Topography of the Litth Kenau'ha. S3 



The specific gravity of a specimen of the Wheeling coal in my 

 possession is 1.23. Twenty grains of this coal decomposed one 

 hundred grains of nitrate of potash, whicli will give it about sixty 

 per cent of charcoal, and make it a valuable coal for coakin"-. 

 6 feet. • 



11. Dark blue, carbonaceous, slaty clay, of nearly tbe same 

 quality as tbe bed above tbe main coal. It contains many fossil 

 plants, impressed between the laminse. — S feet. 



12. Limestone rock; sparry and compact; dark colored: free from 

 organic remains ; makes a strong cement for mortar. — 15 inches. 



13. Sandstone rock; silicious; rather coarse grained^ and con- 

 tains many fine plates of silvery mica in its composition. Tbe ce- 

 ment appears to be lime. This deposit contains casts of fossil plants ; 

 a very perfect portion of the extremity of a calamltes cannoeformis, 

 was found in this rock, a drawino- of which is civen in figure No. 36, ' 

 page 8 of the wood cuts. — 25 feet. 



i 



14. A thick deposit of slaty clay, in alternating beds of different 

 colors, of red shale and ash colored marl, containing:, no doubt, 

 many vegetable impressions, as tbe rock reposing on this deposit is 

 very similar to that described at the '' Grotto of plants/' below 

 Marietta. This bed extends to the surface of the water in the Ohio 

 river where it is at low stages. — 60 feet. 



In boring for salt water a short distance above, at the depth of 

 three hundred feet, a bed of coal was passed, eight feet In thickness; 

 the usual group of carboniferous rocks being passed in reaching it. 

 The section of the Wheelino; coal strata was taken with OTcat accu- 

 racy and care, by a very intelligent friend residing at that place; 

 specimens from all the diiFerent rocks being forwarded at the same 



time. 



Topography of the Valley of the Little Kenaivha. 



This stream is about one hundred miles in length, and takes its 

 rise near the most elevated portion of the mountain ranges; its head 

 branches drinking in the same showers that supply the Gauly, Elk, 

 Cheat and Greenbrier rivers. Towards the heads of the stream, 

 there are tracts of table or flat lands, affording scites for extensive 

 settlements, well suited to the grovvth of grass and small grains. 

 About eighty miles from the mouth, are falls or cascades of conside* 

 rable elevation, w^here the river descends from the more elevated ta- 

 ble lands, or mountain districts, into the region at their feet ; afford- 



