DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director

Bulletin 659

CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES

BY

GEORGE H. ASHLEY

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1918
ADDITIONAL COPIES

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CONTENTS.

Page.

Object of the report....................................................... 7

Definition...................:..........................;.....,............ 8

Classification......................................................;....... 10

Physical properties........................................................ 11

General appearance.................................................... 11

Block structure....................................................... 11

Bedding, grain, and fracture........................................... 12

Luster................................................................. 13

Streak................................................................. 13

Specific gravity................................................. '...... 13

Composition.............................................................. 14

Physical composition........................................ 1.......... 14

Chemical composition................................................. 15

Comparison with other coals....................................... 15

Analyses............................:........................._... 17

Analyses of cannel coal........................................ 17

Analyses of ash............................................... 29

Analyses of occluded gas.....................................;.. 29

Igniting point.................................:....................... 30

Origin.................................................................... 30

Mode of occurrence......................................................... 31

General features....................................................... 31

Deposit at Cannelton, Pa.............................................. 32

Deposit at Bostonia, Pa................................................. 33

Deposit at Chenoa, Ky................................................. 34

Uses..................................................................... 34

Heating.............................................................. 34

Gas making........................................................... 35

Coke making.......................................................... 41

Oil making........................................................... 41

Distillation for by-products............................................ 44

Cannel-coal mining......................................................... 50

Pennsylvania......................................................... 50

Ohio................................................................. 50

Indiana.............................................................. 50

West Virginia.......................................................... 50

Kentucky............................................................ 51

Production...........................'....._............................... 52

Value.................................................................... 54

Distribution.............................................................. 56

Pennsylvania......................................................... 56

Revival of the industry.......................................... 56

Center County..................'................................... 56

Clearfield County.................................................. 57

Indiana County.................................................... 58

3
4 CONTENTS.

Distribution Continued.

Pennsylvania Continued. Page.

Westmoreland County............................................. 59

Armstrong County................................................. 59

Allegheny County.................................................. 62

Butler County...................................................... 62

Beaver County...................................... 1:............. 62

Ohio................o................................................. 63

Mahoning County.................................................. 63

Coshocton County ................................."............... . 64

Licking County................................................... 66

Holmes County.................................................... 67

Jackson County................................................... ' 67

Scioto County..................................................... 67

Jefferson County .................................................... 67

Indiana. ............................................................. 68

Daviess County.................................................... 68

Perry County..................................................... 68

Parke County...................................................... 69

Illinois............................................................... 69

Michigan.............................................................. 69

West Virginia.......................................................... 70

Distribution of the coal.......................................\ .. 70

Preston County................................................... 70

Barbour County. . .........................:...................... 71

Upshur County.................................................... 71

Braxton County.................................................... 73

Webster County...............................,..............'...... 73

Nicholas County.............:.. .................................. 73

Kanawha County.............................:......-.............. 74

Boone County...................................................... 77

Lincoln County................................ '. .................. 81

Logan County..................................................... 82

Wayne County.................................................... 82

Kentucky..................................................... 1...... 82

Production....................................................... 82

Greenup County.................................................. 83

Carter County..................................................... 84

Elliott County................................................. '.... 87

Lawrence County................................................. 87

Johnson County.............:................. v................... 87

Morgan County..................................................... 89

Magoffin County.................................................... 93

Wolfe County...................................................... 93

Pike County........................................................ 93

Floyd County.. .................................................... 94

Breathitt County................................................... 95

Jackson County.................................................... 100

Letcher County. ................................. i................ 101

Leslie County...................................................... 102

Perry County..................................................... 103

Harlan County.................................................... 104

Bell County....................................................... 108

Knox County..................................................... 109
f

CONTENTS. 5

Distribution Continued.

Kentucky Continued. Page.

Clay County.........'............................................. Ill

Laurel County..................................................... Ill

Whitley County................................;................... Ill

Hancock County.................................................. 113

Tennessee............................................................ 113

Alabama............................................................... 114

Iowa................................................................. 114

Missouri.............................................................. 114

Occurrence of the coal............................................ 114

Callaway County.................................................. 115

Cole County...............:...................................... 116

Cooper County................................................... 117

Crawford County................................................. 117

Jasper County...................................................... 117

Lincoln County................................................... 117

Miller County.................................................... 117

Moniteau County.................................................. 117

Morgan County................................................... 117

Saline County.................................................... 119

Arkansas.............................................................. 119

Texas................................................................ 121

Utah..............:..................... ............................. 122

Index.................................................................... 123

ILLUSTEATIONS.

Page. 

PLATE I. Views showing block or cubical structure of cannel coal.......... 12

II. Views showing fracture of cannel coal........................... 12

III. Views showing structure of "curly" or "bird's-eye" cannel coal.. 14

IV. Cannel-coal mining, past and present............................ 34

V. Map of part of the eastern United States, showing locations of 

cannel-coal deposits and position of areas shown on large scale 

maps in this report.......................................... 66

VI. Sections of cannel coal in Kanawha County, W. Va.............. 78

VII. Map of part of eastern Kentucky, showing locations of cannelcoal deposits................................................ 24

VIII. Map of part of Missouri, showing location of cannel-coal deposits... 11 

FIGURE 1. Cross sections of cannel-coal basins............................. 32

2. Sections of cannel coal in Center, Clearfield, and Indiana counties, Pa..................................................... 57

3. Sketch map of cannel-coal area south of New Bethlehem, Armstrong County, Pa........................................... 59

4. Sections of cannel coal in Armstrong and Beaver counties, Pa.... 60

5. Sketch map of cannel-coal basin in Jefferson and Bedford townships, Coshocton County, Ohio............................... 64

6. Sections of cannel coal in Ohio................................. 65

7. Sections of cannel coal in Indiana............................... 68
CONTENTS.

FIGURE 8. Sections of cannel coal in Preston, Barbour, Webster, and Nicholas

counties, W. Va.............................................. 71

9. Map of part of West Virginia, showing locations of cannel-coal

deposits..................................................... 72

10. Sections of cannel coal in Boone County, W. Va................. 76

11. Sections of cannel coal on Pond Fork of Little Coal River, Boone

County, W. Va.............................................. 79

12. Sections of cannel coal in Lincoln and Wayne counties, W. Va.. 81

13. Sections of cannel coal in Greenup County, Ky................... 83

14. Sections of cannel coal in Carter County, Ky.................... 85

15. Sections of cannel coal in Elliott and Johnson counties, Ky..... 88

16. Sections of cannel coal in Morgan County, Ky.....'............... 90

17. Sketch map of cannel-coal area around Cannel City, Morgan County,

Ky......................................................... 92

18. Sections of cannel coal in Magoffin County, Ky................... 93

19. Sections of cannel coal in Pike and Floyd counties, Ky.......... 94

20. Sections of cannel coal in part of Breathitt County, Ky........... 96

21. Sections of cannel coal in part of Breathitt County, Ky........... 98

22. Sections of cannel coal in Letcher County, Ky.................. 101

23. Sections of cannel coal in Leslie and Perry counties, Ky.......... 103

24. Sections of cannel coal on Clover Fork of Cumberland River,

Harlan County, Ky.......................................... 104

25. Sections of cannel coal in Harlan County, Ky................... 106

26. Sections of cannel coal in Bell and Knox counties, Ky........... 109

27. Sections of cannel coal in Whitley and Hancock counties, Ky.... 112
CAMEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

By G. H. ASHLEY.

OBJECT OF THE REPORT.

The recent rapid growth of the chemical industries 'of the United 

States, due in part to the shutting off of outside sources of supply, 

has brought the country to a point where it can provide for its 

own chemical needs and can reasonably expect that its products 

may soon enter the world's markets. The rapid extension of the 

use of motor-driven vehicles and the urgent demand for a larger 

supply of high explosives have led to a greatly increased demand 

for the lighter hydrocarbons and for the chemicals that are obtained by the nitration of toluene and phenol, which are derived 

by distillation from by-products of the distillation of coal.

One result of this increased activity has been a demand for information about cannel coal, one of the richest substances in hydrocarbons known, though the availability of these hydrocarbons for this 

growing chemical industry has yet to be proved. These hydrocarbons are now obtained by the distillation of oil and as by-products in 

the .destructive distillation of coal. The primary products of this 

distillation of coal are artificial gas and coke or coke alone; the 

primary by-products are tar, ammonia, and benzol. The facts that 

cannel coal does not yield a coke that may be used for the purpose 

for which most coke is now marketed and that its cost has been 

about double that of the coals now used for making gas or coke 

have heretofore prevented its employment as a source of gas or 

coke. The recent increased demand for these by-products, however, is putting them into the class 'of primary products, and if 

the demand continues to increase as it has of late new and independent sources of hydrocarbons must be utilized. This fact has 

recently led to an increasing number of inquiries of the United 

States Geological Survey regarding cannel coal and has led to the 

preparation of this report.

The work done on this report has made more evident the already 

well-known lack of any general discussion of cannel coal. Cannel

7
8 CANCEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

coal is mentioned incidentally in a great many publications but in 

most of them only as a matter of curiosity, and even if it may be 

mentioned in the text of a book it has seldom been noted in the index, 

so that in reviewing the literature it has been necessary to go over 

many books page by page. Most of the longer memoranda on the 

cannel coal of this country were made during or just after the period 

of great interest in cannel coal, between 1855 and 1860, or just before 

the discovery of our great reservoirs of petroleum. At that time it 

was the principal source of our oil supply, nearly 60 distilleries being 

in operation in the United States in 1860. The discovery of rock 

oil naturally knocked the bottom out of the " coal-oil" industry, but 

the new growing demand for hydrocarbons may lead to a revival of 

the mining of cannel coal. In this connection it is desirable to call 

attention to a fact brought out elsewhere in this report that all socalled cannel coals are not equally valuable for producing oil and 

gas, notwithstanding the prices at which they may now be selling 

for use in grates; two cannel coals may be of equal value for use in 

grates and may therefore now bring the same price, but one may have 

twice the value of the other for distillation for oil or gas.

The present paper is not intended as an original contribution to the 

subject, though the writer has drawn on his own notes in describing 

many of the deposits mentioned, particularly those in Pennsylvania, 

Indiana, and parts of West Virginia and Kentucky. It consists of 

a preliminary review of well-known facts about the character, uses, 

and value of cannel coal and brief descriptions of workable deposits 

of cannel coal, including cross sections of the beds, and it gives such 

analyses of the coal as are available.

DEFINITION.

Cannel coai is a massive, noncaking, tough, clean, block coal of 

fine, even, compact grain, dull luster, commonly conchoidal cross fracture, having a typical low fuel ratio, a high percentage of hydrogen, easy ignition, long yellow flame, black to brown greasy streak, 

and moderate ash, pulverulent in burning. It is essentially a rock 

derived by solidification and partial distillation or oxidation of 

water-laid deposits consisting of or containing large quantities of 

plant spores and pollen grains and more or less comminuted remains 

of low orders of water plants and animals.

In such a deposit of decaying spore and pollen material, containing both vegetal and animal debris to which Pbtonie* has given the 

name "sapropel,"-there may be admixed greater or less quantities of 

mud or of woody or peaty material. The Jiigh volatile content and 

high hydrogen of cannel coal appears to be derived from the spore

, Henry, Die Entstehung der Steinkohle, 5th ed., p. 3, 1910.
DEFINITION.

and pollen- and waxy material and, to an unknown extent, from 

animal remains. The greater the admixture of woody or peaty 

material derived from the usually adjoining peat marshes, the more 

closely the cannel coal resembles chemically the associated bituminous 

coals and the smaller the proportionate yield of oil by distillation. 

Cannel coals in common with other coals also differ in character 

and value because of changes they undergo, first by decomposition 

and later by physical and chemical changes due to pressure and heat, 

especially to pressure due to the weight of superimposed rocks and 

to the horizontal thrusts that have locally folded and otherwise disturbed the earth's crust. The effect of these forces has -been somewhat similar to that of slow distillation, driving off first the moisture, then the higher hydrocarbons, then the heavier hydrocarbons, 

and ultimately, if continued, nearly or quite all of the volatile hydrocarbons. It is evident that the deposit will be of greatest value as 

a source of oil at that point where the largest percentage of water 

and the smallest percentage of volatile hydrocarbons have been 

driven off. Such coal may be termed typical cannel. Coals which 

have not reached that rank may be called subcannels, and those 

which have much passed that point and have thus lost all their 

peculiar qualities may be called canneloid coals.

Typical cannel coal is distinguished from bituminous coal by the 

following contrasting features :

Bituminous coal.

1. Laminated.

2. Bright and dull bands.

3. Prismatic fracture.

4. Jointing imperfect.

5. More or less friable.

6. Disintegrates by weathering.

7. Soils the hands.

8. Percentage of fixed carbon higher 

than that of volatile matter.

9. Derived from woody or peaty deposits grown in place.

10. Basins commonly extensive.

11. Commonly yields on distillation 

less than 10,000 cubic feet of gas 

.to the ton.

12. Candlepower of gas commonly less 

than 17.

13. Commonly cakes in burning.

14. Coke usually strong.

Cannel coal.

1. Massive.

2. Uniform velvety or satiny luster.

3. Conchoidal fracture.

4. Jointing regular and striking.

5. Tough and elastic.

6. Weathers slowly; used for foundations of barns, etc.

7. Does not soil the hands.

8. Percentage of fixed carbon typically lower than that of volatile 

matter (except in lean cannels).

9. Derived mainly from spores, pollen, 

etc., brought in by wind and 

water.

10. Basins rather small; many are 

narrow channels.

11. Commonly yields on distillation 

more than 10,000 cubic feet of 

gas to the ton.

12. Candlepower of gas commonly 

more than 20.

13. Does not cake in burning.

14. Coke pulverulent.
10 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Bituminous coal Continued.

15. Yield of oil on distillation commonly less than one barrel to the 

ton.

16. Less than 6 per cent hydrogen.

17. Ignites with difficulty.

18. Streak commonly black.

Cannel coal Continued.

15. Yield of oil on distillation from 

one to more than two barrels to 

the ton.

16. More than 6 per cent hydrogen.

17. Ignites readily.

18. Streak commonly brown.

CLASSIFICATION.

The subcannel coals may be divided into two ranks, corresponding 

to lignite and subbituminous coals, which may be distinguished as 

brown and black subcannels.

Cannels may be divided into two or three ranks boghead cannels 

having a fuel ratio of 0.5 or less, named from their resemblance to 

the famous "boghead" of Scotland; cannels (including boghead), 

having a fuel ratio of 1 or less; and semicannels, having a fuel ratio 

of more than 1. A fuel ratio of 1 is a convenient point at which to 

draw the line between the typical and the lean cannels, but further 

research may show that it should be drawn a little higher or a little 

lower. This high fuel ratio may be due to dynamo-chemical changes, 

which decrease the percentage of volatile hydrocarbons, or to admixture of peaty elements in the original deposits, or to both.

If the fuel ratio of a cannel coal is more than 1 and the pure 

coal of the associated bituminous coal contains less than 65 per 

cent fixed carbon, the high fuel ratio is probably due to the presence 

of peaty elements in the original deposits. As such coals stand between bituminous and cannel coal they are properly called semicannels. On the other hand, low-volatile cannels that are associated with 

high-carbon bituminous coals may have been originally either nonpeaty cannels or peaty cannels. A detailed investigation of the constitution of these coals would doubtless reveal significant differences 

between these types and future distillation practice may disclose 

economic differences in the yield of certain hydrocarbons, for instance. At present, however, for practical purposes they may all be 

considered lean cannels or semicannels.

Cannels that are associated with semibituminous, semianthracite, 

and anthracite coals and that have so far lost any peculiar advantage over the coals with which they are associated as not to be 

separated in mining, marketing, or use may be classified, according 

to their nature, as canneloid, semibituminous, semianthracite, or 

anthracite.

Cannel coals may therefore be classified, largely in genetic sequence, 

as follows:

1. Subcannel coal:

(a) Brown subcannel, of brown coal or lignite rank. 

(&) Black subcannel, of subbituminous rank.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. 11

2. Cannel coal of bituminous rank:

(a) Boghead cannel (fuel ratio less than 0.5).

(&) Cannel, typical (fuel ratio less than 1).

(c) Lean cannels or seinicannels (fuel ratio more than 1).

3. Canneloid, semibituminous, semianthracite, or anthracite coal.

The grade of a cannel coal varies with the amount of ash or other 

impurity it contains. The bodies of water in which the cannels were 

laid down were at some places subject to inflows of mud, so that the 

deposit at such places might contain from less than 5 per cent to 

100 per cent of ash, or might range from a pure cannel coal to a nonbituminous shale. The line between a coal and a shale has never 

been sharply drawn, but the suggestion is here made that material 

which, when burned, breaks down and yields an ash that goes 

through the grate bars and shows no tendency to maintain its original shape is a coal, and that material which on burning yields an 

ash that tends to maintain its original shape is a shale. The exact 

percentage of ash that should distinguish a coal from a shale can 

not yet be given, but until more exact figures are available it is suggested that material that yields less than 33 per cent of ash be considered a coal.

High ash, though it reduces the grade of a cannel coal, does not 

necessarily mean that the coal will not yield a large proportion of 

hydrocarbons, for many original deposits were not laid down in peat 

bogs and so contain little woody material. Such deposits may therefore yield coal that is rich in oil-making elements even though they 

may be high in ash. Thus an analysis of Scotch boghead (p. 28) 

shows nearly 20 per cent of ash, but more than TO per cent of volatile 

hydrocarbons and about 10 per cent of fixed carbon. Some of the 

boghead shales of this country will yield from a barrel to more than 

two barrels of crude oil per ton of rock. Thus, as David White has 

suggested, such coals may be arranged in a series ranging from cannels through boghead cannels and cannel bogheads to bogheads.

The Scotch boghead and other bituminous shales have long been 

distilled for oil, and such shales are abundant in this country. 

Nearly all the coals described in this report are cannel coals, but 

a few analyses of canneloid coals are given for comparison, and a 

typical brown subcannel from Arkansas, a black subcannel from 

Utah, and a subcannel from Texas are briefly described.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES.

General appearance. Cannel coal is a nearly dull black, homogeneous, fine-grained coal, much of it resembling black flint in fineness of grain and in fracture.

Block structure. The bed is commonly split by vertical joints, 

many of which extend from the roof to the floor. These joints are
12 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

nearly everywhere regularly spaced and occur in two sets that run 

nearly at right angles to each other. As a result the coal may mine 

out in blocks having almost a square cross section and a thickness 

ranging from the full thickness of the bed down to a few inches. 

The size of the blocks' depends on the distance between the joints. 

In some places such joints are several feet apart; and the coal may 

be mined out in cubes measuring several feet on an edge. More 

commonly it is mined in cubes the size of a man's head or smaller. 

(See PL I.) This cubical structure is shown on a small scale in 

Plate II, B.

Bedding, grain, and fracture. Cannel coal generally shows no 

bedding or horizontal banding but is even grained or massive 

throughout. At some places, however, as at Boghead, Ky., blocks 

of coal that are greatly weathered may have somewhat the appearance of the charred edges of a burned book and may split along 

bedding places into thin sheets, one of which, measured by the 

writer, had a thickness of -^ of an inch. In other cannels weathering brings out a wavy structure, possibly the results of ripple 

marks on the original deposit. A coal that will weather into thin 

sheets may, when unweathered, have the massive appearance and fracture of a piece of nontransparent black flint. The evenness of grain 

permits the coal to be carved into desk weights or other objects. 

Indeed, the well-known material jet, used for making jewelry, is 

only a variety of cannel coal. The cross fracture of cannel coal is 

generally conchoidal, like that of glass. (See PI. II, A.)

In some districts the cannel coal is what is known locally as " bird'seye" or "curly." The fracture surfaces of this variety are small 

and irregular. (See PL III.) The two varieties may be found 

in the same mine, as were two of the specimens shown in Plates II 

and III.

Cannel coal that occurs in rocks which have been subjected to folding or which have been under heavy stress lose their characteristic 

structure and fracture and may become friable or tender and acquire 

a fracture and structure like that of the surrounding bituminous or 

anthracite coal, which it then resembles chemically as well as physically, though the two are distinguishable. Thus, at the Lula mine, 

near Philipsburg, Center County, within a few miles of the eastern 

edge of the bituminous coal field of Pennsylvania, there is a coal 

that was evidently originally a cannel, as it still has the typical dull, 

satiny luster of cannel, but its fracture is only slightly conchoidal 

and that of most of it is similar to the fracture of the associated 

bituminous coal, which in that area is long grained. It has also 

become friable, and instead of breaking, as usual, into blocks that 

split readily with the bedding and only with difficulty across the
U. 6. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE I

B.

VIEWS SHOWING BLOCK OR CUBICAL STRUCTURE OF COAL.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE II

VIEWS SHOWING FRACTURE OF CANNEL COAL.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. 13

bedding it may be shattered by a slight blow of the hammer into 

slivers or chunks 6 inches to a foot or more long and 2 or 3 inches 

through, whose longest, diameter is perpendicular to the bedding 

planes; and if such a chunk falls only a few feet to the ground it 

is likely to break into pieces, none of which are more than 2 inches 

long by half an inch square; and if handled much, most of this coal 

will crumble to fine dust. Obviously, this structure is due to the 

intense pressure to which the coals and the rocks that contained it 

have been subjected. David White has called attention to lenses of 

anthracite that still have enough of the features of cannel to indicate 

that they were originally true cannel coals, though to-day they are 

true anthracite. (See pp. 16,17.)

Luster. Cannel coal has a dull, even velvety sheen, resembling 

that of a fine-dressed black leather new harness leather. The 

curly variety, if examined at right angles to the bedding, shows a 

dead black matrix mottled by dully glistening spots. (See PI. III.) 

Some "bird's-eye" cannel has an irregular pitted appearance, as 

illustrated by Hendrie.1

Streak. The streak of cannel coal that is, the color of the mark 

it makes when rubbed against some other substance is brown to 

black. Typically it is an oily brown.

Specific gravity.- The specific gravity of pure cannel coals is less 

than the average of bituminous coals that contain the same percentage of ash, and in most cannels that have the same percentage of 

ash the larger the percentage of volatile matter the lighter the 

coal that is, the less its specific gravity. The following table shows, 

first, the change in specific gravity with change of ash where the 

fuel ratio remains about the same; second, the change in specific 

gravity with change in fuel ratio where the ash remains about the 

same.

Relation of specific gravity to percentage of ash in cannel coal.

Locality.

Mouth of Troublesome Creek, Breathitt County, Ky.6 

Branch of Horselick Creek, Jackson County, Ky c. . .

Long Branch of Martins Fork, Harlem County, Ky. «.

Specific 

gravity.

1.21

1.265 

1.32 

1.38

1 30

1.43

1.51

Ash.

3.00

7.30 

8.76 

9.9

11.44

13..2

24.6

Volatile 

matter.

48.9

47.0 

43.6 

44.7 40 -t

40.2

34.6

Fixed 

carbon.

47.0

44.4 

45.5 

42.9

40 o

44.0

39.4

Fuel 

ratio.

O Qft

.94 

1.04

QA

1 04

1.09

1.14

o Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull. 11, p. 27,1910.

6 Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, p. 221,1884.

c Idem, p. 273.

<J Newberry, J. S., Ohio Geol. Survey Rept. Progress for 1870, p. 420,1871.

< Peter, Robert, op. cit., p. 265.

1 Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. 

Rept., p. 89, 1894.
14 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES. 

Relation of specific gravity to fuel ratio in cannel coal.

Locality.

Nichols Fork of .Frozen Creek, Breathitt County,

Specific 

gravity.

1.14

1.16

1.18

1.235

1.21

1.291

1.33

Fuel 

ratio.

0.42

.54

.60

.72

1.04

1.34

1.39

Volatile 

matter.

64.1

59.7

58.8 <;i a

46.6

38.2

36.9

Fixed 

carbon.

27.0

32.3

35.3

V7 ^

40.8

51.0

51.2

Ash.

7 9

7.4

4.7

8.2.

5.00

8.8

7.1

a Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Rept. 1858-59, p. 114,1861.

b Peter, Robert, op. cit.,"p. 315.

c Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, p. 221,1884.

d Idem, p. 292.

e Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull. 11, p. 27,1910.

/ Idem p. 275.

g Crandall, A. R., Report on the Chirms Branch cannel coal district: Kentucky Geol. Survey Repts. 

on eastern coal field, C, p. 6 [200], 1884.

Were a large enough number of determinations made it might be 

possible to give, at least approximately, the relative weight-giving 

value of ash and fixed carbon. However, enough has been given to 

show the basis for the common rule that the lighter the cannel coal 

the greater its value.

COMPOSITION.

The composition of cannel coal is determined in three ways by 

microscopic examination, by dissolving out its component parts by 

pyridine or other solvent, and by destructive distillation or analysis.

PHYSICAL COMPOSITION.

The fundamental differences between typical cannel coal and 

typical bituminous coal appear to result from the fact that they were 

deposited under different conditions and consequently were composed 

of different original substances, which formed different decomposition 

products. It is now very generally agreed that most coal is transformed peat. Cannel coal, however, appears to have been formed in 

part from decayed spores or pollen and other floating remains of 

plants, as well as of remains of minute or slow-moving animals, such 

as are commonly found to-day in the bottoms of lakes. In a peat 

bog decay is only partial, but in the more open waters of lakes or 

lagoons, whether surrounded by bogs or not, decomposition is likely 

to affect almost the whole mass of organic matter that settles to the 

bottom except the spore cases, or outer coverings of the spores, which 

are naturally very resistant, and some few other end products. 

These spores appear to have been mainly those of ferns and related 

plants, which were abundant during the' Carboniferous period as 

well as later, and most of which were much larger and on the whole 

far more abundant than those of to-day. Associated with material
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE III

VIEWS SHOWING STRUCTURE OF "CURLY" OR "BIRD'S-EYE" CANNEL COAL,
COMPOSITION. 15

of this type in some deposits of cannel coal, according to Newberry,1 there are abundant remains of fish and other free-swimming animals. Many of the spore cases, though flattened, are well 

preserved; others are broken down into a pulp or ooze. According 

to Von Giimbel, Bertrand, Renault, and Thiessen 2 cannel coal, when 

viewed under the miscroscope in thin sections, consists mainly of spore 

cases in different stages of decay, with which are associated a very 

minor proportion of other bodies, like particles of resin, resistant seed 

coats, fragments of cuticle, and waxy bodies. In view of the difference in resistance to decay between the spore cases and the watergrowing plants, such as algae, it may be doubted whether the presence 

of spore cases only should be taken as proof that spores have been the 

main source of the carbonaceous material. Associated with this pure 

coal matter is a greater or less proportion (10 to almost 100 per cent) 

of clay or sand, which forms the ash. As the proportion of shaly 

matter increases the coal changes to a bituminous or oil shale and 

locally to a nonbituminous shale.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. 

COMPARISON WITH OTHER COALS.

Most cannel coals may be distinguished from other bituminous 

coals by the large proportion of high-candlepower volatile matter 

that is driven off from them at high temperatures or the large proportion of oil that is driven off at low temperatures and by the 

high percentage of hydrogen they yield on ultimate analysis. 

Doubtless more fundamental chemical differences would be found 

were it possible to determine exactly the chemical combinations 

existing in the coals, but no method of doing this completely has 

yet been devised. An ordinary analysis of coal may show either the 

proportions of the elements it contains or the products that may be 

obtained by heating the coal to a certain high temperature the 

products differing according to the temperature and pressure applied.

By the usual methods of analysis, bituminous coals will yield 

from 45 to 75 per cent of fixed carbon and from 20 to 45 per cent of 

volatile matter. The fuel ratio of such coals that is, the ratio of 

the fixed carbon to the volatile matter will range from 1 or a 

little over for the coals of the Mississippi Valley to 2 or more for the 

coals in the eastern Appalachian field.

1 Newberry, J. S., On the mode of formation of cannel coal: Am. Jour. Sci., 2d ser., vol. 

23, p. 214, 1857.

2 White, David, and Thiessen, Reinhardt, The origin of coal: Bur. Mines Bull. 38, pp. 

248 et seq., 1913.
16 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

In contrast with these figures, typical cannel coals contain from 

25 to 45 per cent fixed carbon and from 45 to 70 per cent volatile 

matter, or gas, the fuel ratio ranging from 1 down to 0.5 or less. 

This difference is shown by comparing the analysis of a sample of 

cannel coal with that of a sample of bituminous coal from a different 

bench of the same bed.

Analyses of cannel and bituminous coal from the same bed. 

[C, cannel coal; B, bituminous coal.]

Locality.

Troublesome Creek. Breathitt County, Ky. 6 ...........................

Quicksand Creek. Breathitt County, 

Ky.c. .............................

Chenoa, Bell County, Ky. <*. .........

Volatile 

matter.

C

64.1 

48.2

66.2 

51.6

B

35.9 

38.0

39.6 

32.6

Fixed carbon.

C

27.0 

44.2

29.7 

40.4

B

53.3 

52.0

48.0 

62.3

Ash.

C

7.9

4.7

3.6 

7.0

B

6.5 

4.7

10.6 

3.4

Fuel ratio.

C

0.42 

.91

.44

.77

B

1.49 

1.37

1.21 

1.90

a Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Kept., for 1858-59, p. 114,1861.

b Hodge. J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 27.1910.

« Fobs, F. H., Coals of the region drained by the Quicksand creeks: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 18, 

p. 77,1912.

d Ashley, G. H., and Glenn, L. C., Geology and mineral resources of part of Cumberland Gap coal 

field Ky.: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 49, p. 95,1906.

Many coals (see p. 12) that have the appearance and some that 

have the physical properties of cannel coal do not have the same high 

volatile content or low fuel ratio. The cannel coal that is so extensively mined at Cannel City, Ky., for example, has an average content of about 40 per cent of volatile matter and 50 per cent of fixed 

carbon, indicating a fuel ratio of about 1.25. Cannel coal mined 

at Cannelton, Ind., contains 28 to 35 per cent of volatile matter and 

58 to 60 per cent of fixed carbon. 'The cannel coal of Armstrong 

County, Pa., contains 30 to 31 per cent of volatile matter and 46 to 

49 per cent of fixed carbon.

The low content of volatile matter in Pennsylvania cannels may be 

due to the loss of volatile matter by the pressure to which the rocks in 

that field have been subjected. This probability is perhaps best 

shown by comparing the proportion of volatile matter and fixed 

carbon in coal taken from benches of the same bed at points across 

the State in a line from west to east. First are given analyses from 

the lean or semicannel and bituminous parts of a bed.in Armstrong 

County near the center of the western coal field of the State; next 

are given analyses from the Blossburg field of Tioga County, where 

the coal is of semibituminous rank; then from the Barclay field in 

Bradford County, the next county to the east; and last from the semianthracite field of Bernice, Sullivan County.
COMPOSITION. 17 

Changes in benches of Pennsylvania coal undergoing loss of volatile matter.

Location.

Southeast of New Salem, Armstrong 

County o. ..........................

Fall Brook, Tioga County 6. .........

Canneloid bench.

Volatile 

matter.

37.8 

17.1 

15.0 

9.0

Fixed 

carbon.

53.1 

66.2 

71.3 

63.7

Ash.

6.7 

14.9 

12.1 

24.6

Fuel 

ratio.

1:1.40 

1:3.86 

1:4. 74 

1:7.06

Bituminous or semibituminous 

bench.

Volatile 

matter.

37.9 

20.8 

17.0 

9.6

Fixed 

carbon.

52.7 

70.8 

75.9 

82.3

Ash.

6.7 

6.5 

5.4 

5.5

Fuel 

ratio.

1:1.39 

1:3. 40 

1:4.44 

1:8.64

o McCreath, A. S., Third report of progress in the laboratory of the Survey at Harrisburg: Pennsylvania 

Second Geol. Survey Kept. M3, p. 57,1881.

& McCreath, A. S., Second report of progress in the laboratory of the Survey at Harrisburg: Pennsylvania 

Second Geol. Survey Kept. M2, p. 79,1879.

«Idem, p. 80.

<J Idem, p. 82. (

David White 1 has recently called attention to the fact that 

petroleum does not occur in rocks near a bed of coal containing 65 

per cent or more of fixed carbon, having apparently been driven 

off by heat and pressure. The fact that the semicannel coals from 

Armstrong County lie east of the oil field of Pennsylvania indicates 

that the action which restricted the Pennsylvania oil field also made 

semicannel of cannel coals. As these semibituminous and semianthracite canneloid coals from Tioga County eastward have so little 

in common with the true cannels in commercial use, they are not 

further considered in this report.

The semicannel coals of the Mississippi Valley States, such as 

those in Kentucky, lie so close to cannel coals high in volatile matter 

as to lead to the belief that the two may have had a very different 

origin. Thus, at Cannel City, Ky., in a single hill, there are two coal 

beds, one a typical cannel containing 52 per cent of volatile matter 

and 36 per cent of fixed carbon and the other, which is mined mainly 

as cannel, containing only 40 per cent of volatile matter and 50 per 

cent of fixed carbon. The cause of this difference has not yet been 

determined.

ANALYSES.

ANALYSES OF CANNEL COAL.

The tables which follow give, first, a few recent proximate and 

ultimate analyses of cannel coals that were properly sampled; next 

a few earlier ultimate analyses; next, for reference, a large number 

of earlier proximate analyses, many of which represent averaged 

samples, though some have been made from selected coal or hand

1 White, David, Some relations in origin between coal and petroleum: Washington 

Acad. Sci. Jour., vol. 5, p. 212, 1915.

87775° -Bull. 659 2
18 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

specimens rather than from the average commercial product. The 

ash in most of these analyses is probably lower than in the commercial coal, but the analyses are of value as indicating the richness 

of the coal in volatile matter, and the ash, as determined in many 

of them, is probably not far from that of the commercial coal.

Practically all the earlier analyses of cannels were made of airdried coal that had been shipped to the laboratory in bags or boxes 

rather than in air-tight metal or glass receptacles, such as are commonly used to-day. As all the coals of the Appalachian field, however, carry small percentages of moisture, the air-drying loss in most 

of the samples has been very small. Moisture has, however, not been 

included in most of the tables.
Proximate and ultimate analyses of cannel and sub

No. 

of 

analysis.

1

2

3

4

5

Locality and bed.

JOHNSON COUNTY, KY.

Flambeau, southeast of, 400 yards up mountain side, Flambeau mine, cannel oed, on 

chain pillar (150 feet southeast of opening,

main entry 1, 18-inch cut).

Same, 250 feet southeast of opening, entry 5, 

514-inch cut.

Lesley (East Point post office), Lesley mine, 

Lesley bed, cannel coal.

KANE COUNTY, UTAH.

Glendale. 13 miles northwest of, NE. j sec. 26,

T. 39 S., R. 9 \\'., on North Fork Virgin

River, Cannel King prospect, 66-inch bench,

upper 2 feet (subcannel).

Same, lower 3i feet. ...........................

Laboratory 

No.

7133

7132

5437

5306

5308

Kind. &

A.

A

A

B

B

Condition. c

1

2 

3

1

2

3

1 

2

3

r

2

3

1

2

3

Moisture.

2.3

2.2

1.7

15.7

7.3

Volatile 

matter.

48.4

49.5 

55.5

50.6 

51.7

57.9

50.7 

51.6

57.0

41.9

49.7

59.9

46.9

50.6

67.6

Fixed 

carbon.

38.7

39.6 

44.4

36.7 

37.5

42.0

38.2 

38.8

42.9

28.0

33.2

40.0

22.4

24.2

32.3

Ash.

10.4

10.7

10.4 

10.7

9.3 

9.4

14.3

17.0

23.2

25.0

o Lord, N. W., and others. Analyses of coals: Bur. Mines Bull. 22, pp. 105, 194, 1913.

6 A, Mine sample collected by an inspector of the Geological Survey; B, mine sampl

c 1, Sample as received; 2, dried at temperature of 105° C.; 3, moisture and ash free.
20 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES. 

Additional ultimate analyses of cannel coal.

No. of analysis.

6.

7

8 

g

10

11

12

Locality.

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

Haddock, Owsley County, Ky. c.

.....do..........................

Scotch cannel. Nova Scotia « .... 

.....do..........................

Condition.o

la

3

la

3

la 

la

la

3

la 

3

3

Ash.

18.6

14.8

3.0 

.1

2.4

12.0

Sulphur.

0.15

2.4

.2 

Tr.

1.4 

1.6

1.4

Hydrogen.

9.1

11.2

6.4

7.8

6.1 

9.2

5.7

5.9

9.7 

11.5

6.08

Carbon.

65.3

80.4

68

82.3

76.7

85.4

78.9

81.9

70.5 

83.2

79.2

Nitrogen.

0.7

.8

2.2

2.7

13 

3.0

11

3 

3

1.1

Oxygen.

5.4

6.7

5.3

7.0

7.

2 9

7

12.1

0 

5

7.2

Moisture.

1.2

3.2

o la, As received, probably crudely air dried; 3, moisture and ash free.

6 Peter, Robert, Second chemical' report of the ores, rocks, soils, coals, etc., of Kentucky: Kentucky 

Geol. Survey Second Rept., p. 213,1857.

c Idem, p. 255.

d Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and other distilled oDs, 2d ed., p. 23, New 

York, BailJiere Bros., 1865.

e Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Second Rept., p. 57,1857.

/ Idem, p. 59.

Analyses of Arkansas Camden coal (typical of brown subcannel).

No.of analysis.

13

14 

15

16

17

18

 Locality.

.... .do.". .......................

Sec. 12, -T. 13 S., R. 18 W.b.....

.....do.c........................

Sec. 10, T. 12 S., R. 18W.6.....

Analyst.

G. Steiger.

...do...... 

