal.
Fire clay.
Sandstone, thin bedded and fine¬
grained, almost shaly.
Sandstone, moderately coarse, homo¬
geneous.
Sandstone, thin bedded, soft, fine
grained, with thin clay seams....
Sandstone, thick bedded—.
Shale (near mine).
Shale (“slate”)—.
Coal (No. 5).
> No. 6.<
Thickness
Depth
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
40
40
10
....
50
....
6
50
6
....
7
51
1
1
8
52
9
mmmm
3
53
....
1
1
54
1
1
6
55
7
19
i
74
7
2
i
----
i
76
7
13
89
7
23
.... |
112
7
9
....
121
7
1
_____
122
7
4
4
126
11
Discussion of the channel sandstones .—The correct interpretation
of the sandstone “faults” in No. 5 coal in Peoria County is a matter
of some moment to the operators in the southern part of the area,
because the accepted interpretation will have considerable control over
the exploration methods. They are believed by the author to be chan¬
nel sandstones, but the older alternative view of Doctor Udden, pre¬
sented in his report on the Peoria quadrangle and outlined below,
must be taken into consideration.
The manner in which the sandstone cuts out the coal has been
described very briefly in the preceding section of No. 5 coal, and ad¬
ditional facts about the phenomenon are to be gathered from the
accompanying illustrations (figs. 15-20) and the following notes on
variations in coal thickness on fractures adjacent to the “faults”:
In two of the mines along- the east side of the channel sandstone or
“fault” in Hollis Township (T. 7 N., R. 7 E.), the coal shows unusual
variations in thickness, the bed increasing rather than diminishing in
thickness, as compared with the average thickness. Sketches and figures
from the mine of the Leitner (formerly German) Coal Company, indi¬
cating that in places in this mine the coal thickens to 10 feet, apparently
due to duplication or overthrusting of the bed produced by lateral pressure.
A similar thickening of the coal has been observed in Brewster and Evans
,o
I i'IS
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166
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PEORIA COUNTY
167
(Walben) mine in the short distance north of the Leitner mine. In the
Walben mine no evidence of overthrusting was observed but the coal in¬
creased in thickness gradually from a general average of 4 feet 6 inches
to 5 feet v inches at the edge of the “fault/'
In these same mines evidence of disturbance is also seen in the folding,
fracturing and shattering which affects the coal, as illustrated in figures
Id to 20. In some instances the coal is so brecciated and broken that it
may be easily worked with pick and shovel.
After describing in accurate details the fractures, disturbances,
Fig. 16.—Photograph of the roof and southwest wall of main entry of the
Leitner Coal Company’s mine in the SE. X A sec. 2, T. 7 N., R. 7 E.
Looking southeast. (See fig. 15, d.) A projecting flange of the coal is seen
in the center rising in the roof over the timbers. Several of the shear¬
ing joints show indistinct horizontal striae or flutings.
Reproduced from Bull. 506 by permission of the U. S. Geological Survey.
168
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
and thickening of the coal at the contact of the coal and the channel
sandstone, as summarized above, Udden 1 assigns the phenomena to
glacial fracturing:
“The author believes that the fractures are disturbances in the upper
part of the soft bed rock, caused by the pressure and motion of a con¬
tinental ice sheet in Pleistocene time; that they are planes marking the
outlines of immense blocks of the uppermost rock strata, tens, or possibly
hundreds of acres in extent, which have been dislodged from their original
position, displaced, fractured, rotated horizontally and in places vertically,
and partly ground into the till. He regards the region as having been a
locus of incipient glacial abrasion. Instead of thoroughly triturating the
grist, the glacial mill here merely blocked it out of the old land on which
it spent its force.”
Fig. 17.—Photograph of the left (southwest) wall of the mine entry shown
in Figure 16.
Looking southwest. (See fig. 15, /.) A fracture runs diagonally across the
center of the field separating the sandstone on the left from the coal on
the right. Near the sandstone the coal is shattered and mixed with
fragments of shale and sandstone.
Reproduced from Bull. 506, by permission of the U. S. Geological Survey.
lUdden, J. A., Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle:
U. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, p. 77, 1912.
PEORIA COUNTY
169
In support of Udden’s theory, it is true that along the lines of
the pre-glacial valleys, especially where cut into deeply by the present
streams, there is abundant evidence of local dislocation by what may
be called ice push. And it is also true that such localities in some
instances happen to be in areas corresponding to or contiguous to the
area occupied by the channel sandstone in the Lamarsh Creek basin.
However, in the author’s opinion, to assign the absence of the coal and
other phenomena observed at the sandstone “faults,” to glacial dislo¬
cation seems to call for an unusual and almost improbable exhibition
of glacial activity.
Fig. 18.—Another view of the mine wall shown in Figure 17. (See fig”. 15,
g .) An S-shaped sheared fracture is indicated by the letters a , b, c.
Somewhat irregular indistinct horizontal flutings appear to the right
of a line joining a and b.
Reproduced from Bull. 506, by permission of the U, S. Geological Survey.
170
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
The author’s interpretation of the sandstone “faults” is indicated
by the use of the term “channel sandstone” and is outlined here in
historical form:
After the accumulation of the peat and overlying muds now
represented by No. 5 coal and its roof shales, land streams came into
existence and cut channels into the muds and peat, thereby removing
both mud and peat along their courses (fig. 21 A). Eventually a layer
of sand at least a score of feet thick and in many places much thicker
Fig. 19. —View of the right (northeast) wall of the same mine entry as
Shown in figures 15, 16, 17, and 18.
Looking- northeast. (See fig. 15, k, opposite g.) The fractured face of the
coal appears above and to the left of the receding entry in the lower
right-hand corner of the view. Horizontal flutings appear on the face
of the coal at a. An S-shaped belt of fissured coal and shale separates
the coal from the sandstone on the left, and other fissures, roughly
parallel to this belt, appear indistinctly at b.
Reproduced from Bull. 506, by permission of the U. S. Geological Survey.
PEORIA COUNTY
171
was spread widely over the region, thickest of course along the posi¬
tions of the channels and thinner over the intervening areas (fig. 21B).
Subsequently the sand was covered over by the muds and silts upon
which the peat for No. 6 coal was still later deposited. With the burial
of the peat and overlying muds and sands under an increasing load
of still younger sediments, the peat changed gradually into coal and
the muds and sands into shales and sandstones. In such a process of
consolidation, the muds and shales shrink comparatively little, but the
peat is reduced to some such fraction as one-fifth of its original thick¬
ness. The consequent differential shrinkage between the strata away
from the channel lines resulted in the setting up of pressures and
strains which were relieved in such a way that the fracturing, coal
Fig. 20.—Another view of the mine wall shown in Figure 16. (See fig. 15,
opposite h.) Bed a is dark shale with some streaks of coal, somewhat
shattered, possibly the same as b; b is the roof shale of No. 5 coal; c
is No. 5 coal; d is sandstone.
Reproduced from Bull. 506, by permission of the U. S. Geological Survey.
172
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
thickening, and attendant phenomena exhibited at the “faults,” were
developed. Figure 21C is an attempt to present diagrammatically the
author’s idea of the way in which the forces probably acted in effecting
the readjustments made necessary by the differential shrinkage.
The economic bearing of the correct interpretation of the phe¬
nomena rests upon the importance of determining the nature of the
Fracture zone
Fracture zone
C
x ' v ' v x X
* X FLOOR CLAY X X w
X - x X x x * X X X L * X
x v x x
x' - X X
X X X X
X X X X
X -X „ x
XX floor clayx X X
* X x x x x A X A X A X x X x -X /
50
40
30 -
20 -
10
a
Fig. 21—Diagrammatic sketch, indicating probable original conditions,
movements, and results, in the formation of the channel sandstones
(“faults”) of Peoria County. See text for explanation.
PEORIA COUNTY
173
“fault.” If this is a purely glacial phenomenon related to ice shove,
as proposed by Udden, then the delineation of areas where such a
phenomenon is to be found becomes very difficult. But if on the other
hand the disturbance can be traced to the existence of a channel sand¬
stone, it becomes a matter of reasonable possibility to locate the posi¬
tion and trend of such a deposit. Without examining the “channel
sandstone” interpretation at length, two points may well be mentioned
here in its support, the first very briefly, but the second in somewhat
more detail and with a map because of its weight and its practical
application to the “fault” problem.
1. The pressures and strains developed by differential settling of
the magnitude assumed, would seem to be entirely adequate to the
production of the features now observed at the “faults.”
2. As a result of the past ten years’ investigation, drilling, and
mine operations, engineers and operators have analyzed the “faults”
as masses of sandstone penetrating below the horizon of the coal and
have blocked out their extent over an area sufficient to indicate that
they have the general alignment of stream channels.
The position of the channel sandstones over the whole of the
Peoria region is not very definitely known. Many of the mines south
of Peoria and those in Tazewell County near East Peoria have felt
out the edge of the “faults” so that some idea of the position of one
of the sandstones is available. South of Peoria the Leitner Coal Com¬
pany’s mine, and the Walben mine, M. E. Case Coal Company have
worked up to the edge of the sandstone. The Wolschlag mine is re¬
ported to lie immediately to the east of the “fault.” Numerous drill
holes to test the coal have penetrated the sandstone in the area lying
between the east branch of Eamarsh Creek and the Illinois. Additional
drilling has been recently completed west of the east branch of La-
marsh Creek. The area of coal affected by the sandstone seems to
be confined to a strip of territory lying along the east side of the
valley of the east branch of Lamarsh Creek and extending south of
Eamarsh Creek along the bluff of the Illinois as far as Mapleton. A
similar area where the sandstone cuts out the coal is reported in the
vicinity of Wesley in Tazewell County.
The accompanying map (fig. 22) shows the status of information
concerning the position of the channel sandstone south of Peoria and
in Hollis and Limestone townships as worked out largely by Mr. W.
C. Evans of Peoria by drilling and observation in mines.
Hoo z
R.7E.
r
Drillhole to No.
5 coal.
Not deep enough.
No. 5 coal erod¬
ed.
No. 5 coal partly
eroded.
Approximate lo¬
cation.
Outcrop of No. 5
coal.
Shipping mine.
Abandoned ship¬
ping mine.
Local mine.
No. 5 coal absent
or fractured.
Channel sand¬
stone area.
PEK N
NDEO
Fig. 22.—Map showing the position of the channel sandstone south of Peoria.
PEORIA COUNTY
175
With the meager reports that are in existence concerning the
succession of strata in the part of Peoria County outside of the Peoria
quadrangle it is impossible to say that there are no other areas of chan¬
nel sandstone in the county, penetrating the horizon of No. 5 coal.
None of the mines located at Planna, Glassford, or Kramms reports
such ‘‘faults” in the area under operation. However, exploration of
undeveloped coal land should be guided by the possibility of such an
irregularity being present.
no. 6 COAL
No. 6 coal lies in two benches, separated by a layer of clay known
as the “blue band.” Part of Udden’s description 1 of this coal is cited
herewith:
“The lower bench varies from 1 foot 3 inches to 1 foot 8 inches thick.
The ‘clay band’ as the ‘blue band’ is also called by the miners, is uniform
and persistent, being absent in a few places, and is 2 to 3 inches thick.
The upper bench of the coal is in many places partly destroyed. * * *
Where intact, it measures 2 feet 1 inch to 2 feet 6 inches thick. In ad¬
dition to this there is in places about 6 inches of bony coal, which was
probably only locally deposited. * * * In places the lower part of the coal
has two interrupted bands of marca'site, one about 5 inches from the bot¬
tom and the other 9 inches higher up. These measure one-fourth to one-
half inch thick.”
Field investigations, drilling, and some mining of this bed dem¬
onstrate that No. 6 coal is more uncertain in its distribution than
No. 5. The seam varies greatly in thickness and in places seems to
be entirely missing. The cause of its irregular distribution seems to
be erosion subsequent to deposition rather than failure of deposition.
In the case of No. 5 coal, the removal of the peat and absence of the
coal was along rather well-defined lines of what were apparently the
courses of stream channels. But the removal of No. 6 coal was seem¬
ingly along less definitely organized lines suggesting that possibly the
irregularities in the coal are actually inheritances of irregularities in
the original bog in the low parts of which there may have been open-
water ponds and sluggish streams, these channels and ponds being
ultimately filled with silt and sand. These conditions of deposition
seem to have persisted over the entire area in which No. 6 coal was
deposited in the State. The coal seems to have been more commonly
affected by the irregularities in this region than in some parts of the
State, but the general nature of the irregularities seems to be every¬
where the same.
iOp. cit., p. 33.
176
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
MC LEANSBORO FORMATION
STRATA BETWEEN NO. 6 AND NO. 7 COALS.
In Peoria County the strata composing the McLeansboro forma¬
tion include all the rocks between the drift and No. 6 coal. No. 7 coal,
one of the widespread coal beds of the State, which in the Danville
and Longwall districts is of workable thickness, occurs 25 to 30 feet
above the base of the formation, but in this district is nowhere of com¬
mercial thickness.
The strata overlying No. 6 coal vary considerably. The normal
succession, occurring where the entire section is present, consists of a
gray shale, in places dark gray, 18 inches to 2 feet thick, overlain by
limestone averaging a little more than 2 feet and in sixteen measure¬
ments, according to Udden, ranging from 3 inches to 4 feet. In many
places the shale above the coal is replaced by a variable sandy deposit
known among the miners as “white top.” Udden expresses the opinion
that this deposit is of much later age than the strata it replaces or
between which it is inclosed and suggests that it originated as cave
wash in solution cavities located in the under part of the limestone
cap-rock, erosion in which also affected the upper part of the coal bed. 1
The present writer, on the other hand, is of the opinion that the sandy
shale composing the “white top” represents deposits in depressions in
the original peat bog. It is believed that the lack of well-defined bed¬
ding in these deposits and the presence of slickensided surfaces and
partings and the conchoidal fracture of the material which Udden cites
as evidence of the “cave” origin, were produced as a result of the
“kneading” to which the deposits were subjected because of the differ¬
ential shrinkage of areas of the peat of considerably different thickness.
The shrinkage of a bed of peat to coal now about 4 feet thick would
be in some proportion ranging between 32 to 1 and 3 to 1, 5 to 1 being
apparently the approximate average proportion that holds for Illinois
coals. It is clear that if the coal in places is 4 feet thick and in other
places because of the presence of a lenticular body of shale embedded
in its upper part only half as thick or less, movement must have taken
place to adjust the strains that resulted from differential shrinkage of
the thick and thin peat. As a result of the readjustments that must
take place in the lens of sandy shale or “white top” this material will
be “kneaded” and fractured and will tend to lose much if not all of its
originally laminated structure. The material will accordingly furnish
a very treacherous roof because of lack of coherence. Not uncom¬
monly the strains are carried downward into the coal, fracturing and
displacing it, especially along the edge of the “white top” masses.
lOp. cit., pp. 84-85.
PEORIA COUNTY
177
The cap-rock of No. 6 coal is fairly- continuous, apparently even
more continuous than the coal itself. The rock is an impure argil¬
laceous limestone, the lime content of which does not appear to com¬
prise much more than half the rock. It does not have the appearance
of a rock that would develop large cavities by the action of ground
water. Udden 1 describes the rock as follows:
“.Clay seams separate it into four or five beds of unequal thickness.
In places the middle beds weather into blocks a foot and a half thick. The
thin top layer is in places separated from the other beds by a seam of
clay measuring several inches.
“The rock is light gray in color. In places it exhibits an indistinct
nodular or concretionary structure, the nodules measuring one-half to one
inch in diameter, but this is not general. With the aid of a lens nearly
one-third of the mass of the upper beds is seen to consist of organic frag¬
ments, representing mostly brachiopods, crinoids, and Fusulinas. These
lie embedded in an apparently structureless calcareous matrix. Many of
the shell fragments are appreciably rounded. Fragments of Fusulina
can be found in every piece of rock. Another constant characteristic is the
presence, especially in the upper beds, of black nodular lumps impregnated
with bituminous material. They are sharply delineated from the matrix
and exhibit a rough exterior surface. In many places they contain frag¬
ments of shells and appear to conform to the structure of the limestone
itself. In size they vary from a mere speck to masses 2 inches in diameter.
Generally they are three-fourths of an inch in diameter and slightly flat¬
tened. In the upper beds there are in places rounded pieces of calamarian
stems, which are also black from impregnating bituminous material and
exhibit a coarse cellular tissue/’
In Illinois the fossil Fusulina (now known as Girtyina) mentioned
in the foregoing quotation is apparently restricted in its occurrence to
the limestone cap-rock of No. 6 coal and to a limestone supposed to
occur several hundred feet above No. 6 coal and found only in the
eastern part of the State. The fossil has somewhat the appearance of
a short thick oat grain. Because it is almost invariably present in
every piece of the rock down to the size of a walnut and is rather
readily found, it serves as an accurate and practical method of identi¬
fying this limestone and the coal a short distance beneath it.
Above the limestone is light-gray or greenish shale or “soapstone”
above which is a massive sandstone, but which ranges in thickness
from 10 to 25 feet but averages about 20 feet. Between the sandstone
and the fire clay of No. 7 coal is generally clay shale 1 to 8 feet thick.
In some places this is dark greenish gray, and in others dark red or
brown. This red clay Udden regards as an infallible guiding stratum
for the coal beds of this region. Where present, it lies from 8 to 16
iOp. cit., p. 34.
178
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
feet under coal bed No. 7 and no other red clay is exposed in the Penn¬
sylvanian system in the Peoria region. It is noteworthy that a bed of
variegated shales is also reported to be present in District VII 1 within
50 feet above No. 6 coal. As a rule in that area they he a short dis¬
tance above No. 7 coal.
no. 7 COAL
No. 7 coal is generally present in the county except where it has
been removed by erosion. It maintains a very uniform thickness of
about 18 inches, which is insufficient to make the coal of commercial
value, at least for many years.
Udden states that the coal is especially characterized by lenses of
mineral charcoal commonly found near the top of the bed. In places
the charcoal is impregnated with pyrite and appears as “sulphur cakes”
or “blackjack.”
STRATA ABOVE NO. 7 COAL
The roof of No. 7 coal consists of a few inches of gray soft shale
resting upon the coal and above this, black shale in varying thickness
from 6 inches to 2 feet. In some places the black shale rests directly
upon the coal. Above the black shale there are in most places a few
feet of slightly siliceous and micaceous shale. The overlying sandstone
rests upon an uneven surface of sufficient relief to entirely eliminate
the upper shale in many places so that it rests upon the underlying
black shale and even upon the gray clay below. The sandstone varies
in texture from sandy shale to sandstone. Generally the lower beds
are coarser. Udden states 2 that about a mile west of Bartonville this
sandstone is nearly 40 feet thick.
At the top of these sandy beds is about 6 Yi feet of dark shale,
part of which is thought by Udden to represent an old soil. This is
followed by a 20-foot limestone ledge, known as the Lonsdale limestone
from its exposure at the old Lonsdale quarries. “The lower 5 feet of
this rock consists of a firmly cemented largely organic limestone, in
beds varying in thickness from 6 inches to 1% feet.” In places part of
the rock consists “of a calcareous mud-lump breccia, in which regular
lumps of a dark compact structureless carbonate of lime are embedded
in a less pure, greenish-gray matrix. In this matrix fragments of
fossils also occur.” Above these firm beds there are 15 feet of a
slightly argillaceous and more flaggy rock, in which concretionary
structure can nearly always be detected. 3
Above the limestone is a 15-foot sandstone which has only a
lKay, F. H., Coal Resources of District VII: Illinois Coal Mining- Investi¬
gations Bull. 11, p. 24, 1915.
2U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 506, p. 38.
30p. cit., p. 40.
PEORIA COUNTY
179
limited distribution as has also the overlying dark shale, which is the
uppermost Pennsylvanian stratum in the Peoria quadrangle. The gen¬
eral dip of the rocks toward the southeast makes it probable that the
youngest “Coal Measures” rocks will be found in the southeast part of
the county.
