Bulletin No. 249 

/ .! 

8 · {A, Economic Geology, 42 

eries B, Descriptive Geology, 53 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY I "\ 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 

LIMESTONES 

OF 

SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA 

BY 

-.) 

FREDERICK G. CLAPP 

. :·· 

.. 

•.e • 

.••• :•• •• • •• : . "'•••e.••• ::•• .•.: 

· .. · .. : :5·7· :cei5. ·3· . : ·. . .·• ·• ·: . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT / PRINTING OFFICE 

1005 

I v .• e e e •••• 

: : : ... : ·: ... ~ : ... ~ : . . ... . . . . ... .. : .. ::.::-.:·::·.: 
,---- -- ·-

u S G E 0 I 0 \ I ;·' ll <: u [)v. ·y . . ... ;Uv.-1 ... .; l\ t 

MAR 281905 

\ '· L I r~ r· /\ ;.'? \(. L,;! . .. " . 

: ... ·.. . . ·.: .. ·. ,•. ·. : :. · ... : .. ·. _,.::••.•.e~:·:.:• .. : .. :• .. :.::•:.: ··~ .. · . . $ • 

. . ... . . . . ·: .·: . . ..... . .. . . ~ .. . . . ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . 

• i •• . · .. · . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . ·.: . ·. : •.: : : .. . . ... ·: .· : · .. · .. . 
CONTENTS. 

Letter of transmittaL ____ ______ __________ __ ______ .. 

Introduction ____ ________ ___ _________ ____ ____ __ ____ ____ ____ _____________ _ _ 

Stratigraphic distribution of limestones ________ __ . ___ __ __________________ _ 

Character and thickness ____________________________ · __ __ __________ ____ ___ _ 

Description by districts ___ ________ __ _______ _____ · __________________ ______ _ _ 

Monongahela Valley _____ _________ _______ ______ ____ ___________________ _ 

Loyalhanna limestone _______ __ ________ __ ____ ___ __________________ _ 

Green brier limestone __________________ . ___ ________ _____________ _ 

Upper Freeport limestone __ .. _____________________________ ___ ____ _ 

Pitts burg limestone ____ __ __ .. ________ ______ ___ __ ____ __ , __________ _ _ 

Redstone limestone __ __ ______ ___ ___ ____ ___ _____ ____ ___ ___ _____ __ _ 

Sewickley limestone _ _ ___________ .. _________ _______ _______ ____ __ _ 

Ben ~ood limestone ______________________ ____ ____________ _ 

Waynesburg limestone ______ _____ ___________ __ __ ___ ___ __ ___ ___ __ _ 

Limestones of the Dunkard formation ___ ___ ___________ __ _ :._ ___ ___ _ 

Upper Washington limestone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ 

Allegheny Valley ______ ______________ _________________ " _ . ___ ________ _ 

Benezette limestone __ ___ ___ ________________________________ __ ___ _ 

Mercer (Tionesta) limestone ______ ___ ___ ___ _________ ______ _____ __ _ 

Van port l~mestone ______ _____ __ ___ ___ __ ___ ___ _____ ~ __ 

1 

____ _ _ _ __ __ _ 

Indiana County ________ _______________ ___ ___ ____ ____ _________ _ 

Armstrong County __ _ : __ ____ ____ ________ __ _________________ _ _ 

Clarion County _____ ___ __________ _____ ____ _____ ___ __________ _ 

i~:~~~: t~~1~~ t:_ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Johnstown limestone __________________ ____ __ ____ ____ ________ ___ _ 

Lower Freeport limestone __ __ _____ ~ ____ ______________ ___________ _ 

Upper Freeport limestone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________ _ 

Limestones of the Conemaugh formation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ ____ ________ _ 

Sewickley limestone ____ ___ _______________________ ___ " ___________ _ 

Benwood limestone _____ __ ______________________________________ _ 

Beaver Valley ___ ___ ____________ .. ____ __ __ ___________ __ _________ _____ _ 

Mercer limestones _________ ______ _______ _________ __________ _ .. ___ _ 

_Page. 

7 

9 

9 

11 

11 

12 

12 

13 

13 

14 

14 

15 

16 

17 

17 

20 

21 

21 

Van port limestone _________ ____ ____ __ __ ____ - . --- -- --- _ -- -------- , 

22 

22 

23 

23 

25 

26 

26 

27 

30 

31 

35 

36 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

39 

40 

40 

41 

Beaver County _______ ___ _____ _________ · ____ __ __ ____ _____ _ ~ __ _ 

Lawrence County __ _____ ____________________ . ________________ _ 

Lower Freeport limestone _______ _________________ ___ _____ __ _ ~ ___ _ 

Upper Freeport limestone __ __ _____ _______ . ______ _____ ___ _____ ___ _ 

Ames limestone _____ ~ ______ _____________ · ____ __ _____________ _ _ , I 

3 
4 CONTENTS. 

Description by districts-Continued. Page. 

Allegheny Mountains _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 41 

Loyalhanna limestone ___ . ______ . __ ____ __________ _____ ________ .. _ . . 41 

Johnstown limestone ____ _____ __ __________ ________________ . _ . _ _ _ _ 41 

Freeport limestones _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .. ___ . _____ . ____ ___ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 43 

Limestones of the Conemaugh and Monongahela formations __ ~ _ _ _ 44 

Elk Lick limestone _________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 44 

Pitts burg, Redstone, and Sewickley limestones ________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 45 

Past and present uses _____ . . _____ _________ ______ . _. __ . ______ __ ____ . ____ _ ·_ 45 

Summary _ _ _ _ _ . ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ . _________ . ________ _ . __ ________ . . _ 4 7 

Bibliography ________ ___ __________ ·_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 48 

Index __ . ___ .. _________________ _____________ ~ ____________ _________ .. .. ____ . _ 49 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page. 

PLATE I. Geologic map of Bouthwestern Pennsylvania__ _____ ___ _____ _____ 10 

' I 

II. Map of a portion of the Allegheny Valley and vicinity, showing 

outcrop of Vanport limestone ___ __ . ___ . ____ ______ . ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22 

III. Vanport limestone in quarry of Kittanning Clay Manufacturing 

Company, Kitt nning, Pa _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ 1. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ . _ _ _ _ _ 24 

IV. A and B, Vanport limestone in quarry of Kittanning Ciay Manufacturing C<;>mpany, Kittanning, Pa ____ . _______ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ 26 

V. Map of Beaver Valley, showjng outcrop of Vanport limestone_ 38 

VI. Van port limestone quarries at Newcastle, Pa .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 40 

VII. A , Loyalhanna limestone resting on sandstone of the Pocono 

formation, Allegrippus, Blair County, Pa.; B , Weathered sur~ 

face of the Loyalhanna limestone at the ''Viaduct," 1 mile east 

of Mineral Point, Cambria County, Pa __ _____ __ ______ __ . _ _ _ _ _ 42 

5 
• 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE l~TERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

. Washington, D. C., July 16, 1904. 

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript of a 

paper entitled "Limestones of Southwestern Pennsylvania," oy F. G. 

Clapp, and to recommend its publication as a bulletin. 

This report deals with a subject which is of considerable interest 

from an economic point of view, in consideration of the recent great 

extension of the Portland-cement industry. The data here presented on the limestones of southwestern Pennsylvania will serve to 

point out promising localities for the erection of cement plants in the 

coal areas of the State. 

Very respectfully, 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 

C. Vf. HAYES, 

Geologist . in Charge of Geology. 

Director Unitecl States Geological Survey. 

Bull. 249-05-2 7 

LINIESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 

By FREDERICK G. CLAPP. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The rapid increase in Pennsylvania of Portland-cement making and 

of other industries based on limestone has led to a demand for information in regard to the character and .occurrenee of workable beds of 

that material in the western part of the State, and in response to this 

need the ·present paper, which contains a summary of our present 

knowledge regarding these beds, has been prepared. As only a comparatively swall part of the field has yet been examined by the geologists of the United States Geological Survey, it is impossible to 

prepare anything like a final report or even to st,ate details in all 

parts of the area, but by the assistance of descriptions and analyses 

made by the Second Geological Survey of Pennnsylvania; in addition 

to the more detailed work of the United States Geological Survey in the 

Brownsville, Connellsville, Masontown, Uniontown, Waynesburg, 

Latrobe, Kittanning, Rural Valley, Elders Ridge, Beaver, Indiana, 

Barnesboro, Patton, Curwensville, and Ebensburg quadrangles, it is 

possible to give considerable generalized information which it is hoped 

will be of eeonomic value. 

STRATIGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF LIMESTONES. 

The greater part of western Pennsylvania is underlain by coalbearing rocks, in which the number of limestones is very great, though 

only a few of them attain workable thickness. Following is a list of 

the principal limestone beds, together with their maximum thicknesses and approximate stratigraphic positions: 

9 
10 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULL. 249. 

List of principal limestones. 

Formation. Name. 

MaxiApproximate stratigraphic mum . position. thi0kDunkard formation, or Upper Barren meas- ures. 

Monongahela formation, or Upper Productive measures. 

Conemaugh formation, or Lower Barren measures. 

Allegheny formation: or Lower Productive measures. 

Upper Washington 

limestone (No. VI). 

Waynesburg limestone_ 

Benwood, or Great, 

limestone: 

Upper member, or Uniontown, 

limestone. 

Top of Washington 

formation, 250 to 425 . feet above Waynesburg coal. 

20 feet below Waynesburg coal. 

Lower member __ __ 120 feet above Pittsburg coal. 

Sewickley, or Fish pot, Over 1.00 feet above 

limestone. Pittsburg coal. 

Redstone limestone __ __ 30 to 70 feet above 

Pittsburg coal. 

!

Pittsburg limestone ___ 20 feet below Pittsburg coal. 

Elk Lick limestone ---- )Mid way between Pitts- f 

Ames, or Crinoidal, burg and Upper ~ 

limestone. Freeport coals. l 

Upper Freeport limestone. 

Lower Freeport limestone. 

J oJmstown limestone __ 

Vanport, or Ferriferous, limestone. 

Below Upper Freeport 

coal. 

Below Lower Freeport 

coal. 

Below Upper Kittanning coal. 

Below Lower Kittanning coal. 

Pottsville formation____ Upper and Lower Mer- cer limestones. 

Between Homewood { and Conoquenessing 

sandstones. 

Mauch Chunk forma- Greenbrier, or Mountion. tain, limestone. 

{

Loyalhanna, or SiliPocono formation ------ ceous, limestone. 

Benezette limestones · of Elk County. 

40 to 50 feet above bottom of Mauch Chunk. 

Upper portion of Po- cono. 

ness. 

Feet. 

30 

35 

18 

90 

30 

10 

12 

6 

8 

28 

5 

10 

22 

4 

3 

30 

60 

7 

Besides the beds named in the table there are many thin and local 

limestones, among which the J ollytown, Little Pittsburg, Middle 

Washington, and Lower Washington have been given names, but are 

nowhere known to 'be of much economic importance. 
Dunkcuu ~roup 

BY!<'(;.( ' f.A l' J> 

l9 lH 

~en\(• 

20 

LEGEND 

CJ 

Con nH111¢h fbr1mtl1on 

From cou n y atlcis uf the S cond 

Geologtcal Sut·vey ofP~>nnsylv nta,l885 

5u mi!v ,., 

l'oltsYillr f\mnnt1nn 
CLAPP.] LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLV .ANIA. Il 

CHARAcrrER AND THICKNESS. 

The thicknesses given in the table are the extreme maxima known 

to exist, and should not be accepted as likely to occur over wide 

areas. rrhe average amounts in each case are probably considerably 

less than half those given. In distribution the thickest beds are 

toward the southwest, but even there they rarely exceed a few feet, 

and beds averaging over 20 feet are only about three in number. 

Color and texture vary through wide limits, from nearly black to 

light gray or white, and from hard and compact, as in the Vanport 

(Ferriferous), to extremely fossiliferous and shaly, as ·in the Ames 

(Crinoidal). In composition all grades occur, from calcareous clays, 

shales, or sandstones, to limestones which contain over 96 per cent of 

calcium carbonate. Magnesium carbonate is always present, sometimes amounting to less than 1 per cent, but frequently rising to 10 

per cent and occasionally exceeding 30 per cent. Alumina and 

oxide of iron may be present in any amount below 8 per cent. 

All analyses given in this paper are taken from reports of the Second Pennsylvania Survey, and were mostly made in the laboratory of 

that survey by Mr. A. S. McCreath and his ass!stants. One of the 

most striking features in regard to nearly all the beds is their extreme 

variability in texture and composition, the analyses of specimens 

taken from the same. quarry sometimes showing great extremes. 1 

Variations exist in the composition of strata from the bottom, middle, and top of a bed, 2 and it is. not probable that the analysis ·of any 

single specimen represents correctly the composition of the entire 

output from a quarry. Suitable allowance therefore must be made 

in accepting figures of any analysis. Another possible source of 

confusion in making use of analyses here given arises from the fact 

that all specimens analyzed were collected man,y years ago, and many 

of the farms have since changed hands and may now be known by 

different names. It is likewise possible that certain place names may 

have gone out of usage. 

DESCRIPTION BY DISTRICTS. 

For convenience of discussion t;he area is divided into four districtsMonongahela yalley, Allegheny Valley, Beaver Valley, and Allegheny 

Mountains. Pl. I is a general map of southwestern Pennsylvania, 

showing the leading geographic features and the distribution of the 

geologic formations. This map is compiled chiefly from the county 

maps of the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, corrected to 

date. 

Pls. II and V show the outcrop of the Vanport limestone so far 

as known . . 

lLeslie, P. J.,and McCreath, A. S., Report of SecondGeol. Survey of Pennsylvania, vol. M2, 1879, 

pp. 311-361, and Final Rept., vol. 1,1892, pp. 327-336. 

2 See analyses Nos. 6, 7, 8; 35, 36, 37, 38, 39; 42, 43; 57, 58, 59; 60, 61, 62; 75, 76; 86, 87; 90, 91, 92; 97, 98, 99, 

on later pages 
12 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BU L L. ~49. 

As a rule, t he limestones of each region have cha racteristics of 

their own, which would make superfluous any general preface descriptive of the individual beds. The descriptions of the horizons will 

t}:lerefore be placed under the headings of the several districts. 

Where the thickness of the bed is less than 10 feet few specific 

localities are mentioned, as a thin bed is of comparatively little 

import.ance. 

MONONGAHELA VALLEY. 

This district includes approximately the area underlain by the 

Pittsburg coal. From a depth of nearly sea level in the southwest 

corner of Greene County the coal rises rapidly toward 'the east and 

north into the hilltops, and the region therefore furnishes outcrops of 

all beds between the Mauch Chunk shale and the upper part of the 

Dunkard formation. Notwithstanding the fact that limestones are 

more abundant in this region than in any other portion of, western 

Pennsylvania, only a few of the beds are of economic value. These 

will be discussed in their stratigraphic order. 