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

Conditions

A

B

. A

B

A

B

Moisture.

38.7

11.2 

38.0

11.0

32.7

9.5

Volatile 

matter.

36.9

44.0 

37.1

47.9

32.9

46.2

Fixed 

carbon.

16.9

33.6 

79.9

32.8

23.3

29.4

Ash.

7.5

11.0

5,8

8.2

11 3

14.4

Sulphur.

0,5

.7 

.4

.5

.4

.6

Thickness of 

bed.

Inches. 

42

42

a A, Analysis of fresh sample; B, analysis of sample after long drying.

6 Taff, 3. A., Preliminary report on the Camden coal field of southwestern Arkansas: U.S. Geol. Survey 

Twenty-first Ann. Rept., pt. 2, p. 326,1900. 

c Idem, p. 327.

Proximate analyses of cannel coal.

.a

>>

2

i

"3

^

19

20

21

22

23

.g

O si 1? "S § *

 ^

i

i

2

2

Locality.

INDIANA.

DAVIESS COUNTY.

Cannelburg o. ............

.....do.ob................

PAEKE COUNTY.

Bethany 6 ...............

PEKRY COUNTY.

Cannelton, middle part &.

Cannelton, Rock Island

mine, c

g . 730"

cS

<§ ft

'OT ®

jsra

0

2b

2b

2b

2c

2c

"Analyst.

McTaggart and

Cowder.

E. T. Cox... ......

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

t

M

rt-& S "'~'

o

o>ft m

......

i

g (

^ <3 13 "^

"o

^

40 ^y. n\)

48.5

47.0

43.0

42.0

8o

,0

2

 0

5^

26.3

42.0

43.0

48.5

45.5

 S

"^

23 1

6.0

4.5

2.0

6.0

1A

ft 3

02

1.4

1.0

......

"3

01

V) 

do

Cj ,Q

a

e

In.

o Ashley, G. H., The coal deposits of Indiana: Indiana Dept. Geology and Nat. Res. Twenty-third Ann. 

Rept.,-pp. 988, 989, 1570, 1899.

bCox, E. T., Indiana Geol. Survey Third and Fourth Ann. Repts., p. 187,1872. 

cldem, p. 183.
COMPOSITION. 21

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

No. analysis. of 

24

25 

26

27

no

31

32

fJO

34

35 

36

37

38

39 

40

41

42

43

& 

d£>

*l 

p.8

i

2

1

1 

1

1

, 1

1

2

3

4

4

Locality.

ILLINOIS.

M'LEAN COUNTY.

.....do.o........- : ........

LA SALLE COUNTY.

mine. » 

IOWA.

WEBSTER COUNTY.

Kalo*..... ...............

GUTHRIE COUNTY.

KENTUCKY.

BELL COUNTY.

Chenoa, Bear Creek e.. ..

Straight Creek./

BEEATHITT COUNTY.

Troublesome Creek,

mouth, g 

Troublesome Creek, 

Haddix mine.ft 

Troublesome Creek,

Haddix mine. < 

.....do...................

Hargismine.y 

Troublesome Creek *..... 

Troublesome Creek, 

Noble Branch.*

Fugitt Branch.ro T»

bian Exposition, o 

GeorgesBranch;sampler, 

P. N. Moore.p

Classification (See 10). p. 

2b

2b 

2b

2c

2b

2a

2b

2c

2b

2b 

2b

2b

2b

2b 

2b

9p

2a

2b

Analyst.

....................

R. Peter..........

Consolidated Gas 

Co., N. Y. 

B. Peter..........

.....do.............

R. Peter..........

R. Peter..........

i

«>>

03

1.25

1.26

1.21

1.21

1.28

1.28

 A

3" (D fe

1

41.2

30.9 

39.7

39.0

30.8

52. 2

51.6

40.9

47.0

60.6 

48.9

46.6

48.2

57.0 

50.9

43.4

64.6

52.3

Fixed carbon.

30.2

30.3 

33.6

39.2

28.2

25.1

40.4

55.1

44.4

30.4 

47.0

46.8

44.2

36.5 

36.7

46.9

9Q 9

35.5

 a

<!

25.7

39.6 

23.3

15.8

36.0

17.8

7.0

2.0

7.3

9.0 

3.0

5.0

4.7

5.5 

11.7

6.2

4.0

11.1

Sulphur.

7.12

11.0

2.9

.7

1.5

.2

.8

.7

.6

.8

1.4

Thickness ofbed.

In. 

6

10

18

45

0-36

0-36 

0-36

0-36

......

......

o Grout, F. F., Cannel coal in northern Illinois: Illinois State Geol. Survey Bull. 4, p. 198,1907.

b Keyes, C. R., Coal deposits of Iowa: Iowa Geol. Survey, vol. 2, p. 509,1894.

«Idem, p. 505.

<* Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector- of Mines Tenth Aon. Rept., 

p. 148,1894.

t Crandall, A. R., and Sullivan, G. M., Report on the coal field adjacent to Pineville Gap in Bell and 

Knox counties: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 14, p. 20, 1912.

/ Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. for 1854 and 1855, p. 224,1856.

a Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, p. 219,1884.

ft Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept., 

p. 132, 1894.

i Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull. 11, p. 27, 1910.

i Hodge, J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of parts of Letcher, Harlan, Leslie, Perry, and Breathitt 

counties, p. 52a, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.

* Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. for 1854 and 1855, p. 212,1856.

I Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull, 11, p. 28.1910. '

m Peter, Robert, op. cit., p. 221.

n Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull. 11, p. 45,1910.

o Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 137.

P Peter, Robert, op. cit., p. 220.
22 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

analysis. No. of

44 

45

46 

47 

48

4Q

50 

51

52

CO

54 

54a 

55

56

57

58 

58a

59

60 

61

62 

63 

64

66 

67

68 

69

70

.a

fto

4

4

4 

4 

5 

6

^ 7 

7

6-9 

10-12

12 

12 

13

13

14

14 

14

20

22 

19

1 

1

1

4

5 

5

2

3

Locality.

KENTUCKY Contd.

BREATHITT COUNTY COn.

Georges Branch; sampler, 

C. Hendrie.o 6 

Georges Branch c ........

GeorgesBranch; sampler, 

T. Egleston.d 6 

Georges Branch, carload 

lot* 

North Fork Kentucky 

River, Wolf Creek.b/

bottom.? 

Nichols Fork, Frozen 

Creek.* 

.....do.".. ..............

Quicksand Creek <* . .....

pier, J. R. Proctor./ 

South Fork Quicksand 

Creek, lower mine.d 

South Fork Quicksand 

Creek, upper mine.d

..do.' "»..... ...

Stacy Branch of South 

Quicksand Creek.d n 

.....do.o P.. ..............

Cockerill Fork r . .........

CARTER COUNTY.

Stinson Creek, Tarkiln 

Branch.* 

Stinson Creek, Stinson mine.* 

Stinson Creek M. .........

Little Sandy River, 6 

miles south of Leon.w 

.....do...................

Crawford cannel, near 

Grayson.z

CLAY COUNTY.

Beech Creek s. ..........

Classification (See 10). p

2b 

2b

2b 

2b 

2b 

2b

2b 

2b

2b 

2c

2c 

2c 

2b

2a

2a

2a 

2a

2c

2b 

2b

2a 

2a

2b 

2c

2a 

2b

2b 

2b

2c

Analyst.

R. Peter.......... 

Consolidated Gas

Co., N. Y. T. Egleston.......

R.Peter.......... 

.....do.............

T. Egleston....... 

R. Peter..........

T. Egleston....... 

.....do............. 

R.Peter..........

Consolidated Gas

Co., N. Y. 

T. Egleston.......

R. Peter.......... 

T. Egleston.......

R. Peter..........

.....do............ 

.....do............

R. Peter.......... 

.....do............

"".'do!.'!!"".".'"

Dr. Stebbins......

Co., N. Y. 

R. Peter.........

.....do...........

1 

IP

03

1.27

1.36 

1.36

1.21

1 27

Ti7"

1.14 

1.20 

1.21

1 AA

1.21 

1.16

Volatile mater.

58.0 

61.9

45.4 

54.0 

41.7 

44.0

58.8 

43.2

44.2 

43.1

39.4 

45.6 

56.7

68.0

66.2

66.2 

62.4

41.1

50.6 

53.8

64.1 

66.3 

57.0

qo c

61.1

58.7

57.0 

44.1

32.3

Fixed carbon.

34.0 

33.7

40.1 

34.4 

33.3 

39.9

35.3 

33.8

43.4 

43.3

48.2 

47.1 

38.1

28.2

29.7

29.7 

31.4

46.7

36.7 

39.5

27.0 

28.3 

34.5

49 7

30.3 

34.5

34.5 

43.7

35.2

4

7.4 

4.4

12.8 

10.9 

24.2 

15.4

4.7 

21.4

9.8 

11.4

9.5 

4.9 

4.9

3.8

3.6

3.6 

6.0

11.2

11.3 

5.3

7.9 

4.8 

6.5

W Q

7.6 

5.9

6.5 

11.8

32.0

Sulphur.

1.0

1.7 

.4

2.5

1.2 

4.6

1.2 

1.7 

1.5

1. 2

......

2.8 

1.3

7 Q

1.2

6.0

o

C a? n n

In.

37

.....

-----

36

10-16

21 

21

18

......

......

5

15

o Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 135.

6 Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 71,1910.

c Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 136.

d Hodge, J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of parts of Letcher, Harlan, Leslie, Perry, and 

Breathitt counties, p. 52a, Kentucky Geol. Survey. 1887.

e Crandall. A. R., Coals of the Licking Valley region: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 65,1910.

/ Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. ll,j>p. 65, 71,1910.

g Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Kept., p. 95,1861.

h Crandall, A. R., op. cit., p. 64.

< Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, p. 219,1884.

/ Idem, p. 220.

ft Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 96,1861.

' Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 143.

m Fobs, F. H., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 18, p. 35,1912.

n Idem, p. 30.

o Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 142.

P Fobs, F. H., op. cit., p. 77.

q Hodge, J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of the lower North Fork, Middle and South forks 

Kentucky River, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.

r Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 139.

 Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Rept., p. 114,1861.

< Idem, p. 111.

« Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. for 1854 and 1855, p. 201,1856.

v Idem. p. 270.

v> Hendrie, Charles, op. cit.,p. 147.

* Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. for 1854 and 1855, p. 69,1856.
COMPOSITION. 23

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

No. analysis. of 

71

72

73 

74

75

76

77 

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

Rfi

87

88 

89

89a

90

91 

92

93 

94

95 

96

,g

,?'£ »f

0,8

i

2 

2

1

1 

1 

1

1

1

3

15

14

14

4 

1

1

0

4 

4

9 

9

1 

2

Locality.

KENTUCKY-Contd.

GEEENUP COUNTY.

Chinns Branch d .........

HANCOCK COUNTY.

Breckinridge cannel « /...

.....do.ff..... ............. 

.....do.ff A................

Breckinridge cannel, average of 4 samples.!/

erage sample. »

HARLAN COUNTY.

Fork.*

kum.'

John Branch."

JACKSON COUNTY.

southeast or Richmond. o 

Branch of Horse Lick o . .

JOHNSON COUNTY.

EastPointr. ............

Flambeau ............... 

.....do.*..................

KNOTT COUNTY.

Trace Fork of Soto Creek t

Carr Creek. « »

Classification (See 10). p

2t»

2c

2c 

2b

2a

2b 

2a 

2a

2a

2a

2o

9r»

2b

2b

2c

Op

9r«

2c 

2f

9p

2b

2b 

2b

2b 

2b

2c 

2b

Analyst.

R.Peter..........

.....do............ 

.....do............

R.Peter and Talbott. 

R.Peter........... 

.....do............. 

D. D. Owen.......

R. Peter..........

R. Peter..........

.....do.............

A. S. McCreath....

.....do.............

.....do.............

.....do.............

"N.'w.'Lord" '.'.'...

.....do............. 

.....do.............

>

1 

o tA

tdS 

W

1.30

1.33

1.21

1.31 

1.33

1.51

i w

1.32

......

1.25

Volatile mtter.

52.2

40.2

36.9 

47.3

59.6

34.4 

62.4 

61.4

59.6

61.3

34.6

21.8

47.9

42.8

40.6

17 Q

41.0

43.6 

41 8

40.2

53.6

55.0 

51.6

49.5 

51.7

44.1

carbon. Fixed 

40.6

52.4

51.2 

38.2

27.0

32.0 

28.2 

30.0

27.0

30.0

39.4

29.6

32.2

47.9

KA Q

«

1

45.5 

46.0

51.0

<?Q fi

36. 2 

38.8

39.6 

37.5

49.4 

44.8

4

 <

5.7

2.7

7.1 

12.4

12.1

12.1 

7.9 

8.0

12.1

8.0

24.6

47.4

17.7

20.1

7.9

7.0

13.9

8.7 

11.0

8.8

5.1

6.3 

9.4

10.7 

10.7

6.0

ft Q

Sulphur.

0.7

.8

3.9 

1.5

1.8 

1.9

Tr.

1.2

5.4

.8

.5

2.3

1.9

1.0

3.3 

.9

.9

.8

.9 

1.0

1.2 

1.0

.7 

.7

Thickness ofbed.

In.

58

54 

24

22-28

22-28 

22-28 

22-28

22-28

22-28

38

15

33

22

40

40

21

9

""69

o Peter,: Robert. Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, p. 167,1884.

6 Norwood. C. J., A report on the reconnaissance of a part of the Breckinridge cannel-coal district: Kentucky Geol. Survey Repts. on western coal field, D, p. 217 [25], 1884.

cOwen D. D. .Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Rept., p. 171,1861.

d Crandall, A. R.,Report on the Chinns Branch cannel-coal district: Kentucky Geol. Survey Repts. on 

eastern coal field C, p. 6 [200], 1884.

e Crandall, A. R., Coals of the Licking Valley region: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 65,1910.

/ Peter, Robert, op. clt., p. 83.

g Norwood, C. J., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept., p. 13,1894.

ft Idem, p. 177.

* Idem, p. 14.

i Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and other distilled oils, 2d ed., p. 51, New York, 

Bailliere Bros., 1865.

k Peter, Robert, op. cit., p. 265.

l Hodge, J. M.. The upper Cumberland coal field: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 13, p. 51,1912.

m Ashley, G. H., and Glenn, L. C., Geology and mineral resources of part of Cumberland Gap coal 

field, Ky.: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 49, p. 201,1906.

»Idem, p. 198.

o Peter. Robert, op. cit., p. 273.

P Crandall, A. R., The coals of the Big Sandy Valley: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 4, p. 28,1905.

q MacFarlane, Graham. Notes on American cannel coal: Am. Inst. Min. Eng. Trans., vol. 18, p. 438,1890.

r Crandall, A. R., op. cit., p. 35.

« Lord, N. W., and others, Analyses of coals in the United States: Bur. Mines Bull. 22, pt. 1, p. 105.1913.

t Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull. 11, p. 93.1910.

u Crandall, A. R., Report on the Pound Gap region, p. 29, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.

v Hodge, J. M., op. cit., p. 107.
24 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

No. analysis. of 

97

98 

99

100

101

102

103 

104 

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112 

113 

114

115 

116

a 

gJ

3

1 

1

2

2

3

1 

.3

6

3

4

2

3

9

8

Locality.

KENTUCKY Contd.

KNOX COUNTY.

Road Fork, 7 miles from

mouth.o

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Torchlight, T h r e e m i 1 e 

Creek. 6 

.....do.6..................

LESLIE COUNTY.

Creek.c a

Oldhouse Branch of Beech

Fork.*

LETCHER COUNTY.

Line Fork of Defeated 

Creek./ 

Millstone Branch of Rockhouse Creek, g

Creek.»

M'LEAN COUNTY.

Sent in by H. C. Jarvis i. .

MAGOFFIN COUNTY.

MORGAN COUNTY.

Rush Creek '............. 

Worth Fork, AdkrnsJ.... 

Elk Fork, Maynheir 

mine.' » 

Pierat. Maytown ' n .;....

Licking River.o

Classification (See 10). p. 

2c

2b

Op

2b

2b

2c 

2b 

2c

2c

2b

2b

?.h

2b

2b

2b 

2b 

2c

2b 

?,c

Analyst.

A.M. Peter.......

S. R. Hislop......

R.Peter..........

A.M.Peter.......

R.Peter..........

A.M. Peter....... 

.....do.............

A.S.McCreath....

R.Peter..........

R.Peter..........

.....do.............

R.Peter..........

.....do............. 

.....do............. 

.....do.............

.....do............. 

.....do.............

1 So

°& 

to

......

1 95

1 ?,?,

1.43 

1.30

1.30

1 19

i.33 

1.23

Volatile mtter.

41.3

54.9

44.2

34.0 

46.1 

40.4

39.3

42.9

52.6

45.6

51 Q

44.0 

42.4 

41.6

49.6 

40.0

Fixed carbon.

46.8

39.3 

47.1

47.2

45.1

43.7

39.1 

40.5 

42.0

51.8

35.4

41.1

37.5

38.8

38.8 

33.7 

44.7

43.2 

51.0

a

10.5

2.9 

3.9

6.9

6.3

11.0

25.8 

13.0 

16.4

6.9

20.6

5.4

9.2

8.2

18.0

15.5 

19.5 

11.4

5.1

8.4

Sulphur.

15

.5 

.6

.6

.7

.6

.5 

2.0

.4

1.1

.6

.6

1.4

1.1

.9 

1.5 

1.2

.9 

.5

"3

In. 

41

23

23

38

36

10

14

3fi

36

58 

40 

26

36 

22J

a Crandall. A. R., and Sullivan, G. M., Report on the coal field adjacent to Pineville Gap in Bell and 

Knox counties: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 14, p. 125, 1912.

b Phalen, W. C., Economic geology of the Kenova quadrangle: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 349, p. 59,1908.

c Hodge, J. M...Preliminary report on the geology of parts of Letcher, Harlan, Leslie, Perry, and Breathitt 

counties, p. 48. Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.

<J Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey 

Bull. 11, p. 196,1910.

« Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 222, 1910.

/ Idem, p. 127.

g Idem, p. 135.

h Hendne, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept., p. 144, 

1894.

< Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 146, 1910.

i Stone, G. W., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Sixteenth Ann. Rept., p. 115, 1900.

* Idem, p. 114.

' Crandall. A. R., Preliminary report on the geology of Morgan, Johnson, Magoffln, and Floyd counties: 

Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [1880].

m Crandall, A. R.. Coals of the Licking Valley region: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10. p. 18,1910.

n Peter. Robert. Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, p. 296,1884.

o Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 14,1910.
COMPOSITION-. 25

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

.a 

J?

"3

d

£

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129 

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

.a

°£*§

a§

1

13

6

7

1

.

Locality.

KENTUCKY Contd.

MOEGAN COUNTY COn.

Brush Fork Caney Creek

(Lykins)o. 

Sugar Camp Branch

Caney Creek.o 

Old House Branch

Caney Creek.o 

Spring Branch Caney

Creek (drift ll).o 

Johnson Branch Prater

Fork Caney Creek.o 

Sugar Camp Branch

Caney Creek (drift l).o 

Caney Creek (drillings) o .

Benton Branch Yearling

Branch.o

OWSLEY COUNTY.

South Fork Kentucky

River, 4 miles above 

Booneville.6 

South Fork Kentucky

River.Merrill mine.c

River-Reynolds mine.d

River. « 

.....do...................

Haddock, between South

and Middle Fork Kentucky River./

PERKY COUNTY.

Lots Creek 0. ............

Middle Fork, below Rush

Branch.*

PIKE COUNTY.

Bear Fork Robinson

Creek. »

WHITLEY COUNTY.

Patterson Creek. Polly

mine, whole bed./ 

Patterson Creek, Polly

mine, cannel only.* 

Patterson Creek, head of i .

Halsevm.... .............

Classification (See 10). p 

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

2b

2b

2b

2b

2b

2b 

2b

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

Analyst.

R. Peter..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do.............

.....do.............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Co., N. Y. 

.....do............ 

R.Peter..........

.....do............

R. Peter..........

A. S.McCreath....

H. M. Curry......

Perkins & Co......

& 

fcb

0 >> as

o

s.

CO

1.16

1.25

1 90

4i

 s* 1"

£

o

41.0

41.6

40.8

40.4

40.6

40.7

37.9

52.3

59.7

47.6

51 n

V) fi

53.3 

48.9

44.1

44.8

43.4

39.7

47.1

43.9

43.0

48.0

Fixed carbon.

45.1

49.1

48.8

48.8

50.2

51.2

49.6

36.4

32.3

46.3

34.7

43.6

43.2 

47.0

49.4

54.4

46.3

55.0

52.2

54.8

48.8

49.5

 a

<!

12.0

8.5

8.6

9

7

6

10

10

7.4

5.4

9 7

3.8

3.5 

3.0

6.0

16.8

8.3

3.0

1.2

1.2

7.2

2.5

Sulphur.

0.8

1.6

.8

2.7

1.2

.7

1.0

.7

"".2

.7

.9

.6

.8

1.1

.6

1.2

Thickness ofbed.

In. 

25

OVL

24

981

21

22

22

10

33

52

31

24-31

28

a Crandall, A. R., Coals of the Licking Valley region: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 14,1910. 

6 Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Kept. A., pt. 1, p. 315, 1884. 

« Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Kept., p. 144, 

1894.

d Idem, p. 143. 

t Idem, p. 145.

/ Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. for 1854 and 1855, p. 355, 1856. 

g Hodge, J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of parts of Letcher, Harlan, Leslie, Perry, and

of the lower North Fork, Middle and South forks

i Crandall, A. R., Report on the Pound Gap region, p. 29, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887. 

/ Crandall, A. R., Report on the geology of Whitiey County and a part of Pulaski, p. 38, Kentucky Geol. 

Survey, 1889.

* Hendrie, Charles, op. cit., p. 148. 

»Idem, p. 147. 

m Stone, G. W., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Sixteenth Ann. Rept., p. 115,1900.
26 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

j?

o o° 

&

139

140

141

142 

143

144

145

146 

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161 

162

163

S

o'£> 

*! 

&8

4

4 

3

3

3

3 

3

3

7

7

7

5

5

5

5

1

1

9

'"s

7

Locality.

KENTUCKY Contd.

WOLFE COUNTY.

OHIO:

COSHOCTON COUNTY.

Bedford cannel, Taylor 

mine. c

HOLMES COUNTY.

Millersburg. « 

Strawbridge mine <;.;....

.....do...................

JACKSON COUNTY.

LICKING COUNTY.

Flint Ridge c. ...........

MAHONING COUNTY.

top./

bottom. /

STARK COUNTY.

TRUMBULL COUNTY.

PENNSYLVANIA.

ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

Bostonia.ff 

South of New Bethlehem? 

Cathcart Run, No. 1 

mine.A 

Little Mudlick Creek, No. 

3 mine. ft < i

Classification (Seep. 10).

2b

2b

2b

2c 

2c

2c

2b

2c 

2c

2b

2b

2c

2c

2b

2b

2c

2c

2c

2c

2c

?,h

. 2c

2c 

2c

2c

Analyst.

R "Pnf0r

.....do............

T. G. Wormley...

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

T. G. Wormley. . .

T. G. Wormley...

.....do............

A. S. McCreath...

....do............. 

....do.............

....do.............

1G)

0 >.

<Q^H

1

CO

1.43

1.38

1.29

1.29

1.39 

1.29

1.38

1.27

1.29

1.29

1.43

1.20

J.

® KJ 

52

1

41.4

44.5

47.0

36.8 

40.5

28.6

41.6

37.3 

40.5

44.7

44.5

37.7

38.4

43.8

43.0

36.8

40.2

.33.5

40.6

31.4

49.2

30.4

31.6 

32.6

37.8

Fixed carbon.

28,2

32.7

37.0

43.2 

49.5

52.7

41.2

44.6 

49.9

42.9

41.1

51.7

50.0

43.7

42.6

43.2

44.0

45.6

46.2

59.5

38.0

46.1

49.8 

52.3

53.1

 a4

29.1

21.5

1.3

19.9 

5.6

16.5

15.9

16.3 

5.6

9.9

12.0

6.2

5.2

8.6

11.1

19.9

13.2

19.1

11.5

6.0

10.2

22.2

17.3 

13.3

6.7

Sulphur.

0.8

.5

1.3 

1.5

2.1

1.5

1.7 

1.5

2.5

1.2

1.2

1.3

1.3

2.6

?,.o

3.0

.5

.4 

1.0

.6

"3 

J2.§

In.

36

96

24

60

60

0-108

i Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Kept. A, pt. 1, p. 328,1884.

& Ashley, Q. H., Cannel coal in the United States: Min. World, vol. 23, p. 382, Oct. 7,1905.

c Newberry, J. S., Ohio Geol. Survey Rept. Progress for 1870, p. 420,1871.

<* Idem, p. 33.

e Idem, p. 31.

/ Idem, p. 36.

9 Platt, Franklin, Report of progress in the Clearfleld and JefEerson district: Pennsylvania Second 

Geol. Survey Rept. H, p. 240,1875.

ft Platt, W. G., Report of progress in Armstrong County: Pennsylvania Second Geol. Survey Rept. H5, 

p. 180,1880.

* Butts, Charles, Economic geology of the Kittanning and Rural Valley quadrangles, Pa.: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 279, p. 99,1906.

/ McCreath, A. S., Third report of progress on the laboratory of the Survey at Harrisburg: Pennsylvania 

Second Geol. Survey Rept. M3, p. 57,1881.
COMPOSITION". 27

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

of analysis. No. 

1fi4

1 OfJ

167a

IftQ

169

170

171

172

173

174

177

17Q

IflA

181 

182

.9

d>> *1 & s i

1111

5

5

1

11

10

13 

17

Locality.

PENNSYLVANIA Con.

BEAVER COUNTY.

.....do.b. ................

INDIANA COUNTY.

top. c

center." 

TENNESSEE.

CAMPBELL COUNTY.

TEXAS. 

VTEBB COUNTY.

tionCo.. upper bench.*

tion Co. , lower bench. « 

Cannel Coal Co., upper

bench./

part of lower bench./ 

Cannel Coal Co., lower

part of lower bench./ 

Santa Tomas mine f .....

25 miles northwest of

Santa Tomas./ 

UTAH.

upper 2 feet, a

lower Sjfeet.ff 

WEST VIRGINIA.

BOONE COUNTY.

Little Coal River. >

Branch, Pond Fork. < 

Pond Fork below Robinson Fork.* 

Pond Fork A. ............

Classification (See 10). p. 

2b

OVi

9r>

2c

2b

9>»?

OV»?

2b?

9>i?

2b

2b?

2b?

Ib

Ib

2b

2c

2b

2b

'2b 

2c

Analyst.

A. S. McCreath. . .

.....do.............

.....do.............

.....do.............

.....do.............

.....do.............

Hiteand Patton.. 

.....do......:.....

1Eb

3£U

a«

......

J.

O <* 35

.3£

48.0

58.0

23.3

24.4

49.8

48; 6

45.6

49.9

48.3

49.3

51.0

42.6

41.9

46.9

50.9

40.6

49.3

51.8

47.3 

38.16

1PR

38.2

32.2

50.3

52.9

35.0

36.1

39.9

37.5

33.1

38.0

39.0

37.5

28.0

22.4

35.8

61.1

36.1

34.3

40.2 

53.47

 a

<!

11.9

7.9

24.8

21.0

15.1

12.9

11.7

9.7

16.5

10.2

7.3

16.5

14.3

23.2

12.7

6.2

13.8

12.9

11.7 

7.2

Sulphur.

0.5

.5

.6

.6

.7

1.5

.8

1.3

1.6

1.1

.6

1.5

1.0

1.4 

1.7

«M 

O

||

In. 

60-192

60-192

99

99

0-36

14

14

30

6

11

24

42

44

44

18

50

38

a McCreath, A. S., Second report of progress on the laboratory of the Survey at Harrisburg: Pennsylvania 

Second Geol. Survey Kept. M2, p. 54,1879.

6 Mansfield, I. F., Fire clays, coals, and titles of the cannel-coal tract at Cannelton, BeaverCounty, Pa., 

p. 9,1905.

c Platt, W. G., Report of progress in Indiana County: Pennsylvania Second Geol. Survey Rept. H4, 

p. 230,1878.

<J MacFarlane, Graham, Notes on American cannel coal: Am. Inst. Min. Eng. Trans., vol. 18, p. 438,1890.

« Vaughan, T. W., Reconnaissance in the Rio Grande coal fields of Texas: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 164, 

p. 64 1900.

/ Idem, p. 65.

g Richardson, G. B., The Harmony, Colob, and Kanab coal fields, southern Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 341, p. 397. 1900.

 A Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Boone County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 575, 

1915.

<Idem, p. 324.

/Idem, p. 576.

* White, I. C., Supplementary coal report: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2 (A), p. 399,1908.
28 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Proximate analyses of cannel coal Continued.

No. analysis. of 

183

184

184a

- 185

186

187 

187a

187b

.a

*f

ft 8

c3

a

i

3

6

7

11

1 

1

2

Locality.

WEST VIRGINIA Con.

KANAWHA COUNTY.

Mine No. l.»

Villa.6

Co., Wacomah mine, 

Paint Creek.d 

Little Barrier Creek « . . . .

PRESTON COUNTY.

Left Fork of Sandy Creek, 

Marquies./

LINCOLN COUNTY.

John Smith mine, near

Jenks.0

GREAT BRITAIN. . 

English cannel coal ft. ....

Scotch cannel coal &......

I*smahago, Scotland ». . .

.....do.*..................

Lesmahago cannel, Scotland.*

land.ro

Classification (See 10). p. 

2c

2b

Op

2c

2h

2c 

2c

K

2c

2b

?

?

2b

?

?

2r>

2a

2a

Analyst.

.....do............

.....do............

J. B. Krak........

HiteandKrak.... 

Krak and Hite . . .

.....do............

R. Peter..........

.....do............

Miller.............

1.

o tA (a*3

!

1.25

1.27

1.17

Volatile mtter.

39.3

45.3

43.1

41.3

36.56

23.9 

39.7

44.2

42.4

42.7

;44. 6

i'4Q H

56.7

#8.52

;37.o

39.6

70.1

71.1

g

£>

1

h

46.0

43.7

49.5

46.2

36.1

45.3 

54,1

49.9

54.0

42.1

41.3

40.9

37.2

25.2

60.0

57.6 Ift 1

7.6

A 

$

13.9

10.3

7.4

12.1

26.1

30 

5.3

5.0

2.4

12

9 1

6.3

6.0

14.2

3 n

2.7

19 6

91 1

1

3

OQ

0-8

1.5

1.1

.5

.4

.6 

1.2

1.14

1.5

.7

of Thickness bed.

In.

53

0-36

17*

36

15

o Krebs. C. E.. and Teets. D. D., Kanawha County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 

439,1914.

b Idem, p. 453.

c MacFarlane, Graham, Notes on American cannel coal: Am. Inst. Min. Eng. Trans., vol. 18, p. 483, 

1890.

d Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., op. cit., p. 485.

< Idem, p. 421.

/ Hennen, R. J., and Reger, D. B., Preston County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 364,

1914. 

a Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Boone County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 404,

1915.

ft Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Second Rept., p. 56,1857.

i Idem, p. 58.

i Includes moisture.

* Idem, p. 59.

' Ells, R. W., Joint report on the bituminous or oil shales of New Brunswick; also, on the oil-shale industry of Scotland; pt. 2, Geology, p. 33, Canada Dept. Mines, Mines Branch/1909.

m Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and othar distilled oils, p. 48,1865.
COMPOSmON". 29

ANALYSES OF ASH.

In order to round out the groups of analyses the analyses of the 

ash of a number of cannel coals are given in the following table:

Analyses of ash of cannel coals.-

Boghead, Carter County, Ky. (lower

Roundbottom, Quicksand Creek,

Breathitt County, Ky. c ............

South mine, near Jackson, Breathitt

County, Ky.d ......................

Breckinridge cannel, Hancock

County, Ky.< ......................

Silica.

1.88

2.78

11.58

1.5

9 40

Alumina,

oxides

of iron, 

and

manganese.

1.68

4.2

2.98

1.98

7.78

Lime.

0.27

.55

.21

.41

.53

IVJLOrg 

nesia.

0.63

.30

.24

.20

.39

Phosphoric 

acid.

Tr.

Tr.

Sulphuric 

acid.

0.30

o

.10

.24

Potash

and 

soda.

0.29

.28

.48

Percentage of 

ash in

sample.

5.07

7.87

15.40

4.90

12.21

a Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Kept., p. Ill, 1861. 

& Idem, p. 114. 

c Idem, p. 95. 

d Idem, p. 96.

« Peter, Robert, Second chemical report of the ores, rocks, soils, coals, etc., of Kentucky: Kentucky 

Geol. Survey Second Kept., p. 211,1857.

ANALYSES OF OCCLUDED GAS.

No figures were obtained showing the results of dissolving out 

such parts of cannel coal as would be acted on by pyridine or other 

solvents. Clarke,1 however, quotes from 'the results of an investigation by Thomas in the extraction of gases in vacuo at 100° from a 

number of coals, including some cannels. From his results the following figures have been selected:

Analyses of gases from cannel and other coals.

Methane (CEU).. . ....................

Amount of gas . - .cubic centimeters. .

1

6.44 

80.69 

4.75

8.12

100.00 

421.3

2

9.05 

77.19 

7.80

5.96

100. 00 

350.6

3

53.94

46.06

100.00 

16.8

4

84.55

.91

14.54

100.00 

55.7

5

' 68.75

2.67

28.58

100.00 

55.7

6

36.42

.80 

62.78

100.00 

55.9

7

18.90 

67.47

1.02 

12.61

100.00 

147.4

8

14.72 

84.18

1.10

100.00 

600.6

1,2. Wigan cannel.

3. Scotch cannel, Wilsontown.

4. Scotch cannel, Lesmahago.

5. Cannel shale, Lasswade, near Edinburg.

6." Bituminous coal.

7. Steam coal.

8. Anthracite coal.

The differences here are so striking that they are probably accidental and are due to differences in the time of exposure of the coal 

in mines and during its removal to the laboratory.

1 Clarke, F. W., The data of geochemistry, 3d ed.: XI. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 616, p. 758, 

1916.
30 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

IGNITING POINT.

The igniting point of cannel coal is given by Lewes 1 as 668° F. or 

370° C., as compared with 842° F. or 430° C. for lignite, and 870° F. 

or 477° C. for Welsh steam coal. As is well known, the name cannel 

comes from candle,'the. early name of the coal, employed because of 

the readiness with which a splinter of it ignites and burns "like a 

candle."

ORIGIN.

More than 50 years ago Newberry 2 recognized the fact that cannel 

coals have the nature of water-laid deposits. According to White 

and Thiessen 3 the microscopic study of cannel coals shows that they 

include fern spt>res, water weeds, algae, and other material that naturally accumulates in the open water of swamps. The remains of certain water animals fish, mollusks, amphibians, and crustaceans 

are in places associated in abundance with cannel coals. Finally, in 

many places cannel coal grades over into bituminous shale or ordinary shale. In a cut on the Indiana Southern Kailroad near Burn 

City, Daviess County, Ind., a bed of cannel coal, a foot or two thick, 

grades upward into coal which is similar in appearance, but which, 

on burning, leaves about half its original bulk as ash, and still higher 

into material which, though it resembles cannel', is reported by those 

who have tested it in a stove to leave a volume of ash greater than 

that of the coal put in. Above that bed the black color gradually 

turns to gray, and at the top there is only an ordinary gray clay 

shale. In some areas cannel coal grades into shale horizontally.

The close relation of cannel to shale is also seen in the high ash 

content of many cannels, due to the washing in of mud during the 

formation of the coal. Mud washed into an open-water basin tends 

to accumulate most abundantly at the point of entrance, and cannel 

forming in such a basin may be quite free of ash in one part and be 

high in ash in another part.

That the material of cannel coal has been formed by the settling 

of floating material and not from plants grown in place is further 

indicated by the fact that cannel coal, unlike bituminous coal, which 

is generally underlain by a bed of clay containing the roots of plants, 

in many if not in most places rests on rocks other than clay.

Again, although bituminous coal usually shows distinct banding, 

supposed to be due to changing surface conditions in the coal marsh, 

cannel coal is homogeneous, as if the conditions remained constant 

during the whole period of its deposition.

1 Lewes, V. B., The carbonization of coal, etc., p. 22, 1912.

2 Newberry, J. S., On the mode of formation of cannel coal: Am. Jour. Sci., 2d ser., 

vol. 23, p. 212, 1857.

3 White, David, and Thiessen, Reinhardt, The origin of coal: Bur. Mines Bull. 38, 1913.
MODE OF OCCURRENCE. 31

Furthermore, Newberry 1 has called attention to the fact that 

in lagoons of open water found near modern peat marshes a fine carbonaceous mud accumulates that, when properly dried, resembles 

cannel coal in appearance and in many properties.

Many theories have been advanced to account in detail for the 

formation of cannel coal. According to the theory here stated, it 

was formed at the bottom of open-wa.ter basins or small channels, 

most of them in coal-forming swamps (as indicated by the almost 

universal association of cannel with bituminous coal), by a steady 

accumulation of plant spores, pollen, resins, waxes, and other carbonaceous material. The source of the large percentage of volatile 

hydrocarbons, especially ethylene gas, which it yields on distillation, 

remains to be determined. Possibly these hydrocarbons were formed 

by the decomposition of the inner parts of the spores, having been 

held in temporary storage within the tough fine-grained spore cases. 

No study has been made, to the writer's knowledge, of this particular question, though distillation tests have been made on spore dust 

mixed with fuller's earth. One test reported by Ells,1 the conditions 

of which are not known, yielded 23.8 gallons of crude oil (specific 

gravity, 0.93) and 3.3 pounds of sulphate of ammonia per ton.

