512 Pomeroy, Ohio. [November, 



soon called our attention to tlie fossils of whicli we were in seareh. 

 Indications of vegetation in the shales we had already observed, but 

 now we had arrived at a field replete with the remains of the Flora 

 of the Ancient World. The rocks over us were indeed a mass of fos- 

 sils, seeming festooned or stuccoed with plant impressions and pu- 

 trefactions in indescribable profusion. 



Here were seen the trunks of trees many yards in length, with roots, 

 branches, and leaves, but all either completely petrified or reduced 

 by the vast pressure of the rock to a thin film of coal, with the super- 

 ficial form and texture still complete. Of these remains we readily 

 recognized some as the stereotyped illustrations of school geologies, 

 — the Sigillarias, Stigmarias, TJlodendrons and Calamites, while 

 among these were some which appeared to us strange and new. Hav- 

 ing secured many specimens of these fossils, and seen the extremity 

 of this labyrinth, we turned our steps in retreat, and at length were 

 again ushered into the open day. 



THE SYRACUSE MINE. 



We next visited the coal-mine with the above title, lying about 

 seven miles Eastward of Pomeroy. This mine, owned by a company 

 in Hartford, Ct., has been wrought about two years, and their works 

 are an example of mining operations, conducted upon the most ap- 

 proved European method, improved by Yankee ingenuity. At this 

 place there are no out-crops of coal, as at Pomeroy, but the measure 

 is depressed to the level of low water in the river, and has to be 

 reached first by a perpendicular shaft, sunk through the sandstone 

 to the depth of 80 feet. Over this shaft, which is quadrangular, with 

 beautifully even sides, a building is erected containing a steam en- 

 gine, — the motive force for the various works in wood and iron re- 

 quired by the company, — for pumping water from depths, and for 

 lowering and elevation to and from them. 



In company with the gentlemanly overseer, Mr. and his ' Boss' 



miner, Billy, a stout wide-awake Welshman, we stepped upon the 

 platform, and were gently but speedily lowered to the level of the 

 horizontal shaft, 86 feet below the surface of the earth. Here the 

 coal bed was found, and from this point the main tunnel extends 

 both east and west, already a mile long, perfectly straight, and al- 

 most level, full 7 feet high, evenly and regularly excavated, and fur- 

 nished with an iron track for cars. From this main track, branches 



