UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. C. Mendenhall, Director

Bulletin 874 D

GEOLOGY AND FUEL RESOURCES

OF THE

SOUTHERN JPART OF THE OKLAHOMA 

COAL FIELD

PART 4. THE HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 

LATIMER AND LE FLORE 

COUNTIES

BY 

THOMAS A. HENDRICKS

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON: 1939

For sale by ihe Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. . . . . . Price 70 cents
NOTE

The Geological Survey, in 1930, 1931, 1933, and 1934, conducted an investigation 

of the geology and coal resources of the portion of the southeastern Oklahoma 

coal field extending northeastward from Coalgate to McAlester and thence eastward through Wilburton and Howe to the Oklahoma-Arkansas State line. The 

geologists have prepared separate reports on the areas for which they were responsible. However, as these areas are adjacent and form a real unit, both geographically and geologically, the four reports are issued as parts of a single bulletin 

covering this portion of the southeastern Oklahoma coal field. No edition of the 

consolidated volume will be published, but the four parts can be bound together 

if desiied.

n
CONTENTS

	Page 

Abstract. _ _______________________________________________________ 255

Introduction. _. ____-___--._-_- ____-_--___-.___-_----___-----______- 256

Location and area.___._-__________-.,.-___-___-_-----_,_____.._- 256

Previous publications._________________________________________ 256

Nature and purpose of this report.___-______--._-__----_______-- 260

Field work.-----.------.----- ----^.-_-----------.---_____ .260

Acknowledgments. _----___----------_-__-----_---------__-__-- 261

Geography. _ _____.___---__________--_-___-___-__--_._-_________- 261

Population and accessibility_................^................. 261

Topography. ________._________________._._ _.__..________.____ 261.

Drainage._________-_-______-__-_-_-_-_-__--__-_---_--_-______ 262:

Climate and vegetation____________ _________________...______ 262

Stratigraphy..-__________._______-_-.__-_-_-_--___--------_____-_. 262

General features..._____-_____---_-_-_._-__-_-_____-__.________ 262

Carboniferous sjrstem_ __-____--__--___-___-----___.-_--____.__'_ 263

Pennsylvanian series.__-___----___-___---__-----_.-_______- 263

Atoka formation____--_----_---__---_--_-----_-_-_____- 263

Hartshorne sandstone..__-__-_-_---------_--_--_-_-_-_- 264

McAlester shale._____.___.___.._______._............. 268

Savanna sandstone.______-_-_-_----_-_____-...-_____--- 270

Boggy shale___--_-----.-.---.-...._--._....-.___.._. 272

Correlation _-.____._-_____._.-_-_-...-._.-__....___... 274

Quaternary (?) system. ........................................ 275

Gerty sand____-..._______.-.__-_-.__.___.___.._._._._..__ 275

Quaternary system terrace deposits__ ..^........................ 275

Recent alluvium..._-___--_.-_------_--_-------_--__-_____. 276

Structure.._._..._..._...__..___._...._..._..._.._.__............_ 276

General features._-_--___-__----____--__--_--_--_--_-__.-_-_.-. 276

Adamson anticline.. .-...-..---.-.--.-...-.-...--.............. 278

Wilburton anticline._-._____.-_.______-..____..._._.____.._.._. 278

Brazil anticline.-. ............................................. 278

Heavener anticline_---_----_-------_-__--__----_-----_-_-_--. 278

Hartford anticline._._._.__._._.._.__..._____....._............ 279

Summerfield anticline_._______-__________.__.-__.._-_.-_.__..-_ 279

Mineral resources..______---_-___--_-_-_---_-_-_-._--.--_--___-__-. 279

Coal......__....._....__.._._._........_...__..._._.._._..... 279

Production __...--_......_____......._..__..._..... 279

 Coalreserves__---_----_--__-_-_______._-_-___-___-_....._- 280

Rank, quality, and uses______-__...__--___-._._.-_-..___.__ 2&0

Mining methods----..-.-.-.-.--..--.________._______ ______ 284

Natural gas.-.-.-.------._._----_-___-__-_-__---__-______.._.. 284

Wilburton gas field..__..._..._______.__._._..._....._ 285

Red Oak gas field................____......___......-- 287

Poteau-Gilmore gas field__--_-_---_---__--_.-.-_....._... 289

Adamson anticline..______-_--__._-______._.__-_-.._..__.._ 291

Heavener anticline__-_-_--___.-_-_____________._.________ 292

in
IV CONTENTS

Mineral Resources Continued.

Natural gas Continued. page

Summerfield anticline___-___-_____________________-________ 292

Hartford anticline._________________________________________ 292

Belt of northward-dipping strata adjacent to the Choctaw fault. _ 294

Petroleum possibilities_________________________________________ 294

Sand and gravel._______________________________ ____-___-_._.__ 298

Shale for brick_________________.______________________________ 298

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE 27. Geologic map of the Howe-Wilburton district, Latimer and jn

Le Flore Counties, Okla_..__-____---_-_-_-______-______-pocket

28. Generalized section of the Pennsylvanian rocks exposed in the

Howe-Wilburton district-_________-_-__________________ 266

29. A, Channel sandstone in the upper part of the Hartshorne 

sandstone, Pine Mountain strip pit, sec. 26, T. 5 N., R. 25 E.; 

B, Contact between the shale immediately above the 

Lower Hartshorne coal and the overlying sandstone of the 

Hartshorne sandstone, Pine Mountain strip pit, sec. 26, T. 5 

N., R. 25 E____________________________________ 266

30. Isometric diagram showing position, thickness, and extent of

sandstone beds in the McAlester shale.._________________ 274

31. A, A. fossil stump preserved in a sandstone bed in the McAlester 

shale, sec. 31, T. 7 N., R. 23 E.; B, A sandstone bed in the 

McAlester shale made up in part of rounded masses of sandstone, sec. 31, T. 7 N., R. 23 E_._____---_____. __________ 274

32. A, Sandstone in the lower part of the Boggy shale, showing irregular bedding due to slumping before complete compaction, 

sec. 28, T. 7 N., R. 25 E.; B, Blocks of Cavanal coal on mine 

flat cars, Oakland Coal Co.'s mine, sec. 4, T. 6 N., R. 25 E__ 274

33. Correlation of Pennsylvanian formations in the Howe-Wilburton district with those of the McAlester and Lehigh districts, 

Okla., and the Arkansas coal field_____.________.________ 274

34. Measured sections of the Lower and Upper Hartshorne coal

beds______________ .-._._.--__-____ __.-_-_-_-_ .. 282

35. Measured sections of the McAlester, Stigler (?), Cavanal, and

Secor coal beds _______________________________________ 282

FIGURE 12. Index map showing location of the Howe-Wilburton district 

and relation to other areas recently mapped by the Geological Survey in southeastern Oklahoma ________________ 257

13. Isopach map of the Atoka formation in portions of Oklahoma

and Arkansas.-.----------------- _---_-___-_-_-.-_- 265

14. Diagram showing position of coal beds encountered in diamond-drill holes penetrating the upper part of the McAlester shale.____--_-_-_-----_-_-_----_-------------- 270

15. Isopach map of the McAlester shale in portions of Oklahoma

and Arkansas_-__----___.____________________________ 271

16. Isopach map of the Savanna sandstone and Boggy shale in

portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas__._____._-... 273

17. Iso.arb map of the Arkansas-Oklahoma coal field_____--____ 296
GEOLOGY AND FUEL RESOURCES OF THE SOUTHERN 

PART OF THE OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

PART 4. THE HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT, LATIMER AND 

LE FLORE COUNTIES

By THOMAS A. HENDRICKS

ABSTRACT

The Howe-Wilburton district is a narrow area of about 540 square miles that 

extends westward from the Arkansas State line for about 60 miles across Latimer 

and Le Flore Counties, Okla. It lies in the southern part of the Arkansas Valley 

physiographic province and is a part of the large Arkansas-Oklahoma coal field.

The exposed stratified rocks of the district belong to the Atoka, Hartshorne, 

McAlester, Savanna, and Boggy formations, of Pennsylvanian age, and consist of 

alternating beds of shale and sandstone with some coal and lenticular limestone 

beds. The total thickness of the formations is about 13,000 feet. No pronounced unconformity could be found in the section, but minor unconformities 

are present at the base of the Savanna and Hartshorne sandstones. Overlying 

these beds at one place in the district is a small area of Gerty sand, a deposit of 

an abandoned Quaternary (?) river channel. The other unconsolidated deposits 

consist of sand and gravel on former stream terraces and recent alluvium.

The rocks of the district have been deformed by folding and faulting. Thefolding has produced a series of east ward-trending broad, gentle synclines and. 

narrower, more sharply folded anticlines. The principal synclines are, from eastto west, the Poteau Mountain, Sugarloaf, Cavanal, Sansbois, and Hartshornesynclines. The principal anticlines are, from east to west, the Hartford, Heavener,. 

Brazil, Wilburton, and Adamson anticlines. All the folds are symmetrical except 

the Adamson anticline, on which the strata on the north flank are more steeply 

inclined than those on the south flank. The Adamson anticline differs from 

the other folds also in that the strata near the axis of the fold are broken by a 

thrust fault, the Carbon fault, along which the beds on the south side have been 

thrust upward and northward onto younger beds on the north side. On the 

flanks of the Wilburton, Adamson, and Heavener anticlines the strata commonly 

dip 40° or more, but in the other anticlines and all the synclines dips as great as 10* 

are rare. The Choctaw fault separates the strata of the coal basin from the 

more intensely deformed strata of the Ouachita Mountains, which lie to the 

south. Along that fault strata on the south side have been thrust northward 

over younger strata on the north side.

Coal and natural gas are the chief mineral resources of the district. The 

Howe-Wilburton district has been a large coal-producing area for about 45 years, 

and it is estimated that about 19,000,000 tons has been produced since mining 

began in 1890. The coal in the western part of the district is of medium-volatile 

bituminous rank, and that in the eastern part is of low-volatile bituminous rank.

255
256 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

All of the coal is of good quality and is good steam and domestic coal. Between 

1900 and 1905 coke was produced at Howe, in the eastern part of the district, and 

all the coal would yield satisfactory coke if a market were available.

Most of the coal mining has been done in the Lower and Upper Hartshorne 

beds, although some has been done in the McAlester and Cavanal beds. Considerable reserves of coal in these four beds are present in the district, and some 

future mining may also be done in the Stigler (?) and Secor beds.

Natural gas has been produced at three places in the district the Wilburton 

gas field, the Red Oak field, and the Poteau-Gilmore field. Most of the gas produced has been used locally, but most of the wells in the Red Oak field have been 

shut in and the field held as a gas reserve for future use. It is possible that gas 

might be encountered in wells drilled on the Adamson, Heavener, Summerfield, 

and Howe anticlines, as well as in a belt adjacent to the Choctaw fault.

The percentages of fixed carbon in the coals (moisture- and ash-free) in the 

Howe-Wilburton district increase progressively from less than 60 at the west side 

to more than 77.5 in the eastern part. According to the carbon-ratio theory it 

appears unlikely that any petroleum may be found east of the 65 isocarb, which 

runs northwestward through the central part of the district. Some petroleum 

may be present in suitable resservoirs in the extreme western part of the district, 

where the percentages of fixed carbon in the coals are less than 65.

Sand and gravel and shale suitable for the manufacture of brick are present in 

the district.

INTRODUCTION

LOCATION AND AREA

f\

The Howe-Wilburton district lies on the southern margin of th 

Oklahoma coal field and immediately north of the Ouachita Mountains 

in east-central Oklahoma (fig. 12). Prior to 1907, when the Oklahoma 

Territory and the Indian Territory were united to form the State of 

Oklahoma, the Howe-Wilburton district lay within the reservation 

set aside by the Federal Government for the Choctaw Nation, one of 

the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma Indians. The area extends 

westward from the Arkansas State line to the McAlester district, a 

distance of about 60 miles. The width of the district from north to 

south ranges from about 15 miles at the east side to as little as 5 miles, 

and the average width is about 9 miles. The towns of Wilburton and 

Howe, from which the district takes its name, are near the west end 

and east end of the area, respectively. The area of the district is 

about 540 square miles, of which about 342 square miles is in Le Flore 

County and 198 in Latimer County.

PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS

In 1890 a report by Chance l on a part of the Coal Measures between 

Cavanal, which lies in the eastern part of the district, and McAlester, 

which lies west of the district, was published. This report contains a 

map that shows the lines of outcrop of the most important coal beds.

i Chance, H. M., Geology of the Choctaw coal field; Am. lust. Min. Eng. Trans., vol. 18, pp. 653-661,

1890.
102° 100°

102°

SO MI

FIGURE 12. Index map showing location of the Howe-Wilburton district and relation to other areas recentl

A, McAlester district; B, Lehigh district; C, Quinton-Scipio district; D, 
258 - SOUTHERN PART : OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

It gives vertical sections of the beds present, structure sections showing the attitude of the beds along several lines, and general descriptions 

of the types of rocks present in the area.

The results of several months' study of the coal fields of the Indian 

Territory by Drake 2 were published in 1897. Accompanying his 

report is a geologic map of the coal fields of the territory, on which the 

rocks present in the Howe-Wilburton district are divided into three 

groups, although no detailed sections of these groups are given for the 

Howe-Wilburton district. Many of the structural features of the 

area are shown on the map, and the text describes and interprets the 

structural features.

In 1900 Taff and Adams 3 prepared for the Geological Survey of 

the United States Department of the Interior a report on the eastern 

Choctaw coal field, Indian Territory, which includes the HoweWilburton district. The extent and general character of the various 

rock formations and coal beds are given in that report. The major 

structural features and coals are described, and a geologic map on a 

scale of 2 miles to the inch accompanies the report and shows the locations of formational boundaries. A detailed description of the topography is also given.

A report by Taff 4 published in 1905 added very little to his earlier 

discussion of the Howe-Wilburton district, but a small-scale map showing the areal geology and the outcrops of the coal beds of all the 

eastern Oklahoma coal fields make clear the general relation of the 

geology of the Howe-Wilburton district to that of the other districts in 

the coal fields of eastern Oklahoma.

In 1907 the Federal Geological Survey published a report by 

Collier 5 on the Arkansas coal field, which lies adjacent to the HoweWilburton district on the east. Some of the rock formations and 

structural axes extend from that area into the Howe-Wilburton 

district.

In 1910 a Senate Document 6 on Oklahoma coal lands was published. 

It contains coal outcrop maps on a scale of 2 inches to a mile and 

much information on the production, extent, quality, and value of 

coals in the Howe-Wilburton district and several other districts in 

Oklahoma. This document represented a compilation of material 

collected for the purpose of determining the extent and value of coal 

under the segregated coal lands of the Choctaw and Chickasaw 

Nations in Oklahoma.

' Drake, N. F., A geological reconnaissance of,the coal fields of the Indian Territory: Am. Philos. Soc 

Proc., vol. 36, no. 36, pp. 326-419,1897.

» Tafl, J. A., and Adams, G. I., Geology of the eastern Choctaw coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. Qeol. 

Survey 21st Ann. Rept., pt. 2, pp. 257-312, 1900.

< Taff, J. A., Progress of coal work in Indian-Territory: U. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 260, pp. 382-401, 1905.

« Collier, A. J., The Arkansas coal field: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 326,1907. 

8 Coal lands in Oklahoma: 61st Gong., 2d sess., S. Doc. 390,1910.
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 259

In 1914 the Oklahoma Geological Survey published a bulletin by 

Snider 7 on the geology of east-central Oklahoma, which includes the 

entire area of the Howe-Wilburton district. The features-emphasized 

were the geologic structure and the oil and gas possibilities.

A bulletin by Smith 8 on the Fort Smith-Poteau gas field, Arkansas1- 

Oklahoma, the southwestern part of which lies in the Howe-Wilburton 

district, was also published in 1914. This report contains a short 

discussion of the geologic formations present in the area and a detailed discussion of the geologic structure, particularly as related to 

the accumulation of natural gas. The report is accompanied by a 

small-scale geologic map.

In 1917 the Oklahoma Geological Survey 9 published a comprehensive bulletin on oil and gas in Oklahoma, which contained a discussion 

of the geology and oil and gas resources and possibilities of Latimer 

and Le Flore Counties. This bulletin contains data and discussions 

very nearly identical with those given in the earlier bulletin by 

Snider.

In 1926 Shannon and others 10 prepared for the Oklahoma Geological Survey a report that contains short discussions of the rock 

formations and geologic structure, together with many data regarding 

the thickness, quality, chemical composition, and development of the 

coals in the Howe-Wilburton district and the other coal districts of 

the State. Maps of the Wilburton-Red Oak and of the HughesHowe-Poteau districts on a scale of 2 miles to the inch show the lines 

of outcrop of the various coal beds in the Howe-Wilburton district, 

as well as the locations of many mines, drill holes, and prospect pits.

