1. BUFFALO TOWNSHIP. F 2 . 149 



Thin seams of coal may be found, and have been cut in 

 this part of the county, as at Mt. Patrick, but they have 

 never been more than a few inches in thickness, and it would 

 be mere waste of time and money to seek profitable coal 

 seams either in Buffalo or Penn townships. See Chapter 

 V, page 107, on the Perry county coals. 



The Lower Helderberg limestone. 



This, the great limestone of Perry county, makes but a 

 feeble show in Buffalo township. The extreme point of 

 Limestone ridge crosses the Juniata, forming a ridge of rocks 

 in the stream, over which the water ripples, and which, 

 probably, gave rise to the name Half Falls mountain. Ris- 

 ing in the face of the mountain, on the east bank, the lime- 

 stone has been largely quarried to supply the district. The 

 exposure is small, extending only a few hundred yards into 

 the township, when it is overlapped by the Oriskany sand- 

 stone and Marcellus and Lower Hamilton rocks. The beds 

 are much contorted, showing considerable disturbance. The 

 fossiliferous beds are not exposed, but the rock consists of 

 shaly thin-bedded limestones, with more solid beds near the 

 bottom of the quarry. About thirty feet of " face" can be 

 seen, but much of it is concealed behind the waste. This 

 is the only exposure of the Lower Helderberg limestone in 

 the county east of the Juniata, and south of Wild Cat 

 ridge, and is the center of supply for the three townships 

 of Howe, Buffalo, and Watts. 



The chert beds, near the top of the group, are well ex- 

 posed at Half Falls mountain, near the river. This is one 

 of the few places in the county where these beds can be 

 seen in place. They are about three feet thick so far as visi- 

 ble, but a greater thickness may be concealed. 



The highest layers of the limestone in this place are ex- 

 ceedingly sandy, showing a manifest transition to the Oris- 

 kany. Some of the beds that have been quarried and burnt 

 contain a very large proportion of sand, which is said not 

 to interfere with the slacking, but of course diminishes the 

 value of the product for agricultural purposes. The sandy 

 limestone beds lie apparently below the chert beds, but the 



