The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition Thursday, July 1, 1976 Section A, Page 2 MARION COUNTY RICH IN IT'S UNDERGROUND Marion County has been well blessed with underground wealth. The mineral of greatest value has been coal. Almost one half of the county is underlain with it. These deposits are in the Warrior Coal Feld(sic) or the Plateau Coal Field. Coal has been mined in the Brilliant area since 1890 and has been one of the main sources of revenue for the county. The Brilliant Coal Company and others have long turned out the best grade of coal in the state. At one time there were over 300 mines in the southeastern part of the county. Most of them were what its called push mines. Recently top working has taken the place of some of the mines. The county also had several natural gas wells that are producing commercially. At present these are located in the Hamilton area but a new field has been found in the White House section of the county. It is reported to have great possibilities as a commercial field. Marion County had the only commercial gas fields in the state. The county has another monopoly in the Koalin(sic) Mines near Hackleburg. Extensive deposits of this fine clay have ben found and it is shipped to the various states for the production of chalk, face powder and other ceramic products. The county has possibly the greatest deposits of gravel of any county in the state. These deposits have been extensively used in building fine network of paved roads. The forests of the county have been a great source of wealth. Most of the homes have been made of natural growth pine and oak and great quantities of pine and hardwood lumber have been shipped to other markets. Most of the virgin forest has been cut but the county is covered with a growth of young pines that promise great potential wealth in the future if properly cared for. Marion County is made up of ten different types of soils. The following are the types and percentage found in the county: Guin fine sandy loam 38.5; glenn sandy loam 15.6; Ocklocknee fine sandy loan 6.00; Guin Stoney sandy loam 5.9; DeKalb clay 5.0; Norfolk silt loam 3.6; Rough stoney land 3.00; Ocklocknee sand .2.