In 1928 the Bureau of Mines n published a compilation of the information in its files and in earlier bulletins of the Bureau on the coals 

of Oklahoma. This paper contains many data regarding the thickness, chemical composition, and heating value of the coals of the 

Howe-Wilburton district and some data on mining practices in the 

district. Similar data are given for the other districts of the State.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey later published data on Oklahoma 

coals studied by Moose and Searle 12 in 1928. This report contains 

much additional information as to the thickness, chemical composition, 

and heating value of the coals of the Howe-Wilburton district and 

other districts in the State, together with some additional information 

on mining practices. .

' Snider, L. C., Geology of east-central Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 17, 1914-.

« Smith, C. D., Structure of the Fort Smith-Poteau gas field, Ark.-Okla.: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 541, 

pp. 23-33, 1914. ' .

' Petroleum and natural gas in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 19, pt. 2, pp. 283-296,1917.

10 Shannon, C. W., and others, Coal in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 4,1926.

" Analyses of Oklahoma coals:- U. S. Bur. Mines Tech. Paper 411,1928.

12 Moose, J. E., and Searle, V. C., A chemical study of Oklahoma coals: Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 

61, 1929.
260 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Stone and Cooper 13 prepared for the Oklahoma Geological Survey 

a report on the oil and gas possibilities and development in several 

counties in Oklahoma that was published in 1929. This report covers 

the entire area of the Howe-Wilburton district and gives much information on drilling and on natural-gas production, together with some 

rather generalized data on structure.

In 1935 the Federal Geological Survey published preliminary coal 

maps of the Howe district and the Wilburton district. The maps 

are on a scale of 2 inches to the mile and show all important features 

related to the distribution and past mining of coal in the two districts. 

The maps were published under the sponsorship of H. I. Smith, of theGeological Survey, chiefly for aid in the sale and leasing of segregated 

Indian coal lands, which are administered by the Mining Division 

of the Geological Survey.

NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT

The field work on which the present report is based was undertaken 

primarily to obtain detailed information on the coal resources of the 

Howe-Wilburton district. The area is of special geologic interest 

because it connects the McAlester district, in which the formationsof the Oklahoma coal fields were defined, 14 with the Arkansas coal 

field, in which a somewhat different set of formations of the same 

age were defined by Collier. 15 By tracing the formations of the 

McAlester district eastward across the Howe-Wilburton district the 

correlation between formations of the Oklahoma and Arkansas coal 

fields has been determined.

In the present work all possible subdivisions of the formations were 

mapped, and much information on which to base detailed descriptions 

of the formations was obtained.

FIELD WORK

The field work for the present report extended over a period of 3 

months in the summer of 1931. By means of plane-table and stadia 

traverses run on a scale of 2 inches to a mile the outcrops of the 

sandstone and coal beds were mapped in detail, together with all other 

geologic features and all mining developments. About one-fourth of 

the area was mapped on airplane photographs taken by the Air Corps 

of the United States Army on a scale of about 5 inches to a mile. 

C. B. Read, A. J. Eardley, and I did the geologic work, and T. L. 

Metcalf served ably as instrument man.

» Stone, J. A., and Cooper, C. L., Oil and gas in Oklahoma, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore and Sequoyah 

Counties: Oklahoma Oeol. Survey Bull. 40-11. 1929.

» Taff, J. A.. Geology of the McAlester-Lehigh coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. Qeol. Survey 19th Ann. 

Kept., pt. 3, pp. 43fH42,1899.

'« Collier, A. J., The Arkansas coal field: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 326,1907.
HOWE-WILBURTON" DISTRICT 261 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

W. W. Fleming, of the Geological Survey office in McAlester, 

rendered much assistance that long acquaintance with the district 

made possible. The analyses and measured sections of the coals and 

details of mining methods were for the most part compiled from 

publications of the Bureau of Mines and the Oklahoma Geological 

Survey. H. I. Smith, of the Geological Survey, made available maps 

of the underground workings of the coal mines and the aerial photographs used as base maps for a part of the field work.

GEOGRAPHY

Population and accessibility. The population of the Howe-Wilburton district is well distributed over the entire district. The principal 

towns are Heavener, Howe, and Wister, in the eastern part; Red Oak, 

in the central part; and Wilburton, in the western part. Heavener, 

with a population of about 2,300 (1930 census) is the largest town.

The area is served by three trunk railroad lines. The Chicago, 

Rock Island & Pacific Railway crosses it from west to east and passes 

through Wilburton, Red Oak, Fanshawe, Hughes, Wister, Howe, and 

Monroe. The Kansas City Southern Railway crosses the eastern 

part of the district from north to south and passes through Howe and 

Heavener. The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway crosses the eastern 

part of the district from northeast to southwest and passes through 

Wister and Le Flore. Two gravel-surfaced United States highways 

cross the area. United States Highway 270 follows the route of the 

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, roughly, from the west side 

of the district to a point a few miles northeast of Wister, where it 

turns southward and follows the route of the Kansas City Southern 

Railway to the south side of the district. United States Highway 271 

follows, roughly, the route of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway 

across the area. In addition to these highways, numerous graded 

roads make all parts of the district easily accessible.

Topography. The most prominent topographic features of the 

Howe-Wilburton district are Cavanal, Sansbois, Sugarloaf, and Poteau 

Mountains, which rise sharply above the surrounding country. The 

area between these mountains is characterized by a series of long 

eastward-trending ridges that stand 50 to 300 feet above the intervening valleys. The altitude of the valleys ranges from about 800 feet 

above sea level in the western part of the district to about 530 feet in 

the eastern part. The maximum relief is about 2,000 feet, the altitude ranging from about 530 feet where the Poteau River leaves the 

district at the north side to about 2,530 feet on the crest of Poteau 

Mountain. The larger streams of the area flow in narrow channels 

cut about 20 feet below nearly level flood plains that are locally several
262 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

miles wide and decrease in width toward the heads of the streams. 

Scattered throughout the district are numerous..remnants of terraces 

that stand 50 to 100 feet above the present streams.

Drainage. The larger streams include Poteau, River, Fourche 

Maline Creek, and Brazil Creek, which flow perennially. During 

wet seasons these streams frequently overflow their banks and spread 

their waters over the wide flood plains, but in the dryer summer 

they have only a slight-flow. The smaller- streams flow only in wet 

seasons, except where fed by springs. Numerous oxbow lakes are 

present in the Poteau River Valley. The large communities draw 

their water supply from the streams of the area, and the smaller 

communities depend on shallow wells for water.

Climate and vegetation. The Howe-Wilburton district is exceptionally favorable for agricultural pursuits, so far as its climatic features 

are concerned. The winters are short, and extremely cold weather is 

seldom experienced. The summers are long and generally hot, with 

occasional periods of very high day temperatures, but these are almost 

invariably coincident with a dry atmosphere, so that the heat is rarely 

oppressive. The mean annual temperature is about 62.5° F., and the 

mean temperatures of January and July are 41° F. and 82.7° F., 

respectively. The average annual rainfall is about 41 inches. The 

Tains are general and abundant in the growing season of the spring and 

«arly summer, are local during July and August, and become general 

;again in the fall and winter, though not so abundant then as in the 

spring.

The Howe-Wilburton district is for the most part heavily timbered 

 except in the valleys where the timber has been removed to supply 

the demand for tillable land. The upland areas are covered with 

forests in which red and white oaks, blackjacks, hickories, elms, and 

hackberries are most prominent. On the higher mountains and 

ridges pines are also present. In the parts of the valleys that have not 

been cleared are found thick stands of water and willow oaks, hickories, wild plums, willows, and cottonwoods, in many places heavily 

burdened with clambering vines.

STRATIGRAPHY

GENERAL FEATURES

Thei rocks of the Howe-Wilburton district are chiefly of Pennsylvanian age, with some that are tentatively classified as Quaternary (?) 

and some as Recent alluvium. The Pennsylvania!! rocks contain 

valuable coal beds and have been subdivided into the following formations, listed in order of age, the oldest first: Atoka formation,

Har'tshome sandstone, McAlester shale, Savanna sandstone, and

Boggy shale. All these formations consist of alternating beds of
HOWE-WTLBURTON DISTRICT .,263

sandstone and shale, and all except the Atoka contain beds of coal. 

Many of the beds of sandstone and shale appear to be of continental 

origin, but the presence of marine fossils at a few localities indicates 

that some of the beds are of marine origin. Unconformities are pre^ 

sent at the base of the Hartshorne and Savanna sandstones, and minor 

breaks within the formations are present locally. The distribution of 

the formations is shown on the geologic map (pi. 27).

The rocks that are tentatively referred to the Quaternary (?) are 

deposits of sand and gravel that cover stream terraces at various places 

in the district, and one small area of Gerty sand in the extreme 

western part.

Alluvium of Recent age forms the floors of the larger valleys.

The general character, thickness, age, and topographic expression, 

of the Pennsylvania formations are summarized in plate 28.

CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM 

PENNSYLVANIAN SERIES

ATOKA FORMATION

The Atoka formation was named by Taff and Adams 16 in 1900 

from exposures near the town of Atoka, about 50 miles southwest 

of Wilburton. It is the'oldest exposed formation and crops out in 

a continuous belt along the south side of the district. It has been 

penetrated to a depth of several thousand feet in wells about 4 miles 

southwest of Wilburton and in one well about 3 miles north of Red 

Oak.

The formation consists chiefly of shale with lesser amounts of sandstone. The shale is mostly black, sandy, and micaceous. Some of 

the shale is buff to brown, very sandy, and micaceous. Shale of this 

type is present either directly below or directly above beds of sandstone and is gradational from the sandstone to the black shale. The 

sandstone is highly variable in character, both from place to place in 

a single bed and from bed to bed. In most exposures it is brown^ 

fine-grained, and irregularly bedded and contains considerable silt. 

Locally, however, it is coarse-grained, pure, and massive to thickbedded. Most of the sandstone contains fragments of plant stems, 

and most of the shale contains abundant macerated plant leaves and 

stems. Poorly preserved marine invertebrate fossils are present 

locally in the shales, and Galloway and Ryniker 17 made a collection. 

of well-preserved marine invertebrates from a thin bed of clay shale 

about 500 feet below the top of the Atoka formation at the middle 

of the north border of sec. il, T. 5 N., R. 21 E., southwest of Red 

Oak. It is probable -that if the Atoka .shales were not generally cov-

'« Tafl, J. A., and Adams, O. I., Geology of the eastern Choctaw coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. OeoL 

Survey 21st Ann. Kept., pt. 2, p. 273, 1900.

17 Galloway, J. J., and Ryniker, Charles, Foraminifera from the Atoka formation of Oklahoma: Oklahoma 

Geol. Survey Circ. 21, 1930.
264 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

ered or badly weathered other beds containing marine fossils might 

be found in it.

Sections of the upper part of the Atoka formation as revealed by 

logs of wells drilled for gas in the southwestern, north-central, and 

northeastern parts of the area are given on pages 285 to 293. On 

the Heavener anticline, in the southeastern part of the area, about 

7,750 feet of beds in the Atoka formation are exposed at the surface, 

and the depth to which the formation extends beneath the surface is 

not known. An isopach map (fig. 13) compiled from thicknesses of 

the Atoka formation in surrounding areas indicates that the formation 

is about 5,000 feet thick at the west side of the district and thickens 

eastward to more than 9,000 feet at the southeast corner of the 

district.

No coal is known to occur in the Atoka formation in the HoweWilburton district. Natural gas is being produced from sandstones 

in the Atoka on Limestone Prairie, about 4 miles southwest of 

Wilburton.

HARTSHORNE SANDSTONE

The Hartshorne sandstone was named by Taff ]8 from the city of 

Hartshorne, about 10 miles west of Wilburton. It crops out in a 

single band that is continuous across the district from west to east, 

and it underlies the part of the district north of its outcrop.

In some exposures the Hartshorne sandstone appears to grade 

downward into the underlying shale of the Atoka formation, but in 

other exposures the contact is sharp and irregular, indicating that a 

minor unconformity separates the two formations, at least locally.

The Hartshorne sandstone is highly variable in thickness and character throughout the district. At many places it consists of thinbedded, fine-grained sandstone interbeded with much sandy shale 

and is about 50 feet thick. At other places it is made up of two beds 

of massive, coarse-grained, pure sandstone separated by about 30 

feet of sandy shale and reaching a total thickness of as much as 350 

feet. Even in the places where it consists mostly of sandy shale with 

some interbedded sandstone the sandstone beds fall into two groups 

situated near the top and base of the formation and separated by a 

sandy shale unit in which lies the Lower Hartshorne coal. At all 

places the sandstone has an ashy-gray color in fresh exposures that 

distinguishes it from the sandstones of the overlying and underlying 

formations.

The Hartshorne sandstone yields gas in the Red Oak and PoteauGilmore gas fields.

The character of the formation in its more shaly facies is given in 

the following three sections, which were measured in railroad cuts

18 Tafi, J. A., Geology of the McAlester-Lehigh coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. Oeol. Survey 19th Ann. 

Kept., pt. 3, p. 441,1899.
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 265

and water gaps. Where the formation is thick and made up mostly 

of sandstone, it forms the crests of high ridges on which exposures 

are too poor to permit the measuring of detailed sections. Additional, 

sections of the Hartshorne sandstone are given in most of the well

a .a a-a

<3 a 

 a 3

§

§.2

logs on pages 285 to 293. Locally the sandstone appears to have 

been deposited in a series of stream channels (pi. 29, A), and at some 

places the streams that deposited the sand in the upper part of the 

formation swept across forests growing in what is now the shale roof
266 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

of the Lower Hartshorne coal, and buried hundreds of calamites and 

Gordaites trunks, which now stand upright in the shale and overlying 

sandstone and even cross the contact between the two (pi. 29, B).

Section of Hartshorne sandstone and overlying beds along road at center of sec. 8,

T. 5 N., R. 20 E.

' McAlester shale (basal part of formation only): ft. in.

Shale, bluish gray, clayey, with ferruginous concretions. 20

Shale, gray, sandy; grades upward into overlying shale 15

Sandstone, fine-grained, beds one-eighth inch thick. __ 3 

Shale, gray, sandy, with ferruginous concretions; grades

upward into sandstone above.--------------.--... 20

Shale, black, carbonaceous and flaky.__...__________ 1 6

Coal, clean (Upper Hartshorne)____________________ 2 8

Shale, poorly exposed, brownish and sandy __________ 15

77 2

Hartshorne sandstone:

Sandstone, medium-grained, ashy white; weathers buff; 

beds about 2 feet thick__-___-_-_________________ 15

Shale, poorly exposed, gray and sandy______________ 150

Coal (Lower Hartshorne)__________________________ 3

Shale, poorly exposed, buff and sandy_---___-_______ 5

Sandstone, medium-grained, ashy white; weathers 

rusty-colored; medium-bedded, with sandy shale 

partings.______________________________________ 20

193 

Shale (Atoka), poorly exposed.

Section of Hartshorne sandstone and overlying beds exposed in railroad cut and 

small stream in the SE% sec. 35, T. 6 N., R. 28 E.

McAlester shale (basal part of formation only): ft- in.

Shale, clayey, gray to brownish. ___________________ 10

Coal (Upper Hartshorne)_________________________ 2 4

Under clay, grading downward into clayey shale. ____ 5

17

Hartshorne sandstone: . 

Sandstone, fine-grained to shaly, buff, beds one-third to 

one-half inch thick________-_________-__________ 8

Shale, upper part fissile and weathers brown, lower 

part clayey and gray; contains ferruginous concretions throughout and grades upward into overlying 

sandstone. . ______-_-_,_-__---______-_---_.__-_ 26

Coal (Lower Hartshorne)-_-_.___..______-__-..__-___ 3

Shale, clayey, gray; contains ferruginous concretions. 8 

Sandstone, buff, platy, with gray-shale partings. _... 45
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 874 PLATE 28

System

Carboniferous.

Serie

j

i

Formation

Boggy shale.

Savanna sandstone.

McAlester shale.

Hartshorne sandstone.

Atoka formation.

Section

 ^ -». ^__

~^.-.v.v.v.v.v.v///».v.-.v/7Br

ggggp^giggg.

"" ~^~ 

^^»^l|:

^SS^5^5

ZB-=r~=-=~ =!== 

^-E^^E^EI?

 

;=^==I=^-

^= ^= ^^5=-====:

:=^i=^=Fii:

|g^g^g^V|

Thickness (feet)

1,200+

1,750±

1, 240- 

2,830

50-350

7,750+

Coal beds

Secor.

Cavanal.

Thin coals. 

Stigler (?). 

Lower McAlester.

Upper Hartshorne.

Lower Hartshorne.

Character of rocks

Alternating shale and sandstone with two coal beds 

near base. Dark shale with marine fossils or plant 

remains common.

Alternating sandstone and shale. The sandstones 

are highly variable in thickness and character but 

in general fall into four main groups. The shales 

are mostly gray and sandy, but some dark carbonaceous shale is present. Plant remains are 

common in both the sandstones and shales, and 

marine fossils were noted locally in shales near 

the base of the formation. Thin coaly zones are 

common.

.

Mostly dark shale with one sandstone present near 

the top and four sandstones present in the lower 

part. The shales are sandy in the eastern part of 

the area and become progressively more clayey 

westward. Plant remains are present locally, but 

no marine fossils were found.

