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asoi-oaicAi, sttrvb-t of oahada-

ALFRED R C. SELWYN, LL.D, F.R.S, Director.

PRELIMINARY NOTE

ON THE

GtEOXjOG-^S^

OF THE

BOW AND BELLY RIVER DISTRICTS,

N. W. TERRITORY,

WITH

sPF:crAL ri<:fkiiencb to the coal deposits.

11 V

GEORGE M. DAWSON, D.S., F.G.S.,

ASSOCIATE KOYAL SCHOOL OF MINES.

DAW^SON BROTHERS.

1882. •

T BP ' ■ ■■^■■■■j»' .'-9 -_j- TUT-r-- ■- T- - 1. .

in:i
To
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iilt
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ihii

GBni,0(jicAi. SriivKY op Canada,
7th Maj, 1882.

Thi: Kiout Honokahi,b

Sir John A. Macdonali), K.C.M.G.

Minister of tfie Interior.

>SiR,— r have (lie h(.nor to (i-aiiHmit, for the infoimation of the
(Jovernment, the ac'c(.inpaiiyiu^' intorestiii<jj and important notes
hy Dr. (J. iVr. Dawson, embodying the resultis of his exploration,
m:ido hist Biimmer, ot iho extensive coal deposits in the North-west
Territory, Several so;is(ms' work will bo required to obtain the
necessary data for a full rej)ort, and for the construction of an
accurate map of these coal fields. As, however, they are likely to
attract considerable attention during the ensuing simimei-, with a
view to theii- practical development, it has been thought desirable
that the publication of the facts that have already been ascertained
should not bo delayed.

I have the honor to bo. Sir,

Your obedient servant,

ALFIiEl) E. C. SHLWVN,
J)irector of the Geological. Survey.

T .. ■,--■'■-■

=;Hi

. 11

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kH.4

PRELIMINARY NOTE

ON TUB

Geology of the Bow and Belly River Districts,

WITH

SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE COAL DEPOSITS,

GEORGE M. DAWSON, D.S., F.G.S.,

ASSOCIATE KOYAI. srHOOI. OK MINKS.

OlTTMNE OP THE (lEOLOQY OF THE ReOION.

In submitting the following preliminary i-eport, I may state that It
is intended as an outline of the work done dui-ing the past summer
(1881). Jn the prosecution of the exploration I was ably assisted by
Mr. H. (}. McConnell, B.A.

The region examined forms the south-western angle of the North-
West Territoiy, and is drained ehiefly by the Bow and Belly Rivers
and theii- tributaries, though a portion of it lies in the Mis,souri Basin
and is drained by the Milk Eiver.

It is proposed at present to give merely a short preliminary account
of the geology of the district, with special i-oferen(!e to the coal beds.
After the completion of next summer's work it is intended to construct
a geological nuip on the scale of 8 miles to an inch, cori-esponding
with those alreatly published for British Columbia and the Peace River
and Upper Saskatchewan country, and to embody all the necessary
details of structure in a general i-e])or(. The region which has now
been partially mapped and examined, extends from the lllth meridian
westward to the Rocky Mountains, and is bounded south and north by
the 4!t(h and Slst parallels of latitude. The ai-ea of this region-
drawing the western line at the edge of the Paheozoic rocks— is
slightly over 20,000 square miles.

A portion of the Rocky Mountains was also explored and mapped ;
but as the mountainous district must form the subject of a separate
investigation, it will be necessary to state hei-e, merely that the south

\ \\

2 OEOLOOICAL SURVEY (iK CANAItA.

Kooliiiiie I'uHH, till' (Vow's N(*s(, l*ii.ss, und tlio «'aMtern portion of tlio
IJow KMvor I'uHs, wort' the diHlriclH |uirlic'uUu'ly cxainincd. Tin; most
inlorcHlin/^j renliiro ol' these (ixploriitions wuh the (liscovtiry that in the
region ol' Iho ('row's Xcst I'nss, wido valloys luised on C Cretaceous
r()ci<s occur west ol'lhe first ran^e formed of the l*ala'o/,oic liniesloneH,
and that, in these Cretaceous rocks, an in»j)ortant intercalation of
volcanic material appeal's. It is possihle that in «onio of those now
isolated troughs of Cretaceous rocks coal bods may yet he found, in tho
heart of the rangt'. The existence of a seam was indeed reported
ahout twenty miles west of the summit of the Crow's Xest Pass, hut I
was unaMe to reach the locality.

The rocks of the foot-hills and j^Iains east of the mountains, are, so
far as ascertained, entirely of Cretaceous ami Laramie age, overlain hy
houldei' clay and other beds referalde to the glacial j)eriod, a>id
alluvium, in the eastern portion of the district they are horizontal
or very nearly so, being freipiently affected by light undulating dips
si-arcely greater than may be supposed to have chai'acteri/ed the
original surface of dojwsition. On approaching the liase of the
mountains this uniformity suddenly ceases, and the beds become more
or less sharply coi-rugated, the disturbance being in some instances
so great as to I'osult in overturned folds. The belt of country affected
by this disturbance constitutes the foot-hills. The exposures of the
newer I'ocks nearest the actual margin of the J'alicozoie, very often
show comparatively light south-westerly or westerly- dips toward the
base of the mountains. A sei-ies of great faults with downthrow
eastwai'd nuist separate these newer rocks from those of the mountains,
and it is by a I'cpetition of similar faulting in the mass of the i-ango,
that the isolated areas of Cretaceous i-ocks already alluded to have
been intn»duced.

(Jn the iiow IJivor Valley, the width of the disturbed belt from tlie
edge of the I'ala'o/.oic (which hero falls back somo miles from its
general line) is about twenty-seven miles. On the Ilighwood Kiver
and its tributaries, the limit of the region has not yet been ascertained.
On the North Foik of the Oldnum it is about twelve miles in width.
On the southern branches of the same stream, including Mill and
TNncher Creeks, about thirteen miles. On the Waterton (Kootanie),
Helly and St. Mary JUvers, ahout eighteen miles.

The geology of the regi(m in the immediate vicinity of the
mountains is also complicated by the fact that the beds there change
considerably in lithological charactei', the change being such as would
be expected to occur on tho approach to a shore line. Saudstoues are
much more abundant and coarser in texture, and in a few places
conglmeorates holding pebbles doi'ived from tho mountains, occiiJ'.

