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By JOHN RUTHERFORD, M.E., INSPECTOE OF MINES, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, MEMBER OP THE NORTH OP ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF MINING AND MECHANICAL ENGINEEES. *■ Repbinted prom thk Transactions op the North op England Institute * OP Mining and Mechanical Enoineebs, Saturday, May 7, 1870. .■^> y . * • - >■' A. REID, printing COURT BUILDINGS, AKENSIDE HILL. 1871. ^vnj«»»^^'S,Y»_,l.:i:^l'«4^JJ|(,'.l71!J|lJ»*},'i;,,'.'H'i».-'.;!..''7r:' ■ i,^:^^ ■T';,'*a^- 1 lU, THE COAL-FIELDS OP NOVA SCOTIA. By JOHN RUTHERFORD, INSPECTOR OF MINES, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. Read before the North op England Institute op Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Saturday, May 7, 1870. T^ewcastle-upon-^yne \ A. EEID, PEINTING COURT BUILDINGS, AKENSIDE HILL. 1871. / -S^aase^s pEfi'.^'^^^ THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. The mineral resources of the province of Nova Scotia have only of late years received that attention to which their extent and value certainly entitle them. Whether as regards the more recent development of a large tract of auriferous rocks, or the older and rapidly extending* operations in coal, there are few countries that offer g-reater scope for mining enterprise, or are more likely to reward, and that liherally, the judicious capitalist. The geological features of the province are interesting and peculiar. On the southern shores a rtmgo of motaniorphic rocks, of the usual apparently barren aspect, extends the entire length of the province, and is spread inland a width varying from fifteen to thirty miles; while on the northern shore, including- the island of Cape Breton, the carboni- ferous formation prevails to a greater or less extent, almost from its eastern to its western limit. Having, in 1805, been honoured with the appointment of Provincial Government Inspector of Mines, the writer has, in the exercise of his duties, become acquainted with all the districts in which mining has been carried on, and purposes in the following pages to give a brief description of the different coal-fields that have been opened, with such particulars respecting them, and of the coal trade generally, as will, it is hoped, he considered a not unacceptable addition to the knowledge of "our coal-fields." It may be remarked, at the outset, that although the existence of large deposits of coal in different parts of the country was not unknown, it was not until a change in the tenure, occasioned by the transfer of the mineral rights from the Imperial to the Provincial Government, that a knowledge of the wealth of the province in this particular mineral became general. For many years the General Mining Association of London were sole possessors of the mineral rights. It would be foreign to the subject of this paper to state how so valuable an acquisition was obtained ; the story is associated with the days of "the Georges," which happily will not bear comparison as respects regal THE COAL-FlliLUS OK NOVA SCOTIA. .M- cvcry-diiy life with the Victorian poriod, in which it is our good fortune to live. On the cessation of the monopoly, by ayrccnicnt, in 1857, certain tracts "/ere reserved by the Association, and the remainder was vested in the Crown for the benefit of the j)rovinco. These reserved tracts or mininf"' areas vary in extent from two to about twenty square miles, and are situated in different localities ; they are subject to the same royalty, and are held in nearly all resj)ects in the same manner as others subse- ■fpiently fi^ranteil. As soon as this arranj^-ement was completed, a code of laws was framed for re^ulatiny the lettin}>- and workinj*' of the mines, and the various districts were thrown open to the public. Licenses to search for minerals were eaj^erly taken out, and explorations were so vigorously prosecuted that there are now upwards of thirty collieries in addition to those of the General Mining- Association; and the yield of coal has risen from l^(ir,4',)(J tons in 18(10 to'5(H'),77i), the averag'e of the last four years. As may be expected with so recent a development of the mineral resources of the province, much has yet to be done to prove the extent and shape of the different coal-fields. The accompanying; map of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton conveys, therefore, but an idea of their relative position. According" to the present knowledge of them, they appear to be nine in numlter; it is probable, however, that future explorations will reduce the number by proving* a connection and showing* that their apparent isolation is attributable to denudation and the usual wasting* of sea margins. Although there are several tracts of carboniferous formation in various parts of the country (see Plate I.), it is remarkable tliai, ihe largest and most valuable are situated near and along* the northern shores of Nova Scotia, and over a considerable portion of the northern and eastern shores of Cape Breton. The g'eolop;ical structure of the province, as ascertained by the invaluable labours of Dr. Dawson, a native and an eminent geologist, sufficiently accounts for the apparent peculiarity. The southern coast, as has been stated, consists of Silurian rocks, the bare and rugged aspect of which, with their deep indentations forming magnificent land-locked harbours, is in striking contrast with the gently undulating and cultivated hills and dales which usually characterize the more recent and valuable deposit. The most westerly situated of the coal-fields is in the county of Cumberland (see Plate XL), the South Joggins shore of which has obtained a well deserved geological fame. In the cliffs of this shore there is exhibited an I y Tin: COAL-I'IELDS (»F NOVA SCOTIA. G oxtondod sortion of cfirlmnifprous stnitsi wliich is j)orlinps unoquMllod' it liiis been oxiiniinod by Sir Clitirlrs Lydl iiiid other (Miiiiicnt "col ists and tlie momhcrs ot it hiivi' been cnrctully moiisurcd bv Sir Williimi Log-an. For a distiiiico of nrarly ten miles ahnv^' the shore, lied tiftor bed J oxj)used, to an aj:'<^re^iite thickness of upwards of 14,000 feet. In an economic point of vit>\v, however, the section is not of that impor- tance which the thickness of the measures mij>-ht be sujtposed to imply; for althoufi'li there are over seventy bods of coal, there are onlv three of a workable size. Two of these are worked at the Joins ( 'olliery which is situated near the shore and on one of the tracts held l)y the General Minin}*' Association. The followin<^ section of that portion of the measures in which these seams are found will convey an idea of the character of the stratification and show the relative position of the seams. The dip of the strata is to the S.W. at an anyle of 10°. y Grey aud black sliiilcs Coal Uiuler clay Saiulritoiio and slialc Uiulcr clay Coal Sandstone and whale Ditto, grey Grey shale Grey s.andstono Greyshale Coal j Shale y Main, or King's seam Coal ) Under clay, sandstone, and shale Grey shale Grey sandstone Grey shale ^oai ••• ... ... ... ... Grey shale CorJ and shale Sandstone and shale, with ironstone bands Coal Sandstone and shale Coal Under clay Coal — Queen's seam Shale Coal ... ... ... ... ,., Ft. In. 1 4 S :5 1) 12 (> 1 6 1 15 7 4 4 B 8 « 1 G 1 () 27 6 4 (» 2 fi 6 OJ- in 01 17 9 1 16 4 3 5 1 9 4 4 1 Tin: (J )AL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. I' Under clay San(l8tiiiio and shale Coal Unilerclay Coal SandHtonc and Hhalc Coal Sandstone and shale Coal and shale ... Sandstone and sh.alc Coal Under clay and shale Sandstone and shale Coal and shale ... Sandstone and shalo Coal Sandstone and shale Coal Under clay Sandstone and shale Coal Under clay Sandstone and shale Bituminons limestone Coal, wiLu partings of clay Under clay Sandstone Clay Sandstone and sbal Coal Under clay Sandstone and sbal Coal Bituminous limestone ... Coal Under clay Sandstone and shal Coal and shale Under clay Shale Coal Shale Coal and shale Shale Coal Shale Ironstone and bituminous limestone Ft. a In 11 "> U 8 2 2 ir>2 2 .35 1 140 8 8 15 43 1 2 17 10 6 23 4 2 183 1 2 19 3 2 9 1 6 6 . G W 10 1 .S8 5 4 7 1 (5 133 5 6 C 3 5 4 4 9 2 10 3 « I i THE rOAL-FIKM)S 01' NOVA SCOTIA. ml Untlor clay and Hlmlc ... Coal (Hard Scrabble) scam Under clay Ft. III. 4 4 1 6 Tlio beds aro found in nonrly a horizontal jiosirion on procpodinp; southwards, and thorc aro indications of a riso in that diroction. At A])i)lo Ttivor, distant S.W. from tho J()<>'^-ins Mino ahout 'Jo milos, tho formation rosts against n ranj^'o of Sihirian rock, which, oxtoudl.ij;- in an oast and west direction, forms the Colieijuid Mountains. A small soam of coal is said to have been f«mnd in this locality, but at present no mining operations aro carried on : as that porticm of the strata in which the workable scams nre found does not, according- to Dr. Dawson, appear on the southern side of tho trouj^li, it is probable that they aro at a considerable depth from tho surface ; a su])position which recent exjdora- tions tend to confirm. On the northern crop of tho seams several mines have been opened; the measures are, however, much disturbed by faults, and the seams are so altered in size and ((uality, that identification is extremely diflScult. At the Victoria Colliery, for example, which is situated three miles to the east of the Joo*o-ins, there are three distinct seams, the upper of which is 1 foot 10 inches, tho middle seam 3 feet, and the lower one 5 feet If inches in thickness. Between the upper and the middle seam there is a thickness of strata of 15 feet, and between the middle and lower about 60 feet. The lower seam is of the following" section : — Coal Shale Coal Shale Coal Ft. In. 6 1 4 1 2 <.»-2 1 4 6 IJ About a mile fiirther east, two seams, each 2 feet 6 inches thick, including" some bands of carbonaceous shale, have been worked at the Lawrence Colliery. These seams are 20 feet apart, and at the adjoining Colliery, Macan, distant 4^ miles, there are thrto seams, two of which only are workable, the lower being- 4 feet thick, inclusive of 1 foot 10 inches of shale, and the upper 2 feet 4 inches. The thickness of the strata between these two seams is here 400 feet, the other seam being 100 feet below the upper one and 20 inches thick. Still further east, at the St. George and Chieg;necto Collieries, a seam, or rather an aggregation of seams, is worked, which is entirely 8 TillJ COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. I ( differont in every respect from tliose last named, so much so indeed that it may l)o (juestioned whether it is the representative of them or not. Tlie fi)llowin},^ are sections taken at these collieries : — CHIEONECTO 750 feet east of shaft. Yt. In Coal (coarse) Shale ... — Coal Shale ... Coal ST. GEORGE. Ft. In. Ft. In 2 €, Coal 3 6 10 Shale 2 3 6 Coal 3 10 1 3 Shale 1 10 5 Coal 11 13 1 12 1 So marked o, difference in the size and composition of the seams would almost induce a helief that they are distinct ])eds of coal, the true position of which has not yet hoen ascertained. That g-reat disturhances have occurred is evident, not only from the number of faults, but also from the difference in the declination of the seams. The former of these peculiarities is striking-ly illustrated at the Victoria Mine. At this colliery a downthrow to the west was met with a sliort distance west of the foot of the slope ; 70 feet further west an upthroAv of 65 feet was passed throuf^h, and about 50 feet still further west another upthrow of the same size again interrupted the working's. Proceeding- westward, 280 feet, thev were again cut off by another upthrow of about GO feet, and at a further distance of 80 feet they were once more thrown off by a similar sized fault. In a distance of 1,600 feet one half of the drifting > at' in stone. Between the Lawrence and the Macan Collieries there appears to be fc.umc serious interruption to the continuance of the seams, as they have not b"en found in the adjoining" property on the west of the latter mine. The declination of the seams at their crop increases on proceeding eastward from the Victoria Mine as far as the St. George. At the Joggins they dip south-east at an angle of 19°; at the Victoria, nearly south, 17°; at Lawrence 22°; Macan 35°; Chiegnecto 42°; and at St. George 46°. The most easterly situated opening on these seams is the Styles Mine, which is distant from the St. George about five miles, and from the Joggins 14 miles. Tlie seam at this mine is 7 feet 8 inches thick, with a band of carbonaceous shale in the middle 6 inches thick; it dips to the south-west at an angle of 40°. Whatever may be the relation of these seams to each other, it is evident that whether they are the same beds of coal that appear on the I' '2- •y- '4 1 ^: I I THK COAL-FIHLDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 1) m m If Jog'g'ins shore, altored in position hj tlio increase or (l(>orease in tliickness of the interveninj:- sluiles Jind of the coal itself; or whetlier they ar(> dis- tinct seams, they unmistakahly indicate the conrse of the northern side of tliis coal-field. Eastward from Styles Mine the strike of the measnres has been traced a short distance with little Viiriation in their course, hnt whether they continue in it much further, or they trend to the south, and then westward, and thus form the eastern end of the basin, has not yet been ascertained. The latter supposition has its orig-in in the fact of a counter-dip of the strata being- found on a branch of the Black River, about five miles to the south of Styles Mine. It does not certainly follow from this knowledg'o alone that such will be the case; the strike on each side may, on the contrary, diverge northward and southward, but there seems to be little doubt that the reverse position of the strata represents the opposite or southern side of the coal-field. From this point on the Black River the strata have been traced to the south-west upwards of four miles, throug-h what is known as the Spring-hill district, in which locality seams of coal have been discovered, varying- from 2 feet to 13^ feet in thickness. 'J'he General Mining- Association have here an area of 25G0 acres, near the southern boundary of wbicli is the crop of a very fine seam; it is of the following- section: — Coal Shale Coal Ft. 111. 