Sandstone, white, massive to thin-bedded, coarse- to 

fine-grained, with variable amounts of sandy shale. 

Plant remains and worm trails common.

Mostly black splintery shale with some lenticular 

sandstone beds and some continuous sandstone 

beds. Poorly preserved plant remains and marine 

fossils are preent at some horizons.

Topographic expression

Caps the higher mountains of the area.

The sandstone beds form high ridges generally separated by valleys developed on 

the shales.

and Hartshorne ridges. The sandstones in 

the lower part of the formation form ridges 

that are nigh where the sandstones are 

thick and low where they are thin.

Forms a prominent ridge over the entire area 

This ridge is broken by streams where the 

sandstone is thin-bedded and shaly.

Generally forms a wide valley broken by a 

few ridges formed by the sandstone beds.

GENERALIZED SECTION OF THE PENNSYLVANIAN ROCKS EXPOSED IN THE HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT, LATIMER AND LE FLORE COUNTIES, OKLA.

Shows the names and positions of the coal beds in the rock formations. Scale, 1 inch=1,000 feet.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 874 PLATE 29

/ ."CHANNEL SANDSTONE TN THE UPPER PART OF THE HARTSHOHNE SANDSTONE.

B. CONTACT BETWEEN THE SHALE IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE LOWER IIARTSHORNE

COAL AND THE OVERLYING SANDSTONE OF THE IIAIITSIIORNE SANDSTONE.

Shows fossil tree trunks standing upright and extending across the contae!.

VIEWS IN PINE MOUNTAIN STRIP PIT, SEC. 26, T. 5 N., R. 25 E.
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 267

Section of Hartshorne sandstone, and overlying beds exposed in railroad cut and 

small stream in.the SE% sec. 85, T. 6 N., R. S3 E.

Hartshorne sandstone Continued. ft. in.

Sandstone, silty to fine-grained; beds less than 1 inch 

thick in upper part but gradually increase to as 

much as 3 feet near base; thicker beds are mediumgrained alnd ashy white-...--_--__--_.._____.___ 125

Sandstone, buff to brown, very irregularly bedded; 

contains plant stems and fragments of shale; at base 

sharp, irregular contact with black, sandy, and 

carbonaceous shale of Atoka formation..__..._.__ 20

.235 3 

Section of Hartshorne sandstone at Petry's cut, in the NW% sec. 81, T. 5 N., 11.26 E.

Hartshorne sandstone: ft. in. 

Sandstone, buff and platy, with shale partings (top of 

Hartshorne sandstone)_________________________ 4

Shale, chocolate-colored and clayey at base, grading

upward to buff and white, sandy, arid limonitic___ 85 

Sandstone, thin-bedded, with shale partings-_-______ 5 6

Shale, buff and sandy.___________________________ 1 7

Sandstone, massive, coarse-grained, ashy white._____ 3

Shale, fissile, black, carbonaceous; with sandy streaks. 84 

Coal (Lower Hartshorne)____-_----__-_---_-______ 4 2

Shale, clayey and ferruginous_____________________ 3

Shale, carbonaceous, with coaly streaks--...._______ 9 5

Underclay, sandy, mixed with carbonaceous and ferruginous shale-_..-----__-_---_-_---_-------__-_ 1 4

Sandstone, buff and massive.__-----__-------_--_. 4

Shale, sandy and buff....... ._---_-------_----_-. 62 5

Sandstone, white; weathers buff; thin-bedded in upper 

part and irregularly bedded in lower part.________ 22

Shale, thinly laminated, sandy, dark; weathers into 

concentric spheroids'2 to 5 inches'thick; contains 

plant stems-_-_-----..--__----_------_---___--_ 5 3

Shale, chocolate brown; weathers lighter-colored; 

numerous clay ironstone partings.--__--_________ 6

Shale, black and fissile.__________________________ 10

Coal---_--_-.---------_------_------_-----.---- 4

Shale, dark arid carbonaceous, with some shaly coal. 11 

Shale, clayey, brownish; contains numerous concretions and partings of clay ironstone.__-_--_______ 14 6

Coal-.-..----_-_---__-----__-_---_-_-__--..-.-_ 6

Underclay._____________________________________ 6

Sandstone, shaly, grading downward into shale______ 1 6

329 10

Atoka formation: Shale, black, carbonaceous, sandy, contains numerous limonite partings and concretions, 50 

feet exposed.

74831 39 2
268 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Plant fossils are abundant in the shale that overlies the Lower 

Hartshorne coal, and several large collections of the plants were 

obtained. These were studied by C. B. Read, who found them to be 

of about the same age as plants from the lower part of the Allegheny 

formation of Pennsylvania.

McALESTER SHALE

The McAlester shale was named by Taff 19 from exposures near the 

city of McAlester, which lies about 25 miles west of Wilburton. This 

formation overlies the Hartshorne sandstone, and at all places in the 

Howe-Wilburton district where the contact between the two formations is exposed it appears to be gradational and conformable.

The McAlester shale crops out in a broad band that extends eastward across the entire northern part of the district. Near Red Oak 

an elliptical area of outcrop of the shale extends northeastward from 

the eastward-trending band of outcrop for a distance of about 15 miles. 

In the extreme eastern part of the district the belt of McAlester shale 

splits into three parts separated by Poteau and Sugarloaf Mountains.

The McAlester shale consists mostly of shale but includes two to 

seven sandstone beds, several coal beds, and local lenses of impure 

limestone. The shale is uniformly dark, firm, and platy and contains 

numerous clay-ironstone concretions. In the western part of the 

district the shale is clayey, but eastward it becomes progressively 

more sandy, and in the extreme eastern part of the district it is 

characteristically a dark sandy shale. At most places it contains 

fragmental plant material, and at no place were well-preserved invertebrate fossils found, although such fossils are abundant in the 

upper 650 feet of the McAlester shale in the McAlester district, which 

adjoins the Howe-Wilburton district on the west.

There are at least two sandstone beds in the McAlester shale in all 

parts of the district, and locally as many as seven sandstone beds are 

present in the formation. Their thickness varies both from bed to 

bed and laterally within each bed. Each bed is only a few feet thick 

at some places, and locally some of the sandstone beds attain thicknesses of 200 feet. The thickness, extent, and position of the sandstone 

beds in the formation are shown in plate 30. At most places the 

sandstones are buff, fine-grained, regularly thin-bedded, and ripplemarked. Locally, particularly in the places where any one sandstone exceeds its normal thickness, the sandstone is coarse-grained, 

pure, massive, and almost white. Near the center of the N% sec. 31, 

T. 7 N., R. 23 E., an exposure of sandstone in the upper part of the 

McAlester shale is made up of about 3 feet of thinly laminated finegrained to silty sandstone in which stand the roots and base of the

i» Tafl, J. A., Geology of the McAlester-Lehigh coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. Geol. Survey 19th Ann. 

Kept., pt. 3, p. 441,1899.
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 269

trunk of a fossil tree about 1% feet in diameter (pi. 31, A). Overlying this sandstone is about 4 feet of silty micaceous sandstone made 

up of smoothly rounded masses resting in irregular-shaped troughs 

in sandstone, as much as a foot long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches deep 

(pi. 31, B}. Some of the rounded masses are essentially flat on top, 

but most of them have both rounded tops and bottoms. I interpret 

the sequence of events in the formation of this bed to be as follows:

(1)the formation of an irregular pattern of troughs and ridges by 

currents from two or more directions (interference ripple marks);

(2) deposition of silt and sand on that irregular surface during a period 

when the water was not greatly agitated, thus producing a flat-topped 

bed whose base conformed to the underlying irregular surface; (3) partial cohesion of the material in the flat-topped bed; (4) greater agitation of the water, resulting in the disruption of the partly coherent 

flat-topped bed along the thin zones overlying the pre-existent ridges;

(5) some rolling of the resulting masses, with resultant rounding;

(6) decrease in agitation of the water, which caused the rounded masses 

to come to rest again in the troughs and to be covered by additional 

deposits; and (7) a repetition of this process several times in the 

period of deposition of the 4-foot bed of sandstone.

Lenticular beds of impure fossiliferous limestone were noted locally. 

The best exposure of such limestone is situated in the bed of Turkey 

Creek, about 500 feet north of the highway bridge in the center of sec. 

33, T. 6N.,R. 22 E.

The Upper Hartshorne coal lies in the McAlester shale from 2 to 30 

feet above its base. The McAlester coal lies in the upper part of the 

McAlester shale about 20 to 100 feet above the second persistent 

sandstone below the top of the formation. About 58 feet above the 

McAlester coal is a continuous coal bed that is probably the equivalent 

of the Stigler coal, which has been mined about 20 miles north of the 

Howe-Wilburton district. Four thin coals (1 foot or less in thickness) 

are present at least locally between the Stigler (?) coal and the top of 

the McAlester shale. The position of the various coal beds in the 

McAlester shale between the McAlester coal and the top of the formation as indicated by diamond-drill records is given in figure 14.

Southeast of Red Oak, in the central part of the district, the thickness of the McAlester shale is about 2,830 feet (calculated from distances and altitude determined by stadia shots and dips read with 

Brunton compass). The formation is about 1,240 feet thick on the 

south side of Poteau Mountain, where the thickness computed from 

surface exposures was almost exactly the same as the thickness encountered in a well drilled for gas in sec. 11, T. 5 N., R. 26 E. 

Throughout the greater part of the district, however, the McAlester 

shale is 2,000 to 2,400 feet thick. An isopach map of the McAlester 

shale in the Arkansas-Oklahoma coal field (fig. 15) shows that the
SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

zone of greatest thickness of the formation extends east-west across 

the Howe-Wilburton district.

Sections of the McAlester shale (pi. 30) show that the variation in 

thickness of the formation is for the most part due to variation in 

thickness of the individual units rather 'than to variable erosion prior 

to the deposition of the Savanna sandstone. Therefore, the deepest 

known portion of the basin of deposition of the McAlester shale is near 

Red Oak, in the Howe-Wilburton district (fig. 15).

Sections of parts or all of the McAlester shale are given in most of 

the well logs, pages 285-293.

600

500

400

- 300

a

100

Ft in.

03

14

-~Ft.in.

I 0 

03

28

_Ft.in.

Ftin.

10

06

26

32

Ftin. 

0 6

08

04

06

22 Stigler(?)coal 

28 McAlester coal

FIGURE 14. Diagram showing position of coal beds encountered in diamond-drill holes penetrating the 

upper part of the McAlester shale. (From Coal Lands in Oklahoma: 6lst Gong., 2d sess., S. Doc. 390, 

1910.)

Plant fossils from the McAlester "shale have been; studied by % C. B. 

Read, who considers them to be of Allegheny age.

SAVANNA SANDSTONE

The Savanna sandstone was named by Taff 20 from exposures near 

the town of Savanna, about 30 miles southwest of the Howe-Wilburton 

district. The basal portion of the Savanna sandstone crops out along 

the north border of the district west of the southwest corner of sec. 24, 

T. 6 N., R. 23 E. East of that point the entire Savanna sandstone 

and the lower part of the overlying Boggy shale are present along the 

north side of the district as far east as sec. 36, T. 7 N., R. 25 E., where 

that belt of outcrop leaves thedistrict. In addition the Savanna sandstone crops out on the slopes of Sugarloaf and Poteau Mountains.

20 Taff, J. A., Geology of the McAlester-Lehigh coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. Geol. Survey 19th Ann. 

Kept., pt. 3, p. 438, 1899.
HOWE-WILBURTOlSr DISTRICT 271

The Savanna sandstone overlies the McAlester shale with an irregular- contact, although at some places the transition from one formation 

to the other appears to be gradational. On the south side of Sugarloaf Mountain the base of- the Savanna sandstone truncates strata in 

the upper part of the McAlester shale and is clearly unconformable 

with the underlying strata.
272 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

The Savanna sandstone consists of alternating sandstone and shale. 

The Cavanal coal and several thin local coal beds are present in the 

shale of the formation. The sandstone is highly variable in character, 

both from bed to bed and from place to place in a single bed. It 

varies from buff, fine-grained, silty, and thin-bedded to almost white, 

coarse-grained, pure, and massive. At most places it is buff to brown, 

medium-grained, and irregularly bedded. Some of the thicker sandstones grade laterally into sandy shale. The shale in the formation 

is mostly gray sandy shale, although there are thin beds of black 

carbonaceous shale present. Most of the black shales contain wellpreserved plant fossils, and locally marine invertebrates are present 

in the shales.

The thickness of the Savanna sandstone, as computed from planetable traverses across the formation in T. 6 N., R. 25 E., is about 

1,750 feet. In the McAlester district, about 50 miles farther west, 

the Savanna sandstone is 1,120 to 1,325 feet thick in measured 

sections,21 and in Arkansas, east of the Howe-Wilburton district, the 

thickness of the formation is about the same as it is in the McAlester 

district.22 The formation also thins northward from the HoweWilburton district. The available information on the thickness of 

the Savanna sandstone in the Arkansas-Oklahoma coal basin is shown 

on the isopach map (fig. 16). From these data, it seems that the 

deepest part of the basin of deposition of the Savanna sandstone 

extended through the Howe-Wilburton district. Plant fossils from 

the Savanna sandstone were studied by C. B. Read and indicate that 

the formation is of Allegheny age.

BOGGY SHALE

The Boggy shale, named by Taff,23 crops out in three areas within 

the Howe-Wilburton district and overlies the Savanna sandstone conformably. One area of outcrop lies north of the town of Wister, and 

the other two are on the crests of Sugarloaf and Poteau Mountains.

Only the lower 1,200 feet of the Boggy shale is present in this 

district, although about 4,000 feet of beds in the Boggy shale occur 

on Cavanal Mountain just north of the district, in T. 7 N., R. 24 E., 

where the top of the formation is not present. That great thickness 

suggests that the southeastward increase in thickness of the Boggy 

shale shown on the isopach map (fig. 16), continued at least to the 

eastern part of the Howe-Wilburton district. The part of the formation present consists of dark shale in which are several sandstone 

beds and two beds of coal. The beds of the Boggy shale are not well

" Hendricks, T. A., Geology and fuel .resources of the southern part of the Oklahoma coal field, pt. 1, 

The McAlester district, Pittsburg, Latimer, and Atoka Counties: U. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 874-A, p. 19, 

1937.

« Hendricks, T. A., Geology and mineral resources of the western portion of the Arkansas coal field: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 847-E, p. 199,1937.

« Taff, J. A., Geology of the McAlester-Lehigh coal field, Indian Territory: U. S. Geol. Survey 19th 

Ann. Kept., pt. 3, p. 438,1899.
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 273

exposed, but the detailed section given below of the part of the formation present in the NWtf.sec. .28, T. 7 N., R 25 E., shows their 

character.

Plant fossils collected from the shale that underlies the Lower 

Witteville coal were studied by C. B. Read, who considers them tobe of Allegheny age.
.274 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

.Section of lower part of Boggy shale in stream bed in the NW% sec. 28, T. 7 N.. 

R. 25 E., north of Howe-Wilburton district

Feet

Shale, dark, carbonaceous, and clayey..- -_____-_____-__--_- 140

Sandstone, fine-grained, ripple-marked, gray to brown, thinbedded';- grades 'downward into .underlying, .shale ___________ 25

Shale, dark bluish gray, fissile; contains marine invertebrates 

and numerous clay-ironstone concretions in bands and plates, 

and becomes platy toward top. _ ___-_-_____-_---____-_-_ 52

Coal (Secor. )---------------------------_--_-------_---_- 4

Shale, dark bluish gray, fissile; contains some clay-ironstone 

concretions. __________________________________________ 75

Shale, gray to olive drab, sandy, and micaceous; contains a 

few clay ironstone concretions-____-__-------_--__-_---_- 10

Shale, poorly exposed, appears to be similar to the overlying 

shale_____--__-____-___ -______________-__-_--_--_-_--- 16

Sandstone, finely laminated, light and dark gray, fine-grained, 

micaceous, mud-surfaced bedding planes; beds toward top 

as much as 1 foot thick grade downward to beds less than 

1 inch thick, which in turn grade downward into the underlying sandy shale. _____________________________________ 25

Shale, sandy and micaceous, poorly exposed-__-____-_---_-_- 50

Coal (Lower Witteville) -_____________-__--____-_-__-_-_-_ 1

Shale, brown, carbonaceous, clayey; contains abundant wellpreserved plant fossils__--_____________-_____-_-_-_-_-_- 4

Sandstone, gray to brown,, fine-grained, ripple-marked, micaceous, medium-bedded; weathers to thin beds. _ __________ 26

Sandstone, buff to brown, fine-grained, micaceous, shalybedded--_._________. __._.._.._.._______._._..______._ 22

Sandstone, gray, fine-grained, micaceous, cross-bedded and 

channeled; weathers light-brown; base of this sandstone 

cuts across bedding of the underlying sandstone. _ _________ 70

Sandstone, dark gray at base, grading upward to light gray; 

weathers drab; fine-grained, micaceous; nearly all bedding 

planes are ripple- and rill-marked. The lower 13 feet is 

shaly-bedded, and the upper 30 feet is made up of beds 1 to 

6 inches thick. __--_--_-____________________-__--_-_-_- 43

Sandstone, -greenish gray -to brown; weather's drab; mediumto fine-grained, micaceous, ripple- and rill-marked; occurs in 

6- to 8-inch beds that break down to %- to }4-inch plates on 

weathered surfaces; base of this sandstone cuts across bedding of the underlying sandstone. ___________-----_------ 86

Sandstone, gray; weathers drab; ripple-marked, fine-grained, 

with mud-surfaced bedding planes, thin-bedded with local 

bedding irregularities that appear to be landslides that 

occurred dnrine; deposition (pi. 32, A}. (Base of section 

lies about 525 feet above the base of the formation) _-___ 24

Total thickness___________-_____-_--__----------- 673

The correlation of the Pennsylvanian formations of the HoweWilburton district with those of the McAlester district to the west 

and those of the Arkansas coal field to the east is shown in plate 33
BULLETIN 874 PLATE 30

,

*

RJ7E.