BOW AND BEI-I.Y HIVKR htSTIirOTS.

One ol' tlio most iiltundaiil tniiliM-iulH in tlioso cojirHor rorks is llio
clici't which is (lorivcd t'roni concretions und irregular hiyors in Honio
|t!irls oC tlio linieslono series.

In (he Hclly River rei^ion, eastof IhtMtelt ofdistiirbeil rocks referred
lo above, lh(i Orelaceoiis and liaraniic hods t'orni a hroad, sliallow syn-
clinal, the <'enlre ol' which is occupied l>y the Porcupine Hills. A series
ol' reddish and purjtlish clay beds, wliieli may bo named provisionally
the Willow (Jreek series, apj)ear to be very persistent in the [mrami(^
oCthis region, and att'ord the means of rceognizing a definite hoi-izon
over a lai'gc tract of country. The width of the synclinal just alluded
lo — measuring from the hasoof the Willow (Jreek series on each side —
on the Oldman Kiver and its tributaries, is about forty miles. In pro-
ceeding eastward from this synclinal to the boundary of the district
embi'aced in the season's work, the series is, with little exception, a
descending one. The beds appear lo liave, as a rule, jiersistent light
westerly or south-westerly dips, while the rivers have a considerable
eastward slope; and though, as above stated, many minor undulations
iitfecl the nearly hori/onlal rocks of tlu^ plains, these are. as a i-ulo,
so light as U} interfere little with their unifornuty on the large scale.
One im])()rtantr exception only has been noticed to this rule, where, a
I'ew miles above the mouth of the Belly, on the Oldman Eiver, the
estuarine and marine beds characteristic of the base of the liai-amie
are u|)lurned at angles of fi-om 30° to 45°. Similar abi-upt local dis-
Im-bancos are occasionally found in the west — as in several instances
on the Mi.ssoui-i Jiiver — in connection with the intrusion of volcaiuc
rocks, but there is no evidence hei'c of such cause.

The general arrangement of the rocks may be represented as in the
Hubjoined table, the subdivisions being in descending order. No attempt
is at present made to state the thickness of the several subdivisions, as
the map work and sections are not j^et sufficiently advanced to render
it possible to do so with an approximation to accuracy: —

hAKAMIE,

(incindiiig

liidith lliver

scries.)

Fox UlLLS.

Beds of the Porcupine Hills. Massive sandstones, witii shales, &c.

Willow Creek beds. Reddish and purplish clays, with gre)- and
yellowish sandstones.

St. Mary River series. Sandstones shales and clays of general
greyish or greyish-green colours.

Yellowish sandstones and shaly beds, with a mingling of fresh-
water and brackish or marine molluscs.

f Yellowif
1 thic

tish sandstones, with some shales, apparently irregular in
ickncss and character. Molluscs all marine.

(lEnr.OMIf'AI. HI'RVKY OK PANADA.

I'IKIIIIK.

ninckiNli mill l*-ml-roloiirc(i HlinloH, witli occaRionnl HandHtnno iiitor-
caliitioiiH, i'H|»H'iiilly toward tli(! luointJiiuR.

i Holly River Rcrlt-n. SnndRtonos, nhnlo^ und Knndy cliiys. Upper

Nkiiikaka ? ^ part K*'»*'rHlly k^'WIhIi ; lowur yell )WiHli, and olteti banded liy

I rapidly nlteriialin^ Ix'dH. FrcNli and hracklHli water inolliiHt-H.

So fur, no roHHon Iihk b«'on foun<l 1o stipposc tliiil any Itodn nowtM*
tliiiii tlio riiiraniic (including; under this ^onoriil name tlio.liiditli Jiivui-
und \'\)r[ Union sci-iort) liavo huen found in tliis distriel, or indued in
any \mvi of the ('anadian North-wost. Territ/)ry.

The hedn ty|)ically developed in the I*or( uj ino IHIIh liavo not yet
heen lully exannned, thouf^h it is proliahle that liose neon on llio U|)pei'
part of the liow Uiver, in niniihir rehition to the niountaiuH, are of the
Mamo ajLfo. It was my intention to run a line of section eomplefely
across the Porcupine Hills last autumn, hut the unusually stoi-my
weather and early fall of snow prevented this 'Vom heinjy^ done. It is
prohal)li' that the beds developed in these hills j re, alono, several thou-
sand feet in thicUness. No coal or lignite seams have yet heen found
in thin ])art of the series, tiiough its general character is such as to
render their discovery not improhahle.

The relation of the Willow C'l-eeU series to the wide nynclinal of the
Porcupine Jlills has already been referred to. The beds of this series
are generally soft, and their outcro]) has caused the wide low valley
which bounds the I'oicupine Hills to the west,, and crossing I'incher
Creek at the Police Farm, runs south-easlward to the Waterton
(Kootanie) iiiver. In the viciiuty of the upper part of Milk Kiver,
however, they are almost hori'/onlal, and form the higljer j)art.s of the
plateau. They also stand up prominently in the Belly Btittc, near the
confluence of the Belly River with the Waterton, and probably form
the upper portion of the western part of Milk IJivei- llidge. The
characteristic colouring and aj)pearunce ol" these beds constitutes the only
i-eason ibr giving them a separate |)rovisional name, as they Jippoar to
be perfectly conformable with those above and ludow. Small, irregular,
clayey noduh's of jteculiar appearance abound in some layers. Fossils
are remarkably scarce, though a few fresh-water molluscs have been
observed ; and on the Oldman River, a few miles below the mouth of
Willow Creek, the remains of a large chelonian were met with. These
beds were not recogidzed on the liow River, and it is probable that
they die out or change their character in the region between the
localities just mentioned aiul that stream. In this i-egiou exposures
are few and poor, owing to the depth of the drift covering. No coals
or lignites have been found in the Willow Creek beds.

now AND HKI.I.Y niVKH DIMTRlrTH.