Deposits Above the Coae-bearing Rocks
The material overlying the Pennsylvanian strata consists either of
alluvium or glacial drift, that is unconsolidated stony clay, and sand
and gravel. Because the bed-rock surface was a land surface before
glaciation, except for a relatively thin covering of soil and of alluvium
along streams, it was affected by the ordinary processes of stream
action which produced the usual organized lines of drainage with
divides separating them. The glacial drift left by the continental ice
sheet tended to cover up the inequalities in the surface overridden by
the ice, and to produce a new surface with a relief originating in the
unequal distribution and thickness of the drift. The drift has a bear¬
ing on mining operations because it conceals the form of the underlying
rock surface and the character of the outcropping rocks, and renders
the distribution a single stratum, such as a coal bed, difficult to deter¬
mine without drilling.
The alluvium is confined to the valleys. The river which occupied
the valley of the Illinois before glacial time flowed at a much lower
level and at a position slightly different from that of the present river.
The map of the pre-glacial surface (PI. VI) shows the position of the
pre-glacial valley and the altitude of the channel. It will be noted that
the deepest part of this valley had an altitude of about 350 feet above
sea level. As No. 2 coal lies at an altitude of about 300 feet in the
vicinity of Orchard Mines and Pekin, it follows that this coal is prob¬
ably very lightly covered with drift if not removed within the pre¬
glacial Illinois valley in the southern part of the county. What is
possibly this coal is reported to outcrop below the valley fill beneath
the bed of the river about opposite Kingston Mines. 1
The wide area of deep filling at Peoria and up Kickapoo Creek
and a similar area of thick drift across the Illinois in Fondulac Town¬
ship, Tazewell County, and the general slopes of the old pre-glacial
upland surface in Kickapoo, Limestone, and Hollis townships and in
Groveland Township, Tazewell County, suggest to Udden 2 the pos¬
sibility that the old upland was continuous across the valley at the
position of present narrows between Bartonville and Hollis. This
iCooley, Hyman E., The Illinois River; physical relations and removal of
^ 64 navigation dams: Sanitary District of Chicago, Chart opposite page 42,
2U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 506, p. 52.
180
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
upland in that case would represent a divide between a stream crossing
the course of the present Illinois in a northwest-southeast direction at
about the position of Peoria and Kickapoo Creek and another stream
farther south. Udden, however, presents another hypothesis to account
for the narrows. “If the Illinois River valley antedates the glacial
epoch, its narrow course between Iowa Junction and Pekin may be due
to the comparatively more resistant sandstone above coal bed No. 5
which prevented as rapid recession of the bluffs on both sides of the
valley as has taken place elsewhere.”
The character and position of the pre-glacial valleys in Peoria
County that may exist outside of the area of the Peoria quadrangle
have not been reported.
Outcrops along the west bluff of the Illinois are nearly continuous
southward from Kickapoo Creek, and northward from Senachwine
Creek at Chillicothe. Between Peoria and Chillicothe, however, the
bluffs are composed of glacial till, representing remnants of the filling
in the pre-glacial Illinois valley.
The Minable Coae of Peoria County
Udden states that no less than seven coal beds occur in the Penn¬
sylvanian rocks of the Peoria region, of which only three are exposed.
Of these seven, but four have commercial value, and of these four only
three have been operated during the last calendar year. The beds of
workable thickness are No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7. Of these
only No. 5 is worked extensively on a commercial scale. One com¬
mercial mine has reopened workings in No. 2 coal, and several wagon
mines operating No. 6 and No. 7 coal. The general character of these
coals has been described in the section devoted to the geological suc¬
cession in Peoria County. It remains to consider the coals from an
economic viewpoint and to review the factors that affect its commercial
value. These are distribution, thickness, chemical character of the coal,
nature of impurities and irregularities, and character of roof and floor.
The coals will be described in an order the reverse of that just used in
discussion of the strata of the Pennsylvanian system.
. , no. 7 COAL
No. 7 coal is not of workable thickness in the central and southern
part of the county. Udden 1 states that the coal averages 1 foot 5 inches
in the Peoria quadrangle, and that the uniformity of its thickness is
remarkable in that area. Worthen 2 states in regard to this coal that:
lUdden, J. A., Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle:
U. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, p.36, 1912.
2 Worthen, A. H., Geological Survey of Illinois, Yol. 5, p. 249, 1873.
PEORIA COUNTY
181
“In the northern portion of the county, No. 7 is the principal coal
outcropping above the valleys of the streams, and the lower seams can
only be reached by shafts, or by an inclined tunnel carried down to their
level. This seam ranges from two and a half to three feet in thickness
in this part of the county, and its outcrop may be found on most of the
small streams. It is very regular in its development, and affords a coal
of fair quality where it is mined beyond the influence of atmospheric
agencies.”
The thickening of No. 7 coal northward in the northern part of
the county and thence toward the Longwall District parallels a thinning
of No. 6 coal in the same direction. In the northern district No. 6
coal is apparently absent, whereas No. 7 has a thickness of between
4 and 5 feet. In northeastern Peoria County north of Chillicothe, No.
7 coal has been worked at a number of wagon mines. In this vicinity
the coal is about three feet thick. The Survey has little definite in¬
formation in regard to the area underlain by No. 7 coal of workable
thickness, or of the general mining conditions.
MINE NOTES, NO. 7 COAL
The following notes taken in Crew Brothers’ mine north of Chilli¬
cothe in 1909 are given in lieu of more adequate data.
CREW BROTHERS’ LOCAL MINE, NEAR CHILLICOTHE
Entrance: Drift; No. 7 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 2 feet to SV 2 feet; averages 3 feet.
Section of the coal:
Section of No. 7 coal in Crew Brothers ’ mine, near Chillicothe
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black slate, or soapstone.
Coal . 10%
Trace of clay.
Coal . .. (> V 2
Trace of clay.
Coal . 6
Parting .
Coal . 7!4
Mother coal and trace of pyrite. 1
Coal . 4
Floor: Fire clay.
2 11 %
Character of the coal: The seam is fairly uniform throughout. The
bottom coal, below the mother coal, and the coal just above the mother
coal are somewhat harder than the other benches. The trace of pyrite in
the mother coal is persistent throughout the mine. It was called the “blue
band,” but is not to be confused with the well-known “blue band” so
characteristic of No. 6 coal.
182
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the roof and floor: The roof is a black shale or “slate”
which is in places replaced by “soapstone.” There was no limestone present
as a cap-rock. The floor is fire clay.
NO. 6 COAL
As No. 6 coal lies at an altitude of about 550 feet in the Peoria
region, it is consequently above the level of the Illinois and of Kickapoo
Creek for a considerable distance above the mouth of the Kickapoo.
In western Peoria County at Elmwood No. 6 coal is below stream level
and has an altitude of about 575 to 600 feet. It has about the same
altitude at Princeville. It is apparent that most of the county is under¬
lain by this coal, that it is generally under sufficient cover and with
roof undisturbed, so as to be accessible for drift mining in many places,
especially along Kickapoo Creek.
The coal possesses certain characteristics which stand in the way
of its general exploitation. It is more irregular in its development than
any of the other coals and principally for this reason it is generally
neglected. Worthen states in regard to this coal that “When fully
developed it is quite as thick as No. 5, but the miner who commences
drifting into this coal on a promising outcrop from four to five feet in
thickness, will frequently, in a distance of a hundred yards or less,
find the coal gradually thinning out to one-half its original thickness.” 1
Apparently the coal is more persistently developed in workable thick¬
ness in the northwestern part of the county than in the southern or
eastern part. Along the Illinois valley northward from Chillicothe it
seems to be thinner than No. 7 and has not been much worked.
Roof conditions also present difficulties in the working of the coal
that are not easily overcome. The regular normal roof is shale, com¬
monly gray, but in places nearly black, 6 inches to possibly 3 feet thick,
above which is a persistent cap-rock, averaging about 2 feet thick in
the Peoria quadrangle but ranging from 3 inches to 4 feet. It is pos¬
sibly considerably thicker in some places in the northern part of the
county. Notes taken about ten years ago in a mine located near Brim-
field state that 25 to 30 feet of limestone are present in that locality.
Under normal roof condition no serious difficulties are encountered.
The roof shale, which is commonly a foot or less in thickness, usually
falls soon after the coal is extracted, leaving a good hard limestone
roof. The expense of removing the shale is considerable, of-course,
but the cost of its removal can be fairly well estimated, so that it can be
anticipated before a project is started. The usual roof, however, is in
many places replaced by “white top,” the nature and possible cause
iWorthen, A. H., Geological Survey of Illinois, Vol. 5, pp. 249-250. 1878.
PEORIA COUNTY
183
of which were discussed on an earlier page. It is sufficient to restate
here that this material appears to be the sand and sandy mud filling of
depressions existing in the original peat swamp, later covered along
with the rest of the area, by the limestone cap-rock. Adjustments that
were necessary because of the differential shrinkage during the change
of the peat and sands to coal and rock destroyed the original structure
of the sandy lens, “kneading” and crushing them until they now lack
coherence and are very difficult to hold. Moreover, the adjustments
commonly produced fractures in the coal and weakened the overlying
limestone. The total result is a roof condition generally above thin
coal that is extremely undesirable, as it is dangerous and costly to
provide for. No system of distribution of the “white top” has been
discovered. It is usually present to some extent in any body of coal
large enough to be worked, and mines have been worked until the poor
roof conditions exist in half or more of the workings. Profitable min¬
ing is impossible, however, under these conditions.
It is apparent that commercial exploitation of No. 6 coal in this
region is not to be considered while No. 5 coal is present in large blocks
suitable for mining. It is possible that some system more suitable for
operating the No. 6 coal than the room-and-pillar method can be em¬
ployed, designed to meet the uncertainties that exist, and it is possible
also that careful investigation of white top in the region may reveal
some system of distribution the discovery of which will assist in devis¬
ing a suitable method for the extraction of the good coal. At present
no block of this coal should be considered for development without
intensive drilling to determine the roof conditions and the thickness of
the coal.
No. 6 coal is characteristically divided into beds or benches wher¬
ever it occurs in the State. Partings and seams of clay, mother coal,
or pyrite are generally present and in this county apparently always
present to subdivide the bed into benches. Udden describes the bed as
subdivided into only two benches by the clay seam or “blue band,” a
seam of clay or shale Yi to 3 inches thick, found 12 to 14 inches from
the bottom and 33 to 46 inches from the top of the coal. Where the
white top is present more or less of the upper bench is absent, so that
the thickness of this bench varies considerably. As a general thing it
is believed that the bottom bench is undisturbed. Observations in
various local mines indicate that bedded impurities other than the clay
or blue band are very persistent at least locally. A rather continuous
band of “sulphur” of clay lies in the lower bench generally in the upper
half. It is not always possible to identify blue band with certainty
184
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
where both of these bands are present, as they are commonly quite
similar. The upper bench, above the blue band, commonly contains
several thin partings. One, 12 to 18 inches from the top, seems to be
fairly persistent in the mines in the northern part of the county, others
are of local distribution, not being persistent even throughout the work¬
ings of a single small mine. The total effect of these various impurities
is to make the coal as produced rather dirty, although the individual
benches between the partings are clean coal. The task of mining clean
coal by carefully separating the dirt from the coal in the mine is rather
exacting upon the miner and it is doubtful whether it can generally be
effectively accomplished. Mechanical separation by washing or other
means would probably produce much cleaner coal than the usual mine-
run output.
The occurrence of pyrite (“sulphur”) in bands and thin lenses is
characteristic of No. 6 coal nearly everywhere in the State except in
the area of low-sulphur coal in southern Illinois. This sheet or plate
pyrite is commonly of either a bright or a stony dull variety, compact
and structureless. As its separation from the coal is comparatively
easy, this coal is more readily cleaned of its sulphur than other beds
in which lenticular laminated gray or brown pyrite is found. The fact
that the pyrite commonly occurs in the partings makes it all the more
readily extracted at the face.
Observations in a few of the local banks indicate that this coal
like No. 5 is cut by clay veins or horsebacks. They are not so common,
however, as to be typical of the bed, and do not represent a serious
impurity in the coal as is commonly the case in No. 5.
The floor of this coal is fire clay, with no peculiar characteristics
so far as is known.
MINE NOTES, NO. 6 COAL
The following observations were made in a few mines in the
county operating No. 6 coal. Some have since been abandoned and
all were local operations at the time the observations were made.
BERRY BROTHERS’ WAGON MINE, NEAR BRIMFIELD
IN THE SW. 14, NW. %, SEC. 5, T. 10 N., R. 6 E.
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 6 coal about 35 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 2 feet to 4 feet 9 inches; averages
3 feet 3 inches.
Section of the coal:
PEORIA COUNTY
185
Section of No. 6 coal, Berry Brothers' mine , near Brimfield .
Thickness
Ft. in.
Coal (top coal) . 1 6
Pyrite . Vz
Coal . 1
Clay band (“blue band”) . 2
Coal . 1
Pyrite . Vz
Coal . 1
“4 9
The best coal in the above section is the upper 30 inches. The two
bands of pyrite noted are persistent throughout the workings.
Character of the coal: The general succession is indicated by the
above generalized section. Clay slips or “horsebacks” are common and
there is considerable “white top” present. The coal dips to the northeast
about 1 per cent, and one small fault with 2V> feet displacement was noted.
Character of the roof: The normal roof is gray to black shale which
falls with the coal, with a limestone cap-rock above. The small fossil
Girtyina was identified in fragments of this rock, which establishes the
identity of the coal.
Character of the floor: The floor is described as fire clay. No un¬
usual characteristics were noted.
TAYLOR AND SONS’ WAGON MINE AT PRINCEVILLE,
NW. NW. (4, SEC. 24, T. 11 N., R. 6 E.
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 6 coal about 75 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 2 feet to 5 feet 2 inches; averages
4 feet 8 inches.
Sections of the coal:
Section of No. 6 coal in Taylor and Sons' local mine at Princeville
1st room off 1st west entry, 500 feet from shaft Thickness
Ft. in.
1. Coal . 2Vz
2. Parting .
3. Coal ... 10
4. Clay parting . Vs
5. Coal . y*
6. Clay . Vs
7. Coal . 10
8. Pyrite . V4
9. Coal . 4 V 2
10. Clay . %
11. Coal . 6%
12. Clay (“blue band,” called clay band). 2(4
13. Pyrite . Vz
14. Coal ... 7
15. Clay (called “blue band”) . Vz
16. Coal . 6
17. Pyrite . Vz
18. Coal . 7
10 %
4
186
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: Of the partings noted in the preceding sec¬
tion of the coal, numbers 4, 8, 12, 15 and 17 are persistent. As the section
indicates, the coal is rather dirty because of the numerous bands of im¬
purity. The coal between the bands, however, is clean.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is a black to gray car¬
bonaceous shale spoken of as “ramble.” This is about 6 inches thick
and above it is the limestone cap-rock. The shale falls with the with¬
drawal of the coal, leaving a firm hard limestone roof. No record is made
of the presence of “white top” in this mine.
Character of the floor: An impure coal composed of a mixture of
mother coal and shale commonly is present in the bottom of the bed to a
thickness of 6 inches or less. Below this material fire clay is reported
to be present.
WAGON MINE, LOCATED BETWEEN GLASFORD AND HANNA,
SW. y± SE. % NE. %, SEC. 34, T. 8 N., R. 6 E.
Entrance: Drift; No. 6 coal.
Thickness of coal: Average 3 feet 10 inches.
Section of coal:
Section of coal in local mine, north of Glasford
Limestone with many Girtyina .3 feet to
Shale, gray.4 inches to
Coal .
Blue band.l 1 /^ to 3 inches, average
Coal .
Pyrite lenses .up to
Coal .
Clay band. V\ inch to
Coal .
Fire clay .
Thickness
Ft • in.
4
8
2
1
3
3
5
%
9V 2
NO. 5 COAL
3 10
No. 5 coal is the most valuable bed in the county. Its desirability
rests upon its fairly widespread occurrence, its uniform thickness, the
satisfactory mining conditions under which much of it can be worked,
and the absence of impurities that can not be removed by careful min¬
ing. In places, however, conditions exist that render the cost of mining
prohibitive of profit, or that affect the quality of the coal in such a way
as to render it unmarketable. These conditions are local, however,
being far from common enough to condemn the whole body of coal.
Conditions which affect the distribution of the coal have already
been described at some length earlier in this bulletin, in the discussion
of the strata between No. 5 and No. 7 coals. The attention of the
reader who is especially interested in the irregularities in the distribu-
PEORIA COUNTY
187
tion of the coal is therefore directed to the discussion on pages 161
to 163, and 165 to 175. It may be repeated here that uncertain¬
ties with respect to the distribution of the coal that are of significance
in the development of new properties are of two sorts. One results
from the lack of definite information with regard to the position and
depth of lines of pre-glacial drainage, and the other from the undeter¬
mined extent and distribution of certain bodies of sandstone, which
have been termed channel sandstones, and which lie across the position
of No. 5 coal.
Udden states that the average thickness of No. 5 coal is 4 feet
4 inches for the Peoria quadrangle. This is probably a fairly accurate
estimate for the entire county, although no figures are available con¬
cerning the thickness of this coal in the northern part where No. 6
rather than No. 5 coal is being mined at local banks. The coal shows
a variation in thickness of not over 5 to 6 inches in each area where
it is worked. In the places where it departs from the usual thickness,
the bed more commonly tends to be thinner rather than thicker than
the average. The more common variations in thickness, however, are
apparent rather than real, being due to small faults accompanied by a
slight displacement at the position of the clay slips or horsebacks.
When the plane of movement is inclined, the result is to produce an
apparent thinning of the bed when measured vertically across the fault
plane (fig. 23). Such slight displacements at horsebacks are the most
frequent cause of variations in thickness of the No. 5 coal.
The irregularities in No. 5 coal that are the most continual source
of difficulty and expense are the horsebacks, both clay slips and
“sulphur spars/’ The number of these differs considerably in different
parts of the county, some mines encountering them in great numbers,
whereas other mines find so few that they are of little consequence.
The mines in Hollis and Limestone townships, except those west of
Mapleton, seem to be more troubled by the horsebacks than those
farther west at Glasford, Hanna, and Edwards.
The Peoria County horsebacks are similar to those described in
Fulton County and to those that occur elsewhere in this district. At
least for a short distance above the coal the coal bed and overlying
strata have been fractured and in some instances offset along the
fracture. The planes of fracture are generally nearly vertical and
rarely if ever inclined more than 45 degrees. Opposite sides of the
fractures, along which there has been no movement to offset the bed,
are roughly parallel. The fractures themselves have been filled with
clay, which apparently has been forced into them, or with vein pyrite
188
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
where they are very narrow. The upper layers of the coal next to the
fractures that are clay filled have commonly been forced downward,
and fragments of roof shale are found in the fissures below the top of
the coal, indicating that the clay has been forced in from above. This
relationship possibly does not always hold and possibly is of no great
significance, for whether the clay originated below or above the coal it
obviously is forced into the fissures in the coal as an adjustment of
inequalities in pressure which probably are responsible for the frac¬
turing.
Fig. 23.—Diagrammatic sketch showing the manner in which faulting along
a horseback will effect an apparent thinning of the coal bed.
Where these horsebacks are present, production of clean coal and
the support of the roof near the fractures are difficult. The first diffi¬
culty is met by discarding all the coal affected by the horseback. The
clay veins are generally rather heavily impregnated with pyrite which
also fills many of the smaller cracks in the coal adjacent to the main
fissure, so that the horseback and some attached coal on either side is
usually removed in large pieces. The expense of removing the horse-
PEORIA COUNTY
189
backs is indicated by the following agreement between the operators
and miners of the Second Sub-District, dated April 1, 1918:
“Eighteen—That all horsebacks, rolls, or slips, marking the coal two
to six inches average width in the center of such horseback, roll, or slip,
whether coming from top or bottom, shall be $2.80, and 23 cents for each
additional inch thereafter.
“When a slip, roll, or horseback continues with the working place more
than the width of such working place, it shall be paid for at the same rate,
as long as it continues with the said working place.”
The coal removed and wasted by this method of handling the
horsebacks amounts to a very considerable proportion of the coal mined
in some operations.