MODE OF OCCURRENCE.

GENERAL FEATURES.

Too much stress can not be put on the fact that cannel coal occurs 

in very small basins. Thousands of dollars have been wasted in expensive preliminary equipment for mining deposits of cannel coal 

which proved to contain less than a year's supply. Long railroad 

spurs, one as much as 12 miles in length, have been built and expensive plants have been erected on the favorable showing presented by 

a single opening. A cannel-coal basin should therefore be prospected 

as thoroughly as a gold lode. It should be tested not by drilling 

every 10 acres but by drilling every acre. Where the coal lies high 

in the hills it may be sufficiently prospected by drillings or openings 

100 yards apart. The fact that thick cannel is found at two points 

a quarter of a mile apart is no guaranty that it is thick between those 

points.

^Newberry, J. S., Ohio Geol. Survey Kept., vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 125, 1874. 

2 Ells, R. W.( Joint report on the bituminous or oil shales of New Brunswick ; also on 

the oil-shale Industry of Scotland; pt. 2, Geology, p. 69, Canada Dept. Mines, Mines 

Branch, 1909.
32 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

The mode of occurrence of cannel coal may best be understood 

from the description of two or three typical basins. (See fig. 1.)

A

B

FIGUKB 1. Cross section of cannel-coal basins. A, Cross section of cannel-coal bed at 

Cannelton, Beaver County, Pa.; B, cross section of cannel-coal basin south of New 

Bethlehem, in Armstrong County, Pa.; C, cross section of cannel-coal basin on Bear 

Run, Bell County, Ky.; D, cross section of cannel-coal basin through an erosion 

channel in lower Carboniferous limestone in Cooper County, Mo.

DEPOSIT AT CANNELTON, PA.

The deposit of cannel coal at Cannelton, Beaver County, Pa., occupies a 600-foot channel whose course suggests that it lies in an abandoned oxbow or horseshoe circumscribing a basin 2 miles long by 1 

mile wide. Along the center of the channel the cannel coal has a 

thickness of 15 feet or more, and is underlain by 1 foot of bituminous
V

MODE OF OCCURRENCE. 33

coal. About 150 feet from each side of the axis of the channel the 

cannel bench has decreased in thickness to 5 feet and the bench of 

bituminous coal has in places thickened to 2 feet, the bottom of the 

cannel coal apparently grading into the upper foot of bituminous 

coal. Within this width of 300 feet the form of the channel is indicated by slight dips toward its axis. Beyond that width the bottom 

of the channel rises sharply to 20 to 27 feet above the level of the 

center of the channel and both cannel and bituminous coal thin gradually down to nothing. Over the cannel coal in the center of the 

channel lies a heavy body of bituminous shale, almost as rich in yield 

of oil as the cannel coal itself. (See PI. IV, A.)

The cannel coal here is, as usual, distinctly a block coal, being cut 

by nearly vertical joints or "slips," most commonly 4 feet apart, 

along which the coal commonly breaks up into blocks about 4 by 4 

feet, though in places the joints are as little as 1 foot apart. As 

usual in block coal the " face slips " or joints continue unbroken for 

long distances, and the "butt slips" break and offset somewhat in 

crossing the face slips. Where examined the face slips ran S. 70° E., 

or nearly at right angles to the axis of the basin. In passing from 

the axis of the basin to the edges the butt slips may be observed to 

lean toward the axis at the top. At one point where measured this 

lean amounted to 12°. It was reported by Mr. Mansfield, the owner, 

that the face slips maintain a constant direction entirely around the 

oval. As the angle between this constant direction of the slips and 

the changing direction of the axis of the channel changes in coming 

about the oval basin, this leaning disappears but reappears on the 

other side of the oval, where the face slips are again at right angles 

to the axis of the channel.

DEPOSITS AT BOSTONIA, PA.

The cannel coal in the center of the channel of the coal basin at 

Bostonia, Armstrong County, Pa. (see fig. 1, B, and fig. 3, p. 59), has a 

thickness of 9 feet and is underlain by 18 inches of bituminous coal. 

Coal has been worked from this central axis for a maximum distance of 300 to 400 feet on either side, in which distance the bottom 

of the basin rises 8 to 10 feet above the bottom of the channel at its 

axis and the coal decreases in thickness to the minimum that can 

now be profitably mined. Under more favorable conditions mining 

could doubtless be pushed a little farther outward from the central 

axis. This channel, which can bet followed for a number of miles 

(see p. 60) from a point northwest of Bostonia through the surface 

ridge to the southeast and then eastward, is uniform neither in depth 

nor width, nor in the character of its coal, which is not everywhere 

87775° 1& Bull. 659 3
34 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

cannel. Like most cannel-coal basins it resembles a lagoon rather 

than a channel cut by running water.

DEPOSIT AT CHENOA, KT.

The cannel-coal channel at Chenoa, Bell County, Ky., is similar 

to the others just described. The coal in the center of the basin is 

thick, but within 400 feet on either side it decreases in thickness to 

the minimum that can be profitably mined. (See fig. 1, C.)

Cannel-coal basins of somewhat different type occur in Missouri, 

where most of the coal lies in basins eroded in the underlying limestone. One basin (fig. 1, D) about 100 feet wide and of undetermined 

length, has been followed 500 feet in east and west. The total depth 

of the coal is more than TO feet.

Hinds 1 has described these Missouri pockets as follows:

Pockets are in one sense only outliers but may be distinguished by certain 

unique features. Briefly stated, they are shale, coal, sandstone, and clay 

deposits laid down in sink holes or small depressions and surrounded by walls 

of limestone belonging to Mississippian and older formations. They occur in 

nearly all parts of the State outside the main Pennsylvanian body and are 

especially numerous in Lincoln, Callaway, Cooper, Cole, Morgan, Moniteau, and 

southwestern counties. They are round or elliptical in horizontal cross section, 

are commonly only a few hundred feet in width, and are in many cases as 

deep as they are wide. Many contain as much as 30 to 90 feet of coal, chiefly 

of the cannel variety, and have excited much comment. In most cases the 

component layers are saucer shaped, dipping inward on all sides from the 

surrounding limestone walls as though the entire mass had slipped down a 

considerable distance. Fractures and slickensides indicate that part of this 

slipping occurred after the consolidation of the materials, though many of the 

coal pockets probably sank during deposition, the action of the humic acids 

hastening the deepening of the sinks. Sinks that were deepened in this way 

while sediments were accumulating were probably slightly above ground-water 

level at that time. Deposition in many sinks probably took place after the 

drainage outlets at their bases had been choked up as a result of a slight 

subsidence of the region in which they lie. Some of the shale and sandstone 

deposits may have been formed after the region was invaded by the continental sea, though this is not necessarily the case. Certainly those containing 

coal were deposited while the region was free from brackish or salt waters. 

It is probable that solution was renewed at the bottoms of the sinks whenever 

ground-water level was lowered as a result of post-Pennsylvanian regional movements and that many of the deposits are still sinking.

USES. 

HEATING.

High-grade cannel coal is adapted to most of the common uses of 

other bituminous coals except the making of coke. As it burns 

freely, it was used in the early days in the manufacture of iron. It

1 Hinds, Henry, and Greene, F. C., The stratigraphy of the Pennsylvanian series in Missouri : Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 2d ser., vol. 13, pp. 41-42, 1915.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE IV

B.

CANNEL COAL MINING, PAST AND PRESENT.
USES. 35

is an ideal grate fuel and has long been used for that purpose, for it 

mines out in blocks, is clean to handle, and gives a bright, cheerful 

blaze, resembling that of a wood fire. It differs from wood, however, in containing only a small percentage of moisture, for wood is 

50 per cent water, so that it does not require constant replenishing 

and makes a fire that can be left overnight. Where grates are the 

principal means of heating houses the special advantages of cannel 

coal are readily apparent.

Owing to the large percentage of gas it contains cannel coal ignites 

quickly and is useful where a hot fire is needed in a hurry. It has 

long been a satisfactory fuel for fire engines and during recent years 

has found one of its principal markets in city fire departments.

GAS MAKING.

For many years cannel coal was most largely used for enriching 

coal gas. Cannel coal does not make a good coke and is not so cheap 

as other bituminous coals, or its large content of gas of high candlepower would undoubtedly cause it to be used for the manufacture of 

coal gas to the exclusion of all other coals. The so-called " gas coals " 

contain 30 to 40 per cent of volatile matter, whereas the better grade 

of cannel coal contains 50 to 60 per cent, and its gas has double the 

illuminating power of that in the gas coals. Thus Hocking Valley 

coal will yield about 8,000 cubic feet of 14-candlepower gas and 

Westmorland coal about 10,000 feet of 15 to 16 candlepower gas 

per ton of coal. By contrast, Flint Eidge, Ohio, cannel will yield 

9,000 feet of 23-candlepower gas per ton; Kanawha, W. Va., cannel 

will yield 10,000 feet of 18 to 19 candlepower; richer cannels will 

yield from 13,000 to 15,000 cubic feet of 30 to 40 or even 50 candlepower; and according to McMillin 1 some of the special bituminous 

substances will yield as high as 131 candlepower. According to 

Stone 2 the candlepower of the gas from some of the better-known 

cannel coals is as follows:

Candlepower of gas from cannel coals.

Breckinridge, Ky___ . __..___ _ ______ 46. 2

 Georges Branch, Ky_________________________ 31.1

Chenoa, Ky_____________________________ 41.2 

Boghead, Ky____________________________ 38.1 

Hunnew.ell, Ky___________________________ 35.1 

Pineville, Ky______________________________ 44. 55 

Falling Rock, W. Va__________s_____________ 36.1 

Lesmahago, Scotland- ' ___ ___ _______ 34. 5 

Boghead, Scotland___ ._____________________ 38.2

New Battle, Scotland_______,_______________ 35.3

1 McMillin, Emerson, The gas coals of Ohio: Ohio Geol. Survey Kept., vol. 5, Economic 

geology, pp. 722-749, 1884.

2 Stone, G. W., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Sixteenth Ann. Kept, p. 112, 1900.
36 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

As most cities require gas of a higher candlepower than could be 

obtained from bituminous gas coals alone, it has been necessary to 

enrich the product by adding to it some gas of higher candlepower, 

and for many years cannel coal found its principal 'market for this 

purpose. Later, cheaper methods, especially the.addition or substitution of oil-enriched water gas, were widely adopted, and to-day 

little or no cannel coal is used for this purpose.

Future demand may again lead to the distillation of cannel coal 

at high temperatures in order to obtain certain products or by-products. For that reason, as well as for the purpose of showing its behayior when so treated and the compounds it yields, the following 

data have been assembled:

The percentage of " volatile combustible matter " shown by analysis is not a true index of the amount of fixed gas that may be obtained in practice. Thus, by a series of tests, Wormley* obtained 

(among other results) from coals yielding 27.T, 30.7, 37.2, 38,0, and 

39.2 per cent of volatile matter on analysis, 3.32, 3.51, 3.12, 3.65, and 

3.35 cubic feet, respectively, of fixed gas per pound of coal. The 

temperature at which gas is made also affects greatly both the quantity and quality of the gas the higher the temperature the greater 

the quantity of gas and the lower the candlepower. Experiment has 

shown a marked difference in the composition of gas derived from 

cannel coal and that derived from the bituminous gas coals, as is 

clearly indicated by the difference in the candlepower of the two 

gases. This difference consists principally in the smaller percentage 

of uncombined hydrogen and the larger percentage of defines, 

especially ethylene, in cannel gas.

It is due, no doubt, to the abundance of ethylene that cannel coal 

gas has so high an illuminating value. Though unable to find, at the 

time of writing, analyses of the volatile matter from cannel coal, the 

writer recalls analyses in which the percentage of ethylene, for 

example, was several times as high as in gas from bituminous coal 

reported in the same table. .Ethylene (C2H4 ) is what is called 

an unsaturated hydrocarbon that is, one having the formula CnH2n 

rather than the formula CnH2n+2. As a result, in burning, it first 

breaks up into methane, or marsh gas (CH4 ), setting free carbon, 

which is next heated to incandescence, yielding the light, and then 

burned to C02 . The significance of the greater percentage of ethylene may be appreciated from the following table given by Lewes: 2

' Wormley, T- G , Report of chemical department: Ohio Geol. Survey Kept. Progress for 

1870, pt. 5, p. 410, 1871. 

2 Lewes, V. B., The carbonization of coal, p. 286, 1912.
USES. 

Heating value and candlepower of gases derived,from coal.

37

British 

thermal 

units, 

gross per 

cubic foot.

325

1,024

1,870

2.682

1,603

3,718

342

Candlepower per 5 

cubic feet.

0

5.2

35.0

53.3

70.0

820.0

0

The following table gives the results of tests made to show the 

quality of gas produced from a number of cannel coals and, for comparison, the results of similar tests of a few bituminous coals. 

Most of the reports quoted do not indicate whether the long or the 

short ton is the unit employed, but the long ton (2,240 pounds) is 

probably the one used in nearly if not quite all of them. Trustworthy comparisons are afforded only by tests reported by the same 

analyst, for there has been no universal standard for such tests and 

the results of comparisons between tests made under different conditions are not reliable:

Quantity and quality of gas produced by cannel coals and some gas coals.

SCOTLAND.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Washington County, bituminous c . ....

OHIO.

Flint, Rideo <J. ..........................

Gas per long 

ton.

Cubk feet. 

13, 201

14,690

13, 155

12, 461

11,200

10.300

9,880-10.120 

. 10, 160

9,500-10,000

8,960

. 11, 782

10.080

Candlepower.

34.5

42.66

38.2

35.3

15

17

16. 1-8. 3 

22.5

16

15

18.8

24

Analyst.

Hislop, G. R.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory (Ltd.). 

Do.

Do.

Prof. Chandler.

Columbus Gas Co.. Ohio.

<» Hcndrio, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Kept., p. 154, 

1894.

6 McMillin, Emerson, The gas coals of Ohio: Ohio Geol. Survey Rept., vol. 5, Economic geology, p. 

735,1884.

c Taff, J. A., Preliminary report on the Camden coal field of southwestern Arkansas: U. S. Geol. Survey, 

Twenty-first Ann. Rept., pt. 2, p. 329,1900.

A McMillin, Emerson, op. cit., p. 733.

e Edwards, W. S., Coals and cokes of West Virginia, pp. 71-72,1892.
38 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Quantity and quality of gas prodiiced by cannel coals and some gas coals Contd.

WEST VIRGINIA.

150.6................................

Do.6...... ..........................

Do&...... ..........................

Grahamite ^. ...........................

KENTUCKY.

Pineville:

Wulafordc..... ....................

Poplar Lick bed, Log Mountains ft .....

NOVA SCOTIA. 

A IhorHtA d

ARKANSAS. 

Camden lignite i .......................

Gas per long 

ton.

Oubicfeet. 

11, 460 

14,200 

14,000 

11,200 

14, 780 

13,660 

14,210 

13,500

14,630

15,805 

15,835 

14,752 

14,260 

13,300 

15,200 

14,130 

14,560 

12,230 

12,540

13,200 

11,386

Candlepower.

18.7 

17 

19 

64.5 

42.7 

45.6 

36.1 

28

41.2

36.2 

44.5 

38.1 

35.1 

31.1 

46.2 

40.1 

22.7 

22.1 

30.5

49 

22.3

Analyst. .

Columbus Gas Co. 

Cincinnati Gas Co.. Ohio. 

Consolidated Gas Co., N. Y. 

Manhattan Gas Co., N. Y. 

Do. 

Do. 

Hislop, G. R.

Hislop, G. R.

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Knoxville Gas Co., Term. 

Hislop, G. R. 

Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory (Ltd.).

Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory (Ltd.).

a McMillin, Emerson, op. cit., p. 736.

6 Edwards, W. S., Coals and cokes of West Virginia, pp. 71-72,1892. 

c Stone, G. W., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Sixteenth Ann. Rept., p. 112,1900. 

d McMillin, Emerson, op. cit., p. 725. 

e Hendrie. Charles, op. cit., p. 150. 

/ Stone, G-. W., op. cit., p. 114. 

g Idem, p. 115. , ft Idem. p. 117. '

»Tafl, J. A., Preliminary report on the Camden coal field of southwestern Arkansas: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Twenty-first Ann. Rept., pt. 2, p. 329,1900.

In order that the possible differences in the volumes of gas and 

the candlepower^ due to different temperatures of distillation, may 

be fully realized in later tables the variation in the volume of gas 

and tar and in the composition of the gas resulting from the distillation of coal at different temperatures is given below.

Yield of gas and tar per ton of coal carbonized.®

Temperature of . distillation.

 c.

900

800

700

600

500

400

 F.

1,652

1,472

1,292

- 1,112

932

752

Volume 

of gas.

Cubic feet. 

11,000

10,000

9,000

7,750

6,400

5,000

Tar.

Gallons. 

9

12

15

18

21

23

Specific 

gravity 

of tar.

1.200

1.170

1.140

1.115

1.087

1. 060

» Lewes, V. B., The carbonization of coal, p. 162,1912.

The figures given are stated to be " average results."
USES. 39

Effect of temperature of carbonisation on the percentages of the chief constituents of the gas.a

{

op 

»W* 

400

752

21.2

60.1

6.3

500

\id&

28.3

56.2

5.8

600

lj 11*

33.8

50.7

5.0

700

1 ; £?SJ£i

41.6

45.0

4.4

800

1,472

48.2

39.1

3.8

900

1,652

54.5

34.2

3:5

» Lewes, V. B., The carbonization of coal, p. 163, 1912.

The difference in candlepower resulting from different temperatures of distillation was well shown in experiments by L. T. Wright 

(quoted by the Encyclopedia Britannica) on four portions of the 

same coal heated to different temperatures.

field and candlepower of gas distilled at different temperatures.

1. Dull reel .........................................................

2. Hotter. ..........................................................

3. Hotter. ..........................................................

4. Bright orange. ...................................................

Gasper

ton.

Cubic feet.

8,250

9, 693

10.821

12,006

Illuminating

power

per 5

cuoic feet

of gas.

Candles.

20.5

17.8

16.7

15.6

Total illuminating

power

per ton.

Candles.

33, 950

34,510

36,140

37,460

On this subject see further, for American coals, the work of Porter 

and Ovitz x and Parr ancl Francis. 2 The results were summarized by 

Vignon,3 as follows:

1. Imperfect hydrocarbons (C2H2 , C2H4 , C0H6 ) distill chiefly at 

temperatures below 600° and disappear at high temperatures.

2. Methane and carbide are very abundant (60 to 84 per cent) up 

to 800° and then decrease rapidly with temperature.

3. Hydrogen comes off in small quantities (2 to 20 per cent) up to 

600°, greatly predominates from 800 to 1,000°, and then sometimes 

decreases from this temperature up to 1,200°.

4. CO, which ranges from 3 to 11 per cent and averages 6.5 per 

cent up to 850°, may exceed 30 per cent above 1,000°. Increasing 

temperature increases the quantity of gas; the gas obtained at 1,000° 

has low calorific value and, in general, contains considerable CO.

Detailed tests of some of the best Kentucky cannels have been made 

by G. R. Hislop, gas engineer of the Paisley Gas Works, Scotland.

1 Porter, H. C., and Ovitz, F. K., The volatile matter of coal: Bur. Mines Bull. 1, 1910.

2 Parr, S. W., and Francis, C. K., The modification of Illinois coal by low-temperature 

distillation : Illinois Univ. Eng. Exper. Sta. Bull. 24, 1908.

" Vignon, Leo, Fractional distillation of coal: Jour. Gas Lighting, vol. 121, p. 107, 1913.
Results of tests of Kentucky cannel and bitumino

Chemical analyses (per cent):

Ash........................................................

Gaseous products: 

Gas per ton of coal at 60° F., 30 inches barometer. cubic feet. .

Illuminating power of gas. ............. .standard candles. .

Carbon dioxide (COz) in foul gas............ .........do....

Liquid products:

Aqueous absorbent capacity of coal (determined by cornSolid products:

Heating power of 1 pound of coke (water from boiling point

Carter 

County, 

Boghead .0

1.175

1 91

54 92

qe i 7

8.08

.62

14,752

*41 ^7

7AA

1 ^ 11

72' 4"

Q1 ^ fifl

2

1 CQ 7O

38.15

1.25

2.50

7.00

S

ec

20:34

4 43

4 00

2.71

1.35

972.83

81.40

18.60

4.03

11.18

Greenup 

County. 

Hunnewell.o

1.215

2

7CT

47.23

43.58

5.55

.89

. 14,260 

483.44

644

H 95

Aft' 4ft''

QAV fO

1

7oe oft

35.13

1.75

2.50

5.50

12.09

Oft 1O

n ^l

3 

fin

6.46

2.80

1,108.35

88.80

11.20

7 R4

12.20

Bell County, 

Bear Creek.b

14,630.00 

470. 25

745.00

18. 30

78' 45"

QCQ 7ft

41.24

1.20

1.80

.7.75

9.18

26.68

6.30

5.00

3.40

1.75

994.78

92.30

7.70

3.58

12.68

Popl

se

12

a Phalen, W. C., Economic geology of the Kenova quadrangle: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 349, p. 90,

6 Ashley. G. H., and Glenn, L. C.. Geology and mineral resources of part of Cumberland Gap coal fie

c Henorie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Insp. Mines Tenth Ann. Kept., p. 136,1894
USES. = 41

The three bituminous coals in the above table are of gas-coal quality, having a percentage of volatile hydrocarbons above 35. Comparison between them and the cannel coals shows that the cannels 

yield a higher specific gravity, higher candlepower, and higher value 

per cubic foot in sperms. It also shows that the cannels yield more 

tar, though'this is in a measure offset by their smaller yield of ammoniacal liquor. The bituminous coals, on the other hand, yield 

more and better coke.

Writing in 1893, Hendrie x describes some of the effects of substituting water gas for the gas formerly enriched with cannel coal:

The Consolidated Gas Co. of New York in former years used to use from 

25,000 to 30,000 tons of cannel per annum for enriching purposes. They now use 

only a few thousand tons. This applies to all the large gas works in this 

country. On the other hand, the handling of large quantities of naphtha oil is 

attended with great risk and danger, especially in large cities, and a first-class 

cannel will always find a ready market at a certain price, and this to a great 

extent is governed by the question of transportation. There is a good market in 

South America, England, and portions of the Continent. The exhaustion of the 

English cannels is rapidly taking place, and Kentucky alone can take their 

place in any quantity. Toward the end of 1892 the city of London ceased to 

use cannel gas, an event marking an important epoch in the cannel trade. This 

was caused by the fact that about the only available cannel in quantity coming 

into this mai-ket the Scotch Lesmahagow cost 58 shillings per ton, delivered 

In the Thames. Sufficient quantity could not even be obtained at this price, 

and as ordinary coal will not yield 16 candlepower gas crude' oil from Russia is 

employed to maintain the statutory power. By this means the gas companies 

in that city were able to furnish 16 candlepower gas at 3 shillings 1 pence per 

1,000 cubic feet, as against 4 shillings 9 pence for cannel gas, a difference which 

the public were quick to appreciate and accede to. The large amount of gas 

now used for cooking purposes has also tended to lessen the demand for a gas 

of high illuminating power.

COKE MAKING.

It is well known that cannel coal will not make good coke. It 

belongs to the group of free-burning coals which do not intumesce 

or run together into a cake, and the coke made from it is, as a rule, 

pulverulent and soft, that made from some beds crumbling at once 

to powder. It would seem to be feasible to use this coke in the 

production of water gas or producer gas or for burning under 

furnaces as dust, but not in metallurgy nor for stove use.

OIL MAKING.

The use of cannel coal of most interest, both in the past and in 

the future, however, is in the production of oil and other chemical 

by-products. It was this use that led to its widespread mining from 

1855 to 1859, when the discovery of petroleum opened the way to its

1 Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels : Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. 

Rept., p. 149, 1894.
42 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

displacement, and it is this use that is apparently again calling 

attention to it, the oil now being demanded for conversion into the 

lighter hydrocarbons (especially gasoline) for use in portable motors 

and the by-product chemicals for the enlarging chemical industry 

of the country.

The use of coal for the production of oil is not recent, it having 

been employed for the purpose as early as 1760. In Lewis's Materia 

Medica, published in that year, mention is made of oils distilled from 

black bituminous shales for medical purposes. Even earlier than 

that, in 1694, patents were issued, according to Gesner,1 to Eele, 

Hancock, and Portlock for making "pitch, tar, and oyle out of a 

kind of stone." In 1781 the Earl of Dundonald distilled oil from 

coal, and others distilled oils and tars from bituminous schists, so 

that at an early date these oils, somewhat purified, were used for 

burning in lamps and for lubricating machinery.

Abraham Gesner claims to have been the first to manufacture oil 

from coal in the United States, and in 1846 exhibited the use of his 

oil in lamps. His patents, known as the " kerosene patents," granted 

nine years later, were sold to the North American Kerosene Gaslight Co., which proceeded to make and sell " kerosene oil," as it was 

called. This early oil was not so highly refined as kerosene is to-day, 

and a disagreeable odor in burning kept down its sale. It came into 

common use about 1854. In .the autumn of 1855 work was begun 

at Breckinridge, Ky., on an oil distillery, and by April, 1856, 12 

retorts were in operation there, producing 600 to 700 gallons daily. 

In June, 1856, the Breckinridge Coal & Oil Co. consolidated with 

the Breckinridge Cannel Coal Co., and 18 more retorts were added.

The rapid extension in the refining of oil from cannel coal and 

other bituminous substances has been described by Baskerville,2 as 

follows:

In 1853 the United States Chemical Manufacturing Co. began working coat 

tar for the manufacture of lubricating oil at Waltham, Mass., and in 1857 the 

Downer Kerosene Oil Co. first made mineral oils from Albert coal mined in 

New Brunswick. The large works of Downer, in Boston, were erected at a 

cost of half a million dollars; and at Portland, Me., Downer erected a smaller 

works for distilling imported coal. About this time the New Bedford Co., of 

New Bedford, Mass., commenced the distillation of Boghead coal, imported from 

Scotland, but later substituted domestic Breckinridge coal and West Virginia 

coal for the imported material.

In 1859 six plants were erected by various companies near Pittsburgh, Pa., 

and one of these (the Lucesco Co.) had a distilling capacity of 6,000 gallons of 

crude oil per day. This company had $120,000 invested in its works, and in 

1860 ten large revolving retorts were in operation. Sixteen 2,000-gallon stills

1 Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and other distilled oils, 2d ed., 

p. 8, New York, Bailliere Bros., 1865.

2 Baskerville, Charles, Economic possibilities of American oil shales : Bng. and Min. 

Jour., vol. 88, p. 151, 1909.
USES. 43

were used in the refinery. Many of the companies in operation worked under 

licenses from the Young Co., of Scotland. In 1860 there were fifty-five coal-oil 

companies in existence in the United States. These were as follows:

Adair & Veeder, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Aladdin Co., Kiskiminitas, Pa. 

Anderson Co., Darlington, Pa. 

Atlantic Co., New York, N. Y. 

Beloni & Co., New York, N. Y. 

Boston & Portland Co., Boston, Mass. 

Breckiuridge Co., Cloverport, Ky. 

Brooks Co., Zanesville, Ohio. 

Carbon Co., New York, N. Y. 

Cornell & Co., Canfield, Ohio. 

Covington Co., Covington, Ky. 

Cox Co., Zanesville, Ohio. 

Dean Co., Cleveland, Ohio. 

Downer Co., Boston, Mass. 

East Cambridge Co., East Cambridge,

Mass.

Empire State Co., New York, N. Y. 

Enon Valley Co., Enon Valley, Pa. 

Eureka Co., New York, N. Y. 

Excelsior Co., New York, N. Y. 

Falling Rock Co., Kanawha, Va. [now

W. Va.]. 

Forest Hill Co., Kanawha, Va. [now

W. Va.]. .

Franklin Co., New York, N. Y. 

Glendon Co., Boston, Mass. 

Grasseli Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Great Kanawha Co., Kanawha, Va.

[now W. Va.].

Great Western Co., Newark, Ohio. 

Greers Co., Kanawha, Va. [now W.

Va.].

Many of the above-mentioned companies were of small capacity, and most of 

them were not more than fairly started when the discovery of petroleum 

paralyzed the industry. The owners were threatened with considerable loss, 

from which they were rescued, however, by converting their oil works into 

petroleum refineries, this being accomplished with little outlay of time or 

money.

Modern methods of distilling cannel coal would doubtless follow 

in the main the methods now used in Scotland and Germany 

in the distillation of oil shale, described by Baskerville 1 and by 

Ells. 2 Baskerville has also described the methods in use in the 

United States when cannel coals were formerly distilled for oil.

1 Baskerville, Charles, Economic possibilities of American oil shales: Eng. and Mln. 

.Tour., vol. 88, pp. 152-153, 1909.

2 Ells, R. W., Joint report on the bituminous or oil-shales of New Brunswick; also, on 

the oil-shale Industry of Scotland ; part 1, Economics, pp. 13-14, Canada Dept. Mines, 

Mines Branch, 1910.

Hartford Co., Hartford, Conn. 

Himebaugh & Co., Coshocton, Ohio. 

Kerosene Co., New York, N. Y. 

Knickerbocker Co., New York, N. Y. 

Long Island Co., New York, N. Y. 

Lucesco Co., Kiskirninitas, Pa. 

New Bedford Co., New Bedford, Mass. 

New York & Wheeling Co., Wheeling,

W. Va.

New York Coal Oil Co., New Galilee, Pa. 

North American Co.,Kiskiminii;as, Pa. 

Orion Co., New York, N. Y. 

Page & Co., Boston, Mass. 

Palestine Co., Palestine, Pa. 

Peasley Co., Boston, Mass. 

Phoenix Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Pictou Co., New York, N. Y. 

Pinkham Co., Boston, Mass. 

Preston Co., Virginia [now W. Va.]. 

Ritchie Co., Ritchie County, Va. 

Robinson Co., Perry County, Ohio. 

Sherwood Co., Canfield, Ohio. 

Stamford Co., Stamford, Conn. 

Stauntou Co., Kauawha, Va. [now W.

Va.].

Union Co., Maysville, Ky. 

Western Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. 

White-Day Co., Monongahela County,

Va. [now W. Va.]. 

Zephyr Co., New York, N. Y.
44 ,CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

About 1860 two types of retorts were in use in the United States and 

Canada, viz, the horizontal D-shaped retorts and revolving retorts. The former were made of both iron and clay and were from 30 to 45 inches in 

width and 8 to 10 feet in length. A retort 10 feet in length was capable 

of distilling three charges of cannel coal of 450 pounds each in 24 hours 

at a heat not exceeding 415°. Two or three of these retorts were heated 

over one furnace, and often as many as forty discharged into a common 

main. The discharge pipes leading from the retorts to the main were about 

8 inches in diameter, and they were inserted into the end of the retort opposite the head and the furnace. The main was generally 3 feet in diameter.

The revolving retorts were iron or clay cylinders, 6 feet in diameter 

and 8 feet in length, sustained upon an axle at each end, the vapors passing through the axle opposite the furnace. The cylinders were kept in 

motion by machinery and made two or three revolutions per minute. One 

of these retorts ran six charges of one ton each in 24 hours. In using 

this retort a saving of fuel was found, but they were more expensive and 

more liable to get out of order. Consequently the horizontal D-shaped retort 

was favored.

The largest stills for refining were about 8 feet 6 inches in diameter and 4 

feet 6 inches in height. The condensing worms were about 100 feet in length, 

with a diameter of 6 inches where they left the necks and 4 inches throughout 

the middle parts, tapering down to 2 inches at the tail pipes. The oil was refined as follows: After the water had settled from the oil and had been drawn 

off, the crude oil was generally distilled in a common iron still. When the oil 

had been " run off" to four-fifths of the whole quantity, steam was let into the 

still, and frequently superheated steam was used.

The first distillate was separated into two parts, the first being that which 

distilled over from the commencement until the specific gravity reached 0.843. 

This oil, which constituted the lamp oil, was placed in an iron cistern and agitated from one to two hours with from 4 to 10 per cent of sulphuric acid, and 

then allowed to settle for eight hours. The oil was then washed with 10 to 

20 per cent water and afterward with 5 to 10 per cent soda solution (specific 

gravity 1.40). After settling for six hours the oil was again washed with 

water and run into a still for final rectification. When the specific gravity 

reached 0.819 the distillation .was stopped and the residue was transferred to 

the heavy oil.

The heavy oil. was that portion of the crude oil which formed the second 

part of the first distillate. It was generally distilled off in steam to the end 

of the distillation. The heavy oils were purified in much the same manner as the 

lighter oils, excepting more acid and stronger alkali solutions were employed. 

The paraffin wax was crystallized from the heavy oil by exposing it in tanks in a 

cool place. The oil was pressed out from the wax, which was then purified by 

acid and alkalies, pressed, and finally cast in molds. Certain alterations of 

these general methods of retorting and refining were made in New Brunswick 

in 1864-65. Whether they were improvements or not, we are not able to 

ascertain.

DISTILLATION FOR BY-PRODUCTS.

The renewed interest in cannel coal is largely based on its supposed 

value as a source of what were formerly considered by-products 

in the manufacture of artificial gas, but which at present have be-
USES. 45

come of primary importance. The "figures already given indicate 

clearly that certain lean or semicannel coals, though suitable for 

certain uses (as in household grates), have no advantage over bituminous coals in the production of gas or oil. The figures also 

show, however, that the higher-grade cannel coals yield a variable 

but always larger percentage of the coal gas, coal oil, and ammoniacal liquor, and it is hoped that some method may be found for obtaining benzol and its derivatives from these by hydrogenation.

Both the quantity and the quality of the products obtained by the 

destructive distillation of coal depend on the temperature and pressure and some other factors of the distillation. (See pp. 39 and 48.) 

If the temperature of distillation is 1,000° to 1,200° F. or more, a 

large volume of gas will be driven off and there will remain a small 

quantity of tar, from which the coal-tar products are derived, and a 

large quantity of coke, usually equivalent to more than one-half the 

weight of the coal. If, however, the temperature of distillation be 

kept below 800° F. the quantity of gas will be much reduced, the 

quantity of coke possibly a little increased, and a considerable volume of oil given off in place of the coal tar.

Munroe 1 has summarized by classes a few of nearly a thousand 

derivatives of the ammoniacal liquor and tar obtained in making 

coal gas. From the ammoniacal liquor are obtained ammonium carbonate, sulphide; polysulphide, chloride, cyanide, sulphocyanide, 

and other combinations, depending on the process employed. The 

coal tar yields the benzene series, including benzene, naphthalene, 

fluorene, phenanthrene, and anthracene; nitrogen-containing compounds, as aniline, the pyridines, the picrolines, quinolines, isoquinolines; sulphur compounds, as thiophene; and hydroxy compounds, as phenols and cresoles.- From these substances are derived 

cleansing compounds, paints, and paint removers; dyestuffs, as the 

aniline dyes, synthetic alizarine, and indigo; antiseptics and germi-- 

cides, as carbolic acid and the naphtholes; explosives, as picric acid 

and trotile; flavoring materials, as methyl, salycilate, and vanilline; 

perfumes, as geran oil and artificial musk; febrifuges, as antipyrene 

and acetanilid; sweetening principles, as saccharine; photographic 

developers, as hydroquinone; etc.

A number of cannel-coal samples obtained by the writer in Pennsylvania were subjected to dry distillation in 1914-15 under the 

direction of D. T. Day. A preliminary series of tests were made 

by J. A. Dorsey at the Geological Survey, and a second series by 

C. R. Bopp at the Bureau of Mines.

1 Munroe, C. E., By-products In gas manufacture: Franklin Inst. Jour., vol. 174, p. 17, 

1912.
46 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Dry distillation tests of Pennsylvania cannel coals (191.4-15).° 

[By J. A. Dorsey and C. B. Bopp.]

Source.

Center County:

Clearfleld County:

Indiana County:

Armstrong County:

Pine Run No. 1 ..................

Pine Run No. 3 ..................

Beaver County:

Cannelton, slate. .................

First test.

Coal, 

used.

Grains. 

100

100 

100

100

100 

100 

100

100 

100

Oil.

From 

sample.

C. c. 

5

5 

5

10

17 

14

8

21 

12

Per

short 

ton.

Gals. 

12.0

12 

12

24

40.8 

33.6 

19.2

50.4 

28.8

Second test.

Coal 

used.

02.

6

6 

6

6

6 

6 

6

6 

6

Yield per short ton.

Oil.

Gals. 

10.7

14 

10.5

20.3

33.6 

25.2 

31.5

37.3 

27.3

Water.

Gals. 

11.9

7 

7

7.7

7 

9.8 

8.4

10.5 

9.1

Gas.

Cu. ft. 

4,071

4,467 

4,467

4,790

5.029 

5,029 

4,311

5,268 

2,905

Ammonia.

Pounds. 

1.8

2.39 

5.14

5.57

5.37 

5.06 

3.68

2.24 

.92

o Ashley, G. H., Oil resources of black shales of the eastern United States: U.'S. Geol. Survey Bull. 641, 

p. 319,1917.

In the following tests a thousand grains of coal were submitted 

to distillation by Peter, the heat being gradually raised to a dull 

red. The oil, ammonia, and coke were collected in a train of three 

tubulated receivers and the gas in a bell glass.

Tests of 1,000 grains of Kentucky cannels (1856-1859). 

[By B. Peter.]

Source.

Breathitt County:

Greenup County:

Carter County: 

No. 1 Boghead c..................... ............

Gt

Grains. 

120

134

170

153

145

140

182

162

102

is.

Cu. in. 

860

675

670

675

445

370

Oil.