7

5

6

^

\

7

8

i

4

- -

9

\

10

II

\

1

1

i

1

'T.

 7

r

- !

i

j 6

'," 

1

 j 

JT

j"

j

RISE. RJ9E. R20E. R2IE. R22E. R23E. R24E. R.Z5E. R26E. R27E.

I Burning Springs dome 6 Panola 

2-3 Brazil anticline 7 Red Oak 

4 Poteau gas field 8 Wister

SWilburton 9-10-11 Poteau Mln

ISOMETRIC DIAGRAM SHOWING POSITION, THICKNESS, AND EXTENT OF SANDSTONE BEDS IN THE McALESTER SHALE.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 874 PLATE 31

A. A FOSSII, STL'MP I'HESElfVED IN' A SANDSTONE BED.

B. A SANDSTONE BED MADE UP IN PART OF ROUNDED MASSES OF SANDSTONE.

VIEWS OF McALESTER SHALE IN SEC. 31, T. 7 N., R. 23 E.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 874 PLATE 32

A. SANDSTONE IN THE LOWER PART OF THE BOGGY SHALE, SHOWING IRREGULAR 

BEDDING DUE TO SLUMPING BEFORE COMPLETE COMPACTION.

Sec. 28, T. 7 N., R. 25 E.

II. BLOCKS OF CAVANAL COAL ON MINE FLAT CARS. 

Oakland Coal CO.'B Mine, sec. 4, T. 6 N., R. 25 E. :
BULLETIN 874 PLATE 33

McALESTER. 

OK LA.2'

FEET 

5,000

 4,000-

3,000 

2,000-

1,000-

LEHIGH

HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT

J/ After Knechtel.M.M., Geol.Survey Bull. 874-B 

2/ After Hendricks,T.A.,Geol.Survey Bull.874-A 

3/ This report. 

&/ After Hendricks,TA.,and Parks, Bryan, Geol.

Survey Bull. 847-E. 

Sf After Collier,A.J.,Geol.Survey Bull. 326

	COAL BEDS

H Secor

G Paris

F Cavanal

E Charleston

D Stigler

C McAlester

B Upper Hartshorne

A LowerHartshorne

ARKANSAS 

COAL FIELD &

CORRELATION OF PENNSYLVANIAN FORMATIONS IN THE HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT WITH THOSE OF THE McALESTER AND LEHIGH DISTRICTS,

OKLAHOMA, AND THE ARKANSAS COAL FIELD.
" HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 275

and has been discussed in previous reports. 24 The formations were 

traced from the McAlester district into the Howe-Wilburton district 

in the course of the field work on which this report is based; they are 

therefore direct equivalents in the two areas. The Atoka formation 

of the Howe-Wilburton district and the Arkansas coal field are identical. The Hartshorne sandstone of Arkansas, however, is equivalent 

to only the part of the Hartshorne of Oklahoma that lies below the 

Lower Hartshorne coal. The upper part of the Hartshorne of Oklahoma corresponds to a part of the fSpadra shale 25 in Arkansas as 

defined by Collier. 26 The fSpadra shale also includes beds equivalent 

to a part of the McAlester shale of Oklahoma. The fFort Smith 

formation of Arkansas contains beds of the same age as the upper 

part of tne McAlester shale and the lower part of the Savanna sandstone. The fParis shale of Arkansas equals the upper part of the 

Savanna sandstone and the lower part of the Boggy shale. The beds 

that were mapped by Collier 26 as Savanna sandstone in Arkansas 

are of the same age as the Boggy shale of Oklahoma.

QUATERNARY (?) SYSTEM 

GERTY SAND

A deposit of pure white quartz sand occupies an area of about half 

a square mile north of Gaines Creek, at the extreme west side of the 

district. This is an area of the Gerty sand, which is extensive farther 

west. This sand was deposited in Quaternary (?) time by the Canadian River, which then flowed in a channel many miles south of its 

present course. A full discussion of the character and deposition of 

the Gerty sand has been given in an earlier paper.27

Morgan 28 reports that A. E. Brainard discovered an elephant tusk 

in the Gerty sand in the Stonewall quadrangle, and on the basis of 

that evidence he suggests Pleistocene age for the formation. No 

evidence bearing on the age of the sand was found in the HoweWilburton district.

if TERRACE DEPOSITS

Large areas of cobbles, gravel, sand, and silt form a veneer a few 

feet thick on the surfaces of terraces that stand about 50 feet above 

the beds of the streams thoughout the valleys of Fourche Maline

84 Hendricks, T. A., and Read, C. B., Correlations of Pennsylvanian strata in Arkansas and Oklahoma 

coal fields: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., vol. 18, pp. 1050-1058, 1934. Hendricks, T. A., Dane, 

C. H., and Knechtel, M. M., Stratigraphy of Arkansas-Oklahoma coal basin: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., vol. 20, pp. 1342-1356, 1936.

J! A dagger (f) preceding a geologic name indicates that the name has been abandoned or rejected for use 

In publications of the United States Geological Survey. 

' " Collier, A. J., The Arkansas coal field: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 326, map in pocket, 1907.

" Hendricks, T. A., Geology, and coal resources of the southern part of the Oklahoma coal field, part 1, 

The McAlester district, Pittsburg, Atoka, and Latimer Counties: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 874-A, pp. 

26-33, 1937.

» Morgan, G. D., Geology of the Stonewall quadrangle, Okla.: Oklahoma Bur. Geology Bull. 2, pp. 

144-145, 1924.
276 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Creek and the Poteau River. The coarser material consists of subrounded to rounded fragments of sandstone, some of which are as 

much as 6 inches in diameter. The sand and silt constitute-the bulk 

of the deposits and probably are .disintegration products of sandstone 

and shale. As nearly as can be determined, the material present in 

the terraces is all of local origin, having come from the rocks that are

 exposed in or near the Howe-Wilburton district.

These terrace deposits stand at about the same level above the 

major streams as the Gerty sand, and base level for the stream that

 deposited the Gerty sand was controlled by the Arkansas River, 

which also controlled base level for the Poteau River and Fourche 

Maline Creek. For these reasons the Gerty sand and the terrace

 deposits of the Howe-Wilburton district are considered of the same age.

QUATERNARY SYSTEM

RECENT AILUVIUM

The valleys of the larger streams of the area are narrow at some 

places and several miles wide at other places and are underlain by 

alluvium. At some places this material is an ash-gray silt, and at

 others, particularly in the valley of the Poteau River, it is a very 

dark-gray clayey silt. It ranges in thickness from a few inches on the

 edge of the flood plains to as much as 25 feet in the banks of the 

streams. Locally its thickness is probably greater than 25 feet, as 

the streams have not Cut through the alluvium to bedrock at all 

points.

STRUCTURE

General features. The strata of the Howe-Wilburton district have 

been deformed by folding and faulting. The Choctaw fault forms the

 south boundary of the district and separates the strata of the coal 

basin from the more intensely deformed strata of the Ouachita 

Mountains, which lie south of the coal basin. The Choctaw fault is 

probably a complex zone of faulting hi which older strata on the south

 side have been thrust upward and northward onto the younger strata 

of the coal basin.

The strata of the Howe-Wilburton district dip generally northward 

:away from the Choctaw fault. The northward dips are interrupted 

by eastward-trending anticlines and synclines in the extreme western,

 central, and extreme eastern parts of the district. The major anti-

 clines are, from west to east, the Adamson, Wilburton, Brazil, Heav-

 ener, and Hartford anticlines. The major synclines are the Hartshorne, Cavanal, Poteau, and Sugarloaf synclines.

The Synclines are broad, shallow folds, and in two of them the axes 

plunge toward the center from each end and form rude canoe-shaped 

troughs. However, the axis of the Hartshorne syncline is structurally
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTKICT 277

high in the central part of the Howe-Wilburton district and plunges 

toward each end away from the high central part. A structurally 

high point is present on the Cavanal syncline just north of Red Oak, 

and the axis plunges both eastward and westward from that point. 

Both of these synclines continue for many miles beyond the district, 

and in the portion of each that lies outside the district the structure 

is of the shallow-basin type. The Poteau and Sugarloaf synclines 

continue eastward into Arkansas for many miles beyond the east 

boundary of the Howe-Wilburton district.

Only one fault can be traced for more than a few hundred feet in 

the district. It is the Carbon fault, which breaks beds in the Atoka 

formation approximately on the axis of the Adamson anticline. The 

fault plane probably dips southward, and the beds south of the fault 

have been pushed northward and upward, so that the rocks exposed 

at the surface on the south side of the fault are older than those on the 

north side. The Carbon fault probably extends westward from 

sec. 36, T. 6 N., R. 18 E., to and beyond the west side of the district, 

although it could be accurately located at only two places, one in 

sec. 5, T. 5 N., R. 18 E., and the other on the line between sees. 35 

and 36, T. 6. N., R. 18 E. It is probable that Boiling Spring, a gas 

seep in sec. 6, T. 5 N., R. 18 E., is situated on the Carbon fault plane, 

which serves as an avenue of escape for gas present in beds beneath 

the surface at that locality.

Two small faults break beds in the Atoka formation about 6 miles 

southwest of Red Oak. It is possible that these faults are largerthan they are shown to be on the geologic map (pi. 27) but that their 

full extent could not be recognized because of poor exposures of the rocks.

The topography of the Howe-Wilburton district is directly related 

to the structure of the underlying rocks. The most characteristic 

surface features are low, parallel ridges that mark the outcrops of 

steeply dipping sandstone beds and are separated by broad valleys 

cut in intervening beds of shale. The height of each ridge depends 

on the thickness of the sandstone bed that holds it up, the thicker 

sandstones forming the higher ridges. Each ridge also varies in 

height along its trend as the underlying sandstone varies in thickness. 

The widths of each of the intervening shale valleys depends on the 

thickness and dip of the shale units on which it is developed, the 

thicker shales with the lower dips underlying the wider valleys.

Large elliptical hills or mountains such as Sugarloaf and Poteau 

Mountains lie in the troughs of the synclines, and for the most part, 

valleys mark the axes of the anticlines. The Brazil anticline is 

occupied by a long canoe-shaped valley developed on the soft McAleater shale and surrounded by high hills held up by the Savanna sandstone in the adjoining synclines; it is the best example of an anticlinal 

valley in the district.
278 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Descriptions of the anticlines in the district are given below.

Adamson anticline. The Adamson anticline enters the HoweWilburton district from the west, north of Gaines Creek, in sec. 10, 

T. 5 N., R. 17E., and extends slightly north of east for about 9 miles 

to sec. 36, T. 6 N., R. 18 E., northwest of Wilburton, where it dies out. 

The dips on the south flank of this anticline are low, although most of 

the surface outcrops are shale in which accurate dip determinations 

could not be made. The beds on the north flank, however, dip 

steeply (31° to 90°) northward. The Adamson anticline is broken 

along the crest by the Carbon fault.(p. 277). The beds exposed on 

the south flank of the fold are shales and some thin sandstones of the 

Atoka formation, the oldest beds lying about 700 feet beneath the 

top of that formation. The beds exposed on the north flank are 

shales and sandstones of the upper part of the Atoka formation, the 

Hartshorne sandstone, and the McAlester shale. The Adamson 

anticline continues for about 10 miles west of the Howe-Wilburton 

district in the adjoining McAlester district.

Wilburton anticline. The Wilburton anticline is a poorly defined 

fold about 5 miles long that begins in sec. 13, T. 5 N., R. 18 E., about 

4 miles southwest of Wilburton, and extends southwestward to sec. 29 

of the same township, where it passes beneath the Choctaw fault. 

At the east end a. sandstone bed in the Atoka formation closes 

around the anticline, but in the central and western parts of the fold 

no horizon could be traced for more than a short distance. Both from 

the interruption of the surface exposures and from the lack of similarity of the logs of the wells drilled for gas on this anticline I believe 

the central and western parts of the anticline to be badly broken by 

faults, whose position and extent could not be determined. The 

rocks exposed in this anticline are all in the Atoka formation, and 

those exposed on the structurally highest part of the fold lie about 

1,000 feet below the top of the Atoka.

Brazil anticline. The Brazil anticline lies in the central part of 

the district. It begins in sec. 13, T. 6 N., R. 20 E., northwest of Red 

Oak, and extends northeastward to sec. 16, T. 7 N., R. 23 E., where it 

leaves the area. It is a gently folded anticline whose surface development is in the McAlester shale. The structure of this fold is shown 

on the geologic map (pi. 27) by structure contours drawn on the top 

of the Hartshorne sandstone, which lies about 2,000 feet beneath the 

surface in the highest part of the anticline. The Red Oak gas field, 

situated on the Brazil anticline, yields gas from the Hartshorne 

sandstone.

 Heavener anticline. The Heavener anticline lies in the southeastern part of the district. It begins in sec. 10, T. 5. N., R. 26 E., 

northeast of Heavener, and extends westward to sec. 11, T. 5 N., 

R. 24 E., where it passes beneath the alluvium of the Poteau River
HOWE-WILBURTOST DISTRICT 279

Valley. The anticline cannot be recognized beyond that point, 

although it probably continues beneath the alluvium for several 

miles. It is tightly and symmetrically folded, with dips of 40° to 65° 

common on both the north and south flanks. Many of the beds 

exposed near the crest of the fold are broken and slickensided, and it 

is probable that much minor faulting has occurred near the axis and 

on the flanks of the fold. As the western part of the anticline is 

covered by alluvium, it is impossible to determine the amount of 

structural closure from surface, outcrops. Sandstones and shales of 

the Atoka formation, more than 7,000 feet thick, constitute the surface 

rocks exposed in the central part of the anticline. The east end of 

the anticline continues across exposures of the Hartshorne sandstone, 

McAlester shale, and Savanna sandstone but is poorly defined in the 

McAlester and Savanna formations.

Hartford anticline. The Hartford anticline lies in the extreme 

eastern part of the Howe-Wilburton district. It begins at Howe 

and extends about N. 75° E. to the east side of fractional sec. 15, 

T. 6 N., R. 27 E., where it leaves the district. East of that point 

it continues for about 20 miles into Arkansas. In the part of the 

anticline that lies in Oklahoma the beds have been gently and symmetrically folded. The surface rocks exposed in the anticline are 

sandstones and shales of the McAlester shale. The details of structure 

in the anticline are shown on the geologic map (pi. 27) by structure 

contours drawn on the top of the Harthshorne sandstone, which lies 

about 300 feet beneath the surface in the structurally highest part of 

the anticline.

Summerfield anticline. A small anticline lies about 2 miles southeast of Summerfield in sees. 24 and 25, T. 5 N., R. 2.3 E. This anticline is marked at the surface by an elliptical outcrop of a sandstone 

in the Atoka formation, in which the dips are outward in all directions. 

It is possible that the anticline continues northwestward or southeastward, but the surface exposures are so poor that it cannot be 

identified if it is present.

MINERAL RESOURCES

COAL 

PRODUCTION

Coal has been produced commercially in the Howe-Wilburton 

district since about 1890. The total production of coal in the district 

can only be estimated, because, prior to 1907, when Oklahoma became 

a State, production records of the Indian Territory were not kept 

by districts, and since that time available records have been prepared 

by counties. The production in the Howe-Wilburton district comes 

from Latimer and Le Flore Counties, and there is also some production in the parts of these two counties that lie outside the Howe-
280

Wilburton district. I estimate that about 19,000,000 tons of coal 

had been produced in the district before 1931.

Most of the mining has been done in the Upper and Lower Hartshorne beds near, Wilburton, in the Lower Hartshorne bed near Red 

Oak and Howe, and in the Cavanal bed northeast of Wister. Several 

small strip pits and slope mines have also operated in the McAlester 

bed throughout the central part of the district near Red Oak, Fanshawe, and Hughes.

The Stigler(?) coal is of minable thickness at least locally east of 

Red Oak, and the Secor coal is of minable thickness north of Wister, 

but no attempt has been made to work those beds.