Tlio roekH wliic-h rmiy l»o pi-oviHioniilly deMi^natod tho St. Mury
|{i\(M' SorioH envoi' a liir^^o j)()i'lioii of tho ro^ion iimlcr doHcription.
Tlicy Imvo hoon cari)fiilly cxuniinud al many ditiorcnt localitios, and
oxlcnsivt' colloctionH of" fVcsli-wuh'i" molluscs have liocn niado from
llicm. Thewo hods arc shown in cxcidlont sections foi- many miles on
tl'^ lTp|)or Helly Jiivci-. and the St. Mary, W)>torf^)n and(Jldnian Hivers
an<l Pinehor ("rook. Thoy are jfonoraily clmraetori/.od hy rapid altor-
Mfitions of sandstones an«l shaly or clayey hods, tho stratiHcation, as a
iiilo, hein<^ r(^^nlar. (Iroyish or i^reonish- or hluiHh-;ijroy tints charac-
terize the hods, though somo of tho sandstones weatlu^r to yellowish
colours, and ironstone nodides aro of frociuent oecnrronco. At the haso,
IIm^so rocks show ostuarino and marine conditions, and yellowish
colours pn^vnil. Those latlei- hods havo heon so])arately dosignated in
the tahlo of formations, hut there is prohahlv no distinct eharac^toi- hy
which they may bo so|)arated from those :ihove, oxcoj)! the passa/^o
frotn hrackish-wator to frosh-wator conditions. The close i-olations of
these with tho upper heds is further illustrated hy a Hoction on Bow
Itivor, descrihod helow. In those transition beds, in tho Holly River
region, Corhicula pijriformis, Corbicula occidenialis and Ostrea ai-o found
in some layoi-s in great abundance. These fossils were obsorvod in
several places on tho U))pei- Belly and St. Mary JiiverH, and also on
tho Oldman River at tho point already mentioned as showing a
peculiar disturbance of the beds. Tho same zone runs northward to
the Scabby Butte, and bore includes large numbers of bones of verte-
brates, probably dinosaurian.

The whole of the bods so far described have been included under the
gcnoi-al name of Laramie. 1'ho total thickness of tho formation in this
regioti is v«>ry great, several thousan<l feet at least, and much in excess
of that of the Judith Bivi-r betls as developed on tlio Missouri. North-
wai'd, on the Bow River, tho Willow (yrock heds have not been
identified, and it has been found impossible to carry out tlie subdivi-
sions which can bo dofinoil on tho lioll}'' and its tributaries. On the
Bow, the Laramie extends continuously from the edge of the disturbed
rocks of the vicinity of tho mountains to a point about ten miles below
the Blaekfoot Crossing — a distance of over eighty miles. At tlio
western edge of this region, tho bods in theii* colour and general
appearance closely resemble those of the tj'pical St. Mary River sub-
division, but eastward, sandstones predominate over shales and clays,
the rapid altoi-nation of beds differing lithologically is less marked,
and the bluish and greenish-grey tints befoi-e observed are replaced by
yellowish-grey and butf. Tho representatives of the brackish or marine
beds described in the Belly River region are first seen near the eastern
edge of the formation on the Bow. in a scarped bank about ten miles

(lEOi.OGK'AL SURVEY OP CANADA.

iibnvo (lie Hlackfoot C'rossi'iif, Uio lowosi layers near tlie river level
are full <)f's])eeiinens of Corbit'ula occidentalis and a specioH of Ostrea,
while a i'ow feet liijflier, i)e(ls of similar lith()lotci('i>l eharaelei-, ami
perfeetly eoiifoi'inaltle, are ehart^ed with flnio nntl l^wipani, nnd eoii-
lain no hracUish or marine forms.

Xear the hase, the Laramie is, in the I'e^ion now reported on, a
persistent lignite- or eoal-hearing formation. A few miles north of the
4!>th parallel, on the St. Mary River, a coal hed of excellent (piality,
eighteen inches in thickness, is found, overlain hy a hed holding Cor-
bicula orridentdlis and Ostrea. it is described in my IJeport on (he
(leology and .csources of the 4!Hh Parallel (pp. i:{2.17-.) Another
coal outcrop, possibly on the same seam, and about a foot in thickness,
is found on the Upper Belly River. The seam at the Indian farm near
Pincher Creek is prol)ably again not far from the same horizon, though
perhaps a little higher in the series. Coaly sti-eaks occur in the sand-
stones at the tlisturbed locality on (he Oldman River, which has already
been referred to, and a lignite at Scabby Butte may hold the same
])osition. Further north, the seam on the How at Coal Creek, between
Morleyville and Calgary, and those in the vicinity of the Hla(d<foot
Crossing, appear to occupy nearly the sami- horizon. The thin seams
near the mouth of (lie Highwood Rivei- may possibly be higher in the
Laramie, and from the character of the St. Mary Jliver subdivision
throughout, it is not improbable that other coal- or lignite-bearing /.ones
ma}^ occur locally. The character and surroundings of the more imjiort-
ant seams now known ai-e ilctaile<i on a snbsetpieiit ])age.

The Fox Ifill beds, or their representatives in this district, appear
to pass into the base of the Laramie upward, and below to blend with
the Pierre, both lithologicali}' and in their fauna. On the lower part
of the St. Mary Kiver, a massive samlstone, about fifty feet in thickness,
which may be su])])osed to represent the Fox Ilill formation, from its
position at the top of the l^ierre, in well exposed. (Jn the Milk liiver,
near the crossing of the Hcnton Trail, and again north of the Fast
Butte, flaggy, yclhjwish sandstones with truly marine shells occui-, and
occupy the same })Osition with regai-d to the Pierre shales.

The Pierre (Iroup, tliroughout this district, is not so homogeneous in
character as further east, and frequently holds sandstone intercalations.
Ls occuri-ence at the base of the West iiutte has been described in the
Report on the ! .ology and Eesources of the 49fh Parallel, already
i-eferred to. A further examination of this locality has since resulted
in the discovery of additional fossils.

The Pierre is again seen with its characteristic fossils on the lower
St. Mary River, and its outcrop (at a low angle and occupying conse-
quently a wide belt of country) runs thence north-eastward to the Bow

■ j. ' -i. ' .tm ' ji.^

B(t\V AND 1»K, /,T RIVER KTSTRIOTS.

\g zones
inqxn't-

3neous in

■:il!itii)nH.