1 G 1 11 IS'. ■i r I Ml li 13 6 The seam dips to the north-west at an ang-le of 25°. It is underlaid at a depth of about 350 feet by one 11 feet 3 inches thick, the cpiality of v:hicli is also of a hig-h class. South of the crop of this last the crops of three others, varying- in thickness from 2{j to 4 feet, have been found, the position of which is conformable with the larg-er seams. Between Spring-hill and Apple River little is known of the position of the measures, and the connection of these two points, in order to complete the circuit of this portion of the Cumberland coal-field, has yet to be made. The difficulty of exploration, and the comparatively recent period within Avhich any explorations could be nia^le, tog-ether with the absence of the means of conveyance of the produce of the mines to the seaboard, and the consequent larg'e expenditure that would be required to construct private railways to mines so distant therefrom, have retarded the development of this coal-field, and much, therefore, remains to be accomplished before its extent can even be conjectured. The operations n r m n S" 1^: 10 TlIK C()AL-rii:i,D.S OF NOVA SCOTIA. at none of the mines are more than 200 yards from the crop, and the dip of the beds is such that their depth from tlie surface rapidly increases, and will probably ])revent any attempt to reach the seams l)y deep sinking-. The wide space between the opposite sides of the basin will, therefore, in all probability remain a "terra incognita" for some time. The relation of the Spring-hill beds to those on the Jog-g-ins range has not, from the preceding; causes, yet been determined. So far as the seams themselves are a means of identification, there is not the slig-htest resemblance; the stratification, as at present proved, affords no clue, and for the establishment of this important desideratum, the data are, therefore, entirely wanting-. Any estimate of the contents of this coal-field must for these reasons be at present so purely speculative, that to impart a knowledge of its outline according* to ascertained facts is all that is attempted in this memoir. It is conjectured by Dr. Dawson that this coal-field may be found to extend considerably to the eastward, and be connected with the Pictou coal-field. The carboniferous measures are certainly found at different places along the shore between Pug-wash and Pictou, and althoug-h no workable seams have yet been found, it is not improbable that more extensive explorations than have liithf'rto been made would result in their discovery. Whether they would, even in that case, be in such a form as would confirm the supposition of their connection with the Pictou district, is a question the solution of which is in the future. The coal in the Cumberland district is bituminous in character; it varies considerably in quality, and in some of the mines it has a peculiar angular striation, and is very much slicken-sided. This is more especially the case at those collieries where the seams are at a greater angle. It breaks fi'om these caustj into very irregular shaped pieces. At other mines it possesses a square cleavage and has the usual cubical shape when broken; the following analyses will show its general properties:— JOGGINS. Moisture ;. 2-o0 Volatile ombustible matter 36-30 Fixed carbon 56-00 Keddish gray ashes 5-20 Volatile matter Fixed carbon Ash MACAN. 100-00 37-000 59-174 3-826 100-000 Vi I 1 1 BCf i. Si: i 1 THE COAL-FIELDS Ol' NOVA SCOTIA. 11 STVLES. i^ 1 .* Volatile matter ... C0K6 ... ••• Ash ... Volatile matter Fixed carbon ... Ash SPUING II I F.L. l:! Ft. (5 III. Seam. CO't.j l.'}-fJ7 100- 31-!50 r.M4 ... 7"i>('» 100-00 11 Ft. 3 In. Set.m. ;5o-3'J 60-4(5 4-l."> 100-00 Theoretical evaporative power* 8-37 vOice ... ••• ... ... ••• **• ... ... 04*13'/ Sulphurt ... ... ••. ••• ... ... ... ... 0*225 For the reasons already given the mines that have been chiefly worked are situated in positions that do not require expensive lines of railway to connect them with the shipping* places. The coal from the main seam, at the Joggins Colliery, is raised up a shaft distant from the shore about 300 yards, and connected with it by a railway. The wagons are run down from the top of the cliflf to piers constructed of wood, which are built out into the sea, and arranged so as to form a harbour, inside of which the vessels are loaded. The hard scrabble seam is entered by an adit in the clifi^, and the coal is taken direct from the mine into a covered shed, out of which it is removed at a lower level, and carried along a wharf to the ships. This is but a temporary arrangement, but it is a very usual one on first opening mines similarly situated. The produce of the Victoria and Lawrence Mines is shipped on the River Hebert ; and that of the Macan, Chiegnecto, St. George, New York, and Acadia on the Macan river. The navigation of these rivers is of a peculiar character; they resemble large mud creeks, with deep sloping sides covered with slime, the result of the extraordinary rise and fall of the tide, 40 feet, for which the Bay of Fundy is remarkable. Vessels carrying from 150 to 250 tons are brought by the tide up the river, the course of which is rather tortuous, and on its retirement they are so fixed in the mud that they can receive their cargo without injury. When this is accomplished they float down again with the tide until there is sea room in which to pursue the ordinary course of navigation. The principal market for the coal at present is St. John's, and a few other places along the New Brunswick coast. ; .1 •'■"i I * Professor How. t E. Hartley, Geological Survey of Canada. 12 TJIi; CO.VI.-FIKLDS OF iNOVA SCOTIA. I i The mines nro cliicHy ownod l)y Aniorican companies, who have not, liowever, been iil)le to send much of their pro(hice to tlio States, in con- sequence of the heavy import duty on Nova Scotia coal. The price on board will avera^-e 2 dollars, or 8s. sterling- per ton. Freight to Boston 7s. to 8s., and to St. Jolin's 4s. per ton. The system of working- g-enerally followed is on the ordinary bord and pillar jirinciple. The usual practice is to drive a slope from the crop, either direct to tiie dip or in a transverse direction ; from the slope a pair of levels are turned on each side, and the boards are won out of them and driven sometimes to the rise, and sometimes parallel to the levels. Yv'^hen the dip is suitable, the coal is put down shoots or boxes, out of which it is emptied into tubs and taken to the slope or shaft as the case may be. The chief obstacle to a more extensive development of the Cumberland Coal-field, i.e., the want of railway accommodation, is about to be removed. It is fortunate for the coal interest in this county, that the route which nature has to a g-reat extent dictated as the best for the Intercolonial Railway, passes almost throug-h the centre of the coal-field. Skirting- the Spring-hill district, within two miles of the crop of the seams, it takes a course towards Macan River, and thence to Amherst, in the neighbourhood of which town there is ample scope for shipping- accommodation in the Cumberland basin. It will thus afford easy access to that water to all the mines at present opened on the east side of the Macan river, and Avill also offer an inducement for exploring- the intermediate country between there and Spring-hill. The position of this coal-field in relation to the markets of New Brunswick and the States, is a very advantag-eous one, inasmuch as from their vicinity, as compared with the eastern districts, the cost of transit must always be in its favour. From the Macan Mines, the carriag-e by rail will not probably exceed 4 or 5 miles to a suitable shipping- place, and from Spring-hill it will be about 15 miles. The last-n imed district will also, by means of this railway, bo connected with the extensive rang-e of iron ore worked at the Acadian Iron Woi-ks, which are distant from the mines by rail about 24 miles ; and thus these two im])ortant branches of industry will be broug-ht into that relation Av^ith each other Avhicli will essentially contribute to the success of both. Situated upwards of sixty miles to the east of the Spring-hill district of the Cumberland coal-field, is the coal-tield of Pictou (see Plate III.), which, Avhether as reg-ards its peculiar config-ur*,ition or the number and size of the seams, is one of the most extraordinary car- boniferous deposits in the world. The General Mining- Association have for many years carried on mining- operations in this locality, and have f THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA StOTlA. 13 here a very extensive estal)lishment, known as the Albion Minns. Two seams only have been worked to any extf .. at this colliery, and as they are the "'datum line," if the term may be used, for all others, having- been the only seams Avorked for many years, their position will be first described, in order that the relation to them of the subsequent discoveries and opening's, may be the more readily understood. These seams were originally opened on their southern crop, and have a dip to the N.E. of about 20°. The upper seam of these two, which is not, however, the highest in the series, is cdled the "Main Seam;" and, certainly, if thickness is a qualification for such a title, it well deserves this designation. The following sections of the strata sunk through in two of the shafts, one of which, the Forster Pit, is situated near the western extremity of the w^orkings, and distant from the other 1100 yards, will best convey an idea of the character not only of the beds in this portion of the coal- JUL illou v/i tuc ii»v»J dciuiio, J.U1 SUCCESS ENGINE PIT. If UlVvXl 111 lis IC^lllUlULUUlC FORSTER PIT. Ft. In. Ft. In Surface clay 8 2 Clay, yellow 1 6 Shale and bands of 64 10 „ blue 13 6 ironstone Post 15 3 Coarse coal ... -^ 2 Fire clay 2 6 Good do. 5 Black shale 6 Ironstone 6 Fire clay 2 6 Good coal 14 4 Black shale 22 Ironstone i 4 Dark post 9 6 Coarse coal ... • 7 7 Shale 3 Ironstone > • 4 Grey post 22 6 Coarse coal ... • • 3 1 White do. 1 3 Ironstone CO 9 4 Dark grey do. 36 Coarse coal ... 2 11 Black shale 90 Ironstone H- ? 5 Brown do. 60 Coarse coal ... . 4 11 Grey post, with iron"^ 105 Shale and bands of| 157 7 stone girdles 1 ...J ironstone ) Bad coal ... ^ 2 Brown shale • • • • • ■ 5 Good do. CD ft 3 10 Grey post, with iron- '\ 60 Ironstone C/1 1 2i stone bands ...i Coal 3 7| Coarse coal ••O g 4 Slaty coal ... > f 9i Black shale 85 5" 1 Good do. ... 4 2 Good coal 10 Coarse do. ... ^ 3 1 Oi Fire clay 3 Good do. ... « B* 3 8 Good coal • ••^ rf'^ 23 Inferior do. ... ^ 6 3 f I; ; . 14 THK COAL-FIKLDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. A Striking" peculiarity in these sections is the prevalence of ironstone, not only in the shale but also in the seams, in one of which, the main seam, it is rognilarly intorstratified ; tlie thickness of the shale is also remarkable. This sinjirular deposit appears to increase in thickness towards the centre of the basin ; a shaft, recently sunk, having passed throug'h upwards of 800 feet of it. It is very bituminous, with much uniformity of character. The seams have been extensively worked, but principally in an east and west direction; tJie lowermost levels being- only 600 yards from the crop. The position of this part of the coal-field is, therefore, well ascertained over an extent of line of crop of upwards of a mile and a half. The course of the strike varies at each extremity of the workings. About midway between them it is S. 45° E., at the eastern end it is S. 35° E., and at the western end N. 60° W. Beneath the deep seam there are others, some of which have been partially worked. The principal of these is the McGreg'or seam which underlies the deep seam about 47 fathoms. It is of the following" section. Coal (good) » » Coal (coarse) Shale Coal (good) rt. In. 2 6 3 3 4 4 1 5 11 6 !iJ. i Immediately overlying" this seam there is a bed of shale about 6 feet thick, and above it a seam of coal which varies in thickness from 2 feet 6 inches to 4 feet. Between this seam and the deep seam there are two others, the Purvis and the third coal, the thickness of each of which is about 4 feet. Forty fathoms below the McGregor there is a seam known as the Stellar or oil coal seam. This is a peculiar deposit, and at one time attracted some attention on account of its oil yielding" qualities. It was worked for a short time, and would probably have been continued but for the discovery of the oil wells of Canada and the United States. It is of the following" composition : — Inferior bituminous coal Oil coal ... 18 Bituminous shale 2 The thicknesses vary occasionally; the g"eneral size is about 5 feet. central or oil coal portion has yielded upwards of 100 gallons of crude oil per ton. All these seams are conformable in every respect, and this portion of rt. Tn. 1 h The ^^^W'.- 1 THE COAL-Fir.I.DS OK NOVA SCOTIA. 15 i the coal-field is, therefore, in a very decided nnd regular shape. It will be easily iinderstood that with two such colossal and fine seams opon, the General Mininji' A.ssociation would have little inducement to ])ro- secute researches for others; and beyond the fact, proved by the extension of their working's, that on the east side of East River and also towards the western end of their pro])erty, the main seam from some cause is deteriorated in quality, there seemed to be no reason to ancici]>ate either a limitation of their workinj^ capacity for very many years, or the sjjring-- ing" up of a competition consequent on the discovery of otiier seams outside of their extensive area. On the transfer of the mineral rights, however, attention was naturally directed to this district; several mining- areas were taken up for exploration, and a larg'o tract of country was speedily occupied under the different powers g-ranted by leases and licenses. The discovery of a remarkably fine bed of coal about two miles to the south-west of the Albion Mines seam was the first result of these explorations, which were subsequently increased in importance by the finding" of others underlying" it. The position, size, and quality of these seams g"ave them a character so entirely different from the main and deep seams that their identification with these appeared to be attended with more than ordinary difficulty. The reasonable assumption of a larg-e downthrow fault to the west would partly account for their position, but the change in quality and size was less easily explained. The following is a section of the seam at the Nova Scotia Colliery, where it was first discovered : — Coal Fire clay ... Coal Stony band Coal Do. coarse... Ft, In, 7 II 3 n 2 6 2 19 10 It dips at this colliery to the east at an ang-le of 25°. At the adjoining" collieries to the south-east, the dip is rather less, and the section of the seam is also a little different as will be seen in the following" : — ACADIA.. INTERt Ft. In. Coal • « • 7 2 Coal ... Soft clay band ■ ■ • a Shalv do. Coal • • • 10 4 Coaf ... Do. coarse ... 