354 EARL R. SCHEFFEL 



Morgantown are built on natural or artificial terraces cut in the 

 Buffalo sandstone, one of the lower Conemaugh members. As 

 the lower part of this massive sandstone forms the river bottom, 

 the railroads here are free from undermining, but subject, especially 

 when following close to the hillsides, to occasional sHdes from 

 above. The removal of these causes immediate expense as well 

 as delays. By the liberal use of watchmen in deep cuts and 

 frequent ''slow orders" in times of excessive rainfall, few wrecks 

 are fortunately chargeable to this cause. A better understanding 

 of the shales would result in relocating parts of the tracks. 



As slides are much more frequent in seasons of abundant rainfall 

 than in seasons of light fall, the damage to roads and various 

 structures and loss by delays increases or decreases accordingly. 

 The past year (19 19) was one of abnormal rainfall, roughly about 

 one-fourth greater than the average, the fall months having more 

 than their share of the excess; consequently the year and especially 

 the latter months proved unusually costly. The generally slow 

 movement and small volume of the individual sHdes have meant 

 that private parties have rarely suffered disastrous losses. While 

 no total can be estimated for the average yearly loss to the com- 

 munity, there is no question that this would amount to a big sum. 



An indirect loss, though much more than all others in the aggre- 

 gate, is that caused by the withdrawal of farmland from cultivation. 

 Slopes not too steep for the plow under light rainfall conditions, 

 when charged with water may start movement which a vegetative 

 covering would have checked. Such slopes are best reserved for 

 grazing or forest growth. This is well understood by farmers, and 

 very httle land except flood-plains, terraces, and hilltops is ever 

 plowed. The effect of the Conemaugh in Hmiting cultivation is 

 well indicated by the fact that other and especially older formations 

 in West Virginia permit cultivation on much steeper slopes than 

 allowable in the Conemaugh, without sliding. 



The shale soils, where they can be used, are generally productive. 

 Especially is this true when they have a pronounced lime content, 

 either native or infiltered from higher beds. 



The frequent undermining of sidewalks along the roads on the 

 edge of the city would seem to furnish a fruitful source for accident. 