LOYALHANNA LIMESTONE. 

This bed is the Siliceous limestone of the Pennsylvania reports. 

It shows in outcrop only where Chestnut Ridge has been CU1j through 

by the westward-flowing streams-Conemaugh River, Loyalhanna 

Creek, and Youghiogheny River. It has been .classed by some geologists as the basal member of the Mauch Chunk formation, but in 

reality is a part of the Pocono sandstone, into which it merges by 

insensible gradations. According to Stevenson, 1 the upper portion is 

a conglomeratic sandstone containing numerous fragments of siliceous limestone. This portion grades gradually into the siliceous 

limestone proper, which is a fine-grained rock having a blue color, 

flint-like ftacture, and no true cleavage. On its fresh surface it shows 

no signs of bedding, but where exposed for some time takes on a dull 

brown color and shows a peculiar cross-bedding. The weathered 

surface :ls very characteristic, being rough and pitted and unlike any 

other rock in th~ region. This feature is well illustrated by the photograph, Pl. VII, B. ·rhe large proportion of silica in the rock gives 

it the general appearan~e of a sandstone rather than of a limestone. 

rrhe Loyalhanna limestone is of greatest importance northward, 

being on Conemaugh River between 40 and 50 feet thicK. in both gaps. 

A similar thickuess prevails in the Loyalhanna and Y oughiogheny 

gaps, but southward the rock becomes thinner, being only about 18 

feet thick on the National Pike and barely 4 feet near the State line. 

On Cheat River, West Virginia, it has wholly disappeared. 

The limestone often occurs in two benches, separated by shale and 

sandstone. At a number of points it has been quarried for paving 

. blocks and crushed for railroad ballast. Large crushing plants have 

been established on Conemaugh River above Blairsville, in the LoyalI Report K3, p . 52. 
('LAl'l'.J MONONGAHELA VALLEY. 13 

hanna gap above I~atrobe, and in the Youghiogheny gap above Connellsville. At the last-mentioned place the· quarry face has a height , 

of -60 feet, but a part of the thickness should probably be classed as 

sandstone. 

GREENBRIER LIMESTONE. 

'rhis is the Mountain limestone of the Second Geological Survey 

reports, and is the feather-edge of the Greenbrier of Virginia and 

probably of the Chester and St. Louis beds which occur in the Mississippi Valley, where they attain great thickness. Its greatest 

development in Pennsylvania is along the southern boundary of the 

State, where it attains a thickness of about 40 feet. Along Chestnut 

Ridge and Laurel Hill it outcrops about 50 feet above the Loyalhanna 

limestone. The Greenbrier is somewhat variable in character, the 

greater part being composed of thin beds of pure blue limestone, which 

often grade into shaly limestone and calcareous shale. In places it 

is very fossiliferous. No analyses are known to have been made. 

Its principal use is in burning for fertilizer, for which purpose it is 

said to yield lime of superior quality. Formerly it was used as a 

flux in iron smelting. 

UPPEB. FREEPORT LIMESTONE. 

This is the only limestone o.f the Allegheny formation known to 

occur in the region. If. is rarely seen and may not be persistent, but 

is known in places to reach a thickness of 5 ·feet. The following 

analyses 1 have been made: 

Analyses of U;Ppet· Freeport limestonefrorn W estmoreland County, Pa. 

No.J.a 

Insoluble residue ___ ___ . ___ .. ________________ ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0. 990 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) _ ___ ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 94.643 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) _____ _ _______________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1.144 

~:~~::::i~~l~~ ~~) ~ ~ ~ ~- ~ ~ .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~·~ ~ ~ } 2. 720 

Sulphur_ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ _____________ ______ _____ , _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 028 

Phosphorus ... ______ ___________ .. __ _________ . ________ . . 015 

a Second Geol. Survey of P ennsylvania, vol. M2, Ul75, p. 2\:!3. 

No. 2./J 

4.015 

91.982 

1.664 

1.520 

.091 

. 012 

b Second Geol. Survey of Pennsylvania, vol. H4, 1878, pp. 245-246; analysis by D. McCreath. 

No .. 1.-From Kier Brothers' quarry at Salina: Fine grained, brittle; reddish 

gray; conchoidal fracture. 

· No. 2.-From Wining & Cuisan's quarry, one-half mile northwest of Kellys 

Station: Compact, brittle; pearl gray; conchoidal fracture; sparkles with calcite; 

thickness of bed, reported 4-5 feet. 

1 All the analyses given in this paper are taken from the reports of the Second Geological 

Survey of Pennsylvania, and were made in the labm·atory of that survAy by Mr. A. S. McCr eath 

and his assistants. Where the name of the analyst is known it is given in a footnote. 
14 LIMESTONES 01:!' SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. LBULL. 249. 

PITTSBURG LIMESTONE. 

Several limestone horizons occur in the Conemaugh formation, but 

are only locally represented by limestone. They rarely attain a thickness of 4 feet and are unimportant, .being used only for fertilizing 

purposes. Following is an analysis of the Pittsburg limestone-a bed 

occurring approximately 20 feet below the Pittsburg coal; the specimen was taken from a quarry at Lemont furnace, 3 miles northeast 

of Uniontown: 

Analysis of Pittsburg limestone from Fayette County, Pa.a 

Insoluble residue _ . _______ _____ . _. ___ -.- _ _ _ _ _ _ _____________ ______ ~ ___ _ 

Calcium carbonate (CaC(\) __ . _. ____ ____________________ ___ ... __ . _____ _ 

Magnesium carbonate (MgCOR) ____ ___ ___________ ____________ - _- -.--- -

Ferrous carbonate (FeC03 ) ______ _____ _______ . ____ - ____ - _- _--. ---- --- -

Alumina (Al20 3) - _----- -- -- ------------- --- -- ---- ---- --- ---- -- - ----

Sulphur ______________ ___________ ________________________ . ___ . ____ ___ _ 

Phosphorus ___________________________ . _____________ ____________ . ___ . 

a Vol. M2, p. 290. 

No. 3. 

7.360 

87.868 

1.733 

1. 914 

.135 

.106 

.050 

No. 3.-Comparatively soft and brittle; very irregular fracture; bluish-gray 

color. 

. REDSTONE LIMESTONE. 1 

This is a hard, gray, crystalline limestone of some value, occurring 

below the Redstone coal and 30 to 70 feet above the Pittsburg coal. 

Its principal occurrence is in the Connellsville basin, where it. is 

rather persistent. On Redstone Creek and in the territory between 

this stream and Allegheny River it is of fair thickness and excellent 

quality, and throughout Fayette County has been quarried extensively in the past for fluxing purposes to the exclusion of all other 

limestones. For the same purpose it is extensively quarried in the 

vicinity of Wheeling, W. Va. 2 Throughout the greater part of the 

;Monongahela Vall((Y it is usually absent or very impure. The following analysis of the stone froin the quarry at Lemont furnace indicates 

that if. the composition given is characteristic of the -bed, the percentage of magnesia is too great to allow of its having any value for Portland cement: ' 

1 Vol. K2, pp. 48-49. 2 White, I. C., Stratigraphy of the bituminous coal fields of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West 

Virginia: Bull. U.S. Geol. Survey No. 65, 1891, p . 63. 
CLAPP.] MONONGAHELA VALLEY. 15 

Analysis of R edstone limestone from Fayette County, Pa.a 

- ---,----f_ N_o._1:_ 

Insoln hie residue . __ ___ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ .. -I 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) ____ _ ___ ____________ _ __ _ _ _ _ _____ ___ _ ___ _ 

Magnesium carbonate (Mg003) - _ _ _ __ __ - -- - -- -- - - --- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - . i 

~I~~~:c~~~~~te (Fe,O,) ___ _ -- :: -:· :: .:•--:: :.: : · · _: __ : .J 

Phosphorus ___ ___ ____ ___ ______ .. ___ ___ ____ ____ _ . I 

aVol. M2, p. 289. 

' 9.460 

66.471 

17.711 

5.178 

.812 

.0130 

.048 

No. 4.-Hard and brittle; sparkles with calcite; pearl gray; conchoidal fracture. 

SEWICKLEY LIMESTONE. 1 

This is the Fishpot limestone of early reports. It underlies the 

Sewickley coal at an interval of about 15 feet, and has its best known 

development in the Connellsville basin. Toward the south it is th~n 

and of inferior quality, improving northward, but always of irregular 

occurrence. The greatest thicknesses reported are from 30 to 35 feet, _ 

in the vicinity of Greenfield on Monongahela River; on Redstone 

Creek, in Jackson Township, Fayette County, where it is the chief 

source of lime for agricultural purposes, and at Brownsville. It is 

reported to have been quarried for use as a flux in North Union Township, Fayette County, but generally it runs too high in silica for this 

purpose. The following analysis shows the quality of the stone at 

Oliphant furnace, in Georges Township, Fayette County: 

Analysis of Sewickley limestone·frmn Fayette County. Pa.Ct 

Insoluble residue _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Calcium carbonate ( Cr..C03 ) ___ _ ____ __ _ _ _________ _ __ -- .. -- - -- - - - - -- -- -

Magnesium carbonate (Mg003 ) ___ .. ____ _ __ __ ___ _ _ __ _ --- - --- - - --- - - ---

Ferrous carbonate (Fe003

) _ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ _ _____ __ ___ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ . _ _ -----

Iron disulphide (FeS2 ) _ _ __ __ ~ _ __ _ _ _____ ______ __ _ ___ _ - - _ - - - -- - - . -- - -- -

Alumina ( Al2 0 3 ) _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ·_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • - - - -

Sulphur trioxide (S03 ) ____ __ __ _____ _ __ _ __ __ ____ _ - _ - _ -- -- - - ----- - - -. -- - : 

Phosphoric oxide ( P 20 5) _ - - - _ - __ - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - l 

~:=~~~~~~~ :Ua~;e; : : : : : : : -: : : -: -: • ::: : ::: :: : : : : : : : : :: : : : : -: : : I 

<:Vol. M2, p. 287. 

No. 5.-Compact; minutely crystalline; spotted with pyrite; dark blue. 

1 Vol. K2, pp. 44-46. 

Bull. 249-05--3 

No.5. 

10.770 

80. 647· 

2.217 

1. 657 

1.125 

.543 

. 052 

.066 

1. 010 

1.250 
16 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [Bur,L. 249. 

If the bed ·maintains this composition it ought to be of value in the 

manufacture of Portland cement, and that such may be the case is 

in'dicated by the analysis of the same bed in Indiana County. Analyses from Somerset County give a larger percentage of magnesia, proving that the stone at those points is unsuitable for the purpose. 

BENWOOD LIMESTONE. 1 

The Benwood, or Great, limestone is by far the most important 

limestone in the Monongahela Valley. It sometimes amounts, with 

its interbedded shales, to as much as 140 feet in thickness, and is 

present throughout nearly all the area in which the Mon.ongahela 

formation outcrops. It is a double limestone, occurring between the 

Uniontown and Sewickley coal beds and about 120 feet above the 

Pittsburg coal. In the vicinity of the Pennsylvania Railroad 1 its 

stratigraphic position has given it locally the name of the " 120-foot 

limestone." The upper member, known as the "Uniontown limestone," is usually 6 to 15 feet in thickness, often impure and of a buff 

color, and is said to be a good natural cement rock. At Uniontown 

the bed is 10 feet in thickness, and has been quarried extensively for 

natural cement, used in the construction of the locks on Monongahela 

River. rrhere are reported thicknesses of 40 feet on the West Newton 

pike, in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County; of 15 feet at 

Markles Mill, on Sewickley Creek, and of 14 feet near Round Hill 

Church, in Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County. · 

The lower member is much more . persistent than the Uniontown 

bed. It varies in character from a hard and pure to a vm·y shaly 

limestone~ It is much thicker than the Uniontown bed, usually 

averaging above 50 feet. The maximum thickness is reached along 

Monongahela River, where it is sometimes as much as 90 feet. On 

Sewickley Creek near Bells Mills it is 85 feet or more, and on Y oughiogheny River near the Westmoreland County line, 55 feet. Toward 

the north it diminishes in thickness, and, where it is exposed along 

the Pennsylvania Railroad, varies between 7 and 28 feet. Occasion-

~lly the bed is one solid mass of limestone, but throughout the greater 

part of the region it is broken up into a number of strata separated 

by shale. The rock is often siliceous or argillaceous and sometimes 

ferruginous. Where extensively weathered it has become broken up 

into small angular fragments. The bottom of the member is said to 

be generally the more magnesian, although all portions are extremely 

high in magnesia, as indicated by the first three of the following 

analyses, and is nowhere known to be suitable for Portland cement. 

In Washington County the stone was considerably used in early days 

in the manufacture of natural cement. 

1 Vol. K2, pp. 37-40. 
CLAPP.] MONONGAHELA VALLEY. 

Analyses of Benwood limestone from WaJhington County, Pa. 

No.6.a No. 7.b 

Insoluble residue __ ____ ___ __ __ __ __ ____ 13.300 22.520 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03) _ ____ ___ __ 68.837 48.823 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03> ------ 14.649 20.621 

Ferrous carbonate (FeC03) __________ } 

Alumina (Al20 3 )- __ - _- ------- - ·-------

3.306 { 3.625 } 3.523 

Sulphur ______ ___ _____________________ .097 .203 

Phosphorus ___ ______ _____ ___ ____ _____ .049 .051 

a Vol. K, 1876, p. 388; analysis by A. S. McCreath. 

bLoc. cit.; ar.alysis by D. McCreath. 

cVol. M2, p . 285; analysis by D . McCreath. 

No. 8.b 

I 

15.750 

47, 080 

28.528 

7. 511 

.069 

.127 

17 

No. 9.c 

14. 9. ~0 

47.7 

30. ~ 

t)O 

N:3 

5.6 08 

.1 'Z6 

.0 15 

No. 6.-0ne mile north of Canonsburg: Upper layer, very hard and compact, 

like conglomerate, bluish gray. 

No. 7.-0ne m:ne north of Canonsburg: Middle layer, compact, somewhat 

shaly, color bluish gray. 

No. 8.-0ne mile north of Canonsburg: Lower layer., hard, compact, unctuous, 

pearl gray. 

No. 9.-Property of Dr. Shaner, in Somerset Township, 8 miles from Washington. 

"\VAYNESBURG LIMESTONE. 1 

The Waynesburg limestone, which is a rock of good quality, with a 

probable maximum thickn(~ss of about 20 feet, occurs a short distance 

below the Waynesburg coal. On Redstone Creek, in Franklin and 

Redstone townships, it amounts to 16 or 20 feet. On ·Browns Run, 

in German Township, Fayntte County, it .is reported by Stevenson as 

swelling to 35 feet; but elsewhere such a thickness is unknown. The 

common thickness varies between 8 and 15 feet. The stone makes a 

strong but rather dark lime. It is accessible at many places throughout Fayett.e, Westmoreland, eastern Greene, and southeastern Wasbington counties. 