1 3 Sbaly parting Coal ... Do. coarse 11) Coal ... Do. coarse u 11 1 L 5 3 4 4 2 7 2 Id J) IR; 16 THE COAI.-l'IKI.DS OF NOVA St OTIA. Below this seam, IHO foet, is one 13 foot thick; and undorlyinp- it at a depth of 85 feet, another V2 feet thick, which is also underlaid with the same thickness of strata between them by one (I feet thick. An examination of the Pictou Coal-field has recently been made under the direction of Sir Wm. E. Loy-an, the Director of the CJeolojiical Survey of Canada, with very important results. So far as this jjarticular locality is concerned it may be stated that Mr. Hartley, of the survey, by whom it was examined, has ascertained the existence of faults of <>;reat maj^-nitude, and of other g-eoloyical peculiarities, which quite account for the isolated position of these seams. Two of these faults are to the west of the Albion Mines ; their course is in a north and so.ith direction. One of them is near the western end of the Mininj^- Associ; tion's tract, and is a down- throw to the west of probably 1,000 feet, the other is about a mile further west, and ^'s an upthrow in the same direction, but much larg'er in size. The beds opened at the Nova Scotia and Acadia Collieries are on the east side of the upthrow fault. The course of their strike is nearly parallel with it ; but as the strike trends westwardly in proceeding' north or south, the rang'e of t) ? seams is intercepted by the fault, and the breadth of coal, thoug'h still larg-e, it of less extent in this locality than was at first supposed. These faults intersect towards the north and the south, others running* in nearly an east and west direction, and distant from each other about three miles. The one to the south of the mines is an upthrow to the south of probably not less than 4000 feet ; the other, north of the mines, is a downthrow to the south of still g-reater magnitude. They converge to the eastwards, in the direction of Sutherland river, a short distance to the west of which river they are connected by a S.E. upthrow fault forming- the fourth side of the coal- field. The difference in the 'position of these seams with respect to the Albion Mines series, is supposed, from strong- geological indications, to be due to a synclinal shape of the measures in this part of the coal-field. The mines above-named are in this case on the western side of a syn- clinal, the opposite or eastern side of which does not appear in conse- quence of the depression and interception by the west downthrow and south side faults. On this assumption the relationship of the two localities is considered to be established notwithstanding the diversities of size and quality, which are certainly very conspicuous. Discoveries of an equally interesting character have been made in the eastern part of the coal-field. Some seams of coal, on the east side of East River, were opened several years ago. These, from their position, appeared to be overlying seams as regards the main seam of the Albion THE COAL-FIELDS OK NOVA S( OTIA. 17 Mines. Less interest was prolmbly attach(Ml on this aeeount to tlie sub- sequent discovery of other seams in this h)c'ality, than was excited by the findinjj: of a series of beds of coal, with an aji'uregate thickness of 37 feet, and separated by shales and fire-clay, varying;; in thickness from 10 to 20 feet, on the west side of the river, and to the north of the Albion Mines, from which their crop is disiant about a mile. Theso beds dip S. 20° E. at an ang-le of (jo°. The crops, of the seams are here in a sharply curved form, trending- from the Montreal and Pictou Com- pany's shaft in a northerly direction on each side of it. Their range in this course is, however, terminated a sliort distance northwards by the larg;e downthrow fault of which mention has been made. In connection with this fault it may be here stated that on the north side of it there is an immense mass of cong-lomerate of a peculiar character, which traverses u considerable extent of country in a direction nearly parallel with the fault. North of the conglomerate the measures dip towards Pictou, and contain some seams of coal, but none of any impor- tance have yet been found. The New Glasg-ow or eastern section of the Pictou coal-field presents features of an ecpially peculiar but somewhat more intricate character than those last described. Reference has been made to the seams on the east side of East River. A search for others was as energ'etically pursued on this side as on the west, and seams were found in various places and positions, which seemed to belong" to an entirely diiferent series. The extension to the east of the working's in the main seam at the Albion Mines, and other circumstances, left no reason to doubt the con- tinuance of the seam in that direction, and one of the earliest opening's on the east side of the river was, therefore, made in that seam by the Pictou Mining' Co. The coal, however, was found to be very inferior in quality ; and a continuance of the deterioration having- been ascertained by a shaft sunk further to the east, the operations were brought to a close and no further development in this particular locality has yet been made. There is reason to believe, however, that the inferiority in the quality of the coal may be confined to the edg'e of the crop, and may not extend far to the dip. Immediately behind New Glasgow in a south-east direction two seams have been opened. One of these, the lowest in the order of stratification is known as the Stev/art seam, and is upwards of 3 feet thick. It is overlaid by the Richardson seam, the thickness of which is 2 feet 9 inches. They dip to the south-east at an angle of 20°. The strike trends c 18 TIIK CJOAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. IX' m to the cast in proceeding northward; southward the range of the seams is somewhat ohscuro, though there are indications of a similar bend to the east in that direction. About a mile to the east of these crops, seams varying in thickness from 3^ to 4^ feet are found in posi- tions so irregular and confused that identification with either of the last named seemed impossible. The personal examination of this locality by Sir Wm. E. Logan has considerably cleared away the complications which beset an attempt to connect these beds. A largo fault is found to cross the measures in a direction nearly parallel with those to the west of the Albion Mines. It is an upthrow to the east of probably not less than 1,500 feet. On the west side of this fault, at Coal Brook, the crops of two seams appear, a short distance from the fault. One of these is 4^ feet thick, and the other 3^ feet. That on the north side of the brook dips towards the fault with a trending of the strike to the north and east in a very circumscribed form, as if it were the narrow end of a trough. On the south side of the brook the 3^ feet seam dips also towards the fault, but with the sweep of the strike to the west and south. In the same locality, but on the east side of the fault, a 3^ feet seam has been partially worked by the Montreal and New Glasgow Co. This bed has a southerly dip with a similar sharp trending of the strike in a short distance, to that of the 4^ feet bed on the west side of the fault. The measures are much broken up and confused in the neighbourhood of the fault, and operations in these seams have, in consequence, been suspended. Between the fault and New Glasgow, and to the north of the openings on the Stewart and Richardson seams, another seam upwards of 10 feet thick was found on the same Company's property. This seam dips south- ward at a high angle, similar to the beds at the Montreal and Pictou Company's shaft, and was at first supposed to be a member of that series, but it is now considered to be a distinct seam. About two miles to the east of the fault other seams have been opened, the relationship of which with any of the last-named is some- what indefinite. Openings have been made on two of these by the Merigomish and Pictou Mining Companies. The following section of the strata passed through in sinking a shaft on the latter Company's property, will give an idea of the character of the measures in this locality : — 9 Soil, &c Argillaceous shale Coal Ft. In. 7 50 3 6 THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 10 ••• ••• ••• • • • • • • • ■ • •• • Under clay Post Shale Coal (splint) Under clay Sbalo Coal Under clay Shale Under clay Hard post Ditto and shale Shale ..• ... i>< Coal Argillaceous shale Grey metal Post Ditto and grey metal ... Grey shale Coal Under clay Freestone ... Grey shale • • ■ •• « ••• ••• • • • •• • ••• t«* Pt. n In. 4 ('* 12 1 8 4 7 3 :» 6 8 2 25 19 8 7 3 1 18 9 G 20 12 3 11 3 1 11 Total 248 The beds are in the usual basin form, which is here narrowed to an inconsiderable width, the opposite crops of one of the seams being- about 600 yards apart. Slopes have been driven in the crop of the upper seam. On the north side of the basin it dips to the south irregularly, owing to some faults, the strike being nearly due east. On the south crop the angle of dip is 14°, and the course of the strike S. 45° E. In the lower seam, at the McKay slope, the dip is 13°, and the t,trike S. 30° E. Two miles eastward of these mines two seams have been found, the position of which affords another illustration of the complications that abound in this part of the coal-field. One of these seams is a very fine bed of coal, 8 feet 6 inches thick. It dips to the N.W. at an angle of 35°. The range of this bed has been traced nearly a mile in an easterly direction ; towards the west it is cut off by a fault, which is supposed to be either the south-side fault before mentioned, or a branch from it. The peculiar disposition of these beds of coal will be evident on a reference to the map. Although the various openings are not very dis- tant from each other, there is so much space between them still unproved iifl W i J ^i*|i'»» W P L'O TIIK COAL-FIFLDS OF NOVA SfOTIA. li I n i that it is (litficult to define tlicir roliiti()nsIii|), iind snrno tinio must olnpso Itfiorc the extent iind contents of this roiil-tie!d run ho iiseertiiined. (!oal hiis heen found tit various nhices outside of the h)calitie8 nninod in tho precedinji' deserijjtion ; and althou;:h no seam of any importanco has yet hren discovered, there (h)es not ajtpear to ho any frooh)},ncal hin(h'an(!e to thi' existence^ of hcds of a workahh* size in other parts of tho carhoniferous de])osit in this country. Tho hord and pillar system of workinfjT is followed in all the mines in this district; indeed it is, with very few exceptions, that fi'enerally practised throuj^hout tho province. Tho mode of extracting' the coal varies in accordanco with tho pocu- liaritios of each seam as rejiards its division hy ordinary parting's or interstratified hands of shalo or clav. It mav not ho uninterostin«>: to descrihe tho process adopted in tho lar<>'o seams of tiie Alhion Mines and in the lesser hut still unusually thick hods of tho Acadia Colliery. A want of uniformity of quality in tho component divisions of tho main seam has reg'ulatod tho choice of that i^n'tion for workin<^' which was considered to he the host. A larj^'O extent of tho etirly workinj»'s is, in consorpionce, in the upjwr part of tho seam, a thickness of ahout 12 foot only having* been mined. In some pfirts of tho mine the lower portion of the seam lias also been worked, one of tho divisions varying' from 3 to 4 feet in thickness, including* a band of ironstone 18 inches thick being" left be- tween it and the upper works. The following section will show another arrangement of the opera- tions : — Coal Ironstone Coal Ironstone Coal Coal Ft. In. 4 4 I 1 2 j .3 w I] left. 9 .3 worked, o left. 8 14 worked. As the position of the pillars in each division has not been regulated by that of those first formed, bords are frequently immediately beneath pillars, and vich versa, and the workings are, in consequence, somewhat complicated in character, and present at first sight rather a puzzling appearance. In some instances nearly the entire seam may be said to be mined at one operation ; thus in working tlie pillars, which has lately been done to some extent, the coal that has been left will occasionally break away and expose the pillar in the upper workings, which, if the Cv.al is considered worth taking, is also removed. This is accomplished by working the upper portion in advance of the lower in tlie form of a TIIK ( OAI.-I'IRLDS OK NOVA S< OTIA. 91 Horios of stops, Wlion n portion only of tho Konin is worked, ns, for instiincc, the 14 fcot in the iihovn section, it is tiikon out by ii similar arranji'cincnt of steps or benches, a lioliufi* or kirvinj:' lieinj,'- niado in tho most suitable part for removiu"' the upp«'r bench; the lower bench beinj^ kept a few feet back, and mined in regular progression in the ordinary manner. A ])ecuHarity of this seam, and one that adds much to the risk attendinfi; these o])erations, is the frerpient occurrence of vertical frac- tures in the coal locally termed ''Ij-pes.'' These are occasionally slij^htly open, formin}^ fissures, but their f^-eneral character is simi'ar to the ordi- nary "})ack8" of most coal seams. The faces of the fracture are frequently slicken-sided, and an additional source of dang-er is thus attaciied to them, requirinfj; great care in preventinf^ accidents. The bords are driven G yards wide and parallel to the levels ; they are turned out of balance ways or heading's, which are put up to the full rise at intervals of 150 yards, the width of the pillar between being* from 8 to 10 yards. These balance ways are used to brinj!