The second difficulty noted above, that of supporting the roof
near horsebacks, is a very serious one. If the cracks are numerous and
rather wide, so that the cohesion of the cap-rock is weakened, the strata
are almost impossible to hold. Horsebacks that run with an entry not
Cross cut
Fig. 24. —Sketch showing the cracks cutting the roof along the 6th south¬
east entry of the Leitner Coal Company’s mine.
uncommonly cause ‘Tails” their entire length of many feet. Such con¬
ditions of course make the expense of mining very high. There is
apparently no systematic attempt in any of the mines to remedy the
conditions. They are met as they arise and the success or failure of
a mining enterprise depends largely upon the company’s fortune in
striking a good or bad piece of coal. Unfortunately drilling does not
assist much in determining the frequency of the horsebacks. The pros¬
pector for new resources is dependent upon information gained at out¬
crops, in local banks, and in mines adjacent to the property under
consideration.
The accompanying sketch (fig. 24) of the cracks cutting the roof
along one entry of the Leitner Coal Company’s mine will give some
idea of the frequency of the horsebacks in some mines in the region.
The “sulphur spars” are nearly as expensive and possibly more
troublesome to handle than the clay veins. The pyrite is true vein
filling which not only occupies the space opened by the fissure but
190
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
ramifies the adjacent coal along small cracks and cleavage planes. The
result is a mass of hard coal commonly extending as much as four
inches either side of the main vein. This material is exceedingly hard
to cut and is more objectionable to the miner than the clay veins, al¬
though the latter are larger.
“Sulphur” or pyrite other than that found in the sulphur spars is
an impurity of varying importance. In some mines it is very common
and its removal a matter of considerable difficulty. In other mines it is
of small consequence. In general the sulphur is more common in those
mines in which the coal bed is crossed by numerous horsebacks. The
pyrite is principally of two kinds: the bright brassy variety commonly
found near the roof or in the upper part of the coal; and the brown
or gray pyrite lenses. The former is present in about the same amount
in all the mines irrespective of the number of horsebacks present; the
latter is distributed in greater abundance near horsebacks, and espe¬
cially near the clay veins. The gray or brown sulphur occurs as
lenticular masses with indistinct outline and grayish color, and ap¬
parently consists of interlaminated pyrite and carbonaceous material.
Many of the gray pyrite lenses widen out toward a contiguous clay
vein, attaining their greatest size at the contact. The lenses are not
uncommonly 4 inches thick at the thickest part and extend laterally as
much as 3 or 4 feet. This material is supposed to be rejected by the
miner, a docking system being in force to encourage the loading of
clean coal. The laminated pyrite seems to have an origin dependent
in some manner upon the fissuring and therefore constitutes additional
difficulty with which the mines having numerous horsebacks must
contend. In themselves, however, they are not a very serious impurity,
and do not greatly affect the value of the coal.
Some of the mines, in addition to the varieties of pyrite already
described, have a streak or thin lens of pyrite from one-eighth to one
inch thick and about half an inch above the bottom of the coal. This
sulphur comes up with the bottom coal and is then broken off, together
with more or less attached coal. Not uncommonly, likewise, the lens
or mass of limestone lying between the coal and the “slate” and carry¬
ing many fossils is generally replaced to considerable extent by pyrite
so that the fossils and texture of the rock are preserved in pyrite rather
than limestone. The “niggerheads” in the black “slate” are also pyrit-
ized, though commonly only in a zone at the surface. In some of the
mines south of Peoria a discontinuous layer of “brown” pyrite is pres¬
ent about midway in the bed.
The typical roof of No. 5 coal in this county as elsewhere is a
PEORIA COUNTY
191
succession of black “slate” about 1 foot thick, above which is about
12 inches of gray clay or clod, and 8 to 12 inches of cap-rock. The
thickness of the cap-rock may vary considerably from this figure, but
as it usually stays up, its general thickness is not accurately deter¬
minable. Except where broken by fissures the roof is very satisfactory.
Over part of the coal is a massive, substantial sandstone roof.
This roof is most commonly found near the “faults” or channel de¬
posits that have been described. The coal is not essentially different
under the sandstone from what it is under the shale. Under each
variety of cover it has the usual horsebacks and other irregularities,
the fissures continuing up into the roof whether it be sandstone or shale.
The floor is a fire clay of the usual character and gives no special
difficulties.
MINE NOTES, NO. 5 COAL
The following observations are presented with the idea that they
will throw light on conditions in local areas in the field.
LOGAN COAL COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE AT HANNA CITY
Entrance: Shaft; about 236 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness: About 3 feet 4 inches.
Sections of the coal:*
Sections of
coal bed
in Hanna City mine
Section
A
B
C
D
Laboratory No.
22982
22983
22984
22985
Ft. in.
Ft.
in.
Ft. in.
Ft.
in.
Roof, shale 2 1 / £ feet.
• •
• •
• • • •
• •
# m
Coal, bony.
6*
• •
• •
• • • •
• •
6*
Coal, bright .
1 6
1
0
3 3
1
0
“Sulphur” to “mother
coal” .
Streak
• •
%*
• • • •
Streak
Coal, hard.
1 4
2
3%
• • • •
1
10
Floor, underclay.
• • i
• •
• •
• • • •
• •
• •
Thickness of bed.
3 4
3
4
3 3
3
4
Thickness of coal sampled
2 10
3
3%
3 3
2
10
*Not included in sample.
Character of the roof
and floor
: Roof
is a
hard gray
shale
about
2 feet 6 inches thick; the floor is underclay 3 to 5
feet thick.
Samples were collected at the places where the sections were made
and analyzed by the U. S. Bureau of Mines, 2 and the results are reprinted
as a part of Table 3 of this report.
CLARK COAL AND COKE COMPANY’S EMPIRE (NO. 2) MINE AT PEORIA
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal, 180 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 to 4^ feet; average 4 feet.
Sections of the coal:
iU. S. Bureau of Mines Bull. 123, p. 179.
2U. S. Bureau of Mines Bull. 123, p. 35.
192
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Empire Mine
Sections of No. 5 coal in the Clark Coal and Coke Company's
Section 1—First butt entry off 11th east entry Thickness
Ft. in.
Coal ....
Soot seam
Coal ....
Soot seam
Coal ....
7%
1
• •
11 %
10
8 %
4 i y 2
Section 2—Face 13th entry off main south entry
Thickness
Ft- in
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean . 11
Mother coal parting . Vs
Coal, clean . 3
Mother coal .. Vs
Coal, fairly clean . 2 %
Floor: Fire clay.
~3 3
Impurities: Pyrite in vertical streaks and a few horizontal streaks
of mother coal.
Section 3 — Roo7n 3, 7th south entry off 11th west off straight south
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, fairly clean .
Bone .
Coal, clean .
Bone .
Coal, clean .
Floor: Shell coal and fire clay
• • • •
3 5
%
1%
%
5%
4 1
Impurities: Bone and mother coal in horizontal streaks; calcite in
vertical streaks.
Section U — Face, 3d north entry off 1st west off straight south
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, clean, bright . 1 1%
Mother coal . %
Coal, fairly clean, slightlv streaked. HV 2
“Sulphur” . %
Coal, fairly clean . 1 V 2
Bone, lens. V 2
Coal, fairly clean . 11
Floor: Fire clay .
4
2
PEORIA COUNTY
193
Impurities: Calcite in joint cracks; pyrite in vertical streaks; mother
coal and pyrite in horizontal streaks.
Character of the coal: The coal is described by the observer who
measured section No. 1 as tough, hard to break, and uniform in quality
throughout with no definite line of impurity. Occasional sulphur balls
and the clay slips characteristic of No. 5 are present, but not common.
Character of the roof: Above the coal is 2 inches of “draw slate”
followed by 1 to 2 feet of dark “slate,” in places containing a limestone
band or cap-rock up to 18 inches in thickness. Sandstone overlies the
black shale and where the shale is thin it always falls. Niggerheads
are common in the roof shale.
CRESCENT COAL COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE ABOUT 3 MILES NORTH
OF BARTONVILLE
Entrance: Shaft; 195 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Average thickness 4 feet 2 inches. 1
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in the mine of the Crescent Coal Company
Section 1—Face of the 5th southeast entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, fairly clean . 10
Mother coal and dirt. !4
Coal, dirty . 3 6
Floor: Dark gray shale
4 4*4
Impurities: Coal contains pyrite, mother coal and dirt in horizontal
streaks with calcite in the joint cracks.
Section 2—Face off room 22, off 6th north entry
Roof: Black shale ....
Coal, fairly clean .
Pyrite parting.
Coal, fairly clean .
Mother coal, soft .
Coal, dirty .
Floor: Dark gray shale
Thickness
Ft. in.
1
1
1
10 %
%
2
%
4 1
iThirty-sixth Annual Coal Report of Illinois: Department of Mines and
Minerals, 1917, p. 84.
194
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section 3—Face of 10th south, off west entry
Roof: Black shale . .. .
Coal, clean .
Mother coal .
Coal, dirty, dull .
Mother coal .
Coal, dirty, dull .
Mother coal .
Coal, fairly clean .
Floor: Dark gray shale
Thickness
Ft. in.
• • • •
ioy 2
y 8
1 2
.. %
1 2
%
2 1
4 2
Impurities: Pyrite, mother coal and dirt in horizontal streaks; pyrite
in vertical streaks.
COLLIER CO-OPERATIVE COAL COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE, AT BARTONVILLE
Entrance: Slope; 110 feet to floor of mine.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4 to 414 feet; averages 4 feet 3
inches.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of A r o. 5 coal in mine of Collier Co-operative Coal Company
Section 1—Room 45 off 10th entry off main north;
3,300 feet southeast of shaft Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale . 18
Coal, clean . 4 1
Floor: Fire clay.. 1 8
~7 3
Section 2 1 —At face of 6th north entry off main west entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Dark shale .
Coal, conchoidal fracture . 5
Coal, rough fracture . 3 7
Coal and “sulphur” . 1*
Floor: Brittle clay.
^4 T
Section 3 1 —At face of room 1, 4th north entry in by 3d north parting
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Dark shale.
Coal, conchoidal fracture . 7
Coal, rough fracture . 1 1
Coal and “sulphur” . 14*
Coal . 2 6%
Floor: Brittle clay.
•Not included in sample.
lSee footnote 1, page 195 opposite.
PEORIA COUNTY
195
Section 4 3 —At face of nth north entry off main west entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Dark shale.
Coal, conchoidal fracture . 6
Coal, rough fracture . 3 7
Coal and “sulphur” . V 2
Floor: Brittle clay.
4 IV 2
Character of the coal: The bed is reported to be fairly uniform with
few horsebacks and no rolls or faults.
Character of the roof and floor: The roof is dark shale about 10
feet thick, above which is a limestone cap-rock, having an irregular sur¬
face. The floor is a brittle underclay.
The analyses are of samples collected where the sections Nos. 2, 3,
and 4 were measured by the U. S. Bureau of Mines. 2
M. E. CASE COAL COMPANY’S NO. 1 (WALBEN) MINE, SOUTH OF PEORIA
Entrance: Drift; about 16 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Averages 4 feet 7 inches. The coal thickens
greatly near the sandstone “fault,” but elsewhere its thickness is very
uniform.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in Walben mine of the M. E. Case Coal Company
Section 1—Room 1+3, 7th south off 6th west
Thickness
Ft. in
Roof: Sandstone .
Coal . 1 8%
Clay and pyrite. V 2
Coal . &V 2
Clay and pyrite interlaminated . X A
Coal . 2
Floor: Firs clay.
4 4
Thickness
Ft. in
1 9
%
2 V 2
3 10
lFieldner, A. C., Smith, H. I., et al, Analyses of mine and car samples
of coal collected in the fiscal years 1913 to 1916: U. S. Bureau of Mines Bull.
123, pp. 178, 179, 1918.
2U. S. Bureau of Mines Bull. 123, p. 35.
Section 2—End of 7th south off 6th west
Roof: Black slate .
Coal .
Pyrite and clay intimately laminated .
Coal with some streaks of clayey mother coal .
196
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: The coal is uniform in its general character¬
istics. The bed commonly carries a layer of intimately interlaminated
pyrite and carbonaceous clay known as brown “sulphur” about 2 feet
below the top, but this impurity is not persistent. Horsebacks are common
and are of some special interest because the breaks generally continue
up into the sandstone which lies upon or a short distance above the coal.
In the 3d west entry off the 4th south, the sandstone at one place showed
an open crevice above a horseback out of which the gage has fallen for
a height of 15 to 20 feet. Clay shale shows in the top of the crack. It
was not clear whether the clay was a continuation of the filling or a shale
bed above the sandstone. The crack looked like a crack that had been
produced or at least widened by weathering, the sides being rounded,
or smoothed rather than clean and sharp. There was essentially no offset
of any of the beds.
Below the horseback the clay floor is commonly raised in a ridge
suggesting that probably there was some movement of the floor clay into
the crack when it opened. The character of the lower clay is quite dif-
Fig. 25.—Sketch of the contact of coal and “fault” in the 6th west off main
north entry of the M. E. Case Coal Company's No. 1 (Walben) mine
ferent from that filling the larger part of the fissure, this material appar¬
ently coming from some strata above the coal. These rolls in the floor
clay are taken up by the miner, for which extra pay is given.
The operation of this mine is limited on the west by a sandstone “fault”
which cuts out the coal (fig. 22). The sandstone apparently occupies a
channel which penetrates the coal bed. The rock is a gray micaceous
sandstone of about the same character as that forming the roof of much
of the mine. At some places the coal feathers out under the sandstone
and at others it terminates very abruptly against the sandstone. The
nature of the contact at one place along the “fault” is shown by the
accompanying sketch (fig. 25).
Character of the roof: The immediate roof varies from the usual
succession of black “slate,” clod and cap-rock to merely sandstone. The
sandstone apparently lies irregularly upon the underlying strata, in places
resting directly upon the coal and in other places separated from the coal
by a greater or less thickness of the typical roof.
PEORIA COUNTY
197
Character of the floor: The underclay, about 18 inches thick, is
underlain by an “iron band” 10 inches thick. The clay heaves somewhat
in wet places, and the clay tends to “roll” up in the floor beneath the
horseback fissures, rising nearly 12 inches in some cases.
LEITNER COAL COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE, NORTHEAST OF ORCHARD MINES
Entrance: Drift mine; No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from about 4 feet to 6 feet; averages 4%
feet. The coal thickens markedly near its contact with the sandstone
“fault” (fig. 15) ; elsewhere it is practically uniform in thickness.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in the Leitner Coal Company's mine
Section 1 — 6th south entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black slate.
Coal, laminated, and with thin streaks of mother coal. 1 7%
Pyrite; mixture of clay, organic matter and pyrite. Called
“brown sulphur” by miners. 3
Coal, like top coal . 2 10 y>
Pyrite or clay, hard . %
Coal . y 2
Floor: Fire clay.
4 10
Thickness
Ft. in.
• • • •
11 %
2
1 v 2
2
2 11
5 3
Section 3—Face main west entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
. 1 4
. 2y>
. 2 6
Section 2 — 5th south entry.
Roof: Black slate with coal stringers.
Coal .
Pyrite and clay.
Coal .
Pyrite and clay.
Coal .
Pyrite streak in bottom .
Floor: Fire clay.
Coal .
Pyrite and clay
Coal .
4
%
198
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Section k—Room 12, back west entry
Roof: “Slate” .
Coal .
Pyrite band ....
Coal .
Pyrite and clay .
Coal .
Floor: Fire clay
Thickness
Ft. in.
1 1
iy 2
n%
2
2
4 4
Character of the coal: The bed contains a fairly continuous band
of “brown sulphur” about 18 inches to 2 feet from the top. Not un¬
commonly two such bands are present.
The horsebacks in this mine are very numerous. The mine map shows
that the “fault” is encountered on the west side, trending about northeast-
southwest from the S. W. cor. sec. 2, Hollis Township (T. 7 N., R. 7 E.).
The same or another body of sandstone is also present at the usual horizon
of the coal in section 11.
Character of the roof: The ordinary roof consisting of black shale,
clod, and cap-rock is present except where the sandstone has cut down
to the coal. The parting between the coal and the shale roof is poor and
commonly the lower 4 to 6 inches of the roof comes down with the coal.
It is rather difficult to separate the shale from the coal, so that the waste
material thrown into the gob contains considerable coal.
MAPLETON COAL COMPANY’S NO. 1 MINE, AT MAPLETON
Entrance: Slope; No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Uniform; varies between about 4 feet 4 inches
and about 4 feet 10 inches; averages 4 feet 6 inches.
Section of the coal:
Section of No. 5 coal in the mine of the Mapleton Coal Company
Measured in a room off the main ivest back entry
Coal with streak of pyrite in upper inch
Coal, dirty .
Coal .
Mother coal .
Coal .
Thickness
Ft.
2
m.
6
tV
2tt
%
4 9
Character of the coal: The coal is very uniform and clean. About
the only impurities are a few “horsebacks” and a few discontinuous clay
and mother-coal bands tV of an inch thick or less. Because of the great
regularity of the coal, no special description of the seam is necessary.
Character of the roof: The roof is constant in character. The suc¬
cession consists of the usual black “slate,” clod, and cap-rock. The first
is 12 to 14 inches thick, the second 14 to 16 inches, and the last 2 to 6
PEORIA COUNTY
199
inches, lying from 24 to 30 inches above the coal. Above the cap-rock is
gray shale. Although in places the cap-rock is rather soft and shaly,
generally it forms a solid roof. The black shale or “slate” roof carries a
few niggerheads lying in the “slate” and coal.
Character of the floor: The floor is fire clay; it heaves some where
damp and rolls up under horsebacks.
EAST MAPLETON COAL COMPANY’S “EAST” MINE, AT MAPLETON
Entrance: Drift; No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 4 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches;
averages 5 feet.
Character of coal: The coal is very irregular due to horsebacks and
persistent pyrite bands. The coal runs nearly 12 inches thicker than in
other mines and the irregularities in thickness are greater. The horse¬
backs, commonly 2 to 3 feet through, are present almost constantly in the
face. The cracks running up into the roof cut it up like a mosaic. The
floor below is offset along lines matching the cracks in the roof, giving a
relief of 8 to 12 inches.
The sulphur bands consist largely of the “brown” laminated pyrite.
An almost continuous streak, generally l^-inch thick and in places 6 to 9
inches lies about 24 inches from the top. These impurities and irregu¬
larities make mining very expensive, as it is probable that about half the
material taken out of the mine is rock waste.
The sandstone “fault” of the region is reported to lie a short distance
north of the present workings of the mine.
NEWSAM BROTHERS’ NO. 4 MINE, AT GLASFORD
Entrance: Shaft; 148 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Practically uniform; varies from 4 feet 4 inches
to 4 feet 6 inches.
Character of the coal: The coal lies in a single bench with few
irregularities. Horsebacks though present are not especially numerous.
Some pyrite is encountered in streaks, balls, and lenses. Pyrite lenses
averaging about 1 inch thick by 6 to 7 inches across are especially common
near the horsebacks. They begin to appear 6 to 8 feet back from the
fissure. Some of the horsebacks have a large per cent of pyrite in them
and are very hard to mine.
Character of the roof: The roof consists of 6 to 14 inches of black
“slate,” 6 to 8 inches of clod, and 8 to 10 inches of limestone cap-rock.
The parting between the coal and black shale is poor, due to the presence
of pyrite balls and lenses at this position. The pyrite tends to bind the
coal to the “slate” so that either the upper few inches of coal is left in
the roof or else the lower part of the shale comes down with the coal. In
the latter case the shale with 3 or 4 inches of attached coal is usually
thrown into the gob.
Character of the floor: Fire clay, which is reported to heave when
wet, forms the floor.
NO. 2 COAL
The coal which has been reopened during the last year in the mine
at Pottstown, and the coal formerly mined by the Third Vein Coal
200
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Company at Orchard Mines, and which is encountered in several drill
holes in the county 117 to 140 feet below No. 5 coal, is believed to be
the No. 2 bed.
