West Virginia and Pennsylvania. 55 



been torn away by the deposition of the coarse sandstone 

 which rests directly upon it. What seems to sustain this 

 conclusion is, that ten miles west of "Crab Apple," where 

 the sandstone has disappeared and is replaced by a few feet 

 of shale, the coal presents its normal character, but it has 

 diminished in thickness, being, near Mr. Gardner's, only 

 three feet thick, slate and all. 



As Mr. Gardner expressed it "The horseback is almost 

 as hard as steel," thus preventing the mining of the coal. It 

 is ten miles from this point to Wheeling, and as there are no 

 openings on the line of section, I can tell nothing concerning 

 it in the intervening distance ; but it is exposed at Wheeling 

 in a ravine not far from the B. and O. R. R. Go's Steel Rail 

 manufactory. It is here only 2£ feet thick, and single. 



Nothing answering to the Uniontoivn coal of H. D. Rogers 

 could be found in either section. 



Sewickly coal. This coal is very well developed in the 

 Dunkard creek section, attaining in some instances to 5 J feet 

 in thickness. It is known everywhere as the "five foot 

 vein." It is first seen on Dunkard creek about four miles 

 below Mt. Morris, where the road crosses the creek oppo- 

 site Newburg. At Bobtown, two miles from the Monon- 

 gahela river, it is seen on the steep bluffs of Dunkard, 

 eighty-five feet above the Pittsburg coal, and is here five feet 

 thick. This point is ten miles north of the Scott's Run 

 country. On Wheeling creek this coal is only six inches 

 thick. 



Redstone coal. This coal seems to thin out to the north, 

 as no openings have ever been made in it throughout the 

 entire district of country between Robinson's run and Dun- 

 kard creek. 



The inhabitants of this district are not aware that there is 

 such a coal ; but it has a representative of some kind here, 

 as the smut of a coal, occupying its place, can be seen very 

 frequently. I do not think it can be more than eighteen feet 

 thick, if anything can be judged from its smut. One 



