Property of the United States

Bulletin No. 286 . A' Economic Geology, 74 

B) Descriptive Geology, 93

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUKVEY

CHAllLES D. WALCOTT, DJKECTOK

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PENNSYLVANIA

(SOUTHERN BEAVER AND NORTHWESTERN ALLEGHENY 

COUNTIES)

LESTER II. \VOOLSEY

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT FEINTING OFFICE 

1906

CONTENTS.

 Page.

Preface ..............................-..--.-.----.------ --- -.--- ..--.. 1

Geography............................................................... 1

Location............................................................. 1

Drainage ....................................................r ....... 2

Relief ............................................................... 2

Effect on human affairs..................................... 1......... 3

Geology.................................................................. 3

Stratigraphy......................................................... 3

Kocks not exposed ............................................... 3

Pottsville formation .......................................... 3

Mauch Chunk formation...................................... 5

Pocono-Catskill rocks......................................... 5

Introduction............................................. '5

Burgoon sandstone....................................... 5

Berea sandstone.......................................... 6

Red shale................................................ 7

Hundred-foot sandstone .-....'............................ 7

Gordon sandstone........................................ 7

Fourth sandstone......................................... 8

Depths of oil and gas sands................................ 8

Eocks exposed................................................... 8

Carboniferous system......................................... 8

Pennsylvania!! series ...................................... 8

Pottsville formation .................................. 8

Allegheny formation ................................. 9

Introduction..................................... 9

Brookville coal.................................... 10

Clarion coal...................................... 10

Van port limestone................................ 11

Lower Kittanning coal and clay ...............'.... 11

Middle Kittanning (Darlington?) coal ............. 12

Upper Kittanning coal............................ 13

Freeport sandstone............................... 13

Lower Freeport coal.............................. 14

Butler sandstone ................................. 15

Upper Freeport coal.............................. 15

Conemaugh formation ................................ 1.6

Introduction..................................... 1.6

Mahoning sandstone.............................. 17

Brush Creek coal................................. 18

Bakerstown coal.................................. 18

Platt (?) coal......................i.............. 19

Ames limestone ....................'.............. 19
IV CONTENTS.

Geology Continued. Page. 

Stratigraphy Continued.

Rocks exposed Continued.

Carboniferous system Continued. 

Pennsylyauian series Continued.

Conemaugh formation Continued.

Elk Lick coal..................................... 19

Morgantown sandstone ........................... 20

Pittsburg limestones.............................. 20

Monongahela formation............................... 20

Introduction....................................... 20

Pittsburg coal.................................... 20

Quaternary system ........................................... 21

Pleistocene series......................................... 21

Kansan (?) deposits .................................. 21

AVisconsin deposits ................................... 22

Alluvial deposits ..................................... 22

Structure ............................................................ 23

Introduction ......................... T ........................... 23

Method of representing structure.................................. 23

Detailed geologic structure........................................ 24

Use of structure contours......................................... 25

Mineral resources ...........................;............................ 26

Coal......................................................... ...... 26

Introduction..................................................... 26

Coals of Allegheny formation .... 1................................ 27

Brookville coal............................................... 27

Clarion coal.................................................. 28

Lower Kittanning coal........................................ 28

Detailed description...................................... 28

Summary................................................ 33

Middle Kittanning (Darlington?) coal......................... 33

Detailed description ...................................... 33

Summary................................................. 37

Upper Kittanning coal......................................... 37

Lower Freeport coal ....*...................................... 38

Detailed description...................................... 39

Summary................................................. 42

Upper Freeport coal........................................... 43

Detailed description...................................... 43

Summary................................................. 53

Coals of Conemaugh formation.................................... 54

Brush Creek coal............................................. 54

Coals of Monongahela formation .................................. 54

Pittsburg coal................................................ 54

Analyses of coals................................................. 54

Clay................................................................ 55

Introduction...................................................... 55

Origin and general composition.................................... 56

Kinds _..............-.....--..........-....----.-----.-...-...-. 56

Clays of Allegheny formation............................. 1........ 57

Brookville clay............................................... 57

Clarion clay................................................... 57

Lower Kittanning clay........................................ 58
CONTENTS. V

Mineral resources Continued. ' Page. 

Clay Continued.

Clays of Allegheny formation Continued.

Middle Kittanning (Darlington?) clay ............................. 61

Lower Freeport clay.................. ....................... 62

Upper Freeport clay ........................................... 62

Bolivar clay.................................................. 64

Quaternary clays. ..................................... .......... 64

Shale................................................................. 65

Introduction..................................................... 65

Shales of Allegheny formation .....,.........:..........-........... 65

Shales of Conemaugh formation ................................... 66

Clay industries.... ................................................... 66

Introduction....................................................... 66

History and development.......................................... 67

Pottery....................................................... 67

Refractory materials.......................................... 68

Tubular ware................................................... 68

Building materials............................................ 69

Paving materials ............................................. 70

Summary..................................................... 71

Production....................................................... 71

Petroleum and natural gas ............................................. 76

Petroleum ....................................................... 76

Introduction.................................................. 76

History and development...................................... 76

Smiths Ferry field........................................ 76

Shannopin field .......................................... "77

Hookstown field ......................................... 78

Scattered wells............................................ 78

Production................................................... 78

Natural gas .........................'............................. 79

Introduction................................................. 79

History and development...................................'.. 79

New Sheffield pool ....................................... 79

Scattered wells........................................... 80

Production...... ............................................ 80

Conclusions...................................................... 8.1.