The thickness of the coal averages about 2 y 2 feet, or about two-
thirds the thickness of No. 5 in this region and about 1 foot thinner
than No. 2 coal in the La Salle and Spring Valley region. Here as
elsewhere the coal is apparently regular in thickness, and uniform in
character over large areas. Impurities that could seriously affect the
value of the coal are lacking. The brassy nodules of pyrite typical of
this coal are present, but because their contact with the coal is sharp
and clean, they can be readily removed at the face. The pyrite im¬
pregnates the surrounding coal little if any, in contrast with the many
pyrites lenses in other coals, and it is therefore generally unnecessary
to discard much coal with the sulphur balls.
Roof conditions are normal for No. 2 coal. The “soapstone” or
gray shale and black “slate” found in succession above the coal in the
Longwall District 1 seems to be very widespread. The succession in
this field seems to be the same as that in the northern district. The
gray shale or “soapstone” is 9 to 12 feet thick on the average, which is
a few feet thinner than at La Salle, and the black “slate” is about 2
feet thick. The “slate” carries large niggerheads or limestone
concretions as in other regions. Above the black shale is a limestone
about 2 feet in thickness. In places the black shale comes down on the
coal cutting out the soapstone.
This coal is always mined by the longwall system, and except for
the fact that the coal is thin, conditions are favorable for mining.
There is little question but that eventually this bed will be extensively
mined in this region, though probably not until the best areas of No. 5
coal are exhausted.
The chemical character of No. 2 coal is discussed briefly in Part I
and an analysis of the bed is included in Table 3.
MINE NOTES, NO. 2 COAL
The following notes are based upon observations in two mines
operating in No. 2 coal. Of these the Third Vein Coal Company has
not been in operation for several years, the observations having been
made in 1908.
THIRD VEIN COAL COMPANY’S ABANDONED MINE IN NW. 14 SEC. 14,
T. 7 N., R 7 E.
Entrance: Shaft; 162 feet to the top of No. 2 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 214 to 314 feet; averages about 2
feet 11 inches.
llllinois Coal Mining Investigations Bull. 10, 1915.
PEORIA COUNTY
201
Section of the coal: The coal was measured southwest of the shaft
in room No. 5 off the first straight south (?) entry. The coal was 32 inches
thick, with gray shale roof and fire-clay floor.
Character of the coal: The coal contained one sulphur lens which in
the face measured 1 by 6 inches. Such lenses were reported to be rare
and to occur at any place in the bed. The coal is described as “long grain.”
Character of the roof: The shale or “soapstone’’ is a slabby dark-
gray shale with small lenses of light-gray, sandy shale 1 inch thick. The
gray shale is generally 8 to 12 feet thick, but is absent in places, the
black “slate” resting on the coal. The “soapstone” is slabby, dark gray,
and contains small 1-inch thick lenses of light-gray sandy shale. The black
“slate” above is thin, shelly, hard, and brittle, with half-inch lumps on the
bedding planes, and is reported to be about 10 feet thick. It contains
niggerheads commonly as large as 12 by 6 by 24 inches.
Character of the floor: The floor is fire clay which is at least 6 feet
thick. At one place it has been drilled into to a depth of 12 feet.
JOHN A. HOFFMAN’S “BLUE FLY” (WANTLING) MINE, AT POTTSTOWN
Entrance: Shaft; 107 feet to the top of No. 2 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 2 feet 4 inches to 2 feet 8 inches;
averages 2 Y 2 feet.
Sections of the coal:
SECTIONS OF NO. 2 COAL IN THE “BLUE FLY” MINE, AT POTTSTOWN
Section 1 Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Gray shale or “soapstone” containing small lime and
pyrite concretions, 9 feet or more.
Coal, clean . 1
Pyrite streak .
Coal .
Clay band .
Coal .
Floor: Fire clay.
2 5
Thickness
Ft. in.
2 6
2 6
Section 3—End of southwest entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Gray shale .
Goal . 2 6
Floor: Fire clay.
2 6
Section 2—50 feet south of shaft
Roof: Gray shale .
Coal, containing one sulphur ball 4 inches thick.
Floor: Fire clay .
9 is
lV
3
y 2
4
202
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: The seam is practically uniform throughout
the mine. The few partings are not persistent, but sulphur lenses and
balls occur at various positions. Many seem to be pyritized parts of plants.
These average in size about 14 by 8 to 10 inches; some are as large aS
4 by 12 to 14 inches. The amount of pyrite present is estimated to be
between 1 and 2 per cent by weight of the coal.
The coal is rather hard and bright. Some cleat is developed, the
fracture being north and south, and at right angles. Vertical sheets of py¬
rite are present but are not persistent in some of the joint cracks.
Character of the roof: The roof rock is typical “soapstone” about 9
feet thick. Above this is 2 feet of black “slate” which is capped in turn
by a 2-foot limestone.
Character of the floor: The floor clay is a gray, even-textured clay
which is reported to be 3 to 4 feet thick. Its character is not well known.
It probably will heave if wet.
NO. 1 COAL
No. 1 coal has been worked in the mine at Pottstown at a depth of
240 feet, 133 feet below No. 2 coal. Udden 1 states that the lower bed
consists of a lower bench varying in thicknes from 2 feet 2 inches to
3 feet, a parting of shale less than 3 feet thick, and an upper bench,
1 foot 2 inches to 1 foot 4 inches thick. Where the parting between
the two benches was not too heavy, both were mined. The coal is of
fairly good quality, but the mining was too expensive for the market
at the time, and operations ceased more than ten years ago.
In general it is believed that this seam of coal is probably too thin
to be of commercial importance for many years. It is possible, how¬
ever, that there is beneath it a clay of commercial value, which if mined
with the coal could be profitably extracted. Unfortunately, informa¬
tion in regard to the quality of the clay is not definite. Clays of com¬
mercial importance, however, are known to underlie the horizon of
No. 1 coal in other parts of the State, especially in the counties west
and south of Peoria County, so that exploration might be rewarded by
discovery of similar clays in this county.
iU. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, p. 80.
SANGAMON COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons from No. 5 and No. 6 coals, year ending
June 30, 1920 . 6,844,049
Production in tons from No. 5 coal, year ending June 30,
1920 4,485,434
Average production from No. 5 and No. 6 coals, 1916-1920,
inclusive . 6,696,458
Average production from No. 5 coal, 1916-1920, inclusive 4,564,363
Total production, from No. 5 and No. 6 coals, 1881-1920. .129,054,297
Total production from No. 5 coal, 1881-1920.85,000,000±
The total production of coal from Sangamon County for the year
ending June 30, 1920, was a little more than 9 per cent of the State’s
entire output. The production of No. 5 coal in the county was about
two-thirds of the combined production from No. 5 and No. 6 coal.
Six shipping mines in the southern part of the county report a pro¬
duction of 2,358,615 tons of No. 6 coal; and 22 shipping and 4 wagon
mines in the northern part of the county produced 4,485,434 tons of
No. 5 coal. Sangamon County as a whole ranked fourth among the
counties of the State. The shipping mines in operation in 1920 are
listed in Table 6.
Coal Bearing Rocks
Information concerning the geological succession of the northern
part of Sangamon, where No. 5 is the important coal mined, is con¬
tained in a report on the Springfield quadrangle by T. E. Savage 1 , and
in an earlier report on the geology and mineral resources of the Tallula
and Springfield quadrangles by E. W. Shaw and T. E. Savage. 2
These two publications will he largely drawn upon in describing the
coal-bearing rocks and the character of the coals.
The record of a deep hole is included in Part T and used in Plate II.
The following extract from State Geological Survey Bulletin 20
describes particularly the rocks underlying the Springfield quadrangle
but applies generally to all that part of the county covered by this re¬
port.
iSavage, T. E.. The Geology and mineral resources of the Springfield
quadrangle: Illinois State Geological Survey Bull. 20 pp. 97-130, 1915.
2Shaw. E. W.. and Savage. T. E., U. S. Geological Survey Geol. Atlas:
Tullula-Springfield folio (No. 188) 1913.
203
204
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
KINDS OF ROCK IN THE AREA
“The rocks of the Springfield quadrangle consist of: (1) sur-
ficial materials, composed of unconsolidated beds of glacial till or drift,
loess, sand, and alluvium which have been derived from the breaking
down of pre-existing rocks; and (2) sedimentary rocks, which under¬
lie the surficial materials and consist of more or less consolidated beds
of sandstone, shale, limestone, and seams of coal, arranged in nearly
horizontal layers.
SURFICIAL MATERIALS
“The surficial materials in this area comprise glacial, aeolian, and
fluvial deposits, which cover the sedimentary rocks to an average depth
of about 35 feet. They are thinnest over the areas that formed the high¬
lands in the pre-glacial time and are thickest above the valleys of the
early Pleistocene streams. Sangamon River follows such an old valley
along its northward course near the west side of the quadrangle. Over
this valley a well in the NW. Ti sec. 23, T. 18 N., R. 6 W. was put
down 170 feet without reaching the bottom of the surficial materials.
The altitude of the bottom of this drilling was 125 feet lower than the
surface of the consolidated rocks two miles farther east.
INDURATED ROCKS
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
“The hard rocks of this region have been studied in natural expos¬
ures through a thickness of 225 feet. By means of test borings for
coal and oil they have been explored to a depth of 1,500 feet. Columnar
sections of the logs of representative coal shafts and test borings are
given in Plate VII. These show in detail the character and sequence
of the strata that underlie the surface materials as far as they have
been explored in this region. All the information concerning the rocks
underlying the Pennsylvanian strata in this area is obtained from a
drilling near Springfield, a log of which is shown in section 1, Plate
VII. The succession and geological position of these rocks are also
shown in the following generalized section.
%
10
(
104
20 <
30(
400
SOO
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
eoeogicae Survey
Mining Investigations Buee. 26, Peate VII
No. 4
LACK SHALE -
>ANDY SHALE
LONGLOMERATE
ANDY LIMESTONE
LALY LIMESTONE
MESTONE a..J EUNT
HESTON E tMi CHERT
LIST OF RECORDS SHOWING LOCATIONS
1. Diamond drill, SE. M sec. 5, T. 15 N, R. 5 W.
2. Generalized Peoria section
3. Generalized Springfield section
4. Madison Coal Company, shaft No. 6, Divemon
5. Mechanicsburg mine shaft
6. Springfield Colliery Company shaft, SW. V* sec. 13, T. 16 N., R. 5 W.
7. Williamson Coal Company shaft, NW. % sec. 20, T. 17 N., R. 4 W.
LACK SHALE
Plate VII.—Stratigraphic sections from the Springfield quadrangle.
SANGAMON COUNTY
205
Generalized section of hard rocks known in the Spring field
quadrangle
Thickness
Pennsylvanian system— Feet
McLeansboro formation—including all of the Pennsylvanian
strata above the top of No. 6 coal, and composed of shales,
sandstones, some impure limestones, and thin coals. 46-225
Carbondale formation—embracing all of the strata between
the base of No. 2 coal and the top of No. 6 coal; and con¬
sisting of shales, sandstones, limestone, and productive coal
beds; about . 243
Pottsville formation—comprising the strata between the bot¬
tom of the Pennsylvanian and the base of No. 2 coal, and
composed mostly of sandstones in the lower and shales in
the upper part, with interbedded thin coals; about. 278
)
Mississippian system—
Salem and St. Louis formations—predominantly limestones
with some shales; about. 215
Keokuk and Warsaw formations—dominantly shales with some
limestones; about . 164
Burlington formation—cherty limestones and chert; about. .. . 106
Kinderhook formation—greenish to bluish-gray shale, lime¬
stone and red shaly limestone; about. 155
Devonian system—
Upper Devonian series—dark shale with spores of Sporangites
abundant; about . 133
Middle Devonian series (Hamilton of Iowa or Northwest
province)—gray limestone; to bottom of boring....... 28 +
POTTSVILLE FORMATION
“Pottsville strata comprising the base of the Pennsylvanian sys¬
tem have been explored in three deep borings. They consist of coarse,
gray sandstone and some conglomerate in the lower part, and shales or
sandy shales predominating in the middle and upper portions. A thin
coal bed lies 140 feet from the base and a somewhat thicker coal about
100 feet above the former and 33 feet below the bottom of No. 2 coal.
CARBONDALE FORMATION
“It has seemed desirable by the Survey to use the name Carbondale
as a substitute for, and to make it embrace all the strata that were
included in, both the Petersburg and the La Salle formations as de¬
scribed in a previous report. 1 This is the important coal-bearing for¬
mation in the State. Its basal member, No. 2 coal, consists usually of
two thin beds separated by about 4 feet of dark shale. Above this coal
iDeWolf, P. W., Introduction to studies of Illinois coal: Illinois State
Geological Survey Bulletin 16, p. 180, 1910.
206
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
is a shale which is followed by sandstone, and that succeeded by dark-
colored shale up to an 18-inch coal bed, about 80 feet above coal No.
2. Between this coal and the next higher coal bed is an interval of
about 55 feet, occupied almost exclusively by dark shale. Above this
coal gray or blue to black shales extend to coal No. 5 which lies about
54 feet above the next lower coal.
“No. 5 (Springfield) coal is the important coal seam in this region
and has an average thickness of about 6 feet. It contains numerous
Fig. 26.—Phonograph of a shale bed a short distance above No. 7 coal, ex¬
posed in the south bank of Spring Creek, NE. 14 sec. 25, T. 16 N., R. 6 W.
characteristic clay seams or 'horsebacks’ which extend down into it,
or through it, in a more or less vertical direction. The roof of this
coal consists of 3 to 5 feet of black, laminated, fissile shale bearing
numerous shells of Orbiculoidea missouriensis and other fossils, and
containing in the lower part numerous rounded nodules ('nigger-
heads’) of calcareous pyritic shale. A limestone cap rock, generally
about 12 inches thick, overlies the black shale, and is followed by 1 to
4 feet of light-colored shale. No. 6 coal lies about 50 feet above No.
5 coal and, with the exception of No. 5 cap rock, the strata lying be¬
tween these coals are mostly shale.
SANGAMON COUNTY
207
“Within the quadrangle No. 6 coal is only 2 to 14 inches thick, but
it becomes thicker and has been mined at Mechanicsburg to the east
and at Chatham to the south, only a short distance from the borders
of this area.
MCLEAN SBORO FORMATION
“The roof shale of No. 6 coal, the basal member of the McTeans-
boro formation, is 3 to 5 feet thick. It is followed by about 6 feet of
limestone which contains Fusulina ventricosa as the characteristic fos¬
sil. A thin coal (No. 7) 3 to 4 inches thick, occurs about 45 feet above
the No. 6 bed. Between these coals are several feet of red, mottled
shales which are exposed at Ralls Ford on Sangamon River, and con-
Fig. 27 .—\ icw of sandstone below No. 8 coal, exposed in the north bank of
Sangamon River at Carpenter’s bridge, NW. 14 sec. 1, T. 16 N., R. 5 W.
stitute a very characteristic and easily recognized horizon throughout
this region. The shale may, for convenience, be called the Ralls Ford
shale member. Above No. 7 coal there follows a bed of bluish-gray
shale with occasional sandy layers about 45 feet thick, exposed in the
south bank of Spring Creek in the NE-Fl sec. 25, T. 16 N., R. 6 W.,
and shown in figure 26.
“Over a very limited area near the extreme northwest corner of
the quadrangle there outcrops along Indian Creek about 6 feet of hard,
gray, partly brecciated limestone which is better exposed in the banks
of Rock Creek a few miles west of Athens. This limestone is thought
to correspond with the Lonsdale quarry limestone in the Peoria quad-
208
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
rangle. Over the greater portion of the Springfield area this limestone
is wanting, but its place appears to be at the top of the shale bed above
No. 7 coal.
“Above this shale are 30 or more feet of sandstone exposed in the
north bank of Sangamon River at Carpenter’s bridge, NW. sec. 1, T.
16 N., R. 5 W. (see figure 27). A few feet of shale separates this
sandstone from No. 8 coal and associated beds.
“No. 8 coal, the underclay below, and the roof shale and cap rock
above, comprise a succession of strata that are easily recognized in the
logs of mine shafts and test borings in the central and eastern portions
of the area. They outcrop in the west bank of Sugar Creek, sec. 13, T.
15 N., R 5 W.; in the south bank of the Sangamon River, sec. 6, T. 16
N., R. 4 W.; and in the east bank of Fancy Creek, sec. 13, T. N., R. 4
W.
“Above the limestone overlying No. 8 coal is 40 or 50 feet of shale
exposed in the shale pit of the Springfield Paving Brick Co. near
Springfield. This is followed by about 35 feet of sandstone which
outcrops along Sangamon River near the middle of sec. 4, T. 15 N.,
R. 4 W., and in the south half of sec. 27, T. 16 N., R. 4 W.
“Belonging a few feet above this sandstone is the Crow’s Mill lime¬
stone, exposed in the old quarry near Crow’s Mill along Sugar Creek
about 3 miles south of the quadrangle. This is a hard limestone, bear¬
ing large shells of Productus, Spirifer, and Composita. It occurs in
heavy layers, large masses of which, more or less shifted by the ice
sheets of the glacial period, are present in the area under discussion.” 1
Structure
The structure of that part of Sangamon County which is included
within the Tallula and Springfield quadrangles has been determined
with as great detail as possible and the lay of the rocks as determined
by the altitude of No. 5 coal is shown by maps in the U. S. Geological
Folio 188. 2
The structure map of the county, Plate VIII, is relatively detailed
for the area included within the Tallula and Springfield quadrangles;
but the structure for the part of the county east of the quadrangles
is based on very scattered data and estimated elevations, and accord¬
ingly is shown by dashed contour lines.
The following statement from the Tallula-Springfield folio sum¬
marizes the structure in that area. The description includes the ad¬
jacent southeast portion of Menard County.
iSavage, T. E., The geology and mineral resources of the Springfield
quadrangle: Illinois State Geological Survey Bull. 20, pp. 102-107, 1915.
2Shaw, E. TV., and Savage, T. E., Geological Survey Geol. Atlas: Tallula-
Springfield Folio (No. 188), 1913.
Illinois State Geological Survey
R8J&
T 18 N.
Mining Investigations Bull. 26, Plate VIII
R 4 W
T. 17 N.
T 16 N.
T.15N.
-*-- County lino.
—-Township Uno.
V
--Outcrop of No. 6 (Spring-
✓ no Id) cool.
^ Outcrop of No. ft (Ilor-
* rln) ooiL
»ContourM nIiowImk olovn-
tlon above mou lovol of
No. 6 coni.
Plate VIII.—Structure map of the Tallula and Springfield quadrangles, lying mostly in Sangamon County, but partly in Menard County.
SANGAMON COUNTY
209
STRUCTURE OF THE TAELUEA AND SPRINGFIELD QUADRANGLES
“As a rule the strata of the Tallula and Springfield quadrangles
dip somewhat south of east at the rate of about 10 feet to the mile,
but this general dip is modified by low folds and minor irregularities,
most of which are too-ill defined to be described separately but which
are shown on the maps by contours drawn at intervals of 25 feet on
the base of the Springfield coal. These irregularities are the product
of irregularities in the surface upon which each layer was deposited
and of differential settling and warping since deposition. The prev¬
alent eastward dip is, in part at least, the result of deformation. It
carries the base of the Carbondale formation from a position about
200 feet below the surface at the western side of the area to one nearly
600 feet below the surface on the eastern side. This general dip is
modified by a syncline just east of Tallula, by an anticline extending
southwestward from Springfield, and by many minor irregularities.
The syncline east of Tallula is steeper on its west side, as might be ex¬
pected on account of the prevailing eastward dip. In the mine of the
Tallula Coal Co. the dip is so steep that the mine cars on an eastward
trip must be ‘spragged’ or otherwise held in check. However, even
where steepest, the dip dos not exceed 60 feet to the mile. In the
northeastern part of the area the predominant dip is eastward and is
about 10 feet to the mile. In the southern part the general dip is south¬
eastward but is modified by a syncline and anticline which enter the
area near the middle of the southern side. The anticline extends north¬
eastward as far as Springfield, whence it curves to the southeast, passing
near the village of Keys. West of Springfield the strata in the flanks
of the arch dip 15 feet to the mile, but east of Springfield they be
progressively flatter on both sides of the axis, for the anticline plunges
southeastward in conformity to the general dip.