LIMESTONES OF THE DUNKARD FORMATION. 

Scattered throughout the Dunkard formation are abundant limestone 

beds, which have been described by the Second Survey and numbered 

from I to XIV inclusive. 2 At the time this bulletin is submitted 

these have not been studied by the present survey, but from Stevenson's investigations it appears that few of them are of sufficient thickness or quality to be of value. The following table, compiled from 

the descriptions given in Volume K, gives the principal features of 

the several beds : 

1 Vol. K2, pp. 35-36. 2 Stevenson, Vol. K . . 
Other name,. 

name. 

1 

-----

XIII 

Tables of limestones in the Dunkarf! fo

[Abstracted from Vol. K, Stevenson, 187

Maxi1grap 1c thick- . t· h' l mum 

positiOn. ness. in 

80 feet above limestone 

XIII. 

Below Gilmore sandstone. 

feet. 

8 

4 

. Characteristics. 

Dark blue; earthy; minute crystals I 

ofblendeandoccasi?nalfishscales. 

Dull blue; earthy; w1th shale ______ 

XII: 

_____ ______ ___ ______ 

! 230 feet above Upper 15 Usuallythin; containsmuchshale . j 

X Ia 

Xlb 

Washington limestone. 

X J 

__________________ _ _l100 feet above limestone 

IX b. 

2t 

5 Dark blue and earthy; sometimes I 

brecciated. 

IXa {70to 100 feet above lime- } 10 U 11 . 

---------- -- ""'"e VIII. '"" Y very,mpure .. ---- -- ----.. --

IXb I. ---------- - - !'-- - ---- --. ·- ...•.... ---· --·'" -- - 

VIII 

VII --------1 Usually earthy----------· ----- ----- 

VI I Upper Top of Washington for- I 30 UE-ually pure: usually weathers 

ton limestone. mation. snowy white; color generally 

V I Jollytown lime- 10 ! 20 to 30 feet below Upper stone. a Washington limestone. 

IV Middle Washing- 40 to 70 feet above Washton limestone. ington coal. 15 

III 

dark blue-gray. 

Hard and coarsely brecciated; I 

weathers to dull gray, tinged 

with yellow. 

Massive; fresh fracture glistens with calcite; weathers rusty yel- low: very fossiliferous. 
II I Lower Waahillg-,6 to 20 feet above WMh- 8 Light blue to buff ------------------

ton limestone. ington coal. 

Ib 1-------------------· 2 to 10 feet below the 20(?) Dark blue; weathers bluish white; 

Little Washington coal. slaty structure. 

Ia I Colvins Run I Between Waynesburg A I 10 I Massive, compact; very impure; 

limestone.b coal and Waynesburg exfoliates on weathering; some- 

B coal. times brecciated and ferruginous

aWhite, I. C., in Bull. U.S. Geol. Survey No. 65, 1891, p. 34, defines the Jollytown limestone as a b

coal; Stevenson's usage, however, has the priority of sixteen years. 

bWhite, I. C., op. cit., p. 39. 
20 LIMESTONES O.B' SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULL. 249. 

UPPER WASHINGTON LIMESTONE. 

This is the principal and only important limestone bed of the 

Dunkard formation. It ocGurs 250 to 425 feet above the Waynesburg 

coal, and is widely distributed throughout Greene and Washington 

counties. It is usually easily recognized by its weathered surface, 

which is almost snowy white, with a slight tinge of blue. Througho-qt the greater part of Washington County the rock has, on fresh fracture, a very dark blue-gray to bluish black colo·r, which is to be considered characteristic of the bed. It varies in thickness from 4 to 15 

feet, but greater thicknesses are occasionally reported. The tunnel 

of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, about 1 mile east of Washington, 

cuts through the bed, exposing nearly 20 feet of solid limestone. A 

section on Cemetery Hill, near Washington, is reported to show a 

mass of limestone and shale 30 feet 3 inches in thickness, subdivided . 

as follows: 

Section of Upper Washington limestone near Washington, Pa. 1 

Ft. In. 

Limestone, laminated, argillaceous __ ·--------------------~-- 2 0 

Dark shale __ .. _______ ·- _______________________ . ~ _______ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 5 · 0 

Calcareous shale ____________ .. _____ . ______ ~ _ _ _ _ ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 0 

Shale with vegetable mar kings __________ . ______ ~ ___________ . 2 0 

Limestone ___ _______ _ . _______________ . _. __________ . ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 10 

Bituminous shale _. _________________ .. ___ . _________ . _ __ _ __ _ _ 0 10 

Limestone _____ ________ . __ .. _________ . _________ . _______ . _ _ _ _ 2 0 

Calcareous shale _________________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ . 1 3 

Limestone . ________ .. ____________________________________ . _ _ _ 1. 6 

Shale ___ ~_. ______ _ ·- ___ ·_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 10 

Limestone _______ ·_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 0 

Shale __ . ___ __ . _________ ~ ________________________________ ... _ _ 2 0 

Limestone . __________________________________ . __ .. . ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 0 

Total thickness _____________________________ . ____ .. _ _ _ 30 3 

The stone has been burned in many places for a fertilizer. E'ol-

·lowing is an analysis of a sample from the railroad tunnel east of 

Washington, which i~dicates that if the quality of the stone is constant it should be of fair quality for the manufacture of cement. At 

this point the bed consists of neariy 20 feet of solid limestone. 

'1 Vol. K, p. 46. 
CLAPP.) ALLEGHENY VALLEY. 

Analysis of Upper Washington limestone near Washington, Pa. a 

Insoluble residue _______ ___ ____ ______ ____ ______________ __ ___ __ _ ~ _____ _ 

Calcium car bonate ( Ca003 ) ________________ . _ ___ ______ . - _ . ______ - - - - - . 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ __________________________ • _ _ __ _ - - ----

~:::;no~~: ~;~~~:) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~I } Sulphur ____ . ___ ___ . _________ ~ ___________ ... _____ . _________ · ___ __ _____ _ 

Phosphorus _______________________ . ____ __ _________________________ .. . _ 

aOp. cit., p. 388; analysis by D . McCreath. 

21 

No.10. 

17.380 

72.866 

3.813 

2.929 

.155 

.061 

No. 10.-From middle of bed; hard, compact, bluish-gray limestone; conchoidal 

fracture. · 

' ALLEGHENY VALLEY. 

This region includes the lower portion of the Allegheny Valley and 

its tributaries, underlain principally by rocks of the Pottsville, Aile.: 

gheny, and Conemaugh formations. Isolated patches of the ::Monongahela, however, occur in the southern portion, and in the northern 

part the Pocono and Mauch Chunk rise above water level. The limestones range from those of the Pocono formation up to-the Sewickley. 

BENEZETTE LIMESTONE. 

At a few points in Elk County a triple bed of limestone, supposed 

to be of Pocono age, has been found about 200 feet below the Olean 

conglomerate. The upper bed is reporte·d as having a probable maximum thickness of not over 7 feet, the others being considerably thinner. The lower bed has been burned, and is said to make an excellent 

fertilizer. Analyses have been made of the upper and middle beds, 

specimens of which were t.aken from a point on Caledonia road 1 mile 

west of the village of Benezette . 

• Analyse.<; of Benezette limestonefrom Elk County, Pa. 1 

No.ll. 

Siliceous matter ____ ______ _________ ________________ _________ 50. 670 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03

) _ ____ ___________ _____ ____________ . 36. 785 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) ________ ----------- -- -- - ----- . 1.408 

Alumina (Al20 8 ) ----------------------------- ----------- ---} 10.070 

Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) -- - _ _ ----------- ------- -- ------------ - --

1 Vol. M3, 1881, p. 93. 

No.12. 

15.980 

76.143 

1. 740 

3.680 
22 LI.MEt:)TONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [nuu •. 249. 

MERCER (TIONESTA) LIMESTONE. 

This is of uncertain occurrence, but is known to be present at a 

few points. An analysis has been made of a specimen from Kelly's 

quarry on the Saddle Bags tract, 4 miles east of Tionesta, on Tionesta 

Creek, Forest County, where the thickness is from 2 to 3 feet. 

Analysis of Mercer limestone from Forest County, Pa.a 

I 

No.13. 

Siliceous matter ___ ___ . _____ _____ ___ __________ ____ ____ . _ --~~=-~] I Calcium carbonate (CaC03

) _. ___ _ __ • _. __ ~ __ _ __ _ . _ _____ __ __ • __ __ ~ _ _ ___ • 1 

----;-

55.160 

40.642 

Magnes~um carbonate (MgC0 1.172 3 ) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ _ _ __ . _- I 

!~::~::i~~l2(~3~2~:; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ ~ ~ _- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ } 2.120 

Phosphorus __________ . __ ______ ____ ____ ___ __ . ___ ______ ____ _____ . _____ _ . 018 

a Op. cit., p. 90. 

No. 13.-Coarse grained; appearance sandy; very hard and tough; bluish gray. 

V ANPORT LIMESTONE. 

This bed, usually known as the Ferriferous, is without doubt 

the most widespread and available limestone for Portland-cement 

manufacture in western Pennsylvania, outcropping over large parts 

of Jefferson, Clarion, Armstrong, northern Butler, and I .. awrence 

counties, and appearing occasionally in northern Indiana, Beaver, 

and Venango counties, but dying out along a ·line drawn in a northeast-southwest direction- through the middle of Indiana and the western part of Clearfield counties. Although not always present, even in 

those counties where it is best developed, it is the most persistent 

stratum known in western Pennsylvania, and therefore a good key to 

the geologic structure. The approximate outcrop in the Allegheny 

Valley is shown on Pl. II. In stratigraphic position it occurs below 

the Lower Kittanning coal and fire clay, from which it is sometimes 

separated by sandstone, but more often by a thin bed of limonite, 

known as the '' buhrstone ore bed." 

The limestone is of good quality throughout. It is usually compact and brittle, with an irregular fracture, and has a grayish color. 

It is occasionally very fossiliferous, containing a genuine marine 

fauna, consisting of crinoids, corals, brachiopods, lamellibranchs, 

univalves, etc. The maximum known thickness is 22 feet. This 

limestone, as shown by analyses, is the only bed in western Pennsylvania which almost universally contains less than 2 per cent of magnesium carbonate. The only specimen of this bed containing more 

magnesium carbonate is from Benezette, Elk County, and shows over 
r,.\PP.) 

F rri 

2 

Analy i of 1 WIJ>Ort lim '.·t n from J11cUana ounty, Pa.a 

----1~· 

s) -··------- - -· ---·-----------------·--

•). '0 

9<). 57 

1. .) '!) 

ulpbur _ ---- --- ------ ------------- ----- -----'--------------·------ .1, 

Ph phoru _ _. _______ . __ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . O;J5 

uVol. H4, p . :2!4 . 

. 1-l .- Hard and t n h: £ ilif rou : fra · nr irr O'ular: lor. dark blui h 

Bull. :2-L - :----1 
li\' 

I·' (\ 1' 1. PI ' 

1!'(.H• 

s,•u)t• 

'" 
24 LI.MESTON ES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULJ,. 249. 

sylvania. Analyses of stone from this vicinity are wanting, but several have been made· from points throughout Armstrong County. 

The usual thickness is only from 6 to 10 feet, as shown in the -following tabie: 

Analyses of Vanport limestone from Armstrong County, Pa. 

No. 15.a l No. 16.b ! No. 17.c No. 18.d 

Insoluble residue ___ __ ___ . _ 3.420 0.790 2.100 0.370 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03) _ 93.246 96.007 94.185 96.785 

Magnesium ca bonate 

( MgC03) - ...... .. .... _ .. ____ _ .... .. 1. 740 1.498 1.483 1. 278 

Alumina (Al20 3) _ ----------}t. 667 Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) ...... .. __ - -

1.462 2.089 1. 000 

Sulphur _______ . _________ ____ ---- --- . --- .. -- . -- . - -- .060 

Phosphorus .. _ . _ .. ______ _____ . 032 .034 .03 1 .029 

Thickne!;!s in feet _ . ___ _ . __ __ 8 to 10 9 7 8 

a Vol. H5, p. 97; analysis by McCreath. 

bOp. cit., p. 169; analysis by McCreath. 

cOp. cit., p. 64; analysis by McCreath. 

dVol. M2, p . 298. 

eVol. M3, p . 85 . . 

No. 19.e I No. 20.! I No. 2I.u 

-~-- 2.110 3. 220 2. 300 

95.567 93.292 94.721 

1.422 .968 1.044 

.930 1. 713 1. 383 

------- ---- - -- ----·---

.035 .047 .047 

-·-- .. -- - - - -- - -- -------

I 

fOp. cit., p. ~­

gOp. cit., p. 85. 

No. 15.-Cowanshannock Creek, west edge of Cowanshannock Township: Coarse; 

grayish; very fossiliferous. 

No. 16.-Mahoning Creek, at Stewardson Furnace. 

No. 17.-Crooked Creek, between Mr. George's and pottery: Bluish gray; compact; brittle; richly fossiliferous: the lime is dark, but good, breaking down into 

a soft fine powder. 

No. 18.--:--Pine Creek furnace, 6 miles northeast of Kittanning: Compact; bluish 

gray; irregular fracture . . 

No. 19.-Ross Reynold's limestone, one-half mile north of Kittanning: Fine 

grained; fossiliferous; mottled with calcite; rather tough: light pearl gray. 

No. 20.-P. Graff, nearBuffaloMills: Finegrained: brittle; moreorless stained 

with ferric oxide; fracture rough, somewhat conchoidal; color, dark gray. 

No. 21.-J. A. Colwell's quarry, one-four.th mile northwest of Mahoning furnace: Rather compact and fine grained, full of fossil casts; bluish gray; conchoidal 

fracture. 
U. <. GEOLOGICAL 

( Photograpn by M. R. Campbell 1 
LAI'P.] LLE HENY LLEY. 25 

allowing i a m r 

n furna 1 mil 

ail 

f th 

im n from t v ar -

u r k , in l\ladi on 

own hip: 

Analy is of Vanport lime tone f?·om. tewar l on furna Annstrong ounty, Pa .(L 

alrinm arb nate ( a 3) • --- --------- --~ ------- -------~1 (M s) - . -- - .. ----. ---- -----. ------ . ---- . -.--

Alumina ( 1a 3) •• -- • ----- • --- ------ ------- •• ---- • • --- - --- • · - -- • -- · 

rri · oxid (F 2 s) • - . -.-----------. ---- --- ·-----· - ·· · ----- · --- · ----

ulphur tri :rid ( . _ ... _ . _ .... _ .. _ . ____ .. ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _. _. _ .. ___ _ 

Ph sphori · oxid (P 2 6) • -- .• -- •• - • - - • .. -- •• - .• -.- . • - - -- - • -- - --- --- -

W at r _____ ..... __ .. _ . __________ . __ __ _ . __ ____ . _________________ . ____ _ 

9-.535 

.907 

. 030 

.174 

1.114 

.206 

.064 

.0 

.150 

No. 

rough 

reddi h gray; fra ture 

Analy of Vanpo1·t lime tonefrom la1·iun o1.mty Pa. a 

In olubl r idu . __ . ____ ... _. ______ .. _. _ .... _ 

alcium arb nat ( a 3) ____ .••• _ ••••••• 

0.2:1. 

