[White. 



The "Beaver Hole" mentioned above is a locality just above the Hang- 

 ing Clifi View, where the current of the stream flows around the circumfer- 

 ence of a circle about 150 yards in diameter, and is six miles above Ice's 

 Ferry by the river, but probably not more than five in a direct line. 



Continuing up the river from this point toward the south-east, the rocks 

 dip rapidly down, and when we come to the mouth of Sandy creek, four 

 miles above the Beaver Hole, the top of No. XII is only 400' above the 

 level of the stream, instead of 1300', at the crest of the Chestnut Ridge 

 axis. Here at the mouth of Sandy creek we are in the centre of the 

 great trough or syncline between the Chestnut Ridge and Laurel Hill axes. 

 This syncline enters Preston county from Fayette county, Pa., and extends 

 in a south-west course entirely across Preston. The trough is about seven 

 miles wide (from Chestnut Ridge axis to Laurel Hill axis) on Cheat river, 

 but opens out rapidly south-westward from the dying down of its western 

 run (Chestnut Rid^e axis), so that at the B. «& O. R.R., near Independence, 

 its breadth is not far from 12 miles. 



The Lower Coal Measures shoot into the air on Chestnut ridge, but arch- 

 ing over, come down into this Preston county syncline, with 200 to 300 

 feet of the Barrens on top of them, so that at the mouth of Sandy creek, 

 the Upper Freeport Goal comes into the immediate river hills. Sandy 

 creek flows down the centre of the syncline from the east, removing a 

 large portion of the Barrens, and near its mouth cutting a wide gap in 

 the Lower Coal Measures, and a narrow gorge through No. XII. 



In the same way, Bull run flows down the central line of the syncline 

 from the west, emptying into Cheat one-half mile below the mouth of 

 Sandy. It, too, has eroded a large hole from the Lower Goal Measures, but 

 on cutting down to No. XII is suddenly arrested, and flows along on its 

 top for nearly a mile until approaching the river, it cuts through the mas- 

 sive beds of that series, in several great cascades, giving splendid exposures 

 of the rocks. 



In descending the mountain from Mrs. Spurgeon's (opposite the mouth 

 of Sandy creek), to Bull run, and thence down that stream to Cheat river, 

 the following section (10) was constructed : 



1. Upper Mahoning Sandstone, massive, visible.. 20' 



2. Concealed (spring at 50') 90' 



coal, slaty 1' 0" 



coal, good ... 2' 0" 



shale 0' 3" 



coal 1'6" 



shale I'O" 



coal, good 1' 6" 



4. Concealed 10' 



5. Upper Freeport limestone 12' 



6. Concealed 75' 



.^7. Sandstone, massive, visible (Freeport) 10' 



8, Concealed 90' 



9. Coa^ JZossoffi (Kittanning Lower) — 



10. Shales, containing "kidney " I. O 10' 



11. Concealed and sandy shales 50' 



3. Upper Freeport Coal 



264' 