Grains. 

273

364

209

200

189

436

411

318

248.5

136

Ammoniacal 

water.

Gals. in

36

78

99

111

40

40

52

55

52

Coke.

Grains. 

576.7

466

543

548

555

384

367

455

589

710

o Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Rept., p. 95,1861. 

6 Idem, p. 171. 

c Idem, p. 111. 

<* Idem, p. 114. 

«Idem, p. 216.

/Peter, Kobert, Second chemical report of the ores, rocks, soils, coals, etc., of Kentucky: Kentucky 

Geol. Survey Second Rept., p. 217,1857.

Gesner x gives a table showing the production of oil, volatile matter, and coke from a number of cannel and bituminous coals and

1 Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and other distilled oils, 2d ed., 

p. 56, 1865.
USES. 47

 ^

other bituminous substances, from which the following have "been 

selected :

Yield of oil, coke, and volatile matter from cannel and other coals.

Locality.

England:

Scotland:

New Brunswick:

American:

ErieR.R., Pa.... .............................................

Volatile 

matter.

Per cent. 

48.36

11

35

70.10

38

51

61.05

61.30

35

50

36

46

41

34

45

42

60

Coke.

Per cent. 

53

Eft

- 65

29.90

62

49

30.65

38.55

65

en

64

54

59

66

64

58

40

Yield of 

crude oil 

per ton.

Gallons. 

82

74

48

120

40

96

110

130

47

 80

49

71

60

86

74

56

64

He also gives the following figures showing the yield of illuminating oil and paraffin oil from Breckinridge and Boghead coal:

Refined products of oils from cannel coals.0

Crude oil per ton of coal ......................

Paraffin .................................

Making or equal to marketable oils . . . . .0

........................ .gallons. .

............................do....

............................do....

......... .'1 ............. .gallons. .

Breckin- T»«»I,^J ridge. Boghead.

130 120

80 65

12 7

19

92 84

 a Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and other distilled oils, 2d ed., p. 55,1865.

For example, Newcastle, England, cannel coal gives very different 

results, according to whether it is distilled for gas or for oil. The 

following products are reported by Gesner: x

Products per ton of distillation of Newcastle, England, cannel coal distilled for

ffas and for oil.

Distilled for gas.

s.........................cubic feet.. 7,450

Coal tar............................gallons.. 18J

Coke..............................pounds.. 1,200

Products of the coal tar: - -. - 

Benzole.........................pints-. 3

Coal-tar naphtha........"..... .gallons.. 3

Heavy oil, naphthalin, etc..... .do.... 9

Distilled for oil.

Gas............................cubicfeet.. 1,400 

Crude oil.........................gallons.. 68

Coke.............................pounds.. 1,280

Products of the crude oil: .- 

Eupion.......................gallons.. 2

Lamp oil........................ do.... 22.5

Heavy oil and paraffin..........do.... 24

' 48.5 

1 Gesner, Abraham, Practical treatise on coal, petroleum, and other distilled oils, 2d 

ed.,-p. 110, 1865.
48 CANKEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

fjesner reports the following series of hydrocarbons as derived 

from Breckinridge cannel coal when distilled at an average heat of 

780°: 1-, C4H2 (supposed to exist but not condensed); 2, C6H4 ; 

3, C8H6 ; 4, C10H8 ; 5, C12H10 ; 6, CUH12 ; 7, C16H14 ; 8, C18H16 ; 9, 

C20H18 ; 10, C22H20 ; paraffin (3-9 are stated as "embracing the hydrocarbon oils suitable for lamps when mixed"); specific gravity, 

0.819.1 "A coal from Kanawha, Va. [W. Va.], when distilled at a 

heat of 900° gave part of a series thus: 1, C8H4 ; 2, C12H8 ; 3, C16H12 ;

4 *j O ^is-^-ie- H " 2

The following table by Porter 3 shows the substances derived from 

tar at different temperatures:

Fractions of average coal tar and their uses.

Temperature of distillation................

First crude separation

by distillation.

Percentage in tar......

Intermediate products

by distillation or expression.

Crude commercial

products.

Intermediate chemical

products.

Refined chemical products.

70°-160° C.

Light oil .........'.

3..................

Benzene, toluene,

xylene, etc.; 

phenol.

Benzol and solvent naphtha 

for solvents,

paint thinners,

motor fuel, gas

enrichment.

Nitro benzene,

aniline salts,

aniline oil, carbolic acid.

Nitrotoluenes, diphenyla mine,

and other ingredients of explosives; aniline 

dyes; hydroquinone, and

other photographic developers; drugs and

medicines.

160°-230° C.

Middle oil (or dead

oil).

8..................

Phenol, cresols,

etc., naphthalene, heavy hydrocarbons.

230°-360° C.

Heavy oil (including anthracene

oil).

24.................

Cresols, naphthalene, anthracene, heavy hydrocarbons, quinoline bases.

Creosote oil.

Lamp 

Disinfectants. . ....

Carbolic acid, picric acid, phthalic acid, naphthols, naphthylamines, salicylic acid.

Picric acid, picrates, aud otter

ni tro-com-

.. pounds for explosives; 'naphthol dyes and

colors, artificial

indigo, refined 

carbolic acid.

black. 

Road oils, impregnation of timber.

Above 360° C.

Pitch.

fi5.

Soft pitch, hard

. pitch.

Pitch, brlquetting

protective.

Roofing tars.

Paving tars.

Anthraquinone

alizarin.

Alizarin dyes.....

*

Light oil or " benzol" may also be obtained directly from coal gas, 

of which it forms about 1 per cent by weight. In 1913 about 4,500,000 

gallons of "gas benzol" was made in addition to that used in gas 

enriching, and new benzol plants have since largely increased that 

production. Probably 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 gallons of light oil was 

obtained from tar in the United States in 1913. It has been estimated that if all the " benzol" were recovered from the coal used in 

this country for making gas and coke, it would amount to over 

100,000,000 gallons.

1 Gesner, Abraham, op. cit., p. 125.

2 Idem. p. 126.

3 Porter, H. C., Coal-tar products, etc.: Bur. Mines Tech. Paper 89, p. 10, 1915.
USES. 49

According to Lewes,1 if coal gas is scrubbed with creosote oil, it 

will yield 3 to 4 gallons of crude benzene per ton of coal, containing 

20 to 30 per cent of toluol.

Inubishi 2 has estimated that from the total Japanese yield of 

60,000 tons of coal tar there should be obtained 230 tons of benzene, 

140 tons of toluene, 200 tons of phenol, TOO tons of cresol, 3,400 tons 

of refined naphthalene, 8,600 tons of creosote, 7,000 tons of fuel oil, 

200 tons of anthracene, and 38,000 tons of pitch.

Experiments in 1915 by the Bureau of Mines gave the following 

results:

Coke (per 

cent).

48

65

65

70

Tar (gallons per 

ton).

80

35

18

20

Ammonia 

(pounds of 

sulphate 

per ton).

8

5

13

Stripped 

oil (gallons per 

ton).

5

4

1.5

2

C

Charges, 5 to 8 pounds; maximum temperature 700° C. "Stripped oil" derived by steam distillation 

from "straw oil" used in washing gas, as in benzol-recovery plant. Aromatics notably absent from lowboiling tar fractions and "stripped oil."

Analysis of gas from "Pluto" cannel (3,750 cubic feet per ton) 

showed C02, 4.75 per cent; ethylene and unsaturated hydrocarbons, 

8,50; H2 , 24.75; CO, 6.40; CnH2n+2 (n=1.35), 54.55; N2 , 1.05.

The experiments showed, according to Dr. G. B. Taylor, of the 

Bureau of Mines, not only that cannel coal differs from other bituminous coals in the larger volumes of tar or oil and gas it yields, 

but that because of the low temperature at which the liquid products 

come off they consist mainly of saturated and unsaturated paraffin 

hydrocarbons, together with tar acids and but little of the valuable 

benzene and toluene. The low-temperature oils are difficult to refine 

and as yet have found no ready market. Their possible uses are as 

flotation oil and as sources of gasoline and creosote. The difficulty in 

refining for gasoline comes in removing the unsaturated bodies,- 

notably paraffins of the ethylene series. Hydrogenation may in the 

future obviate this difficulty. Many studies are yet needed of tar 

and gas derived from cannel coal at high temperature and of the 

results of "cracking" or other subsequent treatment of the lowtemperature distillation products. 3

1 Lewes, V. B., The place of the gas industry in the manufacture of modern explosives: 

Gas World, vol. 62, p. 242, 1915.

2 Inubishi, S., Japanese by-product Industry: Gas Age, vol. 35, p. 268, 1915.

3 Rittman, W. F., The Rittman gasoline process: Nat. Petroleum News, vol. 7, pp. 2-4, 

1915. Since the above was written the Bureau of Mines has issued a bulletin by Rittman, 

Button, and Dean (Bull. 114), describing in detail the Rittman and other processes for the 

cracking of oils and the methods of producing the aromatic hydrocarbons used in making 

explosives, including a very complete bibliography on these and related subjects.

87775° 1& Bull. 659 i
50 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES. 

CANNEL-COAL, MINING. 

PENNSYLVANIA.

The early use of cannel coal is largely merged in that of bituminous coal. According to Mansfield* the cannel coal of Cannelton, Pa., 

appears to have been known to the Indians at least as early as 1750, 

and was used~by them in their hunting camp at the mouth of Cannel 

Ravine. William and George Foulks, who were for a time held 

prisoners by the Indians, seem to have been the first white men to 

karn its source. It was certainly known to white men in 1787. The 

first mine was opened by William Welch but was burned out in a 

raid on horse thieves, who had made the locality a hiding place. It 

is of record that the cannel mine was purchased in 1820 by James 

Patterson and operated for two years. When the Pennsylvania 

& Ohio Canal was projected in 1831, a survey was made for a 

"cannel-coal railway" from New Galilee to Newcastle. Though 

often the subject of ownership disputes, the cannel coal at this point 

appears to have been worked more or less regularly on a small scale. 

A railroad was built to the mines in 1855, and from that time mining 

continued extensively until 1900. (See PL IV, A, p. 34.)

OHIO.

In Ohio cannel coal was mined in the Flint Ridge region at least 

as early as 1830 and 1840. Data as to the discovery of the other 

cannel fields in the State were not obtained, but it is believed that 

most of them have been known and some of them mined from a very 

early date. The fact that oil refineries existed at Coshocton, Canfield, and Zanesville, Ohio, before 1860 is itself evidence that the 

neighboring cannel coals were then being mined.

INDIANA.

In 1837 the American Cannel Coal Co., of Cannelton, Perry 

County, Ind., was incorporated and began to mine at that point. 

Cannel coal mining at Cannelsburg, Daviess County, Ind., was begun 

in 1871 by the Buckeye Cannel Coal Co., and has been continued to 

the present time.

WEST VIRGINIA.

In West Virginia, according to Edwards,2 cannel coal began to be 

exploited on Coal River in the early forties through the activity of

1 Mansfield, I. F., Fireclays, coals, and titles of the cannel-coal tract at Cannelton, 

Beaver County, Pa., p. 27, 1905.

2 Edwards, W. S., Coals and cokes of West Virginia, pp. 96-98, 1892.
CANNEL-COAL MINING. 51

W. N. Peyton. Among the companies engaged were the Virginia 

Cannel Coal Co., with mines at Peytona, in Boone County; the 

Western Mining & Manufacturing Co., with mines at Drawdy Creek 

near Peytona; the Cannel Coal Co. of Coal Eiver, with mines at 

Manningville on Little Coal River; and the Coal Eiver & Kanawha 

Mining & Manufacturing Co., with mines at Briar Creek, in Boone 

County. These companies organized the Coal River Navigation 

Co., which built eight locks and dams on Coal River and one on 

Little Coal River, with an average lift of 10 feet, giving 4 feet of 

' water at all seasons. The cannel-coal trade on this river reached a 

maximum output of about 200,000 tons a year, the coal going mainly 

to markets on the lower Ohio. During the Civil War the mines were 

abandoned, the markets closed, and the neglected locks and dams 

washed out. After the war the Virginia Cannel Coal Co. was reorganized as the Peytona Cannel Coal Co. The river was redammed, 

but after 10 years of financially unsuccessful mining the project was 

abandoned until a railroad should be built up the river.

About the time development began on Coal River cannel coal was 

discovered on Kanawha River below Smithers Creek by Aaron Stockton, and in the early fifties a refinery was established at Cannelton 

to extract oil and paraffin from the Stockton bed. Cannel coal began 

to be mined on Paint Creek in 1857 and was used in an oil refinery 

established there. Edwards* says that an unsuccessful attempt was 

made at Forest Hill to manufacture oil from bituminous shale. 

Cannel coal was discovered on Twelvepole Creek at a much later 

date,-'and development did not begin until the construction of the 

Norfolk & Western Railroad through that district. These last deposits of cannel coal proved to be very small.

According to Newberry 2 cannel coal was also known on Mill Creek 

and on Falling Rock Creek before the war and for a time an oil refinery was operated 1£ miles above the mouth of Falling Rock Creek.

KENTUCKY.

Just when cannel-coal mining began in Kentucky was not learned. 

Mather,3 writing in 1838, said that a bed of cannel at the mouth of 

Troublesome Creek, on Kentucky River, was being regularly mined 

and shipped down the river in flat boats, but he made no mention of 

mining on Georges Branch or on Quicksand Creek, though it is possible that the coals at those points were being worked at that time or 

were opened up soon thereafter. In 1837 the Breckinridge cannel, 

which had been known for several years, was being mined and hauled

Edwards, W. S., op. cit., pp. 85-86.

 Newberry, T. S., Ohio Geol. Survey Kept., vol. 2, pt. 1, Geology, p. 547, 1874. 

3 Mather, W. W., Report on the geological reconnaissance of Kentucky made in 1838, 

p. 15, 1839.
52 CANCEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

to Ohio River, where it sold for the use of steamers at 10 cents a 

bushel. Trimble,1 writing in 1837, says that it sold- in Louisville at 

that time at 15 cents a.bushel. He adds: "The cannel coal of Kentucky River is believed to be superior to any of that species in 

America, and is evidently superior to the coal imported under that 

name. * * * Many veins of it have been found on the Kentucky 

River." Some idea of the extent of the mining of the Breckinridge 

cannel may be gained from the fact that, writing in 1855, Owen 2 

mentions measuring sections in rooms off the eighth entry.

The coals mentioned were probably the only cannels that were 

being mined in Kentucky in 1855. Other cannels were known, however, and were probably mined in Greenup, Carter, Johnson, and 

possibly some other counties before 1860.

PRODUCTION.

The figures in the following table, showing the production of 

cannel coal in the United States,3 are fairly complete for years since 

1902 but not for preceding years. The term " semicannel" in the 

table is the term used by the mining companies in their reports and 

does not mean the coal so named in this paper (p. 10).

Production of cannel coal in the United States, in long tons.

State.

Indiana.............. 

Iowa.................

State.

Ohio.................

1&

Cannel.

""i,"46i"

25.383

2,486

97 7QS

25, 920

19

Cannel.

32,475

15,612

138, 408

2, 500

150

2, 362

3,819

78, 500

18, 167

2

Semicannel.

21, 887

05

Semicannel.

15,397

238,844

190

Cannel.

30,000 

15,000

63,717

446

3,007

30, 905

10,000

19

Cannel.

25, 475

13,020

73,083

5,100

3,836

6,160

14,480

2

Semicannel.

1,600

124,701

06

Semicannel.

4,650

190

Cannel.

35, 900 

19,621

118,616

700

650

1,154

14,014

19

Cannel.

14,722"

38, 455

. 10,800

97, 586

1,859

400

14, 772

2,200

13, 681

3

Semicannel.

19,390

122,049

07

Semicannel.

....2,200

' 190

Cannel.

32,350 

13,127

80,592

7.521

700

8,588

5,807

22,800

19

Cannel.

30,230

22.718

82,933

4,183

865

24,307

64,369

4

Semicannel.

51,811

166,904

08

Semicannel.

6,201

1 Trimble, D., Report of the committee on the coal trade nnd iron interest?, of Kentucky, p. 3 [1837?].

2 Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Kept, for 1854 and 1855, p. 175, 1856. 

8 U. S. Geol. Survey Mineral Resource's.
CANNEL-COAL MINING. 53 

Production of cannel coal in the United States, in lony tons Continued.

State.

Ohio.................

Pennsylvania........ 

Tennessee. ...........

Ifl

Cannel.

22,676

21,672

67, 869

5,936

33,778

51,347 

' 'ii9,"844'

09

Semicannel. '

"i2"i,"666'

19

Cannel.

11,875

90,275

5,683

39, 879 

8,048 

14, 250

11

Semicannel.

..........

IB

Cannel.

7,373

8,344

88,292

' 3,583

4,039

68,091 

12,500 

28,848

12

Semicaunel.

86,377

' "206," 585"

19

Cannel.

5,628

90,124

3,931

5,994

58,174 

6,703 

10,303

13

Semicannel.

86, 26::!

The following mines have recently been operating on cannel coal. 

Those marked with a * were not reported as operated in 1916.

Indiana:

Mutual Coal Co., Cannelsburg; Mutual mine.* 

Iowa:

Webster County Craig & Dawson Coal Co., Port Dodge; Cannel No. 2 mine. 

Kentucky: .

Bell County Federal Coal Co., Chattanooga, Tenn.; Wallsend, Chenoa. 

Carter County Eastern Kentucky Railway Co., Riverton ; Boglieacl mines.* 

Floyd County Puritan Cannel Coal Co., Prestonburg. 

Greenup County Eastern Kentucky Railway Co., Riverton; Hunnewell

mine.*

Harlan County Cumberland Cannel Coal Co., Welch, W. Va.; No. 1 mine. 

Johnson County 

East Kentucky Coal Co., East Point.*

Ayers & Laug, Detroit, Mien.

Greasy Creek Coal Co., Thealka.

Whitehouse Cannel Coal Co:, Myrtle.*'

Knox County North Jellico Coal Co.. Lewisville; Olive Hill mine. 

Morgan County 

American Consolidated Cannel Coal Co., Loveland; No. 1 mine.* .

Bigstaff Cannel Coal Co., Cannel City; Bigstaff mine.*

Cauey Cannel Coal Co., Paris; Caney mine.*

Gish Cannel Coal Co., Central City; White Oak mine.

Kentucky Block Cannel Coal Co., Cannel City; No. 1 and Brushy mine.

Lee Cannel Coal Co., Clearfleld; Lee No. 1 mine.

Mayflower Cannel Coal Co., Lancaster; Eureka mine.*

Charter Coal Co., Frankfort; Nos. 1 and 2 mines.

Orley Hanley, White Oak; Little mine. 

Whitley County Halsey Red Ash Coal Co., Halsey; Anderson and Vanderpool mines. 

Missouri:

Callaway County W. C. Weeks.

Cole County S. & A. Bandelier, Elston.*

Moniteau County 

Monarch Coal & Mining Co., Excelsior.*

Rohrbach-Rowlin Mining Co.*

Newkjrk Mining Co.* 

Morgan County Hubbard & Moore,*
54 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Ohio:

Coshocton County 

Dailey Cannel Coal Co., Mohawk Village; Dailey mine.* 

Ohio Block Cannel Coal Co., Toledo; Flambo mine. 

Ohio Cannel Coal Co., Coshocton; Ohio mine. 

Mahoning County American Fire Clay Co:, Cleveland. 

Pennsylvania:

Butler County Butts Cannel Coal Co., Deegan.

Center County Lula Coal Mining Co., Philipsburg; Lula mine.

C1earfielcl County 

A. Stolz, Houtzdale; Katherine mine. 

Hurley, Wilson & Law, Houtzdale; Keystone mine.* 

A. B. Lansberry, Woodland; Mines Nos. 2 and 3. 

Woodland Cannel Coal Co., Woodland; Cannel Crest. 

Washington Jury, Woodland. 

Indiana County Altoona Coal Co. 

Armstrong County 

Fairmont Coal Co., Buffalo, N. Y.; Mines Nos*. 8 and 9, Bostonia. 

Pine Run Coal Co., New Bethlehem; Brooks No. 1 and Cooke. 

Westmoreland County W. E. Brown & Co., Ligonier; Darlington mine. 

Tennessee:

Campbell County Jellico Cannel Coal Co., Massillon, Ohio; Hermitage

mine.* 

Texas:

Webb County 

Santo Tomas Coal Co., Santo Tomas. 

Caunel Coal Co., Dolores. 

West Virginia:

Booue County Peytona Block Coal Co., Peytona; Cannel mine. 

Kanawha County 

Paint Creek Collieries Co., Scranton, Pa.; Wacomah mine.* 

- Mill Creek Cannel Mining Co., Cleveland, Ohio; Mill Creek.

Weirwick Caunel Coal Co., Weir.* 

Wayne County Wells Branch Coal Co., Wells Branch.

VALUE.

The natural question arising in the mind of anyone thinking of 

buying cannel coal is why it is so expensive. Doubtless the principal 

reason is the well-known law of supply and demand. The total 

supply of cannel coal is very small, and the coal is distributed in 

small basins or pockets, hardly any of which would pay for the installation of a modern mining plant of any size, even at present 

prices of cannel coal. Most of the deposits are not closely adjacent 

to railroad transportation and are not extensive enough in themselves 

to warrant building a spur of any length. Further, the demand for 

use in grates, the principal demand in recent years, has been for coal 

in blocks, so that the fine coal necessarily made in mining has not 

found a market. If the distillation of cannel coal for oil and other 

by-products is resumed all the coal will find a market, but the 

increased demand is as likely to raise the general price as to lower

it. In many of the basins, by careful hand mining, the Avhole

\
VALUE. 55

product may be gotten out in block form. In others the wastage, 

because of the restricted demand of the market, may be as high as 

one-half. The whole product (including the slack) of coals rich in 

gas, or those having 50 to 60 per cent of volatile matter and a correspondingly high candlepower, will always find a readier market, 

while the drier cannels and semicannels will find a more restricted 

market for the blocks only and will therefore have a correspondingly 

larger percentage of waste.

The labor cost of cannel coal, f. o; b. cars at the mine, should 

not, as a rule, be more than $1 per ton of total product.1 If only 

one-half of the product can be marketed the marketed coal must 

bear the cost, or, say, $2 per ton. Where the mines have no railroad connection the cost of hauling to the railroad must be added to 

the other costs of mining. In some fields containing the richer cannels the miners are paid high prices for mining. At one place 

visited by the writer the miners were receiving $2.50 a ton, besides 

being given a bench of bituminous coal associated with the cannel. 

The mine, however, was a small one, and the miner not only mined 

his coal but pushed it out to the tipple and attended to all the handling it received until it was placed on the cars. As the cannel being 

mined was very rich and brought a high price, well above the 

average of other cannels, the owner could doubtless well afford the 

price he paid. In other places the methods of mining and of transportation are very expensive, involving, for instance, the frequent 

handling of the coal by hand, as large bricks might be handled. 

(See PI. I, p. 12.)

The selling price of cannel at the mines is usually about double 

that of bituminous coal in the same district. Thus, in 1904 true 

cannel coal in Kentucky was bringing from $1.97 to $2.49 at the mines 

as against 80 cents to $1.50 for bituminous coals. Cannel coal in the 

Clearfield district of Pennsylvania was bringing $1.80 to $2 as compared to 89 cents to $1 for bituminous coals of the same district. 

Ohio cannels brought $3.25 as compared with $1.20 to $1.80 for 

bituminous coals in the same district. West Virginia cannel brought 

$2.23 as against 80 cents to $1.32 for bituminous coals.

Most of the mine inspector's reports for Kentucky give the selling 

price of cannel coal at the mine. The following table gives the selling prices of cannel and bituminous coals for selected years:

Selling prices per ton of cannel and bituminous coals in Kentucky.

Year. 1903

$2.40

1.05

1904

. S2.03

.98

1905

$2.44

.97

1906

82. 40

1.00

1907

S2. 60-3. 25

1.05

1911

$2.51

.98

 Under pre-war conditions.
56 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

According to the Coal Trade Journal for 1910, American carmel 

coals sold in New York that year at $13 to $14 a ton and imported 

cannels at $16 to $17 a ton. Prices in Chicago and other places 

having a shorter freight haul were correspondingly lower.

DISTRIBUTION.

PENNSYLVANIA.

REVIVAL OF THE INDUSTRY..

Cannel coal has long been mined (see p. 50) in Pennsylvania at 

Cannelton, in Beaver County, and at different times in Armstrong, 

Indiana, and Clearfield counties. (See PI. V.) In 1914 the writer 

made a special trip through the Pennsylvania coal field, visiting or 

revisiting nearly or quite all of the cannel-coal mines then operating 

in the State. At that time he was surprised to find that several of 

the old mines had been reopened and were being operated extensively 

and that one country mine, formerly visited, was being opened up 

on a commercial scale, involving the building of a narrow-gage tram 

road several miles long. The special purpose of the writer's trip 

was to obtain specimens for testing for the production of oil. (See 

pp. 45-46.) In the following pages most of the deposits described 

are, or have been, or give promise of becoming commercial propositions. All the cannel coal in Pennsylvania, except that in Beaver 

County and one or two other places, appears to be semicannel..

CENTER COUNTY.

PJiilipsburg. A bench of semicannel or canneloid coal occurs in 

the B bed, where mined by the Lula Coal Mining Co. about a mile 

southwest of Philipsburg (location 2 1 ). When visited, it was estimated that at least 100 acres, and possibly several times that area, 

under the wide creek bottoms was underlain by about 4 feet of cannel 

lying between two benches of bituminous coal. The cannel is 4 feet 

thick in part of the mine, but to the southeast it pinches down to 5 

inches or less. To the north and west it runs out under the broad 

creek bottoms and is reported to have been struck in a well on the 

west side of the valley. .Where it is thick the upper bench of bituminous coal (27 inches thick) is undercut and the cannel is raised. 

Where it is thin the whole bed .is undercut by electrical machines. 

(See fig. 2, section 1.) The cannel gives an abundant white ash, 

ranging probably from 15 to 20 per cent. (See also pp. 12, 13.)

1 Location numbers for Pennsylvania appear on Plate V.
0. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE V

I J .r /0TVdefl«. v

N N S Y L

_ __ _ _Cumberlana_.^-| - ]- ~

I

Parkersburg /

WEST V/I

WASHINGTON^? AN1MPO

V I H G I

PLATE VII #

MAP OF PART OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES, SHOWING LOCATION OF CANNEL-COAL DEPOSITS AND POSITION OF AREAS SHOWN ON LARGE-SCALE MAPS IN

THIS REPORT.

Nu-mbered localities separate deposits not included in large-scale maps but descri-bed in text. Separate series of numbers for each State.
DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA. 

CLEARFIELD COUNTY.

57

Moshannon Creek. A small basin of cannel coal occurs on Moshannon Creek (location 1) just above the mouth of Whiteside Run, 

a few miles southeast of Houtzdale. It has been mined at the KathIndiana County_____

Altoona 

Mear Deckers Point Coa^Co.

Jhin Average Maximum

9

Ft. in.

Clearfield County

Center 

County'

NCSP 

Philipsburg South of Houtzdale North of Woodland

Keystone Jury La ns berry 

Lulamine Stolz mines mine mine mine

Ft. in.

Ft. in.

.Ft. in.

,Ft. in.

Ft. in.

115 

V0

Ft. in.

Ft. in.

Cannel 

coal

LEGEND

4 4 HI I 0

Bituminous 

coal

Bone Black shale Clay Shale Sandstone 

FIGCJRE 2. Sections of cannel coal in Center, Clearfield, and Indiana counties, Pa.

erine mine of A. Stolz and at the Keystone mine of Hurly. Wilson & 

Law. The cannel portion of the bed has a maximum thickness of 4 

feet and is associated with 2£ feet or less of bituminous coal. The 

extent of the bed is not known, but the variability of cannel beds at
58 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

points not far distant indicates that it is probably not over a few 

hundred acres. (See fig. 2, sections 2-4.)

Woodland. Cannel coal was formerly mined in the hills immediately north of Woodland and is still being mined 1£ miles north of 

that town (locations 3 and 4). In the hills two beds formerly mined 

were known as the red-ash cannel and the white-ash cannel (correlated as the C' or Upper Kittanning and the C or Middle Kittanning 

coals). The coal reached a maximum of 4 feet just north of the east 

end of town. Whether this basin extends northward to the area in 

which mining is now toeing done is not known. Probably it does not, 

though considerable cannel may lie between the two points.

One and one-half miles north of Woodland cannel coal is being 

mined by A. B. Lansberry and, for wagon trade, by Washington 

Jury. The Lansberry mine is connected by tram with the New York 

Central Railroad near the tunnel 5 miles below Clearfield, on Susquehanna River. Several openings have been made on the coal, 

which shows about 4 feet of cannel, associated with a small amount 

of bituminous coal. (See fig. 2, sections 5, 6.) In this cannel, as in 

that at Lula, the fracture is not typical but resembles that of the 

bituminous coals of the region.

INDIANA COUNTY.

Richmond. Rather thick beds of cannel coal have been opened 

at several places south of Richmond (location 5), a station south of 

Punxsutawney on the Indiana branch of the Buffalo, Rochester & 

Pittsburgh Railway.

At one opening the Altoona Coal Co. was, in 1914, making preparations to ship cannel coal commercially. The bed, which is correlated 

as the C' or Upper Kittanning, consists of 3 feet or less of bituminous coal overlain by from 1 to 15 feet of cannel. The cannel part of 

the bed is thought to occupy a narrow north-south basin extending 

southward from this point toward Deckers Point, where it has been 

mined on a small scale on the George Barr place. It has the appearance of a true cannel, but chemically it is a low-volatile cannel 

or semicannel, showing only 23 to 24 per cent of volatile matter in 

contrast with 30 per cent in the underlying bituminous coal. At the 

Barr opening the cannel portion of the bed is only 15 inches thick, 

and at the old Lowry mine, later opened up by the Altoona Coal 

Co., it was seen to change from 9 feet to 1 foot in a very short 

distance.1 (See fig. 2, sections 7-9; and analyses 166, 167, p. 27.)

1 Platt, W. O., Report of progress in Indiana County: Pennsylvania Second G,eol. Survey Kept. H4, pp. 228-231, 1878.
DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA. 

WESTMOKELAND COUNTY.

59

The Pittsburgh coal bed carries a little cannel coal in many places 

in Westmorland County, and at many more is overlain by cannel 

shale. Stevenson * says that in Burrwell Township, 2 miles west of 

McLaughlin (locality 12), the top bench of the Pittsburgh coal 

carries 4 to 10 inches of cannel.

3 MILES

FIGURE 3. Sketch map of area of cannel coal south of New Bethlehem, Armstrong 

 County, Pa.

ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

South of New Bethlehem. In 1914 most of the cannel coal mined 

in Pennsylvania came from a small district south of New Bethlehem 

(locations 6-9) on the low-grade division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Cannel coal was mined by the Fairmont Coal Co. at Bostonia 

(location 9), If miles south of New Bethlehem, and by the Pine Run 

Coal Co. on Cathcart Run, and on Little Mudlick Creek. (See fig. 3.)

The coal being mined is the C' or Upper Kittanning. The cannel 

coal appears to lie in a narrow basin, whose axis extends northwestward across the head of a small ravine emptying into Redbank Creek 

just below New Bethlehem. In the Bostonia mine the maximum

1 Stevenson, J. J., Pennsylvania Second Geol. Survey Kept. K2, p. 369, 1877.
60 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

minable width of the basin is about 800 feet. In the center there is 

9 feet of cannel over 18 inches of bituminous coal. The channel, 

here nearly straight, had in 1914 been mined out for 2,000 feet to

the northwest and 5,300

P J_ J il- - ---J1___,L

^Armstrong County Beaver County

Bostonia

mine 

11

Pine Run mines 

"No!"flo^

Cannelton

In basin Edge of mine

.Ft. in.

Ft. in.

,Ft. in.

12

Ft. in 13

Ft in.

o o 

to 

z o

|0 0

to

I 3 0

|0 0

to

|I5 0

, aver.

7 6

4- 0

to

| 8 0

aver. 

16 0

I 6

I 0

LEGEND

Cannel coal . Bituminous coal Cannel shale

feet to the southeast of the 

ravine crossing nearly halfway through the divide between the mine and Cathcart Run. (See fig. 4, section 11.)

The cannel reaches Cathcart Run about .a mile from 

the mouth and is being 

i o mined on the east side at 

mine No. 1 of the Pine 

Run Coal Co. (location 8). 

From there the channel 

runs eastward, reaching. 

Little Mudlick Creek, nearly

2 miles from the mouth.. 

In 1914 cannel coal was 

being mined at No. 3 mine 

of the Pine Run Coal Co. 

(location 7), and a new 

mine was being opened a 

short distance to the south. 

The same bed has been 

opened up again east of 

Charleston on the Jacob 

Schiech farm (location 6). 

At the Pine Run No. 1 

mine, on Cathcart Run, the 

cannel coal (analysis 162, 

p. 26) is in two benches, 

the upper from less than

3 feet to more than 5 feet 

thick and the lower from 6

5 0

FIGURE 4. Sections of cannel coal In Armstrong

and Beaver counties, Pa. , osepa- pr,<iinches

o o 7 i ieet fppt

rated by 12 to 20 

of " mixed " coal, all underlain by 2 feet or more of bituminous 

coal. The mixed coal bench has 6 inches of bituminous coal at 

the bottom and the rest is " curly " canhel, with possibly streaks of 

bituminous. Both the cannel and bituminous coal here are irregular, 

for as the cannel thins the bituminous coal thickens, reaching 5 feet 

at the back of the mine.
DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA. 61

At the Pine Bun No. 3 mine the cannel is 4 to 8 feet thick (averaging about 6 feet) and is overlain in most places by bituminous coal 

of a maximum thickness of 2 feet. In places a little bituminous coal 

is found under the cannel. The cannel runs out in entries to the north 

but holds its thickness in those to the east. The new opening, a short 

distance to the south, appears to be in a branch of the channel from 

the south, for the cannel thins to the east but holds up to 7 feet 

southward. At all of these mines a considerable portion of the 

mined coal, though possibly suitable for making oil, does not meet 

the trade demand which calls for a smooth even block. Even the 

amount of oil in these cannels is small, as shown by the tests and 

analyses. (See fig. 4, sections 11-13, and analyses 160-163, p. 26.)

The channel is nearly straight at the Bostonia mine, but to the 

. southeast it appears to become crooked and irregular and probably 

divides into branches. Whether the several channels so far located 

connect and form parts of the same channel or system of channels is 

not certain. Search has not yet revealed cannel coal on the west 

side of Pine Run or Little Mudlick Creek. The cannel-coal channels 

found appear to belong to the same system.

The cannel coal lies in a channel distinctly depressed in the middle. 

(See p. 32.) The coal bed is much broken up by slips or cracks filled 

with clay, sandstone, or sulphur. Some of^these are nearly vertical 

and some are irregular, ranging in width from next to nothing to 16 

feet. These clay slips interfere greatly with mining the coal into dimension blocks (as they would be called in the stone industry); and 

as the trade demands mainly coal in that form it has been necessary 

to "gob" or store outside about half of the product of the mine. 

Tn some places these clay " veins " have been pierced by drillings, 

making it appear that the coal bed was absent at that point.

Somerville. Near Somerville, in the nortlwest corner of Armstrong County (location 10), the Upper Kittarming is locally 2 to 12 

feet thick, comprising 2 to 5 feet of bituminous coal underlain by a 

maximum of 1 feet of low-grade cannel. It has been mined at the 

Ganner mine. The coal here occurs, as in many other places, in 

narrow, irregular depressions or concavities. Beyond the limits of 

the depression the bed is locally scarcely more than a streak in the 

rocks. Its occurrence at the Ganner mine is described by Platt' as 

follows:

A good exhibition of its cannel-slate feature may be had at the Ganner mine

in the ravine of Holder Run, at which place the bed is 2 feet thick at the out-

. crop, increasing within a short distance to 5 feet of bituminous coal of a fairly

good quality. The floor of the seam then rapidly descends at an angle of 10°

1 Platt, W. G., Report of progress in Armstrong County: Pennsylvania Second Geol. 

Survey Kept. H5, p. 222, 1880.
62 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

to a depth of 7 feet, the roof mainly remaining horizontal. The interval between 

is gradually occupied by a mass of impure caunel slate of a dull luster and 

having conchoidal fracture.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY.

In Allegheny County the Pittsburgh bed carries at its top 2 feet of 

impure cannel at the Brewer bank and the Upper Freeport coal a 

 similar thickness around Hiteston, both in West Deer Township.1 

The Elk Lick coal carries 6 to 12 inches of cannel at several places, as 

in Reserve and McClure townships and on Duff Run, in Franklin 

Township.2 Near Allegheny City the Elk Lick coal is represented by. 

1 to 2 feet of cannel or cannel shale, and at Bakerstown the Bakerstown coal carries 6 to 12 inches of cannel at its base.3

BUTLER COUNTY.

A little cannel coal has been found at several places in Butler 

County. On Breakneck Creek, in Adams Township, 4 to 6 inches 

of cannel lies at the top of the Upper Freeport.4 A thin bed of cannel lies at the top of the Bakersneld coal near the head of the south 

branch of Glade Creek, in Middlesex Township, and another lies at 

the horizon of the Mahoning coal in Forward Township.5 In 

Jackson Township along Breakneck Creek 6 the Lower Freeport 

carries a foot or more of cannel. In Lancaster Township on Yellow 

Creek 7 a coal thought to be below the Lower Freeport carries 1 

foot of cannel and 3 feet 4 inches of bituminous coal that has a 

semicannel structure.

BEAVER COUNTY.