^ the coal down to tlie horse road, on the principle of a self-acting* incline ; the only differ- ence being that a loaded bog'ie raises the empty tub to the respective bord ends, and it is, in its turn, taken back by the tub of coal, which exceeds it in weig-ht. The bords are driven in opposite directions from these inclines, to shorten the putting. A mode of payment has been practised at this colliery for some time, which is worth mentioning, as it possesses some advantages over that usually adopted. Instead of the price being per tub or ton, it is per cubic yard. Each place is measured once a month, to ascertain the average height and width and the distance driven ; the cubical contents are then calculated, and the hewers and putters, who are generally in sets or gnngs of three or four men for each place, are paid at the agreed price per yard. At present, 41 cents, or Is. 7^d. per cubic yard is paid in the whole workings, and 35 to 38 cents. = Is. 4|d. and Is. 6^d. in the pillars. The capacity of the tub used is about half-a-ton, but as the men put their own, or at least find the i)utter, they have no inducement to send away ill-filled tubs, but on the contrary, to shorten the number of trips made to the balance ways by filling the tubs well; the coal is therefore built up in them near the top, and a much larger quantity is thus conveyed per tub. It will be obvious that this method hf^ the further advantage of simplifying the keeping of the daily accounts. At the Acadia Colliery the general arrangements for working the seam are similar to those at the Albion Mines. The seam, as shown by 'i i i t 'il i 32 THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. the section, is 19 feet thick; in the portion above the clay band, there are two distinct partings, one being 13 inches from the top of the seam, and the otlier 2 feet 2 inches lower. As the roof is not strong", the top coal, 13 inches, is left, and the first working is in the coal between it and the clay band, in which the kirving is made ; the thickness of coal varying from 5 A to 6 feet. The lower bench is then taken up the remaining thickness, less about 2 feet 6 inches of coarse coal next the bottom. The i)rice at this colliery is by the lineal yard : in the bords which are driven 15 feet wide, 4"50 dollars or 18s. per yard is paid; and in the levels 12 feet wide, 5-60 dollars or 22s. per yard. For these prices the hewers lay the trtmway and put in all timber required. This important coal district possesses the inestimable advantage of a first class harbour in which to ship its product. Three rivers, termed respectively the East, Middle, and West rivers unite their streams near the town of Pictou, and form, in conjunction with the waters of the Nor- thuinberland Strait, a capacious and well sheltered harbour. On the former of these rivers, and about three miles from Pictou, the General Mining Association have their staiths or loading ground which is connected with the mines by a railway, and is distant from them about 6^ miles. The Nova Scotia railway passes close to the mines and terminates on the southern shore of the harbour a little below Pictou. Shipping berths have recently been erected here by the Acadia and other companies, the distance from the Acadia Mines being thirteen miles. About two miles up the Middle river the Intercolonial Company have extensive shipping erections, and a railway from the river to the mine seven miles in length ; and the Nova Scotia Company are about to connect their mine in a similar manner with a shipping place on that river. There are thus ample facilities in this respect. At the eastern extremity of the coal- field, the harbour of Merigomish will probably, in no distant day, be brought into service, and this important and valuable coal-field will possess the unusual advantage of access to shipping on three of its sides, none of which is far distant rom the central operations. One drawback to this privilege is the suspension of shipment during the winter. For about four months the rivers and the harbour are frozen up, and navigation in consequence entirely stopped. During this time, however, the mines are not kid idle, but are continued at work, the coal raised being stored at bank. This necessarily involves a considerable waste of coal as well as other disadvantages (those of a pecuniary character not being the least) which appear to be unavoidable; though so far as the waste of coal THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 23 is concerned suitable erections to protect it from the weather would no doubt be of benefit. A portion of the coal mig-ht also be stored under- ground at less risk of injury and cost of relifting. The price of the coal on board of ship is 2-25 dollars or 9s. per ton. Until within the last twelve months it has been chiefly exported to the United States; but since the opening- of the Acadia and Intercolonial Mines, a trade w'th the Canadian Provinces has been begun which is likely to be largely extended. The exchange of the products of each province, where it can be effected without a strain on the natural course of such operations, must be attended with mutual advantage ; and as the cost of transit by the establishment of this trade must be much less on each article than it would be if the trade were in one course only (inasmuch as vessels will be able to get a return freight in each case, and the unprofitable carriage of ballast be avoided), it is evident that the cultivation of this trade must be attended with important consequences to this coal-field. Freights average about 8s. 6d. per ton to the States or Quebec or Montreal. The general character of the coal is bituminous, with much variation in the quality. The composition of the main seam has been alluded to as well as the changes which occur, both east and west of the early workings. An interesting series of assays, made by Dr. Dawson, gives an excellent illustration of the variableness of its composition, and of the change in quality in different districts of the mine. They are as follows : — S.E.Side. N.W.Sido f Moisture • • • ... 1-750 1-550 Boof coal j Volatile combustible ... • • • ... 25-875 27-988 Fixed carbon ... • • ■ ... 61-950 60-837 Ashes [Moisture •• ... 10-425 9-625 100-000 100-000 ... 1-500 1-500 Top bench ) Volatile combustible j Fixed carbon ... • • • ... 24-800 ... 51-428 28-613 61-087 Ashes f Moisture • •• • • • • •• ... 22-272 8-800 100-000 100-000 ... 2-250 1-800 Bolton ) Volatile combustible • • • ■ • > ... 22-375 27-075 bench J Fixed carbon • • • • • • ... 52-475 59-950 (Ashes • • • • • • ... 22-900 11-175 100-000 100-000 24 THE COAL-FIELUS OF NOVA SCOTIA. fcil The specific gravity of the best coal was 1-288, and that of the inferior 1-447 ; a mean of six samples from the top, middle, and bottom of the seam is 1-325. A recent analysis of the seam, made by Professor How, of King-'s Collej^e, Windsor, gives the following : — Moisture Volatile combustible Fixed carbon ixsn *.. ••• •.• Sulphur Specific gravity ifheoretical evap. power 1-48 24-28 66 50 \ 7-74 f 10000 74-24 Coke. 0-55 1-294 9-13 lbs. The samples were obtained from the new opening-, 300 yards to the dip of the old workings. The analysis shows a considerable diminution in the quantity of ash. An analysis of samples from the deep seam, also by Professor How, gave : — Moisture Volatile combustible Fixed carbon •cxSU ••• ••• ••• Sulphur Specific gravity Theoretical evap. power 2-54 20-46 68-50 1 8-50 J 100-00 Coke 70-10. 1-69 1-345 9-41 lbs. These seams have no regular cleavage ; the coal breaks oif, therefore, in large irregular shaped pieces, which retain their size well " in the heap." The coal is used extensively for gas purposes in the States, and is also in much local demand on account of its purity and other qualities. The Boston Gas Light Co. state that it yields 7180 feet of gas to the ton, of 15 candle gas, and that when it is worked to high heat it yields more gas, but to the injury of the coke. At Halifax 8000 feet have been taken from it. For general use, it is remarkable for giving out much heat, and for keeping- alight much longer than other coal. The McGregor seam, the Stellar coal, and the seam opened at the Acadia, Nova Scotia, and Intercolonial Collieries, possesses the following interesting characteristics. An analysis of the upper and lower benches of the McGregor seam gave — THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 25 Volatile Matter Fixed Carbon Grey Ash Specific gravity Theor. evap. power Upper. 2L'-5() (irvTO ll-HO Lower, 23-:U) 7()-()() (5-70 lOO'OO lOO-OO 9'02 1-301 0-51 A mixture of the two benches is said to have yielded at the Man- hattan Gas Works^ New York, 9,500 feet of 13 candle g-as. The Stellar coal seam, thouf^-h not at present mined for the reason before mentioned, is an interesting- bed with respect to its composition. The bituminous coal, the oil coal, and the shale into which it is divided have been analysed by Professor How, with the followin' the shore of a])out 200 yards there are indications of six or seven seams of coal, four of which are well defined ; the others are evidently nnich disturl)ed, and their size and character cannot yet be declared. Of the four the lowest in the order of deposi- tion is from 3 feet to 4-i feet thick, including- from 12 to 18 inches of cannel coal. Above this seam, and se})arated from it by only a few feet of shale, is one the thickness of which is 13 feet ; and overlying this last there is another 7 feet thick, which is also overlaid by one 5 feet in thickness. About half-a-mile to the north, seams are found in an entirely reversed position, and Avith such strong- points of resemblance that there remains no reason to dcuibt their identity with those to the south of them. The measures in this locality are thus in the usual basin shape. They sweep inland a short distance from the shore, and form the eastern edg-e of the basin, which probably extends under the sea a considerable distance. Further north, about 1,100 yards, seams are ag-ain exposed, with a northerly dip, one of which resembles the thirteen feet seam, and appears to establish a connection with that series. The edg-e of the basin would seem to have been in an undulatory form, and to have suffered considerable denudation, by which the connection of the beds was destroyed. The extent which these last named seams rang-e north- wards is not yet ascertained. At Broad Cove a scam 7 feet thick has been exposed with a northerly dip, and others of smaller size also appear in the cliffs. The position of these beds is similar to those at Mabon, but they seem to rang-e fiirther inland. So little has yet been done, however, to ascertain their extent, that a reference to them is all that can at present be said about them. Between Broad Cove and Chimney Cornor, -i distance of ten miles, the land adjoining- the shore is for the most part low and flat, and there is not, therefore, the same facility for examining- the strata. No seams, so far as the writer can learn, have yet been found between these places, and the relation of the two localities, should there be any connection, has yet to be established. At Chimney Corner the beds are well defined. Three seams are exposed, the lowermost in the series being- 3 feet inches thick. It is overlaid by one o feet thick, from which it is separated by about 200 feet of strata ; and 88 feet above this last there is another 3 feet thick. They dip to the north-west at an angle of 40°. The extent to which THK COAL-FIHLDS OF NOVA SCOTEA. 29 these beds spread inland is not yet known; it is prol)al)lo that hke the Mabon series they are on the edg-e of a basin, the g-reater portion of which is either denuded or at a eonsideral)le (h'i)th under the sea. And it may be further conjectured that they are not disjointed carboniferous tracts but portions of one larg-e coal-fiehl, of which time and tide have left only those few landmarks. The carboniferous formation extends eastward from Chimnr y Corner to Cheticamp, a distance of 25 miles; and altliouf:;'h seams of coal appear in the chffs between these places, no attempt has been made to open them, probably from their not being" of a workable size. A short distance beyond Cheticamp the measures terminate ag-ainst Silurian rocks, of which the northern portion of the island consists. This Silurian tract is about thirty miles in width, in a south easterly direction from Margarie, and it is on its eastern flank that the carboniferous measures again make their appearance, where they range on the same course, S.E., and form the eastern coal-field of Cape Breton. Plate IV. Extending' along* the eastern shore of the island, a distance of about 35 miles, and spreading- inland quite as far, this formation, although productive chiefly on its eastern side, possesses an economical value that can scarcely be over estimated. The range of the coal bearing strata over such a distance is not, as may be supposed, an unbroken one; nor is the position of the seams, as respects the order of their sequence therein, easy of recognition in the different localities into which this coal-field is divided. It has had the advantage, however, of a skilful examination of the greater part of it by gentlemen well qualified for such a task, and its general form is much better known then that of the other coal-fields. The divisions above referred to are known as the Sydney, the Glace Bay, and the Cow Bay districts, these distinctions being* local as regards the situation of the collieries, and geological as regards the separation formed by an anticlinal of a very prominent character between Cow Bay and Glace Bay, and by a similar but less defined line between the latter place and Sydney. The beds are in the usual trough-like form between these anticlinals, and their crops have a circular or elliptical outline in accordance with the longitudinal range of the trough, and the distance between the anticlinals. Although several collieries have been opened in these districts, and considerable knowledge has been obtained of each, their mutual