COAL. RESERVES

Measured sections of the Lower Hartshorne, Upper Hartshorne, 

McAlester, Stigler (?), Cavanal, and Secor coals are given on plates 

34 and 35 and show the thickness of and partings in the coals in the 

various parts of the district. So far as. can be determined from available data the Lower and Upper Hartshorne beds are of minable thickness in all parts of the district north of their lines of outcrop (pi. 27). 

The McAlester bed contains between 1 foot 6 inches and 2 feet 9 inches 

of clean coal in all measured sections. The Stigler (?) coal varies 

between 1 foot 4 inches and 2 feet 6 inches in thickness, and the 

Cavanal coal between 1 foot 8 inches and 3 feet 2 inches. It is unlikely that much mining will be attempted in these beds in the near 

future, because much thicker coal in the Lower and Upper Hartshorne 

beds is available and probably will be mined first. However, the 

areas underlain by McAlester, Stigler (?), and Cavanal coals north of 

their lines of outcrop (pi. 27) in the Ho we-Wilburton district constitute coal reserves that eventually will be in demand. The Secor coal 

is about 2 feet 6 inches thick in sec. 32, T. 7 N., R. 25 E., and thins 

westward. It generally contains one or more shale partings that 

reduce the value of the bed. It is possible that the Secor coal may be 

worked in the future.

The lines of outcrop of each of the coal beds, areas of mine workings, 

and location of measured sections are all given on the geologic map (pi. 

27).

RANK, QUALITY, AND USES

The coal of the Howe-Wilburton district is all bituminous. West 

of Fanshawe it is of medium-volatile bituminous rank. All the coals 

that lie east of Wister .are of low-volatile bituminous rank except possibly the Secor coal. Unfortunately, analyses of the Secor coal and 

the other coals in the part of the area where the transition from 

medium-volatile to low-volatile bituminous coal occurs (in Rs. 23 and 

24 E.) are not available, and the exact location of the line of demarcation between the two ranks cannot be determined.
 ' HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 281

The coals of the district are of high quality and are excellent as steam 

coals and domestic fuel, the principal uses to which they have been 

put. Between 1900 and 1905 a battery of 40 coke ovens at Howe 

manufactured coke from the Lower Hartshorne coal. The coke is 

reported to have been of good quality, and the coking was abandoned 

chiefly because of the distance from an adequate market. In the 

event of increased demand for coke in areas that could be supplied 

from the Howe-Wilburton district any of the coals in the district 

could be considered coking coals. Before any commercial coking is 

attempted the coal at any one mine should be coked experimentally, 

in order to eliminate the possibility that some local peculiarity of 

composition of the coal might reduce its coking properties.

At the mine of the Lincoln Power Co., in sec. 31, T. 6 N., R. 25 E., 

briquets are made from slack coal of the Lower Hartshorne bed. 

These are firm and durable and make an excellent fuel.

Analyses of coals of the Howe-Wilburton district that have been 

made by the United States Bureau of Mines are given in the following 

table:
TABLE 1. Chemical analyses of mine samples of coal from t

Locality, bed, mine, etc.

LATIMEE COUNTY

Adamson, 3 miles east of; Adamson No. 6 mine, 

Lower Hartshorne bed (face of 2 west entry, 460 

feet northeast of mine mouth). 

Same (face of 2 east entry, 400 feet northeast 

of mine mouth). 

Same (composite of samples 19852 and 19853) _

Degnan, 24 mile west of; M. K. & T. No. 19 mine, 

Lower Hartshorne bed (face 'of 3 east entry, main 

slope entry). 

Same (face of 2 east entry, inside plane entry) .

Same (face of 4 east entry, main slope entry) - 

Same (face of 5 east entry, main slope entry). 

Same (face of 1 east entry, inside plane entry) .

Hughes; SE. H sec. 33, T. 6 N., R. 22 E.; Turkey 

Creek: mine, McAlester bed. 

Lutie; sec. 11, T. 5 N., R. 19 E.; Hailey-Ola mine, 

Lower Hartshorne bed. 

1J4 miles east of; Hailey-Ola No. 5 mine, Lower 

Hartshorne bed (25 feet from face on left rib, 9 

east entry, 2,200 feet from mine mouth) . 

Same (20 feet from face on left rib, 4 room, 9 

west panel entry, 1,900 feet from mine 

mouth). 

Same (composite of samples A21474 and 

A21475).

Red Oak, 3^ miles southeast of; Hilling No. 2 mine, 

Lower Hartshorne bed (face of 2 east air course, 

main slope entry) . 

Same (face of east plane entry, main slope 

entry). 

Same (face of 1 east entry, main slope entry) .

Sample

Laboratory 

No.

19852

19853 

19854

W69530

W69542 

W69547 

W69552 

W69560 

1817 

1818 

A21474

A21475 

A21476 

W69613

W69630 

W69634

Kind'

A

A 

A

A

A 

A 

A 

A 

B 

B 

B

B 

B 

A

A 

A

Condition 2

1

1

1 

2 

3

1 

2

1 

2 

1 

2 

1 

2 

1 

2 

1 

2 

1 

2 

1

1

1 

2 

3

1 

2

1 

2 

1 

2

Proximate

Moisture

12.1

8.5 

10.2

11.2

2.9

3.7

2.9

4.2

2.5

3.9

2.4 

2.6 

2.4

6.0

3.9

4.2

Volatile 

matter

33.0

33.9

34.0 

37.8

39.1

33.5 

37.7

36.1 

37.2

36.9 

38.3

34.8 

35.8

36.9 

38.5

31.6 

32.4

34.8 

36.2

37.9 

37.1

37.6 

38.6 

41.1

31.0 

33.0

32.1 

33.4

31.8 

33.2

Fixed 

carbon

52.1

54.7

52.9 

59.0

60.9

46.6 

52.5

55.7 

57.3

53.8 

55.9

53.4 

55.0

53.4 

55.8

54.2 

55.6

54.7 

56.9

54.6 

53.1

53.9 

55.2 

58.9

58.7 

62.4

59.8 

62.2

60.0 

62.6

Ash

2.8

2.9

2.9 

3.2

3.7 

9.8

5.3

5.6 

5.8

8.9 

9.2

5.5 

5.7

11.7 

12.0

6.6 

6.9

5.1 

7.2

6.1 

6.2

4.3 

4.6

4.2 

4.4

4.0 

4.2

Sulphur

1.1

1.4

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.8 

2.0

.8 

.9

.9 

.9

1.2 

1.3

.8 

.9

3.2 

3.2

2.3 

2.4

1.5 

2.0

1.7 

1.8 

1.9

1.1 

1.2

1.3 

1.3

1.0 

1.1
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 874 PLATE 34

1 (f) 2 (c)

Pierce Coal Co., _____

No. 1 '

Ft. in.

S(b) 4(d)

Ft. in.

5(d) 6(d) 7 (a) 8 (a) 

____Missouri. Kansas & Texas Coal Co., No. 19

9 (a) 10 (a) 11 (a) 13 (b) 14 (b) 15 (b) 

Great Western Mining Co.,

Room 50 Face H Room 16 Face 5 east Face 2 east Face 3 east Face 4 east Face 1 east

D, east entry % west entry H", Vi. east entry off main slope off inside plane off main slope off main slope off inside plane 

Ft. in. Ft. in. ...... Ft. in. ... ......Ft. in. ,- , Ft. in. . , Ft. in. __^ Ft. in. ., Ft: in. t , Ft. in.

No. 7 "NoTT

16 (b) 17 (c) 18 (a) 19 (a) 20 (d) 21 (d)

Hailey-Ola Hailey-Ola Coal Co., No. 5 Hailey-Ola Coal Co., No. 12

No. 6 > Coal C0-' No' 4 'Left rib Room 4 off *Face 5

22 (a) 23 (a) 24 (a) 

Oak Ridge (Hilling) No. 2 mine

5 O

2 2 2 2

fyrite 

 &

2 life

Jfs

5 3

1 l'£

Me

( 5

Vfe

2 9

Me

\o'/z. 

Vie

Me

Ft: in.

4- 5

Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in."

Y"

5 4 5 5

3 1O

Face 5 Face 2 east Face of Face 1 east

9 east-entry 9 west panel entry west entry east entry air course east plane entry .

Ft. in. .__, Ft. in. .__. Ft. in. t Ft. in. __ Kt. in. . , Ft. in. .. . Ft. in. . . Ft. in.

I ' 1 r- i I I I I I "j I I I I

^m ^B ^m *,&* imm ~ ^B"

FVrite 

trace

25 (d) 26 (d) 27 (b) 28 (c) 29 (b) 30 (c) 31 (b) 32 (f) 33 (e) 34 (d) 35 (d) 36 (d) 37 (d) 38 (d) 39 (d)

Oak Ridge (Hilling) No. 1 mine Texas Coal Co., Texas Coal Co., Texas Coal Co., Le Bosquet Le Bosquet Coal SE^sec. 35, SE.?4sec. 31, Martin Coal & Coke Co., Martin Coal & Coke Co., Dawes Brothers Coal Co.

 Face 6 * Face 6 > No. 4 mine No. 2 No. 2 Coal & Mining Co. & Mining Co. T. 6 N.. R. 23 E. T.6 N..R. 25 E. (Potter Smokeless No. 7) (Potter Smokeless No. 8) ' Face 4 Face room 20 

eastentrv westentrv 'Face 2 east Face 3 west Face 4 west Face 4 east east entry 5 east entry coaLcnuy west entry . ont-rv ontrv' pntrv pntrv

Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in. _M Ft. in. Ft. in. ___Ft. in. . Ft. in. *L Ft: in. f... , Ft. in. y Ft. in. . y Ft. in. ....... Ft. in. ... . Ft. in.

40 (d) 41 (d) 42 (d) 43 (d) 44 (f) 45 (f) 46 (f) 

Standard Coal Mining Co. Heavener Smokeless Coal Co., SWM sec. 26, NW}4 sec. 31,. NWH sec. 21,

-, T. 5 N., R. 25 E. T. 5 N., R. 26 E. T. 5 N.,R. 27 E.

I 6

I 6

I 6

Ft. in. 

2

3 3

' Room 45 Room 45 

6 south entry. 6 north entry

, Ft. in. .Ft. in. Ft. in.

2 10

, Ft. in.

4 2

Ft. in.

UPPER HART SHORN E COAL BED 

_____________A_________

47 (f)

NE &sec. 10, 

T. 5 N., R. 17 E".

48 (b) ... 49(b) 

Missouri, Kansas 

& Texas Coal Co.;

50 (f) 51. (a) 

NW Msec. 7,

52 (a) 53 (a) 54 (a) 55 (a) 56 (a) 57 (a) 

Degnan-McConnell Coal Co., New No. 5 mine

58 (a) 59 .(a)

T. 5 N., R. 19 E. ' Face 6 Main east 12 west entry 10 east entry 10 west entry ' Room 17 2 room 15 room

No. 18 mine No. 15 mine east entry entry

Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in. .__ Ft. in. .___ Ft. in. ___ Ft. in. ,__. Ft. in. H__. Ft. in.

3 9 3 2 3 9>fe

3 room '

12 west entry 4 entry 10 east entry B entry 

Ft. in. ,__1 Ft. in. .__, Ft. in. .__. Ft. in. , Ft. in.

. 60 (b) 61 (b) 62 (f) 63 (f) 64 (e) 65 (e)

Great Western^ Mining Co., Center of sec. 8. SE %sec. 35, SE. %sec. 31, SE.%sec. 20,

No. 3 NO. 2 T. 5 N., R. 20 E. T. 6 N., R. 23 E. T. 6 N., R. 25 E. T. 6 N., R.-26 E.

3 1154

1 8

J4 

ioM>

I lO'/fe

1 6

2 9%

M6

Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in.

2 8

Ft. in. Ft. in.

2 4

Ft. in.

EXPLANATION

Coal Carbonaceous shale

Bony coal Shale

Bone Sandy shale

Underclay Sandstone

MEASURED SECTIONS OF THE LOWER AND UPPER HARTSHORNE COAL BEDS.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

McALESTER COAL BED

66 TO (e) (e) 67 v< (f) (I) 68 (e) 69 (e) 70 (e) 71 (f) 72 (b) 73 (c) 74 (e) 75 (f)

SEV&sec. 25, SE.%sec. 5, NWJ4sec. 4, NE ?4sec. 31, 300 feet west of SW %sec. 34, SW JAsec. 34, SW Msec. 34, NE%sec. 35, NE Hsec. 35,

T. 6N., R. 18 E. T. 5 N., R. 20 E. T. 5 N., R. 20 E. T. 6 N., R. 21 E. center, sec. 33, T. 6 N., R. 22 E. T. 6 N., R. 22 E. T. 6N..R. 22 E. T. 6 N., R. 22 E. T. 6 N., R. 24 E.

T. 6 N., R. 22 E. 

Ft. in. ,__, Ft. in. ,__ t Ft. in. i__i Ft. in. ,__, Ft. in. ,__i Ft. in. Ft. in. Ft. in.

I 6

I 8

2 9

2 Z

II Z 6

Ft. in.

2 8

Ft. in.

BULLETIN 874 PLATE 35

STIGLER (?) COAL BED

76 (e) 77 (e) 78 (e) 79 (e) 80 (f)

SE Msec. 25, NE %sec. 31, 300 feet west of NE%sec. 35, SE Hsec. 25, 

T. 6 N., R. 18 E., T. 6 N., R. 21 E. center sec. 33, T. 6 N., R. 22 E.. T. 6 N., R. 24 E.

T. 6 N., R. 22 E. 

 i Ft. in. i Ft. in. ,_.._, Ft. in. i --« Ft. in. ,__. Ft. in.

2 6

CAVANAL COALBED

81 (f) 82 (e)

SE JA sec. 26, NW ^ sec. 23,

T. 6 N., R. 23 E. T. 6 N., R. 24 E.

Ft. in.

83 (d) 84 (d) 85 (f) 86 (f) 

Oakland Coal Corporation No. 1 (Leflore-Poteau Coal Co.)

(d) 88 (d) 89 (f) 

Poteau Coal Corporation No. 1

'Face 3 left 

entry

Ft. in.

Face 4 right 2 left entry Face of slope Face 6 Face 6 Slope mouth ' 

entry long wall roadway on long wall north entry south entry

3 2

Ft. in. Ft. in.

SECOR COAL BED

90 (f) 91 (f) 92 (f)

NE^sec. 10, SE^sec. 3, NE^sec. 32,

T. 6N., R. 24 E. T. 8N., R. 24E. T. 7 N., R. 25 E.

Ft. in.

2 

J 2

Ft. in. Ft. in.

EXPLANATION

Coal Underclay

Cannel coal Shale

Bony coal Sandy shale

Carbonaceous shale

MEASURED SECTIONS OF THE McALESTER, STIGLER (?), CAVANAL, AND SECOR COAL BEDS.
Wilburton, 1J4 miles northwest of; Degnan-McOonnell New No. 5 mine, Upper Hartshorne bed (face 

of 12 west entry, where 17 room was to be turned, 

1,200 feet west of main shaft>. 

Same (face of 2 room, A entry, 600 feet northeast of main shaft). 

Same (face of 3 room, B entry, 200 feet north

of main shaft) . 

Same (face of 15 room, 10 east entry, 1,100 feet

southeast of main shaft) . 

Same (composite of samples 27531 to 27534,

Same (face of 6 east entry) .. _________

Same (face main east entry) _ .. ___ __ ..

Same (face 12 west entry) .. _________

Same (face 10 east entry) _______ ......

Same (face 10 west entry) .... .. ___ ....

1 mile west of; sec. 8, T. 5. N., R. 19 E., Wilburton No. 7 mine, Lower Hartshorne bed.

Wilburton No. 6 mine, Upper Hartshorne bed..

Sec. 10, T. 5 N., R. 19 E., Wilburton No. 2 mine,

Upper Hartshorne bed.

LE FLOBE COUNTY

Howe, 2 miles south of; Mexican Gulf mine, Lower

Hartshorne bed.

3 miles southwest of; Howe-McCurtain No. 3

mine, Lower Hartshorne bed (face of 4 west

entry, main slope entry). 

Same (face of 6 west entry) _________ .

Same (face of 30 room, 5 entry, mam slope

entry).

Hughes (Latimer County), 1 mile southwest of; No. 2

mine, Lower Hartshorne bed (face of 20 room, 4

west entry, northwest of slope mouth).

2 miles southwest of; E. & sec. 4, T. 5 N., R. 22

E.; prospect, Lower Hartshorne bed.

27531

27532

27533

27534

27535

W69509

W69510

W69513

W69516

W69517

1771

1770

1769

1815

W69464

W69465

W69482

10065

1816

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

B

B

B

B

A

A

A

B

B

1

1

1

1

1 

2

3

2

1

2

2

1

2

2

2

2

1

1

2

3

2

4.1

3.5

3.4

3.7

3.7

3.4

3.6

3.1

3.9

3.2

3.4

3.0

2.8

5.1

3.5

3.8

2.5

3.1

4.0

37.2

37.7

37.1

37.9

37.4 

38.9

41.0

35.8

37.1

38.0

39.4

37.7

38.9

36.9'

38.4

37.7

38.9

37.8

39.2

36.0

37. 1

36.5

37.6

15.8

16.6

18.5

19.2

18.7

1Q 4.

