Coal Deposits — Monongahela River. 65 



is six feet in thickness, and affords coal of a moderately good quality. 

 No. 2. is one hundred and fifty feet above the river, is seven feet 

 in thickness, and the coal of a very excellent quality. No. 3. lies 

 near the base of the hills, and only thirty feet above the Vk^ater in 

 the river. The coal is of rather an inferior quality, and only three 

 feet in thickness. No. 4. is a few feet beneath the surface at this 

 spot, but four miles above, it appears in the bed of the river, and 

 continues so to do for fifteen or twenty miles. It is six feet 

 in thickness. Tins coal is of a very superior quality, highly bitu- 

 minous and free from sulphur, or suiphuret of iron, and in repute 

 for smith-work. There are in all the beds twenty two feet of 

 coal. At the bottom of the best coal beds, is found a deposit of 

 about eighteen or twenty inches of coal of great purity, and which 

 for the manufacture of iron is fidly equal to charcoal ; burning 

 without leaving any cinders, and very little ashes. The second 

 place noted in the illustration is Greensboro', thirteen miles below 

 Morgantown, and two miles from the Pennsylvania line. At this 

 spot, there are three beds of coal above the surface of the river, and 

 two below. No. 1. is at an elevation of about three hundred and 

 fifty feet. No. 2. is seated at the height of one hundred and fifty 

 feet, and is six feet in thickness. No. 3. is only about fifty feet 

 above the base of the hills, and is eight feet in thickness. The coal 

 in these beds is very compact, of a jet black when first taken from the 

 bed, but after being exposed to the atmosphere, its surface becomes 

 irised, with that beautiful play of colors which are exhibited by the 

 peacock. This rich appearance of the surface is often noticed amongst 

 our best coal, and is considered a mark of excellence. It burns with 

 the greatest readiness and rapidity, exhibiting a bright brilliant flame. 

 A cubic foot of it weighs from eighty to eighty five pounds. No. 4. 

 is found at the depth of sixteen feet below the surface, and No. 5. at 

 the depth of one hundred and forty seven feet : it was discovered in 

 boring for salt water. This bed is stated to be thirty feet in thick- 

 ness, but of a poor quality. The greater proportion of it is proba- 

 bly black bituminous shale, intermixed with thin layers of coal. 

 The deposits at this place are not uniformly horizontal ; some of 

 them are undulating, and others interrupted by faults, or breaks. 

 Below this spot, the beds No. 1. and 2. cannot be traced ; but at 

 some distance N. E. of Pittsburgh, they make their appearance in 

 the hills of Connemaugh. It is probable, that, at a very remote pe- 

 riod, before the rock strata possessed their present density, several 

 Vol. XXIX.— No. 1. 9 



