OF WEST viEGrsriA. 



29 



On the Evansville road, about seven miles from Morgantown, it is opened by Mr. 

 William Howell. Here it lies directly under the Mahoning sandstone, and gives the 

 following section : Coal 3 ft. 1 in. ; clay shale 2 — 4 in. ; coal 1 ft. 3 in. ; shale 2 in. ; coal 

 3 in. Evidently the whole bed is not worked here, for on the other side of the hill 

 there appears to be a foot or more of coal above. It is not well exposed, but I was 

 informed that it did not pay to work more than the lower four feet. 



Coal (local). Ten to fifteen feet below this coal, on a tributary of Decker's creek, 

 there is a small seam about one foot thick. It appears to be exceedingly local, as it 

 has not been found on Decker's creek, or to the south. 



The Ferriferous Limestone Q^o. 10) is frequently double, with intervening shale 

 sometimes several feet thick. Toward the top it contains cavities with ochre, is very 

 ferruginous, and at one or two localities it has been worked as a calcareous ore. It is 

 quite persistent for twenty miles south of the Pennsylvania line, but does not appear 

 in the section at Jfuzum's mill. The rock was used as a flux at the old furnace on 

 Decker's creek and at Clinton Furnace on Booth's creek. It affords a good strong 

 lime, well fitted for agricultural purposes and for rough work. Little use has been 

 made of it. One cannot fail to wonder at the lack of enterprise among farmers here, 

 when he learns that, in a country where limestone shows itself in almost every hill, 

 lime commands fifteen cents per bushel at the kiln. 



Coal^ lS{o. 12, (of the main section) I have not seen. It was worked many years 

 ago on Decker's creek, a little below the old furnace, but the openings and exposures 

 have been so concealed by heavy slides that direct information can be obtained only 

 with great difficult}'. It 'is said by old miners to be from three and one-half to four 

 feet thick, and to resemble cannel. The shales above it are laminated and highly 

 bituminous. They burn readily and have been mistaken for cannel coal. 



Coal, 1^0. 14, was identified with the Brookville, by Prof H. D. Rogers. It has 

 been opened at several points along Decker's creek and its tributaries, and is in high 

 repute for domestic use. It is friable, free from pyrites and has been termed locally, 

 the " Blacksmith's Vein." At an opening near the furnace the coal is beautifully 

 irised. It was formerly worked near Clinton Furnace ; but, after the discovery of the 

 lai'ger seam above, the workings were abandoned. The openings are now filled up 

 and no satisfactory information can be obtained. So far as known to me it has not 

 been worked at !Nuzum's mill. 



The Tionesta Sandstone (]^o. 16), varies in texture from moderately coarse con- 

 glomerate to fine-grained sandstone. Compact and flaggy layers alternate on Deck- 

 er's creek. On Booth's creek, it is mostly compact. At ISTuzum's mill the texture 

 is uneven, and it has weathered so as to leave huge chambers. The compact layers 



A. p. S. VOL. XV. H. 