General...................................................... 81

Relation to structure.......................................... 81

Possible new fields ........................................... 82

List of gas arid oil wells.............................'.............. 83

Limestone ........................................................... 83

Introduction..................................................... 83

Vanportlimestone................................................ 83

Lower Freeport limestone....:.........................-.......... 85

Upper Freeportlimestone......................................... 86

Local limestone .................................................. 87

Ames limestone .................................................. 87

Sandstone ........................................................... 88

Introduction ...................................................... 88

'Freeport sandstone ............................................... 88

Butler sandstone ................................................. 88

Mahoning sandstone............................................... 88

Morgantown sandstone ............................................ 89

Sand ..................................:............................. 89
VI CONTENTS AND ILLUSTKATIONS.

Pago.

Agriculture ................................................................ 89

Transportation........................................................... 89

Water power............................................................. 90

Appendix................................................................ 90

Triangulation points.................................................. 90

Dawson, Beaver County .......................................... 90

McCleary, Beaver County......................................... 91

Bunker Hill, Beaver County ...................................... 91

Gilliland, Beaver County .......................................... 91

Weir, Allegheny County........................................... 92

Big Knob, Beaver County ......................................... 92

Dickson, Allegheny County....................................:.. 92

Smiths Ferry, Beaver County ..................................... 93

Bench marks................................... ...................... 93

Index .......:........................................................... 125

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. 

PLATES I, II. Well sections in Beaver County ............................... 6

III. A, Upper dam on Beaver River, New Brighton, looking east; 

B, Wisconsin gravel terrace at New Brighton, east end of 

Beaver Falls bridge.................. 1..................... 8

IV-VII. Columnar sections of Allegheny formation .................... 10

VIII. Map showing economic geology of Beaver quadrangle........ Pocket.

Fro. 1. Map showing position of Beaver quadrangle ......................... 2

2. Brookville and Clarion coal sections................................ 27

3,4. Lower Kittanning coal sections, northeast region.......;............ 28,29

5, 6. Lower Kittanning coal sections, northwest region ................... 30

7. Lower Kittanning coal sections, southeast region.................... 31

8. Lower Kittanning coal sections, southwest region ................... 32

9,10. Middle Kittanning coal sections, northeast and northwest regions.... 34

11. Middle Kittanning coal sections, northwest region................... 35

12,13. Middle Kittanning coal sections, southeast and southwest regions..... 36

14,15. Upper Kittanning coal sections, northeast and northwest regions..... 38

16. Lower Freeport coal sections, northeast region...................... 39

17,18. Lower Freeport coal sections, northwest region ..................... 40

19, 20. Lower Freeport coal sections, southeast region ...................... 41

21. Lower Freeport coal sections, southwest region...................... 42

22. Upper Freeport coal -sections, northeast region...................... 43

23, 24, 25, 26. Upper Freeport coal sections, northwest region ......... 44, 45, 46,47

27, 28. Upper Freeport coal sections, southeast region ...................... 47,48

29,30,31, 32. Upper Freeport coal sections, southwest region ......... 49, 50,51, 52

33. Brush Creek coal sections......................................... 54

34. Pittsburg coal sections............................................ 54

35. Triangulation stations controlling Beaver quadrangle ............... 90
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE BEAVER QUADRANGLE, 

PENNSYLVANIA.

By LESTEK H. WOOLSEY.

PREFACE.

The field work on the area covered in this report was begun early in July, 1902, 

and continued throughout the summer. Early in September Mr. M. I. Goldman 

joined the writer and assisted in the areal mapping for one month. During the 

following winter the instrumental results were found to be too much in error for 

drawing structural contours at 20-foot intervals. Consequently in the spring of 1.903 

the field was again taken by the writer and Mr. F. G. Clapp, and the elevations on 

outcrops of the key strata previously determined by aneroid were checked by level. 

The results were surprising and gratifying. The larger part of this work was accomplished by Mr. Clapp, who also collected other geologic data and several hundred 

records of wells in Beaver and Allegheny counties. In August, 1903, the writer was 

transferred to western work, and his time has since been divided between two 

areas. The engraved topographic map of the Beaver area was finished in March, 

1904. In the summer of 1904 Mr. Clapp spent a few days in obtaining special information on the clay industries of Beaver quadrangle. This data has by correspondence been brought up to date (May, 1905), and. enlarged so as to cover most of 

Beaver County.

From Mr. M. R. Campbell, geologist in charge of fuels and other natural hydro- 

. carbons, the writer has received such oversight and criticism as makes mention of 

gratitude here totally inadequate. The preparation of the report has been facilitated 

by various courtesies of the oil, gas, and clay companies operating in this region. 

Special acknowledgment is due to Mr. R. R. Hice, of the Fallston Fire Clay Company, a member of the Pennsylvania Topographic and Geologic Survey Commission, 

for data on the New Sheffield gas field and other valuable information.

GEOGRAPHY. 

LOCATION.

The Beaver quadrangle is located in western Pennsylvania, with its western boundary about 1 mile from the Ohio State line. The whole area, except the southeast 

corner, which includes a triangular portion of Allegheny County, lies in Beaver 

County, and through its middle in a general westerly direction flows Ohio River. 

Near the junction of Ohio and Beaver rivers is situated the town of Beaver, which 

gives its name to the quadrangle. The quadrangle extends from latitude 40° 30' on 

the south to 40° 45' on the north, and from longitude 80° 15' on the east to 80° 30' 

on the west, including^one-sixteenth of a square degree of the earth's surface, or an 

area of about 227 square miles.

1
2 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

DBAISTAGE.

The Beaver quadrangle is drained by Ohio River and its tributaries, the Ohio cutting the quadrangle into northern and southern portions. The drainage of the 

northern portion is mainly through Beaver and Little Beaver rivers. The former, 

entering the Ohio near Beaver, drains the larger part through Brady and Blockhouse 

runs. Little Beaver River, on the other hand, lying mostly in Ohio, controls the 

drainage of the smaller part through Brush, Bieler, and Island runs. Besides these 

streams, several small runs enter Ohio River and drain a narrow belt along its 

northern bank.