.'(I in the

alroacly

vesuliMil

lie lower

River, a dislance of oifflil y niilcs. On the Olilman River the U])per
part of the Pieri-e, lor a tlickiiess of jihout fift}' teet, ceases to show its
usual blackish or dark fi;rey colour, becoming a sombre brown clay
shale. On the How River Ihy same a])])earance is found, but the beds
so atVected are several hundred feet in thickness, and there is also here
toward (ho base oi (he I'lerre a /one characterized by pale sandy days
and sandstones. The Pierre is, however, as a wliole, the l)est marked
and most easily recoifnized formation of the district. The most per-
sistent coal-beai'ing horizon is included in its base, and has already been
utilized in supplying Fori Macljcod, and for shijiment to Benton on
the .Missouri by waggons returning frcmi l*'ort MacLeod. A second coal
seam occurs at the summit of the Pioi-re on Bow River, at Horse-shoe
bend. Details of these ai-e given on a subserpient ])age.

The beds outcropping on the J}ow and JJelly Jiivers for a distance of
over forty miles on each stream above their confluence, are believed
throughout to undei-lie the IMcmm'O. They hold in their upper portion a
lew fresh-water shells, with occasional fragments of dinosaurian bones,
but becomes estuarine and brackish-water toward the base. A more
detailed account of these beds is reserved till the examination of the
fossils — which seem to slu)W an oarl\- ajtpearance of types usually con-
sidered as Ijaramie — has been completed. A seam of lignite, of good
ipialily, but generally ot' small thickness, occurs on both rivei's. It is
referred to again where, at one point on the Helly River, il becomes of
possible economic impoi'tancc.

The ])ale beds underlying the Pierre in this region represent, with
little doubt, the Dunvcgan sandstones of the Peace River section.
( Report of Progress, IST'.I-SO.) They are also evidently identical with
those described by Prof, ('ope as occujning a similar position on the
Missouri (Bulletin U.S. (ieol. and (Jeog. Sui-vey, Vol. Hi, p. .568.)
This subdivision, which appears to occupy the positicm of the Niobrara
in the Nebraska section, is therefore one of great importance in the
(.'relaceous series.

No desci'iption is given in this preliminary report of the Laranue
(.luditli Piver) beds of the vicinity of the Three Buttes. These fall
within the area of the present exploration, but have already been
described at some length ivi my Boundary Commission i{e])ort.

NoTKS ON THK iMORE IMPORTANT COAL SeAMS OF THE BoW AND BeLLY

River Districts.

The fuels contained in the rocks described in the foregoing general
notice vaiy from lignites, but slightly superior in quality to those of
the iSouris i-egion, to materials containing a very small percentage of
water, forming a sti-ong coke on heating, yielding abundance of highly

'^n

aEOLOmcAF. SURVEY OF CANADA.

1 .

luminouR hydroearboiiK, anJ precisely roHcinbling ordinary bituminous
coals, though of Cretacooun or Laramie ago. In describing llicm (he
general tei-m coal will be used, as il is impossible to draw a definite lino
between the two classes among the numei-ous intermediate varieties.

The coal seam last refer -ed to as occurring on the lower How and
Belly Bivers, is seen in the banks for many miles at a varying height
above the water, owing to the light undulating dips by which it is
aflfected. It is generally not more than a toot or eighteen inches in thick-
ness though so pei'sisleni in extent, i)ntatoiu( pointon the Belly Kiver it
thickens to three feet, f( lining a workable seam, which appears to be
of good (puility throughout. This locality is thirty-two miles in a direct
line from " Coal Hanks." No analysis has yet been made of this fuel.

The locality Just referrc<i to as "Coal Hanks" is at the crossing of
the Belly Eiver by the tr.iil to Hentcm. The coal occurring at this
place is that which has been described as existing at the base of the
Pierre It is one of the be •it in the district, and has been worked to a
small extent for some years at this ])oint by Mr. N. Shei-an. The out-
ci'op of this seam is now liiown to extend from a point about six miles
up the .St. Maiy Kiver to that part of the Belly near and below
Coal Banks, and thence to run noi-thward to the How Jiiver. South of
the point indicated on the St. Maiy River, it has not yet been traced,
but as it appears remarkably constant in thickness and general charac-
ter, both here and at the How River, sixty-six miles distant, i doubtless
extends considerably further in each direction, and may also be assumed
to underlie tlie plains betwccm the Belly and Bow flivers in woi-kable
thickness.

The drift deposits average about one hundred feet in thickness over
this part of the plains, and it is consequently, in general, only in the
river valleys or in the larger cimldes which flow into them that the
Cretaceous rocks i-an be seen. The Belly Valley in this pai't of its
course is about 300 feet deep, and avei-ages neai-ly a mile in width. It
therefore cuts about 200 feet into the ('retaceous i-ocks, and displays
tine sections of these. Thei'o are in this vicinity several associated
coal seams ; one of these, that which has been epened bj' Mr. Sheran,
1 may, for the sake of deai-ness, refer to as the " main coal." it is
more or less perfectly exposed at intervals along this part of the Belly
for a distiince of about twelve miles, or from the workings at Coal
Banks to Big Island of the map. Above the Coal Banks the measures
are att'ected by a light anticlinal swell which brings up older rocks,
and the outcrop runs round to the west, apjjcaring on the j-iver again
at the mouth of the St. Mary. At the furthest point up the St. Mary,
where the coal appears (about seven miles from the mouth of the river),
it shows the following section, the second colunm being a continuation
of the first at a spot about 100 yards further down stream : —

BOW AND BELLY RIVER lUSTRlCTS.

ft. ill.

Rusty iroiiKtone Inyer o

liliickish and rusty shiilo 5

Coal

Blackish shiilo y

Coal

Holt civil )()naci)0U8 Hlialc

Coal

Soft, tliiii 8hale, highly carbonaceous in

upper part

Ironstone sliale

Blackish shale

Coal

CarbomueoUB sliale (sonie coal)

Coal (partly below water)

■1

ft. in.

Coal \

Shalycoal

Coal 1

Shale

Coal

Grey shale 4

Coal 1

Grey Shale (to water) . . 4

About two miles f'urthoi- down tho St. Mary the coals are again soon,
with the following development: —

Coal (rather shaly) 1

Coal 1

Shale

Coal

Shale i

Coal ;>

Shale (with obscure i)lant impressions) (',

At the month of the 8t. Mai-y tho inainsoum has a thickness of 3 feet
6 inches, but about 18 inches at tho top is ratjier shaly.