“In some areas the Springfield coal is almost level throughout
several square miles; in others it dips more than 20 feet to the mile.
In some places its dip differs from the general slope or is even oppo¬
site to it. In most of the mines, however, it has almost no percepti’
dip, and throughout a considerable area between Pleasant Plains and
Salisbury the coal bed and the other strata seem to lie practically hor¬
izontal. In the southeast quarter of the Tallula quadrangle the beds
so far as is known dip regularly southeastward at the rate of about 15
feet to the mile, but in that district few borings have reached the coal
and some of the structural features may have not yet been brought to
light. Indeed, throughout a considerable part of this quadrangle no
borings have reached recognizable strata, and the structure map there¬
fore lacks many details which can be shown when the coal has been
210
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
worked more extensively, but the mine shafts and borings already sunk
are rather uniformly distributed, so that the major structural features
as shown are believed to be approximately correct.” 1
Coals
COALS BELOW NO. 5
“A fairly persistent coal bed about 2^4 feet thick lies about 58 feet
below No. 5 coal. Another bed, which seems persistent, occurs about
120 feet below No. 5 coal, and averages about 2 feet in thickness. Two
other coal beds which are locally present, aggregating about 3 feet
in thickness and separated by a few feet of shale, lie at a depth of
about 191 feet below No. 5 coal. In the Riverton section a 32-inch
coal was reported 250 feet below the No-. 5 bed, but in the Springfield
boring the corresponding coal is much thinner. A few other thin bands
occur locally in the Pennsylvanian strata below No. 5 coal. At some
future time one or more of these lower coals may be of economic
importance, but until the No. 5 bed becomes practically exhausted, the
deeper and thinner coals will not be exploited.
No. 5 Coal
CHARACTERISTICS OF NO. 5 COAL
“The coal known as No. 5 (Springfield) is the only bed at present
worked in the quadrangle. Its thickness varies but little in the differ¬
ent mines, the range within the area being from 5to 6% feet. It lies
entirely below drainage, being found at depths from 150 to 273 feet
below the surface. The depth to the coal at any one place depends both
upon the altitude of the surface and the altitude of the coal at that
place. No. 5 coal is remarkably uniform and persistent, being found
at every place where borings have been put down to its level, and it is
also present in the State over an extensive territory to the west and
south of the area.
CLAY SFAMS IN NO. 5 COAL
“One of the conspicuous features of No. 5 (Springfield) coal is
the occurrence in it of numerous “horsebacks,” as they are called by
the miners. These are more or less irregular and branching fissures
filled with clay or shale, extending downward from the overlying beds
into or through the coal. They range in width from 2 of 3 inches to>
3 or 4 foet, the walls not being very nearly parallel, and are considera¬
bly and abruptly wider in the coal than in the overlying roof shale-
(See fig. 28.)
iOp. cit.
f
SANGAMON COUNTY
211
“The clay or shale filling the fissures is light gray and generally
soft. Rarely it is hard enough to emit sparks when struck with a ham¬
mer, but as a rule it soon slakes down into an incoherent mass on ex¬
posure to the air. The clay in many fissures contains fragments of
black shale derived from the roof of the coal, reaching down 29 inches,
below the top of the coal. A few fragments of limestone from the cap
rock are also found in this clay below the top of the coal bed. In horse¬
backs that cut through the coal bed pieces of coal have been found as
much as 9 inches below the bottom of the bed. No fragments of coal
have been found higher than the top of the coal bed.
“The fissures show no regularity of spacing or of direction. In.
some mines they are 40 to 60 feet apart; in others they are separated
Sandstone
Gray argillite
“soapstone”
Limestone
Black shale
Springfield
(No 5) coal
UndercFa':
Fig. 28. —Sketch of typical clay seam or “horseback” seen in the Springfield
Coal Mining Company’s No. 5 mine, near Springfield.
by 200 to 400 feet or more. They trend in various directions, no one
direction predominating, even in the same mine. All are either vertical
or steeply inclined, with irregular walls which gradually converge
downward within the coal. They have a very slight vertical range. In
the Mechanisburg mine a coal bed, formerly worked, lies about 35 feet
above No. 5 coal, which is the coal now mined. Although No. 5 coal is
cut by numerous horsebacks, none were encountered in the higher bed.
“The walls of the fissures are slickensided but show no traces of
weathering. Slickensided planes are also common in the clay filling
the fissures. If the fissure is inclined, the uppermost laminae of the
coal adjacent to the fissure on the overhanging side are bent somewhat
212
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
steeply downward, the distortion fading out laterally within a few feet
from the fissure, and in a few places the lowermost laminae of the coal
on the other side of the fissure are bent upward, but to a much less
degree. If the fissure is vertical, or nearly vertical, the uppermost
laminae of the coal are bent downward on both sides of the fissure, but
the more nearly vertical the fissure the less the amount of bending. In
no fissure is there a true fault or a relative displacement of the middle
part of the coal bed on the opposite sides of the fissure.
“The material filling the fissures appears to have been derived
chiefly from the gray shale overlying the cap rock of the coal bed and
to have been forced downward into the coal through breaks in the cap
rock, as is indicated by the downward bending of the edges of the cap
rock and of the coal laminae, by the occurrence of the fragments of the
cap rock below the top of the coal, and by the continuity of the ma¬
terial of the fissures with that of the bed of gray shale.
“The coal appears to have yielded readily in a lateral direction, as
shown by the greater width of the fissures in the coal bed than in the
overlying and underlying strata. That the coal afforded accommodation
to the strains causing the fissures is also indicated by the fact that many
of the smaller fissures divide within the coal bed into branches which
eventually die out in the coal.
“O'igin of Clay Seams .—The formation of the clay-filled fissures
in the Springfield coal was probably determined in part by the char¬
acter of the overlying strata and in part, possibly, by the character of
the underclay, which is dry and does not creep readily. The fissures
were formed after the coal bed had been compressed nearly to its
present volume, as is shown by the fact that the clay seams are not so
deformed as they would be if the coal had been greatly compressed
after they were developed. In some places clay from the fissures has
penetrated joints in the adjacent coal, indicating that joints had been
developed in the coal prior to the formation of the clay seams. Camp¬
bell 1 suggests that the carbonization of the coal beyond the lignitic
condition depends on the presence of joints and cleavage planes along
which gases may escape. If so, the bed should have undergone con¬
siderable compression and contraction after the joints were formed
before it became bituminous.
“It is assumed that as the mass was slowly transformed into coal
the contraction in its different parts was somewhat unequal, owing to
its lack of homogeneity, and that the contraction continued long after
the coal had been greatly consolidated. As long as the material pos¬
sesses some degree of mobility the unequal shrinkage in the different
iCampbell, M. R., Econ. Geology, Yol. I, No. 1, p. 30, 1905.
SANGAMON COUNTY
213
parts of the bed was equalized by the movement of some of the
mass toward points of least resistance. When the consolidation
reached a certain stage such adjustment was no longer possible, so
that continued unequal shrinkage of the mass produced unequal strains
in the roof of the coal under its load of superposed rocks. Where the
roof of the coal bed was a somewhat plastic shale the mobility of the
particles of the shale permitted an adjustment of the inequalities of
strain, resulting from the unequal contraction of the coal bed, the ad¬
justment being accomplished by the formation of rock rolls such as are
common at the top of the No. 6 (Herrin) coal in the Carterville-
Zeigler region of southern Illinois. The roof shale in the vicinity of
the rolls is cut by slickensided zones for several feet from the center
of the roll, indicating a considerable lateral movement in the shale
during the adjustment necessitated by the strains. The roof of the
Springfield coal, however, is a hard, brittle shale without the mobility
requisite for such adjustment. If the limestone cap rock had been
very thick it might have withstood, without fracture, the strain due
to unequal contraction in the underlying coal, but its average thickness
is only 12 or 14 inches. The roof shale and the cap rock were together
not strong enough to withstand the unequal strains to which they were
subjected and broke under the pressure, at places marked by fissures.
‘‘Immediately above the cap rock is a bed of rather soft gray
shale, the material of which was squeezed downward through the
fissures into the coal until the inequalities of pressure were adjusted.
The adjustment was limited to a narrow zone below the fractures in
the roof shale and cap rock, and its effects are of slight horizontal
extent but penetrate to considerable depths.
CONCRETIONS ABOVE NO. 5 COAL
“Rounded concretions of calcareous, pyritic shale, called pyrite
balls or ‘niggerheads’ and varying in size from one inch to four
feet or more in diameter, are in places numerous along the contact
zone of the black shale with the top of the coal. These concretions
have been compressed less than either the overlying black shale or the
underlying coal, and hence the laminae of the black shale arch upward
over the ‘niggerheads,’ and those of the upper part of the coal bend
downward beneath them. The continued contraction of the coal seam,
after the partial consolidation of the coal and of the overlying black
shale, permitted a sufficient amount of movement to take place around
and above the ‘niggerheads’ to give their surface a slickensided ap¬
pearance, and to cause them to fall readily from their matrix after the
underlying coal has been removed.
214
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
• T? l
NO. 6 COAL,
“No. 6 (Belleville or Herrin) coal is known only from the records
of mine shafts and test borings, and as far as known is too thin to
he profitably worked within this area. This bed was formerly mined
at Mechanicsburg some distance east of Springfield and it is mined
extensively 20 miles south. The coal where first penetrated by the
Mechanicsburg shaft was about 6 feet in thickness, but it thinned
rapidly northward, and was abandoned when No. 5 coal was dis¬
covered below it. In two of the shaft sections it was reported absent,
Tut in these the horizon was marked by a black shale underlain by fire
clay- This coal lies at an average distance of 49 feet above No. 5
coal, the distance increasing in general toward the north.
“In this quadrangle No. 6 coal varies in thickness between 2 and
14 inches, the average being 4 y 2 inches. The thickness increases rap¬
idly in a southerly direction. Near Waverly it is 3^4 feet thick. At
Chatham the thickness is between 5 and 6 feet, and at Divernon it is
nearly 8 feet thick. This coal is mined extensively in the southern
portion of Sangamon County, and farther south in the vicinity of
Belleville, Duquoin, Carterville, and Herrin.
no. 7 COAL
“No. 7 coal is not thick enough to be of economic importance,
measuring generally only 2 or 3 inches. In three of the shaft records
the horizon is known only by the associated fire clay and black shale
strata, the coal itself not being present. The position of this coal is
50 feet above No. 6 coal, and about 100 feet above No. 5 coal.
no. 8 coal
“The thickness of No. 8 coal varies from 18 to 31 inches. The
"bed lies above drainage over the whole of the area except in a belt
around 3 miles wide along the east border, and it has been eroded
away from a strip of about equal width along the west side of the
•quadrangle. For several years before the deeper and thicker bed, No.
5, was discovered, this was the only coal worked in the Springfield
region. The mining was done by drifts run into the hillsides at points
■where the bed outcropped above the level of the streams. Traces of
such workings may be seen along a branch in W. ^2 sec. 32, T. 16 N.,
R. 5 W.; along the west bank of Sugar Creek in sec. 12, T. 15 N., R.
5 W.; and they are numerous along the south bank of Sangamon River
in sec. 5 and 6 T. 16 N., R. 4 W. The greatest measured thickness
of this coal was at the Sangamon River localities where it reached
Table 7. — Thickness of the several coal beds in the Springfield and Tallula
quadrangles and the distance between them in mine shafts and borings °
!
SANGAMON COUNTY
215
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Reprinted from Ill. State Geol. Survey Bull. 20,
216
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
31 inches. No. 8 coal lies at an average distance of about 77 feet
above No. 7 coal, and about 175 feet above No. 5 coal.
“No swamp conditions or soil beds seem to have been developed
in the interval between No. 5 and No. 6 coals. Between coal beds
No. 6 and No. 7 there is generally reported one, and in some instances
two, layers of black shale with underclays. In a few places there is a.
thin bed of coal at one of these levels. Between No. 7 and No. 8 coals
there is less frequently reported a clay-shale succession with a rare
occurrence of a thin coal bed.
“A comparison of the thicknesses of the coal beds from No. 5 to
No. 8, inclusive, and of the distances separating them in various mine
shafts and borings is given in Table 7.” 1
Mine Notes
DAWSON COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE, AT DAWSON
Entrance: Shaft, about 250 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Average thickness, 5 feet 2 inches.
Character of the coal: The upper foot and the lower foot of the
seam are free from pyrite but there are small discontinuous lenses in the
middle part. “Horsebacks” and niggerheads are fairly numerous. Some
of the “horsebacks” contain much pyrite and are very hard. The coal has
a general dip to the east which is interrupted by small rolls or arches,
the dimensions of which were not reported.
Character of the roof: The roof is black “slate,” 1 to 4 feet thick,
and commonly underlies a cap-rock which attains a known thickness of
4 feet and which in turn underlies soapstone 1 to 20 feet thick.
Character of the floor: The underclay is IV 2 to 5 feet thick. It is
reported to heave.
BARCLAY COAL COMPANY’S ABANDONED MINE, AT BARCLAY
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal about 247 feet.
Thickness of coal: Averages about 5 feet 10 inches.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is black slate about 3
feet thick, underlying a sandstone cap-rock 2 feet in thickness. The roof
is reported to be good.
SANGAMON COAL COMPANY’S NO. 3 MINE, AT CANTRALL
Entrance: Shaft, 206 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Averages 5Vz feet in thickness, with a maximum
of over 6 feet.
Character of the coal: The coal is uniform in character and contains
thin streaks of pyrite and some pyrite nodules as the principal impurities.
These occur in no great abundance. The coal is mostly bright and finely"
iSavage, T. E., Geology and mineral resources of the Springfield quad¬
rangle: Ill. State Geological Survey Bull. 20, pp. 115-120, 1913.
SANGAMON COUNTY
217
laminated. Clay veins or “horsebacks” are the only important interruption
in the continuity of the bed.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is commonly black “slate.”
Locally the “slate” is absent and the cap-rock rests upon the coal. The
usual thickness of the limestone cap-rock is about 1 foot, and the “slate”
varies up to about 4 feet. Commonly a streak of pyrite occurs in the shale
just above the coal, which “freezes” the coal to the shale so that in mining
about 1 inch of the coal stays up. This is said to be desirable, as it pro¬
tects the shale from the air. The slate also contains “niggerheads” which
make the roof rather irregular.
Character of the floor: The underclay is about 3 feet thick. It heaves
somewhat when wet.
CITIZENS COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE “A,” V 2 MILE WEST OF
SPRINGFIELD
Entrance: Shaft, 207 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Where measured the coal had a thickness of 5
feet 4 inches.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof in the mine is black
“slate,” IV 2 to 5 feet thick, but averaging 3V 2 feet. The cap-rock is a
nodular limestone 12 to 14 inches thick; it is followed above by bluish-
gray shale about 15 feet thick. Between the coal and black “slate” is
commonly a band of pyrite with many fossils. “Niggerheads” are present
in the black shale and “horsebacks” cut through the coal.
PEERLESS COAL COMPANY’S MINE, AT SPRINGFIELD
Entrance: Shaft; 223 feet to top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 5 feet to 6 feet 2 inches.
Sections of the coal:
Secticns of No. 5 coal in Peerless mine, Peerless Coal Company
Section 1—Room 18, 1st A east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale.
Coal, fairly clean. 2 7
Pyrite parting.
Coal, fairly clean. 3 4
Floor: Fire clay
5 11
Section 2—Room 1 off UB south off east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale.
Pyrite . 1
Coal, fairly clean, dull. 2 3
Pyrite parting .
Coal, dirty, streaked with pyrite. 3 5
Floor: Dark underclay.
5
9
218
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT I"V
Section 3—Room 11, 1st C west entr§
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale.
Coal, fairly clean. 5 10
Floor: Underclay .
5 10
Character of the coal: The coal is rather hard, bright, hackly, banded,
and contains a small amount of pyrite in plates along joint cracks and in
lenses parallel to the bedding. Although the bed is uniform in appearance
throughout, it is somewhat harder at the bottom and the bottom coal is
slightly “bony” in places. The clay veins or “horsebacks,” which are rather
common, vary in width up to more than 3 feet.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is black shale about 3
feet thick, and the cap-rock is limestone 2 inches to 2 feet thick, averaging
IV 2 feet. The black sheety shale of the roof contains “niggerheads” of
all sizes up to several feet in diameter, which in most cases project from
the roof down into the coal, and around which the coal is always bent.
Between the coal and the black shale there is generally an inch or so of
black shale and coal, representing a gradation from the coal to the “slate”
above. Locally, however, the parting between the coal and the “slate”
is sharp.
Character of the floor: The underclay is a dark-gray clay, 6 feet
thick at the sump, which heaves when wet.
MECHANICSBURG COAL COMPANY’S MINE (NOT OPERATING), AT MECHANICSBURG
Entrance: Shaft; 300 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Average thickness 5 feet.
Character of the coal: The coal is uniform in character from top
to bottom with no persistent partings or bands. There is some gypsum
alorg the vertical joint cracks. The coal is finely laminated with more
mother coal than is commonly found in the mines near Springfield.
Character of the roof: The roof shale or “slate” is IV 2 to 1 foot 10
inches thick, and the cap-rock above, where it is present, is limestone
varying up to 1 foot in thickness.
Notes on No. 6 coal: About 27 feet above the bed being operated at
the time the above observations were made (1912) is the bed thought to
be No. 6 coal which was worked two years before. This upper bed has a
4- to 5-inch blue band near the middle. It is about 5 feet thick and at
the shaft lies at a depth of 277 feet. To the west it is higher and is only
2 V 2 feet thick. East of the shaft it becomes 6 feet thick at a distance of
140 feet, dipping 11 feet in the first 55 feet, after which it becomes level.
At the air shaft, which is 346 feet north of the main shaft, the coal is 81
feet above its altitude at the hoisting shaft and is only 1 inch thick.
PEABODY COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO 6, AT SHERMAN
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal 198 feet.
Thickness of the coal: Average, 6 feet.
SANGAMON COUNTY
219
Character of the coal: The coal is laminated, free of dirt band, but
contains considerable mineral charcoal. It shows a few pyrite bands as
much as 1 inch thick, but these are not persistent. Thin plates of calcite
or gypsum occupy the joint cracks. “Horsebacks’" or clay slips are numer¬
ous. These are generally 2 to 4 inches across and extend various distances
into the coal from the top, some cutting entirely across the seam. The
filling of some of the horsebacks shows slickensided or smoothed surfaces,
and cementation of the filling by calcite or possibly by pyrite is not uncom¬
mon.
Character of the floor: The underclay is hard and locally at least
is “frozen” to the coal. Practically no bottom was taken up at the time
the observations were made (1912).
SANGAMON COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 2, AT STEARNES (SPRINGFIELD)
Entrance: Shaft; 250 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: The coal averages almost 6 feet in thickness.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in mine No. 2, Sangamon Coal Company 1
Section 1—Room 30, off south entry 21 , one mile southeast of shaft
Thickness
Roof: Shale ....
Coal .
Mother coal ....
Coal .
Shale .
Coal .
Floor: Fire clay
Ft. in.
2
1
2
%
5
Vs
4
5 914
Section 2—Entry 16 off stub entry 4, U,000 feet northeast of shaft
Roof: Shale .
Coal .
Mother coal .
Coal .
Shale .
Coal .
Floor: Underclay
Thickness
F t. in.
1 3
Vs
1 5
Vi
3 3
5 11%
Character of the coal: The coal is of the usual character for this
district. Horsebacks are numerous, with a filling of hard white clay
which is somewhat limy and carries small bi J s of coal. The coal is well
jointed.
Character of roof: The roof is a limy shale, 114 to 414 feet thick,
with a cap-rock 6 inches to 2 feet thick. The shale roof holds up well and
iU. S. Bureau of Mines Bull. 22, p. 510.
220
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
is not generally taken down. It carries the usual “niggerheads ” which
form “pots” projecting down into the coal and which are smoothed or
slickensided around their surfaces.