1.110 

96. 42 

Magn ium arbonat (Mer 3 ) ------ -- ------· 1. 02 1.265 .930 . 407 

Alumina (Al2 3) ------------- ------ --- --- ---- } 67 1.5')0 1.050 1. 10 

F rri A.-ide (Fe2 a) ------ --- --- ---- -- ---- --- -

Ph sphoru . 023 . 0 I . 0 0 . 061 

No. oar rained; mottl d with 

rain d: mottled with 

a . 

N . 26.- 0n Lon er Rnn, Porter Town hip: Brittl ; mor or les tain d with 

ferric oxid : g nerally pearl gray· bed 5 to 6 feet thick, overlain by 9 inches of 

carbonate ore. 
26 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.. [BULL. 249. 

Jefferson County.-Over three-fourths of Jefferson County the bed 

has extensive outcrops, with a maximum thickness of from 4 .to 6 

feet; but toward the southeast it dies out entirely, and in Clearfield 

County is unknown. 

Analyses of Vanport limestone from Jefferson County, Pa. 

No. 27.a No. 28.b No. 29.b No. 30.b 

Insoluble residue ___ __________________________ 1.280 1.300 1. 910 2.040 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) --------· --------- 96.578 96.428 94.392 93.643 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ ______________ .832 .908 1.702 1.816 

Alumina (Al203 ) - : ·----- ---- -------- ----.. - ---- I . 780 .990 1. 315 1.310 Ferric oxide (Fe2

0 3

) _______ . _____ ~ _______ _ ____ f 

Phosphorus ___________________ . - - - - - - --- -- -- - - .037 .034 .031 .030 

aVol. M3, p. 90. bOp. cit., p. 89. 

No. 27.-Samuel Shield's property, 1 mile north of Dowlingville: Rather fine 

grained; fossiliferous; sparkles with calcite; pearl gray. 

No. 28.-Property of A. Enty, one-half mile southeast of Worthville: Fine 

grained; brittle; fossiliferous; light bluish gray. 

No. 29.-0. Bovaird, 3 miles northwest of Brockwayville: Fine grained; brittle; pearl gray. ' 

. No. 30.-Property of William Hanna, 2 miles- northeast of Sprankles Mills: 

Hard and tough; fine grained; full of fossil casts; dark bluish gray. 

Elk County.-Little is known of the limestone in this county, but 

from analyses made by the Second Survey it is thought to be more 

variable in quality than in any other portion of the region. It is here 

known as the Clermont limestone, has a maximum thickness of from 

7 to 10 feet, and has been quarried on a small scale. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 249 PL. IV 

A 

B 

VANPORT LIMESTONE IN QUARRY OF KITTANNING CLAY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 

KITTANNING, PA. 

( Photographs by M. R. Campbel l and Charles Batts ) 
CLAPP.] ALLE HE Y VALLEY. 27 

naly . of anport lim ton .fr m Elk onnty. Pa . 

In lubl r idu 

al inm arb nat ( 

3) 

Ph phoru - --. 

. } 

----

. . . . . . 

. . . 

. 3l.o .:~./) o.:~.a . 3-l.b N . : - .l> 

o. :~9 . i39 1.6 

6.01 5. 714 94.3~"" 

6.6!)9 1.170 

"'· 

•) :3 :L400 1.t1 ') .Gl 1. 63 

11 .0 9 3' . 05 . o· 1 

o.:l!U• No. :rr.b .LTO. ;-jl .b . :~H ./1 

9. 3 

1.331 

. o o 1 3.650 

.104 1 .23 

b p. cit., p. 92. 

: R, th r oar e 

k: ry 

grain d; 

Town hip; John n Run ·oal ba in 

grain d and ry brit 1 ; mor 

. . . 

.. .... 

E . 

pp aran , haly; 

tor mor . 

. . . . . .. . . .·. · .. ·.. : .. ·.. . .... : . : . • • • ! 

• .. •.•::.· ... ": .. • .. :• .. •.e:••.•: •• 

. . . . ... ·. : :: ~ ~ .. ~ ~ . ~ ·...... ~ : . : 
28 ' LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. ( BU LL. 249. 

way to ore-bearing shales, and sometimes disappears entirely. On 

account of having been used for natural cement at its type locality at 

Johnstown, the limestone has hitherto been known as the Johnstown 

cement bed. The composition, however, is extremely irregular, the 

calcium carbonate varying anywhere between 34 and 92 per cent and 

the magnesium carbonate from 1.4 to 21 per cent. This variation 

renders the term " cement rock" hardly appropriate, and the word 

"limestone" is therefore substituted. The frequent large percentage 

of silica and other impurities is illustrated by the following analysis: - ~ 

. Analysis of Johnstown limestone from the type locality at Johnstown, Pa.a 

No. 40. 

Insoluble residue ___ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 27. 873 

Calcium carbonat~ ( CaC08

) __ __________________ __ __ .: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 34. 301 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC08

) ___ _ __ ~ ____ __ ______ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 21. 650 

Ferrous carbonate (FeC08

) ________________ __ ___ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8. 700 

Alumina (Al20 3 ) ----------------- -- - --- --------------- - ---- --- - - ------ 3.390 

Iron disulphide (Fe82 ) . _______ _ _ ~ _____ _ ___ _ .. _ __ __ _ .. ___ ______ _ _ _ __ ._ _ _ _ _ 1. 268 

Phosphorus _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 049 

a Vol. H2, p . 153. 

No. 40.-Hard and brittle; bluish gray; shows considerable pyrites; emits strong 

argillaceous odor when breathed upon. 

On Black Lick Creek the bed is reported to be extensively quarried 

and to have a thickness of 10 feet. In this region and still farther · 

east it was formerly supposed to be identical with the Ferriferous 

limestone and is spoken of as such in the early reports. In Jefferson 

County it is nearly always present, but is of an impure, ferruginous 

nature. In northern Indiana, Armstrong, Clarion, Butler, and Elk 

counties it is probably only locally present and always thin. 
CLAPP.] ALLEGHENY VALLEY. 29 

Analyses of Johnstown limestoneJrorn Indiana, Jefferson, Armstrong, and Elk 

counties, Pa. 

No. 4l.a No. 42./J No. 43.b No. 44.c 

Insoluble residue _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 13. 790 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 78.768 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. 421 

32.790 

36.214 

16.883 

15. 060 d 33. 900 

58. 750 51. 410 

16.005 3.962 

Ferrous carbonate (FeC03) ~ ___ _ _____ __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8. 078 

Alumina (Al20 3) _ ____ _____ _ __ __ ______________ } { 4. 360 } 

Ferric oxide ( Fe20 3

) __ _ _ ______ _ ___ __ _ __ _____ . _ 3· 

540 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7 · 380 7.790 

Sulphur ___ ____ __ __ _______ ______ ______ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ . 097 . 056 . 041 

Phosphorus __ ____ __ __ ________ ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .018 . 056 .085 . 033 

No. 45. c No. 46.e No. 47. e No. 48.f. 

---

· Insoluble residue _____ . __ _____ _ . _____ _ 8.020 23.840 22.280 36.860 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) - --- ·- ------ ------ 82.393 53.750 64.160 50.357 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _____ . ___ ______ 1.891 9.989 1.838 2.467 

Ferrous carbonate (Fe2C03) _ _ ____ _ ___ - . -- ---- -- -- ~--- -- -- - --- ------- -

~lm~ina -~Al (~s) ----- ---- · ·- - --------- - - · -- -- } 4. 653 7. 730 7. 450 7. 040 

erne ox1 e e20 3) ___ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sulphur _______ _______ _____ _______________ __ . _____ ____ ____ __ __ __ .. _ .. __ _ 

Phosphorus ___________ · _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 300 . 131 . 305 . 054 

a Vol. H3, p. 190. 

b Vol. H4, p . 221; analysis by A. 8. McCreath. 

cVoL M3, p . 89. 

dThe ignited "insoluble residue " contains silica, 27.570 per cent; alumina, 4.800 per cent; ferric 

oxide, trace; lime , trace; magnesia, 0.245 p er cent. 

e Op. cit., p. 85. 

fOp. cit., p. 92. 

No. 41.-Tyhawk's quarry, 1 mile east of Black Lick Station, Indiana County 

(main bench): Compact; bluish gray; irregular fracture. 

No. 42.-A. Gorman's quarry, 2 miles southwest of Smithport, Indiana County 

{upper portion): Hard and tough, with rough, irregular fracture and pearl-gray 

color; emits a strong argillaceous odor when breathed upon. 

No. 43.-A. Gorman's quarry, 2 miles southwest of Smithport, Indiana County 

(lower portion): Hard and tough, with irregular fracture and bluish-gray color: 

emits a strong argillaceous odor when breathed upon; thickness in this quarry, 10 

feet; with three thin clay partings. 

No. 44.--N. B. Lane's property, 1 mile southeast of Brockwayville, Jefferson 

County: Hard and tough; argillaceous; more or less stained with iron oxide; color, 

generally dark gray. 

No. 45.-J ohn Iler's property, 1 mile northwest of Perrysville, Jefferson County: 

Rather hard and tough; fracture irregular, rough; dark bluish gray. 

· No. 46.-'--M. Davis's limestone, 1 mile southeast of Cochrans Mills, Armstrong 

County (outcrop specimen). . 

No. 47.-George S. Putney's limestone at Putneyville. Armstrong County: 

Rather coarse grained; hard and tough;.bluish gray; irregularly stained with carbonaceous matter. 

No. 48.-J. C. McAllister's farm, Horton township, Brandy Camp post-office, 

Elk County: Appearance sandy; rather course grained; very hard and tough; 

light bluish gray. 
30 LIMESTONES Olf SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANI.A.. [BULL. 249. 

LOWER FREEPORT LIMESTONE. 

In chemical composition, appearance, and other characteristics, 

this limestone is almost the exact counterpart of the Johnstown limestone. It is the most variable limestone of the Allegheny formation, 

being uncertain both in thickness and in quality. It is reported at 

many points, but probably is not persistent for long distances, and is 

not known to have anywhere a greater thickness than 5 feet. 

Analyses of Lower Freeport limestone from Indiana, Jefferson, and Ell,c counties, Pa. 

No. 49.a No. 50.b I No. 5l.c No. 52.c 

Insoluble residue _______ .. _. ___ __ . ___ __ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. 502 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) ---· - ----------- ,-- 82.321 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) __ _ _ _ _ ____ . _ _ _ _ 8. 021 

Alumina (A1 20 3 ) _. _____ _ · _ _ _______ _ _ . . _ . __ _ ___ } 

2

. 

630 

Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) ___ - - - --- _ - - -- - -- - -- -- - - -. 

Sulphur ____________ . _______ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 102 

Phosphorus ________ _____ __ __________________ _ .017 

8. 210 8. 400 

88. 232 87. 035 1 

1. 371 I 1. 558 

1. 960 

.048 

.017 

2.170 

.057 

No. 55.e 

2.070. 

92.857 

1.680 

2.320 

. 019 

No 53.d I No: 54. e No. 56.e 

-------------------------------------l·------------·l-------l------ 1 . Insoluble residue ____ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7. 940 21. 250 13.680 .6.540 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03 ) _____ _______ _ • ____ _ 82.000 57.321 69.357 81.875 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6. 311 8. 854 9.308 7.189 

AI umina ( Al20 3 ) __ - __ - _ - - - - - - - .. - - - - - - - - - - - - - } l 7

. 940 Ferric oxide (Fe20 3 ) _. _ _ _ . _ _ __ _ _ _ -.- _ _ _ _ _ _ 2

· 

736 I 4.835 2.750 

Phosphorus ____ . ____ ____ . _______ _________ . _ _ _ . 015 I . 038 .077 - .066 

a Vol. M2, p. 293. d Op. cit., p. 86. 

bVol. H4, p. 228; analysis by A . S. McCreath. e Op. cit., p. 91. 

c Vol. M3, p . 88. 

No. 49.-:-P. Brown's quarry, 4t miles northeast of Blairsville, on Cambria and 

Indiana pike, Indiana County: Compact, brittle; bluish gray; irregular fracture. 

No. 50.--S. Palmer's quarry, three-fourths of a mile northwest of Deckers Point, 

Indiana County: Irregularly seamed with white crystalline calcium carbonate; 

exceedingly brittle; rough irregular fracture and bluish-gray color. 

No. 51.-N. B. Lane's property, 1 mile southeast of Brockwayville, Jefferson 

County: Fine grained. hard, and brittle; brownish gray. 

No. 52.-Evans Round . Top, one-half mile east of Corsica, Jefferson County: 

Fine grained, hard, and brittle; brownish gray. 

No. 53.-Three miles northeast of Reimers burg, Toby Township, Clarion County: 

Very hard and tough; mottled and stained with ferric oxide; generally bluish gray. 

No. 54.-T. Fox's farm, Horton Township, Mead Run, three-fourths mile north 

of Brockport, Elk County: Fine grained and brittle; fracture subconchoidal, bluish gray; known as "K limestone." 

No. 55.-J. C. McAllister's farm, Horton Township, Elk County: Rather fine 

grained and brittle; fracturesubconchoidal; bluish gray; known as'' Klimestone." 

No. 56.-J. S. Chamberlain's farm, Horton Township, Brandy Camp Creek. 1t 

miles south of Brandy Camp post-office, Elk Comity: Rather fine grained and 

brittle; conchoidal fracture; light bluish gray. 
CJ.,APP.] ALLEGHENY VALLEY. 31 

UPPER FREEPORT LIMESTONE. 

Although probably not persistent over large areas, this bed is of 

considerably greater importance than the preceding one. It is 

known to be present at a great number of points throughout the Allegheny Valley. Usually it is less than 6 feet, but occasionally swells 

to much greater thickness, as in the ravine of Fort Run, near Manorville, in Armstrong County, where, with its interstratified beds, it js 

nearly 28 feet thick a~d· has been extensively quarried by A. J. Dull 

& Co. . The Second Survey reports the following . section at this place: 

Section of Upper Freeport linwstone near Manorville, Pa. 1 

Ft. In. 