relation has not yet been clearly defined; and much doubt still exists with l\ ao THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. I rospect to tlio identity of the seams in eacli division. As it is not the writer's intention in this ]ia])er to treat any part of the sul)ject of it in a controversial spirit, Imt simjjly to dcsoril)e the ditferent seams in each locality, and to {^-ivo a few particulars respecting- the mining- and disposal of the coal, he will but briefly refer to such connections as appear to be established, and will endeavour to convey a knowledg-e of each seam in the respective districts, and of their relation to each other, without regard to the question of o-colog;ical position. It may be stated, however, that Dr. Dawson is inclined to the belief in the greater age of the Sydney series, whilst Prof. Lesley, of Ne./ York, who made an examination of the Cow Bay and Glace Bay districts, thinks the measures are identical. As bcme of the more striking j)eculiaritips of this coal-field will, perhaps, be best understood by taking the Glace Bay series first, the different seams in that district will now be described. The most extensive surface development of the series is about midway between Sydney Harbour and Cow Bay; the mea^rares are there in a very regular position, and of a broad basin shape. A section across the basin in a north and south direction exhibits nearly all the seams in this coal-field, assuming the identification of some ot them in each district. They probably exceed twenty in number, with an aggregate thickness of workable coal of upwards of 40 feet; there being in this section seven or eight of a workable size. The uppermost in the series is called the Hub seam ; it is worked by the Glace Bay Company, on whose property it not only crops out at an extreme distance from the shore of about three quarters of a mile, but has also its northern and southern bassets. The Company is thus the sole possessor of the portion of the seam *tot covered by water. It dips where at present worked to the east ac an angle of 5°, and is of the following section : — Top coal, coarse Coal, good Hard band Coal, good It is subject to irregularities in the floor which cause it to vary occasionally in thickness, but in other respects it is a remarkably uniform and fine seam of coal. About 20 feet below it there is a bed of cannel coal two feet thick, which is not, however, sufficiently pure throughout this thickness, to make it workable ; and at a depth of 600 feet below it is the "Harbour" seam, of which the section is as follows: — Ft. In. 1 2 6 6 n 3 9 9^ THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 31 Ft. In. 1 5 Oi .S 4.1 r, Dark grey sandstone Light do. Dark sandstone Fireclay Light grey sandstone ... Fire cl' r, with ironstone Hard grey sandstone ... Fine blue do. Hard do. do. Hard grey do. Laminated do. Dark grey do. Fine do. do. Fire clay Do, (light coloured) Back Pit seam Ft. 11 lu (i 2 !) 7 2 fi 2 8 fi • ■ • •• • ••• ••• •!» • • • • • • • • • « • ••• •• • ••• ••• ••• 129 6 8 2 7 3 2 1 6 7 1 10 2 3 1 5 1 7 7 9 7 1 2 7 1 7 2 6 3 1 11 10 4 9 • • • •• • 1 2 6 1 7 1 2 6 4 4 6 1 9 3 5 3 2 11 2 4 3 11 8 4 2 1 10 wmm THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. ud Grey sandfltonc Fine t;rey sandstone and fire clay v'O&L !•• ••• ••• ••• Dark grey >;andstone Fine do. Black inhale tlrey stone with ironstone balls Coarse grey sandstone Bine sandstone Grey do Dark micaceous sandstone Hard grc do. Dark do, do. Black shale vyOtll ■•• ■•• ••• ••• Black shale Coal Black shale C/Oai ... ••• ••• •■* Black shale Do. (soft) Dark sandstone Light grey sandstone Dark do. Hard do. Dark do. (iron balls) Soft fire clay Bastard canael Dark sandstone and shales Grey sandstone Coal (Phelau seam) Dark grey sandstone Ft. S 1 tn. I 4 H Tt 1 ii :< <( a 4 1 5 2 3 1 7 2 » 2 1 8 10 1 4 2i 10 li 9 y 1 10 4 1 7 5 .s 7 2 2 2 6 1 1 1 7 8 8 :j 4 I 185 The wide sweep which the lower beds take to the west and north spreads them over an extensive tract of country, the g-reater j)avt of which is held by various parties under leases and licenses to work. At present, however, there are only two mines between Ling'an and Little Glace Bay. One of them, the International, is in operation on the " Harbour" seam, and the other, which has not been worked for some time, belongs to the General Mining- Association, and is on the " Phelan" seam. No operations have been begun on any of the lower seams j attentiorlfliaving' been naturally given in the first instance to those which, in addition to their size and quality, possessed the further advantages of facility of access. E 34 Tin: <«i.\r.-riEM)s ok nova scotia. Tlio position of tliosci scfiiiis is scarcely so clear on tlio north side of Linji'an Hay as it is on tho sontli side of Glace Hay, explorations not liavinj^- been niailc to tho same extent ; it will, therefore, perhaps he hest to show their connection on that side, and then to endeavour to trace them northwards. Tho coast line on tho north side of the headland on which the " Jluh" seam commences tho series, retires considerahly to the west, and as tho strike of tho scam trends eastwardly, that is, in tho contrary direction, the n]ij)er bods, including- th(! " Harbour" seam, pass into the sea a short distance alonj;- tho coast and are not aj^ain seen, unless thoso in tho cliffs between Linj^'an and Sydney Harbour are their representatives. Tho lower seams appear to maintain their rej^'ular position; they stretch away to tho eastward over a broad ])oint of land l)etwcon B'v^ Glaco Bay and Schooner Pond, on tho southern shore of which they also disappear in tho sea. Two of the seams have been worked in this locality, the " Phelan" at tho Clyde Colliery and the " Ross" at the Schooner Pond. Their sections at these mines as are follows : — CLYDE. SCirOONER POND. Top coal Ft. 1 111. Coal, with clay bands Ft. 1 In. 4 Coal fi Coal ... ... 4} Bottom coal ... 1 Band, lianl .. I — — Coal ... ... 3 71 8 G l?aiul, .soft ... :{ Coal ... ••• I ^ Hi On the northern flank of the promontory, w'hich forms the northern head of Cow Bay, there are two seams separated by 3 foot of sandstone ; the upper coal being- 1 foot 9 inches, and the lower 4 feet G inches thick. These seams, notwithstanding their variation in size and in other respects, are supposed to be the representatives of the ''Spencer" bed. The position of another seam at the extreme end of the "head" is also assumed to agree with that of the " Ross." There is here, however, a somewhat sudden change in the strike of the beds, which seems to have been caused by a cross ridg-e or anticlinal in connection with the main one to the south of it, and the identity does not appear yet to be of an undoubted character. It may convey some idea of the extent of coal in the tract'B'f country between Lingan and Schooner Pond, to state that the distance between these places in a direct line from the crop of the lower seam at Schooner mmmmm TIIK ( 0,\L-FIKF.DS OF NoVA xdTIA. .T* Pond to its cro)) iit Lin miles. Stretcliiii}^' lietween the series of heds just ileserilied niid those* in th(f Cow Ihiy district is the northern hesid of thiit hay, whiih runninj;' into the sea in an easterly direction, separates these localities in a very nuirked and prondnent nninner. The position of the Cow Hay portion of the coal-field is so ])ecidiar and isolated in its rcdation to the (Jlace Hay and ]lrid;:'eport districts, that at first sij^-ht its connection with them nd^ht 1m! very easily doubted. Tt does, however, Init illustrate in a more forcihlo maniu'r than is (dsewhere shown the undidatory outline of the coal- heariny* rocks which prevails so extensivtdy along' the shores of the Province. As already stated it is separated from (ilace Hay hy an unti'dinal of a well defined character. This anticlinal opposes a hold headland to the sea, and ranji'ing- iidand it becomes |iradually reduced in size till at a distance of 8 mih^s from the shore it appears to terndnate. Tho coal beds on the south side of it (»xtend u])wards of miles to the west of the "head," and are in the form of a narrow trouji'li; the transition from a southerly to a northerly dip occurrin}:" at tlu^ western end in a very short sj)ace. The east end has Iteen destroyed by the sea to such an extent that the coast line of tho north side of the bay is for ft distance of 7 miles nearly at riy-lit anj^'los to tho course of the nmin shore ; and as tho centre of the trouj>'h is i)arallel with the course of the anticlinal, this coast line is in an (d)li(pie direction across the measures, and tho curious spectacle is exhiliited of an exposure of the same seams at opposite sides of the trough in the short s])ace of 3 miles. Two seams only have been mined in this district ; the u})permost is known as the " Block House " seran, from its being' worked at tho T31ock House Colliery, but it is said by Professor Lesley to be the "Harbour" seam of the Glace Bay district. The upper beds and that seam in this case are covered by the sea the entire distance between Avhere they dis- appear near Little Glace Bay Harbour and reappear at Cow Bay. The lilock House seam has been very extensively worked ; it is a fine bed of coal of the following' section : — Top Coal (left) Coal There is a noteworthy peculiarity in this seam which deserves mention. It is undisturbed by faults over an extensive ranye of working's, and but for the peculiarity alluded to, it niig-lit be considered a very fine s])ecinien Ft. 1 lu. 7 10 8 10 m THK COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. of" a bed of coal. Tliis poculiarity consists of mnsses of sliale which intercept the working's in a very singiihir manner. See Phite VI. Of the most irrefj-nlar shsipe, thc}^ sometimes present a perfect face of stone in tlie working'- places, and at first si<^lit would he tidcen for faults ; on cutting- through them, however, the sctim is found on the same level and the coal unaltered in an}- resjx'ct. They nre occiisionnlly several yards thick ; sometimes they "re wedge-shiiped, running- to a point at the bottom of the seam, nnd iire often of tlu^ most fantastic forms. From the ftict of there heiny a bed of shale overlving the coal, and also that in only one instance are they connected with the floor of the seam, it appears reasonable to mfer that they have been thrust into fissures in the coal; but how these have been caused without disturbing the g-eneral shape of the bed is not so evident. A prijof of motion in the material is the strongly slicken-sided markings in the shale. The diag'rams are from sketches made by the writer in the mine. The action of the anticlinal is well shoAvn at this colliery. The seam from its southern croj) has a gentle dij) to the \.E., at an angle of 5°, which continues a distance of six hundred yards ; it then suddenly beg'ins to rise, and is thrown out tr> the surface at an angle of 45°. A thickness of strata of about thirty fathoms separtites this seam from the " McAulay " bed, so called in this locality, but which is considered to be the equivalent of the "Phelan '' seam in Glace Bay. It is worked at the Gowrie Colliery, where it is of the following- section : — Ooal Shale Coal Between the northern crop of the McAulay seam and the northern "Head," several scams crop out: their relative position being summa- rised as follows, the depths being vertical to the dip : — McAulay seam Sundry strata Spencer seam Sundry strata Mcllury seam jundry strata Coal, 3 feet seam Sundry strata Coal, 2 feet seam Ffc. 2 In. 2 01 2 Sh 4 11 Ft. 4 In. 11 200 2 8 r,o 4 4 100 3 50 (» 2 (' THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. Ii7 \ Fh 100 In. 1 G 100 3 Sundry strata Coal Sundry strata Long Ecach seam The declination of these seams brink's them to the surface within a com- paratively short distance from each other. On the southern side of the hasin, where the dip is mucli less, their crops have, of course, a corresponding- extension. Unfortunately, however, these crops are for some distance under the son, the bay occupying- a large extent of the space between the southern head and the main land. At the extreme er.d of that head the seams again appear, and one of them has been opened at the South Head Colliery. It is supposed to be the Spencer seam; it differs much from the section of that seam near the Gowrie Mine, and its identity seems to be based at present rather on the assump- tion of an unbroken range of the strata, than on any similarity in other respects. At the South Head, i^ consists of several beds of coal separated by shales ; of the nortion worked, the lowest is 3 feet 6 inches thick ; it is overlaid by 2 feet 4 inches of shale, and that again by coal with clay bands, 3 feet G inches thick. Passii ^^ through the narrow point of land which forms the head, it is seen in the cliff on the southern side, and then disappears in the sea. Between the "Head" and False Bay beach, several beds of coal are exposed in the cliff; an examination of these would, no doubt, determine their relation to those already named, and fix more definitely than exists at present the true character of this portion of the coal-field. Only one of these seams has been opened; it is called the "Tracey" bed, and is worked at the Mire Bay Collier3\ where it is of the following section, with a dip to the N.E. of 7° : — Coal ... ... ••. ••• ••• ••■ ••• Fireclay ^ 1^ Coal 1 2 4 6 This seam is supposed to underlie the Spencer seam 2,400 feet; it is at present the lowest workable bed in the series. Its north-easterly di}) is in conformity with the u]iper beds worked at Gowrie and Block House, and sug-gests the probability of the wide range of the crop shown on the map. The southern shore of the South Head affords the last section of this interesting- and valuable coal-field; the easterly strike of the beds carries Ft. In. 2 6 38 THE COAL-FIELDS OF XOVA SCOTIA. them in a transverse direction across tlie headland, wlience they pass into the sea, and all further kuowledg-e of them in tliat direction ceases. Havin^»- now, it is hoped, made as clear as existing- knowledg-e permits, the position of the seams at this extremity of the coal-field, it is necessary, in order to trace their course norlhwards, to revert to the Glace Bay district as a starting- point for