152 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



from the surveys and examinations contemplated in the foregoing remarks. And 

 none, surely, can doubt the ability of our country to furnish collections which may 

 stand in competition with the richest and most celebrated in Europe. Though it is 

 true that mineralogical exploration, the art of mining, and the chemical analysis of 

 minerals are almost in their infancy amongst us, and though it will be remembered 

 that even geological inquiries in this country have not surpassed the time of a single 

 human life, since the father 1 of American geology is still among the living; and 

 though, as a natural consequence, we yet know comparatively little respecting the 

 treasures of our mountains and forests and prairies, still, enough is already known 

 to warrant the brightest anticipations for the future. 



As it regards mineral fuel, the American continent appears to be peculiarly dis- 

 tinguished. In one or another of its varieties that material is found in Nova Scotia, 

 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, 

 Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri; on the Yellowstone River on the 

 eastern, and the Columbia on the western, side of the Rocky Mountains; in the 

 Province of Durango, in Mexico; in the island of Cuba; on the lofty Andes of Peru; 

 at the Cerro di Pasco and Huallanca, bordering on perpetual snow, and near the 

 level of the sea at the city of Concepcion, on the coast of Chile. But in the Central 

 and Western States of this Union the greatest abundance and variety of this fuel has 

 hitherto been discovered. It is hardly more than thirty years since so little was 

 known of the coal of Pennsylvania that a wealthy and enterprising citizen who had 

 caused a wagonload of excellent anthracite to be transported from the valley of 

 Wyoming to Philadelphia at an expense of $50 a ton, and had parceled it out for 

 trial among 'his friends, was soon beset by the latter with rebuke and ridicule for 

 having, as they alleged, attempted to palm upon them a heap of black stones, under 

 pretense of their being coal, while in fact they could no more ignite them than if 

 they had been so much granite. A fortunate occurrence at length dissipated their 

 incredulity and saved the credit of the worthy citizen; and the results of that interest 

 which was thus awakened on the subject have led to a knowledge of the mineral 

 resources of that State far more accurate than had ever previously existed. 



A view of the map of Pennsylvania presents us with nearly the form of a parallelo- 

 gram, of which the eastern end is replaced by the irregular line traced by the course 

 of the Delaware River. If lines were drawn parallel to the western boundary of the 

 State, running north and south, 1 mile apart, so as to divide the whole State into 

 strips 1 mile wide, proceeding eastward and ending with the first of those lines which 

 should strike the Delaware River, every one of those belts would, it is confidently 

 believed, contain some portion of a coal field; and if these dividing lines were crossed 

 by others a mile apart, running east and west, dividing the State throughout its 

 whole breadth into similar strips, every one of the latter, except perhaps a few on 

 the northern border, would also contain more or less coal; and we could scarcely 

 draw over the surface of that State, in any direction, a straight line equal in length 

 to the breadth of the State without traversing a bed of iron ore, or of limestone, or 

 of both. It is not doubted that equally interesting proofs of the prodigality of nature 

 toward our country may be found in other States and Territories of the Union, nor 

 is it necessary to dwell on the importance of obtaining accurate information respect- 

 ing them. 



In regard to our extensive lead mines, the value of such information will be readily 

 perceived by comparing the present abundant supply of that article with the condi- 

 tion of things when it was obtained only by importation, and when organ tubes of 

 that metal were taken from the churches to yield a scanty supply of bullets to Wash- 

 ington's little army at Cambridge. 



'William Maclure, esq., author of Geology of the United States, resident in the 

 city of Mexico; April, 1838. 