1. Limestone _____ _________ ~ ____ ___ _______ __ __ _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 3 

2. Clay _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 8 

3. Limestone, impure ___ _____ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 0 

4. Slate ___ ___ ____ __ ___________ ____ ______ __ __ _____ ___ __ __ . _ 2 2 

5. Limestone _____ ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4 5 

6. Clay slate and impure limestone ____ ____ ____ ____ _______ . _ 2 5 

7. Limestone, dark colored ______ -- -- ---- --------- --- ------ 2 2 

8. Slate and impure limestone __ __ .. ____ __ __ __ __ ! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 2 

9. Limestone _______ __________ __ ___ _________ ______ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 10 

10. Slate and clay _________ . __ __ · _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 3 

11. Limestone, called '' glassy layer ' ' ____ __ __ __ . ___ ___ __ __ _ . _ 2 7 

12. Limestone _______ ____ ____ .. ________ _____ __ ______ __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 4 0 

TotaL ___ _____ __ ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 27 11 

Benehes numbered 5, 9, and 11 of this section have been analyzed, 

with the following results: 

Analyses of Upper Freeport limestone from near Manorvill ", Pa. a 

No. 57. No. 58. No. 59. 

Insolubleresidue . ______ __________ -- -- -------- -- __ 4.830 7.310 

' Calciumcarbi:mate (CaC03 ) _ __ _ _ ___ _ _ _______ __ _ _ ___ __ 89.303 82.589 

4.520 

89.857 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ __ _ __ _ _ _ . __ ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 1. 900 5. 751 2. 898 

Alumina (Al20 3) ----.------ ---- -- -- - -- -- ------- - --- - } 2

. 002 

Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) ___ . _ ___ - _ - - - . -" . - . -- . - - -- - ------

3.367 1.860 

Phosphorus __ ______ _____ __ __ ____ _____ _____ ____ ___ ___ _ 

1 

• 021 .063 .017 

a Vol. H5, p. 257; analyses by McCreath. 

No. 57.-Bench No. 5: Very compact and fine grained; dark pearl gray; conchoidal fracture. 

No. 58.-Bench No. 9: Fine grained, hard, and tough; somewhat argillaceous; 

dark pe~rl gray; conchoidal fracture; small crystals of pyrite throughout the 

section. 

No. 59.-Very compact and fine grained; slightly mottled with calcite; pearl 

gray; conchoidal fracture. 

1 Vol. H5, p . 256. 
32 LIMESTONES 0.11' SOUTH WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULI,. 249. 

Between Manorville and Kellys Station, in the vicinity of Logansport, the stone has been extensively quarried in the past for use as a 

flux, for which purpose' it is well suited. It is also supposed to be a 

good limestone for i1se as a Portland-cement material. 

The following section is reported from 1\llahaffey's quarry, Logansport: 

Section of Upper Freeport limestone at Logansport, Pa. 1 

Ft. In. 

1. Limestone ___________ _____ ____ _ . ____________ ______ . _ .. _ _ _ _ 1 7 

2. Limestone, impure ______________________ . : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 8 

3. Limestone __ ____________ __________________ ______ .. __ _ . _ _ _ _ 2 4 

4. Limestone, impure ______ . __ .. ____________ . _____ . ______ ... _ _ _ 0 10 

5. Clay and slate _______________ "_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 3 

6. Limestone, impure ______________________ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ 0 7 

7. Limestone,"glassylayer" ----·- ·-- ---- -~----- ---- -- ----- 5 6 

Total ______ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 9 

Analyses from benches 1, 4, and 7 of this section giv~ the following 

percentages: 

Analyses of Upper Freeport limesto~efrom Logansport, Pa.a 

No.60. 

Insoluble residue____ _______ __ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ 0. 830 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03) __ .. _. ___ . _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 96. 453 

No. 61. I No. 62. 

2 .. 200 I 3. 170 

93. 214 93. 571 

Magnesium carbonate (Mg003 ) ____ ___ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1. 445 2. 065 . 1. 324 

.A lumina (Al20 3 ) _______ ~ _____ ________ - , - _______ !. _____ -~} • 

964 1.340 

F\3rric oxide (Fe20 3 ) ·--- - - - -- -- . ---- -- -- ---- - --- ---- - -

:hosphorus ____ ___________ ________ ________________ · _ _ _ . 007 

aLoe. cit.; analyses by McCreath. 

No. 60.-Bench No.1: Fine grained and brittle; dark pearl gray. 

No. 61.-Bench No.4: Fine grained and tough; dark pearl gray. 

:004 

1.207 

.029 

No. 62.-Bench No. 7: Very compact and fine grained; hard and tough; light 

~arl gray; conchoidal fracture. 

It was formerly quarried for flux by the Kittanning Iron and Steel 

Manufacturing Company, but owing to the greater cost of quarrying 

than the Vanport, its use has been discontinued. 

At several other points in Armstrong County workable thicknesses 

are reported by the Second Survey, and the following analyses have 

· been made, showing the stone to be of fair quality for flux and 

cement. 

1 Loc. cit. 
CLAPP.] ALLEGHENY VALLEY. 33 

Analyses of Upper Freeport limestone from Armstrong County, Pa. 

No. 63.a No. 64.a No. 65.a No. 66b. 

------ Insoluble residue _____ ____ .. ______ ____ . __ ___ __ _ 1.850 1.920 5.030 9.520 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03) -- -· - ---- - ------ -- 94.642 94.928 88.839 84.857 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) ________ __ __ _ __ 1.574 1.210 1.513 1.868 

Alumina (Al20 3) _- ---- - --------- - ---- - ----- --

} 1.182 1.246 2.557 2.568 

Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) _ _____ - ., - _ __ - . - ------- - - - -

Phosphorus - - - - - - - - p - - - - - · - - - - - - - - - ·- - - - - - - - - - - ·.012 .018 . 021 .024 

aVol. M3, p. 84. bOp. cit., p. 83. 

No. 63.-S. Monroe's quarry, 2 miles southwest ·of Slate Lick: Fine grained; 

tough; dark pearl gray. 

No. 64.-William Marshall's quarry, one-half mile east of Dayton: Fine grained; 

tough, mottled with calcite; dark gray; fracture conchoidal. 

No. 66.-W. R. Hamilton's land near coal mine H miles north of Putneyville: 

Fine grained; tough; dark gray. 

In Indiana County a thickness of 10 feet is reported at Groft 

Brothers' quarry near Chambersville, where it has been worked in 

the past; at Goods Mill on Little Mahoning Creek;· at the Dick farm 

on Two Lick Creek, and possibly at several other localities. Usually, 

however, the thickness is considerably less than 10 feet. 

Analyses of Upper Freeport limestone from Indiana County, Pa. 

No. 67.a No.68.1J No. 69.c No. 70.d No. 71.d 

---· ---

Insoluble residue _____ ___ __________ ___ 9.150 6.021 27.230 14.980 5.430 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03) ___ __ _____ _ 84.407 84.125 54.768 72.264 89.821 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) _______ 2.800 5.198 8. 627 6.493 1.801 

Alumina (Al20s) --- - --- - -. - - --- --- -. } 2.120 3.220 

Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) - - - :-- • --- -- --- • - -

6. 930· 4.190 1.700 

Sulphur ______ ___ ___ ____ _____ __ __ __ ___ .188 .073 .112 . 068 .133 

Phosphorus __ . ___ ___ ___ ____ . _________ .018 .014 . 017 .029 .027 

a Vol. H4, p . 254; analysis by McCreath. cVol. H4, p. 179; analysis by A. S .. McCreath. 

bVol. M2, p . 292. dVol. M2, p. 292. 

No. 67.-Groft Brothers' quarry, 1 mile east of Chambersville: Compact; brittle; dark bluish gray; irregular fracture. 

No. 68.--Rev. S. Brown's quarry, it mi~es southwest of Five Points: Compact; 

brittle; sparkles with calcite; bluish gray; subconchoidal fracture. 

No. 69.-C. Livengood's quarry, 3 miles southeast of Blairsville: Compact; 

brittle; bluish gray; irregular fracture; sparkles with calcite; strong argillaceous 

odor; thickness, 3 feet or more. 

No. 70.-D. R. Griffith's quarry, 1t miles southeast of Homer: Compact; brittle; 

dark bluish gray; irregular fracture; strong argillaceous odor. 

No. 71.-S. C. Hazlett's quarry, 2 miles north of Jacksonville: Compact; brittie; 

bluish gray; subconchoidal fracture. 
34 LIMESTO~ES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULL. 249. 

In J e:fferson County the limestone is occasionally reported, but its 

greatest known thickness is only 6 to 8 feet. It has been burned on 

a very limited scale for enriching the soil. 

Analyses of Upper Freeport limestone from Jefferson County, Pa. a 

No.72. No. 73. No.74. No. 75. No. 76. 

-- Insoluble residue_ .. _______ _____ . . ____ . 3.130 6.770 6.170 16.660 3.480 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03) ------ - --- 91.875 88.928 89.107 48.571 90.000 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) ___ . ___ 2.421 1.589 1:611 23.762 2.860 

Alumina (Al20 3) -------.- -- ---. ------

} 1. 312 1. 740 2.140 7.250 1.285 Ferric oxide (Fe20 3) ___ • __ • -- ___ ------

Phosphorus _______________ . __________ .012 .023 .024 .032 .011 

a Vol. M3, p . 88. 

No. 72.-Property of D. Hopkins, 2 miles northeast of Frostburg: Very fine · 

grained; brittle; mottled with calcite; pearl gray. 

No. 73.-Property of A. Hoffman, 2 miles northeast of Woodville: Fine grained; 

brittle; mottled with calcite: pearl gray. 

No. 74.-N. B. Lane's property, 1 mile southeast of Brockwayville: Fine grained; 

brittle; sparkles with calcite; generally pearl gray. 

No. 75.-J ohn Iler's property, 1 mile northwest of Perrysville (upper bench): 

Hard and tough; appearance sandy; fracture, irregular; color, light pearl gray. 

No. 76.-John Iler's property, 1 mile northwest of Perrysville (lower bench): 

Rather fine grained; comparatively brittle; mottled with calcite; bluish gray. 

In Elk and Clarion counties the limestone is not well known, but 

a general idea of its character may be gained from the following 

analyses: 

Analyses of Upper Freeport limestone front Elk and Clarion counties, Pa. 

No. 77.a No. 78.b No. 79.b 

Insoluble residue ~ __ ______ __ ____ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12. 290 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03) ___ . ___ . _. _. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 80. 357 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) _ . ___ • ____________ . __ . _ 1. 619 

Alu~ina .(Al20a) ------------ - ---- ---- --- --- ·-- · ------ } 3. 610 

Ferric OXIde (Fe20 3) - _---- --. ----- ---- • --- ------ • --- --

Phosphorus . _____ ~ _______ . ____ . ________ .. __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 086 

a Vol. M3, p. 91. bOp. cit., p. 86. 

-

5.320 1.800 

82.678 93.803 

8.248 2.270 

1.365 .765 

.022 ·.oo8 

No. 77.-J. S. Hyde's farm, Horton Township, 1 mile south of Brandy Camp 

post-office on Brandy Camp Creek, Elk County: Rather coarse grained; brittle; 

fracture irregular; light bluish gray. 

No. 78.-Reichert's quarry, Perry Township, Clarion County: Rather fine 

grained; mottled with calcite; dark pearl gray. 

No. 79.-N ew Athens, Madison Township, Clarion County: Rather fine grained; 

mottied and seamed with calcite;. dark gray. 
CLAPP.l ALLEGHENY VALLEY. 35 

Summarizing, it may be said for the Upper Freeport limestone that, 

while of very irregular occurrence, it is frequently of workable thickness, and nearly always contains a fairly high percentage of lime, low 

percentage of magnesia, and low percentage of phosphorus, rendering the product suitable for Portland cement, flux, or fertilizer. 

LIMESTONES OF THE CONEMAUGH FORMATION. 

Between the Upper Freeport and Pittsburg coal beds no persistent 

bed of limestone is known, although the impure Ames bed is present 

at scattered points throughout the western portion of the valley, and 

the Pittsburg limestone occurs on a few of the hilltops in the southern part of Indiana and Armstrong counties and northern W estmore- . 

land County. A specimen from A. H. Fulton's quarry, in the latter 

bed at West Lebanon, shows the following composition: 

Analysis of Pittsburg limestone from Indiana County, Pa.a · 

Insoluble residue ___ _______ _______ . _______ __ ____________ ___ _____ ___ . __ 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03

) _ . __ _ _______ . _. __ _ ________ . __ _ _ __ ___ ___ _ . __ 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03