that purpose. It was remarked, that in their Bridgeport tract, the General Mining- Association had at one time worked a seam, which is considered to he the "Phelan." Althoug-h this seam diiiers hoth in its size and in the direction of the dip from that worked at the Caledonia Colliery, there appears to be little reason to doubt their identity; the variation in thickness being- not unusual, as has been already observed, and the alteration in the strike being- in accordance with the general course of one of the upper beds, as proved at the International Colliery. The entire series up to this point appears to be regular and unbroken. On the northern shore of Indian Bay, however, the strike of the seams is almost at right angles to that of those on the Bridgeport side, and as the distance between the shores of the bay is only 1| miles, it is evident that there is a disturbance of the beds in this locality. The chang;e in their position is attributable to a second anticlinal, the rang-e of which ic similar to that between Cow Bay and Glace Bay. The shape of this portion of the coal-field is so entirely different to the last named district that the peculiarity of position is almost as strong-ly marked as at Cow Bay. The sweep of the beds between Ling-an and Spanish River has a convex form as reg-ards the sea, whereas between Ling-an and Schooner Pond it is the reverse, thus affording- another illustration of that peculiar contour of the carboniferous strata to which attention has before been drawn. From the northern head of Indian Bay to Low Point at the entrance to Spanish River, the coast section exhibits a succession of beds of coal which on the assumption of the identity of any one of them with one of those on the Bridg-eport side must be considered to be the rej)resentatives of those under or overlying- that particular seam. This identity has been attached to a seam which is worked at Ling-an Collier}' by the General Mining- Association, who hold a large and valuable tract extend- ing- from Indian Bay to Spanish River. It is considered to be the same seam as that worked by the same company at Bridg-eport, i.e., the "Phelan." There is, however, so much of a dubious character in this part of the coal-field that further investigation is required to establish !■ li It, '•BssssmmmmmmrnKmamm TlIK COAL-riKLUS OF NOVA SCOTIA. no % I I; the connection between the two sides of the bay in a satisfactory manner. The seain ut Lingan is of the following- section : — t"'0''ll Fire-clay Coal Ft. lu H C, .") 8 9 2 The course of the dip is about N. 35 E., at an ang-le of 12°. In pro- ceeding- northward Ihe band increased to a thickness of eig-ht i'wt in a distance of 000 yards ; the thickness of the top and bottom coal being very little altered. A recent boring- has proved that the band is ag-ain becoming- thinner. This is mentioned as it may have some bearing- on the strang-ely varied section of the strata and seams ex])o.sed in the cliff on the southern side of Spanish river, which is hereafter referred to. Beneath the Ling-an seam others have been found at various points along- the north shore of Indian Bay and Ling-an Basin. One of these, about 300 feet below the Ling-an seam, is four feet thick ; and beneath it, 800 feet, there is another two feet thick. This is underlaid bv one six feet thick, and by another still lower, consisting- of five feet eig-ht inches of coal separated by a band of shale three feet thick ; the thickness of the intervening- strata has not yet been ascertained. The crop of the last named seam is about three miles to the west of the collierv. It has a dip nearly due east at ang-le of 10°. The lowest seam in position that has been opened in the neig-hbour- hood of Ling-an is at the Gardener Colliery, distant from the Linj^an mine in a south-west direction about 3^ miles. This seam is evidently one of the Bridg-eport or Glace Bay series, from its conformability with the seams in the former locality ; it is five feet in thickness, and dips S. 65° E. It is supposed to underlie tlie " Ross" seam nine hundred feet. The thickness of the strata between the coal beds which, from the order of their succession in proceeding- towards Low Point, overlie the Ling-an seam, has not been accurately ascertained. The beds appear in the cliffs to be conformable in position with that seam. The first in ascending- order is five feet thick, and is separated from it by about 330 feet of strata. At Davy's Head there is another eig-ht feet thick, and one near the Barasois three feet thick. On the north side of the pond at this place the General Mining- Association have opened a fine seam of coal six feet in thickness ; it is overlaid by a bed of fire-clay two feet thick, above which there is coal two feet eig-ht inches thick. This seam dips 40 THE COAL-Fir.M)S OF NOVA SCOTIA. nearly duo nortli at an anfr-le of 10°. Futtlicr north, and noar to Low Point, anotlier snam four feet thick is exposed in tlie clitf. Some of those seams have heen opened a j^hort distance hack from the sliore by the occupiers of the land ; these opening's and the cliff exposures are at pre- sent the only f:;-uide to the rang-e of the beds and their connection with the series next to be described. Between Low Point and the south bar of Sydney harbour there is a great alteration in the ])osition of the strata ; they bend round to the west, and have a larg-ely-increased ang-le of dip. In some ])laces it is 45°, and nearly due north in direction. The crops of the seams are in consequence much closer top-ether. Eleven seams of coal are here dis- tinctly recognisable in a distance at right angles to the strike of about a mile. Their relative position is stated by Dr. Dawson to be as in the following section, beginning with the uppermost, which is the same seam as that above referred to, near Low Point : — SS Oi X v/0^1 •»« ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• Sandstone and Shale ... f Coal and Shale v>OQii ••• ••• ••• •■• •■• ••• OlioilG fl«a !•• ••• ••• ••• ••• 2.S J Coal 3. 4. 6. Shaly Band Coal Shaly Band Coal Sandstone and Shale Coal Sandstone and Shale Coal Sandstone and Shale Coal Sandstone and Shale Ft. 4 In 400 1 3 1 1 7 1 4 3 1 2 4 200 4 4 400 6 7 575 5 1000 6 In addition to the above, there are between numbers 3 and 4, two seams, 2 feet and 1 foot inches thick, and between numbers 4 and 5, two others, 3 feet and 4 feet thick ; and, again, between 5 and G, one 2 feet thick. In the distance named there are, therefore, eleven seams of coal, of an aggregate thickness of about 50 feet. The variation in the dips of these beds of coal is indicative of the peculiarity of their position in this locality : thus, whilst number 1 inclines northward at an angle of 10°, number 2 plunges in the same direction at an angle of 38°, number 4 increases to 40°, and number G subsides to 30°. An interesting two THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 41 starting- point is furnished by this section, from which to trace the seams both to the north and to the south, and to fix the true g'eohjg-ical position of the beds in the different districts. The data for this purpose, liowever, are still wanting", as, with the exception above-mentioned, the country is entirely unexplored between the coast line and tho head of Lingan Basin. The area included in this space is held by the General Mining- Association, and consists of about 13 square miles ; it extends from Indian Bay and Lingan Basin to the southern shore of Spanish River, and from the eastern shore between these, inland, a distance of 2| miles. The only mining areas in this locality available to others are, therefore, those covered by the sea, and it is at the northern end of this tract that the first submarine operations in the ])rovince have been bef^un. The Ross seam, number 4 in the section, has been opened at the Victoria Colliery. The crop of the seam is near the edg-e of the cliff, and access to the sea area is obtained by a slope starting- in the crop ; and as the dip of the seam is at an angle of 40°, the strata between the bed of the sea and the seam rapidly thicken. Dr. Dawson is of opinion, that in the above series of beds are repre- sented all the seams in the Cow Bay and Glace Bay districts, and also those on the northern side of Spanish river. Some of them are probably much altered in character. A division of the Ling-an seam has been noticed, and it is not improbable that the overlying- coal at the Barasois is still further separated from the lower seam by a thickening- of the intervening- fire clay or other beds. If the relationship suggested be correct, there is a remarkable instance of the altered form of a seam in the "Paint" seam, number 2 in the section, which is supposed to be the representative of the Phelan seam. It will be remembered, that this is considered to be the same as the Ling-an seam ; the connection there- fore, is not so remote as it would be if the comparison were made between the sections at Caledonia or Schooner Pond and Victoria. one of the sections is — Coal Fireclay... \.^CJc«l •■• •■■ ••• •'<• ••• ••• ••• ••■ At Lingan Ft. 3 In, 8 5 5 The section at the Victoria mine is so entirely different that the question of identity may readily arise. A series of accurate measurements, and a careful examination and comparison of the strata, will alone enable the 'i^onnection of the seams in the different localities on the south side of Sydney Harbour to be 42 THE COA. i-IELUS OF NOVA SCOTIA. established with certainty; for, althoug-li the interruptions in the measures do not cause a severance of tlie districts, of much extent superficially, there is much to induce a hesitation in defining- their continuity, and that will require furtiior exploration to fully confirm it. The northern shore of the entrance to Sydney Harbour is distant from the southern shore about two miles. The coast section is in remark- able contrast with that last described, and presents an illustration of the construction of the carbonil'erous deposits, that equals in interest the section at the Jog-g'ins. The beds are here resting- at an easy declination, and as the cliffs for some distance from Cranberry Head, the northern head of the harbour, are sufficiently hig-h to g'ive a considerable exposure of them, the series can be well examined. An elaborate section of the strata from Cranberry Head to Stubbard's Point was made by Mr. Brown ;* it is summarised as follows : — Sandstone and Shale Coal Under clay Shales Coal — Cranberry Head top scam Under clay Shales ... Soft blue clay Coal Clay Cual a Cranberry Head bottom seam. Under clay Red and brown shale and sandstone Coal Shale ^Ual ••• ••• ••• ••• Under clay Sandstone and shale Coal — Lloyd's cove Under clay Shale and sandstone Coal Shale ... Coal Clay • •• Ft. 16 In. 6 • • 1 • ■• 2 * • 1 3 3 8 10 • • • 14 8J • •• 2 2 2 8 — 1 • • • 7 245 1 2 8 3 — 1 1 • • ■ 1 8 ■ •■ 15 7 *. . 5 ... 3 4 ... 246 11 V .5 4 1 4 • • ■ 1 ♦ Lato Manager of tho Sydney Mines. THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 43 asures cially, td that listant mark- of the St the ation, •them )osure bard's Under clay Shale and sandstone Coal Shale Do, and coal Ft. la. 3 1U3 10 1 4 4 r. Under clay Shale ... ... ... ... .. ... .•• Coal Under clay Shales Coal ... ... ... ... ... ... Under clay Shale and .sandstone Coal Under clay Shale and sandstone Coal — Main seam Under clay Shale and sandstone I^03li ••• ••• ■•! ••• ■•« »«• ,.a . Under clay Shales v./03il •■• ••* «•• ••* <•• ••• ••• . Under clay Sandstones, shales, with limestone and conglomerate beds. Coal Shale i^OAl. ••• ••• •■• ••• ••• ••■ ••• U Shalo ... ••• .. ... ... ... ... v/Ooi-L ••. ••• flfl* ••• •• Under clay Shales and ironstone V'OEli •■• •■■ ••• ••• •■ Under clay Sandstones and shales \./0ai ... ... ... *•• .. Shale ... ... ... Coal ... ... >•• Under clay Sandstones and shales V^OnrX •■• ••• ••• ••! •• Under clay Eed and brown shales and sandstones Coal — Indian Cove seam ... • • • •• > 5 2 1 2 5 1 5 4 16 G 3 1 11 101 9 4 4 174 OJ 6 8 35 1 1 11 1 2 128 8 11 3 73 9 4 5 6 40 6 8 4 22 10 1 3 3 1 117 3 4 8 44 THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. • • • •• • Under clay Sandstones and shales ... Coal Under clay Shales and ironstone Coal Under clay Sandstone and shales ... Coal Under clay Coal Under clay and shale ... Coal Under clay Sandstone and shale Coal Shale Coal Shale Coal Under clay Coal Under clay Soft blue clay Coal ... ^ Shale Blue clay ... Coal Shale Coal Under clay Shale Coal Shale Coal Shale Coal • • • • • • > Stony seam ... ••• •• • • • • • • • Sandstone and shale Coal Under clay and shale Coal Sandstone and shale Ft. In. ... 2 3 59 6 11 3 1 18 10 ... 1 4 5 10 ... 15 7 • •• 8 U • • • 2 • • • 12 6 ... 2 t • • 6 • • • 68 9 1 3 2 2 2 10 • at 1 • • • Oi • • • 8 • • • 2 ' 1 2 2 2 1 3 3 .0 2 — 3 2 . • • 1 • • • 11 2 1 1 6 2 1 65 2 1 ... 2 9 1 * • 69 7 This section embraces a distance of nearly 3 miles, and a depth of TIIK C()AL-FIF.I,DS OF NOV'A SCOTIA. 