On comparing these sections on Iho St. Mary with those at (.'oal
J5anks and on the Belly liiver to the north, it will bo noticed that the
coal at the tirst-mentioncd locality is more divided by shales and loss
favourably situated for working.

On the pai-t of Iho Belly River near Coal Banks the measures have,
as a whole, a light westerly dip, while that part of the outcrop between
Coal Banks and IMg Islanil forms a minor synclinal hollow in its edge,
across which the river cuts in a dii-oction nearly (Coinciding with The
main strike of tho measures, and gives rise to a groat display of coal
on this part of the valley. The coal-bearing horizon, as above men-
tioned, lies at tho base of tho Pierre, and its position between the dark
shales of this formation and the pale sandy beds of that underlying it,
i-endors it easy to detine tho situation of the coals, even where their
actual outcrop is concojilod. For a distance of five miles north of the

10 OEOI.OdirAIi SirUVEY OK CANADA.

Coal Banks expoHiii-eH, the dark nhaloH just iTCcrred <o occupy tho rivor
valley, while the outcrop of the coal is carried eawtward to an uncertain
distance by the light synclinal inidiilalion alM»vc rei'orrod to. The
gentle inclination of the measures shows that the coal might lu! reached
at a moderate depth hy sIuUIh sunk through the dark shales in tliiK
part of the valley, from which it might with facility he worked up its
slope to the eastward. The undulating character of tho dips i-onders
it inipossihle to estimate the exact depth at which the scam would be
found, but it is probably not over 5(10 feet below the river, midway
between its southern and northern outcrops in !lie valley. It may also
be worked on a smaller scale, but wit)> great facility, by levels di-i von
into the actual outcrops in the rivor banks.

Having thus brioHy desci-ibed the general mode of occurrence of the
coal on this part of tho Molly River, the following mtu'o detailed nf)tes
on the outcrop- which <M'cur will serve to show the actual chavacter of
the seam.

At the Coal Ranks, the coal has boon e.\tracto<l chiefly i)y (puiriying
along the natural outcroji, though dui-ing the past summer a small
level has been begun. Tho outcrop is situated in the front of a steep
scarped bank facing tho rivor, and the scam, which at tho southern
end of tho bank is about ;J0 feet above the watei-, di))s away below the
water at the northern. The following section shows the mode of occur-
rence and association of the coal in the bank, but does not extend up-
ward to the base of tho di-ift deposits : —

ft. in.

Finoly laminated grey .slialti 8

Goal (shiily below) 1 t!

Grey, thin-bedded shale 12 o

Ironstone I!

Grey shale I y

Coal 8

Grey shale and nodular sandstone, carbonaceous below ... 7 o

/- Coal 1 4 -k

Main J y^aly parting (often almost absent) o 4 I Coal,

««'^'°- \coal 4 oJ ••''I"

Carbonaceous shale 2 o

Grey shale . .■ 2

Ironstone 4

Greyish and brownish shale 3

Carbonaceous shale 3

Con'" shale 8

Grey shale 2

Coal 4

Carbonaceous shale (to water) 1 4

The dip at this place is about N. 83° W. (mag.), at an angle of 5 to
8 degrees.

now AND BKIil.V KIVKK DISTRICTS. 11

On tlio opposit-o side of llio river, at its next bend, the ooal soam is
a^aiii well shown. It is slii^litly undulating, and dips gradually away
Ih'Iow tho water level at the northern end of the hank. The |>art of
the section designated above as the Main Sean) is here as follows: —

It. ill.

Coal 1 fi

Shaly (Mirting (I to 3 iiiclit-K) o '2,

Coal :! :t

Total coal ■» l>

Ahout four inches in thickness at the hase of the seam is liere
laminated in texture, liut appears nevertheless to he of good quality.
The general dip is ahout N. 50° \V. (mag.), al an angle of less than 5°.

From this point for a distance of live miles down the valley, the
dark shales overlying the coal are alone seen. When it again appears,
on the west hank of the rivor, tlie Main Seam shows the following
section : —

Coal .
Shule
Coal .
Shale
Coal .

it. ill.

1 (5

;i
■I <;

1 t;

2 '.)

Tot4il coal 8

!»

The lowest division of the soam at this place is apparently not
represented in the sections previously dericril)ed. The coal in it is
somewiiat laminated, but seems to be of good quality. The dip is hero
ahout S. ^O"^ W. (mag.), at an angle of 5''.

About tiireo miles further north, extensive exposures of the coal are
again tbund in the scai-ped bank or clitf lacing the river, at a height of
about 100 feet above the water level. Tlie dip is light and luidulating,
but on the whole westward, or away from tho rivor. Tho Main Seam
is here composed as follows : —

ft. in.

Coal 2 6

Carbonacoous shale (» 7

Coal 2 2

Carbonaceous shale 1 o

Coal 1 3

Total coal 5 11

The coal here appears t<i be of good quality throughout. North of
this point on tho river tho Main Seam is not again found well exposed,

h '

12 OEOLOUICAL Sl'KVKY OK CANA1;A.

though in soverul pliicoM the asHociatod rocks uro shown in Kuch a way
aH to indicate that it outcropH below the drift a nhort ditttsmce oast of
the vivor valley.

At the point at which the base of the Pierio should cross the Little
Bow River, a seam of coal a few inches thick was observed by Mr.
McConnell, l)ut the exposures ilid not bring- the main scam into view.

This eoal-bearing hori/on appears again on the Ik)w River at (Irassy
Island, about thirty-three miles in a direct line below the Blaekfoot
Crossing, in hit. 50° 25' 15". In their general appearance, arrango
nient and thickness, the seams here exposeil closely correspond with
those on the Belly River. The subjoined section exhibits the relations

of the coal at this place :

ft. in.

Lead grey shale 25

Coal 1 6

Soft grey and yellowish-grey shaly sandstone 13 <>

CarbonaceouK shale, coaly streaks 2 3

Coal (good and sound throughout) 4 6

Dark grey shale and shaly clay 7

Coal 1

Carbonaceous shale 1

Coal 8

Soft shale and clay 8

Coal and carbonaceous shale (to water) 1 6

The seams dip westward at .i very light and constant angle. The seam
4 feet 6 inches in thickness probably represents the Main Seam of
the Belly River.

