American Journal of Science, Sfc. 151 



series, and the extreme southern border to the new red-sand-stone 

 group. At the mouth of the river, an interesting grotto of plants 

 has been discovered. The sand-stone rock, in which it occurs, is 50 

 feet thick, and rests on slaty marl. Many of the plants appear to 

 be aquatic vegetables ; but the most abundant are of the genus 

 Neuroptera (of which excellent wood-cuts are appended). Thin 

 beds of coal appear near this at the surface. Ascending the Muskingum 

 extensive deposits of salt occur, at the depth of 620 feet ; 50 gallons 

 of water containing 50 pounds of fine salt. On all the eastern 

 branches of this stream, coal is abundant, but becomes more scarce 

 as we approach Lake Erie. On the borders of the coal region, iron 

 ore is abundant, and is extensively worked. Marine fossils occur 

 both above and below the coal, and through all the coal region many 

 proofs exist of the action, both of fresh and salt water. Sections of 

 the hills, in the neighbourhood of the river, present alternations of 

 clay, sand-stone, coal, and limestone, containing encrinites, gry- 

 phece, ifc. 



Cannel coal is met with at Cambridge, in Guernsey county : 

 this constitutes the only known locality for it in America. The 

 valley of the Hockshocking river is similar to that of the Muskin- 

 gum river. 



On the east side of the Ohio, one of its most powerful tributaries 

 is the Inonongahela, whose valley occupies a space of about 180 miles 

 in length, and lies between the Alleghany mountains, and the Ohio. 

 The waters of this river pursue a course directly the reverse of those 

 of the Ohio. The formations through the whole extent of this val- 

 ley are recent secondary, consisting generally of sand-stone. The 

 prevailing colour is light gray. The dark brown or red variety, 

 known as the old red sand-stone, is seldom seen except in some of the 

 mountain ranges, and is strictly a transition rock. The sand-stone 

 often alternates with coal, shale, limestone, and marl. Fifteen miles 

 from Wheeling, the main surface coal deposit dips under the bed of 

 the river, and is not again seen in any considerable quantity until it 

 appears at Carr's Run, 150 miles below. The same deposit extends 

 into Ohio, and is found in great abundance about St. Clairsville. 

 Hence, it is at least 200 miles long, and 100 broad ; and affords one 

 of the most extensive coal fields known in any part of the world. 

 At Morgantown, there are no less than 3 beds of coal above the sur- 

 face of the river. The 1st bed is at the elevation of 300 feet, and 

 is (i feet thick, of moderately good quality ; the 2d at 150 feet above 

 the river, 7 feet thick, of excellent quality ; the 3d at 30 feet height, 

 3 feet thick ; No. 4. a few feet below the surfcce, 7 feet thick, and 

 excellent ; No. 5. at 147 feet, said to be 30 feet thick, but of in- 

 ferior quality. At Pittsburg, also, five exposed beds occur. The 

 banks of the Kiskiminitas afford sections of thick beds of coal, 

 shale containing fishes, and limestone. The coal beds vary from 

 1 to 12 feet in thickness, but rarely exceed (5. The space occupied, 

 by the coal in this vicinity, does not fall short of 21,000 square 

 miles. In consequence of its occurring in abundance above the sur- 

 face, it is mined to a very great extent, at the rate of 1 and 2 

 cents per bushel; and is thus brought within the means of all, and 