45 1 strata of 1800 foet; and altliou|^'li there are in the entire series upwards of tliirty beds of coal, only four of them are \vf)rkid)le, viz. : — the ( 'ran- berry Head, the Lloyd's Cove, the Main, and tlie Indian Cove seams. Tlie Lloyd's Cove seam underlies the Cranl)erry Head 'J80 feet, the Main seam is at a furtlier depth of 728 feet, and the Indian (Jove below it 400 feet. They dip N. 00 E., at an anyle of 7°. The nuiin seam has been principally worked; it averag-es six feet in thickness, and is a remarkably clean and uniform bed of coal, being- undisturbeil by faults or irregularities of any moment. For domestic purposes, it bears a. hig-li and well deserved reputation throug-hout the ])rovinces, and is also larg'ely exported to Newfoundland and Prince Edward's Island. Tiie Lloyd's Cove and the Indian Cove seams have also been largely worked; the former contains some bands of softish g-rey shale, which, with other impurities, render it a troublesome scam to work; it is of the followinj^ section : — Coal Soft band Coal Band Coal Ft. In. 2 1 n 51 1 3 6i 6 Si thof The connection of these seams w^ith those on the opposite shore, between Low Point and tlvj South Bar, is an object of much interest to the holders of areas along* that shore; and in a .j^-eolog"ical point of view is one of much importance. It is evident the measures are much disturbed, and it is probable the line of disturbance is indicated by the course of the harbour. The abruptness of the chang"e in the direction of the strike, and in the ang'le of dip, and the crowding* tog'ether of the several beds on the south side, are in marked contrast Avith the unbroken series on the north side of the harbour, and render the identification of the seams very difficult. Whether or no this may be established hereafter, it is sufficient for the purpose of this paper to consider the northern shore a fresh starting" point, from which to continue the description of this portion of the coal-field. Between this shore and the northern side of Boulardarie Island, a distance of 8 miles, the measures rang-e in a north-westerly direction, thoug'h not in an uninterrupted course as regards the continuity of the seams. With the exception of an opening- made by the General Mining* Association at Cox Hill, 2^ miles west of the Queen Pit, on the Main seam, the seams are but partially explored between Spanish River and the 4fl Tin; (OAL-l'IEf-DS OK NOVA SCOTrA. Jiittlo Hriis d'Or, a narrow windiiij,^ and ('xc('edin<>ly picturosfpio oppninj,'-, botwcen tlio Atliintic and a lar<;-o inland sea known as tho. Bras d'Or Lake. On each side of this piissaf,'-*' the seams appear in the cliffs, and are entered hy adits; the transit of the coal from the workinj^s to the ship side heinj,'- thus very economically effected. One of the seams has been opened at tiie Collins Mine, on the south-east side; it is su])posed to he the Indian Cove seam. It has also been sunk to by the Association, a short distance l)ack from the shore. The sections at these }daces are, however, a little ditf'erent, and are also at variance with that at the No. 3 Pit on the Comjiany's area, and nenr Sydney Harbour, and with one at an opening" about midway between the harbour and the Bras d'Or. These sections are as follows : — No. 3 Pit. Ft. In. Coal and shale 3 Coal 4 Grey band ... 2 Coal 3 10 4 7 Ingraham. Ft. In. Coal 1 1 Band 3J Coal 5i Band 2^ Coal 1 lU Collins. Ft. In. Top coal 2 7| Bottom 2 4 4 4 llf Association to dip. Ft. In. Coal 2 4 Band 4.' Coal 2 7 5 3. J Whilst a change, such as is here exhibited, is not an unusual feature in extensive mining; districts, there appear to be in this locality altera- tions in the seams of a g-eneral character, and not confined to one seam only. A similar irregularity in the thickness of the main seam was found to exist at the Cox Hill Pit, where it is only 3 feet 7 inches thick near the crop. The continuity of the seams appears, nevertheless, to be undisturbed to any extent as far as the Little Bras d'Or. The gap which forms this passage is, however, on the line of a large fault, the existence of which has recently been ascertained by Professor Hind during an examination of the measures in this locality. It is an upthrow to the north of about 400 feet. By this fault the crops of the seams are removed to the north upwards of a mile, and a large extent of the lower strata is exposed on each side of Boulardarie Island. The Lloyd's Cove, the Main, and the Indian Cove seams are well identified on the west side of tlie entrance, and their course has also been traced across the island to the opposite side, where, with a trending of the strike to the north, they disappear in the sea. On this shore several other beds of coal of a workable size are exposed in the cliff between Point Aceni and the Great Bras d'Or entrance. These beds have not yet been traced across the island to the Little Bras d'Or, but there is little reason to THE c'oAi--iii;r,ns of nova scotia. 47 doubt tlip ro<,nilnrity of tlio mcnsurcs l)ot\vpon tlip two ontrnnces. Our of the seams lias been opened at the Mafh(>son Colliery, opposite to the Collins mine. It is 3 feet thick and is overlaid by IT) inches of excellent fire clay. The dip is to the north-east at an anpi-le of 8°. An interesting^ field of enquiry is embraced in the tract of country extendinp," from Sydney Harbour to the fJreat Bras d'Or. 'i'he poverrv of the section, with resjiect to workable seams, from Cranlx-rry Head up the north-west arm of the harbour, is in striking- contrast both with the opposite shore and with the western side of Roulardarie Island; ami a reconciliation of the differences cannot fail to elicit some intercstiny' geolog-ical circumstances. A brief notice of an isolated patch of carboniferous strata remains to complete the description of the Cape Breton coal-field. On the west, side of the Great Bras d'Or seams have been opened at the New Cam- bellton Colliery, the connection of which with those on the opposite shore of the island is somewhat peculiar. The beds on that shore, as before stated, have a trendinj^ of the strike northwards, which, it will be seen on reference to the map, leads to a very difi^ierent point to that which is now referred to. The portion of the coal measures in which seams have been opened, at the New Campbellton Colliery, is situated on the eastern flank h.d near the extremity of a rang-e of higli land, which terminates a long neck of the main land stretching* between the Bras d'Or and an inlet of the sea called St. Ann's Bay. A ridge of syenite runninf^ in an east and west direction here i iterrupts the extension of the beds and thus forms their western boundary. Although the space occupied by the measures is but of small extent their true position is not yet fully established. The course of the strike on the shore opposite Boulardarie, and in a seam opened a short distance to the north, seem to indicate a somewhat rapid bending* round of the beds, and to g-ive them a basin shape similar to that at Cow Bay. This seam is of the following section : — Coal (coarse) Coal Soft posting Coal It dips to the east at an angle of 12°. About three-quarters of a mile further north, the beds are thrown up ag"amst the side of the moun- tain into a nearly vertical position. Two scams have been opened by an lu. 4 2 y 1 1 3 4 5 48 THE COAL-FIKr,l)« OF NOVA SCOTIA. ndit (Irivon at ri;^lit tnijflos to tlio strike. Tlio first or upporinost in tlic onlor of deposition is 4 I'cot tliick, rlic next is (I feet, a tliickncss ot'stnifa of 3(5 foot sopanitin}^- tlicni. IJctwoon tlioso soanis and tlio crop of tlio otlior seam no sutHcient oxaniiniition has yot l)een made to onaMc* the relation of the ])0(ls to he detincd. 'I'licro aro indications, Iiowov-ht assist the identification. The relative position of the 1)eds on each side of the Great Bras d'Or is very similar to the form in which they ap])ear at Sydney Harhour and Indian Bay, Linj^-an; and there is, doubtless, a like cause for the chang-e in their course. Interruptions hy anticlinals or dislocations on a lar<>'0 scale sufficiently account for many of those chang-es; and the position of these disturbances is g-enerally indicated by a hig'h and broken ridg-e as at Cow Bay, or by wide and deep bays and water channels as at Ling-an, Sydney, and Little Bras d'Or. In the Cape Breton coal-field there is little diversity in the character of the seams: they are all of the bituminous class, and, except for g*as, no special adaptability is yet attached to any of them. The Main seam of the Sydney mines has, however, a deservedly hig'h reputation for domestic use, for which it is sold almost entirely. It is a clean brig'ht coal, with a cubical fracture; it works large, g-ives out much heat, and leaves a small quantity of reddish ash. An analysis by Professor How, in 1861, g-ave Volatile matter Fixed carbon * iASD. ... ... ••. ... ... «,, ,,, ,,, 31-87 04-5'.) 3T)4 lOO'OO Theo. evap. power 8"S7 The beds on the opposite shore of the harbour near Low Point have been examined by Dr. Dawson, and analyses of the principal seams have been made by him with the following* result : — Volatile matter Fixed carbon Ash Coke 1 o 3 30- 38'8 3r)-4 .-,!)• 59-4 63-0 2" 1-.8 1-G 100- 100- 100- fil'O 61-2 04-() Tiir, f'()Ar,-rii',!,r)s of mwa si kti \. 40 Vdlfxtilo runttf'i' l-'ixcil ("iirl )on AhIi Coke. 1 (I'-p) V (IxUtoin). H. ;•-'.»•(; :iM .'7-'J .".'.I'C. i','2-\ •,\-2 •jr, «;•'-• KlO'O li)(i-(t lOO'O r,i':i CiS-n 'Y\w '.iir.ilyscs iirc iniiubcrrd in stroordanci' with the oi'drr in wliich the senilis !n'(> •••iv(!n in the section, piiLi'c 40. The seams between Linji-jin iind Cdw Buy nre very siniihu' in their chiiracteristics, nnd need no s])('ci:il (h'scrijition. T1h> coid is exported ])rinei])tdly to tho United States for L';is-niakinf>-, and althon^-li they ditl'er in their ])rodnco, p-enerally s])(>alviii-' they are a tine and vahnddc series of Ijeds. Tho sn])joined analyses of the eoal from tin! seams at Olacc Bav and Cow Bav vvill show their res])ectivo (!()mi)ositions: — iiiju sKAM, ijttm: (jlaci; uay. ;!G- r,\ C,2- :.:? • m l(IO-()() Volatile matter Fixed Carbon Ash Thcor. cvap. power B'.'O Both the Hul) and the Ilarhonr scam htivc been tested for raisinp; steam in one of II. M. shi])s, and are rejjorted "to li^'ht up qnickly, raise steam fast, burn well and clearly, and ^'onerate steam well." The Hub seam is an excellent j^as coal, and is much used in the States for that pui'pose. At Halifax it has been found to yi(>ld 8,^)00 cubic feet per ton of 1(3 candle g-as. A series of assays of portions of tho Phelan seam at Caledonia Colliery gave the following- averag'e : — Volatile matter 3:V02 Fixed carbon ... oT'llG Ash i»'02 lOO-OO i-;52 Coke Spec, gravity The Block House seam is larg-oly worked for g-as purposes, for which it bears a high character. For raising- steam it has also given satisfac- tory results. Mixed with Welsh coal the consumption was found to be 12 per cent, less than when using Welsh alone. The MeAulay scam at the Gowrio Colliery is also an excellent coal o W' } TjO THE COAL-FIKLDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. for g-eneral purpose?, and has boon found to possess p:ood steam-producing properties. The following- iinalysos were made in 1868. Jloiat'ire llydrocarbonaccous matter Sulphur Coke 1st and 2nd baud. 1-80 2nd band. l-4() 27-08 37-27 3-42 i-27 r)7-70 fiO- lOO'OO 100-00 7-25 i-l6 8-53 1-33 Ash Theor. cvap. power Spec, gravity The system of working- practised is the same as in the other coal- fiehls, viz., the bord and pillar. Witli the exception of the Sydney Mines all the seams are entered by slojjes from the crop, and the mode of Avorking- appears to have been adopted with a view to the removal of as much of the coal as possible in the first working-. The pillars next the crop are, therefore, usually very small. In few cases has an attempt been made to work tlie pill>T"><, thoug'h in these they have been success- fully done. An enlarg-ed scale of pillarag'e is, however, being- adopted, and the i)ursuit of a more systematic course of working- becoming- g-eneral. The vertical seams at the New Cambellton Colliery are worked on the same principle as the horizontal beds, the bords being- driven upwards in a series of steps, and the coal taken throug-h holings at short intervals between each bord to a spout, which has a slide at the bottom. The tubs are put into a siding- off the horse road, under the spout, and the contents run into them. The crops of the seams being- so near the sea-board, most of the col- lieries are situated near those parts of the coast to which vessels can have access. The harbour accommodation between Mire and Sydney is not, however, so g-ood as in other localities. The bays are exposed to g-aies i'rom the north-east, and are often rendered unsafe. There is, hoAvever, a very fine and commodious harbour at Sydney, but it is inaccessible at ])resent, owing- to their being- no railway to connect it with the mines. An attempt was made a few years ag-o to have one con- structed at the joint expense of the mine owners, which, unfortunately, was unsuccessftil. The consequence has been, that artificial harbours have been made at several places at g-reat cost, for the private use of some of the mines, and the other collieries have been seriously limited in their operations by the want of similar facilities. At Cow Bsiy, the Block House and the Gowrie Mines have each their own shippinf^ TlIK COAL-l'll-.LDS Ol" NuVA S<()TIA. i>\ place within a mile of each other. The httter is protected hy an exten- sive hreakwator, erected on the north-c'ust side of tho sliippini;- berths; the enclosed space hetween tlicni iitfiirdiuLi' slicltcr to vessels in time of need. At Block House the co;il is lirouizlit out of tii(> mine hv tin udit on a level with tlie whiirf, iiud iis the scnui is reniiirkiihly clc-.m, it is taken direct from tho lace to the ship's side. The Caledonisi ('o)u])any have provided themselves with ii hi(rl)oiu', hy cutting- tiu'oiiy'h a sand l)iir which runs out from th(^ south side of Big- Cihice Bay, and hy erecting* piers for the protection of the entrance into tlie water hehind this bar; a short line of railway connects the har])our witli the colliery. Neither the Clyde nor the Schormer Pond Mines hiivc nt present any efficient menus of shipping' their coal. At Little (llace Bay a small hut safe hnrhour has been formed by the (ilace Bay Com])auy ; a sin-.dl and almost dry creek having" at a comparatively little cost been converted into an excel- lent ship})ing' place. The Ling-au and International Tullieries are also dependent on their own resourc(>s for ])utting" their coal on board of ship. At the former consideral)le expense has been incurred in making* and maintaining- a ship])ing" place for its exclusive .se; and at the latter the coal is taken off in larg'e boats called "'scows,' and put on board the vessel at anchor in the exposed roadstead. This serious impediment to an extension of the mining- cap-.ibilities of this district, has, of late, again received attention, and a railway is in course of construction between the mine and Sydney Harbour. The jn'oduce of the Sydney Mines is shipped at North Sydney. Extensive acconnnodation is here provided by the General Mining- Association, by whom alone coul is shipped at this part of the harbour. All these harbours are closed from two to three months during- the winter by ice, and navig-ation is sometimes impeded a long-er period. During- that time the mines are continued at work and the coal is stored on the surface, as at the other mining- districts. The mode of opening- the mines is by slope from the crop as already described. In some cases shafts have been sunk to the dip of the first workings ; more, however, with a view to increase the productive powers than from a preference of a shaft to a slope. The latter is, ir. many cases, an inexpensive method of commencing- operations, but it is certainly not the most judicious means that can be ado})ted. The facility with which it enables operations to be beg-un, is a great temptation to work the coal much too near the crop, and the consequence is, the surf^ice water has access to the mine ; the coal, too, is g-enerally neither so strong- nor so clean. One of the g-reatest evils connected with this hasty system of -""^-"'m 'n - -- I III If! 