Some general facts regarding the composition of the coal of this
horizon in the Cretaceous may be given. T\w analysis by Prof. Haanel
quoted in my repoi't on the Geology and Resoiuces of the 4!lth Parallel
(p. no, No. Ill, in table) is of coal from this seam, but pi-obably from
that part of the outcrop near the mouth of the St. Mary River. The
same remark applies to a specimen which was analysed by Dr. Har-
rington. (Repo'-t of Progress, 1877-18, p. 41) C.) I'rof. Haanel's analysis
shows 6"Hy per cent, of moisture and l]"8() percent, ash. Br. Harrington's
H])ecimen contained 5*79 i>er cent, water and 2-05 ash. A s])ecimen
from Mr. Shei-an's mine, collected and examined by myself, yielded the
following result :

Water 6-,52

Volatile combustible matter 31 "OS

Fixed carbon 56-54

Ash 5 01

100-00

now ANI» HEM.Y KIVEK DISTIUrTS. 13

The coal is coiiipuct, docH not easily break u|» \\y haiidliiiu; oi- ex-
poHuro, ami in in every respect a very excellent fuel, liiit does not yield
a coherent coke.

In correspondence willi (he increased distance Iroiu the niounlains
ot' tlie outcrop of the same soani on Ihe iJow Kivc'-, and prohahh' in
lerior <lo<j;ree olaheraiion (o which it has Iummi sid»jeeted, (he coal is
there I'ound to coidain more water, ai)proxinia(ini;' in this "espect to
sonu' of the Souris JJiver lignites. Fj-oni these, however, it still ditVers
in its more compact texture and resistance to weathering and the
regular vertical «leat or jointage planes by which it is traversed, which
,ause it to assume cuhoidal instead ol'conchoidal forms on fracture. A
preliminary exanunalion of an outcrop specimen from this locality
gave the Ibllowing result: —

WattT 12:!7

Volatile comliustible iiiatter :vi-'Xi

Fixed carlion Mi 'M>

Ash H-9I

KM) (K)

The seam occurring at the sunnnit of (he Pierre formation on the
Row River, at the point which I have designated as ilorse-shoc bend,
has a very light westerly or north-westerly dip, and is not known to be
rti^H'csented on the Belly IJivcr, though it is probably its eontiiuiation
whicli appeal's on the Little Bow, near the month of the Snake Valley.
The outerop at JI(trs( -shoe Bend is situatctl aboul fif(een miles east-
norlh-eiis( of (he Blaekft>o( Crossing. The seam appears a( a heigid of
J.'!5 fee( above (he wafer in a s(ee}) sear[ied baidv on (he sou(h-eas( side
iifdie I'ivcr, ami is e\|)()se(l for ni-arly liidf a mile. l( is 4 feet 4 inches
in thi«kness, compact and hard where not long wt>a(hered, and in
physic'd charac(er resendiles thai las( di'scribed. A pi'eliminary exami-
ua(ion of an outcroj) specimen showed the following composition: —

Wilier 1 :! (!T

Volatile ('oiiit)ustilile matter :;T • I G

Fixed carlion (O-SO

Ash (led(iisli) 8 .«7

100(10

Still (bllowingan ascending order in the series, the seam which has
lu'cn known for some ^-ears at Black(<)ot Crossing next claims attention.
This is several hundred feet higher in the section than the last, and is
distinctly included in (ho l^aramie. it is probable that still another
seam exists l)etwoen this and that last described, but no good sections
of it wore found.

• IE01,(»(lirAI, SURVEY OK CANADA.

Coal occiirH in Hovonil placcH on tlio How Hivoi* a few niiloH iihovo
tho Blnckibol Crossinjjf. Tlio M-ains aro loo thin (<» work, but aro
j»i"ol)ai)ly <m tlu- same liori/on with tiiat (icsfi'ibi*<| hc>h>w. Thi'oiiijhoiil
this roi,^ion tlio Ix'ds aro atl't'cto'l !)> ^cntU* iimliilatiiDj; <li|w, ; . lliou^li
tlicy have ho.viilos a voiv liiihl ^jcnoral inclination westward, iht'y may
be fonsidorcMl as piai-tically horizontal.

The outci'O]) IVoni whioh a small <iuanlity oi'coal has been o.xti-actod,
and which has been rcl'cnod I » by several travt'llcrs, is sitnated si.x
and a halt' miles eastward from the l}lael<l(»ot Ai^enc}' lmildin;;s, on a
eouleo which runs northward I ) tho How. Tho deposit here consists
of two seams, the upper avora<fin>j; 1 t»)ot S inches in thickness, (ho
lower .'{ loot. They are sopar.it od by about u foot of carboiuiceouK
shale. .\t this spot the bed may be (raced about 500 feet in natural
exposures, and is atVocted by vai-iablo dips which do not oxceetl 5° in
amount. Tho (hickness of (ho seams condnues nearly uniform, and
(hoy would ati'ord, say, 4 foe( (! inches of clean coal, (ho whoh^ of
which could bo worked at once. Tho immediate Itaidis of the couldo
are about SO foot bit;h at this place, (lie upper two-thirds being com-
posed of drift deposits, which rest on a worn undulating surface of (ho
rocks below. Tho general level of tho surrounding prairie is about
110 feet above the horizon of the coal, and no exposures of (be coal or
associated rocks are fouml except in (ho river banks or coulees, which
cut deeply into (ho surtiicoof the plain.

In following tho couldo northward from tho spot Just described, (he
coal is fre(iuen(ly seen on (he right or east bank for about a mile, af(or
which (lie coulee opens into a wider valley with sloping grassy sides,
and exposures cease. Owing to (he slope of (ho bottom of (ho coulee
(oward (he river, (he beds aro cut into r.oro deeply near its mouth,
and at tho last exposure the seam is aliout thirty feet up in tho bank.
The upper soain is lioi-e not well shown, but (he lower exhibits a few
inches ovei' 4 feet of good coal. In an exposure intermediate between
this and tho Hrst, tho upper seam is S incdies (hick, the shales 1 toot,
and tho lower seam 4 foot 4 inches. Tlus seams are underlain by at
least twenty foot of soft whitish sandstone. Tho same bed appears
near (he Agency buildings, where tho Indian trail goir.g eastward,
leaves tho valley, but tho coal seams are here wanting oi- very pooi'.