The drainage of the southern portion is carried chiefly by Raccoon Creek, which 

is the outlet for over two-thirds of this portion. The remainder is drained by smaller 

streams which enter the Ohio.

RE ^j ELK fv\ f

^/CAMBRIA, 

Altoo^a.

/

-u ,r / / \ ft? / <CUMBERLAKI> y-~~^..s~\ ' W ' «

'v&.-^J V ( v \

X 'AYETXE ,'SOMERSET'BEDFORD/

FIG. 1. Map showing position of Beaver quadrangle. 

BELIEF.

The cutting of these streams has formed the hills and valleys of this region, .whose 

local difference in elevation constitutes the relief of the country. Thus, north of the 

Ohio the highest land, or main divide, rising about 600 feet above the river, lies in 

general near the Lisbon road and extends from near Beaver through Fairview and 

Blackhawk. Spurs from this divide offer minor divides for small streams. The 

relief of the area lying between Beaver River and Crow Run is about 550 feeiabove 

Ohio River. The tributaries south of the Ohio form a main divide which extends in 

general from Kendall northeastward through McCleary and rises at most 650 feet 

above the river. The spurs lying between laterals of- Raccoon Creek and small 

streams entering the Ohio are of uncommon length and make the relief of most of 

the country north of the divide about 450 feet above the river and southwest of the 

divide 550 feet above. The region within the quadrangle east of Raccoon Creek has 

an extreme relief of 550 feet, but, as it is deeply dissected, there is very little flat land.

The smaller streams of this quadrangle, as will be seen from the topographic map,
BOOKS WOT EXPOSED. 3

have in general rather narrow, precipitous valleys, displaying but a small expanse 

of flood plain. But ancient flood plains are still preserved as a peculiar feature of 

the surface relief in terraces along Ohio and Beaver rivers and Raccoon Creek. 

These will be discussed in detail later, but it may be stated here that the river ter-. 

races show two well-marked levels about 150 and 250 feet, respectively, above water 

level. The abandoned valley of Raccoon Creek, in which New Sheffield is situated, 

lies at about the latter elevation.

EFFECT ON HTJMAX AFFAIRS.

Topographic features control in a large measure man's activities. Beaver and Ohio 

rivers, exposing beds of valuable mineral deposits, such as clay and coal, offer facilities for mining operations; broad terraces provide admirable sites for large plants 

and towns; the even grade of the river valleys influences their selection for lines of 

railway; narrow, swift streams furnish cheap water power for various industries, and 

the flat divides and level flood plains invite farming. All these natural advantages 

are illustrated and utili/ed in the Beaver quadrangle to a degree so evident by the 

map that description is unnecessary.

GEOLOGY.

STRATIGRAPHY.

The consolidated rocks exposed at the surface in the Beaver quadrangle are 

entirely of the Carboniferous age. There are, however, certain unconsolidated 

rocks, such as glacial deposits and river gravels, which belong to the Quaternary 

age. The Carboniferous rocks are divided into the Mississippianand Pennsylvania!! 

series. For convenience of economic and scientific study, geologists early divided 

these series into sepatate formations, based on fossil and lithologic characteristics. 

In this quadrangle the Mississippian series is represented by the Pocono formation, 

while the Pennsylvania!! is represented by the Pottsville, Allegheny, Conemaugh, ' 

and Monongahela formations. The general characteristics of these formations are 

only outlined, especial attention being here given to various members of local 

importance. Not all the Carboniferous rocks are exposed, while the Devonian 

rocks, immediately below, have not been uncovered by erosion, and all that is 

known of the unexposed rocks of these systems is secured from records of deep 

wells.

BOCKS XOT EXPOSED.

POTTSVILLE FORMATION.

In the Beaver quadrangle this formation lies conformably beneath the Allegheny 

formation above and unconformably upon the Pocono below. It is named from 

Pottsville, in the anthracite coal field, where it is .1,200 feet thick. Toward the 

east, in the bituminous coal field, it has thinned to about 200 feet. Both in the 

anthracite and bituminous coal fields it generally carries some workable coal, clay, 

or limestone. In eastern Pennsylvania these lie between two heavy conglomeratic 

members, which there form the top and bottom of the formation; in western Pennsylvania coals occur not only between these members, but between the lower one 

and a third sandstone bed which here is developed at the base of the formation. 

The upper group of coal, clay, and limestone has been named the Mercer group, 

from Mercer County, where they are typically developed, while the lower coal is 

designated Sharon coal, because of its good development at Sharon, Mercer County. 

The three sandstone members have been named, from the top downward, Homewood, Connoquenessing, and Sharon, respectively."

a Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Bull. Q4, p. 55.
4 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRATSTGLE, PA.

In the counties north of Beaver, where the whole.section of this formation is 

exposed, I. C. White has found a total thickness of 250 to 275 feet. In the Beaver 

quadrangle, however, not much of .the formation is exposed, and information regarding its character and thickness is gathered from the logs of deep wells. In this 

region complete well records, carefully kept, are the exception. Mr. F. G. Clapp 

and the writer have collected about 700 records in Beaver county, of which nearly 

300 belong to wells within the Beaver quadrangle. Of the latter number only 14 

have been selected for study. These, together with a few complete records from 

wells outside but near the boundaries of the quadrangle, are published on Pis. I and 

II. These sections show great apparent variations in the thicknesses and kinds of 

rocks encountered at the same horizon. Such variations are due in part to the difficulty of recognizing the kind of. rock by the action of the drill while passing through 

it, and also, seemingly, to the rather careless manner in which records are kept.