19.1

19 6

01 7

09 7

oe ft

OQ ft

30.2

53.3

53.8

54.5

53.9

53.8 

55.9

59.0

54.8

56.7

52.7

54.7

53.8

55.5

52.8

54.9

56.3

53.4

55.9

57.6

55.5

57.0

72.5

76.4

70.0

72.5

70.2

73.0

71.7

7«> K

58.9

fift Q

65.0

63.4

66.1

5.4

5.0

5.0

4.5

5.1 

5.3

6.0

6.2

5.7

5.9

5.4

5.6

6.4

6.7

4.7

4.8

5.4

5.6

5.1

5.3

5.2

5.4

6.6

7.0

8.0

8.3

7.3

7.6

6.7

6.9

6.3

6.5

3.6

3.7

.9

.9

1.2

.9

1.0 

1.0

1.1

1.0

1.1

.8

.9

.8

.9

1.2

1.2

.9

.9

1.8

1 9

1.1

1.1

.9

.9

.7

.7

.8

.8

.9

.5

.6

.9

1.0

1.1

1.1

' A Sample collected by engineer of the Bureau of Mines: B, sample collected by a geologist of the Geolog

' 1. As received; 2, dried at 105° C.; 3, moisture-, and ash-free.

' Figures represent the Bureau of Mines bulletins in which can be found the description of the section of t

 figures represent {;he pages in Bureau of Mines Technical taper 411 on which mine notes and face sectio
284 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD ' ;

MINING METHODS

Coal has been mined in the Howe-Wilburton district both in strip 

pits and in underground mines. Most of the underground mines are 

slopes, although a few shafts have also been operated in the district. 

The mining in the slopes and shafts has been done by the doubleentry room and pillar method for the most part. In some of the mines 

operating on the room and pillar method the coal has been shot 

down from the solid face, in others it has been undercut by hand before shooting, and in the more modern mines it has been undercut by 

machine before shooting. The mines operating in the Cavanal bed 

have used the long-wall system of mining. In the mine of the Oakland Coal Corporation, sec. 4, T. 6 N., R. 25 E., operating hi the 

Cavanal bed, the coal is undercut for a distance of about 3 feet from 

the face of the coal and along a 600-foot continuous face. A flat 

metal scow pan 16 feet long and 3J^ feet wide that operates on an 

endless cable is slid beneath the undercut block of coal. The coal is 

wedged down in blocks 3 to 5 feet long onto the scow pan, which is 

then pulled to a roadway situated at one end of the 600-foot wall. 

At the roadway a cable is snubbed around each block of coal, which 

is then slid off the pan onto a mine flatcar running on tracks set below 

the level of the base of the coal bed. A trip of cars, each of which 

carries a single block of coal, is dragged to the tipple by cable (pi. 

32, J5). At the tipple any shale or bony cannel coal present on the 

top of the block is removed by use of a pick-bitted jackhammer and 

discarded. The remaining block of coal is then broken by the jackhammer into large-size lump coal and loaded directly into railroad 

cars. By this method of handling about 87 % percent of the coal produced is of lump size, an unusually high percentage for low-volatile 

bituminous coal, which is generally very friable and yields much slack

in handling.

NATURAL GAS

Natural gas has been produced in commercial quantities at three 

places in the Howe-Wilburton district the Wilburton, Red Oak, and 

Poteau-Gilmore gas fields. Wells have been drilled at various other 

places in the district but have failed to yield more than a show of 

gas. The production has been very low from the three fields, because the Wilburton field contains only a few small wells; most of the 

available gas in the Red Oak field has been shut in, and only a few 

small wells at the extreme southwest end of the Poteau-Gilmore field 

lie in this district. The total production from the Poteau-Gilmore 

field has been considerable, but by far the greater part of it has come 

from the part of the field that lies north of the Howe-Wilburton 

district.
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 285

The three producing fields in the district and the anticlines on which 

commercial production has not been encountered.are discussed below.

The Wilburton gas field lies about 4 to 5 miles west-southwest of 

Wilburton in the central part of T. 5 N., R. 18 E. Four producing 

wells and two dry holes have been drilled in this field. The first 

producing well was completed in 1929, at a production of 2,000,000 

cubic feet daily and a rock pressure of 250 pounds to the square inch. 

The largest producer is reported to have had an initial flow of 8,000,000 

cubic feet a day. The field lies on the crest and flanks of the Wilburton anticline, a fold about 5 miles long, terminated at the southwest 

end by the Choctaw fault and poorly defined except at the east end. 

The gas conies from sandstones in the lower part of the Atoka formation. It is probable that additional gas might be encountered in 

wells drilled near the crest of the anticline between the previously 

drilled wells and the Choctaw fault, but the outcrops are so poor in 

that belt that the location of the axis of the anticline cannot be accurately determined from them.

The gas produced in the Wilburton field supplies the town of Wilburton, but so far as could be ascertained no production records of 

the field have been kept.

The log of the Nettie McCurray No. 1 well of the Limestone Oil & 

Gas Co., in sec. 15, T. 5 N., R. 18 E., in the Wilburton field is given 

below. The well yielded 2,000,000 cubic feet of gas daily at a depth 

of 2,518 to 2,548 feet, and under a rock pressure of 250 pounds to the 

square inch. The well starts about 1,000 feet below the top of the 

Atoka formation, and the bottom of the hole is in the same formation.

Log of Limestone Oil & Gas Co. Nettie McCurray No. 1 well, SWMSWydSWft sec. 15, 

T. 5 N., R. 18 E., Latimer County

Feet 

Black sod and earth ____.____.__.__...___-._..___ 0- 20

Gray sandstone. _ ____________________________ 20- 35

Blue shale__--_-_-__--__---__---___---_ ___-__l 35- 100 

Black sand______-__--_-_-_______-___-___-___.__ 100- 110

Blue slate.-.-. _ ___---. ___ __________________ 110- 140

Dark sand__-__-_-___-_-_-___-___-___-__-__--___ 140- 155 

'Blues-ate---.--- _-_-_-___- _--_-_ 155- 160 

Blue mud and gumbo_____-____________-__-___-__ 160- 185

Gray sandy shale __ ___-_-_______-_______-_._.__ 185- 230

Black slate. _____ ___ ._____ _____ _ _ 230- 315

Blueslate-_-_------_---_---__--_-___-__-.______ 315- 380

Brown slate __ ___________________ ___________ _ 380- 435

Blueslate____----__--__----_--__-___-__-.______ 435- 470

Blueshale 470- 530

Blue slate____ -------_-_ . _________________ 530- 555
286 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Log of Limestone Oil & Gas Co. Nettie McCurray No. 1 well, SWytSWy^SWy^sec. 15,.

T. 5 N., R. 18 E., Latimer County Continued

Feet 

Black sandy lime___---_------------------------- 555- 605

Blue shale. _ ..-_-. _ ... _ _.__._.._.... ____ 605- 660

White shale and lime shells...--------------. ... 660- 700

; Blue shale... _ - ______ _.--_---_.-- 700- 755 

Gray sandy lime __ .____._._-__-._-_---_-_-____ 755- 800

Black shale..-.- __ .. ___ -- _ .---_---_----.- 800- 820

Blue shale-----------.------------------------- 820- 860

White sandy lime and shells---. 860- 880

Blue slate. _-- ____ _.__... ___ . _ ... 880- 895

Gray sandy limestone. __ _ _ _ 895- 945

Blue slate....---------- __ ........_..__.. __ - 945- 965

Black slate..-.--- ___ - ___ ..._.. _.... _ ... 965-1,010

Blacksandy shale-------- . ---------------- 1,010-1,030

Blue sandy shale... ______ ----- ___ - _____ 1,030-1,075

White sand; some gas_ ___ - _ 1, 075-1, 120

Blue shale--.-----.-------. ---------------- 1,120-1,175

White slate.. . ___ ... __ --------------- __ 1,175-1,195

White sand; some gas_ ____-_.---____-_-___-_--___ 1, 195-1, 205

Brown shale.. . __ ... ..... ... _ ----- _ ....... 1,205-1,210

Dark sand; oil showing.. __ ___ _ - _ __ _ 1; 210-1, 250

Brown shale-. _.-_------_----------------------- 1,250-1,265

Light lime, hard -- ._ -------------- ..... 1,265-1,280

Light slate -- --- -- -- --.-------- 1, 280-1, 315

Black sandy shale-. - - --------------- 1, 315-1, 350

Lightslate --------..--------- -----------.--- 1,350-1,370

Dark shale ___ -- -_... __ __ 1,370-1,390

Dark slate_----------------------_-------------_ 1, 390-1, 400

Light sandy shale. .. 1, 400-1, 415

Light slate -----_ - -- _- _ 1, 415-1, 450

Dark slate.----------------.------ ------------ 1, 450-1, 575

Black lime; shells, gas _____ _- __- ____ _______ 1, 575-1, 600

Black slate-__-_-_-_--_. ---.----_ -.-_-.. -. 1,600-1,700

Light sand; oil showing __ _______________________ 1, 700-1, 715

Dark slate.......... ..... ........ ........ 1, 715-1, 720

Light sandy lime... __-_._-___._-..__.___.._...__ 1, 720-1, 750 

Dark sandy lime 1, 750-1, 830

Dark shale __ A...... ____ - _____ .-_--_ __ 1, 830-1, 840

Dark shale and slate 1, 840-1, 900

White lime..-. _______ __........._..._._... 1,900-1,915

Gray slate.. --------------------------- ... __ 1,915-1,945

Blue shale ___ ----- ___ - _ ....... _ ... 1, 945-1, 975

Brown shale. - - ._____-_-..__.-_.__.. 1, 975-2, 025

Brown sandy lime. _ _ _ __._.._ _ ... ___ . 2, 025-2, 040

Black shale--------------.------------------.-. 2, 040-2, 107

Gray shale... ----------------------------------- 2, 107-2, 117

Gray sandy lime; oil showing.......... 2, 117-2, 175

Gray shale --------------------------------- 2, 175-2, 245

Gray sandy shale _ _____ _ _______ _ -_ - 2, 245-2, 255

Light lime shells ------------.------------- 2,255-2,280

Brown slate... ______________ '_. 2, 280-2, 310
HOWE-WILBUBTON DISTRICT 287

Log of Limestone Oil & Gas Co. Nettie McCurrayNo. 1 well, SW%SW%SWytsec. 15,

T. 6 N., R. 18 E., Latimer County Continued

Feet 

Brown sandy lime; gas pocket___________________ 2, 310-2, 383

Black shale__-_.___..._.____________. 2, 383-2, 518 

Gray sand, producing gas__.--_..-___:_____-_-_-__ 2, 518-2, 548

Gray sandy shale..:_...-._._..-..__....._.._ 2,548-2,568

Black slate__..._._.--.-.---...:.-.-.-.....-.-.. 2, 568-2, 752

Light sandy lime._-.. --._..--_-____-...._ 2, 752-2, 766

Black shale_.--_.-.---.--.-..---.-.._.-.....--... 2, 766-2, 927

Light sand; gas pocket....-__.-_._-_-_-.___..__ 2, 927-2, 945

Black shale...----..-..-.----.--.....--....-.... 2, 945-2, 980

Light sandy lime._.-_.____.__-..-_.-.____'__.__^_ 2, 980-3, 052

Black shale..-:---.---.---.---.------..---..-.-.. 3, 052-3, 092

Black sandy shale..-.---.._______-.-_..-_... 3, 092-3, 232 

Gray sand; gas showing.....___.__-.-.....__._. 3,232-3,242

Gray sandy shale...------.---.----._-..---.._-_. 3,242-3,270

Sand and shale, broken; light oil showing.__________ 3,270-3,375

Blue slate._-_-..--..---.-.-...-.---_..-'-_--..._ 3,375-3,385 

Black.--.--------.-.--.--...-....-..-------.... 3,385-3,475

Black sandy shale...--_-_-_--_---------..-..--.. 3,475-3,530

Blue shale.------------------------------------. 3,530-3,667

Blue sandy shale...-----.-.-__-__------__--....- 3,667-3,775

Black sandy....--...-.._---.-.--...-___...--... 3,775-3,8^14

Blueshale_______-_---_---_-__--_-__--.____-____ 3,814-3,876

- Sandy shale___._...___.___..___..... 3,876-3,917. .

Gray sandy lime___.--.-._._......_..... 3, 917-3, 985

Light lime.._____._________.___..... 3, 985-4, 038

RED OAK GAS FIELD

The Red Oak gas field lies on the Brazil anticline north and northeast of the town of Red Oak, in the north-central part of the district. 

The first production in this field was from the Gladys-Bell Oil & Gas 

Co.'s well drilled in sec. 10, T. 6 N., R. 21 E., in 1912. Available 

records show that 23 wells have been drilled in this field and that 18 

wells have yielded gas in commercial quantities. The gas comes from 

the Hartshorne sandstone, about 1,500 to 2,000 feet beneath the surface, and extends over a belt 1}_ miles wide and 9 miles long. The 

producing area has been fairly well outlined but probably could be 

extended slightly. The largest producer recorded is the McFerran 

No. R. 0. 12, in the SE^SW^SE^ sec. 2, T. 6 N., R. 22 E., which 

had an initial daily flow of 25,000,000 cubic feet at a rock pressure of 

555 pounds to the square inch. No large pipe, line has been laid into 

this field, and there has been only slight local consumption of the gas 

in the village of Red Oak.

The log of the Morrison R. 0. No. 14 well of the Le Flore County 

Gas & Electric Co., in sec. 1, T. 6 N., R. 22 E., is given below. The 

section of rocks encountered in this well is fairly typical for the field.
288 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Log of LeFlore County Gas & Electric Co. Morrison No. R. 0. 14 well, in the 

sec. 1, T. 6 N., R. 22 E., Latimer County

McAlester shale: Feet

Shellrock -. ___ . ___ .. _ ______ ___ .. 0-6

Shale. __.. ____ .. _ ___-._-.. _ . _ ..... 6-85

Sand _ .... ___ _._. ____ . _______ .__... 85-90

Shale.__. ----------_---------- 90-440

Coal (McAlester). ___________________________ 440-442

Shale---.----------------.----------------- 442-586

Sand________ __________ __-_-____-____-___. 586-612

Shale.--.----.-----------.----------------- 612-662

Sand-__.-------------_-------------------- 662-677

Shale. _ -_----------------__ 677-969

Sand ---------------------------------- 969-974

Sandy shale. ------------------------- 974-989

Sand-.--.-------.----------------------- 989-1, 106

Shale- - ------------------------------ 1, 106-1, 903

Hartshorne sandstone: Sand. _____________________ 1, 903-2, 196

Atoka formation: Shale___ _____ _______ _ - __ 2,196-2,202

This well had an initial daily flow of 9,500,000 cubic feet of gas 

from the Hartshorne sandstone under a rock pressure of 550 pounds 

to the square inch.

The log of the S. J. Yancy No. 1 well, a dry hole drilled by the 

S. J. Cochran estate in sec. 10, T. 6 N., R. 21 E., is given below.

Log of S. J. Cochran estate S. J. Yancy No. 1 well, in the SW% SW% SW% sec. 10,

T. 6 N., R. 21 E., Latimer County

McAlester shale: Feet

Clay---.-- .-- .-------------___-.-_--- 4-8 ,

Blue shale- - ---- --------- 8-45

Sandstone HFW, 15-inch casing_-___-._--____- 45-65 !

Black shale, 12-inch casing. _____ __ _ 65-490

. White shale- ___ ._ ____ _,_____________'__ 490-501

Lime, hard___. ________ -_._ __ --------- 501-520

Brown sand _ ______________________________ 520-545

Broken sand ____._._____-_____-____-___-_- 545-575

Lime, very hard_________-_--_____-___-_---_- 575-592

Black shale. _ ... __________ . 592-601

Lime, very hard. 601-615

Brown shale.-- ----------- __________ - 615-695

Lime, hard 695-712

Broken sand. ___ ._ _ '_________ _ _ '712-725

Lime, very hard. _ _ _____ ____ __ 725-755

Black shale---------.-----------------.--- 755-770

Lime --... _______________________________ 770-800

Sandy shale __ - ____ _____________________ 800-805

Lime, hard and blue ____ _ _- 805-835

Black shale-._-------------------------- 835-1,130

Broken sandy lime __ ____ _ ___ __- 1, 130-1, 145

Black shale..----------------- - 1,145-1,501

Lime_ ___-___----------__-----_ 1, 501-1, 554
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 289

Log of S. J. Cochran estate S. J. YancyNo. 1 well, in the SWYt'SWy* ,SWy± sec. 