Between tho Blaikfoot Crossing and the coulde above described,
the same coal-bearing horizon appears in several places in the banks
of Bow Eiver. The seams are here more favourably situated for
working, and of greater thickness than in the coulee. The subjoined
section shows their mode of occurrence atone point : —

I. I

|i:|

; ill)OVO

lilt aro
•Uijhoul

oy intty

O'S, Oil il

roiisists
lOSH, tlio

iiatiinil
hmI r)° in
»rm, and
whole of
10 ooul(5o
ing com-
I'o of the
is alioiit
10 coal oi-
ls, whii'li

ihctl, the
lilo, after
ssy sidort,
lie coiiloc
Is mouth,
the hank,
hits a few
> hetwccu
les 1 foot,
aiii hy nt
appears
astward,
y pool-.
3osi-i-ihed,
the banks
uatod for
aiibjoined

HOW A.\1> HEI.l.V UIVKM OISTIUOTS. 15

ft. in.

Coal 1 8

Illiick carlioimcccniH shalr I i

Coal 1 H

Sli.ilo :!

Coal !»

siuiic (I :t

Coal 3

Slinli- I (I

Coiil 1 10

Total 11 10

TotrtI ooal 8 11

The (-oal is here a^aiii un(k>rlaid iiy whitish Kandslonc for ahonl .*]()
feel, or to Uio water's edge. Nearly opposite the exposure, on the
soutji side of the river, the seam aj)pears at intervals in the hank, at a
iiciifht of about M\ feet abovi^ the water, for at least a (|uai-ter of a
mile. It is atfected hy a series of light undulations.

The natural exposui-es serve to j»rove the e(»ntinuity in good work-
able thiekness of this coal deposit over a tract of country several miles
ill extent, and its nearly iiori/.ontal attitude and moderate depth below
llie siirfiice of the [ilains, would enable it to be proved by boring at a
small expense over any desired area.

In texture, this coal is not so tirni or well adapted 11)1- transport as
lliose of the localities previously described, but in (-oiiiposition appears
I'lost'ly to resemble that of Ilorse-shoe bend.

The following are analy.ses of the fuel from this place; the lirst
from a specimen obtained by Prof. Maeoiin, the second from one
collected by myself, and |>robably not subjected to such prolonged
• lesiecation : —

IV II.

Water 10- 7-2 13-'J(i

Volatile combustible iimtter 2!>-20 :i.3-80

Fixed carbon 46-09 18 • Id

Asb 1:^-93 4-90

100-00 IdO'dll

Three coal-hearing localities on the head waters of the Oldman
liiver appear to be of sufficient importance to obtain notice at the
present time, but as the country toward the base of the mountains
becomes more fully known, it is probable that numerous additional
outci'ops will be discovered.

By Mr. C. Uoffiuann. Report of Pronrcss, 1879-80. p. 12 h.

QBoLOdinAI- SITRVRY OF OANAIIA.

At the (lovorninimt Indian Fiirm, hoiUIi of I'inclior (/fcok, a mam of
coal occiirH altoiit one niiU' fi-oni Mie liirni l)uil(linj^H, u]) tlio valloy of
tlio small stream on which thoy arc situated. 'I'ho rocks in the lowei'
part of the valh'y hclon^ to the St. .Mar^- I'iver siihdiviHion of the
Ijaramie, and dip toward the north-north-east (rna^.) Tluar an^le
•gradually increases from ahoiit 20° till the lieds Iteeomo nearly vertical
whcr<' the coal occurs. Beyond this point the; rocks are concealed,
Imt the coal proiiahly occupies a position vary neai- the hase of the
Laramie.

Near the coal st'ani, the beds have hcen nincli disturbed, and the
coal itself Ih slickensided and hritken throui^houl in such a way as to
caus(! it to crumhle easily by handlinif. The si'ani is two fet^t in thick-
ness where exposed, but is saiil to have been consideraljly thicker
where followed into the ba-ik. The opening made on the coal has,
howevt-r, since been lilletl in. This stum should reappc^ar on I'inclier
Oret'k above the crossini;" place of the road, but the horizon at. which it
should occur ajtpears (o be covered.

An analysis of the coal from this seam by .Mr. llolVmann is i:;iven in
the licporl of I'l-of^ress for 1HTS-71>, p. 12 n. It may be (pioted here
foi- comparison with thos(^ of the other seams, and illustrates the
improvement in (piality of the coals on Ihcii' approach to tlie base of
the moimtaiMs: —

Water fi • '.'fj

Voliitile coiiilumtil)!!) raiittcr 'i!»- 31

^'ixed carbon 55 • 70

Ash hTm

loo- 00

On the middle fork of the Oldman River, a tiinv miles below the
falls, and nearly north oi' the mill on Mill ('reek, two seams of i^ood
coal occur in a scai-pcd bank on the noi-th side of the stream. The beds
are each about three feet in thickness, and are folded in a very remark-
able manner, illustralin<^ the intensity of the force which has acted
in crumpliiiii; the rocks near the base of the mountains. It is probable
that these beds occu|)y a horizon near the base of the Laramie. They
appro.Kimate in character to ti-ue bituminous coals, and would yield
coherent cokes, but no analysis has yet been made of them.

The section in which these coal seams occur is as follows. The
order appears to be descending, but the whole may not improbably be
overturned : —

HOW AND BKLI.T RIVER DIHTHICTH.

ft. ill.
(irey to black, very lliio hLhIo, with occftBionivl Kmnll flsli

Kcalcis mid lioiieK, Ix'comiiij^HiiiKly 1111(1 yollowish at liaw!. d ii

KcrnigiiioiiH HaiidKtdiif o tj

(iruyiHh, soft BaiulHtoiK^ or aiunacdoiiR clay, with Homti thin

iroiiHtoiic layci'H 10 o

Flanlnr f^n'yiHh and tcniiKiiioiiH HatulHtoiK!, with foniu

obHciiro plant frannKJiitM r» o

Hani, flaggy, y(^llowisli rtaniLstoiu! :>. o

(jroy Kanily nhalc and siialy KandHtono 3 o

Coal ;{ (I

Soft black carbonaceous Hlialc !»