Character of the floor: The floor is a hard gray underclay.
SANGAMON COUNTY MINING COMPANY’S JEFFERSON MINE, AT SPRINGFIELD
Entrance: Shaft; depth to the top of No. 5 coal about 240 feet.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from SV 2 to 6 V 2 feet, averaging 5 feet
9 inches.
Character of the coal: The “horseback” or clay veins are very
numerous, so that they seriously interfere with mining operations. Many
extend in a northwest-southeast direction; the miners, however, say that
there is no predominant direction in which they run. The coal is com¬
monly faulted down on one side of the “slips,” the laminae being bent
down on the downthrow side for a few feet back from the break. The
similarity of the clay which fills the fissure to the soapstone above the
cap-rock indicates that it apparently came from the soapstone through
this latter bed. Pieces of the black roof shale are also common in the
“clay veins,” but no coal fragments are found in the clay above the top
of the coal seam. The “horsebacks” commonly extend only part way
through the coal, unless they are large. The fissure generally widens in
the coal from a narrow opening in the cap-rock.
Character of'the roof: The immediate roof is black laminated shale
or “slate.” At the bottom of the “slate” and extending up into the shale
and down into the coal, are many large niggerheads, some of them large
enough to extend across an entry. In places a band of ferruginous lime¬
stone, 2 to 6 inches thick, which carries numerous fossils, lies between the
black shale and coal. This occupies the same position as the “nigger¬
heads” and is composed of similar material.
Character of the floor: The coal is underlain by an underclay.
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COAL MINING COMPANY’S CORA OR NO. 51
MINE, AT ANDREW
Entrance: Shaft; 145 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Average, 6 feet.
Roof and floor: Clay below coal, and 4 feet or more of limestone above.
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE NO. 52,
AT RIVERTON
Entrance: Shaft, depth to No. 5 coal 232 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 2 inches;
averages 5 feet 11 inches.
Sections of the coal:
SANGAMON COUNTY
221
Sections of the No. 5 coal in mine No. 52 of the Springfield District Coal
Mining Company
Section 1—Rooni 2, off 2d north stub off 3d east north,
2,100 feet from the shaft
Thickness
in
Roof: Black shale
Coal, bright .
Blackjack .
Coal, bright.
Pyrite streak ....
Coal, bright.
Floor: Fire clay
2
1
1
1
4
Vs
4
5 Vs
Section 2 — No. 6 room off 10 th west
off main south entry,
5,600 feet from the i
shaft
Thickness
Ft.
in.
Roof: Black slate .
• •
Coal, bright .
1
7
Pyrite streak .
%
Coal, bright .
3
11
5
6%
Section 3 — Back entry at face of main
south entry, 5,700 feet
from shaft
Thickness
Ft.
in.
Coal, bright .
1
• •
Pyrite streak .
%
Coal, bright .
2
10
Pyrite .
%
Coal, bright .
2
3
6 1 %
Character of the coal: The coal has no unusual characteristics. The
main cleat is southeast to northwest and the prevailing dip about 2M> per
cent to the east.
Character of the roof and floor: The roof consists of black “slate’’
2 Vi to 4 feet thick, cap-rock about 1 foot thick, and gray shale above the
cap-rock. The floor is clay about 4 feet thick, resting upon 14 inches of
hard rock below which is more shale.
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE NO. 53
(WOODSIDE), AT SPRINGFIELD
Entrance: Shaft, about 245 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 4 1 / £ to 6 V\ feet: averages 5 feet
10 inches.
Sections of the coal:
222
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Sections of the No. 5 coal in mine No. 53 of the Springfield District Coal
Mining Company
Section 1—Room 1 off the 9th west entry off the main south entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale.
Coal, clean, bright. 3%
Mother coal . y 8
Coal, fairly clean. 5 4
5 8
Section 2—Room 5, off 8th south entry off southeast entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale.
Coal, fairly clean. 2 6
Pyrite . Vs
Coal, bright, fairly clean. 2 9%
5 4
Section 3—Room 5, off 19th north entry off straight east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale.
Coal, very hard, bright, clean. 4 4%
Bone and little pyrite. J A
Coal, hard, dull, clean. 1 4
5 9
Character of the coal: The coal is reported to lie in three benches;
top bench about 1 foot thick, middle bench 3% feet, and bottom bench IV 2
feet. The coal has the usual laminated appearance due to dull and bright
layers. Bedded impurities are inconspicuous. The chief irregularities
in the coal are the clay veins (“horsebacks’ ’). They vary in width, the
maximum being about 6 feet, and consist of gray or white clay in which
coal and limestone fragments are embedded.
Character of the roof and floor: The roof is black shale, 2 to 4 feet
thick. The cap-rock when present varies in thickness, but is not more
than 18 inches generally. The coal rests on underclay. It is reported
that the clay beneath the horsebacks is harder and more pyritic than it is
elsewhere.
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE NO. 55,
AT SPRINGFIELD
Entrance: Shaft; 250 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Varies from 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 3 inches:
averages 5 feet 11 inches.
SANGAMON COUNTY
223
Character of the coal: No unusual features noted. Horsebacks are
common and these commonly show a downward bending; of the coal laminae
on the side of the downthrow. The downthrow of one clay vein amounted
to 13 V 2 inches, and of another, 15 inches. At a number of slips, a slight
upward bending of the coal at the bottom of the bed opposite the down¬
throw side is evident. In general the more nearly vertical the “horseback,’'
the less the displacement of the coal on either side.
Character of the roof and floor: The shale which forms the roof
varies in thickness from 2% to 4 feet. The limestone cap-rock present in
some places is commonly 3 to 6 inches thick. Gray soapstone overlies the
cap-rock. Locally a 2- to 10-inch bed of pyrite-bearing* limestone con¬
taining numerous fossils lies between the black shale and the coal. The
floor is underclay.
BISSELL COAL COMPANY’S MINE AT BISSELL 1
Entrance: Shaft; about 235 feet to No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Two measurements of the coal in this mine
show a thickness of 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet IV 2 inches, respectively.
Character of the coal: “Horsebacks” are common, and thin pyrite
lenses are present in small amount in the middle of the bed.
Character of the roof: The roof is black shale IV 2 . to 4 feet thick,
with locally a pyrite band Vs to 1 inch thick between the coal and the
“slate.” “Niggerheads” are not common. The cap-rock varies from 2
inches to 4 feet in thickness.
UNION FUEL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 2, AT KEYS
Entrance: Shaft; 220 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Average thickness between 5 l /£ and 5% feet.
Character of the coal: The upper 2 feet of the bed is said to furnish
the best coal; the next foot carries thin streaks of pyrite, and the lower
coal is good. The main cleat is northeast-southwest, and the bed dips
mainly to the southwest. On the extreme east, however, there is an east¬
ward dip. The coal is cut by “horsebacks.”
Character of the roof: The roof is black “slate,” 1 foot 2 inches to
5 feet thick, with a cap-rock present in places and varying in thickness
up to about 1 foot.
UNION FUEL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 5, AT SELBYTOWN
Entrance: Shaft; 267 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of the coal: Average, 5 feet 8 inches.
Character of the coal: The coal has a cleat which is directed near
east and west. “Horsebacks” are not numerous.
Character of the roof and floor: The roof is black shale or “slate”
with an average thickness of 3 feet but varying from 6 inches to AV 2 feet.
It is reported to make a good roof and to have but few “niggerheads.”
The limestone cap-rock is from 4 inches to 2 feet thick. The floor is fire
clay 2V6 feet or more in thickness, which heaves considerably.
lFormerly Standard Washed Coal Company, Mine No. 2.
SCHUYLER COUNTY
Production and Mines
Mining operations in Schuyler County are all by nonshipping
(or wagon) mines, and are confined to two beds, No. 2 and No. 5, of
which probably No. 2 is the more important. During the year ending
June 30, 1920, there were 28 local mines in the county which produced
a total of 17,737 tons. Five of these, all in the vicinity of Rushville,
produced between 1,000 and 4,200 tons, and according to the mining
inspector’s reports, it is only in this vicinity that No. 5 coal is worked
in Schuyler County.
Coal-bearing Rocks
Schuyler County is included within the area of District III as well
Fig. 29.—Photograph of No. 5 coal in outcrop northeast of Rushville, near
the center of sec. 23, T. 2 N., R. 1 W.; the bed is cut by a small fault
and a nearby “horseback.”
as IV and, because of the larger area underlain by the No. 2 coal, as
compared with the area underlain by No. 5 coal, will be discussed in
greater detail in the report on District III than in this report. No. 5
coal underlies only the uplands near Rushville, for the most part in
T. 2 N., R. 1 W., and the eastern part of T. 2 N., R. 2 W. In all cases
it is worked by shaft, slope, or drift, and so far as known it has never
been stripped to any extent in this region, though there are possibly
224
SCHUYLER COUNTY
225
areas where it is under too light a cover to permit use of any other
method. j j| V %)
Between No. 5 and No. 2 coals, Worthen reports an interval of
175 to 200 feet northeast of Pleasant View. Of these strata possibly
the most conspicuous is a heavy sandstone and sandy shale member
which is well exposed along the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Rail¬
road between Rushville and Ray, beginning a few feet below No. 5
coal and having a thickness of about 100 feet.
Coals
no. 5 COAL
The upper or No. 5 coal in Schuyler County, outcrops near Rush¬
ville, with a thickness of 4 to 6 feet, and has the usual black shale roof
with “niggerheads” and limestone cap-rock, and is cut by “clay veins”
or horsebacks. A photograph of one of these “horsebacks” as seen
in an outcrop northeast of Rushville is reproduced as figure 29. So far
as known the coal partakes of all its usual characteristics displayed in
Fulton County.
NO. 2 COAL
No. 2 coal is widespread at a uniform thickness in Schuyler
County except where it has been eroded along streams. A map pre¬
sented in Bulletin 31 of the State Geological Survey 1 indicates a general
southward dip of the coal from 580 near Littleton to 510 at Frederick
and near Ripley. Assuming a constant interval between coals No. 2
and No. 5 over the county, the altitude of the upper coal should vary
from about 750 to 680 feet from north to south. As the surface alti¬
tude in Schuyler County rarely exceeds 700 feet, and as the surface of
bed rock is somewhat lower on account of the cover of glacial drift,
it is obvious that the upper coal can be present only in the southern
part of the county.
The dip is not regular to the south but is interrupted by local an¬
ticlines and synclines which bring the coal above or below the level
that might be expected on the basis of a perfectly regular dip.
For a more detailed account of No. 2 coal in Schuyler County
the reader must await a later bulletin on coal resources of District III.
no. 1 coal
No. 1 coal is known to have a local distribution in the eastern part
of the county. It is not being worked, however, so far as is known.
Whenever seen it was thin, 18 inches to 2 feet, and in one area in two
beds, each about 2 feet in thickness. This coal as well as No. 2 will be
described in greater detail in a later report.
iMorse, W. C., and Kay, Fred H., The area south of the Colmar oil field:
Illinois State Geological Survey Bull. 31, Plate I, 1914.
TAZEWELL COUNTY
Production and Mines
Production in tons, year ending June 30, 1920.721,288
Average production 1916-1920, inclusive.531,272
The production of coal from Tazewell County for the year end¬
ing June 30, 1920, was a little less than one per cent of the total pro¬
duction for the State and the county ranked twentieth. Six shipping
mines and four local mines operated in that year. The names of the
six shipping mines together with their production are given in Table 6.
Surficial Deposits
A large part of the surface of Tazewell County is morainic, and
beneath the ridges of glacial material the drift is commonly thick.
For instance, the preceding record of a drilling at Washington shows
a depth to the rock of 335 feet 11 inches. It will be noted also that
the unconsolidated material includes several water-bearing sandy hori¬
zons described as “quicksand.” This record is probably representative
of the more unfavorable conditions for exploration and development
work that exist in the county, as it is not probable that a much greater
thickness than 335 feet is generally present.
CoAE-BEARING ROCKS
The coal bearing rocks of Tazewell County include strata of the
Pennsylvanian system from the base up to some horizon above No. 7
coal but probably below the Lonsdale limestone. The youngest rocks
in the county are adjacent to the Illinois from near Farm Creek to
5 or 6 miles south of Pekin. The slope of the rock surface is appa¬
rently eastward from this area, wherein it is at a relatively high alti¬
tude, and is sufficient so that the rock surface passes below the horizon
of No. 5 coal. The rock surface also slopes to the north from this
area wherein it is relatively high so that the surface of the rock passes
below the bed of Farm Creek, the slope to the north accordingly being
more abrupt than that to the east. It is probable that the rock surface
in the northern part of the county is largely below the horizon of
No. 5 coal. It appears, therefore, from the evidence at hand, that
there is only a small area of rocks of the McLeansboro formation in
the western part of the county, the greater part of the county being
underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks belonging to the Carbondale and
Pottsville formations.
226
TAZEWELL COUNTY
227
Record of drilling in NE. cor. sec 23, T. 26 N., R. 3 W., near Washington,
Illinois.
Altitude: Est. 7U6 feet.
Description of Strata
Thickness
Depth
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent-
Clay and loam.....
Ft.
3
in.
Ft.
3
in.
Gravel......
83
86
Clay..
24
110
Clay and gravel..
20
130
Clay, light blue.....
15
145
Gravel_____
31
176
Clay..
6
182
Gravel........
7
189
Clay and gravel .
10
199
Clay, light blue____
8
207
Gravel.....
11
8
218
8
Sand... .....
9
227
8
Quicksand .
23
250
8
Gravel ______
7
257
8
Quicksand, gray.
7
264
8
Quicksand, white.
69
333
8
Gravel......
2
3
335
11
Pennsylvanian system—
Soapstone, light...
25
360
11
Sandstone, light.
15
375
11
“Slate,” black.....
8
383
11
Coal ....
6
384
5
Fire clay .
4
388
5
“Slate,” light gray.
26
414
5
“Slate,” dark .
17
6
431
11
“Slate,” black .
11
4
443
3
Coal (No. 2?) .
3
8
446
11
Fire clay.
3
449
11
“Slate”!......
8
9
458
8
228
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Record of drilling about 6 V 2 miles southeast of Pekin, Illinois.
Description of strata
Quaternary system—
Pleistocene and Recent—
Clay, yellow .
Clay, blue .
Sand and gravel; some gas
Pennsylvanian system—
Shale, dark .
Fire clay .
Shale, black .
Shale, white .
Shale, dark.
Shale, white .
Shale, dark.
Coal (No. 2?).
Fire clay .
Shale, white .
Fire clay .
Shale, white .
Shale, dark.
Sandstone .
Shale, white .
Sandstone .
Limestone, blue .
Sandstone .
Limestone .
Sandstone .
Limestone .
Thickness
Depth
Feet
Feet
16
16
. . 140
156
10
166
. . 119
285
4
289
71
360
40
400
20
420
.. 45
465
3
468
4
472
9
481
34
515
4
519
84
603
. . 104
707
1
708
29
737
5
742
3
745
4
749
2
751
3
754
3
757
The operations in Tazewell County are all along or near the
Illinois valley, where conditions are essentially the same as those de¬
scribed for Peoria County. The eastern part of the county is heavily
drift covered, and rock exposures are very uncommon if they exist
at all. So little drilling has been deep enough to penetrate the coal¬
bearing strata that except for a narrow strip between Pekin and East
Peoria, the distribution and thickness of the coal beds is practically
unknown in this county. There is little doubt, however, that No. 2
coal is widespread throughout the county in workable thickness, and
probably No. 5 coal is also present in large areas.
Neither of these records gives sufficient detail to permit the ac¬
curate correlation of the coals. In one record the coal at a depth of
443 feet is considered as probably No. 2, since it is obviously too deep
for No. 5. No. 2 coal lies about 150 feet below No. 5 in the Peoria
region. The latter has an average altitude of 431 feet in Pekin
Township. Thus No. 2 would have an altitude of about 290 feet. In
TAZEWELL COUNTY
229
the second record given above, the surface altitude is about 680 feet
and that of the coal correlated as No. 2 is 208 feet. This is lower
than the average altitude for the coal noted above, but the difference
may be accounted for by the eastward dip of the rocks. The upper
coal, No. 5, was apparently missed in drilling this hole, whereas in the
hole near Washington it has apparently been eroded, the base of the
drift lying below the horizon of the coal.
POTTSVILLE FORMATION
Concerning the character of the Pottsville formation in this
county the only available information is that afforded by several water
well records near Pekin and East Peoria, supplemented by data con¬
cerning the strata in the eastern part of Peoria County. It is unneces¬
sary to repeat the description of the formation as given for Peoria
County. It may be pointed out, however, that near Peoria in the
Pottstown mine, one workable coal lies 110 to 130 feet below No. 2
coal. This coal lies in two benches separated by nearly 3 feet of shale,
the upper bench 1 foot 3 inches and the lower bench 2 feet 3
inches in thickness. It is thought to be the No. 1 coal of the Illinois
coal, which has been mined extensively in the Rock Island region and
in the mine at Parrville, Fulton County. Although this coal is too thin
to be mined profitably at present, it represents a valuable resource
which must be drawn upon some day.
Between No. 1 and No. 2 coals there are possibly two coals of
workable thickness, one 30 to 40 feet above No. 1 coal and the other
about the same distance below No. 2 coal. The lower of these coals
in some of the wells drilled in the Peoria district was reported to be
about 30 inches in thickness, and the other between 1 and 2 feet. It
is physically possible to mine coals 18 inches thick, with the proper
equipment, at a cost not greatly exceeding the cost of mining the thin¬
nest of the coals now mined in the State. Eventually after the sup¬
ply of thicker coal has been exhausted, these thin beds will doubtless
be worked.
CARBONDALE FORMATION
At the base of the Carbondale formation lies No. 2 coal, which
is very probably widespread in this county, and has a thickness of
about 3 feet. It is present at Pekin and East Peoria and at Washing¬
ton, and in the surrounding counties, and lies nearly level throughout
a large area east of the Illinois. There is only about 50 feet difference
in the altitude of this coal at Pekin, at Bloomington, and at Washing¬
ton. This coal commonly has a “soapstone” or gray shale roof up to
about 20 feet in thickness with a 3-foot black paper-shale overlying
230
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
the soapstone. The roof is especially adapted to the longwall method
of mining which is employed in all cases where this seam is worked.
The details of the succession between this coal and No. 5 are not
known. In surrounding counties the strata consist largely of shale with
massive sandstone near the top of the section not uncommonly. The
interval between these two coals in the Peoria region varies from 110
to 140 feet, and at Bloomington it is 130 feet, or essentially the same
as at Peoria. It is not improbable, therefore, that the thicknesses and
succession of strata are about the same in the intermediate region
which includes Tazewell County. Details of the succession can be
learned by reference to the chapters on McLean and Peoria counties.
No. 5 coal, which underlies at least the western part of the
county in the vicinity of East Peoria and Pekin, and probably extends
as far east as Groveland, varies in thickness from about 4 feet 4 inches
at the north to about 4 feet 8 to 10 inches to the south. It has the
usual characteristics of No. 5 coal; that is, it does not lie in benches,
is characteristically cut by clay veins and by pyrite-failed veins
(“spars”), and contains banded brown or gray pyrite and a few bright
pyrite balls in the upper part of the bed. Within the area of its out¬
crop along the bluff and beneath the drift it is fairly continuous, but
in places is interrupted by “faults” which are interpreted as channel
sandstone just as are the “faults” on the Peoria side of the river. Just
northeast and south of its outcrop the coal is apt to be affected by pre¬
glacial or glacial erosion, so that considerable areas may not be min-
able. Development work in this county and in this coal bed should
be preceded by careful exploration by the drill.
The strata overlying No. 5 coal vary from the usual black slate,
clod cap-rock, and gray-shale succession to sandstone. Especially in
Groveland Township sandstone is apparently at no place a great dis¬
tance above the coal, and locally cuts down into the black shale and
rests upon the coal. In the vicinity of Wesley the sandstone in places
cuts out the coal entirely, just as it does in Hollis Township in Peoria
County.