) _ ______ _ _ _ ______ _ _____________ _ _____ . . _ 

~~~~::5~ 0·) :::: ::: :::: ~ ~:: ~:: ~::: :::::::::: ::::::: ::: :~ } a Vol. M2, p. 289. 

No. SO. 

10.327 

. 82.768 

2.875 

2.830 

.156 

. 011 

No. 80.-Generally compact and brittle ; irregular fracture ; bluish-gray color; 

seamed with bluish-black limestone. 

Besides the beds mentioned, there are a number of more or less 

local beds known at scattered localities. A number of these have 

been analyzed, bnt the following instances are the only ones of which 

the exact stratigraphic position is known: 
36 LIMESTONES OF SOU'l'HWES'.rERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULL. 249. 

Analyses of local limestones in the Conemaugh formation, in Jefferson and Indiana counties, Pa. 

No.8l.a 

Insolubleresidue ______ ---------------- ------ 9.780 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03) _ _ __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 75. 357 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9. 330 

Alu~ina _{Al20 3) _ ___ __ . ~ ____ . ________________ } 

4

. 

230 

Ferne ox1de (Fe20 3 ) -- _---- ----- ---. -- ------. -

No. 82.a 

11.780 

77.143 

4.691 

3.790 

No. 83.a 

2.390 

92.500 

2.497 

1. 530 

No. 84.b 

16.540 

65.892 

9.686 

5. 710 

Sulphur ________________________________________ · ________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 292 

Phosphorus _______________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 017 . 073 . 023 . 016 

a Vol. M3, p. 87. bVol. M2, p. 366. 

No. 81.-Property of James Smith, 2 miles northeast of Big Run, Jefferson 

County; about 125 to 150 feet above Upper Freeport coal: Fine grained, rather 

hard and tough; pearl gray. 

No. 82.-Property of Jacob Smith, 2 miles north of Big Run, Jefferson County; 

about 150 to 175 feet above Upper Freeport coal: Fine grained; rather brittle; 

conchoidal fracture; irregularly seamed with calcite; dark bluish gray. 

No. 83.-Property of James Smith, 2 miles northeast of Big Run, Jefferson 

_County; · about 200 to 225 feet above Upper Freeport coal: Rather coarse grained; 

brittle; bluish gray. 

No. 84.-G. M. Doty's quarry, 5 miles northeast of Blairsville, Indiana County; 

about 120 feet below Pittsburg coal: Compact; brittle; bluish gray; irregular 

fracture; sparkles with calcite; emits' strong argillaceous odor when breathed 

upon. 

SEWICKLEY LIMESTONE. 

Only in the extreme southern part of Indiana County are any rocks 

of the Monongahela or Dunkard formations present, and descriptions 

given under the heading" Monongahela Valley" will in general apply 

to limestones in these formations running across the divide into Allegheny Valley. The following is an ·analysis of the Sewickley limestone: 

Analysis of Sewickley limestone from Indiana County, Pa. 

Insoluble residue ___ _ . __ . __ __ . __ .. _______________________ ~ ____ _______ _ 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03) _ _ _ _ _ ________ . ________ - __ - ______ --- . -----

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) _____________ . _______________ - _______ _ 

Alumina (Al20 3) ______ - _. ___ _ _ - __ -- __ --------------------------- ----- t 

Ferric oxide_ (Fe20 3) _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________ . _____________________ _ ______ f 

Sulphur __________________ . _____ . ·c ______ ______ _____ ______________ • ___ _ 

Phosphorus _________________________________________________ . _______ _ 

a Vol. H4, p.159; analysis by A. S. McCreath. 

No. 85. a 

12.160 

79.821 

3.601 

3.020 

.117 

.018 

No. 85.-Sewickley limestone from Robert Smith's quarry at Smiths Station, 

2 miles northeast of Blairsville: Compact; brittle; sparkling with calcite; bluish 

gray ~ irregular fract'!lre. 
CLAPP.] BEAVER VALLEY. 37 

BENWOOD LIMESTONE. 

The Benwood limestone is known in this region only on Elders 

Ridge and at one or two minor localities. On Elders Ridge it. occurs 

in several layers separated by variable intervals of shale, the whole 

deposit being reported to be at least 25 feet thick. rrhe limestone is 

reported on the J. and R. Smith farms, and outcrops on several 

rounded knobs in the vicinity, capped by a thin-bedded sandstone 

regarded as the division between the upper and)ower parts of the 

Benwood limestone. Only fragmentary patches of the limestone are. 

preserved, but what is left of it is smooth, light gray, and nonfossiliferous. It makes a strong lime, excellent for fertilizing purposes, 

and can be quarried at little expense. 

BEAVER VALLEY. 

Under this head will be discussed the few limestones of Beaver, 

Butler, and Lawrence counties. 

MERCER LIMESTONES. 

In the ''Mercer group," which occupies the middle of the Pottsville 

formation and occurs at an interval ranging from 110 to 135 feet 

below the Van port limestone, there are in Lawrence County two beds, . 

known as the Upper and Lower Mercer limestones. Of these, the lower 

is the 1:pore persistent, being reported as almost univer~ally present, 

but is always thin, with a maximum thickness of only 1 to 3 feet. On 

account of its great persistence it is valuable as a key rock in the 

region. 

The horizon of the Upper Mercer limestone is 20 to 35 feet above the 

lower bed. Although not so commonly present, it is sometimes of 

slightly greater thickness, occasionally as much as 4 feet. Neither 

of the beds, however, can be considered as having economic value. 

V ANPORT LIMESTONE. 

In Beaver Valley, as in the Allegheny Valley, the Vanport limestone ~s the most persistent, thickest, purest, and most massive 

limestone of the series. Its outcrop is shown by the blue line on 

Pl. V. 

Beaver County.-Over southern Butler and the greater part of 

Beaver the Vanport limestone lies deep beneath the surface, but 

along Ohio River it occurs above water level. It has a thickness of 

18 feet at Vanport, its type locality, 16 feet at Industry, 8 feet. at 

Merrill, and 10 feet at Fallston, on Beaver River; elsewhere where 

observed it is less than 5 feet thick, usually less than 1 foot, and is 

sometimes entirely absent. 
LD1E TONF. < F THWE. TER PE... . YL\" A~ I . 

"J h f ll ~Ying in TyO'art. 1m I'I'J' a Y np r : 

li n of l a 1p rt lim st ne at l-anport. 1 a. 1 

n ----- ·---

T taL __ 

i11to he 

ort ion i.· u: uall. 

() f t 11 

P tl' .r·.· 'JIW1Ty. ?tear 

No. ' i. (). i. 

4. 

3) --- 1.445 

\ '3 { ..-.. 1. ''" 1 

Alumina (Al2 3 ) --- •• - -. - . --

F rri xi<l (] t s) -- -- - --- -

. 01)7 . -· 0 

. 0 !) I 30 

ulphur __ _ __ ·--- .... ----

h phoru. · ___________ . 

I. M2, p . 297. 

F 

- 1 

1 

i) 

5 

rmpm·l Pa.a 

I .. o. o. 

I . 0 

93. 4 

1. 544 

1. v 9 1. 2: 

4 3 

I 40 I 47 

' mpa ·t, r ,I' brit 1 ,; irr 1lar fractur ' ' lor, dull 

IV J. ~,p. ft J. 

(1 wer b n ·h ): Hard 

e 1 r. blui h O'l'lt) and 

Ex · d-
Frome map Dubio~ eo y the Secc.no Geo.O!\·~ 'Su •ve1 P~n .sylv~ro d.189J 

1 :; -------...;.; :; u uuh•s 
CLAPP.] BEAVER VALLEY. 39 

The upper of the two beds is now burned· extensively at Vanport 

for lime, which is of high quality and excellent as a flux for iron, for 

which purpose it was once shipped extensively to Pittsburg. The 

lower bed is usually rejected, but there is no known reason why this 

portion should not be suitable for the same purpose. At the time of 

the construction of the Erie and Pittsburg Canal the limestone was 

used in manufacturing natural cement for the locks. 

Lawrence County.-ln Lawrence County the Vanport limestone is 

very extensively present, underlying nearly two-thirds of the county. 

It often attains greater thickness than In Beaver County, frequently 

expanding to 15 feet, and sometimes as much as 20 feet, in thickness. 

The rock is extensively quarried for furnace flux at Newcastle, and 

at other points throughout the county. One of the Newcastle quarries is shown in Pl. VI. At Wampum, on· Beaver River, the bed 

is 25 feet thick, and is quarried by the Crescent Portland Cement 

Company, which manufactures a cement, of supe;l'ior quality. The following analyses of . stone from the upper, middle, and lower strata 

were made for the company: 

Analyses of Vanport limestone from Wampum, Pa.a 

No. 90. No. 91. No. 92. 

Lime ( CaO) ________________ .. ________________ ___ ____ _ _ 

Magnesia (MgO) _____ _____ ____ ___ __ ; ______ ___ _____ __ _ 

Silica (Si02) _ ___ . -- . _ .. -- - __ - --- - _- . _--- . ---- -- - . - .. - ---

Alumina (Al20 3) _ . .. _ .. ..... .. -- ___ ---- ---- ---- - --- --

Ferric oxide (Fe20 3 ) _ .. . .. .. _. _____ . ___ -- -. - --- -- ----

Manganous oxide (MnO) . _. ____ . ______ .. ____ . _. ___ . ___ _ 

Sulphur ___ .. ______ .... __ _____ -. ___ . __ ________ ... _ . ___ _ _ 

Phosphoric oxide (P 20 5 ) __________ . ___ ____ ____ .. ___ __ _ 

Car bon dioxide ( C02

) __ ______ .. . _ . ____________________ _ 

Water and organic matter .. __ ____ . ___ __ .. ____ ______ .. 

b4g. 31 

e. 75 

4.50 

.21 

:1..77 

.20 

.06 

. 07 

40.54 

2. 59 I 

c·50.16 

f .42 

4.14 

.21 

1. 77 

1.20 

.20 

.05 

39.87 

2.03 

a Vol. Q2, p. 107; analysis by Robertson Brothers, of Pittsburg. 

b Corresponds to approximately 87.90 per cent of CaC03. 

cCorresponds to approximately 89.56 per cent of CaC03• 

dCorresponds to approximately 92.93 per cent of CaC03• 

eCorresponds to approximately 1.57 per cent of MgC03• 

!Corresponds to approximately 0.88 per cent of MgC03• 

g Corresponds to approximately 0.90 per cent of MgC03• 

No. 90.-Upper portion. 

No. 91.-Middle portion. 

No. 92.-Lower portion. 

d52. 04 

Y.43 

2.31 

.24 

1.18 

.22 

.17 

.04 

41.72 

1. 65 
4 

I'll 

LOIE. 'l E ' < F . )( 'l' HWT<.., TER P • YL\' I . ( nn.t.. ~.J • • 

nal un ' : 1 

nallJ of anport li m. t n . j1·om T.-m Ten e • unty, Pa. 

·.·.and J hn · 

park lin 

. !l:l . 

• . 010 

9:L :3+ 

I. 4.6 

• 1 a 

. 4 

\ ER FREEP R'I LI tiE. TC . E. 

. \}i . 

.0 

17 

ro. fl.i . 0 . 96. 

~. 1 I 05 

. 1 8 . 1.65 

. 03 I ?Q 
,.. 

uJ 

> 

a: 

:> 

<J) 

-' 

< 

u 

c:; 

g 

2 

0 

.; 

::i 
CLAPP.] ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS. 41 

AMES LIMESTONE. 

Several beds exist.in the Conemaugh formation, but all are thin 

and of little or no value. The most persistent bed is t.he Ames lime-. 

stone (Crinoidal), an impure and very fossiliferous bed averaging 230 

feet below the Pittsburg coal. The rock is often entirely com~osed 

of crinoid stems and spines and other fossils closely packed together, 

forming a limestone unlike any other Carboniferous bed. rrhis bed, 

on account of its dark-bluish-gray or greenish-gray color and peculiar 

fossiliferous appearance, is . an excellent reference datum over wide 

areas. It is, however. of no economic value, being difficult to burn, 

and is seldom used even for fertilizer. In thickness the bed ranges 

up to about 6 feet, and is occasionally double. 

ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS. 

The greater part of this region, including Clearfield, Cambria, and 

Somerset counties, is underlain by the Coal Measures, which have 

their eastern limit along the Allegheny Front, near the boundary of 

Blair and Bedford counties. East of this line the rocks have been 

eroded in plitees as deep as the Ordovician formations, while to the 

west all ·horizons are exposed from the Mauch Chunk to the base of 

the Monongahela formation. Only the region west of the main 

mountain crest will be considered in this report. 

Of the limestones of this district very little is known, only small 

areas having been covered by the present survey. From what has 

been seen the limestones seem to be of comparatively little value. 

Following are the most important features in regard to the several 

beds: 

LOYALHANNA LIMESTONE. 

This bed is well shown along the Pennsylvania Railroad, wherever 

its horizon is exposed, at points from Blairsville to the Allegheny 

Front, above Altoona. It is easily identified by {ts peculiar weathering, which is well shown in Pl. VII, A. This is reproduced from a 

photograph taken at the "Viaduct," 1 mile east of Mineral Point, 

Cambria County. It is equally well shown at Allegrippus, just above 

the Horseshoe Curve (Pl. VII, B), and where Laurel Hill and Chestnut · 

Ridge are cut by the Conemaugh west of Johnstown. Near the lastnamed place it is quarried ex'tensively and crushed for railroad ballast. 

JbHNSTOWN LIMESTONE. 

This is the" cement bed" of the Pennsylvania reports, so called 

because it was once quarried for natural cement. 1 In this region it 

was earlier known as the Ferriferous limestone, being confused with 

the Vanport bed, which exists farther west. Allowance for this mis1 See analysis No. 40, p. 28. 
LDLE '1' E THWE 'TER P (Rl" LL. -4· . 

"lnrtly . . -1 of .John. t ll'n lim .·ton from 0111 r. ·et ' wily, Ht . 

:ro . !l'i.u 

In lubl r . idu 

I lubl r idu 

ulphur . _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ . ___ _ 

Ph phom ________ ____ . ____ . . ___ _ 

I 

0 . !1 ,/1 0. !lH.« 

4. 739 

. 40!3 

. 1 (1 

. I ) 

. 04- . 

. ~9 1---. 

} 

. 1 6 I 

. l37 1 

.]OJ .rl 

1. f> a 

. ..... 61 

. 464 

- l3 

4. 244 

4.:393 

. a 5 

.142 

road (middl b n h ): Hard· 

quarr at J nn r r · road (l w r b n h )· mpact · 
lJ. WE ATHERED SURrACE OF THE LOYALHAN ALl ESTO EAT THE ' VIADUCT,'' 

I M I LE EAST OF Ml ERAL PO I N , CAMBRIA COU TY PA 

1 Photognp by R Co pb· II.) 
CLAPP.] ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS. 4o 

No. 100.-D. Rodger's quarry on Huskins Run, Shade Township: Hard; rather 

sandy; bluish gray. 

No. 101.-Trevorrow's quarry, near Davidsville: Very brittle; fine grained; 

bluish gray. 

No. 102.--J. Weaver's quarry, about three-fourth;; mile west of Scalp Level: 

. Compact; bluish gray: much coated wi~h iron oxide. 

No. 103.-J. J. Pile's quarry, near Spiesville, on Quemahoning Creek: Compact; brittle; bluish gray. 

No. 104.-Wilt's quarry, near Stoystown: Compact; fine grained; bluish gray. 

No. 105.-Reitz's quarry, 1t miles south-southeast of Friedenbli.rg: Hard; compact; bluish gray. 

No. 106.-Zimmerman's quarry, 3t miles southeast of Somerset: Compact; 

sandy; bluish gray; thickness over 6 feet. 

Of these arralyse~ it will be noticed that the first three are from 

different benches in the same quarry. The marked difference in 

composition illustrates the statement already made that several 

analyses from different portions of the bed should be, made in order 

to obtain a correct idea of its quality. 

FREEPORT LIMESTONES. 

Neither of the Freeport beds is of importance in the region, 

although they are known to be frequently present, and at a few 

points have been opened by farmers. The greatest known thickness 

is at the east end of the west-bound tunnel of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Gallitzin, where the following section of the Upper Freeport 

limestone has been measured. 

Section of Upper Freeport limestone at Gallitzin, Pa. 

Ft. In. 

Limestone ___ ___ ____ __ __________ ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 9 

Shale __ _____ __________ __ ___________ ________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 9 

Limestone ___ _ . _ _ _ _ _ __ . ___ __ __ _______ ______ c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 4 

Shale __ .. __ ____ ___ _ .. . ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 · 3 

Limestone ____ ____ . _____ , _ . ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 0 

Shale ___ __________ _______ .. ________ _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0 7 