Urry sandy shale :; (i

Qrcy Handy shalo and sandstone i d

fii'cy fla;fi,'y sandstone, wcatlicriiif; rimty 'J t>

iJrcy sandy shale and slialy sandstone 5 o

Coat. Imperfectly Heen, but at least 3 feet of good (|uality :i r,

Carbonaceous shal(! I ii

Orey siiiidy sliale I o

FcrriiKinouH sandstone . . . '. o c,

(ircceiiisli-Krey sandstont! |o it

(irey and iilackisb carbonacc^dis shab^ 4 o

(lieenish-Krey, soft sandstone c o

Sandstone and arenaceous and carbonaceous shale, witli

general greenish-grey tints, (about) HO o

On Mill (Jreok, about four miles above the mill, a seam of coal out-
crops. The measiiroH arc somewhat broken, ami the seiun appears (o
be rather iiicoiislant in thickness. It was intended last autumn to
make a cai'cful examination of (his nei;.,'hbonrliood, and lo endeavour
to follow the coal-bearin<^ horizon soulhward and northward from Mill
Creek to its outcrop on other streams, but this was prevented by the
early onset of wintry weather. The coal is of excellent (juality, and
yields a firm coke. It has been used to a stiiall extent in blaeksmith-
vvork at the null. The following; are sections of the seam on opposite
sides of a break or fault which traverses the measures jit the outcrop: —

ft. in.

Coal (rather shaly) ;{ j

Coal 2

Shale ] 4

Coal 2

Shale I 4

Coal 2

Total coal y 2

18 (lEOI.ddirAI. SlUlVRr nv CANADA.

rt in.

Coal (rathur Htmly) 'J o

Slml.' I II

Cotil (ii|i|iiir(intly mxnl tbidiiKlioiit, with tli<> <!X<'C|)tioii ol a

fi'W Hliiily |iiii'tinKH, not i-<|iiallinK I in(^hrH in nil) t! o

'I'otnl conl 8

Tli(> j^i'olo^iciil liori/oii of llir coiil at Mill (VocU Iijvm riot l»oen
<loUtnniiie«l.

(iKNKRAI, fiKMAIlKS ON TUB CoAI.H AND LtdNITES.

VVniiillior from an ci^oiiomic or \n\rv\y Hcionlilic point of view, on»> of
lilt' inosl in(orcstiii<f rosiiHs of the o.\|»loi'alion of the Mow and Holly
Kivor founlry is llic (li'tt'rniination of tlio fad llial IIk* coals art> not
confined to a sin^^ic liori/,on oi- for: nation, hut cliaructcrizc at least four
zones in tho ^colo<^ical series of this re<;ion. The fuels found in the
T^araniie rejii-osent, at least in a general way, those characterizing
the same formation or its representative, the Fort Hnion (Jroiip,
eastward on the ]>laiiis to the Soiiris Kiver. As far north as the
Athahusca and Peace liivers, fuels arc now known to occur in rocks of
aliout tlu^ same a;^e. Tho coal seam whicii has heen referred to as
attaclu'd to tho summit of the I'iei-re sliaU's, is not known to he repre-
sented elsewhere, unless indeed l»y a very thin soam near the same
horizon on the Smoky River. ( Report of Progress, 187t>-8l), j). 125 n.)

The coal at the hase of the Pierro, which has heen worked at Coal
Ranks, on the Belly River, has not heen reco<^nized in a workahle form
beyond the limits of the <listrict now described. The dark, highly car-
bonaceous beds at the base of the Upper Shales of Smoky River are, how-
ever, at about this horizon, and in one place a thin seam of lignite coal is
locally developed (op. cit. p. 118 n.) A bed of lignite describod by Prof.
( V»pe on the Missouri as in some j)Iaces of possible economic value must
also be of nearly the same a,i;e. (Bulletin U. S. (reol. k Geog. Sui-vey,
Vol. 111., p. mU').) It is further worthy of remark that this coal-bearing
horizon at the base of tho Pierre of the interior continental region is,
as nearly as possible, equivalent to that at the base of the Chico (iroup,
whitdi yields the coals of Vancouver Island at Nanaimo and C'omox.

The coal in the series below the Pierre on the Bow and Belly Kiver
may be taken in a ;<'neral way as representing those .'hich occur in
the Lower or Dunvegan Sandstones of the Pino River, .n the Peace
River country (op. cit. p. IIG b.)

Tho occuri-ence of workable coal seams at several different horizons,
and the proved continuity of some of them over gi-eat areas, guarantees
an abundant supply of fuel in this district, a matter of great import-

now ANr» iiKi.i.v nrvKii rusTRtcTs.

luitf in u foiiiilry wliicli over ^rnul aroHs is ulmoMl ontiroly doMtitute
of Will (d. 'riic <|ii!ilily oC Koiiuw)!' Iliii fiicl-t Ih kiii-Ii uh Io romlor tluMii
Hiiitalilt) tor li-uns|)or( to a ilistaiicr, and it is doiilitlcss on this litdl of
coal lK>ai'in;j i-ocUk in tlu^ vicinity of tin- inonnUiinM that tho ruilwuyH
of tho Norlh-wt'Ht will dcpcnil thiclly for tlioir supply.

The <|iiantity of coal already |trov(M| to t-xist \h voiy ;^rcat. The
distances lor which the outcrops of ci>rtain Hcains havt* hccn IniotMl
havo hccn nu)nlionc(|. Approxinnitc; estimates of the ((iianlity of coal
underlying a s<|uare mile of country in several localities have boon

made, with the Ibllowin^ i-osidts; —

«
J/(i«>j .SV(i»«, in vhlnity of Coal Hiuilts, Hilly llivor. Coiil un(lt!i--
lying one milmru niilc, 5,500, ouo toiiH.

(triii.li/ /n/iiihl, Itow liivcr. ((Joiitimmtion of ISilly IlivcM- Miiin
St'iitu.) Colli lUidcrlyiuK ouo Ht|M(iic mile, over ,0,000,000
tons.

Ilormshne H<nJ, How River. Coal undiilyiiif,' one «qiiaro mile,
4,'J0O,(i0O touH.

lilack/oot Crouiwj. Workable coal in se.ini an expoHed ou Bow
Uiver. Underlying one Hciuaro mile, 'J,000,000 tons.