COAL-FIELDS OF MARYLAND. 313 



greatness, which the utmost stretch of the imagina- 

 tion is hardly able to equal.* 



COAL-FIELDS OF MARYLAND. 



These are bituminous, and, so far as discovered, 

 two in number, viz., the Cumberland Field, extend- 

 ing from Will's Creek to the head branch of the Po- 

 tomac, being about 60 miles in length by from five 

 to seven in width, covering an area of 400 sq. miles ; 

 the coal existing in beds of from three to fifteen feet 

 thick, of an excellent quality, burning easily, with a 

 bright and durable flame, caking, and leaving little 

 residue. The other, called the Youghiogeny Field, 

 lies west of the Alleghany Ridge, is of unknown ex- 

 tent, and has beds of coal 20 feet in thickness. 



The Cumberland Coal-field, sometimes called the 

 Frostburgh Coal-field, in Alleghany county (Md.), 

 is worthy of particular notice, on account of the re- 

 markable character of the coal, it being intermedi- 

 ate between anthracite and the usual variety of bi- 

 tuminous coal. The boundaries are the Savage 

 Mountain on the west, and Dan Mountain on the 

 east, these ranges being from 1200 to 1500 feet 

 above the general surface of the lower parts of the 

 intermediate country, which is composed of numer- 

 ous high hills and deep valleys, often narrow and 

 abrupt. Professor Ducatelf estimates the elevation 

 of the coal-field above the sea to be about 1850 feet, 

 though it is generally estimated at 1500 feet; and 

 1000 feet above the village of Cumberland, 11 miles 

 distant. 



The shape and structure of this coal-field has been 

 compared to that of a canoe, or, rather, of several 

 canoes placed one within the other, representing 

 the successive strata of coal, shale or slate, sand- 

 stone, iron ore, and limestone, of which this trough 

 is composed. The coal, shale, and sandstone are 



* Dr. HiWreth. , 



i Report, &c, 1836, 