10; T. 6 N., R. 21 E., Latimer County Continued

Hartshorne sandstone: Feet

Sandrock, very hard-..------.----- ------- 1,554-1,593

Gas sand__--.______------_-------------.- 1, 593-1, 601

Water sand------.------.------------ 1,601-1,801

Atoka formation:

Broken lime.._-__________..._------- 1,801-1,855

Sand...----------------------------------- 1,855-1,930

Shale, 10-inch casing 2,010 feet__________ 1, 930-3, 685 

Dark lime, 8-inch casing 2,470 feet-..._-__ 3, 685-3, 695 

Shale, 6-inch casing 3,672 feet.___.______ 3, 695-3, 807 

Sandy shale...________________.._-...-_- 3, 807-3, 815

Shale.-__-_------------------------------- 3, 815-3, 870

Lime-.._..__---------____________ 3, 870-3, 872

Shale...--------------------------------- 3, 872-3, 879

Sand, gas sand---.-..------------.---------- 3,879-3,904

Shale--.-----------------------. 3,904-3,911

Sand_..---_----_----.--------------------_- 3,911-3,915

Hard white.-_______ ____________ 3,915-3,921 

White --------_- ------__-----__ 3,921-3,924

Sandy shale; gas sand at 3,989 and 4,011 feet__ 3,924-4,006 

Shale..-.---------------------------------- 4,006-4,250

Lime _________________________________. 4,250-4,252

Lime, shale------_________________-___ 4,252-4,265

'Sandy shale; pocket of gas- ________________ 4,265-4,277

; Hard sand shale___..--______-..___ 4,277-4,285

Sandy shale ______________________________ 4, 285-4, 375 ;

Lime, sand, shale_ - _ _ __ 4, 375-4, 415

Sandy shale_______________________________ 4, 415-4, 440

Lead -__---_- ------__- 4,440-4,443

Sandy shale______.-.-_----------___ 4,443-4,465.

Lime shale-- -- - -_ - - _- 4, 465-4, 490 

Sand and lime--__-_----------_-___---_-..__ 4, 490-4, 498

. Gray sand - _ -_ _:_ 4,498-4,508

Sand and shale. _ __._.._---_-_._- 4, 508-4, 525 

Gray sand and lime_ - -_- _ _- 4,525-4,540

Sand and lime__-___----------______---_._ 4, 540-4, 598

Sandy shale-_________. __._ _ - ___ 4,598-4,620 

Gray sand------_----_-_--__-.___ -_- ____ 4, 620-4, 635

Sand lime__-___.._-----____._____ 4, 635-4, 652

Black sand-___ ____________ 4, 652-4, 692

Sand lime___-_-____._________-..__ 4, 692-4, 707 

Hard sandy shale, cave__- .- __ 4, 707-4, 775

Black sandy shale_____._--____---____-__---_ 4, 775-5, 145

It is probable that most of the "lime" recorded in the log is hard 

slightly sandy shale.

POTEAU-GILMORE GAS FIELD

Only the extreme south side of the Poteau-Gilmore gas field lies 

in the Howe-Wilburton district east of Poteau in sees. 33, 34, and 35,
290 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

T. 7 N., R. 26 E. The greater part of the field lies north of the 

district in sees. 20 to 29, T. 7 N., R. 26 E. (Poteau), and sees. 19 and 

30, T. 7 N., R. 27 E. (Gilmore).

The first well in the Poteau field was completed in 1910 with an 

initial daily flow of 4,500,000 cubic feet of gas and a rock pressure of 

365 pounds to the square inch. The initial daily production of wells 

in the Poteau field ranged from 250,000 to 8,000,000 cubic feet and 

the initial rock pressure from 118 to 365 pounds.

The first producing well in the Gilmore field was completed in 1924 at 

an initial daily flow of 2,071,000 cubic feet of gas and a rock pressure 

of 200 pounds to the square inch. The initial rock pressure in other 

wells ranges from 135 to 293 pounds.

In 1929 there were 59 producing wells in the Poteau-Gilmore gas 

field.

The main production comes from the Hartshorne sandstone, which 

lies 1,200 to 2,000 feet below the surface. Production is practically 

confined to the upper part of that sandstone in some wells and to the 

lower part in all others. Some short-lived production has been 

obtained from the upper part of the Atoka formation in a few wells. 

The producing wells are on the crest and flanks of the Poteau anticline, 

which lies north of the Howe-Wilburton district. The eight wells 

within the district lie on the south flank of the anticline. Four of 

those wells were dry holes, three were producers, and one a small 

producer.

The log of the Galloway No. 68 well of the Le Flore County Gas & 

Electric Co. in sec. 35, T. 7 N., R. 26 E., is given below.

Log of Le Flore County Gas & Electric Co. Galloway No. 68 well, in the 

NE% sec. 35, T. 7 N., R. 26 E., Le Flore County

McAlester shale: Feet

Soil and clay _ _ _-- _ _____ __ 0- 15

Sandy shale___ _ ._ _ ____ _.__ 15- 45

Shale.-...---..---.--..--.---.....-...--..- 45- 363

Sand_____1_________________._ 363- 395

Shale.......--.---....----------...------.. 395- 928

Sand_____________..__-----_-.... 928- 952

Shale..-.-.----------..-....-.----..-.-.-.. 952-1,269

Sand...----------------------.------..-.-_. 1, 269-1, 274

Shale__ .................................. 1, 274-1,293

Sand --.-_---.-_----------..------------- 1, 293-1, 311

Shale..______-_--_-___--.._._.__..._......- 1, 311-1, 355

Sand__.____-__--------------__._._----_ 1,355-1,360

Sandy shale______------------.-_--------- 1,360-1,369

Hartshorne sandstone: Sand; gas at 1,400-1,446 feet

and 1,508-1,540 feet..-------------------- 1,369-1,604

Atoka formation: Shale..---------__-______ 1,604-1,607
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 291 

ADAMSON ANTICLINE

The structure of the Adamson anticHne is favorable for the accumulation of gas. It is closed at the east end, in sees. 34 and 35, T. 6 N., 

R. 18 E., and is open westward from sec. 10, T. 5 N., R. 17 E., where 

it crosses the west side of the district. However, it is closed about 9 

miles farther west, in the McAlester district. The anticline is broken 

on the crest by the Carbon fault, and its axial plane is inclined southward. Because of these features it is difficult to predict the exact 

location of closure in any bed beneath the surface.

One well, the Hunt No. 1 of the P. & F. Petroleum Co., in sec. 7, 

T. 5 N., R. 18 E., has been drilled on this anticline. Shows of both 

oil and gas were encountered at several horizons in this well, which 

penetrated only beds in the Atoka formation. The log of the well is 

given below.

Log of P. & F. Petroleum Co. Hunt No. 1 well, SE%SE%NW% sec. 7, T. 5 N.,

R. 18 E., Laiimer County

Feet 

Soil, blue----..---------------.-----..---------- 0-7

Shale.-------------.------.----------------.--. 7-25

Shale, sandy, blue._------______-___-__-._--_____ 25-30

Shale, blue-______________________-_.._ , 30-55

Shell lime-----.----.------._____.__..__ 55-60

Shale, sandy.-.-.--__-_.__---.----- -_--_ 60-100

Shale, blue ------------__--,-------------_--- 100-190

Shale, sandy; showing gas_____---___-----__--___- 190-205

Shale, blue- ................................. 205-215

Shale, sandy...___.--.-.__.____________. 215-225

Shale, gray.l_--__.._-_.-__-__________ 225-250

Shale, dark-blue................................. 250-315

Shale, brown___._._-_._-__...-__...___.___ 315-325

Sand, brown; showing oil and gas________________ 325-328

Shale, brown________________________... 328-380

Shale, blue.. --_------.--------.-------.------ 380-490

Shale, brown.____.___...____________ 490-500

Slate, black...---.---._.-.______.____. 500-545

Shale, dark blue..____________._______ 545-620

Shale, blue ----.---_--.-_----_------_-.._-.--- 620-630

Shell, hard -----------.---.-.---,------------- 630-632

Shale, blue ------------.----.--------._--_-_- 632-650

Not logged..___-____________._._____ 650-760

Shell, hard --------.-.-.--..-.----_----.----.. 760-763

Shale, blue _-..-------------.------_-------.- .763-810

Shell, gray...----.------__.-.-.__-...._-...-_-.. 810-812

Shale, blue ------------------------_-.---._.. 812-850

Shell, lime, gray_--------_.___.________ 850-865

Shale, sandy, light blue___-.___________.. 865-900

Shale, blue ------_----:-_-_-_-_-______--__-- 900-943

Shell, gray ---------------_--_--.-.-.---.--_-. 943-948

Sandy shale, blue__-.._._____..-_..__.___ 948-1,160 

Sand, showing oil and gas__....__---___-._.-____ 1,160-1,178
292 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

Log of P. & F. Petroleum Co. Hunt No. 1 well, SE^SE^NW^ sec. 7, T. 5 N.,

R. 18 E., Latimer County Continued

Feet 

-Sandy shale, blue_----_-----_-_--------.--__,__ 1, 178-1, 215

Shell, gr.ay_-,____ _.___.___---____--_--____-_-_____ 1,215-1,239

Shale, blue____--____-_----_-----_----------._.__ 1,239-1,460

Lime, black, and sandy shale; showing oil and gas___ 1, 460-1, 515 

Shale with shell intervals.___.___.___.____..__..__ 1,515-1,850

Lime, black, hard____________________.__.____ 1, 850-1, 860

Shale, light, with sandstone intervals; pocket of gas;

cleaned hole.-...----.--------------------_--. 1,860-2,128

Lime, some sand, hard_---_----_-------_---_---_- 2,128-2,140

Shale, black, with lime shells__________'_-.__-_-_- 2,140-2,180

Shale, very light ------------------------------ 2,180-2, 270

Shell lime, very hard ..._.-.-.--------------.-. 2, 270-2, 280

Sandstone and dark shale_____ _ _______ . ... . 2, 280-2, 335

Shale, light, with sandstone and shell intervals showing 

gas_________________________.-_____ 2, 335-2, 800

Lime, with streaks of sand, and shale intervals; showing oil and gas with a few bailers of salt water at 

2,940 feet --- _-_-_- _----.---_ _- 2, 800-3, 300

Black carbonaceous shale-------___--_--_--_------ 3, 300-3, 600

HEAVENER ANTICLINE

The Heavener anticline lies northwest of the town of Heavener,. 

A sequence of rocks including the upper 7,000 feet of the Atoka formation, the Hartshorne sandstone, and the McAlester shale closes around 

the east end of the anticline. The west end passes beneath alluvium 

in the Poteau and Fourche Maline River Valleys, and no structural 

closure can be determined from surface outcrops. Two wells are 

reported to have been drilled to depths of about 2,000 feet on or near 

the axis of this anticline, but I have been unable to obtain a log of 

either well and could find the location of only one of them.

SUMMERFIELD ANTICLINE

The Summerfield anticline is a small upfold about 2 miles southeast of the town of Summerfield, in sees. 24 and 25, T. 5 N., R. 23 E. 

A sandstone bed can be traced along the north and south flanks of 

this anticline but cannot be traced around the east and west ends. 

A low ridge is present at each end, however, and I believe that the 

sandstone on the flanks holds up the ridges that complete the closure 

of the anticline. No wells have been drilled on this anticline.

HARTFORD ANTICLINE

The Hartford anticline extends from the town of Howe about 

N. 75° E. to the Arkansas State line. Beds in the McAlester shale 

crop out on the crest and flanks of the anticline throughout its extent 

in the Howe-Wilburton district. An area of structural closure on the 

anticline is present southeast of the town of Monroe. The closure is
HOWE-WILBURT02ST DISTRICT 293

about 100 feet and covers about 2 square miles. The structure of the 

anticline is shown on-the geologic map (pi. 27) by contours drawn on 

the top of the Hartshorne sandstone, which lies about 300 feet below 

the surface in the highest part of the anticline. The geologic structure 

is favorable for the accumulation of gas. One well, the Winterfeat, 

No. 6 of the American Indian Oil & Gas Co., located in sec. 19, 

T. 6 N., R. 27 E., has been drilled on this anticline. The well is near 

the axis of the anticline and about a mile west of the area of closure. 

It started in the McAlester shale and penetrated the Hartshorne sandstone, together with the upper 2,425 feet of the Atoka formation. 

A show of gas was encountered in a sandstone of the Atoka formation 

at a depth of 1,695 feet. The log of the well is given below.

Log of American Indian Oil & Gas Co. Winterfeat No. 6 well, NW%NW)£SWy4 sec. 

19, T. 6 N., R. 27 E., Le Flore County

Feet

Rock....__..._.._._.._...__.........._......... 14-25

McAlester shale: Slate, soft, black.____._....._ 25-390

Hartshorne sandstone: Sand, hard.________________ 390-485

Atoka formation:

Slate,'black, soft.....---..._...__._-_..... 485-1,100

Sand, white, hard..._________________________ 1,100-1,172

Slate, black, soft-.J......._____________... 1,172-1,685

Sand, hard..._______________________________ 1, 685-1, 750

Show of gas.___.________________________ 1, 695

Slate, black, soft..._______________________ 1, 750-2, 160

Lime, black, hard__________________________ 2, 160-2, 225

Slate, brown, soft_..--_._________ _.______.__ 2,225-2,440

Lime, shells, hard__________________________ 2, 440-2, 575

Slate, black, soft----------.-...--------.-.-- 2,575-2,910

Reduced hole at_----------.-_^----_--------- 2, 575-1 6%

Bottom hole------------------------.------- 2,910 TD

' Inches.

The Hartford anticline continues eastward into Arkansas, and the 

Mansfield gas field is located on an area of closure about 12 miles east 

.of the State line. The production of that field comes from sandstones 

in the Atoka formation, the uppermost of which lies about 4,075 feet 

below the top of the formation. If this sandstone continues westward 

and is present in the area of closure in Oklahoma it would lie about 

4,560 feet beneath the surface and might contain gas. Other sands 

that are productive in the Mansfield gas field lie 4,300 and 5,050 feet 

below the top of the Atoka formation and may be present at depths 

of about 4,785 and 5,535 feet beneath the surface of the area of 

structural closure in Oklahoma.
294 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

BELT OF NORTHWARD-DIPPING STRATA ADJACENT TO THE CHOCTAW

FAULT

Along most of the south side of the area beds in the Atoka formation dip northward away from the Choctaw fault. It is possible that 

at some places sandstone beds present beneath the surface are cut 

and sealed by the fault. If any of these beds are gas bearing some 

production may be encountered in wells drilled in that belt.

PETROLEUM POSSIBILITIES

Shows of oil have been found in each of the wells drilled in T. 5 N., 

R. 18 E., near the west end of the Howe-Wilburton district. Oil in 

commercial quantities has not been found, however, and no shows of 

oil have been recorded in wells drilled farther east.

No strata below the Atoka formation have been penetrated in 

drilling, and as most of the Atoka strata are of nonmarme origin it 

is unlikely that they would contain adequate source materials for commercial amounts of petroleum. Strata containing suitable source 

beds may be present beneath the Atoka formation, but the possibility 

that heat and pressure may have destroyed any petroleum that may 

have been generated in such strata must be considered. Some index 

to the possibility of such destruction of petroleum may be obtained 

by a study of the fixed carbon contents of the coals of the area, as the 

fixed carbon contents of the coals are at least in large part dependent 

upon the amounts of heat and pressure that have affected them.

An isocarb map based on analyses of the coals ranging in age from 

the Lower Hartshorne to the Henryetta and covering the Arkansas 

and Oklahoma coal fields is given in figure 17. Most of the figures 

for fixed carbon used in the preparation of the map represent an average of several .analyses. (See table, p. 297.) The analyses used are 

with only eight exceptions standard United States Bureau of Mines 

analyses and are analyses with laboratory numbers higher than 

16,000. Analyses numbered less than 16,000 were not used because 

they were run before the present standard method of analysis was 

adopted by the Bureau of Mines. In earlier analyses the amount of 

volatile matter in coal was determined by heating the sample for 7 

minutes over a gas burner and determining the loss of weight, exclusive 

of moisture. It was found that variations in gas pressure and in composition of the gas used in heating produced variations of several 

percent in the amount of volatile matter driven off from duplicate samples in the 7-minute period. As fixed carbon is determined by subtracting the determined percentages of moisture, ash, and volatile matter from 100, this also produced a variation of several percent in fixed 

carbon. In order to eliminate that error, the Bureau adopted the

electric furnace for heating the samples at a constant temperature. 

All analyses with laboratory numbers above 16,000 were run by this 

method and are considered comparable within small limits of error.
HOWE-WILBUETON 1/ISTBICT 295

Several analyses with laboratory numbers above 16,000 were not 

used because the samples analyzed were high in ash. Such samples 

generally have abnormally low percentages of fixed carbon, and comparison of high-ash samples in the Arkansas-Oklahoma coal field with 

low-ash analyses from adjacent points showed the high-ash samples 

to be unreliable.

Seven analyses run by Moose and Searle 29 for the Oklahoma Geological Survey were used. Where they made analyses of coal from 

mines also represented by samples analyzed by the Bureau of Mines, 

the two sets of analyses checked very closely. It was assumed, 

therefore, that their analyses could be used for mines not sampled by 

the Bureau of Mines.

A single United States Bureau of Mines analysis numbered less 

than 16,000 was used for No. 59 on the isocarb map (fig. 17). This 

analysis was 5.7 to 7.1 percent lower than the analyses for adjacent 

points 58, 60, and 61. This difference is much greater than the probable error by the old method of analysis, and although the actual 

result for point 59 may be somewhat in error, it shows that the 

isocarbs diminish in value eastward from point 58 and southward from 

point 60.