The famous Cannelton bed in the northwest corner of Beaver 

County, north of Cannelton (location 11), appears to occupy an old 

channel. It consists of three parts, a bench of bituminous coal 6 to 

12 inches thick at the bottom overlain by 6 to 12 or more feet of 

cannel coal, which grades upward, into a rich cannel shale, in places 

6 feet in thickness. The bituminous coal at the bottom is interlaminated with streaks of cannel. The channel has a width of about 600 

feet. For a width of 300 feet in the center the coal maintains a

1 White, I. C., Report of progress in the Beaver River district: Pennsylvania Second 

Geol. Survey Rept. Q, pp. 148, 150, 1878.

2 Idem, p. 173.

3 Idem, pp. 28, 32.

4 Idem, p. 75.

6 Idem, pp. 78, 106.

6 Idem, pp. 114-115.

7 Idem, p. 121.
DISTEIBUTION IN OHIO. 63

good thickness, averaging 7 or 8 feet and ranging up to double that. 

At the edges of the 300-foot channel the coal averaged 6 feet, but 

outside of that the sides of the channel rose abruptly to a height in 

places 20 feet above the bottom of the basin and the coal thinned 

against the sides and almost or quite pinched out at the top. Mining 

has shown that the cannel follows an oval course, with a maximum 

diameter of 2 miles and a minimum diameter of 1 mile. (See fig. 4, 

sections 14,15, and analyses 164, 165, p. 27.)

In .South Beaver Township the Darlington coal is overlain by 10 

to 15 inches of cannel, grading into 4 to 5 feet of cannel shale.1 In 

Industry Township the Kittanning coal carries in places as much as 

14 inches of cannel at its base.2 In Economy Township the shale 

just above the Upper Freeport coal locally takes on the appearance 

of cannel. Opposite Beaver Falls (location 18) a local bed of 

cannel in the Freeport sandstone reaches a thickness of 5 feet but 

has a length of only a few rods.3 In North Sewickley Township the 

Brush Creek coal becomes at one point a bed of cannel reported as 5 

feet thick and fairly good, and at another point, on a tributary of 

Brush Creek (location 17), carries 4 feet of good cannel overlain by 

1 foot of shaly cannel and underlain by 1 foot of bituminous coal.4 

In Marion Township the Darlington coal is overlain by 2 feet of 

cannel or cannel shale on Brush Creek.5 In Pulasld Township on 

Trough Eun the Lower Freeport is locally impure cannel coal 3 feet 

thick.0 North of that in New Sewickley Township the Darlington 

coal carries 6 inches of cannel on Cow Run.7

OHIO.

Much cannel coal occurs in Coshocton, Jackson, Licking, and 

Mahoning counties, Ohio (PI. V, p. 56), but none of it runs as high 

as 50 per cent in volatile hydrocarbons. (See analyses 141, 142, 

149-157, p. 26.)

MAHONING COUNTY.

The most important bed in Mahoning County is the No. 4 or 

" cannel seam," which, according to Newberry,8 contains 6 feet of 

cannel of good quality. In the southwest corner of Canfield Township, on the Wetmore place, it is 5 feet thick (location 1 n ), nearly all

1 White, I. C., Pennsylvania Soeoncl Gcol. Survey Kept. Q, p. 238, 1878.

- Idem, p. 260.

;1 Idem, pp. 50, 202.

4 Idem, pp. 36, 213.

5 Idem, p. 215. 

«Idem, p. 200.

7 Idem, p. 186.

8 Newberry, J. S., Ohio Geol. Survey Kept, vol. 3, pt. l,.pp. 795, 796, 806-810, 1878. 

"For Ohio the locations are numbered by counties. (See PI. V, p. 56.)
64 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

cannel. On the Irving farm near by it comprises only 6 inches of 

cannel over 2 feet of bituminous coal. In Springfield and Beaver 

townships it has been opened at many points and shows "in some 

places, 6 feet thick of cannel, in others 3 feet thick, half cannel and 

half cubical coal, and in still others 3 feet thick with 6 inches of 

cannel on top. Where of cannel it contains on the average about 15 

per cent of ash."

Approximate scale

iMile ,

FIGURE 5. Sketch map of cannel-coal basin in Jefferson and Bedford townships, -Coshocton County, Ohio. (After Orton.)

The sections suggest that the cannel of workable thickness is in 

very small pockets. The Canfield cannel lies immediately below the 

" ferriferous or Vanport limestone."

^ COSHOCTON COUNTY.

In Bedford and Jefferson townships (location 4), Coshocton 

County, the coal known as Bedford cannel lies at the Upper Mercer
DIS1

.UT10N IN OHIO. 65

horizon; total area is 12,000 to 13,000 acres, of which it is estimated 

that nearly 1,500 acres in three distinct basins will yield coal over 

2 feet thick. In its best exposures the coal is 6 feet thick; and in 

several openings it comprises 5 feet or more of cannel overlain by

Coshocton 

County

Licking Jackson Holmes 

County County County

Givens - Moore 

mine mines

Mowrie Sharpless Wilcox£

bank mine Osburn

opening

Flint 

Ridge'

21

Ft.in.

19

Ft.in.

20

Ft. in.

18

.Ft. in. 3 4 teg

Strawbridge 

mine 

24

Ftin.

"17 - ^m , o ^B 3 0 ^M 3 0 

Ft. in

6 0 ^H 6 0

5 0 5 0

23

t 0

M

E*. in.

I 3

to

|2 6

7 0 

to 

9 0

JMWK f^XL 

LEGEND

_

(Cannel iBituminous 

\coal ' coal

Bone Black shale Clay/ Shale Limestone] 

FIGURE 6. Sections of cannel coal In Ohio.

3 feet of bituminous coal. Nearer the boundaries the cannel thins 

and changes into an impure bone coal or a rich, block shale. The 

area of the field and the location of the sections is shown on figure 5.1

1 0rton, Edward, Oblo Geol. Survey Eept., vol. 5, Economic geology, p. 846 (map), 

1884.

87775° 18 Bull. 659 6
66 CANNEL COAL IN THE .UNITED STATES.

\_j

The following notes are condensed from a description of the 

field by Orton 1 published in 1884. Coal over 2 feet thick is confined to three areas. In one, which lies south of Mohawk, the 

cannel as exposed at the Givens mine is 6 feet thick but has less 

luster and a less conchoidal fracture than that in the other areas. 

(See fig. 6, section 17.)

Another tract a mile east of Mohawk has been opened on the 

Moore Bros, places, where the cannel is 6 feet thick overlain by 1 

foot of bituminous coal. The coal mines without powder, in blocks 

large and durable enough to be used locally for horse blocks, stepping stones, and the like. East of the Moore mines the coal thins 

down, but east of Flint Run bottoms it thickens again. At the 

Mowrie and Lyman banks it is 5 feet thick. At the Mowrie bank 

it is unusually hard and firm and is exclusively close grained 

and curly; the joint structure is so little developed as to make the 

use of powder necessary in mining. At the Sharpless mine the 

coal is highly conchoidal. The analysis given on page 26 represents the run of mine at this opening, including the whole bed. 

The coal is said to reach a thickness of 9 feet in the Wilcox & Osburn 

opening. (See fig. 6, sections 17-21, and analyses 141, 142, p. 26.)

LICKING COUNTY.

The Flint Ridge cannel comes from Hopewell Township, in Licking County (location 5), where it has a thickness of 3 to 4 feet 

or less and is estimated to cover about 1,000 acres. This cannel 

has long been famous, probably in large part because before the 

discovery of oil in Pennsylvania it was distilled for oil in an extensive plant.

The coal is at the horizon of the Lower Mercer. Orton,2 writing 

in 1884, estimated that only about 10 acres of coal had been mined 

out, notwithstanding the fact that it has been mined for 50 years. 

In the mine the cannel bench averaged about 3£ feet in thickness, 

being nowhere less than 3 feet and rising about 4 feet only in the 

main swamps. At that time the coal was being mined by bearing in at the top and then shooting the coal up with powder. The 

miner could get only 2 tons a day by hard work, for which he 

received a dollar a ton. The coal sold at the mouth of the mine 

for $1.80. If hauled to the railroad for shipping, the cost was 

increased by about a dollar. The cannel is described as curly and 

of excellent appearance, though high in ash. A shaft one-fourth 

of a mile east of the mine found 3 feet of good cannel. Two

1 Orton, Edward, Ohio Geol. Survey Kept., vol. 5, Economic geology, pp. 845 et seq.. 

1884.

2 Jdem, p. 908.
DISTRIBUTION IN OHIO. 67

miles to the east the cannel had a thickness of 2 feet 8 inches; 1 

mile to the southeast 2 feet; and 2 miles to the southeast only 8 

inches. (See fig. 6, section 22, and analyses 152-155, p. 26.)

JACKSON COUNTY.

In Milton Township, Jackson County (location 7), the Tionesta 

seam near the top of the Pottsville supplies some cannel of fair 

quality. (See analyses 149-151, p. 26.) The cannel portion ranges 

from 15 to 30 inches in thickness. It is overlain by 6 inches of shaly 

cannel and that in turn by 6 inches of bituminous coal. (See fig. 6, 

section 23.) Its extent has not been determined.1

HOLMES COUNTY.

In Holmes County both the Upper and Lower Mercer coals carry 

some cannel.2 In Killbuck Township (location 3) cannel from the 

Upper Mercer is locally 7 to 9 feet thick (fig. 6, section 24). That 

from the Lower Mercer ranges from 2 feet thick to 2 feet 6 inches 

in several places. (See analyses 143-148, p. 26.)

SCIOTO COUNTY.

The Upper Mercer coal shows up to 20 inches of cannel at one or 

two points in Scioto County. The great coal of the Hocking Valley 

field (location 6) usually shows a few inches of bone coal 10 to 18 

inches from the top. Locally this changes to cannel and in a fewplaces reaches a maximum thickness of 10 inches and is of excellent 

quality. At Pioneer station a mine, the Webster, has 16 to 20 inches 

of cannel coal. A little cannel has been shipped from the Cook mine.3

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

One of the most interesting occurrences of cannel in the State is at 

the Diamond mine (location 2), in Jefferson County. The coal here 

comprises 3 to 9 feet of bituminous coal, the greater thickness occuring in the " swamps," where lower benches come in. Beneath this, 

covering about an acre or two, is a bed of cannel 5 inches in maximum thickness. From this small bed Newberry has collected more 

than 50 species of fishes and reptiles, strong testimony to the water 

origin of cannel coal.4

1 Orton, Edward, Ohio Geol. Survey Rept, vol. 5, Economic geology, p. 1032, 1884.

2 Idem, p. 825.

3 Idem, p. 1039. 

* Idem, p. 212.
68 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Daviess County 

Gannelburg

25

.Ft. in

26

Ft. in. 27

Perry County 

Cannelton

29

INDIANA.

Thin beds of cannel coal are found in several of the counties of 

this State, usually as benches on or in a bituminous coal bed. (See 

PL V, p. 56.)

DAVIESS COUNTY.

One basin of cannel coal of commercial thickness and extent occurs 

at Cannelsburg, Daviess County (location 2 1 ).

The bed ranges in thickness from 6 feet to 2 feet 6 inches, an average being about 4 feet 8 

inches, of which the top 3 

feet 2 inches is cannel. (See 

fig. 7, sections 25-27.) The 

difference in thickness is 

mainly due to variation in 

Ft. in.v the cannel, which lies in pockets in the bituminous coal, 

to which it adheres closely. 

Properly sampled analyses 

(19 and 20, p. 20) of this 

coal show 49.08 per cent of 

volatile matter, 26.35 per cent 

of fixed carbon, and 23.10 

per cent of ash. Analyses 

of selected samples show 6 

per cent or less of ash. 

Mining has shown this cannel coal to extend for at

LEGEND least a mile south of Cannel- 

| H| JH1 burg, and drillings indicate 

Bone shale that the bed as a whole is of 

workable thickness over the

Ft in,

28

Ft in.

3 Z

Bituminous 

coal

FIGURE 7. Sections of cannel coal In Indiana.

better part of 6 square miles,- 

though whether the cannel has that extent is not known. An opening 

2 miles south of Cannelburg showed only 6 inches of cannel. This 

coal is Coal III of the State series, being, like so many cannel-bearing 

coals, near the bottom of the coal series.2

PERRY COUNTY.

At Cannelton (location 1), in Perry County, on Ohio River, a 

coal has long been mined that might well be classed as a semicannel.

1 Locality numbers for Indiana appear on Plate V, p. 56.

2 Cox, B. T., Indiana Geol. Survey Third and Fourth Ann. Repts., pp. 25 et seq., 1872. 

Ashley, G. H., Indiana Dept. Geology and Nat. Res. Twenty-third Ann. Rept., pp. 90 et 

seq., 1899.
DISTRIBUTION IN MICHIGAN". 69

It is dense and hard and breaks in any direction with conchoidal fracture. Analyses 22 and 23 (p. 20) show that it contains 42 per cent of 

A^o'latile matter, 45 per cent of fixed carbon, and 6 per cent of ash. 

It lies in dish-shaped basins, thinning out entirely on the rise and 

thickening to 4 feet in the basins.1 (See fig. 7, sections 28-29.)

PARKE COUNTY.

Above the narrows of Sugar Creek, in the northeast corner of 

Parke County, cannel coal outcrops on what was the Newlin place, 

2 miles north of Bethany (location 3). An analysis (21) is given 

on page 20. Two blocks of cannel of nearly half a ton each are 

reported as having been taken to Indianapolis from here, but when 

visited by the writer in 1897 only 6 inches of cannel coal could be 

found.2

ILLINOIS.

Cannel coal is found in Illinois in very small quantities only; as 

a rule it is found in lenses in association with bituminous coal. Two 

occurrences in northern Illinois have recently been described by 

Grout.3 At Colfax, McLean County, in the Colfax Cooperative 

Coal Co.'s mine, a 6-inch bed of cannel coal underlies the bituminous 

coal. On one side of the shaft lenses of cannel coal having a maximum thickness of 10 inches lie above the bituminous coal but have 

a horizontal extent of only about 100 feet. At La Salle cannel coal 

occurs in thin, irregular lenses on top of the coal in the Matheissen 

& Hegeler mine in about a third of the territory opened. (See 

analyses 24, 25, p. 21.)

MICHIGAN.

Lane 4 has reported of the Michigan coals that they "seem to 

lean generally toward cannel coal." It is a common condition in 

Michigan to find 3 to 8 inches of bone coal, cannel coal, or slaty coal 

above the main bed. On Rifle River, sec. 3, T. 19 N., R. 4 E., are 10 

feet of black shale and cannel coal. The analysis shows 35 per cent 

of volatile matter, 45 per cent fixed carbon, and 11.8 per cent of ash. 

The thickness of the " cannel" is not stated.5 Cannel coal occurs on 

top of the Saginaw bed at St. Charles and elsewhere.

1 Cox, E. T., Indiana .Geol. Survey Third and Fourth Ann. Repts., pp. 95 et seq., 1872. 

Ashley, G. H., The coal deposits of Indiana : Indiana Dept. Geology and Nat. Res. Twentythird Ann. Rept, pp. 1256 et seq., 1899.

3 Idem, p. 320.

3 Grout, F. F., Cannel coal in northern Illinois : Illinois State Geol. Survey Bull. 4, 

p. 198, 1907.

4 Lane, A. C., Coal of Michigan: Michigan Geol. Survey, vol. 8, pt. 2, p. 19, 1902. 

c Idem, pp. 91, 94, 105.
70 CANNEL COAL IN" THE UNITED STATES.

WEST VIRGINIA.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE COAL.

The prominent part played by West Virginia (then Virginia) in 

the cannel-coal industry of early days has already been noted. During the last 30 years commercial cannel-coal mining has been confined to six areas. (See PI. V, p. 56, and fig. 9, p. 72.) Cannel-coal 

mining continued at the Wacomah mines on Paint Creek until the 

late eighties, the mines being abandoned before 1890. In mining 

at this point, however, the Lackawanna Coal & Lumber Co. still 

separates out the 15^-inch bench of cannel coal and sells it at double 

the price of the splint coal.1 Cannel-coal mining continued at 

Cannelton until after 1900. The cannel-coal basin on Falling Rock 

Creek was reopened by the Falling Rock Cannel Coal Co., in the 

early nineties and was operated until 1910. In recent years mining 

has been by the Wierwick Cannel Co. Later mining began again at 

Mill Creek, at first by the Mill Creek Cannel Coal Co., which in 1910 

changed to the Villa Cannel Coal Co., and subsequently to the Mill 

Creek Cannel Mining Co. During the nineties some cannel-coal 

mining was done in Wayne County by the Wells Branch Co.

Recently, according to mine inspectors' reports, cannel-coal mining 

has been revived at Peytona by the Peytona Block Coal Co. The 

section, as measured at this mine and as reported in the recent de-- 

tailed report on Boone County, however, shows no cannel coal but 2 

feet 9 inches of splint coal underlying 10 inches of block coal, from 

which it is separated by a 2-inch parting.2 It is possible, however, 

that benches of cannel coal are separated out and marketed. The 

Sewall coal in the New River field very commonly carries a few 

inches of cannel coal or " cannelly " coal.

PRESTON COUNTY.

Cannel coal is reported to be carried by the Bakerstown coal at 

many points in the valley of Sandy Creek, in Preston County, probably at the horizon of the Lower Kittanning coal.3 The Bakerstown 

coal also carries a little cannel at the C. N. Matlick place, threetenths of a mile southwest of Marquess (section 30), where 15 inches 

of cannel overlies 9 inches of bituminous coal.4

1 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Kanawha County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 485, 1914.

2 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Boone County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 262, 1915.

3 White, I. C., The Appalachian coal field: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2, p. 297, 

1903.

4 Hennen, R. J.. and Reger, D. B., Preston County : West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 139, 1914.
DISTRIBUTION IN WEST VIRGINIA. 71

BARBOUJR COUNTY..

Three feet of cannel coal (fig. 8, section 31) is reported at the 

Lower Kittanning horizon at Moatsville, on Valley River (location 

4 *), just below the mouth of Teter Creek. 2

Preston Barbour Webster 

County County County

Nicholas 

County

Marquess Moatsvilie Elk Cranberry Mouth of Rich Fork Lower Cabin Bryant Branch 

River River Anthony of PO we 11. Run of near Summersville 

/Smile above Creek near Creek Anthony ____^____.^

mouth Birch River Creek 

Ft. in.

32

.Ft. in. 

I

Ft. in

33

Ft. in 37

36 , ft- in.

Ft. in.

- in. 35

,Ft. in.

38 ft. \t\

9 

Z

Cannel coal Bituminous coal Bone Shale 

FIGURE 8. Sections of cannel coal in Preston, Barbour, Webster, and Nicholas counties,

W. Va.

UPSHUR COUNTY.

" Cannel slate " is reported from several places in Upshur County. 

Whether these beds will yield oil on distillation may be doubted on 

account of their easterly position in the coal field; they may, however, be noted for further investigation. The upper 2 feet of a coal 

bed at the crossing of the Coal & Coke Railway and Buckannon 

River (location 4) is described as "cannel slate." 3 Still farther 

east (location 5) on the same railroad, 2| miles from the crossing of 

Mill Fork River,4 is several feet of cannel shale.

1 Location numbers for Pseston, Barbour, and Braxton counties, W. Va., appear on 

Plate V (p. 56).

" White, I. C., The Appalachian coal field : West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2, p. 297, 

1903.

. 3 White, I. C., Supplementary conl report: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2(A), 

p. 486, 1908.

4 Idem, p. 518.
20 

FIGDEB 9. Map of part of West Virginia showing position of 
DISTRIBUTION IN WEST VIRGINIA. 73 

BRAXTON COUNTY.

At the falls of the Little Kanawha, in Braxton County (location 

3), are reported two beds of cannel shale, each 2 feet thick, separated 

by 5 feet of shale. Whether these are low enough in ash to be used 

for oil production is not known.1 Twenty inches of " cannel slate " 

occurs at the top of the Stockton coal at the forks of Wolf Creek, 

3 miles above the mouth, near the James Wyatt place.2

WEBSTER COUNTY.

Two feet of impure cannel coal capping a thick bed of bituminous 

coal (fig. 8, section 32) is found in Webster County (see fig. 9) at 

the head of Coal Spring Hollow (location I 3 ), from which a small 

branch flows to Elk River one-fourth of a mile above the mouth of 

Big Run, 6 miles below Webster Springs.4 A very similar section 

of cannel is found at the head of Stroud Creek (location 2), 5 miles 

north of Camden, on Gauley River, and has been observed on Laurel 

Creek and Elk River.5 Fourteen inches of shaly cannel occurs in the 

Eagle coal on Grassy Run, a branch of the right fork of Holly 

River.0

NICHOLAS COUNTY.

Two feet of cannel coal over 30 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 8, 

section 33) occurs on the south side of Cranberry River 1£ miles 

above the mouth (location 7). The top of the coal grades into the 

black shale of the roof.

An extensive pocket of cannel appears to lie south of Birch River 

between Powell Creek and Poplar Creek. At the mouth of Anthony 

Creek, 1£ miles above Birch River post office and 400 feet above the 

valley (location 1), on the Scott place, is a 3-foot bed of cannel 

(fig. 8, section 34). Farther south a bed of cannel coal, at possibly 

this same horizon, is reported as 4 feet thick (fig. 8, section 36) on 

lower Cabin Fork of Anthony Creek (location 3). It appears to 

run through the ridge to the west, showing 20 inches of cannel 

(fig. 8, section 35) on Rich Fork of Powell Creek (location 2). In

1 White, I. C., The Appalachian coal field : West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2, p. 449, 

1903.

2 White, I. C., Supplementary coal report: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2 (A), 

p. 483, 1908.

3 Location numbers for Webster, Nicholas, Kanawha, Boone, Lincoln, Logan, and 

Wayne counties, W. Va., appear on fig. 9; a fresh set is begun for each cannel-bearing 

county.

4 White, I. C., The Appalachian coal field: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2, p. 365, 

1903.

5 Idem, p. 367.

"White, I. C., Supplementary coal report: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2 (A), 

p. 343, 1908.
74 CANCEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

the ridge east of Anthony Creek the sa-ine bed is reported on the 

John Dodrill place on Poplar Creek as 3 feet thi'ck with some can'nel 

(location 4). Two miles southwest of Summersville' on Brant Eun 

is a bed of coal showing at one place (location 5) 20^ inches of shaly 

cannel above 30 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 8, section 37) and at 

another place, half a mile nearer Summersville (location 6),-9|- inches 

of cannel over 37 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 8, section 38).

KANAWHA COUNTY.

Queen Shoals. A layer of cannel coal is found in rolls, and only 

in rolls, at the Queen Shoals Co.'s No. 1 mine (location I)-.1 An 

analysis (183) is given on page 28.

Falling Rock. Falling Rock (location 2) has long been the seat 

of cannel-coal mining (p. 51). Before the war a little distillery 

1£ miles above the mouth of Falling Rock Creek was operated with 

cannel coal mined near by. Mining has gradually extended up the 

creek, and recently reached 6 miles or more from the mouth. Where 

mined in recent years the bed, known as the No. 5 block, consists of 

two benches of 8 and 20 inches, separated by 5 inches of shale. (PI. 

VI, section 39.) The coal in the mine is reported to average from 2 

to 2£ feet and to reach a maximum of 6 feet.2

Villa. Cannel-coal mining has been in progress an Mill Creek 

since some time before the war. The Villa Coal Mining Co. is now 

operating at Villa (location 3), where the No. 5 block coal bed has a 

total thickness of 4 feet 7 inches, of which the top 2 feet 2 inches 

and the bottom 11 inches are glossy block cannel. The 1 foot 4 

inches just above the shale partings is a bird's-eye cannel. (PI. VI, 

section 40.) An analysis (184, p: 28) of the coal here shows 10 per 

cent of ash and 45 per cent of volatile matter.3 A section (PI. VI, 

section 41) half a mile southeast of Villa (location 4) shows 3 feet 

of cannel separated from 2 feet of bituminous coal by 7 feet of 

sandstone.4

Pond Gap. A mile southeast of Pond Gap, on Bell Creek (location 5), is a 2-foot bed of cannel (PI. VI, section 42) on the G. W. 

Ramsay place. Ten feet lower is a 4-foot bed of bituminous coal.

Mammoth. I. C. White 5 measured a section of No. 5 block coal 

on the left fork of Kelly Creek above Mammoth (location 13) and

1 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Kanawha County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 439, 1914.

2 Idem, p. 441.

3 Idem, p. 428.

4 Idem, p. 189. See also White, I. C., Supplementary coal report: West Virginia Gcol. 

Survey, vol. 2 (A), p. 547, 1908.

5 White, I. C., op. cit., p. 543.
U. 8. QEOUOQICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE VI

Southeast

Falling Mill Creek of BellCreeK 

Rock villamine villa Cannelton Wacomah

J^mile Little

East of West of west of Brier

Standard Detroit Marmet Creek Brounland

No.5 block Stockton or Lewis bed

.Ft. in.

47

LEGEND

Cannelcoal Bituminous coal Bone Cannel shale Black shale Clay Shale Sandstone Clay and shale 

SECTIONS OF CANNEL COAL IN KANAWHA COUNTY, W. VA.
DISTRIBUTION IN WEST VIRGINIA. 75

found it to contain 18 inches of shaly cannel over C inches of cannel 

shale below 39 inches of bituminous coal. A little' south of this, 

about 2 miles above the mouth of Fivemile Branch of Kelly Creek 

(location 14), a bed containing 22 inches of fair cannel coal and 23 

inches of bituminous coal has been opened.1

Cannelton. Mining by the Cannelton Coal Co. was begun at an 

early date at Cannelton (location 6) and was continued until comparatively recent days. Cannel coal occurs here in both the No. 5 

block (PL VI, section 43), which comes just above the Kanawha 

black flint (the key rock of the district), and in the Stockton coal 

(PL VI, sections 44, 45), which comes just below the black flint. 

According to sections by Edwards 2 the higher bed contained 40 

inches of cannel overlain by 5 inches of bituminous coal, and the 

lower bed contained 3 feet of cannel overlain by nearly 3 feet of 

bituminous coal. The top of the bed was only 10 inches below the 

base of the black flint. (See analysis 184a, p. 28.)

Wacomah. Wacomah (location 7) was long the site of extensive 

cannel-coal mining by the Kanawha Coal Co., and the cannel-coal 

bench is still being separated by the Lackawanna Coal & Lumber Co. 

(p. 70), which is operating at this point on the Coalburg bed. (See 

PL VI, sections 46, 47.) An analysis (185, p. 28) of the cannel shows 

12 per cent of ash and 41 per cent of volatile matter.3

Standard. At the opening of the Coalburg bed in the hill just 

east of Standard (location 8) there are 30 inches of cannel in a bed 

6 feet 4 inches thick (PL VI, section 48).4

Detroit. Still farther up Paint Creek, in the ridge just west of 

Detroit station (location 9), the Coalberg bed (PL VI, section 49) 

carries 26 inches of cannel coal.4 The occurrence of cannel coal at 

this same horizon over so wide an area suggests the possibility that 

a large basin may be found on Paint Creek.

Marmet. The Coalburg bed is also a cannel coal at the G. W. & 

N. A. Peel opening half a mile west of Marmet (location 10; PL VI, 

section 50), where it contains 3 feet 7 inches of coal separated into 

two benches by 2 feet 5 inches of shale.5

Lens Creek. According to Lyman 6 several of the beds on Lens 

Creek (locations 13 and 14) carry cannel. The so-called "slate 

vein " carries 14 inches of cannel in .a 3 foot 5 inch bed in Church 

Hollow, south of the mouth of the creek.0 The " Factory cannel1 White, I. C., op. cit., p. 544.

2 Edwards, W. S., Coals and cokes of West Virginia, pp. 48, 49, 1892.

3 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Kanawha County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 485, 1914.

* Idem, p. 236.

n Idem, p. 476.

0 Lyman, B. S., Some coal-measure sections near Peytona, W. Va.: Am. Philos. Soc. 

Proc., vol. 33, pp. 282-309, maps, 1894.
76 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

coal bed " is the one formerly worked at the old oil factory on Left 

Fork, where the section showed 2 feet 5 inches of cannel (only 1 foot 

6 inches of which was good coal), overlain by 9£ inches of black 

clay and by 6 inches of bituminous coal. The same bed was opened 

again beside Nuby's house on Left Fork, where it showed 3 inches

of poor cannel. Other sections of this coal bed gave only a few inches 

of cannel, the rest being good bituminous coal. Another bed, probably corresponding to the upper cannel at Peytona, is described as 

" a laminated cannel coal with thin seams of bituminous coal"; 

though having the analysis of a bituminous coal it mines out in 

large blocks like a cannel and is said to burn like a cannel.
DISTBIBUTION IN WEST VIRGINIA. 77

Brounland. At the Courtney & Brown opening near Brounland 

(locations 11 and 12), the Stockton-Lewiston bed has a thickness 

(PL VI, section 52) of 12 feet of coal with thin partings and carries 

19 inches of impure cannel.1 At the Burrville Keefer place, on 

Little "Barrier" (Brier?) Creek (PL VI, section 51), 3 feet of 

high-ash cannel (analysis 186, p. 28) overlies 30 inches of bituminous 

coal.2 An old opening 60 feet above the No. 5 block coal shows 

cannel coal.

BOONE COUNTY.

The cannel-coal industry was extensively developed in Boone 

County in early days (p. 51). The center of the development was 

at Peytona, two of the mines being at that point, though a recent 

detailed report on this county 3 makes no mention of any cannel coal 

in the immediate area. A number of coal companies have been organized in this county for mining cannel coal.

Fork Creek. A number of prospect openings have been made by 

the Fork Creek Coal Co. on Fork Creek (location 1), where the 

No. 5 block bed ranges from less than 2 to more than 6 feet. In one 

of these openings the bed is cannel, having a thickness of 4£ feet 

(fig. 10, section 53). This opening is opposite the mouth of Jimmy 

Fork, 3.8 miles south of Brounland.4

RoundJbottom. A number of openings on the Henshaw coal were 

recently made by the Boone & Kanawha Land & Mining Co. on 

Eoundbottom (location 2) and adjoining creeks. One of these, on 

the left fork of Roundbottom, shows (fig. 10, section 54) 30 inches of 

cannel coal.5

Sterling. An opening loy the Hickory Ash Coal Co. (fig. 10, 

section 55) on Indian Creek near Sterling (location 3) has developed 

2 feet of cannel coal.0

Peytona. Information as to the old cannel-coal mines about 

Peytona was obtained from Lyman's report.7 There were in this 

region two principal cannel-bearing beds known as the main cannel 

and the upper cannel. The upper bed measured 21 to 31 inches of 

smooth cannel at the Peytona mines. On Abshire Branch of Indian 

Creek, half a mile southeast of the Peytona mines, it carried 23 

inches of cannel. Two hundred yards up the same branch in another

1 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Kanawha County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 456, 1914. 

3 Idem, p. 421.

3 Krebs, C. B., and Teets, D. D., Boone County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., 1915.

4 Idem, p. 212. 

6 Idem, p. 340.

6 Idem, p. 435.

7 Lyman, B. S., Some coal-measure sections near Peytona, W. Va.: Am. Phllos. Soc. 

Proc., vol. 33, pp. 282-309, 1894.
78 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

opening it showed only 15 inches of cannel. Back of John McCarty's 

house on Droddys Creek, in an opening made in June, 1872, it contained 38f inches of cannel. Above the blacksmith shop on the same 

creek it showed only 10£ inches of coal, nearly all bituminous.

The main cannel bed, which was worked from about 1852, carried 

20 to 41 inches of cannel, and as much as 17-| inches in places at the 

bottom was curly, underlain here and there by bituminous coal with 

a, maximum thickness of 8 inches. An opening on the river front 

three-fourths of a mile northeast of the mines showed only a few 

inches of cannel. In the Abshire Hollow, half a mile southeast of 

the mines, the bed comprises two benches of cannel, 3 inches and 10 

inches thick, separated by 11 inches of bituminous coal. Tests of the 

Peytona cannel by the Manhattan Gaslight Co. of New York in 1869 

gave a standard yield of 10,000 feet of 41-candlepower gas per long 

ton of coal, with a maximum yield of 13,200 cubic feet. The coal 

contained 49 per cent of volatile matter, 41 per cent of fixed carbon, 

and 13 per cent of ash.

Rock Greek. A mile east of Rock Creek station (location 4) on 

Rock Creek, on the Samuel Cabell place, 16 inches of cannel coal 

associated with 30 inches of splint coal (fig. 10, section 56) is found. 

This bed appears to be part of an extensive basin of cannel that extends up Rock Creek above Foster and southward through the ridge 

toward Madison.1 On the Jackson Darlow place on the north side of 

Rock Creek below the mouth of Hubbard Fork (location 5) the cannel is reported to be 2 feet 3 inches to 3 feet 8 inches thick, overlain 

with 9 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 10, section 57).2 On the 

Samuel Carpenter place, northwest of Foster (location 6) this same 

coal, the Alma (fig. 10, section 58), carries 30 inches of cannel under 

17 inches of splint coal.3 Just north of Foster, on the William 

Holstein place (location 7), the cannel bed is 22 inches thick (fig. 70, 

section 59) and overlies 12 inches of splint coal.3 On the J. A. 

Catley place (location 8), on the east side of Hubbard Fork of Rock 

Creek (fig. 10, section 60), the cannel is 22 inches thick and the 

splint 7 inches.

Madison. Northeast of Madison (location 11) the Rock Creek 

cannel bed is 18 inches thick and the splint the same, separated by 1 

foot of shale.4

Mud River. At the Floyd Nelson mine, at the head of Mud River, 

2 miles southwest of Turtle Creek (location 9), there is a fine showing of cannel coal. (See fig. 10, section 61.) Two analyses (177,

1 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Boone County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 322, 1915.

2 Idem, p. 405. White, I. C., Supplementary coal report: West Virginia Geol. Survey, 

vol. 2(A), p. 598, 1908.

3 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., op. cit., p. 405. 

*Idem., p. 406.
DISTRIBUTION IN WEST VIRGINIA. 79

178, p. 27) 1 are so different as to suggest that one or the other sample 

was mixed with some other coal.

Boone County 

Pond Fork of Little Coal River

Workman Below West Fork Old Camp Near %>milebelow Julian 

Branch mouth of Branch Pond PO. Pond 

Robinson

65

64

Ft. in.

3 2

66

Ft. in. 67

Ft. in.

Ft. in.

63

Ft. in.

Ft. in.

LEGEND

Cannel coal Bituminous coal

m

Clay Shale

FIGURE 31. Sections of cannel coal on Pond Fork of Little Coal River, Boone County,

W. Va.

Turtle Creek. The 'Alma coal carries cannel on either side of 

Turtle Creek at the J. C. Ballard openings. On the south side,

1 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., op. clt., pp. 323-824, 575.
80 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

four-fifths of a mile southwest of Danville (location 10), 2 feet of. 

cannel occurs (fig. 10, section 62), and on the north side of the creek 

on the same land (location 19) 15 inches of cannel was seen. The 

floor, however, was not reached in either section.1

Workman Branch. Cannel coal has. been noted 3 miles east of 

Madison on Workman Branch of Pond Fork (location 12), at the 

Bedford et al. opening (fig. 11, section 63). This is the Hernshaw 

coal and carries 50 inches of cannel. An analysis (180, p. 27) shows 

12 per cent of ash and 51 per cent of volatile matter. This bed has 

not been opened at other points in this area, so its extent is not 

known. The coal was at one time hauled by wagon to Madison and 

there loaded on the cars for shipment.2

Pond Fork below Robinson. About 5 miles above Madison on 

Pond Fork, half a mile below the mouth of Robinson Creek, on the 

W. P. Crafts place (location 13), there is a good cannel coal, 3 feet 

to 3 feet 8 inches thick (fig. 11, section 64). It appears to be the 

Williamson coal and it has long been mined for local use. An analysis 

(181, p. 27) shows about 12 per cent of ash and 47 per cent of 

volatile matter.3

West Fork. On the west side of West Fork of Pond Fork at 

the mouth of James Creek, half a mile south of Chap post office 

(location 14), 22 inches of cannel (fig. 11, section 65) is found in 

the Winifrede coal on the land of E. J. Berwynd.4

Old Camp Branch. The same bed shows 2 feet of cannel associated with 30 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 11, section 66) on the 

Wharton estate on Old Camp Branch (location 15), half a mile above 

the mouth.5

Pond post office. On lands of the Wharton estate (location 16) 

just east of Pond 6 post office the cannel thickens to 30 inches (fig. 

11, section 67). This bench of cannel is over 3 feet thick (fig. 11, 

section 68) on the east side of a small branch of Pond Fork (location 

17), half a mile above the mouth of Old Camp Branch and nearly a 

mile northwest of Pond.4 (See section 68.) An analysis (182) is 

given on page 27.

Julian. Two feet of cannel coal (fig. 11, section 69) are reported 

at Julian on Little Coal River just south of the county line (location 18).7

iKrebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Boone County: West Virginia Geol. Survey County 

Repts., p. 407, 1915.

2 Idem, pp. 341-342.

3 Idem, p. 374.

4 Idem, p. 309. 

8 Idem, p. 304. 

8 Idem, p. 305.

7 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Cabell, Wayne, and Lincoln counties': West Virginia 

Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 14.6, 1913.
DISTRIBUTION IN WEST VIRGINIA. 81

LINCOLN COUNTY.

Laurel Fork of Mud River. The No. 5 block 1 coal opened at the 

John Smith place on Laurel Fork of Mud River (location 1) near 

Jenks post office, where it contains 18 inches of semicannel coal overlying 28 inches of block coal (fig. 12, section 70).