Limestone with shale partings _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5 6 

Shale _____ ____________ __ ______ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _____ . _ _ _ 1 10 

Limestone __ ___ __ _________ ____ _ o -- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 8 

TotaL _________ __ ____ ___________ . __ ____ ____ __ . __ __ __ . _ 18 8 

At a small opening 2 miles east of Ashville, in Cambria ' County, a 

bed supposed to be one of the Freeport limestones has been observed 

to be over 6 feet. An entire thickness of over 15 feet is reported 

at this point, but the truth of the statement can not be vouched for. 

On the land of Dan Caldwell, 1 mile northwest of Glen Hope, in 

Clearfield County, the Upper Freeport limestone has been burned in. 

the past, and a sample from this locality showed the following composition: 
44 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [ BULL . 240. 

Analysis of Upper Freeport limestone from near Glen Hope, Pa. a 

No.l07. 

Insoluble residue ____ __ __ __ _____ _____ __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. 070 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03

) _________________ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 93. 810 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03

) ___________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1. 710 

Sulphur _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 053 

Phosphorus . ___ __ .. _________________________ . · ____ . ___________________ _ 

a Vol. H, p. liXi. 

\ 

.008 

At a few other points the beds have been burned locally for agricultural purposes. 

LIMESTONES OF THE CONEMAUGH AND MONONGAHELA FORMATIONS. 

Throughout the Conemaugh formation limestone beds are numerous, but are always thin, and can never be traced for long distances. 

In Cambria County the best-known exposures occur along the Pennsylvania Railroad cuts in the Wilmore basin between Summerhill 

and Munster, in which region beds up to 6 and 10 feet in thickness 

have been obs,erved, but are never known to be persistent. The 

majority of these beds occur in an interval about 300 to 400 feet, above 

the Upper Freep<1rt coal. 

Elk Lick limestone.-This bed of limestone attains considerable 

prominence in Somerset Copnty. It occurs from 200 to 240 feet below 

the Pittsburg coal, and in its best development reaches a thickness 

of 12 feet. This limestone has not been studied by the present survey, but the Second Survey reports it as of a light-gray color, often 

tinged with buff. At a quarry three-fourths of a mile north of Ursina 

the bed is said to be 10 feet thick and to yield lime of superior 

quality. Several analyses have been made, which show the following 

compositions: 

Analyses of Elk Lick limestone from Somerset County, Pa. 

No. 108.a No.109.b No. llO.b 

;:----------------------------=-----1 ------·---

Insoluble residue ___ . _____ __ __ __ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. 740 19. 800 

Calcium carbonate ( CaC03) ______________________ • _ _ _ _ 90. 803 ·55. 589 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03 ) _ --- - --- --------------- 2.738 14.224 

Ferrous carbonate (FeC03) _. _. _ ~ ______ _______ _____ _ __ } { 6. 835 

Alumina ____ __ ~ _____ .. __ _ ,_. __ . _____ . ______ . _________ . 1. 986 2. 886 

Sulphur ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 084 . 185 

Phosphorus ______________________________ __ __ . ____ . _ . .048 .032 

2.500 

89.522 

5.327 

1.812 

.224 

.245 

.016 

a Vol. H3, p. 259; analysis by D. McCreath. - bVol. M2, p. 291 (D. McCreath). 
CLAPP.] PAST AND PRESENT USES. 45 

No. 108.-Pittsburg Coal, Coke, and Iron Company's quarry, three-fourths of a 

mile north of Ursina: Exceedingly ·compact and fine grained; bluish gray; con- · 

choidal fracture; thickness, 10 feet. 

No. 109.-Elias Yoder's quarry, 1 mile west of Meyersdale: Hard; compact; 

bluish gray. 

No. 110.-Peter G. Berkey's quarry, near Jenner Crossroads: Compact; bluish 

gray; conchoidal fracture. 

Pittsburg, Redstone, and Sewickley limestones.-Of the I .ittle Pittsburg, Redstone, and Sewickley limestones, which occur in a small 

area in southern Somerset County, little is known except from the 

following analyses : 

Analyses of limestones from Somerset County, Pa. 

No. lll.a No. 112.b No. 113.c No.114 d 

Insoluble residue ___ . ____ ___ .. ___ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 20. 660 

Calcium carbonate (CaC03) _ _ _ . _____ _____ __ _ ,- _ 64.706 

Magnesium carbonate (MgC03) _ _ ., _ _ __ _ .. _ _ ___ . 

Ferrous carbonate (FeC03 ) _ . __ .. ... _ . _ _ 

Alumina (A~ ) --- -.-- - - - ~ • - - - -. - ----- ---- - -

Sulphur __ ____ ___ ______ ____ ___ __ ____ __ ____ __ . _ 

Phosphorus _____ ______ __ __ ___ __ _____ ____ ____ .. 

Carbonaceous matter ___ ____ __ __ .. 

2.156 

4.274 

1.700 

2.431 

. 751 

2.602 

4.040 

86.625 

6. 152 

} 1. 825 

. 093 

.023 

~ - - - - - - -

11.510 9.730 

74.803 69.160 

6.734 15.555 

{ 5. 282 3.935 

1.548 1.366 

. 052 .046 

.070 .017 

-- -- --- - --- ----

a Vol. H3, p. 75; analysis by A. S. McCreath. 

b Vol. M2, p . 289. 

cVol. H3, p . 92; analysis by D. McCreath. 

dVol. M2, p. 287; analysis by D.McCreath, 

No. 111.-Little Pittsburg limestone, from S. S. Flickinger's quarry, 2i miles 

north ofSalisbury: Compact, very brittle; structure somewhat slaty: color, dark 

bluish g~ay; carries considerable coaly matter and much pyrite. 

No. 112.-Redstone limestone, from M. J . Beechy's quarry, 2i miles southwest 

of Salisbury: Minutely crystalline; pearl gray; conchoidal fracture. 

No. 113.-Sewickley limestone, J. M. Hayes's quarry, 1 mile north of Salisbury: 

Hard; brittle; bluish gray. 

No. 114.-Sewickley limestone, from Saylor Hill quarry, three-fourths of a mile 

west of Meyersdale: Compact; brittle; yellowish gray. 

PAST AND PRESENT USES. 

As a rule the Carboniferous limestones of Pennsylvania are not 

suited for building stone, but many of them, when burned, form 

lime of excellent quality for agricultural, building, and fluxing pur- . 

poses. The most widespread use in the past has been as fertilizer, 

for which most of the beds are well adapted. The farmers have long 

since learned this, and the use of lime for this purpose is probably 

more prevalent in Pennsylvania than in any other State. 1 The pro1 The use of lime on P ennsylvania soils is discussed at length by William Frear in Bull. Pa. 

Dept. Agric. No. 61,1900, 170pages. 
46 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULL. 249. 

portion of farmers using lime on their land varies greatly in different 

counties, being generally, though not always, dependent on the 

amount of limestone available. The most extensive use is in Greene, 

Somerset, and Westmoreland counties, where over 75 per cent of the 

farmers use it to a greater or less extent. In Fayette, Cambria, 

Clarion, and Jefferson it is used by 50 to 75 per cent, in Indiana by 

25 to 50 per cent, in Armstrong by a few farmers only, and on the 

soils of Washington, Beaver, Lawrence, Butler, Allegheny, and 

Clearfield counties it is rarely used. 

A number of beds of limestone are worked for railroad ballast, 

especially the I.oyalhanna and Van port. For this and other purposes 

the Van port limestone is extensively quarried at West Winfield, in 

eastern Butler County. At this place it is mined by A. G. Morris 

and "used for ballast, concrete work, artificial stone, fluxing, and chemical purposes, and is burned into lime." The Loyalhanna limestone 

is used for paving blocks and is crushed for ballast o~ Youghiogheny 

River above Connellsville, on Loyalhanna Creek above Latrobe, and 

. on Conemaugh River below Johnstown. 

In the past a number of the beds, notably the Van port, Johnstown, 

and Benwood, have been used in making natural cement, which, 

among other purposes, was used in the construction of locks on the 

Erie and Pittsburg Canal and on Monongahela River. 

Perhaps the most important use of limestone at present is in the 

manufacture of Portland cement. For this cement a limestone of 

high grade is necessary. The percentage of magnesium carbonate, 

especially, must be less than 5 per cent, the amount of calcium carbonate should be at least 75 p_er cent, and the ratio of silica to 

alumina plus iron should be as 5 is to 2. However, as this ratio can 

usually be obtained by mixing with other raw materials, it is not 

necessary that the .stone should possess a composition strictly within 

these limits. Suitable limestones are not abundant in western Pennsylvania, but the Vanport is almost universally low enough in magnesia, and the Upper Freeport usually so. The majority of the beds 

show: in some places a suitable composition, but at other localities, 

and often in the same quarry, are entirely unsuitable. On account of 

the extensive outcrop of t,he Van port limestone there is in .this region 

a wide field for the founding of new Portland-cement factories. At 

present the only plant in this region is that of the Crescent Portland 

Cement Company at Wampum. . In eastern Ohio there are a few 

plants . . 
CLAPP.] LIMESTONES 01!' SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLV .ANI.A. _47 

SUMJ\'IARY .. 

The foregoing pages give, in brief, the extent of present knowledge 

of the limestones of western Pennsylvania. The economic importance of the beds may be summarized as follows: 

The limestones of the Pocono formation are probably of no value 

except for railroad ballast and paving blocks. 

The Greenbrier makes an excellent lime for fertilizer, and it has 

been· used to some extent as a flux. 

The, Mercer limestones are usually too thin to be of any value. 

The Vanport limestone is th~ purest bed known in western Pennsylvania.. Almost without exception it contains a fairly high percentage of lime, low percentages of magnesia, phosphorus, and silica, 

and probably may be depended upon as an excellent source of supply 

in Portland-cement manufacture. It also furnishes the best st.one for 

nearly all purposes for which limestone is used. 

The Johnstown limestone is of some value for burning into natural 

cement, but is wholly unsuited for Portland cement, containing as it 

does high percentages of magnesia. 

The Lower Freeport limestone is a thin bed, variable both in occurrence and in amount of impurities, and generally can not be depended 

upon for economic purposes. 

The Upper Freeport limestone is occasionally of workable thickness and usually of considerable purity. The majority of the analyses 

show a small percentage of magnesia, with about the right proportions 

of iron, alumina, and silica for cement-making limestone, for which 

purpose it is available in certain regions. 

The Ames limestone is of no economic importance. 

The Elk Lick limestone may be of some value in Somerset County, 

but little is known of it. 

The Pittsburg limestone seems to be of a moderate degree of purity, 

but' is usually thin and can probably be worked only loc~lly. 

The Redstone limestone has in the past been considerably used for 

fluxing purposes, but it appears to contain too much magnesia to be 

of value for Portland cement. 

The Sewickley limestone is shown by the only known analysis to be 

of considerable purity and probably suitable for cement manufacture. 

The Benwood limestone can be used for various purposes, but its 

analyses show that its quality is extremely variable. 

The Waynesburg limestone is a bed of good quality, which makesa strong lime. Its suitability for ooment has not as yet been tested. 

The Upper Washington limestone is reported to make lime of good 

quality, and if it maintains the appror:imate composition shown by the 

only known analysis, may be expected to be available for cement. 
48 LIMESTONES OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. [BULL. 249. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

AsHBURNER, C. A., and SHEAFER, A. J., SecondGeol. Survey Pa. Rept. R2. 

BuTTS, CHARLES, Description of Kittanning quadrangle, Geologic Atlas U. S., 

folio-, U.S. Geol. Survey. (In press.) 

---Description of Rural Valley quadrangle, Geologic Atlas U. S., folio -, 

U. S. Geol. Survey. (In press.) 

CAMPBELL, M. R., Description of Masontown-Uniontown quadrangles, Geologic 

Atlas U.S., folio 82, ·U. S. Geol. Survey, 1902. 

--- Description of Brownsville-Connellsville quadrangles, Geologic Atlas U. S., 

folio 94, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1903. 

---Description of Latrobe quadrangle, Geologic Atlas U.S., folio 110, U.S. 

Geol. Survey, 1904. 

CHANCE, H. MARTYN, Second Geol. Survey Pa. Rept. V2. 

FREAR, WILLIAM, The use of lime upon Pennsylvania soils, Pa. dept. agric., 

Bull. 61, 1900. 

LESLIE, J.P., D'INVILLIERS, E. v.,and SMITH, A. D. w., Second Geol. Survey Pa. 

Rept., vol. 3, pts. 1 and 2, 1895. 

PLATT, FRANKLIN, Second Geol. Survey Pa. Repts. H. and L. 

PLATT, F. and W. G., Second Geol. Survey Pa. Repts. H2 and H3. 

PLATT, W. G., Second Geol. Survey Pa. Repts. H4 and H5. 

RICHARDSON, G. B., Description of Indiana quadrangle, Geologic Atlas U.S., folio 

102,.U. S. Geol. Survey, 1904. -

STEVENSON, J. J., Second Geol. Survey Pa. Repts. K, K2, and K3. 

- STONE, R. W., Description of Waynesburg quadrangle, Geologic Atlas · U. S., 

folio -, U. S. Geol. Survey. (In press.) 

--- Description of Elders Ridge quadrangle, Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 

U. S. Geol. Survey. (In press.) 

WHITE, I, C., Second Geol. Survey Pa. Repts. Q and Q2. 

WooLSEY, L. H., Description of Beaver quadrangle, Geologic Atlas U.S., folio-, 

U. S. Geol. Survey. (In press.) 
INDEX. 

Page. 

A·llegheny formation, limestones of. ....... 10 

Allegheny Mountains, limestones in ........ 41-45 

Allegheny Valley, limestones in ............ 21-37 

map of portion of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Allegrippus, Loyalhanna limestone at, view 

of................................... 42 

Ames limestone in Beaver Valley, occurrence of............................. 41 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of........................ 10 

value of.. ............................... 47 

Armstrong County, Johnstown limestone 

from, analysis of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Upper Freeport limestone from, analyses of............................... 33 

Vanport limestone in, occurrence and 

composition of. .................... 23-25 

Beaver County, Vanport limestone in, occurrence and composition of. ...... 37-39 

Beaver Valley, limestones in . .. . ........... 37-41 

Benezette, Benezette limestone from near, 

analyses of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Vanport limestone from near, analysis 

of................................... 27 

Benezette limestone in Allegheny Valley, 

occurrence and composition of. . . . . 21 

maximum thickness of................. 10 

Benwood limestone, analyses of............ 17 

in Allegheny Val1ey, occurrence of...... 37 

·in Monongahela Valley, occurrence and 

composition of. .................... 16-17 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

value of................................ 47 

Big Run, limestone of Conemaugh formation from near, analyses of......... 36 

Black Lick Station, Johnstown limestone 

from, analysis of... . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. 29 

Blairsville, Sewickley limestone from near, 

analysis of ................. ~ .. : . . . . 36 