Nevertheless, the Pottsville and its members may be recognized in a more or less 

general way. If its thickness here be assumed to be nearly the same as farther 

north that is about 250 feet it seems usually to include two sandstones, between 

which occur coals and shales. Sometimes, however, a third lower sandstone 

appears afeo to belong to this formation. The shales separating the beds may be 

overlooked in drilling and the well logs may consequently show different numbers 

of sandstones. Naming the sandstones Homewood, Connoquenessing, and Sharon, 

from the top downward, may therefore quite as often be wrong as right. For convenience of description, however, the name Homewood is applicable to the topmost 

bed, Connoquenessing to the one next below, and Sharon to the third when present. 

In the southern part of the quadrangle, in Hanover township, well logs show two 

rather distinct beds of sandstone which may perhaps be correlated with the Hoinewood and Connoquenessing members of the Pottsville. In the Nelson well, for 

example, the upper bed has a thickness of 80 feet and the lower bed a thickness of 

50 feet. The Lee well also shows two beds at this horizon, but they have nearly 

twice the thickness of those just described, and it is a question whether both belong 

to the Pottsville. The lower bed, however, seems, from stratigraphic relations, 

certainly to belong to the Pottsville, and may, indeed, represent both Homewood 

and Connoquenessing, the separating shale being either absent or disregarded in the 

record. Normal conditions recur in the records of Moon, Independence, and Hopewell townships. The Bridgewater, Vandergrift, and McElhaney wells indicate two 

sandstones separated by a black slate or coal member, which perhaps represents the 

Mercer coal horizon. No coal, however, was noticed in the Johnston well, though 

the record carefully details three sandstone members.

Records from wells on the Hamilton and Poe farms, near Georgetown, in the westcentral part of the quadrangle, do not distinguish clearly between the members of 

the Pottsville formation, though at this horizon there is a sandy member (probably 

two in the Poe well) 25 to 75 feet thick. Near the mouth of Raccoon Creek, however, the Charles Deens well reveals in this position several distinct sandstone beds 

separated by dark shale. The upper two, and perhaps three, probably belong to the 

Pottsville formation, while the dark slates may represent the Pottsville coals. In 

this record the sandstone members, from the top downward, have a thickness of 50, 

75, and 30 feet. Still farther north a line of wells extending from Ohioville through 

Beaver Falls into New Sewickley Township show the Pottsville formation more or 

less distinctly. Of these sections, those between Ohioville and Beaver Falls represent 

the Pottsville, with no additional details, merely as a single or double bed of sandstone about 75 feet thick. But the records at Beaver Falls and farther east show two 

distinct and well-marked sandstone members. A coal above the uppermost is probably the Brookville. Between the two members themselves is an interval of about 

100 feet, containing in the upper part sometimes a bed of coal or black slate, toward 

the middle one of iron ore or limestone, and elsewhere shale. The thickness of the
ROCKti NOT EXPOSED. 5

two sandstone beds varies from 20 to 50 feet in the case of the Homewood and from 

25 to 100 feet in the case of the Connoquenessing. In nearly all the sections throughout the quadrangle a shale bed of variable thickness occurs at the base of the formation. Whether this belongs to the Pottsville or to the Pocono can not, without 

fossil and other stratigraphic evidence, be stated with certainty.

MAUCH CHUNK FORMATION.

Below the Pottsville formation, in some parts of western Pennsylvania, occurs the 

Mauch Chunk formation, containing 150 to 250 feet of red and green shale, with a 

green flaggy sandstone and a blue fossiliferous limestone near the base. Where this 

formation is present it is usually shown in well records, because its red color makes 

it easily recognized by drillers. In this quadrangle, as will be seen from the sections 

(Pis. I, II), no such red beds seem to occur immediately below the Pottsville formation. This appears to be good evidence therefore that the Mauch Chunk formation ia 

absent. It has also been shown to be absent or patchy farther north, in the Kittanning and Rural Valley quadrangles; and from all the evidence now available it seems 

a rather well-established far.t that there is an unconformity at the base of the Pottsville formation.

POCONO-CATSKILL ROCKS.

Introduction. The Mauch Chunk being absent the Pocono-Catskill rocks lie unconformably beneath the Pottsville. In eastern Pennsylvania the Pocono rests conformably upon the Catskill red beds (uppermost Devonian), but is easily separable 

from them by lithologic characters. There the Pocono, named from the Pocono 

Mountains, measures over 1,000 feet and consists largely of sandstones; while the 

Catskill is about 2,000 feet thick and is composed chiefly of red and greenish rocks. 

Toward the west, however, distinction is less certain, for the reason that red shales 

of Catskill character interbed with, rocks of Pocono type. This is the condition disclosed by logs of deep wells in the Beaver quadrangle, where thin beds of red rocks 

are distributed through a considerable thickness of sandstones, with no sharp dividing 

plane between them. Since from well records alone the only means of identifying 

the Catskill formation is by the presence of red rocks, it is manifestly impossible to 

draw a definite boundary between the Catskill and Pocono. For this reason no such 

line has been attempted and the rocks of both formations are discussed together. In 

general this group appears to consist of alternating sandstone and shale. Certain of 

these, namely, the Burgoon, Berea, and Hundred-foot sandstones and the red shale, 

can be easily traced and are important enough both stratigraphically and economically to deserve separate discussion.