The section between No. 5 and No. 6 coals is composed largely
of sandstone and sandy shale, the interval between the two coals being
about 60 feet.
No. 6 coal in western Tazewell County is irregular in thickness.
As shown by the following sections 1 it is in some places over 4 feet and
in others less than 1J4 feet.
lUdden, J. A., Geology and mineral resources of the Peoria quadrangle,
Ill.: U. S. Geological Survey Bull. 506, pp. 45-46, 1912.
TAZEWELL COUNTY
231
Section in the north bank of creek, one-fourth mile southwest
of the KE. cor. sec. 2U, Pekin Township
Thickness
Ft. in.
Shale, light gray. 1
Limestone, thinning rapidly to east. 2
Shale, “white top”. 6
Coal, thinning rapidly to east (No. 6). 1 6
Fire clay . 3
Shale, arenaceous . 15
* 23
Section in west bank of Lick Creek, near junction of its two forks,
Sec. 25, Pekin Township
Thickness
Ft. in.
Sandstone . 4
Sandstone, shaly . 6
Limestone, discontinuous . 1
Shale, “white top”. 1 6
Coal, No. 6. 2 6
Fire clay, with dark ferruginous band near middle. 3 6
Shale, gray . 2 6
Sandstone in somewhat shattered beds. 3
Shale, light bluish-gray, arenaceous. 23
47
Section in west bank of Lick Creek, near ivagon bridge, in NW.
cor. Sec. 31, Groveland Township
Thickness
Ft. in.
Shale, light gray. 6
Clay, structureless residuum firm. 1 2
Shale, dark fissile, with gray discontinuous laminations. 1
Coal . 2 9
Clay .. 2
Coal, with lenses of pyrite near middle.•. 1 6
Fire clay, greenish gray. 4
16 7
Careful drilling in the area underlain by No. 6 coal may discover
areas in which the coal is as much as 4 feet thick. LTowever, just as
in southern Peoria County, this coal very commonly is overlain by a
loose, incoherent, grayish shale called “white top” which is very hard
to hold and which makes mining very expensive, and also cuts out a
considerable proportion of the bed. The “white top” roof has been
described in greater detail in the discussion of the coal resources of
Peoria County.
232
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
MC LEANSBORO FORMATION
So far as known, the rocks of the McLeansboro formation are
restricted in this county to a small area between Pekin and East Peoria.
They include No. 7 coal, which has a thickness of 14 to 18 inches
and lies about 30 to 35 feet above No. 6 coal.
The lower part of the formation which constitutes the roof of
No. 6 coal is normally dark fissile shale, 1 to 3 feet thick, or gray shale
called “white top.” Commonly the black or gray shale is overlain by
limestone cap-rock, 1 to 4 or 5 feet in thickness. Marly or calcareous
r
shale overlies the limestone and grades upward into sandy shale or
sandstone, which continues nearly to No. 7 coal. No. 7 coal is under¬
lain by a few feet of underclay and shale.
The McLeansboro formation seems to have been eroded down to
some horizon below the Lonsdale limestone, which lies near the top of
the section on the west side of the river.
Minable Coals of Tazewell County
The coals in Tazewell County which at present are of commercial
importance are probably only No. 2 and No. 5, and of these only No. 5
is being worked. Very little is known about No. 2, but its persistence
throughout the northern part of the State is a basis for inferring its
presence in this area. No. 7 coal is apparently too thin to mine at
present and No. 6 unsatisfactory because of its irregular character and
poor roof. Any statement in regard to the occurrence and distribu¬
tion of No. 1 coal and the possible existence of coals between No. 1
and No. 2 is pure speculation. It follows, therefore, that interest is
mainly in No. 2 and No. 5 coals.
no. 2 coal
No. 2 coal is mined extensively in the Longwall District and is
found in the northern and central portions of the Illinois coal field
wherever shafts or bore holes have been sunk to its horizon. Com¬
monly the seam is about 30 inches thick, with a good soapstone roof,
which is excellently suited for Longwall methods of mining. As a rule
it has no seriously detrimental impurities and is of slightly better qual¬
ity than higher beds in the same locality. It is believed that this coal
is generally present in this county, but it has never been worked.
no. 5 coal
There are several operations in No. 5 coal in Tazewell County
along the bluff of the Illinois between East Peoria and Pekin. The
TAZEWELL COUNTY
233
coal has the same general characteristics as the seam in the Peoria
district, described in the section on that county. The distribution of
the coal is limited on the west by the Illinois valley, and in the other
directions by pre-glacial or interglacial erosion. The rock surface
slopes rather abruptly to the north at Farm Creek, so that it probably
passes below the level of the coal; and although it slopes somewhat
less abruptly to the east and south, still the grade is sufficient to cause
the rock surface of the central and eastern parts of the county also to
be probably largely below the horizon of No. 5 coal.
The coal in the East Peoria region is locally interrupted by sand¬
stone “faults” especially in the vicinity of Wesley. These sandstone
“faults” are thought by the writer to be the filling of channels cut into
the peat deposit shortly after its deposition. In part of the area this
same body of sandstone lies but a short distance above the coal, the
base of it forming the roof of the coal in the places where the shale
roof which is generally present has been eroded.
Mine Notes
The following detailed description of conditions in a few of the
Tazewell County mines will serve to set forth the general character of
the coal and of the mining conditions in this area.
GROVELAND COAL MINING COMPANY’S MINE NO. 1, AT EAST PEORIA
Entrance: Shaft; depth to No. 5 coal, 85 feet.
Thickness of coal: Varies from 3 feet to 4 feet 8 inches; averages
4 feet 4 inches.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in Mine No. 1 of the Groveland Coal
Mining Company
Section 1—Room 1 off 3d stub off the 6th east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black fissile shale.
Coal with thin streaks of clay and mother coal. 4 3
Floor: Underclay .
4 3
Section 2—Room 6 off the 10th east entry
Thickness
Ft. in
Coal . 1 5
Pyrite (brown “sulphur”) . 1%
Coal . 2 1014
4 5
234
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
Character of the coal: The coal lies as a single bench without per¬
sistent partings. The thin bands of clay and mother coal, generally
present in the face, are rarely more than 14 inch in thickness, are not
persistent at any one place, and not very important as impurities. On
the east side of the mine pyrite bands of “brown sulphur” are commonly
found near the horsebacks. These are generally about IV 2 inches thick
and may be 4 to 5 feet in length. They appear to be intimate interlamina¬
tions of pyrite and carbonaceous material.
The coal is practically uniform in thickness, the only departures from
uniformity being near the “horsebacks” or clay slips. Where these frac¬
tures occur the coal is usually slightly displaced, the bed on one side of
the fracture being somewhat lower than it is on the other (see fig. 30).
0 _ 1 _ 2 _3_4
Scale in feet
Fig 30.—Sketch of a “horseback” in No. 5 coal in the Groveland Coal
Mining Company’s No. 1 mine at East Peoria.
Commonly the fracture is at a fairly acute angle with the horizon of the
bed, so that the roof on the downthrow side is much nearer the fioor than
under normal conditions. Similarly, the floor on the opposite side of the
fracture is nearer the roof than usual. However, the floor does not com¬
monly rise as high as the roof is down-faulted, there apparently being
some compensation either in the coal or in the adjacent strata. These
phenomena in the roof and floor are spoken of as “rolls.”
The coal on the east side of the mine is badly fractured, but the
fractures are not so generally filled with clay as they are elsewhere.
Instead, pyrite-filled cracks, called “spar” by miners, are the common
TAZEWELL COUNTY
235
thing. Although rarely more than M inch thick, they are very hard to
drill so that the miners do not like to work in the part of the mine where
they are common. Furthermore, there are cracks (“blind slips”) which
penetrate the coal and pass up into the roof but in a fresh face are not
discernable, and which produce an extremely treacherous roof that is
practically impossible to control.
Character of the roof: Incidental to the preceding description of the
coal some mention has been made of certain difficulties encountered in
the roof of this mine. Other characteristics may be mentioned.
The massive sandstone which lies a short distance above the coal
throughout much of this area as well as the area south of Peoria on the
west side of the Illinois, is exposed above the coal in a number of places
in this mine. The sandstone has a very irregular base and accordingly
lies at various heights above the coal, in places very close to the bed or
even resting on it. Apparently there are no places where the sandstone
cuts out the coal, though this condition is reported to have existed in an
old mine a short distance to the north.
The usual roof is black shale, 8 to 14 inches thick, with clod and
limestone above. The lower 2 inches of black shale or “slate” is called
“draw slate.” This is commonly “frozen” to the coal. The break that
takes place in mining near the top of the bed commonly occurs an inch
or two below the slate. If the break occurs in the slate so that the “draw
slate” parts from the overlying shale, the material that is left lacks co¬
herence and is difficult to keep. In this mine when the “draw slate”
comes down it is soon followed by all the rest of the material up to the
sandstone. In some localities in the mine this means as much as 20 feet
of material.
The so-called cap-rock is a layer of fossiliferous gray limestone 2 to
8 inches thick which in places is hard but more commonly is shaly, with no
supporting strength. The clod lying between the black shale and the
“cap-rock” is a massive, dark gray, loosely coherent shale, about 14 inches
thick, that falls readily. Overlying the cap-rock is a gray shale which
continues up to the sandstone a distance of about 18 feet or less.
Character of the floor: The floor is underclay. No unusual char¬
acteristics other than the rolls associated with the horsebacks were noted.
JOHNSTON CITY BIG MUDDY COAL AND MINING COMPANY’S
NO. 3 MINE, AT PEKIN.
Entrance: Shaft; depth to the top of No. 5 coal 205 feet.
Thickness of coal: Reported to average 4 feet 8 inches.
Character of the coal: The following description is based upon in¬
formation obtained from the mine manager. The coal has not been seen
by a Survey member.
The coal lies in a single bed, without benches. The few discontinuous
bands of “sulphur’’ near the horsebacks and the little hard pyrite balls
and lenses, are said to be too infrequent to seriously damage the coal.
Horsebacks are fairly numerous and their removal entails considerable
waste.
Character of the roof: The roof succession consists of 6 to 12 inches
of black shale, called “slate,’’ which sticks to the coal so that presumably
236
COAL RESOURCES OF DISTRICT IV
either a few inches of coal is left in the roof or some of the shale comes
down with the coal. Above the black shale is about 12 inches of clod, above
which there is commonly 6 to 8 inches of limestone. This, however, is
locally absent. A thick bed of shale overlies the limestone.
Character of the floor: Underclay about 18 inches thick. Below
the clay is 12 inches of limestone which in turn is underlain by more clay.
The general characteristics of the coal in this mine are probably
very similar to those of the coal in the Tazewell Coal Company’s mine
which is operated on an adjacent property.
TAZEWELL COAL COMPANY’S MINE NO. 1, AT PEKIN
Entrance: Shaft; 162 feet to the top of No. 5 coal.
Thickness of coal: Varies from about 4 feet to about 4 feet 10 inches;
averages 4 feet 8 inches.
Sections of the coal:
Sections of No. 5 coal in mine of the Tazewell Coal Company
Section 1—Face of second entry off main south
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black slate.
Coal, fairly clean . 1 5%
Pyrite . M
Coal, clean and bright . 1 HV 2
Bone . V 2
Coal, fairly clean . 9
4 3
Section 2—Face of room 5, 1st stub, 12th east off south entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black shale .
Coal, left up. 3 to 4
Coal, clean ... 114
Mother coal and pyrite .-. %
Coal, very dirty . 4 1
Floor: Underclay .
4 6
Section 3—Face of room 16, first stub east, 8th south off east entry
Thickness
Ft. in.
Roof: Black slate .
Coal, slean, bright . 1 2 1 4
Pyrite lens . 2V 2
Coal, clean, bright . 8
Mother coal, soft . Vz
Coal, fairly clean and bright. 2 3!4
Floor: Underclay ..
4
5
TAZEWELL COUNTY
237
Character of the coal: The coal lies in a single bed with no benches,
but contains discontinuous streaks of clay and mother coal, and near the
horsebacks or clay slips lenses of pyrite are common. There is some cal-
cite along the joints faces. “Horsebacks” are numerous and commonly
so impregnated with pyrite that they are very hard. Fig. 31 is a repro¬
duction of a sketch of a horseback. It will be observed that the clay vein
plays out in the overlying shale into a number of cracks and that the
underclay has been squeezed a short distance upward into the fracture.
At the veins the cap-rock commonly shows a slight displacement. The
Fig. 31.—Sketch of a “horseback” in No. 5 coal in the Tazewell Coal Com¬
pany’s No. 1 mine at Pekin.
side of the fracture in the coal is generally irregular, but also commonly
shows “smooths” or slickensides.
Character of the roof: The immediate roof is dark shale or “slate,”
8 to 12 inches thick, which commonly sticks to the coal, so that either the
upper 2 or 3 inches of coal is left up or the lower 2 or 3 inches or more of
the shale comes away with the coal. This makes no particular difficulty.
About 12 inches of clod lies between rhe black shale and the cap-rock. The
latter is a limestone which is solid only locally and then is about 8 inches
thick.
Character of the floor: The underclay is about 12 inches thick. It
becomes hard 12 inches below the coal, but the upper part heaves badly in
the air, and especially wnen it is wet.
1
■
INDEX
A PAGE
Abingdon, description of mine
at .115-116
Acknowledgments .9-11
Albert Walburg’s mine, de¬
scription of . 115
Alden Coal Company, mines
No. 5 and No. 6, descrip¬
tion of.59, 91-92
Analyses of coals from mines
in District IV.45-55
Illinois coals by districts... 56
Andrew, description of mine at 220
Assumption, Carlinville lime¬
stone at. 44
correlation of coal near. ... 30
New Haven limestone at. . . . 44
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. 43
Astoria, description of mine
near .92-93
Astoria Woodland Coal Com¬
pany, abandoned mine, de¬
scription of .92-93
Athens, description of mine
at .151-154
Atlanta, log of well at. . . .117-118
B
Barclay Coal Company’s mine,
description of . 216
Barclay, description of mine
at . 216
Bartonville, description of
mines near.193-195
log of mine shaft at. 158
Berry Brothers’ mine, descrip¬
tion of.184-185
Big Creek Coal Company, mine
No 2, description of.59, 93-94
Bissell Coal Company’s mine,
description of.60, 223
Bissell, description of mine at 223
Bloomington, description of
mine at.133-138
logs of shafts at.128-129
Bloomington Coal Company,
log of shaft of. 128
Bloomington moraine, descrip¬
tion of. 14
PAGE
“Blue Fly” mine, see Hoff¬
man's mine
Blue Mound, Carlinville lime¬
stone at. 43
description of mine at. 147
log of boring near.26-29
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. 43
Blue Mound Coal Company’s
mine, description of. 147
Bluff Springs, section of Penn¬
sylvanian strata near.... 63
“Boulders” in No. 5 coal. .. .88-90
Brereton, “boulder” in mine at 88
Brimfield, description of mine
at .184-185
Bryant, description of mines
at . 1C4
C
Canton Coal Mining Company,
No. 1 mine. 59,95
Canton, description of mines
near .95-96, 101, 104
No. 6 coal near. 84
Canton shale member.78-79
Can^rall, description of mine
at .216-217
Carbondale formation, descrip¬
tion of.31-37
Peoria County.160-176
principal coals of. 31
Sangamon County .205-207
Savage’s section of. 33
thickness of.31, 35
Worthen’s section of. 32
Carlinville limestone .43-44
outcrop of, in Macon County 139
Case Coal Company, see M. E.
Case Coal Company
Cass County, coal resources
of .62—66
geology of.62-65
log of boring in.63-64
No. 2 coal in.65-66
production of coal in. 62
section of Pennsylvanian
strata in . 63
structure of. 65
239
240
INDEX
PAGE
Channel sandstones .
.163, 165-175, 230
Chemical character of coals.45-56
Chester group.18, 30
Chillicothe, description of mine
at .181-182
No. 7 coal near. 181
Christian County, chemical
character of coals of...46, 54
coal resources of. 67
Citizens Coal Mining Com¬
pany, log of shaft of. .119-120
Mine “A.” description of.61, 217
Lincoln (Citizens) mine, de¬
scription of.59, 123
Clark Coal and Coke Company,
Empire No. 2 mine, de¬
scription of.60, 191-193
Clinton, coals near. 75
log of boring near.71-72
thickness of drift at. 68
Coal-bearing rocks of District
IV.17-44
Coals below No. 1 coal. 26
Colfax Coal Company (C. H.
H. Fisher), Colfax mine,
description of.60, 132-133
Collier Cooperative Coal Com¬
pany, No. 1 mine, descrip¬
tion of .60, 194-195
Crescent Coal Company, No. 1
mine, description of.
.60, 193-194
Crew Brothers’ mine, descrip¬
tion of.181-182
Cripple Creek Coal Company,
mines at Bryant, descrip¬
tion of .59, 104
Crows Mill limestone.. .20, 43, 208
Cuba, description of mine at
. 96-97, 100-101
log of boring near.81-82
No. 6 coal near. 84
unconformity in Carbondale
near . 33
D
Dahinda, log of boring near. . 112
Danville District, average an¬
alyses of coals in. 56
Dawson Coal Company’s mine,
description of.61, 216
PAGE
Dawson, description of mine at 216
Decatur, Carlinville limestone
at . 43
depth of No. 6 coal at. 139
description of mine at.. 146-147
log of air shaft at.140-142
New Haven limestone at. . .. 44
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. 43
Devonian, distribution of. 18
DeWitt County, coal resources
of .68-75
geology of.69-74
glacial deposits in . 68
logs of borings in.69-73
No. 9 coal and associated
strata in . 44
structure of . 74
District IV, geography of... 11-15
importance of . 9
interval between No. 7 and
No. 8 coals in. 43
production of coal in. 9
rock formations of.17-44
shipping mines in.59-61
District VII, Carlinville lime¬
stone in. 44
interval between No. 7 and
No. 8 coals in. 43
Divernon, Carlinville limestone
at . 43
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. 43
Drift, gas wells associated
with .*. 68
relation of to mining opera¬
tions .14, 179-180
thickness of. . .11-14, 68, 76,
106-107, 127,139, 148, 204, 226
Drill records, use of.15-16
E
Eagle Mining Company, Can¬
ton mine, description of. .
. 59, 95-96
East Cuba Coal Mining Com¬
pany, mine No. 1, descrip¬
tion of.96-97
East Mapleton Coal Company,
“East” mine, description
of ..60, 199
East Peoria, channel sand¬
stones near . 173
description of mine at. .233-235
McLeansboro formation at. 232
No. 2 coal at. 229
No. 5 coal at. 230
No. 7 coal at. 232
INDEX
241
PAGE
Edinburg, No. 5 coal at. 67
Ellisville, No. 1 coal at. 80
Elmwood, No. 6 coal at. 182
Etherly, log of boring near. . . Ill
F
Fairview, dome near. 83
Farmer City, coals near. 75
log of boring at.69-70
thickness of drift at. 68
Farmington, description of
mines near..91-92, 97-98, 102
“Faults,” see Channel sand¬
stones
Fire clay below No. 1 coal. .20, 202
Fiatt, anticlinal structure near 83
description of mine at. .. .99-100
log of boring near.81-82
Floor of No. 5 coal, Fulton
County . 89
Peoria County. 191
see also Mine notes for the
various coals
Franklin County, average an¬
alyses of coals in. 56
Frederick, No. 2 coal at. 225
Fulton County, Carbondale
formation in. 33
chemical character of coals
of.46-48, 54
coal resources of.76-105
geology of.76-82
glacial drift in . 76
log of boring in.81-82
Lonsdale limestone in. 42
mine notes from.91-104
No. 1 coal in.30, 104-105
No. 2 coal in.104-105
No. 5 coal in.34, 87-91
No. 6 coal in.84-87
No. 7 coal in. 42
oil and gas possibilities in.83-84
production of coal in. 76
shipping mines in.59, 76
structure of.82-84
variegated shale below No.