Mud River. The No. 5 block coal opened on the Hiram Seites 

place on Mud River 4£ miles from Midkiff (location 2), near Jenks,2

Lincoln pounty

'Laurel ForKMud r 

of Mud River River /

Wayne County

Cove Creek Wells Branch 

and

71

Ft in

Near Cave (Cove Gap?) Lower Sandlick i - . Branch of Moses

74 __Creek .Ft.in. / " s

72

70

Ft. in.

3 2

Ft. in

Ft, in

3 8

LEGEND

Cannel coal Bituminous coal Bone Shale Sandstone 

FIGURE 12. Sections of cannel coal in Lincoln and Wayne counties, W. Va.

shows 22 inches of semicannel under 38 inches of block coal (fig. 11, 

section 71). An analysis (187b) is given on page 28.

Stinson Branch. On Stinson Branch of the Left Mud, the lower 

Stockton coal carries 27 inches of cannel near Ed Simpson's (location 3).3

Big Ugly. Four feet of cannel coal is reported on the land of 

J. C. Chapman, in the hills adjoining Big Ugly Creek (location 5), 

in the southeastern part of this county.4

1 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., Cabell, Wayne, and Lincoln counties: West Virginia 

Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 190, 1913.

2 Idem, p. 191.

3 White, I. C., Supplementary coal report: West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2(A), 

p. 481, 1908.

4 Idem, p. 482.

87775° 18 Bull. 659 6
82 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

LOGAN COUNTY.

Holden. The Stockton bed near Holden, 4 miles above Logan 

(location 1), carries 3 feet of bony cannel in a total thickness of 12 

feet 6 inches. Immediately above the cannel is 10 inches of bituminous coal and just below it is 2 feet of shale, underlain by 27 inches 

of coal.1

WAYNE COUNTY.

Cove Creek. The No. 5 block coal contains 30 inches of cannel 

coal (fig. 12, section 72) at the Lucian Wylie opening on Cove Creek.3 

I. C. .White 3 describes a section (fig. 12, section 73) near Cave (Cove 

Gap) post office in which the cannel portion of the bed is 16 inches 

thick and bony. Across the stream, however, this changes to 3 feet of 

good cannel (fig. 12, section 74).

From this point a narrow belt of cannel extends in a western direction 

nearly across Wayne County, being found on all of the main branches of 

Twelvepole. It is possibly identical with the Moses Fork cannel of Kentucky 

[West Virginia]. The belt varies much in width, but it is frequently 2 to 3 

miles wide. While the cannel is sometimes absent, yet it is fairly persistent 

and seldom less than 20 inches in thickness, being generally of good quality, 

comparing favorably with the cannel from the Stockton coal horizon opposite 

Montgomery on the Great Kanawha.

The recent detailed report on Wayne County 4 fails to mention or 

to give sections of such a belt of cannel except on Lower Sandlick 

Branch of Moses Creek (location 2), where 14 inches of cannel was 

measured. The cannel at this point was at one time mined by the 

Wells Branch Coal Co., the mine being located at Wells Branch but 

extending through the ridge to Moses Branch. Later the mine was 

sold to the Bradley Cannel Coal Co., which continued its development. The Bradley Cannel Coal Co. also opened another mine on 

the Stockton coal, which lies 100 feet lower and which at that point 

proved to be nearly all cannel (fig. 12, sections 75, 76).

KENTUCKY. 

PRODUCTION.

Kentucky is the premier cannel-coal State of the Union. It has 

not only been the principal source of cannel in the past but it probably still contains the largest deposits of urimined cannel in the 

United States except those in Webb County, Tex. (See PL VII.)

1 White, I. C., op. cit., p. 475.

2 Krebs, C. B., and Teets, D. D., Cabell, Wayne, and Lincoln counties : West Virginia 

Geol. Survey County Repts., p. 218, 1913.

3 White, I. C., The Appalachian coal field : West Virginia Geol. Survey, vol. 2, p. 543, 

1903.

4 Krebs, C. E., and Teets, D. D., op. cit., pp. 253-254.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE VII

IBBrACKl

D ^ i f) t\r' I Washington- } 'v

' -AI A S O) N

WEST

VIRGINI

MAP OF

EASTERN KENTUCKY

Deposits referred to in text

(Separate series of numbers for each county)

Base from U. S. Geological Survey 

map of Kentucky. Comniled by 

A. F. Hassan

3L . 5U «vE, Coa] data com pj! ecj by G, H. Ashley
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 83

Nearly if not quite every county along the eastern border of the 

State has deposits of workable size, and some high-grade cannel has 

come from the western coal field. The following table shows the 

sources of the production during recent years:

Cannel coal produced in Kentucky, 1901-1910, in short tons.

Bell.................

Whitlev ili K1V J ..........

1901

7,348

n

OflQ

14,153

3,067 <\\<\

36,287

1902

6,293

11,309

15,171

32, 353

1 CQQ

67,056

1903

6,022

648

8,341

5,662

46,314

5,869

72, 856

1904

1,136

255

2,780

7,500

52, 492

4,237

68,400

1905

5,306

7,201

73,603

9 '<nfi

88,416

1906

2,384

10,577

50, 051

1 <KQ

64,971

1907

19, 446

51,800

252

73, 938

1908

70,413

1909

830

2,742

7,941

59,485

70,998

1910

1,298

39

6,324

68,447

76, 108

Greenup County 

Hunnewell

77

Shale

Bituminous I 

coal

Bone

Cannel 

coal

Clay m

Ft. in.

78

Ft.fn.

6 p-r-£

GPEENUP COUNTY.

Himnewell. Hunnewell (location 1) has long been a source of 

supply for cannel coal, which is mined from the ridge south of the 

station and east of Cane Creek. The coal 

is No. 3 of the Kentucky section or Lower 

Stinson of recent reports. The bed consists 

of three benches, of which the top and 

bottom are bituminous, each less than a 

foot thick, separated by a parting of bone 

or clay from the middle bench of cannel 

coal, which, as now exposed, has a thickness of only 14 to 16 inches (fig. 13, sections 77, 78). It is reported, however, to 

have had a thickness of 3 to 4 feet in the 

old workings. An analysis (71) is given 

on page 23. This coal was examined by 

Hislop, of the Paisley (Scotland) Gas 

Works (p. 40). As described by him, it is 

black, with considerable luster and yellowish-brown streak. The fracture is slaty, coarse, and partly semiscaliform, with numerous impressions of stigmarias. The cross fracture inclines to conchoidal, with deposits of calcium carbonate, clay, 

and iron bisulphide (pyrite) under natural partings (joint planes). 

It is massive, compact, and very cohesive. On the fire it does not 

intumesce. The color of the ash is pale brown; it is well defined in 

stratification and is of very uniform composition and density.1 Apparently the main body of cannel here has been removed, but a good 

acreage of thinner-bedded coal, like that shown in the columnar sec1 Phalen, W. C., Economic geology of the Kenova quadrangle, Ky., Ohio, and W. Va.: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 349, p. 90, 1908.

I 3

I z

FIGURE 13. Sections of 

cannel coal in Greenup 

County, Ky.
84 CAETNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

lions, may still remain; or prospecting may reveal other minable 

bodies.1

Chinns Branch. In the Kentucky Geological Survey report for 

1858-59 an analysis of coal from Chinns Branch (location 2) is accompanied by the following description: 2

Coal labeled " cannel coal sent by Col. L. G. Bradford, of Augusta; obtained 

from a bed about 4 feet 10 inches thick on the farm formerly owned by Levin 

Shreve, of Louisville, known as Fulton Forge, 3 miles above Greenupsburg and 

1 mile from Ohio River, Greenup County, Ky. In large blocks not soiling the 

fingers cleaving in regular layers with no fibrous coal between them; of a 

jet-black color. In small portion more slaty with pyritous impressions of vegetable remains. Over the spirit lamp it softened and agglutinated somewhat 

but did not swell much.

(See analyses 72-74, p. 23, and report of tests, p. 14.) 

The development of this tract of cannel coal was begun by the 

Maysville Manufacturing & Mining Co., in 1859, but the discovery 

of rock petroleum the same year broke up the enterprise. The cannel 

coal was described in a later report (with map) by Crandall,3 as 

follows:

The cannel coal of workable thickness appears to be limited in this region to 

an area oblong in outline, having its axis along the line from the old Fulton 

mines near the landing to a point on Indian Run, in the East Fork Valley. = 

How far beyond Indian Run and how wide the area of cannel coal of workable 

thickness is has not been fully determined, but it may reasonably be estimated 

at from 1,500 to 2,000 acres. Several hundred acres of this area, belonging to 

the Fulton tract, have already been worked out, as also several narrow points 

in the valley of Chinns Branch, on the Caroline tract; but the great body of 

coal, covering a considerable portion of the latter tract, remains to be mined. 

The best information obtainable as to the thickness on the old Fulton tract 

gives it an average of about 3 feet. Further up, on Chinns Branch, the bed 

has reached a thickness of 4$ feet. On Indian Run it is about 2 feet but 

superior to the thicker part for gas making. Like all cannel coals it will 

probably be found variable in thickness and quality in the working of the bed. 

On Indian Run the bed is accompanied by common bituminous coal, 1 foot on 

top and 6 to 8 inches below, making the whole.bed about the same in thickness 

as the average on Chinns Branch, where the whole thickness is cannel.

CARTER COUNTY.

Boghead. The Boghead coal is found on Upper and Lower 

Stinson creeks (location 1), 2 to 3 miles east of Grayson, the county 

seat, between Boghead (Afton post office) and Stinson. The coal has 

long been noted because of its extreme richness in oil, yielding under 

test 100 to 110 gallons of oil to the ton.4 The cannel occurs in two

1 Crandall, A. R., Coals of the Licking Valley region : Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 

10, p. 65, 1910.

2 Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Rept, p. 171, 1861.

3 Crandall, A. R., Report on the Chinns Branch cannel-coal district: Kentucky Geol. 

Survey Repts. on the eastern coal field, C, pp. 5-6 [293-294], 1884. 

* Owen, D. D., op. clt., pp. 111-114.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 85

beds, Nos. 3 and 4 of the Kentucky section, or the Upper and Lower 

Stinson of recent reports. 1 The upper of the two coals is generally 

workable in this region but is mainly a splint and bituminous coal.

>» in c T3 0, p

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in C t

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H

In the Boghead area it contains an important bench of cannel coal 

which has been worked on Lower Stinson Creek by the Kentucky 

Cannel Coal Co. (fig. 14, sections 79-85). The old Lexington and

1 Phalen, W. C., Economic geology of the Kenova quadrangle, Ky., Ohio, and W. Va. : 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 349, pp. 85-92, 1908.
86 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Carter Coal Mining Go. is said to have worked out a considerable 

territory southeast of the present workings.

The Lower Stinson coal, 30 feet below the Upper Stinson, is generally workable about Boghead. As at Hunnewell it is in three 

benches but is extremely variable, as is shown by the sections given. 

This coal is described by Hislop* as 

black and possesses a yellowish-brown streak and high luster. The fracture is 

slaty, coarse, and dull with impressions of stigmaria, while in the cross fracture 

it is conchoidal, with cuttings of fire clay on the natural partings [joint planes 

presumably]. It is very compact and cohesive. On the fire it partially and 

slightly intumesces. The color of the ash is brown. It is well defined in stratification and is of very uniform density.

Where weathered this coal splits into very thin leaves, some of 

which, measured by the writer, averaged about -^ of an inch in 

thickness. Analyses (62-64) are given on page 22.

The Boghead cannel has been studied microscopically by David 

White.2

Robin Run. The Lower Stinson coal has been opened at many 

places in the hills about Robin Run (location 3), 2 miles southeast 

of Grayson.3 and at some of them cannel coal was found suggesting 

a possibly workable extension of the Boghead area (fig. 14, sections 

86,87).

Everman Creek. What is probably a lower coal, opened on Barrett and Everman creeks (location 4), contains some1 cannel (fig. 14, 

section 88) in two benches.4

Hilton Branch. On* Hiltbn Branch of Little Fork of Little 

Sandy River (location 2), a few miles southwest of Willard, the 

Upper Stinson or No. 4 coal is in part cannel (with a reported thickness of 3 feet), overlain by a foot of bituminous coal. It has been 

found on the Elijah Sturgill and William Corey places, on the 

latter of which the cannel part of the bed has a maximum thickness 

of 29 inches (fig. 14, section 89). The cannel coal was not seen 

north or south of Hilton Branch.

Little Fork of Little Sandy River. According to Hendrie 5

One of the most valuable deposits in this county, however, is found 4 miles 

northeast of Willard Station * * * and 6 miles southwest of Leon Station, 

* * * lying on the waters of the Little Fork of the Little Sandy River. 

The cannel blocks vary in thickness from 10 to 32 inches. An average section,

1 Phalen, W. C., op. cit, pp. 89-90. '

2 White, David, and Thiessen, Reinhardt, The origin of coal: Bur. Mines Bull. 38, 

pp. 252-253, 1913. Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Fourth Kept., pp. Ill, 114, 1861. 

Phalen, W. C., op. cit., pp. 85-92.

8 Phalen, W. C., op. cit., pp. 87-89.

4 Idem, pp. 88-89.

5 Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. 

Bept, p. 146, 1894.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. * 87

taken from an average of 21 measurements, shows a bed section as follows: 

Bituminous coal, 1 foot 2 inches; cannel coal, 1 foot 4 inches. [See fig. 14, 

section 90.]

The quality of this coal is shown by the analysis (No. 67, p. 22).

ELLIOTT COUNTY.

Ison Creek. In the area between the Little Sandy and Little 

Fork the No. 6 bed or Winslow coal carries some cannel. In the 

ridge between Ison and Creechs creeks (location 2) it has been opened 

at several places. On the Andrew Stevens land, on the Creechs 

Creek side, it shows 40 inches of cannel over 3 inches of splint coal.1 

Similar showings occur on the Ison Creek side on the Thomas Caldwell and Isom Ison land. One section, measured by the writer, at 

the head of Ison Creek showed 32 inches of cannel.2 (See fig. 15, 

sections 91, 92.)

Bruin Greek. Two miles north of the last locality, on Greasy 

Run between Bruin Creek and the left fork of Brush Creek (location 1), the Winslow bed (fig. 15, section 93) shows 24 to 30 inches 

of cannel.3 The coal here appears to contain considerable ash.

Sarah. At Sarah a 12-inch bench of cannel coal lies at drainage 

.level, 8 inches below the top of a 28-inch bed of bituminous coal. 

(See PL I, A.)

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Torchlight. In the Torchlight area (location 1) is the bed known 

as the " little cannel," the name being derived from a bed of cannel 

3 to 6 inches thick in the middle of the coal. The " little cannel" has 

been opened near the head of Threemile Creek and at one time was 

mined and shipped over the Chatteroi Railroad. It is of interest because of this and of the further fact that specimens were sent to the 

World's Columbian Exposition, where an analysis (98, p. 24) was 

made. (See also analysis 99.) The bed has also been tested by 

Hislop, who reports " this is an excellent cannel coal." 4

.JOHNSON COUNTY.

Whitehouse. Cannel coal has long been mined at Whitehouse 5 

(location 1). The cannel bed is 18 to 20 inches thick and underlies 

18 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 15, section 94). Analyses (89, 

89a) are given on page 23.

1 Crandall, A. R., Coals of the Licking Valley region : Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, 

p. 74, 1910.

2 Phalen, W. C., op. clt., pp. 102-103.

3 Crandall, A. R., op. cit., p. 75.

4 Phalen, W. C., op. cit., p. 59.

6 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 4, p. 28, 1905.
88 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

Georges Creek. Cannel coal on Georges Creek (location 6), Johnson County, is referred to by Crandall.1

-C-* 

O 0) 

(U <U

Sparks Branch. On Sparks Branch (location 1) of Right Fork 

of Greasy Creek 2 the Whitehouse coal shows 2 feet, of slaty cannel 

(fig. 15, section 95).

1 Crandall, A. R., Preliminary report on the geology of Morgan, Johnson, Magoffln, 

and Ployd counties: Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [329], [1880]. 

3 Crandall, A. E., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 4, p. 34, 1905.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 89

Twomile Creek. Cannel coal has been mined * on Twomile Creek 

(location 3) by the Sandy River Coal Co. and carried by tramroad to 

the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway at Ward. The bed snows 18 to 23 

inches of good cannel (analysis 90, p. 23), overlain by 20 to 22 

inches-of bituminous coal (fig. 15, section 96).

Lesley (East Point post office}. The Whitehouse bed has been 

mined in a high ridge at Lesley (location 4). (See fig. 15, section 

97.) This coal has been described by David White 2 as follows:

At the mine of the East Kentucky Coal Co. at Lesley the coal measures 5 feet 

9 inches at the point where the sample exhibited at the Jamestown Exposition 

was mined. The basal layer, about 2$ inches in thickness, is a very pure coal, 

partly bituminous and speckled, showing that the more typical cannel-forming 

conditions did not obtain until some time after the beginning of coal formation 

at this point. Above this basal bed the cannel continues to the top, save an 

interruption by 4 inches of stratified and somewhat laminated coal about 2J 

feet above the base. The roof is a rather gritty gray shale, with water-worn 

stems and more or less comminuted, transported plant dfibris, all somewhat 

macerated.

The cannel is black, tough, and somewhat slabby, splitting up into 

uneven slabs 1£ to 5 or 6 inches in thickness and distinctly conchoidal 

in the oblique or vertical fractures. Occasional cuticles, mostly from 

stigmarias, are seen on the rather glassy and wavy bedding planes. 

Two analyses (91, 92), the latter quoted from Lord, are given on 

page 23.

Miscellaneous occurrences. Crandall 3 mentions cannel coal on 

Toms Creek (location 7 ?), on Lick Branch, on Daniel Creek (location 8), and on Jenny Creek (location 5 ?). 'The Lick Branch cannel 

is given as 27 inches thick (fig. 15, section 98) and, as shown by the 

analysis, is a semicannel; that on Daniel Creek is 22 inches thick 

(fig. 15, section 99), and that on Jenny Creek is 24 inches thick (fig. 

15, section 100).

Flambeau. At the Flambeau mine (location 9) the cannel coal 

has a thickness of 1 foot 6 inches to more than 4 feet 3 inches and 

overlies 4 to 6 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 15, sections 101, 102). 

The cannel is described as clean, carrying no impurities. Lord 4 

gives the analyses (93 and 94) quoted on page 23.

MORGAN COUNTY.

For many years Morgan County has been the principal source of 

cannel coal in the United States. Kentucky (pp. 52-53) has long 

produced nearly as much cannel coal as all the other States combined,

1 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 4, pp. 34-35, 1905.

2 White, David, and Thiessen, Reinhardt, The origin of coal: Bur. Mines Bull. 38, 

pp. 44, 253-256, 1913.

3 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [329], [1880]. 

* Lord, N. W., and others, Analyses of coals in the United States: Bur. Mines Bull. 

22, pts. 1 and 2, pp. 104, 540, 1913.
90 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

and Morgan County has produced more cannel coal than all of the 

other counties of the State combined. Most of this coal is found near 

the south edge of the county in the district around Cannel City.

en

c

 3; _g

. A large body of cannel appears to lie between the 

head of North Fork of Licking River and Elk Fork (locations 1, 25 

and 3). It has been mined commercially by the North Fork Cannel
DISTRIBUTION IF KENTUCKY. 91

Coal Co. at Wrigley. It has been exposed at the head of the main 

fork (location 1), on Mordecai Creek (location 2), on Rush Creek 

(location 3), on Smith Branch, and on part of Lick Creek, and it 

may extend from Rush Creek through the ridge to the head of 

Straight Creek. Its thickness on main North Fork ranges from 29 

to 39 inches or more (fig. 16, section 103). On Lick Creek its thickness is about 20 inches and at Mordecai Creek from 30 to 31 inches 

(fig. 16, section 104). Rush Creek openings show a greater thickness 

(fig. 16, section 105), ranging from 34 inches at the lower forks to 46 

inches or more a half mile up the ravine on the right side.1 Other 

measurements on Mordecai Creek give up to 36 inches and on Rush 

Creek up to 58 inches.2

Smith Branch. The cannel coal has been opened 3 on Smith 

Branch of Open Fork of Paint Creek (location 4), half a mile above 

the mouth, showing 18 inches of cannel overlain by 20 inches of 

splint coal (fig. 16, section 106).

West Liberty. Cannel coal, 18 to 24 inches thick (fig. 16, section 

107), has been mined for local supply at West Liberty on the Cox 

and Cecil places in the ridge between Licking River and Caney 

Creek 4 (location 10).

Spaws Creek. On Spaws Creek (location 11), which enters Licking River just above West Liberty, a bed of cannel is reported by 

Crandall 5 to be 18 inches thick.

May town. Three feet of cannel coal (fig. 16, section 108) is 

reported by Crandall 5 to have been found on the Pierat place, east 

of Maytown (Blackwater of the older maps) (location 9). An 

analysis (115) is given on page 24.

Cannel City. Cannel City (locations 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13) is the 

center of what is probably the most extensive cannel-coal mining 

in the United States, and the area of the coal (fig. 17) is the most 

extensive yet developed in the State.

The coal, which is a semicannel, as shown by the analyses (116- 

124, pp. 24-25), has been mined commercially by the Kentucky Block 

Cannel Coal Co. and the Watson Cannel Coal Co., of Cannel City, 

the Gish Cannel Coal Co., of Piedmont, and the Bigstaff Cannel 

Coal Co., of Bigstaff. Crandall 6 gives sections of the coal as follows 

(see fig. 16):

Caney Creek, drift 3, above the mouth of Prater Fork, coal 44 

inches, of which 22£ inches is cannel (section 109). Brushy Fork

1 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, pp. 6-8, 1910.

3 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [329], [1880].

8 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 12, 1910.

4 Idem, p. 15.

B Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [329], [1880].

0 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, pp. 13-14, 1910. '
92 CANNEL COAL IF THE UNITED STATES.

of Caney Creek, Isaac Lykins place, coal 42f inches, of which 25 

inches is cannel (section 110). Sugarcamp Branch of Brushy Fork 

of Caney Creek, coal 45 inches, of which 25£ inches is cannel (section 111). Old House Branch of Caney Creek, Will Ferguson place, 

coal 44£ inches, of which 24 inches is cannel (section 112). Drift 11, 

on Spring Branch of Caney Creek, coal 57 inches, of which 28f

Approximate scale

I Mile

FIGURE 17. Sketch map of cannel-coal area around Cannel City, Morgan County, Ky. 

(After Crandall, Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 12.)

inches is cannel (section 113). Johnson Branch of Prater Fork of 

Caney Creek, north side, coal 43£ inches, of which 21 inches is cannel 

(section 114). The analyses (116-121, pp. 24^25) show these coals to 

have about 40 to 41 per cent of volatile matter and 48 to 51 per cent 

of fixed carbon.

About 200 feet above the main coal is an upper bed measuring 

28 inches, of which 22 inches is a true cannel (section 115). (See
DISTRIBUTION" IN KENTUCKY. 93

analysis 124, p. 25.) This upper coal, however, is limited to comparatively small pockets on the head of the right fork of White Oak 

Creek and Brushy Fork of Caney Creek and to an undeveloped area 

on the Frozen Creek side.1

MAGOFFIN COUNTY.

Colvin mine. Cannel coal reported to be 3 feet in thickness (fig. 

18, section 117) has been opened on the Colvin place (location 1), on 

Licking River just above the mouth of Johnson Creek.2 An analysis 

(No. 110) is given on page 24.

Salyersville. Near Salyersville (locality 3) a cannel-coal bed containing 14 inches of cannel coal (analysis 109, p. 24) lies below 18 

inches of bituminous coal, the two being Magoffm County 

separated by a parting (fig, 18, section 118) .3 'coivin

Lykins.- Eighteen inches of cannel coal U7 F1 

is reported on Licking River in this county, 

at the Lykins place, the exact location of Bitu £,°us| 

which is not known.8

WOLFE COUNTY.

Stillwater Creek. Cannel coal (analyses 

139, 140, p. 26) is mentioned as found on 

the John Murphy place on Stillwater Creek 

(location I).4

Shale

Cannel 

coal

PIKE COUNTY.

Brushy Fork. Near the top of the ridge

y -D i. /T> i. -o i Fl(JURE 18. Sections of between Ihompson Branch of Brushy Fork cannel coal in Magoffin 

(location 1) and Upper Branch of John County, Ky. 

Creek a coal bed 52 inches thick contains 16 to 17 inches of cannel 

coal (fig. 19, section 121). On Left Fork of Brushy Fork what is 

probably the same bed (fig. 19, section 122) contains 27 inches of 

cannel coal.5

Little Brushy Branch. A little cannel coal^fig. 19, section 123) is 

reported on Little Brushy Branch of John Creek (location 2), as 

shown in the section.6

Money Branch of Turkey Creek. Cannel coal exists on Money 

Branch of Turkey Creek (location 3), being 17^ inches thick on the 

left fork and 22 inches thick on the right fork. (See fig. 19, sections 

119,120.) On the left fork the cannel bench is separated by 4 inches

1 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, pp. 13-14, 1910.

2 Idem, p. 18.

3 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [329], [1880]. 

* Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 58, 1910. 

0 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 4, p. 87, 1905. 

0 Idem, p. 48.
94 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

of black shale and coal from a bench of semicannel 2 feet thick, 

which has a 2^-inch parting near the middle. On the right fork the 

lower bench is all bituminous coal, 21 inches thick.1

FLOYD COUNTY.

Abbott Creek. :Crandall 2 reports 26 inches of cannel coal on 

Abbott Creek (location 1). (See fig. 19, section 124.)

1 Hoeing, J. B., Kentucky Geol, Survey, 4th ser., vol. 1, pt. 1, p. 230, 1913. 

2 Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey, 2d ser., vol. 6, pt. 5, p. 15 [329], [1880].
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 95

Rock Fork of Right Fork of Beaver Creek. Cannel coal has 

been opened at a number of places on Rock Fork (location 2 ?). At 

the mouth of this fork an opening shows 19 inches of cannel (fig. 19, 

section 128), overlain by 35 inches of bituminous coal. On the B. 

Howard place one opening shows 12 inches of cannel under 3 feet of 

bituminous coal and another shows 29 inches of bituminous coal 

between an upper bench of cannel 10 inches thick and a lower bench 

14 inches thick. (See fig. 19, sections 126, 127.) On the R. Webb 

place the same bed (fig. 19, section 125) carries IT inches of cannel 

under 39 inches of bituminous coal.1

Stone Goal Branch of Right Fork of Beaver Creek. The Van 

Lear coal carries from 10 to IT inches of cannel near the mouth of 

Stone Coal Branch (location 3). At the mouth 10 inches of cannel 

underlies 44 inches of bituminous coal. (See fig. 19, section 129.) 

On the G. Alien land a similar thickness of cannel overlies 34 inches 

of bituminous coal. (See fig. 19, section 130.) On A. Hayes land, 

above Stone Coal Branch, IT inches of cannel underlies 34 inches of 

bituminous coal.2 (See fig. 19, section 131.)

Prestoriburg. Owen 3 noted a cannel coal opposite Prestonburg 

(locations 4, 5) 98 feet above the river. He reports seeing cannel 

both above and below town, the thickness ranging from 2 feet 

8 inches to 3 feet 4 inches.

BREATHITT COUNTY.

Nichols Fork of Frozen Creek. Cannel coal has been noted at 

many points along the hillsides near the head of Frozen Creek 

(location T). Its thickness has not been determined, but blocks 

found on the hillside indicate a thickness of at least 2 feet. Two 

varieties of cannel were noted in this region; one is " hard and very 

uniform, rather coarse grained structure, showing perfect conchoidal 

fracture, and -abounding in brilliantly polished surfaces or slickensides "; the other " shows a partially laminated structure, irregular 

fracture, and is of a less homogeneous nature and not nearly so 

handsome, but it proves on analyses to be one of the best cannel coals 

of this whole region. It is commonly called the 'curly cannel' 

owing to its peculiar structure." 4 Analyses (50, 51) are given on 

page 22.

Jackson. One of the highest-grade cannel coals of the State has 

been found within a mile of Jackson on the Joe Little place (location 13). Unfortunately the bed is thin, containing only from 10

1 Hoeing, J. B., Kentucky Geol. Survey, 4th ser., vol. 1, pt. 1, pp. 146-147, 1913. 

" Idem, p. 147.

3 Owen, D. D., Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. for 1854 and 1855, p. 208, 1856.

4 Crandall, A. R., Coals of the Licking Valley region : Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10. 

p. 58, 1910.
96 CANFEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

to 16 inches of cannel and underlying only a very few acres (fig. 20, 

section 132). It has a 

bright, slick, satiny appearance and, on being burned, goes entirely into fine 

red ash. This is the richest and purest cannel coal that the writer 1 has found 

in Kentucky, and it is probably unsurpassed anywhere. Sad to relate, a close 

and careful investigation of the pocket and adjoining hills reveals the existence

j;

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of only about 3 acres of this remarkable coal, another commentary upon the disappointment to which a searcher for this elusive mineral is subjected.

According to an analysis (56, p. 22) by the Consolidated Gas Co. 

of New York this coal contains 68 per cent of volatile matter and 

only 28 per cent of fixed carbon and 3.8 per cent of ash.2 Analyses 

of Jackson coal (55, 56) are given on page 22.

1 Hendrie, Charles, Some Kentucky cannels: Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. 

Kept, p. 143, 1894.

2 Fobs, F. H.. Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 18. p. 35, 1912.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 97

Quicksand Greek. About a mile above the mouth of Quicksand 

Creek (locations 6 and 9) there is a bed of cannel coal 25 to 26 inches 

thick, including 8 inches of bituminous coal at the top. From this 

point the coal extends along the right side of Quicksand Creek 

for about 3 miles, the cannel part of the bed ranging from 15 to 23 

inches and the bituminous from 8 to 11 inches. ( See fig. 20, section 

133.) The coal, which is a fine cannel (analysis 49, p. 22), was 

shipped to market many years ago by barges. The cannel is rather 

restricted in area, but it has been found on Smith Branch of South 

Quicksand Creek, where the lower layer is a semicannel.1

Fulgate Fork.-^A. pocket of cannel coal (fig. 20, section 134) on 

Fulgate Fork of South Quicksand Creek (location 10) shows 22 

inches of cannel, with bituminous coal both above and below.2

Leatherwood Branch. Both the Wilson Fork and Whitesburg 

coals carry cannel on Leatherwood Branch of South Quicksand 

Creek (location 11). The Wilson Fork bed (fig. 20, section 136) 

shows 21 inches of cannel overlain by 11 inches of shale and 24 

inches of bituminous coal and the Whitesburg coal (fig. 20, section 

135) contains 15 inches of cannel in one bench and 5 inches associated with bituminous coal in another.8

Stacy Branch. Two beds carry cannel on Stacy Branch (location 14), which enters South Quicksand Creek less than one-fourth 

of a mile above Leatherwood. The Wilson Fork bed shows 21 

inches of cannel in exactly the same section (fig. 20, section 137) as 

that on Leatherwood Branch. The next coal above shows 14 inches 

of cannel over 9 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 20, section 138). 

The Wilson Fork cannel here is of very high grade, as shown by 

the analyses (57, 58, 58a, p. 22). It is "bright and slick in appearance, ignites readily with a match, and is of excellent quality." The 

Dictator Cannel Coal Co. is working it at this point.4 Half a mile 

farther up Stacy Branch another opening on this bed shows 12£ 

inches of cannel overlain by 20 inches. of bituminous coal.5

/South Quicksand Creek. Cannel coal appears abundantly along 

South Quicksand Creek (location 12) above the mouth of Leatherwood Branch. The following sections show the character of the 

Wilson Fork coal: Three-fourths of a mile above the mouth of 

Leatherwood Creek, coal 23 inches, shale 7-| inches, cannel coal (at 

bottom) 20 inches (fig. 20, section 139) ; on the opposite side of the 

creek, in a small branch, coal 24 inches, shale 9 inches, cannel 13

iCrandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 59, 191\ Fobs, F. H., Kentucky 

Geol. Survey Bull. 18, p. 37, 1912, < . 

2 Fobs, P. H., op. cit, p. 24. 

8 Idem, p. 28. 

* Idem, pp. 30-32. 

5 Hendrle, Charles, Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Kept., pp. 140-141, 1894.

87775° 18 Bull. 659 7
98 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

inches (fig. 20, section 140); on Wilson Fugate Branch, still higher 

up South Quicksand Creek, coal (mainly splint) 24 inches, shale 12 

inches, cannel coal 20 inches (fig. 20, section 141).

The Haddix bed on Wilson Fugate Branch shows 11 inches of 

cannel on the John Clemmons farm, where the Whitesburg coal conP

tains two 6-inch benches, and the Wilson Fork bed, 20 feet higher, 

1 foot of cannel. This pocket appears to contain, all told, about 

300 acres of workable cannel of very high grade.1

Twomile Fork. The Haddix coal has been opened on Twomile 

Fork (location 16), about 4 miles above the mouth of Leatherwood, 

at the Alfred Fugate place (fig. 21, section 142), where it shows 14 

inches of cannel in a 5-foot bed of coal.2

1 Hendrie, Charles, Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept., p. 142, 1894. 

2 Idem, p. 30. 
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 99

Troublesome Creek. Cannel coal was formerly mined at the 

mouth of Troublesome Creek at the Haddix mine* (location 1) and 

boated down Kentucky Eiver. At the main opening 21 inches of 

cannel is overlain by 12 inches of bony cannel and 14.inches of 

bituminous coal. 1 One section (fig. 21, section 143) gave 36 inches 

of cannel under 10 inches of bituminous coal. 2 Other measurements 

on this bed in this neighborhood show the variableness of cannel 

coal. An entry driven 300 yards through the hill to Rye Cove 

Branch ran out of coal, and another opening on the same bed 100 

yards away showed 28 inches of cannel with 6 inches of bituminous 

above (fig. 21, section 144). A little higher up the branch the coal 

is 20 inches thick and all bituminous. On the opposite side of Eye 

Cove the same bed shows 18 inches of bituminous coal and no cannel. Another opening farther down on the same side showed 37 

inches of clean, hard, bituminous coal with no cannel; but several 

hundred yards farther down, an opening shows 35 inches of cannel 

under 10 inches of bituminous coal. This pocket has been estimated 

to contain about 50 acres of cannel.3 Analyses (34r-39) are given on 

page 21.

Nolle Branch. On Noble Branch of Troublesome Creek (location 2) a bed, which may be the Haddix, shows 23 inches of cannel 

under 12 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 21, section 145). This cannel, which occurs on the Sewell and Little place, is of good quality, 

as shown by the analysis (40, p. 21 ).4

Fugitt Branch. On Troublesome Creek, at the mouth of Fugitt 

Branch, on the Roberts place (location 3), is a thick bed (fig. 21, 

section 146) containing 22 inches of cannel, which, as shown by the 

analysis (41, p. 21), approaches semicannel in character. It is 

described as " a pure-looking coal with but little fibrous coal, and 

no apparent pyrites. Sample somewhat mixed in character. Some 

pieces of cannel coal, others splint coal, others apparently shaly."5

Georges Branch. Five miles south of the mouth of Troublesome 

Creek is the Georges Branch deposit (location 4), one of the most important in the State. The coal regularly and persistently outcrops 

about 140 feet above drainage for 1£ miles up the creek. This coal 

had been shipped down the river for many years before a railroad 

was built into this section. On the Georges Branch Cannel Coal Co.'s 

land, half a mile from the mouth of the stream, the coal shows 18 

inches of cannel, overlain by 8 inches of splint and 12 inches of 

bituminous coal (fig. 21, section 147). The cannel fyed is a "beauti1 Hendrle, Charles, op. cit., p. 132.

2 Hodge, J. M., Report on the coals of the three forks of the Kentucky River: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 26, 1910.

3 Hendrie, Charles, Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept., p. 132, 1894. 

* Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, pp.-28-29, 1910. 

5 Idem, pp. 45-46.
100 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

ful, clean, bright cannel coal, tough and elastic." On the Stone Coal 

Fork of Georges Branch a section showed cannel 18£ inches and coal 

17 inches.1 One mile up Georges Branch there was measured a cannel coal, 17 inches; splint coal, 17 inches; bituminous coal, 3 inches. 

Apparently Georges Branch runs through the center of the basin, the 

cannel coal having a nearly regular thickness of 14 to 20 inches. A 

mile to the south, on the river, the coal is thin and has passed into 

a slaty cannel; and on the north side of Wolf Creek, the next stream 

to the south, the coal is a thin semicannel. The basin has been estimated to contain 375 acres of cannel coal. Analyses (43-47) are 

given on pages 21-22.2

Wolf Creek. On the south side of Wolf Creek (location 5) the 

cannel is 23 to 27 inches thick (fig. 20, section 148). By its appearance and analysis, however, it here approaches semicannel.3 (See 

analysis 48, p. 22.)

Miscellaneous occurrences. Many deposits showing a foot or less 

of cannel occur throughout Breathitt County. Sections of two of 

these deposits between Lost Creek and North Fork and of one west 

of North Fork are given in figure 21 section 149, on Mill Branch 

(location 18); section 150, at John Littles Branch (location 19) ; and 

section 151, on Lick Branch (location 17). At all these places, as at 

others, the coal is so resistant that blocks of it accumulate in quantities that give the impression of a greater bed than exists.4

JACKSON COUNTY.

Cannel coal has been found at several points in Jackson County. 