The top of this group that is; the top of the Pocono is well marked throughout 

much of Pennsylvania by a sandy calcareous member commonly designated the 

"siliceous limestone," but named Loyalhanna limestone in the Kittanning folio. a . The well records of the Beaver region, with the possible exception of the Vandergrift 

well in Independence Township, do not show this .limestone, but it might be easily 

overlooked in drilling. If part of the shale member referred to above as possibly 

belonging to the lower shales of the Pottsville formation is not a part of the Pocono, 

the latter formation, as shown in the well sections, has in the Beaver quadrangle as 

its topmost member a heavy sandstone. This sandstone will be called in this report 

the Burgoon sandstone, the term being used in the same sense as in the Kittanning 

folio.

Burgoon sandstone. This member is named from Burgoon Kun, in the Kittanning 

region. It is variously known among drillers of this quadrangle as the "Mountain" 

or "Big Injun" sand, andin a few instances has been called "Glass Rock" or "Mur-

"Geologic Atltis U. S., folio 115, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1904.
6 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

dockville" sand. This sandstone is at an average distance of 525 to 600 feet below 

the Upper Freeport coal. Among drillers it is usually thought to consist of one member, but a lower and accompanying bed may be considered as belonging to it. The 

thickness of the upper member, according to the well records, is extremely variable, 

apparently ranging from a knife-edge to 150 feet. Records from two wells in the 

southern part of the quadrangle (Clutter and Lee wells, PI. I) indicate a thickness of 

200 to 300 feet; but in other sections and in many skeleton records at hand the usual 

thickness is given as about 75 feet. It is possible, therefore, that instances of extreme 

thickness are due either to faulty records or to the fact that this sand is separated 

from a Pottsville member by an interval too small for the driller to recognize, as 

may be expected along an unconformity. The lower member is a thin sandstone 

bed accompanying the Burgoon sandstone proper. It is usually about 25 feet thick, 

rarely increasing to 100 feet, and is separated from the upper member by 30 to 50 feet 

of shale. The base of the lower member approaches the base of the Pottsville (Pis. 

I and II) toward the north, perhaps because of the unconformity under the latter. 

The Burgoon sandstone is characterized by drillers as being gray or white, varying 

from a hard, fine-grained to a soft, medium coarse rock. It is generally persistent 

throughout the oil and gas regions of this territory, so far as partial records show, but 

the greater number of records give only the sand at the bottom of the well, which is 

usually below the Burgoon horizon.

Underlying the Burgoon sandstone and extending about 300 to 350 feet below its 

top is a series of beds usually composed of shales and shaly sandstones, with here 

and there a-sandstone lens. This series rests upon the Berea sand and seems to thin 

somewhat toward the north, bringing the base of the Burgoon and the top of the 

Berea closer together.

Berea sandstone. The Berea sandstone takes its name from Berea, Ohio. From 

this place it has been traced in deep wells, by drillers, across the State into Beaver 

County, Pa., and the stratum there called Berea is supposed to be the same as that outcropping at the type locality which is commonly referred by paleontologists to the 

Pocono formation. It is a white or gray sandstone, varying from a hard, fine-grained 

rock to one coarse and loose. One section, that of the Economy No. 2 well (PL II), 

records it as a pebbly sandstone. Though somewhat variable in character, it is particularly persistent throughout the drilled portions of the quadrangle, and its position 

in the formation is between 825 and 900 feet below the Upper Freeport coal, the most 

reliable data averaging 880 feet. It is not certain, however, from skeleton records 

that drillers in all cases identified the same stratum as Berea. They may occasionally have correlated it with the so-called "gas sand," 40 to 80 feet below. Nevertheless, the names Berea and "Smiths Ferry" appear to be used interchangeably for 

the same bed in Ohio, Greene, and Hanover townships. A few records also show a 

coal at 700 to 750 feet above the sand, which is very probably the Lower or Middle 

Kittanning.

The Berea sand has a thickness varying from 25 to 50 feet.' In some instances, 

however, as much as 150 feet is recorded, though the majority of the best records 

show the usual thickness. Exceptional thicknesses, as in the Cookson, Economy 

No. 2, and Calhoun wells (PL II), may be due to its merging with a lower sandstone. A lower bed, indeed, occurs, according to good records, at 15 to 30 feet below 

the Berea proper, and varies in thickness from 15 to 75 feet. This bed scarcely 

deserves separate mention and is discussed with the Berea, but its position is relatively that of the Butler gas sand of northern fields. In fact both members hold a 

position corresponding to that of the Butler gas sand as described in the Kittanning 

region.

Below the lower sandstone lentil shales or shaley sandstones, sometimes developing into distinct beds, extend to a well-marked red member 100 to 150 feet below the
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL. I

Lee No. I 

Hanover Twp.

Nelson No.l 

Hanover Twp.

Clutter 

Murdockville 

Field

Chambers No.? 

Moon Twp. 

Allegheny Co.

Vandergrift 

Service Creek, 

Independence Twp.

Bridgewater No.l 

Moon Twp.

McEJhaney No.l 

HopewellTwp.

8

James Johnston

Gringo, 

HopewellTwp.

Hamilton No.l

Mouth of Little

Mill Creek

10

Calhoun No.l

River east of

Georgetown

Ames limestone 

Red state

Ames limestone 

Red rock

Coal 2' 

Red rock

.Red_rock_ _ 

Pebbly sand

Too ~~~ 

Redx°ck_ *- 

iRed rock__ ^___ ^

I' 

1' 

 'Coal trace

Coaly shale

.Sand and lime 

--""""{ferea

Hundred -

 foot

Coal 5

sand

Ames limestone

Coal

Limestone

-7 __

Red rock

Coal 3

Coal 2' 

Limestone

Fire clay

Bed rock

Red rock

These numbers do not correspond.to those on the map 

See diagram on -plate H

Vertical scale

300 60O 9OO 1200 i5oo feet

WELL SECTIONS IN BEAVER COUNTY, PA.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL. II

10

Caihoun No.I 

River east of 

Georgetown

11

Poe

Ohio River near 

Georgetown

12

Chas. Deens 

Mouth of Raccoon Creek

13

Ohioville

.Near state

line

14

TB. Hunter

BrightonTwp.