7 coal in. 41
Fusulina, see Girtyina ventri-
cosa
G
Galena-Platteville, distribution
of . 18
Gallatin County, Carlinville
limestone in . 43
PAGE
Galva, log of boring southeast
of ..113-114
Galva Mining Company’s mine,
description of . 116
Gas wells in drift. 68
Genuine Norris Coal Mining Com-
panv, No. 1 mine, descrip¬
tion of .59, 103-104
Girtyina ventricosa .
.21, 78, 133, 177, 207
Glacial moraines, distribution
of .11-14
Glasford, description of mines
near .186, 199
Grady farm, log of well on. 142-143
Grout, F. F., assistance of. . . 11
Groveland Coal Mining Com¬
pany, mine No. 1, descrip¬
tion of.61, 233-235
Groveland, No. 5 coal at. 230
No. 6 coal at. 231
H
Hallsville, thickness of drift at 68
Hanna, description of mines
near .186, 191
Henderson Township, logs of
borings in.108-109
Hoffman’s mine, description of
.60, 201-202
log of shaft of.156
Horseback in No. 5 coal.
..88-90, 187-189, 210-213, 225
origin of.212-213
J
John D. Young’s mine, de¬
scription of .115-116
Johnston City Big Muddy Coal
and Mining Company, No.
3 mine, description of. . . .
.61, 235-236
K
Kay, F. IT., assistance of. 11
Kenney, thickness of drift at. 68
Keys, anticlinal structure near 209
description of mine at. 223
Kickapoo Creek, No. 6 coal
along . 182
section of rocks along. 165 •
thickness of drift along. .. . 179
242
INDEX
PAGE
Knox County, chemical char¬
acter of coals of. 49
coal resources of.106-116
drift in . 106
geology of.107-115
logs of borings in.
_108-109, 111, 112, 113-114
mine notes from.115-116
production of coal in. 106
shipping mines in. 106
Knoxville, description of mine
at . 115
No. 6 coal near. 107
L
Lamarsh Creek, channel sand¬
stones near . 173
La Salle anticline.35, 57
La Salle District, average an¬
alyses of coals in. 56
“La Salle" formation, see Car-
bondale formation
La Salle limestone. 43
La Salle, log of boring at. . . . 131
Latham Lincoln Coal Com-
panv’s mine, description
of .59, 123-126
Leitner Coal Company’s mine,
channel sandstones in. 166-171
No. 1 mine, description of. .
.60, 197-198
Lick Creek, No. 6 coal outcrop
on . 231
Limestone above No. 6 coal. . . 41
Lincoln, description of mine
at .123-126
log of boring near.120-121
log of shaft at.119-120
Littleton, No. 2 coal at. 225
Loyd, log of shaft of coal mine
at . 150
Logan Coal Company, No. 1
mine, description of...60, 191
Logan County, chemical char¬
acter of coals of.49, 54
coal resources of.117-126
description of drift in.. 117-119
logs of wells in.
.117-118, 119-122
mine notes from.123-126
production of coal in. 117
shipping mines of.59, 117
PAGE
Longwall district, average an¬
alyses of coals in. 56
character of McLeansboro
formation in.40-41
Lonsdale limestone . .. .42, 77, 178
correlation of with Rock
Creek limestone . 207
Lovington, Carlinville lime¬
stone at. 44
depth of No. 6 coal at. 139
New Haven limestone at. . . . 44
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. . 43
Lower Mississippian, distribu¬
tion of. 18
Lvnn Township, log of boring
in . 113-114
M
McLean County, character of
McLeansboro formation in
..36, 41
chemical character of coals
of.49—50, 54
coal resources of.127-138
geology of.127-132
identification of coals near. 132
logs of borings in.128-131
Lonsdale limestone in. 42
mine notes .132-138
No. 7 coal in. 42
No. 9 coal and associated
strata in . 44
production of coal in. 127
section of strata between
No. 2 and No. 5 coals. . . . 136
shipping mines in.60, 127
thickness of Carbondale for¬
mation in . 35
J hickness of drift in. 127
McLean County Coal Com¬
pany. log of shaft of. .128-129
description of mine of.. 133-138
McLeansboro formation .
.176-179, 207-208, 232
general description of.37—44
Macon County, Carlinville
limestone in . 139
character of McLeansboro
formation in.36, 38
chemical character of coals
of .50, 54, 55
coal resources of.139-148
geology of .139-144
logs of borings in.
.26-29, 140-144
INDEX
243
PAGE
mine notes .145-147
No. 9 coal and associated
strata in. 44
production of coal in. 139
shipping mines in.60, 139
thickness of Carbondale for¬
mation in . 35
thickness of drift in. 139
thickness of Pottsville in... 31
thinning of No. 6 coal in. .. 140
Macon County Coal Company’s
mine, description of.
.60, 146-147
Macoupin County, Carlinville
limestone in . 43
Maple^on, channel sandstones
near ... 173
description of mines at. .198-199
Mapleton Coal Company, No.
1 mine, description of. 198-199
Maplewood Coal Company, No.
1 mine, description of..59, 97
Maplewood Colliery Company,
No. 2 mine, description
of.59, 97-98
Maquoketa shale, distribution
of . 18
Markets for District IV coal. 15
Maroa, Carlinville limestone at 43
log of well near.142-143
thickness of drift at. 68
Mason Ci J y, drill hole at. 148
Mason Countv, coal resources
of . 148
M. E. Case Coal Company, No.
1 (Walben) mine, descrip¬
tion of .60, 195-197
channel sandstones near. . . 173
Mechanicsburg, description of
mine at. 218
No. 6 coal at. 214
Mechanicsburg Coal Com¬
pany’s mine . 218
Menard County, coal resources
of .149-154
geology of .149-150
log of shaft in. 150
mine notes from .150-154
mines in . 149
production of coal in. 149
shipping mines in . 60
page
Middleton Coal Company, Mid¬
dleton mine, description
of .59, 101
Middletown Coal Company’s
mine at Middleton, de¬
scription of .150-151
Mines in District IV.59-61
Mine Notes:
No. 2 coal. McLean County.
... 133-135
Peoria County.200-202
No. 5 coal, Fulton County. .
.‘ 91-104
Knox County .115-116
McLean County.135-138
Macon County.145-147
Menard County.150-154
Peoria County.191-199
Sangamon County.... 216-223
Tazewell County.233-237
No. 6? coal, McLean Countv
. 132-133
No. 6 coal, Macon County. . 147
Peoria County ..184-186
No. 7 coal, Peoria County..
. 181-182
Mississippian system . 30
Monmouth Coal Company,
mine No. 1, “boulder” in
floor of . 88
description of.59, 98-99
Morgan Countv, log of boring
in ... .... 66
Morris well, log of. 73
Moses, Thomas, assistance of. 11
Mt. Pulaski, log of shaft at.. 122
Mt. Pulaski Colliery Com¬
pany’s mine at Mt. Pul¬
aski, description of. 126
Murphysboro district, average
analyses of coals in. 56
N
National Coal Mining Com¬
pany, Farming-ton mine,
description of . 102
New Haven limestone. .20, 44, 139
Newsam Brothers, No. 4 mine
.. ....60, 199
Niagaran limestone, distribu¬
tion of. 18
Niantic Carbon Coal Com-
panv’s mine, description
of.60, 145-146
shaft log of .143-144
244
INDEX
PAGE
Niantic, Carlinville limestone
at . 43
depth of No. 6 coal at. 139
description of mine at.. 145-146
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. 43
Shoal Creek limestone at... 139
“Niggerheads,” association of
with No. 5 coal. 213
Norris, descrintion of mines
at.92, 98-99, 103-104
No. 1 coal, chemical character
of .46, 54, 56
in District IV.25-26,
76, 80-81, 107, 140, 202, 225
limestone above. 30
roof of.80-81, 105
No. 2 coal, chemical character
of.46, 49, 50, 52, 54, 56
in District IV.
.30, 65-66, 75, 76,
80, 107, 114-115, 140, 148,
149, 161, 199-200, 225, 228, 232
mine notes for. 133-135, 200-202
roof of.. .105, 161, 200, 232, 244
section of strata above in
McLean County . 136
No. 3 coal.32, 76
No. 4 coal.32, 107
No. 5 coal, “boulders” in....88-90
characteristics of in Sanga¬
mon County. 210
chemical character of.
.46-49, 50, 54, 56
comparison of with No. 6
coal .84-86
floor of . 89
horsebacks in.88-90
in District IV. . . .34, 75, 76,
78-79, 87-91, 107, 114, 144,
148,149, 161-163, 186-191,
206-207, 210-213, 225, 232-233
irregularities in .187-191
mine notes for.115-
116, 135-138, 145-147, 150-
154. 191-199, 216-223, 233-237
roof of. . .67, 78, 79, 87, 163,
188-191, 213, 225, 230-231, 233
“rolls” in .88-90
section of strata below. 136
structure of . 57
thickness of.186-187
unconformity of with No. 6
coal .78-79
PAGE
No. 6 coal, chemical character
of .
49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 84-85
comparison of with No. 5
coal .84-86
difficulties of working in Pe¬
oria County . 182
in District IV.
.35, 37, 76, 77-79, 84-
87, 107, 114, 149, 175, 182-
184, 206-207, 214, 230-231, 232
mine notes for.
.132-133, 147, 184-186
roof of .176-177, 182-183
thinning of in Macon County 140
unconformity of with No. 5
coal .78-79
No. 7 coal, chemical character
of .51, 55, 56
in District IV.
.41-42, 75, 149, 178, 214
mine notes for.181-182
roof of.75, 178
No. 8 coal.42-43, 208, 214-216
No. 9 coal?. 44
O
Oil and gas possibilities in
Fulton County.83-84
Oneida, No. 6 coal near. 107
Orbiculoidea missouriensis . 22, 206
Orchard Mines, description of
mines near..197-198, 200-201
No. 2 coal at. 200
Orchard shaft, log of. .. 158
P
Parnell, thickness of drift at. 68
Peabody Coal Company, mine
No. 6, description of.
.61, 218-219
Peerless Coal Company’s mine,
description of .217-218
Pekin, description of mines at
.235-236, 237
log of boring southeast of. . 228
McLeansboro formation at. 232
No. 2 coal at. 229
No. 5 coal at. 230
No. 6 coal at. 231
No. 7 coal at. 232
Pendergast Brothers’ mine,
description of . 116
Pennsylvanian system, general
description of .17-44
subdivisions of . 20
INDEX
245
PAGE
Peoria, channel sandstones
near .173-174
description of mines at....
.191-193, 195-197
thickness of Pottsville near. 30
Peoria County, Carbondale
formation in . 33
channel sandstones of... 165-175
character of McLeansboro
formation in. 36
chemical character of coals
of.50, 51, 54, 55
coal resources of.155-202
geology of .155—180
limestone above No. 6 coal
in . 41
log of boring in.156-158
Lonsdale limestone in. 42
McLeansboro formation in.
. 176-179
mine notes from.181-
182, 184-186, 191-199, 200-202
No. 1 coal in. 202
No. 2 coal in.199-200
No. 5 coal in.34, 186-191
No. 6 coal in. 175
No. 7 coal in.42, 180-181
production of coal in. 155
shipping mines in.60, 155
variegated shale below No.
7 coal in . 41
Petersburg, description of
mine at. 151
“Petersburg” formation, see
Carbondale formation
Pleasant View, No. 2 coal near 225
No. 5 coal near. 225
Pottstown, description of mine
at .201-202
log of mine shaft at. 156
No. 1 coal at. 202
No. 2 coal at. 199
Pottsville formation, correla¬
tion of by means of fossi
plants . 31
description of.
.20-31, 158-160, 205, 229
Pre-glacial valleys, influence
of on mining .
.14, 161-163, 179-180
Prentice, log of boring near.. 66
Princeville, description of mine
at .185-186
R PAGE
Ralls Ford shale member. 207
Ripley, No. 2 coal at. 225
Riverton, description of mine
at .220-221
Rock Creek limestone, see
Lonsdale limestone
Rock Island district, average
analysis of coals of. 56
“Rolls” in No. 5 coal.88-90
Roof, No. 1 coal Fulton County
. 80-81, 105
No. 2 coal_105, 161, 200, 232
No. 5 coal.67, 78, 79, 87, 163,
188-191, 213, 225, 230-231, 233
No. 6 coal, Peoria County. .
.176-177, 182-183
No. 7 coal, DeWitt County.
.75, 178
see also Mine notes for the
various coals
Rushville, No. 5 coal near.224-225
S
St. David, description of mine
at .93-94
St. Peter, distribution of. 18
Saline County, average analy¬
ses of coals in. 56
Sangamon County, anticlinal
structure in . 209
Carbondale formation in...
. 205-207
chemical character of coals
of .51-52, 54, 55
coal resources of.203-223
geology of .203-208
limestone above No. 6 coal
in . 41
log of boring in.20-24
Lonsdale limestone in. 42
McLeansboro formation in.
. 207-208
mine notes from.216-223
No. 6 coal in. 214
No. 7 coal in. 214
No. 8 coal in.42, 214-216
PoPsville formation in. 205
production of coal in. 203
shipping mines in. . . .60-61, 203
structure of .208-210
thickness of coals in. 215
thickness of drift in. 204
variegated shale below No.
7 coal in.
41
246
INDEX
PAGE
Sangamon Coal Company, No.
2 mine, description of. . . .
.61, 219-220
No. 3 mine, description of. .
.61, 216-217
Sangamon County Mining
Company, Jefferson mine,
description of. 220
Sargent farm, log of boring
on . 112
Savage, T. E., assistance of. . 11
Saybrook, Carlinville 1 ime-
stone at . 44
identification of coals near. 132
log of boring near.129-130
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. 43
Schuyler County, chemical
character of coals of. 52, 54, 55
coal resources of.224-225
geology of .224-225
mines in . 224
production of coal in. 224
Selbvtown, description of mine
at . 223
Shelbyville moraine, descrip¬
tion of.13-14
Sherman, description of mine
at .218-219
Shoal Creek limestone.44, 139
Silver Creek Colliery Com¬
pany, No. 1 mine, descrip¬
tion of .59, 102
Simmons Coal Company, mine
at Canton .59, 104
Smith farm, log of boring on. 109
Snodgrass farm, log of boring
on .108-109
Scperville, description of mine
at . 116
South Mountain Coal Com-
panv’s mine, description
of ‘. 151
Springfield, Carlinville lime¬
stone at . 43
description of mines at.
217-218, 219-220, 221-222, 223
log of boring near.20-24
No. 5 coal near. 34
No. 7 and No. 8 coals near. . 43
thickness of Carbondale
near .31, 34
thickness of Pottsville near. 30
PAGE
Springfield District Coal Min¬
ing Company, Cora (No.
51 ) mine, description of.
.61, 220
No, 52 mine, description
of . ..61, 220-221
Woodside (No. 53) mine,
description of.61, 221-222
No. 55 mine, description of
.61, 222-223
Springfield-Peoria district, av¬
erage analyses of coals in 56
Star Coal Company, mine No.
1, description of...59, 99-100
mine No. 3, description of. .
.59, 100-101
Stearnes, description of mine
at .219-220
Structure of District IV as a
whole . 57
see also under County head¬
ings
Sugar Creek, workings of No.
8 coal along. 214
T
Tallula Coal Company’s mine
at Tallula, description of. 154
Taylor and Sons’ mine. . . .185-186
Tazewell County, Carbondale
formation in .229-231
channel sandstone in... 173, 230
chemical character of coals
of ..53, 54, 55
coal resources of.226—237
geology of.226-232
logs of borings in.227, 228
McLeansboro formation in. 232
mine notes from .233-237
mines in . 226
No. 2 coal in.228. 232
No. 5 coal in.232-233
No. 6 coal in.230-231, 232
Pottsville formation in.... 229
production of coal in. 226
shipping mines in. 61
thickness of drift in. 226
Tazewell Coal Company, mine
No. 1, description of.
.61, 236-237
Third Vein Coal Company’s
mine, description of..200-201
INDEX
247
PAGE
Toluca, Carlinville limestone
at . 44
log- of borings near..39, 40, 131
Towns . 15
Transportation . 15
U
Udden, J. A., assistance of. . . 11
Union Fuel Company, mine
No. 2, description of....61, 223
mine No. 4, description of. .
.60, 151-154
mine No. 5, description of.
... 61, 223
Upper Mississippian, see
Chester
V
Variegated shale below No. 7
coal . 41
Virginia, log of boring near.63-64
W
Walben mine, see M. E. Case
Coal Company
Walburg’s mine, description.. 115
Wantling mine, see Hoffman's
mine
PAGE
Wapella, thickness of drift at 68
Washington, log of boring at. 227
No. 2 coal at. 229
Wataga, description of mine
at . 116
No. 6 coal near. 107
Waynesville, thickness of drift
at . 68
Wesley, channel sandstones
near .173, 230
Wheeler, W. F., assistance of. 11
White, David, paleobotanical
work of. 31
White, K. D., assistance of... 11
“White top”.41, 176, 231
origin of. 176
see also Mine notes
Williamson County, average
analyses of coals in. 56
Wolschlag mine, channel
sandstones near. 173
Y
Young’s mine, see John D.
Y oung
1
PUBLICATIONS
ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS
ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION
URBANA, ILLINOIS
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Bulletin
26.
Preliminary report on organization and method of investigation, 1913.
Chemical study of Illinois coals, by S. W. Parr, 1916.
Coal resources of District I (Longwall), by G. H. Cady, 1915.
Coal resources of District VII, by Fred H. Kay, 1915.
Coal resources of District VIII (Danville), by Fred H. Kay and K. D.
White, 1915.
Coal resources of District VI, by G. H. Cady. 1916.
Coal resources of District II (Jackson Co.), by G. H. Cady, 1917.
Surface subsidence in Illinois resulting from coal mining, by Lewis E.
Young, 1916.
Tests on clay materials available in Illinois coal mines, by R. T. Stull
and R. K. Hursh, 1917.
Carbonization of Illinois coals in inclined gas retorts, by F. K.
Ovitz, 1918.
The manufacture of retort coal-gas in the central states, using low-
sulphur coal from Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky, by W. A.
Dunkley and W. W. Odell, 1918.
Water-gas manufacture with central district bituminous coals as gen¬
erator fuel, by W. W. Odell and W. A. Dunkley, 1918.
Mines producing low-sulphur coal in the central district, by G. H.
Cady, 1919.
Water-gas operating methods with central district bituminous coals as
generator fuel. A summary of experiments on a commercial scale,
by W. A. Dunkley and W. W. Odell. 1919.
Gas purification in the medium-size gas plants of Illinois, by W. A.
Dunkley and C. E. Barnes, 1920.
Coal resources of District IV, by G. H. Cady, 1921.
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Coal mining practice in District VIII (Danville), by S. O. Andros, 1913.
Coal mining practice in District VII, by S. O. Andros, 1914.
Coal mining practice in District I (Longwall), by S. O. Andros, 1914.
Coal mining practice in District V, by S. O. Andros, 1914.
Coal mining practice in District II, by S. O. Andros, 1914.
Coal mining practice in District VI, by S. O. Andros, 1914.
Coal mining practice in District III, by S. O. Andros, 1915.
Coal mining practice in District IV, by S. O. Andros, 1915.
Coal mining in Illinois, by S. O Andros, 1915. (Complete resume of
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Subsidence resulting from mining, by L. E. Young and H. H. Stoek, 1916.
Percentage of extraction of bituminous coal with special reference to
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U. S. BUREAU OF MINES
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Occurrence of explosive gases in coal mines, by N. H. Darton, 1915.
The humidity of mine air, by R. Y. Williams, 1914.
Mine ventilation stoppings, by R. Y. Williams, 1915.
The inflammability of Illinois coal dusts, by J. K. Clement and L. A.
Scholl, Jr., 1916.
Use of permissible explosives in the coal mines of Illinois, by J. R.
Fleming and J. W. Koster. 1917.
Coking of Illinois coals, by F. K. Ovitz, 1917.
Technical Paper 190. Methane accumulations from interrupted ventilation, with
special reference to coal mines in Illinois and Indiana, by II. I.
Smith and Robert J. Hamon, 1918.
Technical Paper 246. Water-gas apparatus and the use of central district coal as
generator fuel, by William W. Odell, 1921.
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