30 Report on the projected Survey of the State of Maryland. 



and it is overlaid by sandstone. The second deposite, also at West- 

 ernport, called Paris's bed, is on the western side of the creek and 

 eastern slope of Savage mountain, its elevation above the river is one 

 hundred and thirty feet; the thickness of the bed five feet, and this 

 is covered by shale and slate. 



The third and most extensive deposite is that at Brant's mine. 

 There are in this place five distinct beds : the lowest corresponding, 

 it is thought, with Murphy's bed ; it is covered by sandstone : the 

 second, which is thirty feet higher, is covered by shale; it probably 

 corresponds with Paris's : the depth and elevation of the fourth bed 

 could not be ascertained : and the fifth bed which is at an elevation 

 of nine hundred feet above the river, is fifteen feet thick. This im- 

 portant deposite is on the Virginia side of the Potomac, and forms 

 the north slope of what is termed the New creek ridge. The pre- 

 cipitous nature of the mountain slope, allows the discharge of the 

 coal, by means of a slide, from each successive stratum into the very 

 bed of the river below. 



A very satisfactory account of the coal mines in the immediate vi- 

 cinity of Frostburgh, is furnished in the collection of reports and let- 

 ters of the engineers of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, 

 from which the extract above, referring to the extent of this deposite, 

 was also taken. 



" In the hills and valley, three distinct beds of rich bituminous 

 coal are frequently opened. The first or lowest is near the base of 

 the hills, and is from two and a half to three and a half feet thick. 

 This was first discovered, and opened about twenty years ago by 

 Mr. Rizor, and the coal was held in high estimation for many 

 years, until the richer beds were discovered. The second bed 

 is from eighty to one hundred feet higher in the hills ; and is from 

 four to six feet thick. The third and most valuable mass is found 

 nearer the summit of the hills and the upper parts of the deep val- 

 lies. This bed is from eight to ten feet thick and like those be- 

 low, is between strata of rock. The bed on which the coal rests, 

 and the roof which covers it, are of slate with a great mixture of 

 coal : but the coal diminishes and the slate prevails for three or four 

 feet in thickness. This often gives the mine an appearance of un- 

 common depth until it is thoroughly opened. But in those mines 

 which are worked to any great extent, the bed of pure coal is about 

 eight feet thick, subdivided horizontally by three or four very thin 

 veins of slate, seldom more than half an inch thick. Next above 