In the valley of Grassy Creek (location 1), in the northeast corner 

of the county, 14 inches of cannel coal occur on the William Bowles 

place. Cannel coal is also found on Pond Creek (location 2), not 

far from the Settle store, Annville (?).5

Among the coals analyzed by the Kentucky Geological Survey 

are two (87, 88, p. 23) from this county, one of.which is described 

as follows: " Cannel coal from Tom Cole's bank, 17 miles southeast of Richmond (location 3), represented to be 21 inches cannel 

and 21 inches bituminous coal. * * * Rather dull looking cannel 

coal, splitting with difficulty into layers with not enough fibrous coal 

to soil the fingers and with no apparent pyrites." The other coal 

is described as follows: "Cannel coal from T. J. Ballard's place,

1 Hendrie, Charles, /Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Kept., p. 134, 1894.

2 Hendrie, Charles, idem. Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, pp. 70-71, 

1910. Crandall, A. R., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 10, p. 65, 1910.

3 Hendrie, Charles, op. cit, pp. 134-135. Hodge, J. M., op. cit, pp. 72-73.

4 Hodge. J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of the lower North Fork, Middle and 

South forks, Kentucky River, p. 90, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.

6 Miller, A. M., Coals of the lower measures along the western border of the eastern 

coal field: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 12, pp. -75-76, 1910.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 101

branch of Horselick, 26 miles from Richmond (location 4). * * * 

Specimen from the outcrop. * * * Resembles the preceding, 

has a bird's-eye structure in parts." 1

LETCHER COUNTY.

Mill Branch of Backhouse Creek. On the J. Q. Bentley place, at 

the mouth of Mill Branch (location 6), and again at the mouth of

Letcher County

""Mill Millstone C^P 

Branch Branch Branch

Smoot Defeated 

CreeK Creeh

154

153

Ft in.

Ft. in

Line 

ForK

152

,Ft. in.

5 0

155

157

.Ft. in.

156 

6 .... ft. in.

;Ft. in.

6

Z 0?

3 0

LEGEND

Cannel 'Bituminous Bone, 

coal coal

Clay Shale Sandstone

FIGURE 21. Sections of cannel coal In Letcher County, Ky.

Potters Fork, the Elkhorn coal carries 10 inches of semicannel coal 

under 34 inches of bituminous coal 2 (fig. 22, section 152, and 

analysis 106, p. 24).

Millstone Branch of Rockhouse Creek. The " fire-clay " or Dean 

coal on Millstone Branch (location 3) carries at its base 18 inches

1 Peter, Robert, Chemical analyses: Kentucky Geol. Survey Rept. A, pt. 1, pp. 272-273, 

1884.

" Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 145, 1910.
102 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

of cannel without partings, described as a fine-looking coal 1 (fig. 22, 

section 153, analysis 104, p. 24). *

Gamp Branch of Rockhouse Creek. On Camp Branch, on the 

J. N. Collins place (location 4), the cannel at the base of the Dean 

coal is 2 feet thick 2 (fig. 22).

Smoot Creek. Near the mouth of Smoot Creek (location 5) the 

Whitesburg is a cannel coal 18 inches to 3 feet thick (fig. 22, section 155 ).3

Defeated Creek. The Dean coal is mostly cannel on Defeated 

Creek (locations 1 and 2). Where it goes under the creek it measures 

3 feet of solid cannel under a massive sandstone (fig. 22, section 156). 

On the Ira Hall place, 2 miles above the mouth, it is 25 inches thick, 

including 3 inches of shale 7 inches from the top.4 (See analysis 

105, p. 24.)

On Line Fork, 2 miles above the mouth of Defeated Creek, on'the 

Joseph Cornett place (location 1), the bed shows 43 inches of highash cannel (analysis 103, p. 24), grading into bituminous shale at 

the top (fig. 22, section 157). It is described as "a bright, rather 

pure looking cannel." 5

LESLIE COUNTY.

Cutshin Creek. Six miles above Paul Creek, on Coon Creek 

(location 1), the Dean or " fire-clay " coal carries 32 inches of cannel 

under 6 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 23, section 158). Hodge B 

says this bed "though rare as cannel on the Middle Fork (of Kentucky Eiver) is quite common as such on the North Fork, and the 

rider has cannel to the southwest on Greasy Creek and elsewhere."

Laurel Fork. Three miles up Laurel Fork and one-eighth of a 

mile to the left up Wolfpen Branch and 50 feet above it, on the Arch 

Cornett place (location 3), is 23 inches of cannel, with 28 inches of 

bituminous above and 16 inches of bituminous below (fig. 23, section 

159). One analysis given (100, p. 24) is of the cannel bed; another 

(101) is of the cannel bed and the 6-inch bed of bituminous coal 

immediately below.7

Beech Fork. On Oldhouse Branch of Beech Fork of Middle 

Fork of Kentucky River (location 2), the rider of the "fire-clay" 

coal is a cannel 38 inches thick (fig. 23, section 160, and analysis 102, 

p. . 24). ^J:/ 8

1 Hodge, J. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 11, p. 135, 1910.

2 Idem, p. 137.

R T^nw* ~ 1 Kf\ 3 Idem, p. 150.

4 Idem, p. 126.

5 Idem, p. 127.

6 Idem, p. 195.

7 Idem, p. 196.

8 Idem, p. 222.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 

PERRY COUNTY.

103

Lots Creek. On Lots Creek, near Grigsby (location 1), 21 inches 

of cannel underlies 23 inches' of bituminous coal (fig. 23, section 

162) in what seems to be a fair-sized pocket. An analysis (131) is 

given on page 25.

Lost Creels. On Lost Creek (location 2) two coals (Nos. 4 and 

5) carry cannels. The cannel with coal No. 4 is generally thin; 

that with No. 5 is 10 to 22 inches thick, with a considerable thickLeslie County Perry County

Cutshin 

Creek

Oldhouse 

Branch

Will arc! 

Branch

Lots 

Creek

Lost 

Creek

tbersole 

Branch

159

.Ft.in

161

Ft.in.

158

.Ft.in. 

6

I 6

160

Ft.in.

2 Z

162 164

Ft.in

i n?

163

Ft in.

Ft.in

3 a

LEGEND

Cannel 

coal

Bituminous 

coal

Cannel 

shale

Clay Shale .Sandstone 

FIGURE 23. Sections of cannel coal in Leslie and Perry counties, Ky.

ness of bituminous coal above (fig. 23, section 163), but the cannel 

is not of first-class quality.1

Ebersole Branch. On Ebersole Branch of North Fork of Kentucky River (location. 3), 11 inches of cannel underlies 35 inches of 

bituminous coal (fig. 23, section 164).2

Squabble Branch. The same bed shows some cannel on Squabble 

Branch of Middle Fork of Kentucky River (location 4). Blocks of 

cannel at an old opening a mile from the mouth of the creek indicate 

the presence of some good cannel coal.2

1 Hendrie, Charles, Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept, p. 143, 1894.

2 Hodge, J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of the lower North Fork, Middle and 

South forks, Kentucky River, p. 83, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.
104 CANNEL COAL fN THE UNITED STATES.

North Fork of Kentucky River. Eight inches of cannel coal occur 

on the Elijah Davidson place, 3 miles above the mouth of Grapevine 

Creek. On the Samuel Whittaker place (locality 5), on Willard 

Branch, the same bed contains 22 inches of cannel. (See fig. 23, 

section 161.) ;

__________________Harlan County ______________' 

_____Clover Fork of Cumberland River____________

26%milesup Fugitt Little Sharps Branch of Hensley Martin Smith's 

CloverFork ' Creek Black Mt. YocurnCreek Branch place

elev.25^o''elev.i635'" . -

166

Ft.in.

169

.Ft.in.

Ft.in.

Ff.in.

LEGEND

. 171

170 . ,- .Ft.in. .in.

Cannel Bituminous 

coal coal

Bone Black shale Shale Sandstone

FIGURE 24. Sections of cannel coal on Clover Fork of Cumberland River, Harlan

County, Ky.

Middle Fork. On Middle Fork of Kentucky River (location 6) a 

mile below the mouth of Rush Creek 10 inches of cannel coal inclosed 

in 24 inches of bituminous coal is found.1 An analysis (132) is given 

on page 25.

HARLAN COUNTY.

Jack Bailey Branch. On the Wright Short place, 26f miles above 

the mouth of Clover Fork, at the mouth of Jack Bailey Branch (loca1 Hodge, J, M., op. cit., p.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 105

tion 6), is found 30 inches of cannel (fig. 24, section 165) in the 

Kelioka coal (Keokee of State reports). The basin seems to be very 

small, for 150 yards away an opening shows only 11 inches of cannel 

and 24 inches of bituminous coal.1

Fugitt Creek, About one-fourth of a mile up Fugitt Creek (location 5), about 750 feet above sea level, a bed (fig. 24, section 166) 

contains 28 inches of cannel of doubtful quality and 20 inches of 

cannel-like shale associated with some bituminous coal and much 

shale.2

Little Black Mountaiyi. On Little Black Mountain, below the 

mouth of Fugitt (location 4), t'he Kelioka coal (fig. 24, section 167) 

is only 19 inches thick but is all cannel.3

Sharps Branch. On Sharps Branch, 3f miles above the mouth 

of Yokum Creek, in Horse Hollow of the Left Fork (location 3), 

3.1 inches of cannel coal lies about 2,540 feet above sea level. Farther 

down the same branch, at about 1,635 feet, 15 inches of cannel shale 

is underlain by 25 inches of bituminous coal. At another opening 

near by the shaly cannel is 33 inches in thickness. The upper bed on 

Bailey Creek is also partly cannel.4 (See fig. 24, sections 168, 169. 

and analysis 82, p. 23.)

Hensley Branch. The Kelioka bed is a cannel coal on Hensley 

Branch (location 1) 2 miles above the mouth of Clover Fork. It is 

here 39 inches thick (fig. 24, section 170), the upper part, however, 

grading over into a cannel shale.5

Glover Fork. On the Martin Smith place, 1£ miles above the 

mouth of Hensley Branch (location 2), the Kelioka bed (fig. 24, section 171) carries 23 inches of cannel separated by 5 inches of shale 

from 13 inches of bituminous coal.6

Lick Branch of Poor Fork. On Lick Branch (location 7) the 

Kelioka bed shows 28 inches of cannel of good appearance, light 

weight, and good fracture, overlain by 33 inches of cannel shale 

(fig. 25, section 172). It is said that a piece of this cannel, about 6 

to 8 inches cube, when broken open was found to contain in the 

middle a lump of pure splint coal 1 by 2 by 3 inches.7

Johns Branch of Catron Creek. On Johns Branch, on the Myra 

Osburn place (location 15), 40 feet above the Harlan coal 30 inches 

of cannel is overlain by 22 inches of bituminous coal. Other measurements on Johns Branch have shown 2 feet 9 inches of cannel overlain

1 Hodge, .T. M., The upper Cumberland coal field: Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 13, 

p. 108, 1912.

2 Idem, p. 82.

3 Idem, p. 80.

4 Idem, pp. 51-52.

6 Idem, p. 38. 

"Idem, p. 39.

7 Idem, p. 152.
106 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

by 21 inches of bituminous coal'. (See fig. 25, section 173, and 

analysis 83, p. 23.)

An analysis (84, p. 23) is of a sample described as taken " 8 

miles from Mount Pleasant (Harlan) at the head of Catron Creek 

of Martin Fork. Sample from 22-inch seam in bed containing three 

seams, two of stone coal, severally 18 inches and 6 inches thick, sep-

___________________Harfar\ County_______

Lick Branch JohnsBranch Opposite Terrys Cumberland Walhns Cumberland Wallirvs

of of mouth of Fork River Creek J Rjver^ Creek . Poor Fork CatronCreekJohnsBranch ' 

174

Ft.in.

176

Ft. in.

172

Ft.in.

2 9

173

Ft.in.

Ft.in.

Ft.in.

LEGEND

Cannel coal Bituminous coal Bone Cannel shale Clay Shale 

FIGURE 25. Sections of cannel coal in Harlan County, Ky.

arated by 2 inches of shale parting; 120 feet above drainage; a dull 

gray-black cannel coal, irregularly laminated." 1

Catron Creek. Opposite the mouth of Johns-Branch on the Washington Hensley place (location 14) is a good showing of cannel coal. 

The bed comprises, from the top down, 2 feet to 2 feet 7 inches of 

bituminous coal, 1 to 2 inches of clay, 22 to 26 inches of cannel (the 

lower part of which is a good cannel with conchoidal fracture), 8 

inches of clay, and 12 to 16 inches of cannel. (See fig. 25, section 

174.) Two analyses (83, 86, p. 23), which include both benches of

1 Ashley, G. H., and Glenn, L. C., U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 49, pp. 200-201,1906.
DISTBIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 107

cannels, show that these coals, though low in ash, are also low in 

volatile matter.1

Martin Fork near Hurst. Cannel coal is reported to lie 50 feet 

above the Harlan coal at the Stephen Place mine on Martin Fork, 

near Hurst (location 13). As this is on the opposite side of the ridge 

from the cannel coal at the same horizon on Johns Branch, it is 

possible that there is a fair-sized area of cannel coal in this district.

Wallins Creek. What has been called the Terrys. Fork coal carries cannel over a good-sized area near the mouth of Wallins Creek. 

It is typically exposed on Terrys Fork near the mouth (location 8), 

where it shows a thiclmess of 24 inches of cannel over 24 inches of 

bituminous coal, on the Adrian Howard place (fig. 25, section 175). 

Over the ridge to the northeast on Cumberland River, oppt>- 

site the mouth of Watts Creek (location 16), the same bed shows 

24 inches of shaly cannel over 30 inches of bituminous coal (fig. 24, 

section 176). Around the divide between Terrys Fork and Wallins 

Creek on the Wallins Creek side, on Mrs. L. Howard's place (location 9), what is apparently the same bed shows 30 inches of cannel 

coal overlying 14 inches of shale and 24 inches of bituminous coal. 

A little farther up Wallins Creek this coal has been opened up, or 

faced up, at several points (location 17), showing about 25 inches 

of cannel coal (fig. 25, section 177). Below the mouth of Wallins Creek, on the trail passing over the ridge to Jesse Creek (location 10), the same bed contains 32 inches of cannel above 18 inches 

of bituminous coal (fig. 25, section 178). On the D. F. Noe place 

on Wallins Creek (location 12) 27 inches of cannel is reported to 

overlie 3| inches of shale and 6£ inches of bituminous coal (fig. 25, 

section 179). This same coal shows 10 inches of cannel on the Banner 

Fork of Wallins Creek and 4 inches of cannel on Camp Branch.2

BELL COUNTY.

Pineville. Cannel coal has been mined on Stewarts Branch near 

Pineville (locations 1 and 3) by the Breckenridge & Pineville Syndicate (Ltd.), later the Wallsend Coal & Coke Co., and at present 

The Federal Coal Co. The cannel bed is what is locally called 

the McGuire bed, overlying the Dean coal. An analysis (31) is 

given on page 21. The occurrence of the coal has been described by 

Crandall as follows: 3

The McGuire cannel seam, or the Upper Dean coal, at the 762-foot level on 

Stewart Branch is continuous over a large part of this region, rising to the

1 Ashley, G. H., and Glenn, L. C., op. cit, pp. 196-198.

2 Idem, p. 153.

3 Crandall, A. R., and Sullivan, G. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 14, pp. 106-107, 

1912.
108 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

crest of the hills near the head of the Pogue Branch. The cannel portion of 

the bed is not so constant a feature either in thickness or in quality as to give 

value to this coal seam. On the right fork of Stewart Branch, as faced up 

for examination but not driven to solid coal; the whole thickness was 59 inches, 

of which the bottom bench of cannel coal was 17 inches. A greater thickness 

has been reported near the head of Millers Branch. But at the head of the left 

prong of Stewart Branch and at a point to the westward Mr. Thurston measured 38 inches of common coal and 18 inches of cannel, and 39 inches and 13, 

respectively. This bed makes a horizon which has. recurring local areas of 

cannel coal in connection with ordinary soft coal; it extends over a large field 

in greater or less thickness, with here and there pockets of cannel coal added 

to its bed section or taking the place of some of its layers, as the case may be; 

but it has only at wide intervals bodies of cannel which separately may be 

made the basis of a mining industry.

Where the coal was mined the cannel bench showed (fig. 26, section 180) a thickness of 18 inches overlain by 34 inches and more of 

bituminous coal.1 In the mine inspector's report for 1899 2 it is 

stated that "there is an almost inexhaustible supply of the Pineville 

cannel"; and again that "the No. 2 mine is in a vein 50 inches 

thick, of which 12 inches at the top is cannel." In describing this 

property the chief engineer of the company says: " This seam is 

about 4 feet thick and carries a cannel seam from 8 to 24 inches 

thick " (fig. 26, section 181) .3

Chenoa. On Bear Creek branch of Clear Creek (location 2) is a 

body of cannel coal that was mined extensively from 1893 to 1899. 

The cannel here as usual proved to be in a basin in which the width 

of workable coal was only 600 feet. This was followed down the 

dip for about 4,000 feet at constantly increasing cost until 1899, 

when the burning of the tipple led to the abandonment of the mine. 

The dip of this basin is steep, being about 8° for the first 400 or 500 

feet and 5° for the next 400 or 500, beyond which it gradually 

decreases to 2° or less. When operations ceased plans were on foot 

for making a new opening by a slope in order to reach the coal near 

the present face. This coal shows a total section of over 7 feet in the 

center of the basin, thinning out to the edges. The upper part is 

bituminous and the lower part cannel. One section, reported by 

A. E. Crandall,4 gave 34 inches of bituminous coal at the top separated by 1 inch of charcoal from 52 inches of cannel coal at the bottom. The section measured near the ventilating furnace, however, 

showed the bed much broken up, the cannel appearing in two 

benches, the upper of 7 inches and the lower of 14 inches, the whole 

bed having a thickness of 97 inches. As a rule, however, there is 

here a single block of bituminous coal above a shale parting which

1 Norwood, C. J., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept., p. 119, 1894.

2 Stone, G. W., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Sixteenth Ann. Kept, pp 112, 140, 1900.

3 Norwood, C. J., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Ann, Repts. for 1905, 1906, p. 169, 

[1907?]. 

* Ashley, G. H., and Glenn, L. C., op. cit., p. 94.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. 109

may resemble cannel at the top or bottom. The thickness of the 

cannel-coal bench ranges from about 55 inches in the center of the 

basin to 30 inches at the sides where mining stopped. It may be 

assumed that this basin, or channel, extends eastward or southeastward through the ridge. (See fig. 26, sections 182, 183, and analysis 

32, p. 21.) 1

i

to 

TB * 

8 H

c O

U fa

KNOX COUNTY.

Cannel coal in Knox County, so far as described, appears to be confined to the valley of Stinking Creek and to one exposure on Bull 

Creek. All of the following areas, except the last, are on tributaries 

of Stinking Creek.

Moore Creek. On the left fork of Moore Creek (location 6) 10 to 

22 inches of cannel (fig. 26, section 184) has been found in a bed

1 Ashley, G. H., and Glenn, L. C., U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 49, pp. 94-95, 1906.
110 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

thought to be above the Dean and probably at the horizon of the 

McGuire coal, which is cannel bearing in Bell County.1

Mills Branch. At the Anderson Mills entry on Mills Branch, 280 

feet above the creek (location 4), the cannel bed has a thickness of 

45 inches (fig. 26. section 185), including 5 inches at the top, which 

is partly splint. The coal appears to be limited to a pocket in the 

ridge between Mills Branch and Dickey Branch to the north.2

Lower Road Fork. The McGuire bed is cannel bearing at the 

Williamson place at the mouth of Lower Koad Fork (locations 2 

and 7). The cannel is 15 inches thick overlain by 15 inches of 

bituminous coal (fig. 26, section 186). At the Walker farm, 1£ miles 

up the creek, the cannel carries a 1-inch clay parting 5 inches from 

the top and a bituminous bench 22 inches thick (fig. 26, section 187). 

The coal is here about 400 feet above the creek. This bed has been 

widely recognized toward the heads of the forks of the main Stinking 

Creek, though the cannel part of the bed is commonly thin or absent.

Upper Road Fork. Toward the head of Upper Road Fork (location 3) the McGuire coal attains a workable thickness. Thus at 

David Price's place, 7 miles above the mouth of the fork, the cannel 

coal is 41 inches thick (fig. 26, section 188), but from here it thins in 

every direction. The workable portion is limited to the ridge between the main fork and Spring Branch. An analysis (97) is given 

on page 24.2

Middle Fork. Near the mouth of Middle Fork, about 650 feet 

above the creek (location 5), on the J. M. Bingham place 13 inches 

of cannel coal overlies 24 inches of bituminous coal and underlies 3 

inches of bituminous coal. On the Big Creek side of this same ridge 

and a mile away this bed shows 12 inches of cannel over 24 inches of 

bituminous coal at the Acy Messers opening. It is readily traced 

along Big Branch by the outcropping cannel.3 On Brown Branch 

of Middle Fork a few openings have been made to this coal, showing 

about the same thickness as at the Walker opening (location 5) on 

the-opposite side of the ridge. On the Jeff Hammond.Fork of Middle Fork the cannel coal is 6 to 8 inches thick. On Tom and Wash 

branches of Salt Gum Branch of Middle Fork the cannel is from 9 

to 11 inches thick and is overlain by 5 inches of cannel shale.

Big Creek (main branch?). On Broughton Branch at the B. D. 

Alien mine (location 1) the cannel bed reaches a maximum of 34 

inches (fig. 26, section 189), but decreases in thickness in a short 

distance. Other cuts in this neighborhood failed to develop pockets 

of promise. On the Buckeye and Acorn branches of "Big Creek, 

which head against the head of Salt Gum' Fork of Middle Fork, the

1 Crandall, A. R., and Sullivan, G. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 14, p. 127, 1912.

2 Idem, p. 125. 

8 Idem, p. 128.
DISTRIBUTION IN KENTUCKY. .111

cannel bed carries. 13 inches of cannel. It is 9 inches thick near the 

Isaac Taylor place, 4 miles from the head in a bed 14£ inches thick, 

and 8 inches thick 3£ miles below the head.1

Bull Creek. On the T. Jones place, 2 miles up Bull Creek of 

Colon Fork of Goose Creek 15 inches of cannel is reported.2 Near 

the mouth of Bull Creek (location 8), on the Harpers land, the cannel is 26 inches thick but is very shaly.

CLAY COUNTY.

The bed of cannel coal found on Middle Fork of Stinking Creek in 

Knox County has been opened also on the headwaters of Kentucky 

River (location 1) in Clay County.3

A table of analyses published by Hodge 4 includes two of cannel 

coal from Clay County, one of which (analysis 69, p. 22) is described 

as from J. T. Smith's place on Tom's Branch (cannel 5 inches), and

the other (analysis TO, p. 22) from the J. M. Jones place (location 2), 

Beech Creek, Clay County (cannel 15 inches). &

LAUREL COUNTY.

Cannel coal 4 feet 2 inches thick is reported to have been opened 

on Cane Creek about 2£ miles north of the Chris Hale place in 

Laurel County. At another opening on Indian Camp Branch of 

Craigs Creek apparently the same bed, coming immediately under 

the cap rock of the plateau in this area, has been opened and shows 

36 inches of cannel overlying 8 inches of sandy shale and coal and 6 

inches of bituminous coal.

WHITLEY COUNTY.

Character of the coal. P&xt of Whitley County is underlain by 

a coal having a peculiar pitted fracture, to which the name bird's-eye 

is given. The bed, which is now thought to be the same as the 

Jellicoe, ranges from a rich pure cannel to a semicannel or splint 

coal and to a black coal. The bird's-eye fracture persists through the 

several changes, though it does not everywhere persist through the 

whole thickness of the bed. None of the analyses at hand indicates 

that any of this coal is a high-volatile cannel, though such cannel 

may exist in the region. The peculiar fracture is most striking at 

right angles to the bedding.5 As shown on the map (PI. VII, p. 82)

iCrandall, A. R., and Sullivan, G. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 14, p. 127, 1912.

a Hodge, J. M., Preliminary report on the geology of the lower North Fork, Middle and 

South forks, Kentucky River, p. 74, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1887.

3 Crandall, A. R., and Sullivan, G. M., op. cit., p. 128.

* Hodge, J. M., op. cit. p. 96.

6 Crandall, A. R., Report on the geology of Whitley County, etc., plate opposite p. 37, 

Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1889 [date of map].
112 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

the cannel and semicannel condition of this bed centers mainly in the 

Patterson Creek region but is found also on Big and Little Caney 

and Mud and Polar creeks. Though not a rich coal for the manufacture of oil, it is free burning and is adequate for many of the uses 

of cannel.

Patterson Creek. Near the head of Patterson Creek (fig. 27, 

section 190) 52 inches of block coal shows at the Polly mine (locations 1, 3, 5, and 6), of which 31 at the base is bird's-eye. On 

Bennett Fork of Patterson Creek (location 3, section 193) the bed is 

from 48 to 50 inches thick and is a semicannel. On the Lawson tract 

the bed shows 11 inches of bird's-eye at the base, then 13 inches of

Whitley County Hancock County

Head of Lawson 

Patterson tract Creek

180

191

Little 

Caney 

Creek

Bennett 

Fork

Halsey, 

Caney 

. Creek

Breck in ridge 

Minimum Average Maximum

193

Ft.in.

192

Ft. in. 

6

Ft.in.

LEGEND

Cannel coat' Bituminous coal 

FIGDKB 27. Sections of cannel coal in Whitley and IJancock counties, Ky.

cannel, then 11 inches of bituminous coal x (.fig. 27, section 191, and 

analyses 134, 136, p. 25). This bed is a cannel coal on Mud Creek 

also (locality 4).

Little Caney. At the head of Little Caney (location 2) the bed 

carries 28 inches of cannel and 6 inches of bituminous coal.2 (See 

fig. 27, section 192, and analysis 137, p. 25.)

Halsey. At Halsey on Caney Creek (location 7) the Jellicoe and 

Birdseye Coal Co had, in 1893, made a number of openings on the 

bird's-eye coal. At the Halsey mine the coal (analysis 138, p. 25) con1 Hendrie, Charles, Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Rept, p. 147, 1894.

2 Crandall, A. R., op. cit, p. 38. Miller, A. M., Kentucky Geol. Survey Bull. 12, p. 69, 

1910.
DISTRIBUTION IN TENNESSEE. 113

tained (fig. 27, section 194) 2 feet or a little more of bird's-eye and 

semicannel, and 6 to 9 inches of bituminous coal.1

HANCOCK COUNTY.

The famous Breckinridge cannel coal, probably the best known of 

the Kentucky cannels and the oftenest mentioned of American cannels, lies in Hancock County just over the boundary from Breckinridge County.

The extent of the cannel coal is not known. Mining was carried 

on in a ridge between Tarr Fork and Panther Creek, the mines being 

on the Tarr Fork side. It has been generally assumed that the 

cannel-coal field is exhausted. Norwood,2 after examining the area 

in 1875, concluded that a large body of cannel coal, possibly 4,000 

acres, still remained. Mining was resumed and it is possible that 

Avhen it finally ceased all the coal at that time minable had been 

removed. The cannel bed lies at the base of the coal-bearing rocks 

and was from 22 to 38 inches thick, locally reaching 46 inches. The 

average is given as about 2£ feet or a little over. (See fig. 27, sections 195-197, and analyses 75-80, p. 23.)

Miscellaneous localities. In other parts of the western field of 

Kentucky coals Nos. 1, 5, and 11 locally carry workable thicknesses 

of cannel. Usually these are mined along with the bituminous coal, 

which they accompany, no attempt being made to find separate 

markets for the cannel portion of the bed. Near Dekoven coal No. 

11 carries 14 to 15 inches of cannel overlying a small amount of 

bituminous coal. Cannel has been noted associated with this bed in 

Muhlenberg and Union counties, though it is usually of poor 

quality. Coal No. 5 also contains cannel at Dekoven, where a 25- 

inch bench lies between two 6-inch benches of'bituminous.

TENNESSEE.

In Tennessee cannel coal is mined only south of Jellico, about 2 

miles from Newcomb, in Campbell County, where for some years it has 

been mined by the Jellico Cannel Coal Co. The bed has an average 

thickness of 30 to 36 inches and lies about 1,800 feet above sea level. 

Benches of cannel coal of small lateral extent occur at Bon Air and 

Whitwell and at a few other places in the State.

1 Norwood, C? J., Kentucky Inspector of Mines Tenth Ann. Kept, pp. 128, 177, 1894.

2 Norwood, C. J., Report of a reconnaissance of a part of the Breckinridge cannel-coal 

district: Kentucky Geol. Survey Repts. Progress, vol. 4, new ser., p. 352, 1878; Western 

coal field, p. 206, Kentucky Geol. Survey, 1884.

87775° 18 Bull. 659 8
114 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

ALABAMA.

In the Cahaba coal field of Alabama, west of Montev.allo and 

northwest of Briarfield, an area of overturned rocks includes several coal beds.1 One of these, "the cannel seam," occurs on Little 

Mayberry Creek and is described by Squire as 3 to 3£ feet thick and 

partly bony. Squire adds that the bed is overturned and dips 56°. 

In the same chapter Squire gives an analysis of the " B " bed, showing 56.1 per cent of volatile matter, 37.4 per cent of fixed carbon, 

and 3.1 per cent of ash, but does not make clear whether this is the 

" cannel seam." Its resemblance to a cannel-coal analysis and the 

contrast with other analyses of coals iri that area suggest that it 

may be.

IOWA.

Cannel coal is found in Iowa only near Fort Dodge and in a few 

other localities. The bed in the vicinity of Fort Dodge, which occurs 

near the base of the coal-bearing rocks, extends over a moderately 

large area along the river and appears to be rather more regular than 

the bituminous beds just above it, some of which are very pockety, 

varying several feet in thickness in less than 100 yards. North of 

Fort Dodge the cannel seam is 20 to 30 inches thick. Three mines 

have recently operated near Kalo. At the Johnson mine the cannel 

occurs as a 16-inch bed separated by 3 inches of shale over an underlying bench of bituminous coal 22 inches thick; at the Irvine mine 

at Kalo the coal is 28 inches to 3 feet thick; at the Craig & Dawson 

mine the cannel is about 3£ feet thick.2 The coal is overlain by shale 

and underlain by shale or clay at all of these places. On Holaday 

Creek, near Coalville, the seam consists of 4 to 9 inches of cannel 

above 1 to 3 feet of bituminous coal.3

At the Tann mine, in Guthrie County, in the NE. | SE. £ sec. 22, 

T. 79 N., E. 30 W.,4 there is 22 inches of cannel which is just on the 

border line between cannel and bituminous, showing about equal percentages of volatile matter and fixed carbon or a fuel ratio very close 

to 1. The ash ranges from 15 to 36 per cent in the analyses at hand 

and the sulphur from 7 to 11 per cent. The high sulphur content 

would be sufficient to prevent the use of this coal for some purposes.

MISSOURI. 

OCCURRENCE OF THE COAL.

In a broad area southeast of the main coal field of Missouri there 

are pockets of " Coal Measure " rocks, many of which contain beds

1 Squire, Joseph, Report on the Cahaba coal field, pp. 97-100, Alabama Geol. Survey, 

1890.

2 Keyes, C. R., Coal deposits of Iowa: Iowa Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 204, 205, 1894.

3 Idem, pp. 40, 42, 43.

4 Idem, p. 247.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 659 PLATE VIII

t ) V ^ JIVCoEaytofc V

39 <^«y^^teg Jj-V

^~> -/, ,»ra*£^ *

Basefrom U. S. Geological Survey 

mao of Missouri. Compiled by 

4, F. Hassan

MAP OF PART OF MISSOURI

SHOWING LOCATION OF CANNEL COAL DEPOSITS

Coal data compiled by G. H. Ashley

Deposits referred to in text

(Separate series of numbers for euck county)

Basins that contain coal-bearing rocks (possibly cannel 

coal)jfrom Hindsfe"Coal deposits of Missouri"
DISTRIBUTION IN MISSOURI. 115

of cannel coal. (See PI. VIII.) Most of these pockets appear to be 

in old sink holes, dissolved out of the limestones, though some are in 

narrow valleys. Such pockets occur in 35 counties. The coal in 

many places is remarkably thick, some deposits measuring more 

than 50 feet and one shaft having penetrated nearly 90 feet. Though 

these coals have not been analyzed, they are described as commonly 

high in ash and high in volatile matter. Many of these pockets, like 

the cannel basins in Kentucky and elsewhere, have been the basis for 

unprofitable investment and probably more money has been spent 

on them than has been made out of them. Most of the basins to 

be described are circular or oval and not more than a few hundred 

feet in diameter. An aggregate of 500,000 tons in a single pocket 

is exceptionally large, most of them being very much smaller. In 

some places seams and bands of lead or zinc ore add to the value 

of the pocket, and in others small deposits of flint clay and plastic 

clay occur with the coal and may be mined with it at a profit. Cannel 

coal occurs in such pockets in Benton, Boone, Callaway, Cedar, Cole, 

Cooper, Clark, Crawford, Camden, Dade, Douglas, Dent, Jasper, 

Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, 

Pike, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Louis, "Saline, Warren, and other 

counties. Recent mining appears to have been confined to Moniteau, 

Cole, Monroe, and Morgan counties. Further description will be 

confined to such deposits as have been worked in recent years or are 

now being worked.

CALLAWAY' COUNTY.

Many pockets, some of remarkable thickness, occur in the southern 

and eastern parts of Callaway County, but not one of them contains 

more than a small amount of coal. One of them, near Hams Prairie, 

in the NE. £ sec. 16, T. 46' N., K. 9 W., is worked by W. C. Weeks. 

The coal is 5 to 12*feet thick, the lower part cannel and the upper 

part bituminous. Hinds 1 says:

Callaway County has long been noted for its. pockets of thick coal, and much 

money has been wasted by those who have attempted to mine them on a large 

scale. Although many are remarkably thick, containing as much as 80 feet of 

coal, most of them are very small in lateral dimensions and do not contain 

more than sufficient coal fpr purely local use. These pockets occur in all parts 

of the county, but are exposed only outside the area covered by the main body 

of the Pennsylvanian ("Coal Measures"). They are especially well known in 

the rough country near the Missouri River, where many were mined during 

early days to supply fuel for the boats then so numerous on the river. Many 

old workings may be observed near Hibernia and Mokane, and exaggerated 

statements as to the amounts of coal in those districts are still current.

1 Hinds, Henry, The coal deposits of Missouri: Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 

2d ser., vol. 11, p. 114 [1912].
116 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

COLE COUNTY.

Many coal pockets have been found in Cole County, especially 

near Centertown and Elston, and some mining has been done there. 

Probably, however, more money has been spent in prospecting for 

coal in this county than has been made by mining. Many of the 

pockets were described by Broadhead,1 chiefly those north of Centertown. The most recent mining at this point on cannel coal is 

said to have been on the Leonard farm, 2 miles north of Centertown 

(location 1 2 ), where a pocket 200 feet in diameter, carrying 14 feet 

of cannel above 4 feet of bituminous coal, was worked for three years 

from a 30-foot shaft. On the Bryant place 2 miles northeast of 

Centertown (location 2) are 20 to 30 feet of cannel, which were 

formerly stripped.3 Cannel coal was being mined in 1911, if not 

at present, at the S. & A. Bandelier mine, L| miles due south of 

Elston (location 3). The coal is in a pocket 250 feet wide from east 

to west and somewhat longer from north to south.3

Section at the S. <£ A. Bandelier coal pocket, Cole County, Ho.

Feet.

Clay_________________________'_________ 20 

Bone ________________________________ 4

Coal, bituminous___ _____ _______________ 6 

Shale, "slaty"___________________________1__ 10 

Cannel coal, bottom not reached_________________:_ 59

The coal lies nearly flat in the center of the deposit, but the bedding turns up to 80° at the edges as though held back in the settling 

of the material of the pocket at some time subsequent to its laying 

down. Between the coal and rocks in the pocket and the outside 

walls a layer of clay, like that commonly found in fault planes, made 

the pocket a natural reservoir, so that when the mine was opened 

6,000 barrels of water had to be pumped out, after which no further 

difficulty of that kind was encountered. The cannel is very clean, 

with a little pyrite and zinc blende near the outer edge of the pocket. 

It splits easily with the bedding, but has no other regular fracture. 

Eighty-six feet of coal under 12 feet of soil is reported, as shown by 

a drilling on the Stehlein farm not far from this mine.

Near Hickory Hill (location 4) the Dustless Coal Co. opened a 

mine after constructing a T-mile spur from ^enley. The prospect 

shaft is reported to have cut 82 feet 9 inches of cannel coal, bearing 

galena and zinc blende. When visited by Hinds 4 in 1911, 8 feet of 

cannel were exposed in a pit at the shaft mouth.

1 Broadhead, G. C., Cole County : Missouri Geol. Survey Rept. for 1873-74, pp. 322-338, 

1874.

2 Locations in Missouri are numbered by counties. (See PI. IX.)

3 Hinds, Henry, The coal deposits of Missouri: Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 

2d ser., vol. 11, p. 158 [1912].

4 Idem, p. 159.
DISTRIBUTION IN MISSOURI. 117 

COOPER COUNTY.

Nearly all of the townships of Cooper County contain cannel and 

bituminous coal in pockets, in some of which the coal is 30 or more 

feet thick.

CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Many small pockets of coal occur in Crawford County between 

Sligo and Keysville in T. 36 N., R. 4 W. There are pockets in the 

west half of sec. 19 (location 1) reported by Winslow as 40 feet 

thick; in the NE. J SE. £ sec. 21 (location 2); in the NE. \ NW. J 

sec. 29 (location 3); and in the NE. \ sec. 30 (location 4). None 

of them are believed to be of much value.

JASPER COUNTY.