'I' 52 Till", ('()Ar,-i"ii;i-i)s or nova scotia. opciiiiij^' is, however, the indiirereiico tli;it luis ])reviiile(l res])eetin<^' the. position of the seimi tlirou^-liout the iireiis. Insteud of eiirefully nscer- tjiiniii;^' tliis hy boring-, it is taken for ;j;riiiiteil thiit it lies in iin undis- turbed stiile, iind thiit sidiseijuent openitions will ])resent no more difficulty tliiin has hitherto Iteen experienced. The Victoria Colliery, in CuniberliMid ('oniity, is not a soliliiry iustiiiice of tlu^ inconvenic^nce and cx])onso ciii!s<';[ by the want of a little knowled^^'e of the kind referres to biuik, jiiul the arran<^'eiueut is considered very satisfact(U'y. The price of the coal at the mines is from 7s. to '.)s. per tcm. A larf>'o proportion of tlie shi[)m(uits is to the States, the renuiinder ]h\\w^ used in the ju'ovince and the adjoining- colonic^s. Frei<^'hts to Boston and other ports on the AuKU'ican shore vary I'rom J)s. to llJs. At many of tlui collieries the surf;u'(> erections are simple and in(!X- pensive. A carefidness in screeninji* and cleaninji,' the (M)al is not yet so }^'enorally practised as will in a, short time ])rol)ably become lu^cessary. Jn a few instam,'(>s, the a])i)liances for these pur])oses an; of a <.';ood type, and the estnblishments j^'enerally are very creditable. Thci doid)le hori- zontal cylinder euf^'ine is chieiiy used for haulinj^', vvindin size hiive h(!en opened. Some of these ii])pe!ir in the cliffs iit tho Sea Coal Ihiy, in Ciirri])on Cove. 'I'li<'y iH'e in u v<>rticid position, havin},^ a dip to IIm! soutli-west of 70", the course of the strike hein<^- i\. 50° VV. The jirincipid sciiin is upwnrds of 1 1 feet thick, inclusive, of several bands of shide. Th(i others iin; 4 feet -.ind ')^ feet in thickness, the latter idso incdudin;.^' a bnnd of lin* chiy neiir tluf middle of tiu^ sciim, 15 inches thick. Tlie strata an! here much disturbed, iind iis the operations have Ikh'U conlined entindy to th(! crop of tlu! senm, littht is known of their extent or ^'eneral shajjo. At a depth oi' (!;{ feet the! iin^le of dip was found to bo ra])idly diminishing-, iind it is, therefore, not improba1)lo that they will lie at no j^Toat depth in a monj conv(!nient form for working. The coal, according-- to tho following' analysis by Dr. Dawson, of a portion of t\n) thick seam, is not of a very lii<^'h class ; an im])rovemont in tho (piality may, however, bo roasouMbly oxixicted where tiio seam is in a loss disturbed condition and the optirations aro furthc^r removed from the crop. Volatile matter Vlxcd (!ai'bon AhU 44-7 100-0 About 2^ miles to the north-oust of Sea Coal Bay scams have been opened at tho Richmond Colliery which ayroo with the above in the course of their strike, but have their dij) in the opposite din^ction. There are two seams lo-t feet iipart, the lowest in tho order of deposition being- four ibot thick, and tin; oth(!r three feet. They dij) to the north-east at an ang-lo of 85°. Tho (piality of the four foot bed appears in an analysis, also by Dr. Dawson, to bo superior to the Sea Coal Bay seam : — Volatile matter Fixed carbon Awh .30-2r> 5(J-40 r.i-ar, l(;0-00 Tiie similarity of position of those beds to those at Sea Coal Bay, assumino- tlunn to Ix! on the oj)posito sides of an anticlinal, would seem to indicat(! a former connection ; there is so little known, however, of the structure of the measures in localities in which mininj^ operations have Ill: rA Tin: ( oAL-FfKi.Ds or nova sroTiA. '>■% only been carried on a sliort time, that conjecture on this point has little beyond g'cnerul features to su])port it. These vertical seams, when the mines we e last in operation, were worked in the following* manner. At the Richmond Colliery they were at first opened by u slope driven at a convenient ang-le in the course of the strike, Suljserpientl}'^ a shaft was sunk between tlie beds, and level drifts were driven out of it into each seam at intervals of about 40 feet. A lift of coal was then taken off this heig'ht by driving- a drift feet high in the coal at that depth. When this drift was about 10 yards in length, other G feet were taken out above the drift, timber being* put in and a scaifold formed next the face as it advanced. Above this, ag-ain, another lift was taken in the same manner, each face being* kept reg'ularly going*. The coal, as it was worked fell into the lowermost place, whence it was taken to the shaft, "i'he seam would, thus, if in a horizontal position, appear to have a long* wall face, with tlui roof entirely supported by timber. The preceding- embraces all the coal districts of any importance in the province. The carboniferous formation is spread to a greater or less extent over other localities ; the circumstances of g-eological position are in most cases, however, sufficient to convince the experienced miner of their barrenness, and are such as should elicit an honest avowal to the enquiring- speculator of the fruitlessness of operations in many of these places. In some of them, it is by no means improbable that future explorations may truly hrinff to light beds of coal, whose existence is not yet indicated by any external evidence. The laws which regulate the holding of mining* areas have been fi*amed in a liberal spirit, and with a view to encourag-e the development of the mineral resources of the province. An exploration license, g"iving- a power to search for minerals, other than g'old, over a tract not exceeding- five scpiare miles in extent, is g-ranted on payment of 20 dollars, or £4 sterling-. This license is for twelve months. At any time before the expiration of the license, the holder may select one square mile, which must be in one block, and must not exceed 2^ miles in leng-th, for the purpose of working- the minerals therein ; and on application being- made, in writing-, to the Com- missioner of Mines, a license to work is granted for a term of two years from the date of the application, the cost of such license being- 50 dollars, or £10 sterling. On the termination of that period the holder is entitled to a lease, provided effective mining- operations have been begun and carried on. Before these licenses are issued a bond must be given to the Commissioner, with sufficient sureties, that in the event of entry THE COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 55 being' made tipon private lands, recompense shall 1)e made for damng-es. The conditions of the lease are similar to those usually inserted. The lease is for twenty years, with a power of a second and third renewal for u similar period, but not to extend beyond sixty years from the 'Joth Aug'ust, 1806, and with a liberty to the Legislature to revise and alter the royalty in or after the year 188(5. The royalty at present is 10 cents, or 4|d. per ton of 2240 lbs., up to 200,000 tons, sold in each or any year, and about 3d. i)er ton on every ton over that quantity. It is payable only on the round coal sold ; slack and coal used by agents, workmen, and eng'ines, being* exem])t. A statement is required quar- terly, of all coal worked and sold, and of the expenditure in extending- the works.; also payment of the royalty incurred. The other conditions of the lease are of the usual character with respect to a proper working- of the mine, the right to examine the workings, and books of accounts, surrender of the lease, rig-ht of transfer, &c. Deeming it would be of interest to know the progress of mining in Nova Scotia, a few statements respecting- the production and disposal of the coal from 1827 to the end of 18G9 are appended. It will be observed that the sales since 1806 have much fallen off. This is due to the abrog-ation of a reciprocity troiity which exist(>d up to that time between the United States and the British North American Provinces. On the cessation of the treaty a duty of 6s. sterling- per ton was imposed by the United States Government, and, as will readily be believed, it almost amounted to a prohibition. A blow of this kind to a merely budding- branch of commerce could not fail to check its progress. With all allow^ance for the obstacle thus opposed to its development, it is, how- ever, much to be reg-retted that a lack of energ-y in looking- for other markets should have prevailed to an extent that inferred a hopelessness on the part of the proprietors of many of the mines, very unusual in men of business. Of the mineral wealth of the province g'enerally much might be written. Its extensive range of auriferous rocks, its undeveloped but known beds of iron and other ores, are subjects almost as interesting- as that of Avhich the writer has endeavoured to convey some knowledg-e in this memoir. Much remains to be done to assig-n the limits of the different coal-fields and to define the peculiarities of the various districts. Althoug-h there is not in the province the diversity of quality that characterizes some coal-producing- countries, there are variations of character in the seams, the extent of which is yet unknown. If there are no beds of cannel of importance, there are oil shales and seams richly productive of no TIIK COAL-FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. i i I that articlo; if there is no nntliracito, thore is a variety of hituminous and semi-bituminous coal, amony which the essentials of a first-class house coal, of a steam, a g-as, or a coklny- coal will, no doubt, hereafter be detected, Respectinn- the future of a country so richly endowed with what has become almost a necessity of life, and which is certainly a necessity of the ag'e ; possessing- also other minerals, tlie profitable virtue of which is dependent on the abundant and cheap supply of the g-rosser materials, no fear can arise, no mistrust be excited. And of such a country, with such elements of wealth, such industrial resources, and such an association of circumstances requisite to their full development, it may surely be antici- pated that its destiny will be one of great usefulness and of no mean importance in the " land of the west." STATEMENT OF QUANTITY OF COAL RAISED AND SHIPPED IN THE PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA FROM THE YEAR 1827 TO THE YEAR 1869, INCLUSIVE. 'lis' Year, Tons, Cwts. Year, Tons. Cwts, 1827 11,491 1850 103,725 8 1828 19,429 17 1851 139,976 13 1829 ... 20,252 12 1852 171,821 18 1830 25,240 6 1853 196,935 17 1831 34,424 8 1854 213,250 16 1832 46,580 6 1855 210,338 3 1833 59,497 4 1856 231,934 7 18.S4 ... 40,677 12 1857 267,808 17 1835 51,813 5 1858 289,618 1836 98,427 3 1859 267,496 1837 109,347 12 1860 304,129 1838 97,938 14 1861 334,545 15 1839 133,928 11 1862 393,631 5 1840 98,267 17 1863 424,425 2 1841 136,110 9 1864 570,934 1842 119,478 12 1865 635,586 1843 97,200 12 1866 558,519 1844 99,993 14 1867 471,185 1845 137,908 13 1868 453,624 1846 134,393 12 1869 511,794 1847 183 019 13 1848 170,518 1 8,914,254 4 1840 158,955 10 A UTt*/ • • 'it THK COAL-FIKLDS OF NOVA >COTIA. ih STATEMENT SHOWING THK DISTIUIU'TION OF THE SALES OF COM FROM THE YEAR 1866 TO THE YFAll 1869 INCLUSIVE. Home Cousuuiittion. NeiKhboiiviiiL; Coluuiufi. Otl)or Coimtriu.s. 1866. Tous. Tons. Tons. Round 91,2,Si;i 95, 104 J 334,2061 Slack 1867. 1 3,010 j 1 2.217 i 12,699i 104,292 107,322 346,9053 Round 88,538-2- 96,238ii 253,021 Slack 1868. 13,6771- 9,234 100,475' 102,216 105,4721 263,496 i Round ... . . ... 97,7 LH 91,370 224,466 Slack 1869. 19,914 11,439 8,714 117,6294- 102,815 233,180 Round 98,727-J 114,168'- 257,7291 Slack 17,209A 14,929 9,031 1 15,936a 1 29,097 i 266,760^ STATEMENT OF THE QUANTITY OF COAL RAISED IN EACH COUNTY IN THE YEARS 1866-67-68-69. COUNTY. 1866. 1867. 1868. 1869. Tons. Tous. Tons. Tous. Cumberland 17,547,1 13,319 11,628 15,066 Pictou 245,548 135,821 140,4303 218,672,i Inverness 4r,044 5,813 200 448 Victoria 4,639 3,6424 1,611 397 Richmond 880 38 Cape Breton 393,2191 358,050 308,280i 343,448^ Totals 664,998i 517,525i 462,188i 578,032 58 THE C'OAL-FIKLDS OT NO\ A SCOTIA. The PitESiDKNT (Mr. E. F. Boyd), in reference to the torej^uiny paper, ohscrvod that they ought to feel very inucli Hattered that a ji'en- tlerufn, wJio liad left this (lonntry and had taken such an important position in the niinin<:;' oj)erations of JNova Scotia, sho(dd have taken upon himself the respcmsihility and trouble of writing tiuch a long- and valuable paper, and he thouf>'ht their best thanks were due to him for his c:. '^rtion.- A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Rutherford. i i^ NEWCASTLK-UPON-iyNE: A. EEID, i-illNTINCt CODKT BUILDINGS, AKEN8IDE HILL. en- iint ken and his !'( ScaU ofMieo. W 'iP 30 W ^. " ^ r MB E lii .K Froce^^JAiys N'R [nrM.E. 18 6 J 70 .1/1 /'/.»// /. '"■Ma 'r-M.Kl'\'b:i 7' »v, MX /'i.Mh. 11! . Map OF PORTION OF THE FK'TOir (XiU. FIEL ^^\^i^' \' ..'J N w.#-. \ A JT €APE BRETOJy COAL FIEIJ) JT I € ."*> € pScale or Cfii n -U) 80 120 WO %0O iJ' i>i/. MX ri.Mi:IV. E A iV AI I R K ^ ■.ef -v^ fe^ ,,l'''*' V''^""' ^-v Soufft "**!'. ^fcto^ *r^ "'h Xarih SoutA- „-^-^ Section N? I, Pictou District. Se ►,-. !-'«' ■J^^l■^•. iV'E /'>rK£. lysy ■ yQ Section N?3, Glace Bay Distric 11(11 •ixon/ii/ SotJ4 ct ' hVti . 't'l _, , .•/vy /I vv 1. ■If (^ -^ou/A GiaceflayJrr n- pH^I-^^RO SS V^///// J'or/A Section N?2, Pictou District. TRic»^^Y District, Cape Breton. \>f//ff/ S«'/t/r nr Ftii. :ic(Y' ■ W( (• ShoMTti^ jjrohftiilf po^(:^i/ii7i a/i^/ ronneoti^n Vf/. MX /'LI//-V. frv^- t^'^^ .jjf"'" c^mtL..^ ot' M^^^'^'^f'"^''*' .^eer 1li.C0fi* :«*' ^'. TB'^g^ False^Bc cy Beach ^itiih: 3 AY District, Cape Breton. n ctnd cortnec^ti^tn of fSeam