Lisbon roacl

15

Popp

IndustryTwp. 

Wolf Run

16

Economy No.2 

Beaver Falls

17

Gookson

New SewickleyTwp. 

Brush Creek

18

J. H.GarverNo.l

I/a miles NE. of

Rochester

19

Darlington

Fire clay Fire clay 

Vanport limestojoe 

_Base____ of

Berea

Bur&oojn__.

grit

sandstone 8

sand Hundredo

14

11 15

DO10

13

3OO

Vertical scale

600 900 120O 1500 feet

APPROXIMATE POSITIONS OF WELL 

SECTIONS. BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

(TTiese numbers do iwt correspond to -those on. the map)

Coal .l'± 

Iron ore 2 T

Coal E 

Coal 3'

J\ed-rock ~~ _ __

Red rock

Coal 4-

Red rock

I ron ore

WELL SECTIONS IN BEAVER COUNTY, PA.
BOOKS NOT EXPOSED. 7

top of the Berea sand. In the McElhaney'well (PL I) this distance seems increased 

to 200 feet. Conditions are not very clear here, which may be clue to wrong identification by drillers of the top of the Berea sandstone. But this interval, as the well 

sections show, apparently increases to the north, compensating the'decrease between 

the Berea and Burgoon.

Red shale. This member, as shown in well records, occurs in Greene, Hopewell, 

Hanover, and Moon townships, but the Avriter has no record of it north of Ohio 

River except in the Cookson well in New Sewickley Township. ' It has a thickness 

of 25 to 75 feet and is usually shaly, but in some records it is given as somewhat 

sandy. It is a transition member of the Pocono-Catskill group and can hardly be 

above the Bedford shale of Ohio, which paleontologists are now inclined to believe 

is Catskill. Consequently the division line between the Pocono and Catskill seems 

in this region to lie between this red shale and the Berea, but, as shown below, there 

is reason for putting it lower. This member is not the Patton shale of the Kittanning region of northern Butler County, for that bed lies immediately under the Bur-- 

goon sandstone. This fact has been established by carefully correlating a series of 

well sections extending from the Kittanning region to Beaver quadrangle. They 

show the red bed absent in northern Butler County, though present in the vicinity 

of Cove Hollow and Muddy Creek. Wells here, reported by Carll, show the stratum 

with the same thickness and in the same position as in Beaver County.

A series of shales or shaly sandstones 25 to 70 feet in thickness separate the bottdrn 

of the red shale from the top of the "Hundred-foot sand." '

 Hundred-foot sandstone. To this member, which is equivalent to the "First Oil" 

sand of more northern oil regions, the name "Shannopin" sand is locally applied. 

It is also designated "Hundred-foot," which is a misnomer in this region since the 

sand rarely attains a thickness greater than 25 feet. In two cases, however (the 

Calhoun and Johnston wells, Pis. I and II), it is much thicker and begins just 

under the first red shale. This may also be true in a few other wells whose records 

give the full thickness of 100 feet. This sandstone, like the others, varies from line 

grained to pebbly and in the southeast corner of the quadrangle seems composed of 

two parts a hard, siliceous, impervious cap a few inches thick, and a lower portion 

consisting of an open mealy sandstone containing many white, pink, and yellow 

pebbles. It.seeins to be generally present wherever drilling has been carried sufficiently deep.

This is perhaps another of the transition members, for the base of the Pocono has 

been variously placed at the base of the Hundred-foot sand, or tentatively, on lithologic grounds, at the top of the first red bed below the Hundred-foot/* Red beds 

having this relation are shown in the Calhoun, Garver, and Poe well records (PI. II), 

and in these they vary 200 feet in relative position. An extreme variation of 400 

feet is seen in the Cookson well (PI. II), while other wells show no red beds at all. 

It is likely that these variations no not represent the same bed, but rather different 

lenses of possibly the Catskill formation, and they thereby show the difficulty of 

drawing adequate boundaries. ,

Gordon sandstone. So few records within the quadrangle show the other sands of 

the Venango group besides the Hundred-foot that little can be said of them except 

that they seem generally thin when found and often some of them are absent or not. 

recorded. As is shown in the table on page .95, however, the "Gordon" and 

"Fourth" sands have been very generally noted in certain townships. The "Gordon" has been struck rarely in Economy, Franklin, Greene, Havover, and New 

Sewickley townships, but seems to be a productive stratum in Moon Township, 

Allegheny County. Here it is found at an average of 225 feet below the top of the

a For a discussion of these and other views see Butts, Charles, Description of the Kittanning quadrangle: Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 115, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1904, p. 5.
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QCTADKANGLE, PA.

Hundred-foot, and ranges from 6 to 15 feet in thickness. No details of its character 

are given.

Fourth sandstone. The "Fourth" sand has been less widely met with in this 

region than the Gordon. In Greene,' Economy, and New Sewickley townships it is 

seldom reported, probably because drilling was not carried sufficiently deep, but in 

Moon Township, Allegheny County, it is frequently noted. In that locality it averages 60 feet below the top of the "Gordon" sand, but no descriptive details are 

mentioned except thickness, which varies from 6 to 17 feet. Other names common 

among drillers, such as "Blue Monday," "Bowlder," "Third," etc., are, as shown 

in the table on page-95, applied to these and other less prominent sandstones.

Depths of oil and gas sands. The accompanying table is not completed because of 

the evident variation in thickness of strata between the middle portion of the county, 

where the measurements to the Berea were made, and the southern portion, where 

the distance to the Hundred-foot was measured.