In general there is an increase in fixed carbon in the coals from 

west to east across the Arkansas-Oklahoma coal field. The carbon 

ratios increase from 51.2 percent near Atoka, Okla., to 88.4 percent 

near Russellville, Ark.

In 1915 David White 30 pointed out that a direct relationship exists 

between the amount of metamorphism that coals have undergone, as 

expressed by their fixed carbon content, and the degree of possibility of 

occurrence of petroleum. In his last paper on that subject White 31 

states:

I have yet to learn of an authoritative occurrence of oil in commercial amounts 

within the extinction zone as originally defined by me, namely, 65 to 70 percent of 

fixed carbon. In fact, it is probable that little commercial oil will, in general, 

have been found where the reliably determined carbonization (fixed carbon 

content of the coals) exceeds 62.

Thus, on the basis of fixed-carbon content of the coals of the HoweWilburton district, it appears unlikely that petroleum will be found 

north or east of the 65 isocarb (fig. 17), which trends northwestward 

through Red Oak. From Wilburton west to the west side of the 

district the fixed carbon content is less than 60 (see fig. 17), which, 

together with the shows of oil obtained in wells drilled in the Atoka 

formation, suggests that petioleum may be present in strata beneath

88 Moose, J. E., and Searle, V. C., A chemical study of Oklahoma coals Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 51, 

1929.

'° White, David, Some relations in origin between coal and petroleum, Washington Acad. Sci. Jour., 

vol. 5, no. 6, pp. 189-212, 1915.

« White, David, Metamorphism of organic sediments and derived oils; Amer. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., vol. 19, no. 5, p. 608, 1936.
296 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

any yet penetrated by drilling, provided adequate source beds and 

reservoir beds are present.

The nature of the strata that underlie the Atoka formation in the 

Howe-Wilburton district is not known, but around the north and west

margins of the Arkansas-Oklahoma coal basin, of which this district 

is a part, rocks of a facies characteristic of the Arbuckle Mountains 

underlie the Atoka formation. The rocks of that facies generally 

contain both adequate source beds for petroleum and suitable reser-
HOWE-WILBURTON DISTRICT 297

voir beds. It is possible, therefore, that deep drilling on structural 

features favorable for the accumulation of petroleum located west of 

Wilburton may yield petroleum in commercial quantities.

TABLE 2. Analyses on which isocarb map (fig. 17 ) is based

Number on 

fig. 17

1

2

q

4

5

6

7

8

10

11

12

13

14

15 

16

17

18

10

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

98

9Q

30

qi

09

qq

34

35

36

37 

38

30

4A

41

42

44

45

46

47

48

49

Authority'

1

1

3

1

1

1

3

1

1

1

2

3

2

1

1

1 

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

1

1 

1 

1

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Analyses

A21783 to A21786-.. 

A21768, A24770, A24771, A24772...

A21767, A21769.. 

A21771, A21772, A21773. ..........

A21779, A21780, A21781... 

A21 763,' A21 764, A21765. .... 

A21775, A21776, A21777...........

A68381 to A68383. ................

30713, 30714, 30715, 30716, 30717,

30718. 

30708, 30709, 30710, 30711, 30712 

30719, 30720, 30721, 30722, 30723,

30724. 

229......... ...................

B-785-- . .........

228

A21272, A21273, A21274 _._._. -

A21131, A21133, A21134. ..........

A21128, A21129, A21130.. ...... 

W69549, W69550, W69556... 

30660 to 30667 

A21268, A21269, A21270.. .... -

A21478 to A21481. ....... .........

30656 to 30659--...-.-.-..-... _ -

A21118, A21120, A21121.. ...... ...

W69527, W69535, W69564- - 

A2U36, A21137, A21138..- 

A21280 to A21283. . . ...... ........

A21276, A21277, A21278. ...... ... .

30401, 30402, 30403..... ...... ... ...

30398, 30399, 30400 

19703, 19707, 19708 

19727 to 19732......-.. . .

A21122, A21124, A21125, A21126...

A21469 to A21473. ...... ... .....- -

201, 202, 203, 204, 205. 

30271 to 30277 .. .- 

16143, 16144, 16.145. 

W69542, W69547, W69530, W69552, 

W69560. 

27531 to 27535, (inclusive) W69509, 

W69510,W69513,W69516,W69517. 

A21474, A21475, A21476.. .....

A23791 ... ........ ..... .... 

171..... 

17646, 26323, 30344... 

26324,30706 

W69353, W69354, W69355, W69356.

29839, 29842, 29844..... ............

29840, 29841, 29843 

W69613, W69630, W69634... .

26801, 26802... .............. ......

A22020, A22021 , A22022. ... .......

Coal bed

 do 

 .do 

 do 

 do .

 do... 

 .do 

 do... 

McAlester. . . .

 do 

..... do ... .

 do ... ...

 do 

 do ... -

 do -.

 do... 

 do 

.....do. 

.... .do. ...

home.

home. 

McAlester. . . .

Lower Hartsborne.

 do 

..... do ... .

 do ... 

borne.

borne.

borne. 

... ..do 

..... do 

.....do 

 do -

..... do 

... ..do 

 do 

... ..do 

..... do.- 

Upper Hartsborne.

borne.

__ do __

.....do 

 do. 

.... do..... 

 do... 

shorne.

shorne.

Mine

B. & A. mine.. ...........

Whitehead.No. 2 ....

.... .do...... ..............

Atlas No. 2...... ..........

Warden-Pullen No. 2.....

No. 12.

M. K. &T. No. 21... .....

Samples No. 4........ _ .

Buck No. 5.... ........

Eock Island No. S. .......

M. K. & T. No. 19 

Degnan-McConnell New 

No. 5.

and slope mine. 

Blue Ridge No. Z. ........

Average 

fixed 

carbon (moisture- and 

ash-free)

no i

no ft

60 7

ftA Q

en 9

fin Q

60 9

CA 0

C9 9

eo 7

54.2

56.3

58.3

59.3

59.8 

61.7

58.4

61.7

57.4

59.5

KQ O

62.9

60.1

60 1

58.9

eo o

58.7

67.6

57.6

56.7

60.4

57.8

61.3

59.0

59.4

63.3

59.6 

59.1

KQ C

66.3

n

o

75.2

74.9

75.4

74.7

65.0

80.2

80.3

1 1, Analyses of Oklahoma coal: U. S. Bureau of Mines Technical Paper 411; 2, A chemical study of Oklahoma coals: Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin 51; 3, unpublished analyses of U. S. Bureau of Mines 

4, Analyses of Arkansas coals: U. S. Bureau of Mines Technical Paper 416.
298 SOUTHERN PART OF OKLAHOMA COAL FIELD

TABLE 2, Analyses on which isocarb map (fig. 17) is based Continued

Num 

beroD 

fig. 17

50

61

52

53

54

55

56

57>&

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

71

72 

73

74

75

76.

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

Authority

1

1

1

3

1

2

* 9

2

4

4

4

4

q

3,

4

3

3

1

1 

3

3

3

4

3

4

4

3

3

3

3

3

Q

3

3

Analyses

W69461, W69468, W69470, W69473

A21923, A21924, A21925.. ........

A24780, A24779-... ...........

A87203, A87204, A87205..........

W69464, W69465, W69482.. ......

230... .................... .......

222.. 

221. .............................

220.. 

3505................,.. ........

29835 to 29838 (iriclusive), 81809 to

81812 (inclusive). 

W69615, W69620, W69632, W69633

27612 to 27617 (inclusive), W69329

to W69334 (inclusive).

AQQ4T19 trt A QQdfl'i ffTYnlii"^ivo^

A99414 to A99417 (inclusive). .....

A3299, A3300, A3301... 

A99398 to A99401 (inclusive) ......

W69378, W69379, W69397... ......

A99827, A99836, A99837, A99838...

A99418 to A99421 (inclusive).. 

19673 to 19678 (inclusive), W69409,

W69410, W69411. 

A24785 to A24789 (inclusive). 

A55907, A55908, A55909, A55963...

A99828, A99829, A99830, A99384,..

A99406to A99409' (inclusive)... ...

18750 to 18753 (inclusive) . _ ..

A99824, A99826, A99833....... ....

W69641, W69643, W69644.. .......

A99378to A99381 (inclusive). 

18746 to 187,49 (inclusive)... 

A99375, A99376, A99377...........

A99371 to A99374 (inclusive) .

A99367 to A99370 (inclusive) ------

A99835, A99382, A99383, A99385...

A99825, A99831, A99832, A99834...

A99386 to A99389 (inclusive) 

A99410 to A99413 (inclusive) ...

Coal bed

ville.

shorne.

... ..do.... 

shorne. 

 do. ..

.....do........

 ..do.. ......

... ..do. 

.....do. 

.....do- ..

 do... 

 do........

 do- 

.....do. .......

 do. ..

 do........

....do........

....do.... .

shorne. 

 do..... ... 

 do.... .

.... do--. 

.... do. 

 do. 

.... do- 

.... do.-... 

 .do- 

.... do.... .

.... do....... .

....do........

 do.... .

.... do....... .

....do........

....do,...,...

 do... 

Mine

Leflore Poteau Coal Co ....

Potter Smokeless No. 7. ...

Potter Smokeless No. 8 ....

Dawes Brothers No. 4 .....

Standard No. 5 __ .. ....

Seymour mine........ ....

Central No. 10..... __ ..

CentralNo.il.... ..

Sun Coal Co...... __ ....

Western No. 18. ..........

Central No. 135...... .... .

Excelsior Coal Co. Skinner mine. 

Barr Coal Co. __

Williams No. I............

Superior Smokeless No. 29.

Eureka. ................

Dodson No. 2... __ .....

Quality Coal Co...... _ .

Merrill Coal Co 

Clark-McWilliams ...

Average 

fixed 

carbon (moisture- and 

ash-free)

74.0

QO 7

TR T

74 4

69.0

78.7

78.4

78.7

78.8

73.1

79.4

80.2

70 o

Q1 t

82.3

80.6

83.4

81.3

82.6

83.0

81.5

82.0

W 7

Qrt 0

on o

84.1

84 %

83.0

84.0

85.5

84.1

83.0

88.0

87.9

87.7

88.4

87.3

SAND AND GRAVEL

Extensive deposits of sand and gravel are present in the stream 

terrace deposits scattered throughout the district. Much of this material would be satisfactory for use as structural sand and gravel, but 

the lack of an adequate market has prevented any development of 

these resources, and so far as could be determined they have not been 

used locally.

SHALE FOE BRICK

Shale in the Atoka, McAlester, and Savanna formations has been 

used successfully in manufacturing brick in areas adjoining the HoweWilburton district on the east, north, and west, but no attempt has 

been made to manufacture brick in the district. It is probable that 

much of the shale is suitable for brick manufacture.
INDEX

Page 

Abstract-.. . . 256-256

Accessibility of the area...... 261

Acknowledgments.. 261 

Adamson anticline, location and features of. 278,291 

oil and gas showings in well on.__ 291-292 

Alluvium, Recent, occurrence and character

of... . . 276

American Indian Oil & Oas Co. Winterfeat No.

6well.log of.... 293

Anticlines, location and features of_ . 276,

278,279,291-293

Arkansas-Oklahoma coal field, isocarb map of.. 296 

Atoka formation, gas in......... 264,285-286,291,293

isopach map of. . 265 

. logs of wells in.......... 285-287,289,291-292,293

occurrence and character of______. 263-264 

shale suitable for brick in.. 298

Boggy shale, isopach map of_________ 273 

occurrence and character of______ 272-274 

section of.. 274 

view of._ pi. 32, A

Brazil anticline, gas in...................... 287-289

location and features of. ____ 278 

logs of wells on... . ... 288,289

Brick, shale suitable for..__________ 298

Carbon fault, location and features of..___ 277 

Carboniferous system, formations of_:_ 263-275 

Cavanal coal, blocks of, from Oakland Coal

Co.'s mine__________ pi. 32, B 

mining ol, method of.__________ 284 

occurrence and thickness of. 272,280, pi. 27 

sections of.... pi. 35

Choctaw fault, structural relations of___ 276,294 

Climate of the nrea_.____....___._ 262

Coal, analyses of.. __-_._ 282-283 

analyses of, isocarb map based on____ 296 

methods of mining._..... .... ... 284

production of. 279-280 

quality of.. 280-281

reserves of. .... ............... 280

uses of _.. 281 

Cochran, S. J., estate of, log of gas well of_ 288-289 

Coke, manufacture of......................... 281

Drainage in the area_____________ 262

Fanshawe, coal mines near................... 280

Faults in the area_ . ..... __ 276,277

Field work...... .. ........ 260

Geography of the'area___....___._ __ 261-262 

Oerty sand, occurrence and character of. __ 275 

Gravel, occurrence of.. .........__.... 298

74831 39 4

Page 

Hartford anticline, location and features of.... 279,

292-293

log of well on. __._.__._.____ 293

Hartshorne sandstone, fossil trees in___ pi. 29, B

gas in..-......... .. ..:... 264,287-290

occurrence and character of..._____ 264-268 

sections of.___.. _____ 266-267 

thickness of..._... . ..*.., 264 

views of.....1__.. _ ... pi. 29

Heavener anticline, location and features of '. 278-

279,292

Howe, coal mines near.. . .._______ 280 

Hughes, coal mines near ..... 280

Hunt No. 1 well, log of. . 291-292

Le Flore County Gas & Electric Co. Calloway

No. 68 well, log of.............__ 290

Morrison No. R. 0.14 well, log of.___ 288 

Limestone Oil & Gas Co. Nettie McCurray

No. 1 well, log of... . 285-287 

Lincoln Power Co.'s mine, briquets made at.. 281 

Location of the area. . ......____ 256,257

Lower Hartshorne coal, occurrence and thickness of_ . ..__ 280, pi. 27 

sections of....... . ...____ pi. 34

uses of 281

McAlester coal, occurrence and thickness of.. 269,

270,280, pi. 27

sections of. .. pi. 38

McAlester shale, brick made from______ 298

coal in.. .... ....... 269,270

fossil tree in... 268-269, pi. 31, A 

isometric diagram showing sandstone

beds in pi. 30 

isopach map of... ...__ 271 

occurrence and character of.. 268-270, pis. 30, 31 

sections of.___ ....... 266,288,290

thickness of..__ __..___.. 269-270

views of. pi. 31

McFerran No. R. 0.12 well, production of_ 287

Map, geologic, of the area. .......... pi. 27

Mineral resources of the area... . 279-298

Natural gas, fields producing.. . .... 284-290 

occurrence of. .... 284-294

Oakland Coal Co.'s mine, blocks of coal

from.__ . . .. pi. 32, B 

Oil. See Petroleum.

P. & F. Petroleum Co. Hunt No. 1- well,

log of. . ..__.____... 291-292

299
300 INDEX

Page

Pennsylvanian series, formations of...___ 263-275 

formations of, correlation of___ 274-275, pi. 33 

generalized section of_________ pi. 28 

Petroleum, possibilities of occurrence of._ 294-298 

Pine Mountain strip pit, views in______ pi. 29 

Population of the area_____________ 261 

Poteau-Qilmore gas field, location and features of... _________ 289-290 

log of well in________________ 290 

Publications on the area...________ 256-260

Quaternary system, deposits of. _______ 276 

Quaternary (?) system, deposits of.____ 275-276

Recent alluvium, occurrence and character of. 276

Red Oak, coal mines near....___.____ 280

Red Oak gas field, location and features of._ 287

logs of wells in.......__. ..... _ 288-289

S. J. Yancy No. 1 well, log of...... ._. 288-289

Sand and gravel, occurrence of..... . __ 298

Savanna formation, shale suitable for brick in. 298 

Savanna sandstone, age of . _ 272 

coal in___.. _______. ____.. 272 

isopach map of.. _____________ 273 

occurrence and character of..._.___ 270-272 

shale suitable for brick in._.______ 298

Page 

Secor coal, occurrence and thickness of__ 280, pi. 27

sections of...._._._______.__ pl.35 

Stigler (?) coal, occurrence and thickness of. 280, pi. 27

sections of..-.-..-. . ...___..._ pl.35 

Stratigraphy of the area. __________ 262-276 

Structure in the area, general features of._ 276-277

relation of topography to..________ 277 

Summerfield anticline, location and features

of ....... --- .-.._.-....._- 279,292

Synclines, location and features of.____ 276-277

Temperature in the area________...... 262

Terrace deposits, occurrence and character of. 275-276 

Topography of the area, features of ___ 261-262,277 

Transportation in the area_ . _. 261

Upper Hartshorne coal, occurrence and thickness of................... 269,280, pi. 27

sections of.. . . pi. 34

Vegetation in the area_____....... 262

White, David, quoted.. .....- ...... 295

Wilburton, coal mines near... 280

Wilburton anticline, features of___..-.. 278

Wilburton gas field, location and features of_ 285

log of well in.....__._______ 285-287

Wister, coal near. _. _________ 280

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