The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-02-16

The Mineral and Coal Resources
Along the Route.

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Along the Route.
. Saturday there were on exhibition at
the Board OF Trade Rooms specimens OF
iron ore and coal from Dubois county,
Ind, through which the line Of tho
Rockport railroad passes. A large num-
bcr of. our citizens visited the rooms in
the course Of the day, and examined the
specimens with much interest. There
was felt good deal of curiosity respect
ing ssblock COAL" concerning which So
much has been recently said, and about
which so little is generally known. The
name was given to it by the miners, who
first discovered it in the western lands
of the Appalachian coal fields, along the
Mahoning Valley in this State, from the
fact Of its being taken out in blocks.
The true name W oilld have been Lig-
neous coal, but the popular term will
now -havdlv give place TO the more cor
! rect one, Prot Cox, in his Geology OF
Indiana, gives his description OF il:
1t is a name used by miners to dcsig-
nate variety Uf lion-caking (cOkinsJ
bituminous coal. In many respects 1t
closely resembles the Scotch "splint'
coal; il is free burning, contains small
amount Of white fracture, aud emits
dull ringing sound when struck with
the hammer. The beds of this coal are
traversed by narrow vertical fissures that
are, nevertheless, quite distinct, the main
system of which runs little east OF
north and being crossed at right angles
by others, they separate the coal Strata
in such, manner that the coal may be
mined in large cubes or blocks, which
exhibit the whole depth Of the bed
hence the probable origin Of the name
s.bl0ck coal" The sides of the blocks
are regular, and usually stained with
oxide of iron, which is probably caused
by the infiltration of fcruginous watcrs
along the joints. When entries are
driven across the main joints OF the block
coal fields, the face of the mine presents
the zig-zg notched appearance OF Vir-
einia worm fence. sitl
+ Block coal has laminatcd structure.
and splits readily into sheets that have
their surface COVERED with dull black,
soft. fibrous.- carbonaceous matter re-
scmbling charcoal while on the other
hand it is difficult TO break in the oppo-
site direction TO the lamina; and this
fracture exhibits a. splinty structure
nhrkCu ~ ailcTIotc ItttIs VI Nusi "hHa
shining black coal. In coking, it scarce
ly swells or changes form, and never
cakes or runs together. i Is this latter
character W hich gives TO the "bock coal
its peculiar value rs q fuel for smelling
iron ores. while il has sufficient btu
men. in The form of gaseous matter, TO
render it highly inllammable, aud the
blocks retain their shape till burnt to am
ash. in surh Il manner rs will admit the
ready passage Of the blast and flame 9
through the entire mass Of fuel, ore, and
flux.
The specimens on exhibition Sa,ur-
dav were in the form of cubes. foot
in length and breadth by three or four
inches in thickness. The carbonaccou-
matter on the outside could easily be de-
tectcd by passing n knife across its sur
face, dust being thus produced closely
resembling powdered charcoal. OEthis
coal there are large beds in Spencer and
Dubois counties. the line Of the Rock
port railroad passing directly through
them. There were also shown speci-
mems of Peacock coal, so-ca!led on ac-
count of the priSmatic color of lamina-
ted surfaces and n superior quality OF
another bituminous coal.
The iron ore submitted for the inspcc-
ton OF the public had been analyzcd by
Prof. Wayne. who reported the follow