Depths of oil and gas horizons below prominent strata.

Sand.

Berea .................................................

Fourth ................................................

Average distance below 

Pittsburg 

coal.

Feet.

1,810 

2,035 

2,095

Antes limestone.

' Feel.

1,580 

1,805 

1,865

Upper 

Preeport 

coal.

Feet. 

565 

880

Lower Kittanning 

coal.

Feet. 

400 

720

According to plotted well logs the distance between the top of the Berea and 

the top of the Hundred-foot averages 230 feet throughout the region. This 

taken from 1,580 would leave 1,350 feet as the average distance between the 

Berea and the Ames limestone, which is 180 feet greater than the average distance 

between these two strata obtained by adding 290 feet, the average interval between 

the Ames limestone and the Upper Freeport coal along the overlap, to 880, the average depth of the Berea below the Upper Freeport coal. A corresponding discrepancy is found in similar calculations with the Pittsburg coal. The explanation of 

this seems to be that the interval between the Pittsburg coal and the Berea sand 

increases to the south. This is confirmed by measurements of this interval in 

Greene County by R. W. Stone, which show the Gantz (Hundred-foot) 1,916 feet, 

and the Gordon 2,147 feet, below the Pittsburg coal. These measurements are 

about 100 feet greater than those found in the' Beaver region. Since the variation in 

this region seems referable to the interval between the Ames limestone and the 

Berea, it is probable that the cause of the variation lies between these two beds, and 

is due to the unconformity at the base of the Pottsville.

KOCKS EXPOSED.

Carboniferous System. » 

PENNSYLVANIAN SERIES. 

POTTSVILLE FORMATION.

The Pottsville. formation occupies the base of the Pennsylvanian series or true coalbearing rocks. It is also the lowest formation exposed in the quadrangle, being seen 

near water level in Beaver and Ohio rivers. The topmost bed of the formation, 

called the Homewood sandstone, is all that comes to the surface in this quadrangle.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL. Ill

A. UPPER DAM ON BEAVER RIVER, NEW BRIGHTON. 

Looking east; Pottsville below dam; thin Vanport limestone ledge above railroad.

li. WISCONSIN GRAVEL 1 L.K, :,,... .-. :.; ,. HKIGH 1 ON. 

 -f -.'-- East end of Beaver Falls bridge. , ' :'
BOOKS EXPOSED. 9

In the limited exposures of this bed, though fossil evidence is wanting, it can be 

distinguished from the succeeding formations by its lithologic character. It is in 

general a gray, hard, massive sandstone, usually coarse to conglomeratic and often 

cross-bedded. Its first occurrence in the Beaver Valley is visible at low water immediately below the lower dam opposite New Brighton, and thence it rises to within 

10'feet of the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Railroad near the New Brighton and Beaver 

Falls toll bridge. Here its contact with the gray sandy shales of the Allegheny formation above is clearly seen. At the same level on the opposite river bank, and 

apparently forming the floor of the New Brighton terrace, the same sandstone is 

traceable to the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Eailroad bridge, and below the 

next dam it shows at low water as a hard, massive sandstone, containing numerous 

potholes of various sizes. Above the dam the Homewood sandstone is covered by 

the pool, but finally rises above the tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad near Fetterman. Its contact here with overlying thin shales is well marked.

On Ohio River the Pottsville occurs half a mile above Smiths Ferry, where it is 

visible in the river bed at low water. In Little Beaver Creek, however, its outcrop 

is much more extensive. Beginning at the road bridge near its mouth it rises rapidly northward above the creek, but does not enter the quadrangle. At both localities the sandstone maintains its massive character, and on Little Beaver Creek huge 

dislodged blocks of the hard white rock lie in the creek.

The Homewood sandstone is an excellent building stone in other regions where 

accessible, but because of its low position within this quadrangle it is not of practical 

interest.

Such is the extent and character of the Pottsville formation at the surface. Beneath 

the surface, to judge from its customary persistence elsewhere in western Pennsylvania and from records of deep wells within the quadrangle, there is reason to believe 

that the Pottsville formation is present throughout this region. Further discussion 

of its underground extent and character has been given under "Rocks not exposed" 

(P- 3).

ALLEGHENY FORMATION.

Introduction. This formation was previously known as the "Lower Productive 

Measures," and later as the "Allegheny River series." The latter name, like the 

one it now bears, is derived from Allegheny River, along which the formation is 

exposed in typical form. This is by far the richest group of rocks along upper Ohio 

River, containing, as it does, most of the workable coals, clays, HmeHtones, and sandstones of central-western Pennsylvania. It was for the single purpose of including 

these economic beds in one group of rocks, in contradistinction to a "barren" group 

above, that the upper boundary of this formation was early set as the top of the 

Upper Freeport coal. It shows in outcrop as a narrow belt, 'with its base in most 

places just below river level bordering the river hills and extending up the lateral 

streams until it disappears under cover of the Conemaugh formation. It underlies 

the whole of the Beaver quadrangle and has an average thickness of about 310 feet, 

but the limits of variation are from 280 to 345 feet. The full thickness is exposed 

along the rivers near Beaver Falls and Smiths Ferry.

The individual beds vary greatly in character and thickness throughout the quadrangle, as will be seen on Pis. IV. to VII. The sections there represented were measured in ravines along the rivers and elsewhere, the exact localities being indicated 

by corresponding numbers on the map (PI. VIII). No one section can be regarded 

as typical of the region, and therefore a generalized section, compiled from these 

detailed sections and embodying many of the variations which occur in the stratigraphy of this formation, is presented below, in the natural order, from the top 

downward;
10 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

Generalized sections of Allegheny formation.

(Mahoning sandstone.) Feet. Average. 