Smith and Siebenthal 1 report: " In many of the hollows and sink 

holes eroded in the surface of the Boone and filled by Cherokee, coal 

pockets were found, the thickness of coal accumulated being in places 

very great. The coal is commonly cannel." Most of the described 

deposits are only a few feet in diameter and 2 to 8 feet thick.2

LINCOLN COUNTY.

Coal pockets of great thickness occur in Lincoln County. Several 

of them on the headwaters of Coon Creek have attracted much attention in the past and have been mined a little.3

MILLER COUNTY.

Several pockets of cannel coal have been encountered in wells in 

Miller County, but none has yet been mined. In T. 41 N., E. 16 W., 

3 feet, of cannel at a depth of 19 feet is reported from the SE. £ 

sec. 2 (location 1); 3 feet in the well at the schoolhouse in the center 

of sec. 11 (location 2); 12 to 14 feet at a depth of 8 feet on the 

Joseph Garden place in the south center of the NW. | NE. £ sec. 3 

(location 3); and a bed at 48 feet in the well near the center of sec. 

11. In the same township cannel coal is exposed in the stream banks 

in the SW. £ NW. | sec. 3 (location.4) and in the bed of a small 

stream in the center of the W. £ SW. £ sec. 2, where a 40-foot shaft 

is all in cannel coal except 1£ feet of carbonaceous shale.4

1 Smith, W. S. T., and Siebenthal, C. E., U. S. Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, Joplin district 

folio (No. 148), pp. 19-20, 1907.

2 Hinds, Henry, Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 2d ser., vol. 11, p. 215 [1912].

3 Idem, p. 253.

4 Ball, S. H.. and Smith, A. F., Geology of Miller County : Missouri Bur. Geology and 

Mines, 2d ser., vol. 1, p. 103, 1903.
118 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

MONITEAU COUNTY.

All of the coal in Moniteau County occurs in pockets, of which at 

least three are being mined.

The Monarch Coal & Mining Co, is mining cannel in sec. 15, T. 43 

N., R. 16 W. (location 1), by stripping and by drifts. The stripped 

pit shows 30 feet of cannel coal, overlain by 5 feet of poor bituminous 

coal. A 90-foot shaft at the east end of the open cut is in cannel, 

and a tunnel driven 140 feet south from the foot of the shaft is 

reported to be all in cannel. In the open cut the coal dips 45°, but 

at the end of the tunnel or drift it lies flat. The pocket is about 400 

feet long by 150 to 200 feet wide, and the cannel is estimated to be 

45 feet thick where the dips are absent. The total contents of this 

pocket do not appear to be over 75,000 tons.

At the Newkirk mine, in the NW. £ SE. £ sec. 12, T. 44 N., R, 

17 W. (location 2), the shaft is 1.10 feet deep. Coal was struck at 45 

feet and continued for 65 feet to the bottom of the shaft. Drifts 

have been cut to the north and the south, and from them 30 feet 

of coal has been mined. The coal pitches toward the center from 

all sides and is well jointed and slickensided and of fair quality, 

though high in ash. The deposit is estimated to be about 285 feet 

long by 100 feet wide.

Two shafts have been sunk by C. P. Keller in the NE. £ sec. 22, 

T. 43 N., R. 16 W. (location 3).' One of them struck 6 feet of bituminous coal at 20 feet and 7£ feet of (cannel?) coal 24 feet lower.

The Rohrback & Rowlin Mining Co. sunk a 50-foot shaft in the 

S. $ SE. £ sec. 23, T. 45 N., R. 15 W., disclosing 10 to 15 feet of 

cannel coal over 10 feet of poor bituminous coal and under 10 feet 

of bituminous shale. The coal is said to slack badly and to have a 

high percentage of ash. The pocket measured about 125 by 80 feet.1

MORGAN COUNTY.

The pockets in Morgan County have been worked to some extent 

and have figured in a number of real estate deals involving considerable areas of land. The Stover mine shows an interesting example 

of a pocket of bituminous coal 70 feet thick. The Hubbard & Moore 

mine in the SW. £ SW. i sec. 22, T. 43 N., R. 18 W. (location 1), is 

working a very irregular deposit about 20 feet thick, of which the 

upper 15 feet is cannel and the lower 5 feet bituminous coal. Black 

shale occurs both above and below the coal. Where obtained the coal 

dips 32° to 33° but flattens out in a short distance. In the NW. £ 

SE. I sec. 5, T. 42 N., R. 17 W. (location 2), is a 12 to 15 foot bed

1 Van Horn, F. B., The geology of Moniteau County : Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 

2d ser., vol. 3, pp. 65-68, 78-79, 1905. Hinds, Henry, Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 

2<J ser., vol. 11, pp. 307-308 [1912].
DISTRIBUTION IN ARKANSAS. 119

of coal, of which the upper half, or a little more, is cannel. Mining 

has been carried on in a small way at many places in the county. 1 

In a pocket being worked for coal and clay by the Ouachita Coal & 

Clay Products Co. in the SW. £ SW. £ sec. 22, T. 43 N., E. 18 W.. 

(location 3), there is exposed 15 feet of alternating layers of bituminous and cannel coal. Pockets of cannel that have been worked 

out are 1£ miles east of Versailles at the Martin mine (location 4) in 

the SW. i SE. | sec. 5, T. 42 N., R. 17 W.; at the McClure bank 

(location 5) a mile north of Martins; and at the Price bank (location 6) half a mile north of the McClure bank.2

SALINE COUNTY.

A pocket of bituminous and cannel coal 22 feet thick was formerly 

worked at Napton, Saline County.

ARKANSAS.

Extending northwestward from Camden, Ouachita County, Ark., 

is a small area of typical brown subcannel, which has been tested for 

oil and gas production with very favorable results (pp. 38, 47). The 

coal bed has been traced from about 2 miles northwest of Camden for 

13 miles to the northwest and has been opened and mined in a small 

way at a number of places. Among these openings, in which the 

coal ranges from 3 to 6 feet in thickness, are the following: Brown 

mines, east side of sec. 12, T. 13 S., R. 18 W., coal 3 to 3^ feet; 

Williams mine, north side of sec. 11, T. 13 S., R. 18 W., coal 3£ feet; 

Demsey mine, NE. i SW. i sec. 25, T. 12 S., R. 18 W., coal 3 feet; 

tAvo drifts near center of sec. 14, T. 12 S., R. 18 W., to which a 3-mile 

railroad spur was built, coal reported 5 to 6 feet; mine in NE. £ 

sec. 12, T. 12 S., R, 18 W., opened before 1860, coal 3 feet 6 inches 

to 6 feet; mines in sees. 7 and 19, T. 12 S., R. 17 W., coal 3 to 3£ feet; 

Bratt shaft,, sec. 2, T. 13 S., R. 18 W., 3 feet of coal at 40 feet.8

Physically the Camden coal, as it comes from the mine,4 is

brownish black and compact and has a generally uniform even texture and 

structure. Occasionally fragments of lignite with clearly marked woody structure may be seen. It has an uneven conchoidal fracture. It is soft but not 

friable, that is, it may be easily mined with the pick and may be cut with a 

knife as readily as compact dry clay, but will not crumble between the fingers. 

When cut or scratched with a knife it shows a shiny or oily streak. Upon being 

exposed to dry air the coal contracts and cracks both along the bedding and at 

right angles to it so that fragments may be broken by the hand, but the mass 

does not fall to pieces. The coal is then blacker and harder than when fresh

1 Marbut, C. F., The geology of Morgan County: Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 2d 

ser., vol. 7, pp. 79-86 [1908].

2 Hinds, Henry, Missouri Bur. Geology and Mines, 2d ser., vol. 11, p. 318 [1912].

3 Taff, J. A., Preliminary report on the Camden coal field of southwestern Arkansas: 

U. S.,Geol. Survey Twenty-first Ann. Kept, pt. 2, pp. 323-324, 1900.

4 Idem, p. 325.
120 OANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

and the streak or powder is more nearly black. On being exposed for a short 

time to the repeated action of rain, dew, and snow, however, it will disintegrate 

into small particles.

From this-description the coal is evidently of lignite rank, but 

so far as tested.it appears to give a higher candlepower gas than other 

lignites. Chemically, as shown by the analyses (Nos. 13-18, p. 20), 

it contains from 32 to 38 per cent of water when fresh. In dry air 

the moisture will be reduced to 9 to 11 per cent, but this will be 

reincreased to 20 to 22^ per cent if the coal is submitted to saturated 

air. The volatile matter in the fresh coal is 32 to 36 per cent and 

44 to 46 per cent in the air-dried coal; and the fixed carbon in the 

fresh coal is 17 to 23 per cent 'and 29 to 33 per cent in the air-dried 

coal. The ash remains from 7.5 to 11 per cent in the fresh coal and 

the sulphur 0.5 per cent or less in the fresh material.

This coal was tested by the Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory (Ltd.). 

The average result of 10 tests, at a temperature of 1,800° to 2,000° 

F. was a yield of 11,386 cubic feet of 22.3 candlepower gas. How this 

compares with other coals is shown in the table on pages 37-38.

David White,1 who visited the field, describes as follows the two 

stills that were in operation:

The commercial untilization of the lignite from the Camden field is somewhat 

unique, for although it is employed to a limited extent for local steam-boiler 

fuel and on the locomotives of the branch railroads coming to the sawmills and 

mines about Lester, the principal use of the coal appears to be for its distillation products. The best massive brown lignite, essentially " amorphous " 

and free from bedding, is that most sought for distillation. Such lignite is said 

to yield as high as 38 gallons of oil per ton, though the average oil production 

from the lignite as it is mined and distilled approximates 25 gallons per ton. 

Occasionally lignite which yields as low as 10 gallons per ton is dug at some of 

the mines in the field. At the time of the field examinations of the fuel by the 

writer the methods of distillation were still in an experimental stage. A small 

distillery or " oil mill" was in operation at the town of Camden and another 

one near Lester. The former had seven horizontal retorts, whereas the latter 

had only five in an inclined position and farther above the grate. The Lester 

mill had a capacity of two tons in 24 hours. For three or four hours the lignite 

in the retort was subjected to a temperature of about .400° F., after which 

it was advanced for a time to a temperature of about 700°, and finally to 

1,200° or 1,300° F., eight or nine hours being required for the complete rua 

Some of the oil is given off at a temperature of about 400° F., different oils 

being yielded at different temperatures, those distilling later at the higher temperatures being regarded as best. Likewise, the higher temperatures appear to 

yield by-products more tarlike and differing in other respects. The brown 

canneloid is said to yield a lighter-colored oil.

The distillates are said to be used in the rubber industry, in soap making, 

in paints, and in various proprietary preparations. The residual cinder can 

hardly be called coke, although often on withdrawing the charge there appears 

to be a recondensation at the back end of the retort which results in small 

pieces of completely fused coke, silvery in luster and stalactytic in sculpture,

1 White. David, and Thiessen, Reinhardt, Bur. Mines Bull. 38, p. 18, 1913.
DISTRIBUTION IN TEXAS. 121

though spongy and friable. The higher-grade carbon or cinder derived from 

the more typical canneloid lignite, after having been ground at the mill, has 

been shipped to one of the eastern cities, where it was experimentally tried 

in the manufacture of paint. The small pieces of wood and stem are occasionally found with structure preserved as charcoal among the lumps of lignitic 

cinder.

TEXAS.1

Probably the largest deposit of cannel coal in the United States 

is in Webb County, Tex., a few miles above Laredo, near the Rio 

Grande. The coal occurs in Eocene rocks, apparently in beds such 

as commonly contain soft brown friable lignites, but it is a hard, 

lustrous, black coal, the beds yielding 75 per cent or more of lump 

coal by ordinary methods of mining. The coal stands shipping and 

storing like an ordinary bituminous coal. It differs physically from 

typical cannel coal in having a brighter luster, in being less massive, 

and in breaking down under the weather more readily than the 

Carboniferous cannels, although possibly not more readily than the 

average bituminous coal. Of the two beds now mined, the lower is 

more like cannel. In the mine the coal shows one prominent cleavage 

(N. 30° E.) closely spaced.

There are two principal beds, about 90 feet apart, and several 

minor beds, all of the same general character except as the percentage 

of ash makes some of them bony coals. The upper or Santo Tomas 

bed has been traced in workable thickness 25 miles or more along the 

river front. It is 24 to 34 inches thick, this measurement including 

commonly 2 to 4 inches of bone or shale in the middle, and is underlain by 2 to 14 inches of bone. The lower or San Pedro bed is 22 to 24 

inches thick at Dolores, is thin or absent at Santo Tomas, and is reported to be 4 feet thick at the mouth of Llave Creek, Both coals 

have poor roofs, commonly of clay, and clay floors, inclined to creep, 

drawbacks that add materially to the cost of mining.

Three mines are now in operation, the Santo Tomas, of the Santo 

Tomas Coal Co., and the Darwin and Dolores mines of the Cannel 

Coal Co. These mines are at towns bearing the names of the mines, 

23 to 26 miles above Laredo, with which they are connected by the 

Rio Grande & Eagle Pass Railway.

The upper coal crops out above the bottoms of the Rio Grande 

for many miles up the river from Dolores. The beds dip about 2° 

NE. This dip carries the coal beds to a depth of several hundred 

feet under the high bluff that stands a short distance back from the 

river. One fault of 3 to 4 feet throw breaks the upper bed at the 

Dolores mines but does not break the lower'bed. At the Santo Tomas

1 This section -was rewritten Aug. 16, 1917, and inserted in page proof after the author 

had returned from the Laredo coal field, which he studied in detail. This field will be 

described more fully in a forthcoming report of the United States Geological Survey.
122 CANNEL COAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

mine there are areas where the coal is much broken by fault slips, the 

thickness of the bed commonly changing abruptly on the two sides 

of these breaks. These slips, taken in connection with the abundant 

slickensides in the roof clay, have led the writer to infer that this 

area has been subject to slight earth pressure and movement, and 

that because of the large proportion of clay in the section,, this 

pressure, instead of being taken up by massive beds of sandstone, as 

it commonly is in Carboniferous rocks, was resisted mainly by the 

coal beds, which were thus raised to the rank of bituminous coals. 

The dry atmosphere of the region may have reduced the content of 

moisture in the coal, which is rather dry. Ten recent analyses of the 

Santo Tomas coal, made in connection with its purchase by the 

Government for use at Fort Macintosh, show that it contains 4.45 per 

cent of moisture as received, and that the dry coal contains 42.5 per 

cent of volatile matter, 36.8 per cent of fixed carbon^ 20.58 per cent 

of ash, and 2.87 per cent of sulphur, and has a heat value of 10,889 

British thermal units as received, or 14,349 British thermal units 

moisture and ash free.

Tests of this coal for its content of oil gave 52.2 gallons per ton, 

or 20.2 per cent by weight, with a specific gravity of 0.938 at 60° F. 

This area would therefore seem to be a favorable place for establishing a distillation plant, because of the large quantity of coal 

already found. The coal is now used on seven railroads the Artesian Belt; San Antonio, Uvalde & Gulf; Rio Grande & Eagle 

Pass; International & Great Northern; Abilene & Southern; Coahuila and Zacatecas; and Mexican Government lines. It is shipped 

to Austin, San Antonio,.Corpus Christi, and other places as a domestic fuel and is the principal steam coal of the surrounding region.

UTAH.

A bed of black subcannel (?) coal of subbituminous (?) rank, 

opened in the valley of North Fork of Virgin River in the Colob 

coal field at the Cannel King prospect, may be described as typical. 

The bed, whose extent is not known, contains 5 feet 6 inches of cannel 

overlain by 2 feet 6 inches of bituminous coal. The opening is in 

sec. 26, T. 39 S., R. 9 W.1 The associated coal here is subbituminous, 

and the cannel has a slightly earthy appearance; otherwise it is a 

typical cannel coal in appearance and characteristics.2 The analysis 

likewise indicates a typical cannel coal: The upper 2 feet carry 44.9 

per cent of volatile matter, 28 per cent of fixed carbon, and 14.3 per 

cent of ash; and the lower 3£ feet carry 46.9 per cent of volatile 

matter, 22.4 per cent of fixed carbon, and 23.2 per cent of ash.

1 Richardson, G. B., The Harmony, Colob, and Kanab coal fields, southern Utah : U. S. 

Geol. Survey Bull. 341, p. 394, 1900.

2 White, David, and Thiessen, Reinhardt, Bur. Mines Bull. 38, p. 244-245, 1913.
INDEX.

A.

Page.

Abbott Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 94 

Alabama, cannel coal in________ 114 

cannel coal in, production of__ 52 

Allegheny County, Pa., cannel coal

in ____ _____ ___ 62

Ammoniacal liquor, derivatives from. 45

Analyses of cannel coals_______ 17-29

Arkansas, cannel coal in____ 119-121

cannel coal in, analyses of_ 20

gas from _ _ 38

Armstrong County, Pa., cannel coals

in ________ 33-34,59-62 

cannel coals in, analyses of-; . 26 

distillation tests of____ . 46 

Aromatic hydrocarbons, not formed

at low temperatures_ 49

Ash, analyses of____________ 29

percentage of _____.____ 13

Barbour County, W. Va., cannel coal

in ___ ______ ___ 71 

Barrett Creek, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 86 

Baskerville, Charles, cited____ 42-43,44 

Beaver County, Pa., cannel coals in_ 32-33,

62-63

cannel coals in, analyses of 27

distillation tests of_____ 46

distillation products of__ 47

Bedding, absence of, in cannel coal- 12

Beech Pork, Ky., cannel coal on__ 102

Bell County. Ky., cannel coals in__ 34,

107-109

cannel coals in, analyses of_ 21 

Benzene, production of_ _ 48, 49 

Benzol, production of_________ 48 

Big Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 110-111 

Big Ugly Creek, W. Va., cannel coal

on ____________ 81 

" Bird's-eye " cannel coal, luster of 13 

'structure of, plate showing 14 

Bituminous coal, comparison of, with

cannel coal _____ 9-10,15rl7 

distillation test of_.______ 46 

quantity and quality of gas

from ____________ 37-38

Block structure of cannel coal, plate

showing _ __ 12 

Boghead, Scotland, coal from, analyses of ___________ 20

Boghead, Ky., cannel coal near 84-86 

Boghead coal, classification of___ 10-11 

Boone County, W. Va., cannel coals

in _____________ 77-80 

cannel coals in, analyses of 27

Page.

Bopp, C. R., distillation tests by 46 

Bostonia, Pa., deposits at________ 33-34

Braxton County, W. Va., cannel coal

in ____________._ 73 

Breathitt County, Ky., cannel coals

in __l_________ 95-100 

cannel coals in, analyses of 21-22 

distillation tests of-____ 46 

Breckenridge, Ky., distilling of oil

at______________ 42 

Brounland, W. Va., cnnnel coal near. 77 

Bruin Creeek, Ky., cannel coal on 87 

Brushy Fork, Ky., cannel coal on___ 93 

Bull Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 111 

Bureau of Mines, distillation experiments by _ _ _ 49 

Butler County, Pa., cannel coal in 62 

By-products, production of--__ 44-49

C.

Callaway County, Mo., cannel coal

in______________ 1.1.5

Camden, Ark., coal, analyses of _ 20

character of ___________ 119-120

distillation of__________ 120-121

distillation products from___ 47

Camp Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 102

Campbell County, Tenn., caunel coal

in ______________ 113

cannel coal from, analysis of_ 27

Cannel City, Ky., cannel coal near__ 91-93

Canneloid coal, classification of_'_ 10-11

definition of____________ 9

Cannelton, Pa., cannel coal at___ 32-33,

50,62-63

Cannelton, W. Va., cannel coal at 75 

Carter County, W. Va., cannel coals

in ______________ 84-87

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 22

distillation tests of____ 46

Catron Creek, Ky., deposits on___ 106-107

Center County, Pa., cannel coal hi_ 56

cannel coal in, distillation tests

of 1___________ 46 

Centertown, Mo., cannel coal near 116 

Chemical composition of cannel coal- 15-29 

Chemicals, demand for__ ____ 7 

Chenoa, Ky., cannel coal at _ 34,108-109 

Chinns Branch, Ky., cannel coal on 84 

Classification of cannel coals___ 10-11 

Clay County, Ky., cannel coals in 111 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 22 

Clearfield County, Pa., cannel coals

 in-_____________ 57-58 

cannel coals in, distillation tests

of______________ 46

123
124 INDEX.

Page.

Olover Fork, Ky., cannel coal on__ 105 

Coal oil, companies making in I860- 43 

source of____-____i_____ 8 

See also Oil.

Coke from cannel coal, quality of 41 

yield of _____________ 47 

Cole County, Mo., cannel coal in- 116 

Coon Creek, Ky., cannel coal on__ 102 

Cooper County, Mo., cannel coal in_ 117 

Coshocton County, Ohio, cannel coals

 in _____________ 64-66

cannel coals in, analyses of 26

distillation products of____ 47

Cove Creek, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 82

Crandall, A. R., cited_________ 84

and Sullivan, Q. M., cited__ 107-108

cited ___________107-108

Crawford County, Mo., cannel coal

in _____________ 117 

" Curly " cannel coal, structure of,

plate showing __ 14 

Cutshin Creek, Ky., cannel coal near. 102

D.

Daviess County, Ind., cannel coals

in _____________ 68 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 20 

Defeated Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 102 

Definition of cannel coal 8 

Detroit, W. Va., cannel coal at__ 75 

Distillation of cannel coals, products

of ______________46-49 

Dorsey, J. A., distillation tests by 46 

Downer Kerosene Oil Co., operations

of ___'_______ 42

E.

East Point, Ky., cannel coal at 89 

Ebersole Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 103 

Elliott County, Ky., cannel coal in_ 87 

England. See Great Britain. 

Entrances to mines, early and recent,

plate showing 34 

Ethylene, value of, in coal gas 36-37 

Everman Creek, W. Va., cannel coal

on ____________- 86

F.

Falling Rock, W. Va., cannel coal at- 74

Flambeau, Ky., cannel coal at 89

Floyd County, Ky., cannel coal in_ 94-95

Folding, effect of 12

Fork Creek, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 77

Fossils in cannel coal 30

Fracture of cannel coal.:-, 12

plate showing 12

Frozen Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 95

Fuel ratio, classification by 10

definition of- _ 15

relation of, to specific gravity 13-14

Fugitt Branch, Ky., cannel coal on__ 99

Fugitt Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 105

Fulgate Fork, Ky., cannel coal on 97

G- Page. 

Gas, effect of temperature of carbonization on ______ 39 

from cannel coals, candlepower

of____________ 35,37-38 

making of_____________ 35-41 

yield of_________ 9,36,37-38,47 

from gas coals, quantity and

quality of__________ 37-38 

occluded, analyses of______ 29 

yield of, per ton of coal carbonized_____________ 38 

Gases, hydrocarbon, heating value

and candlepower of 37 

Georges Branch, Ky., cannel coal

on______________ 99-100 

Georges Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 88 

Gesner, Abraham, cited________ 46-47 

kerosene, made by_________ 42 

Grain, even, in cannel"coal_____ 12 

Great Britain, coals from, analyses

of^______________ 20,28 

coals from, distillation products

of ______________ 37, 47 

Greene, F. C., and Hinds, Henry,

cited____________ 34

Greenup County, Ky., cannel coals in 83-84

cannel coals in, analyses of___ 23

distillation tests of________ 46

Guthrie County, Iowa, cannel coal

in, analysis of_______ 21

H.

Halsey, Ky., cannel coal at _ 112-113

Hancock County, Ky., cannel coal in 113

cannel coal in, analyses of___ 20, 23

distillation tests of _____ 46, 47

Harlan County, Ky., cannel coals

in_____________ 104-108 

cannel coals in, analyses Of___ 23 

Heating, value of cannel coal for__ 34-35 

Hendrie, Charles, cited____41, 86-87,96 

Hensley Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 105 

Hilton Branch, W. Va., cannel coal x

on______________ 86 

Hinds, Henry, cited___________ 115 

and Greene, F. C., cited____ 34 

Hislop, George R., cited________ 86 

Holden, W. Va., cannel coal near__ 82 

Holmes County, Ohio, cannel coals

in_______________ 67} 

cannel coals in, analyses of_:_ 26 

Hunnewell, Ky., cannel coal at 83-84 

Hydrocarbons, list of, from Breckinridge coal 48 

process for cracking _____ 49 

sources of ____________ 7

I.

Igniting point____________ 30

Illinois, cannel coals in_______ 69

cannel coals in, analyses of_ 21
INDEX. 125

	Page.

Indiana, cannel coals in_______ 68-69

cannel coals in, analyses of 20

mining of__ __ ___ 50,53

production of________ 52-53

Indiana County, Pa., cannel coals

in______________ 58

cannel coals in, analyses of____ 27

distillation tests of __ 46

Iowa, cannel coals in __ ___ 114

cannel coals in, analyses of 21

production of_______- 52-53

Ison Creek, Ky., cannel coal on __ 87

J.

Jack Bailey Branch, cannel coal

on ____________ 104>-105 

Jackson, Ky., cannel coal near___ 95-96 

Jackson County, Ky., cannel coals

In____________ 100-101 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 23 

Jackson County, Ohio, cannel coals

in______________ 6T

cannel coals in, analyses of____ 26

Japan, coal-tar products in __ 49

Jasper County, Mo., cannel coal in_ 117

Jefferson County, Ohio, cannel coal

in______________ 67 

Johns Branch, Ky., cannel coal

on____________ 105-106 

Johnson County, Ky., cannel coals

in______________ 87-89

cannel coals in, analyses of_ 19, 23

Julian, W. Va., cannel coal at__ 80

K.

Kanawha County, W. Va., cannel

coals in__________ 74-77

cannel coals in, analyses of __ 28

distillation products of___ 47

sections of, plate showing- 74

Kane County, Utah", cannel coals

from, analyses of __ 19, 27 

Kentucky, bituminous coals in, tests

of ______________ 40-41 

bituminous coals in, gas from 38 

cannel coals in________1_ 82-113 

analyses of _______ 19,21-26 

distillation tests of____ 46 

gas from___ ___ __ 38 

mining of_________ 51-52,53 

production of ____ 52-53,82-83 

eastern, map of, showing locations of cannel-coal deposits __ ______ 82 

Kentucky River, Middle Fork of, deposit on _ __ ___ 104 

North Fork of, deposit on__ 104 

Kerosene, first oil known as_ __ 42 

Knott County, Ky; , cannel coals in,

analyses of _______ 23

Knox County, Ky., cannel coal in_ 109-111

cannel coal in, analyses of__ 24

L.

La Salle County, 111., cannel coal

from, analysis of____ 21

Page.

Laurel County, Ky., cannel coal in 111 

Laurel Fork, Ky,, cannel coal on_ 102 

Laurel Fork, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 81 

Lawrence County, Ky., cannel coal

in ______________ 87 

cannel ccal in, analyses of__ 24 

Leatherwood Branch, Ky., cannel

coal on __________ 97 

Lens Creek, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 75-76 

Lesley, Ky., cannel coal at _ 89 

Leslie County, Ky., cannel coals in_ 102 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 24 

Letcher County, Ky., cannel coals

in ____________ 101-102

cannel coals in, analyses of___ 24

Lick Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 105

Lick Creek, Ky., cannel coal on__ 91

Licking County, Ohio, cannel coals in_ 66-67

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 20

Licking Eiver, Ky., cannel coal on 93

Lincoln County, Mo., cannel coal in_ 117

Lincoln County, W. Va., cannel coals

in ____1 ____________ 81

cannel coals in, analyses of___ 28 

Little Black Mountain, Ky., cannel

coal on___ ______ 105 

Little Brushy Branch, Ky., cannel

coal on __ 93 

Little Caney Creek, cannel coal on_ 112 

Little Fork of Little Sandy River,

Ky., cannel coal on_____ 86-87 

Logan County, W. Va., cannel coal

in ______________ 82 

Lost Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 103 

Lots Creek, Ky., cannel coal on___ 103 

Lower Road Fork, Ky., cannel coal on_ 110 

Lula mine, near Philipsburg, Pa., alteration of coal in____ 12 

Luster of cannel coal_________ 13

M.

McLean County, 111., cannel coals in_ 69 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 21 

McLean County, Ky., cannel coal In,

analysis of _ 24

Madison, W. Va., cannel coal near 78

Magoffln County, Ky., cannel .coals in_ 93

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 24

Mahoning County, Ohio, cannel coal

in _ _____ 63-64 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 26 

Mammoth, W. Va., cannel coal near_ 74-75 

Marmet, W. Va., cannel coal at 75 

Martin Fork, Ky., cannel coal In__ 107 

Maytown, Ky., cannel coal near__ 91 

Michigan, cannel coal in_______ 69 

Middle Fork, Ky., cannel coal on__ 110 

Mill Branch, Ky., cannel coal on__ 101 

Miller County, Mo., cannel coal in_ 117 

Mills Branch, Ky., cannel coal on__ 110 

Millstone Branch, Ky., cannel coal

on ______ 101-102

Mining of cannel coal, cost of____ 55

history of _________._____ 50-54

past and present, plate showing. 34
126 INDEX.

Page.

Missouri, cannel coal in 114-119 

cannel coal in, production of _ 52-53 

' map of part of, "showing locations of cannel-coal deposits____________-- 114 

Mode of occurrence of cannel coal 31-34 

Moore Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 109-110 

Money Branch, cannel coal on 93 94 

Moniteau County, Mo., cannel coal

in ______________ 118 

Montana, cannel coal in, production

of ______________ 52

Mordecai Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 91

Morgan County, Ky., cannel coals in_ 89-93

cannel coals in, analyses of 24-25

Morgan County, Mo., cannel coal in

118-119 

Moshannon Creek, Pa., cannel coal on

57-58 

Mud River, W. Va., cannel coal on

78-79, 81

N.

Nature of cannel coal___ 8, 9-10 

New Bedford, Mass., oil distilled at_ 42 

New Bethlehem, Pa., cannel coal

south of__________ 59-61 

New Brunswick, albertite from, distillation products of__ 47 

Nicholas County, W. Va., cannel

coal in________ _ 73-74 

Nichols Fork, Ky., cannel coal on 95. 

Noble Branch, Ky., cannel coal on__ 99 

North Fork of Licking River, Ky.,

cannel coal near-__' _ 90-91

Nova Scotia, albertite from, gas from_ 38

cannel coal from, analyses of 20

0.

Ohio, cannel coals in_______ _ 63-67 

cannel coals in, analyses of 26 

gas from_ _ 37 

mining of_________ 50, 53-54 

production of___ _ 52 54 

Oil, substitution of, for cannel coal 41 

crude, difficulty of refining- _ 49 

yield of, from cannel coals_ 10, 47 

illuminating, yield of, from cannel coals_______ _ 47 

paraffin, yield of, from cannel

coals _ _ 47 

See also Coal oil.

Oil-making from cannel coal, history of___________ 41-44 

process of_____________ 44 

Old Camp Branch, W. Va., cannel

coal on __ _ 80 

Origin of cannel coal__ 8-9,14-15, 30-31 

Orton, Edward, cited_________ 66 

Onachita County, Ark., cnnnel coal

in _____________ 119-121 

Owen, D. D., cited__________ 84

Page. 

Owsley County, Ky., cannel coals in,

analyses of 20, 25 

cannel coals in, distillation test

of______________ 46

P.

Paraffin wax, process of making 44

yield of, from cannel coals__ 47

Parke County, Ind., cannel coal in_ 69

cannel coal in, analysis of___ 20

Patterson Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 112

Pennsylvania, cannel coals in____ 56-63

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 26-27

distillation tests of_____ 46

gas from. ___ ____ 37

mining of __________ 50,54

production of ______ 52-53, 54

gas coals in, gas from_____ 37

Perry County, Ind., cannel coals in_ 68-69

cannel coals' in, analyses of__ 20

distillation products of__ 47

Perry County, Ky., cannel coal in_ 103-104

cannel coal in, analyses of__ 25

Peter, Robert, distillation tests by 46

Peytoua, W. Va., cannel coal near_ 77-78

Philipsburg, Pa., cannel coal in__ 56

Physical properties of cannel coal_ 11-15

Pike County, Ky., cannel coal in___ 93-94

cannel coal in, analyses of___ 25

Pineville, Ky., cannel coal near_ 107 108

Pittsburgh, Pa., oil distilled at__ 42-43

Platt, W. G., cited__________ 61-62

Pond Fork, W. Va., cannel coal on 80

Pond Gap, W. Va., canucl coal at_ 74

Pond post office, W. Va., cannel coal

near ____________ 80 

Preston County, W. Va., cannel coal

in ______________ 70 

cannel coal in, analyses of__ 28 

Prestonburg, Ky., cannel coal neur_ 95 

Prices of cannel coal_________ 55-56 

Production of cannel coal __ 52-54 

Prospecting for cannel coal_____ 31

Q.

Queen Shoals, W. Va., cannel coal

at______________ 74

Quicksand Creek, Ky., cannel coal

on ______ _____ 97

R.

Richmond, Pa., cannel coal near _ 58 

Rittman, W. F., cracking process devised by _ ____ 49 

Robin Run, W. Va., cannel coal near. 86 

Rock Creek, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 78 

Rock Fork, Ky., cannel coal on 95 

Roundbottom, W. Va., cannel coal

near_____________ 77 

Rush Creek, Ky., cannel coal on _ 91
INDEX. 127

s,

Saline County, Mo., cannel coal in 119 

Salyersvllle, Ky., cannel coal near_ 93 

Sarah, Ky., cannel coal at_ 87 

Scioto County, Ohio, cannel coal in_ 67 

Scotland. See Great Britain. 

Sections of cannel coal in Kanawha 

County, W. Va., plate 

showing ___ 74 

Semicannel coal, distribution of_~_ 56 

Shale, grading of cannel coal into__ 30 

Shale and coal, differences between 11 

Sharps Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 105 

Smith Branch, Ky., cannel coal on__ 91 

Smoot Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 102 

Somerville, Pa., cannel coal near_ 61-62 

South Quicksand Creek, Ky., cannel

coal on_____________ 97-98

Sparks Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 88 

Spaws Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 91 

Specific gravity of cannel coal___ 13-14 

Squabble Branch, Ky., cannel coal on_ 103 

Stacy Branch, Ky., cannel coal onl_ 97 

Standard, W. Va., cannel coal at 75 

Stark County, Ohio, cannel coal from,

analysis of_________ 20

Sterling, W. Va., cannel coal near 77 

Stillwater Creek, cannel coal on___ 93 

Stinson Branch, W. Va., cannel coal

on_____________ 81

Stone Coal Branch, Ky., cannel coal .

on______________ 95

Streak of cannel coal 13 

Stress, effect of, on cannel coal- 12 

Structure, block, of cannel coal 11 12 

block, of cannel coal, plate showing ___ 12 

Structure of " curly" or " bird'seye " cannel coal, plate 

showing- 14 

Subcannel coals, analyses of 19, 20 

classification of _ _ 10-11 

definition of __________ 9

 See also Analyses of cannel coals. 

Sullivan, G. M., and Crandall, A. R.,

cited___________ 107-108

T.

Taff, J. A., cited ______ 119-120

Tar, products derived from_ 45, 48

yield of, from cannel coals__r 47

per ton of coal carbonized- 38

Taylor, G. B., cited_______ 49

Tennessee, cannel coal in : 113

cannel coal in, analyses of. 27

production of_ 53, 54

Texas, cannel coal in__ _____ 121-122

cannel coal in, analyses of 27

production of_ . 52, 54

Torchlight, Ky., cannel coal near 87

Trimble, D., cited_______-__ 52

Troublesome Creek, Ky., cannel coal

on___________ ^_ 99

Trumbull County, Ohio, cannel coal

in, analysis of 20

Page.

Twomile Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 89 

Twomile Fork, Ky., cannel coal on_ 98 

Turtle Creek, W. Va., cannel coal on_ 79-80

U.

'United States, eastern, map of, showing locations of cannelcoal deposits_______ 36 

Upper Road Fork, Ky., cannel coal

on_____________ 110 

Upshur County, W. Va., cannel coal

in______________ 71

Uses of cannel coal-__ ______ 34-49

Utah, cannel coals in _ ___ __ 122

cannel coals in, analyses of __ 19, 27

Value of cannel coal . ______ 54-56

Villa, W. Va., cannel coal at____ 74 

Volatile matter, yield of, from cannel coals. ________ 47

W.

Wacoinah, W. Va., cannel coal at_ 75 

Wallins Creek, Ky., cannel coal on_ 107 

Wayne County, W. Va., cannel coal

in______________ 82 

Webb County, Texas, cannel coals

from, analyses of____ 27 

Webster County, Iowa, cannel coal

, from, analysis of 21 

Webster County, W. Va., cannel coal

in______________ 73 

West Fork of Pond Fork, W. Va.,

cannel coal on_____ 80 

West Liberty, Ky., cannel coal at__ 91 

West Virginia, cannel coals in____ 70-82

cannel coals in, analyses of_ 27-28 

gas from_________ 38

mining of________ 50-51,54 

production of______ 52-53, 54 

gas coals in, gas from_____ 38 

Westmorland County, Pa., cannel

coal in _______ ___ 59

White, David, cited______ 89,120-121 

White, I. C., cited___________ 82 

Whitehouse, Ky., cannel coal at_ 87 

Whitley County, Ky., cannel coals

in____________ 111-113 

cannel coals in, analyses of 25 

Wilson Fork, Ky., cannel coal on 97 

Wilson Fugate Branch, Ky., cannel

coal on_ _ _ 98 

Wolf Creek, Ky., cannel coal on 100 

Wolfe County, Ky., cannel coals iu_ 93 

cannel coals in, analyses of__ 26 

Woodland, Pa., cannel coal at__ 58 

Workman Branch, W. Va., cannel

coal on__________ 80

y.

Youghiogheny, Pa., coal, distillation test of_ _ _ 40

o