Upper Freeport limestone :from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Brandy Camp, Johnstown limestone from, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Lower Freeport limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Vanport limestone from, analysis of... 27 

Brandy Camp Creek, Upper Freeport limestone from, analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Brockport, Lower Freeport limestone from 

near, analysis of.................... 30 

Vanport limestone from, ana.lysis of... 27 

B rockwayville, Johnstown limestone from 

near, analysis of.................... 29 

Lower Freeport limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Page 

Brockwayville, Upper Freeport limestone 

from near, analysis of .. .. .. .. .. .. . 34 

Vanport limestone from ncar, analysis 

of. ..... . ................ :.... ....... 26 

Buffalo Mills, Van port limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Canonsburg, Benwood limestone from near, 

analyses of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Cement bed. See Johnstown limestone. 

Chambersville, Upper Freeport limestone 

· from near, analyses of.............. 33 

Clarion County, Upper Freeport limestone 

from, analyses of................... 34 

Vanport limestone in, occurrence and 

composition of. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 

Cochrans Mills, Johnstown limestone from 

near, analysis of.................... 29 

Conemaugh formation, limestones of.1••••• 10 

limestones of, in Allegheny Valley ..... 35-36 

limestones of Mo~ongahela formation 

and, in Allegheny Mountains ....... 44-45 

Corsica, Lower Freeport limestone from 

near, analysis of.................... 30 

Cowanshannock Creek, Vanport limestone 

on, analysis of.... ......... ......... 24 

Crinoidallimestone. See Ames limestone. 

Crooked Creek, Vanport limestone on, analysis of..................... . ........ 24 

Croton, Vanport limestone from near, analysis of.... .. ............... ......... 40 

Davidsville, Johnstown limestone from 

near, analysis of.................... 42 

Dayton, Upper Freeport limestone from 

near, analyses of.... .. ............. 33 

Deckers Point, Lower Freeport limestone 

from near, analysis of.............. 30 

Dowlingville, Van port limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Dunkard formation, limestones in......... 10 

limestones of, in Monongahela Vall ey .. 16- 18 

Elk County, Benezette limestone from, 

analyses of. ................. _·.. . .. . 21 

Johnstown limestone from, analysis of. 29 

Lower Freeport limestone from, analysis of......... . . .................... 30 

Upper Freeport limestone from, analysis of........... . . ..... . .......... . . 34 

Vanport limestone in, occurrence and 

composition of. .................... 26-27 

Elk Lick limestone in Somerset County, occurrence and composition of ....... 44-45 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 10 

value of ...... _. ..... .................... 47 

Fayette County, Pittsburg limestone from, 

analysis of......................... 14 

. 49 
50 INDEX. 

Page. 

Fayette County, Redstone limestone from, 

analysis of ...... _ ..... . _ .......... _ 15 

Sewickley limestone from, analysis of. . 15 

Ferriferous limestone. S ee Vanport limestone. 

Fishpot limes.tone. See Sewickley limestone. 

Five Points, Upper Freeport limestone from 

near, analysis of.......... ........ . . 33 

Fores.t County, Mercer limestone from, 

analysis of .... . ....... _ . _ ..... __ . _ . 22 

Freeport limestone. See Upper Freeport 

limestone; Lower Freeport limestone. · 

Freeport limestones in Allegheny Mountains, occurrence and composition of 43-44 

Frostburg, Upper Freeport limestone from 

near, analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Gallltzin, section at . . __ ___ __ ___ ___ _ . ___ . __ . 43 

Glen Hope, Upper Freeport limef?tone from near, analysis of. ____ __ ,_____________ 44 

Great limestone. See Benwood limestone. 

Greenbrier limestone in Monongahela Val- . 

ley, occurrence of. ......... . ...... _. 13 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of ........ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

value of. ..... _________ . _______ .. . _____ . 47 

Homer, Upper Freeport limestone from 

near, analysis of.. ............... . .. 33 

Huskins Run, Johnstown limestone from, 

analysis of. .................... _... 43 

Indiana County, Johnstown limestone from, analysis of . .. .... _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 29 

limestone of Conemaugh formation 

from, analysis of. ....... __ ... _____ . 36 

Lower Freeport limestone from, analyses of. .. _. __ .................... ,.. . 30 

Pittsburg limestone from, analysis of.. 35 

Sewickley limestone from, analysis of. . 36 

Upper Freeport limestone from, analyses of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Vanport limestone in, occurrence and 

composition of... .. .. . ........... .. 23 

Jacksonville, Upper Freeport limestone 

frpm near, analysis of. . ... .. . ..... . 33 

Jefferson County, Johnstown limestone 

from, analysis of. .... ___ ___ . .... ... 29 

limestones of Conemaugh formation 

from, analyses of.._._ . . ... _ .. . __ __ __ 36 

Lower Freeport limestone from, analyses of ........ . ... ... _ .. ___ . _. _ .... _ _ 30 

Upper Freeport limestone from, analyses of. . . .... .................... __ . . 34 

Vanport limestone in, occurrence and 

composition of. .... . . __ . ___ ..... . . . 26 

Jenner Crossroads, Elk Lick limestone from 

near, analysis of._ ...... __ ...... ____ . 44 

Johnstown limestone from, analyses of. 42 

Johnstown, Johnstown limestone from, ana·Jysis of ....... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 28 

Johnstown limestone, a.nalyses of . ...... 28, 29,42 

in Allegheny Mountains, occurrence and · 

composition of. ................ _ .. _ 41_::43 

Page. 

Johnstown limestone, in Allegheny Valley, 

occurrence and composition of. .... 27-29 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. ..... __ ................ 10 

value of. .••....... _ .. ..... ___ .. _. ...... 47 

Kellys station, Upper Freeport limestone 

from near, analysis of... .. ..... .... 13 

Kittanning, Van port limestone at, views of. 24, 26 

Kittanning Clay Manufacturing Company, 

Vanport limestone at quarry of, 

views of. ........ _ . .... .......... .. . 24,26 

Lawrence County, Vanport limestone in, 

occurrence and composition of. .... 39-40 

Leslie, J.P., and McCreath, A. S., on variations in limestone ...... _______ ._. __ 11 

Little Pittsburg limestone, analysis of.. ... 45 

Little Toby Creek, Vanport limest_one from, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

Logansport, section and analyses of Upper 

Freeport limestone at. ... _...... . .. 32 

Long Run, Vanport limestone from, analysis of ................ .. . . .... ___ . __ . 25 

Lower Barren measures. See Conemaugh 

formation. 

Lower Freeport limestone in Allegheny Valley, occurrence and composition of.. 30 

in Beaver Valley, occurrence of. .... . .. 40 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. ... .. . .... _____ . . __ .___ 10 

value of ........ . _ .. ___ ................. 4 7 

See also Freeport limestones . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Lower Productive measures. See Allegheny 

· formation. 

Loyalhanna limestone in Allegheny Mountains, occurrence of.. .. .... . ....... 41 

in Monongahela Valley, occurrence of.. 12 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of .... . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

views of ................ ...... ·-......... 42 

McCreath, A. S., and Leslie, J.P., on variations in limestone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Mahoning Creek, Vanport limestone on, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Manorville, section and analyses of Upper 

Freeport limestone near............ 31 

Mauch Chunk formation, limestones of..... 10 

Mead Run, Lower Freeport limestone from, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Mercer limestone, analysis of.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

in Allegheny Valley, occurrence and 

composition of . . .. _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

in Beaver Valley, occurrence of....... . 37 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. ...... . .. _ . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10 

Meyersdale, Elk Lick limestone from near, 

analysis of. .................... __ . . 44 

Sewickley limestone from near, analysis 

of. __ ...... . ........ . ..... _. . . . . . . . . . 45 

Mineral Point, Loyalhanna limestone near. 

view of. ........ ·_ ..... . . . _. _ .. _..... 42 

Monongahela formation, limestones in .. . . . 10 

limestones of Conemaughformation ahd, 

in Allegheny Mountains ............ 44-45 
INDEX. 51 

Page. 

Monongahela Valley, limestones in .... . .. .. 12- 21 

Mount Jackson, Vanport limestone from 

near, analysis of... . . .. .... .. . . . .... 40 

Mountain limestone. See Greenbrier limestone. 

New Athens, Upper Freeport limestone 

from, analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Newcastle, Vanport limestone from near, 

· analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

. Vanport limestone quarrjes at, view of. 40 

Perrysville, Johnstown limestone from 

near, analysis of.. . . . ....... . .... .. . 29 

Upper Freeport limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Pittsburg limestone, analysis of.. . . . . . . . . . 14,35 

in Monongahela .Valley, occurrence and · 

composition of.. ... ... . ..... .. . .... 14 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

value of......... . ... . . . . .. . ..... . . . .... 47 

See also Little Pittsburg limestone. 

Pocono formation, limestones of. . . . ... .. .. 10 

limestone of, value of ... .... . . _ .. . _ .. __ 47 

Pottsville formation, limestones of.._ . __ ,_ . 10 

Putneyville, Johnstown limestone from, 

analysis of .......... . .. .... ..... _. . 29 

Upper Freeport limestone from near, 

analysfs of. ... . . ... . ....... . :. _ , __ . 33 

Quemahoning Creek, Johnstown limestone 

from, analysis of ....... _ ... .. .. . . __ . 42 

Redstone limestone, analysis of . . . __ . _ .. . _ _ 15, 45 

in Monongahela Valley, occurrence and 

composition of. ....... .. .. . . . _ . . .. _ 14-15 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

value of. . ... . .. .. . . . .. . . . ...... ........ 47 

Reimersburg, Lower Freeport limestone 

from near, analysis of . . . . ... . . _ .. _. 30 

Richmond, Vanport limestone near, analysis of. . ...... . .. . . . ... .... . ...... . . 23 

Salina, Upper Freeport limestone from, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Salisbury, Little Pittsbu-rg, Redstone, and 

Sewickley limestones from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

Scalp level, Johnstown limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Sewickley limestone, analysis of ... . . _ .. . 15, 36, 45 

in Allegheny Valley, occurrence and 

composition of. . . .. . .. . ... .. . _.. . . . 36 

in Monongahela Valley, occurrence and 

composition of..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. . ..... .. ... . . .. _ .... .. _ 10 

value of . . . ....... --· ·· ··· . . . .. .. . _ .•. _ 47 

Siliceous limestone. See Loyalhanna limestone. 

Slate Lick, Upper Freeport limestone from 

near, analyses of... ..... .... . . ... . . 33 

Smithport, Johnstown limestone from near, 

analyses of. . ........ . .. .... ...... _. 29 

Smiths Station, Sewickley limestone from, 

analysis of. . . . • . . . • . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 36 

Page. 

Somerset, Johnstown limestone from near, 

analysis of.... . .............. .. .... 42 

Somerset County, Elk Lick limestone in, 

occurrence and composition of. __ _ .. 44-45 

Johnstown limestone from, analyses of. 42 

Little Pittsburg, Sewickley, and Redstone limestones from, analyses of. 45 

Spiesville, Johnstown limestone from near, 

analysis of ......... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Spraijkles Mills, Vanport limestone from 

near, analysis of. __ __ .. . . . _ .. _. . . ... 26 

Stevenson, J. J., on Loyalhanna limestone. . 12 

Stoystown,J ohnstown limestone from near, 

analysis of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Tionesta limestone. See Mercer limestone. 

Toby Creek, Vanport limestone from, analysis of... .. .. ... .... .. .............. 27 

Uniontown, Pittsburg limestone from near, 

analysis oi . ..... ..... ... _. . . .. . . . .. 14 

Redstone limestone from near, analysis 

of . . . ... .. .... . . ..... . .... ......... . 15 

Uniontown limestone, maximum thickness 

of. . . . _. ... . .... . .. . ... . .... . .. . ... . . 10 

Upper Barren measures. See Dunkard formation. 

Upper Freeport limestone, analyses of.. . . . 13, 

31, 32, 33, 34,44 

in Allegheny Valley, occurrence and 

composition of..................... 31 

in Beaver Valley, occurrence of. . . . . . . . . 40 

in Monongahela Valley, occurrence and 

composition of... ... . . . .... ..... . .. 13 

section of... . ... . ..... .... . . ... . .... . ... 43 

stratigraphic position and maximum ' 

thickness of.. .. .. .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . 10 

value of... . ........ .. .. . .. .. ........... 47 

See also Freeport limestone. 

Upper Productive measures. See Monongahel~ formation. 

Upper Washington limestone in Monongahela Valley, occurrence and composition of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

valueof .. . . ........ ... ... ·· ··· ·· ···· ·· 47 

Ursina, Elk Lick limestone from near, analysis of ... . . .. _ . ....... . ......... . . . ~ 44 

Uses of limestones, discussion of ... . ....... 45-46 

Vanport, section at ... -.... ........... .. 38 

Vanport limestone from near, analyses 

of........ ..... ... . .... . .... . . . ...... 38 

Vanport limestone, analyses of....... .. ... 23, 

24, 25, 26, 27, 38, 39,40 

in Allegheny Valley, occurrence and 

composition of ......... .... .. ..... . 22-27 

in Beaver Valley, occurrence and composition of. ..... . .. . .... .. .. .. . . ... 37-40 

outcrop of, maps showing ........ . . . . .. 22,38 

section of .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

stratigraphic position and maximum 

thickness of. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 10 

valueof.... . ....... .. .................. 47 
52 INDEX. 

Page. 

Vanport limestone, views of, plates showing ................ __ __ .. _. __ . __ . 24, 26, 40 

Wampum, Vanport limestone from, analyses of. __ . __ ... _ ....... _ .. _ .. ... _ .. _ _ 39, 40 

Washington, section near.. _ . ______ . __ . _ . . _ 20 

Upper W asbington limes tone from near, 

analysis of.._ ... _._. ___ . .. . _........ 21 

Washington County, Benwood limestone 

from, analyses of._ ... _ ..... __ ._ .. _. 17 

Washington limestone. See Upper Wash-. 

ington limestone. 

Waynesburg limestone in Monongahela 

Valley, occurrence of... ............ 17 

·o 

Page. 

Waynesburg limestone, stratigraphic position and maximum thickness oL _ _ _ 10 

value of .. .. ... __ . ___ . _ ... ___ ____ . _. _ .. _ 47 

West Lebanon, Pittsburg limestone from, 

analysis of __ ... _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 35 

Westmoreland County, Upper Freeport 

limestone from, analyses of_ .. _ .. _ _ 13 

White, I. C., on Pittsburg limestone near 

Wheeling, W. Va____ ____ _____ ___ ___ 14 

Woodville, Upper Freeport limestone from 

near, analysis of.._ .. __ . ______ . ___ .. 34 

Worthville, Vanport limestone from near, 

analysis of. ...... _ ..... __ .... _..... 26