Bituminous Coal of Pennsylvania. 79 



and embrace together an area of twenty one thousand square miles, 

 or thirteen millions four hundred and forty thousand acres." Coal 

 has been used for fuel and manufacturing purposes, west of the 

 mountains, from the earliest settlement of the country. It is mined, 

 to a greater or less extent, in all the above counties, at the rate of 

 one cent and two cents per bushel, and is thus brought within the 

 means of all, and literally to every man's door — abounding through- 

 out all this vast extent of territory, and fitted and used for almost 

 every purpose requiring heat, it is impossible to form any thing like a 

 correct estimate of the quantity consumed yearly, and sent to market. 

 That its great abundance and cheapness have given birth to the vast 

 and widely extended manufacturing establishments of the west, 

 there can be no doubt. Without coal they could not exist. It con- 

 stitutes the life spring of western Pennsylvania, and the pedestal of 

 our great manufacturing emporium. Pittsburgh and its environs 

 contain ninety steam engines for the various manufactures of iron, 

 steel, glass, cotton, salt, brass, white lead, flour, oil, leather, &c. &;c. 

 These engines consume two millions sixty five thousand three hun- 

 dred and six bushels a year. The city of Pittsburgh and its sub- 

 urbs, Alleghany town, Birmingham, &£c. contain a population of 

 thirty thousand souls. *' The coal consumed for every purpose, in 

 and about Pittsburgh, is estimated at seven millions six hundred and 

 sixty five thousand bushels, or two hundred and fifty five thousand 

 and five hundred tons — at four cents per bushel, the price now paid 

 in Pittsburgh, it would amount to three hundred and six thousand • 

 five hundred and twelve dollars." — " The coal consumed in the 

 manufacture of salt, in the western counties is very great. There 

 are on the Alleghany, Kiskiminitas, Connemaugh, Crooked creek, 

 Mahoning, Saw mill run, Brush creek, Sewickly, Youghiogany and 

 Monongahela, about ninety salt manufacturing establishments and 

 many others about going into operation. These establishments pro- 

 duce yearly about one million bushels of salt and consume five mil- 

 hons of bushels of coal." — " The coaking process is now under- 

 stood, and our bituminous coal is quite as susceptible of this opera- 

 tion, and produces as good coak, as that of Great Britain. It is now 

 used to a considerable extent by our iron manufacturers in Centre 

 county and elsewhere." 



. These facts, elucidating the immense mineral wealth of the " val- 

 ley of the Ohio," open to the imagination a long vista of power and 

 greatness, which the utmost stretch of the imagination is hardly able 

 to equal. . 