Upper Freeport coal, "Four-foot" or " Hookstown " vein ............................ 0-4'

Fire clay............................................................................... 3-5

Limestone...........................................................................

Shale ..............^ Sandstone (Butler)/ - - - - - -- - - --- -

Lower Freeport coal (usually absent) ................................................. 0-3

Fire clay........................................................................:. ...............................-........................-.........:..-.. 0-5

Limestone ............................................................................ 0-9

Sandstone, or sandstone and shale (Freeport) ......-..........'.................... 35-00 (80)

Upper Kittanning coal................................:..-............................. 0-1£

Shale........................................:.................................... 15-30 (45)

Darlington coal, "block vein" at Smiths Ferry ...................................... -i-2

Fire clay ............................................................................... 4

Black shale, with iron nodules........................................................ '20-45

Lower Kittanning coal, "sulphurvein" ..........................................

Fire clay ...................................................,........................:. 2-11

35-80 Sandstone) 

Shale...../

Vanport limestone, "Ferriferous limestone"......................................... 0-19

Black shale, with sandy shale and clay............................................... 15-35

Clarion coal........................................................................... 0-1

Fir-re clay .......

Sandstone-i 

Shale...../"""

Brookvillecoal. 

Fire clay.......

0-6+ 

50-60

177

130

Shale.................................................................................. 5-7

(Pottsville.)

This section is of value chiefly in showing the interrelation of. the different coals 

and their under clays and in giving generally the characteristics of the Allegheny formation. As a whole, the formation is composed of repeated groups of coal, clay, and 

limestone, separated by shales and lenticular sandstones of greatly varying character. 

The economic members warrant separate descriptions, which are given below, beginning with the Brookville coal, near the base.

Brookville coal. The base of the formation is best exposed on Beaver River at the 

mouth of Brady Run and above, where sections 234 and 286 were measured. These 

sections show at least 10 feet of gray shale (with 3 feet of fire clay at the top) intervening between the top of the Pottsville and the first coal shown.in section 236 

(PL V). This coal is 6 inches thick, and another coal of similar thickness occurs 

about 5 feet higher up. One or both of these seem to be in the horizon of the Brookville coal and may represent one seam split by an enlarged parting. At another 

locality, a short distance above the railroad bridge over Brady Run, the coal is 

about 5 feet above the Pottsville, which lies near by in the bed of the run. The coal, 

here about 3 feet thick, dips under Beaver River just below the mouth of Brady 

Run; thence it rises gently up the Beaver Valley; but in most places, except at sections 234 and 236 and on the railroad above New Brighton, it is covered by river 

deposits.

In general, a variable bed of 50 or 60 feet of shale and sandstone separates the 

Brookville coal from the Clarion coal and clay above. (See sections 234 and 236, PI. 

V.) Above New Brighton (section 234), however, a stray coal appears, only 20 to 

30 feet below the Clarion coal. It is possible that this may represent the Brookville 

coal, but no decisive evidence on this point was obtained. Near the mouth of Island 

Run another doubtful coal 6 inches thick occurs about 180 feet below the Upper Kittanning coal and seems to be in the right position for the Brookville.

Clarion coal. The horizon of this coal is exposed within the quadrangle for only 

a short distance on Beaver River and Brady Run. It dips under the former stream
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL. IV

.MAHONINGJ 

SANDSTONE:)

BUTLER SANDSTONE{

FREEPORTJ 

SANDSTONE)

219.

216

215

UPPER

--J-OWER

~ H'lT^NNJNG

Vertical scale 

o 25 so 100 feet

PORT

COAL_

STRAY

. _ _ IDA RUNGTON)

COAL

COAL

£OAL

220

--

'VANPORT LIMESTONE

COLUMNAR SECTIONS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION.

Numbers refer to map (PI. VIII) and text.
U. S. OEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL. V

^ UPPER _K1TIANN1NG_COA^_

LIMESTONE. 

CLARION___Cp

POTTSVILLE _FORMATJiqN_ _

COLUMNAR SECTIONS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 

Numbers refer to map (PI. VIII; and text.
0. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL. VI

COLUMNAR SECTIONS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 

Numbers refer to map (PI. VIII) and text.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 286 PL.

COLUMNAR SECTIONS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 

Numbers refer to map (PI. VIII) and text.
ROCKS EXPOSED. 11

about opposite S. Barnes's brick works above Rochester. From this point northward it rises in. the same manner as the Brookville coal, being visible east of New 

Brighton on Blockhouse Run above.the Sherwood pottery, on the railroad above 

New Brighton (section 234, PI. V), and, as Hopkins reports, in Paved Run. It is 

further exposed in the ravines along the railroad south of Beaver Falls (section 

236, PI. V) and thence runs under Beaver Falls terrace.

An excellent bed of fire clay in some instances underlies the Clarion coal.

On Brady Run opposite Fallston the clay has been opened by the Fallston Pottery Company, but the coal above was reported absent. Thence the horizon extends 

up Brady Run a short distance above the mouth of North Br*anch. The average 

thickness of this coal is about 9 inches, when nresent, but it may be cut out locally 

by an overlying sandstone, which probably is the case at the Fallston pottery pit. 

Between 15 and 35 feet of clays and dark shales, often bearing iron nodules, intervene between the Clarion coal and the Vanport limestone.

Vanport limestone. This limestone was formerly called the "Ferriferous limestone," from the fact that in western Pennsylvania and Ohio it is generally overlain

with "Buhrstone" iron ore, which in the early days was largely used as a source of 

iron. The latter name has clung to it for over half a century, but in this report it 

will be spoken of as the "Vanport limestone." The name is taken from a town on 

Ohio River, on the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad, where it outcrops in typical 

form. Here it has a face of about 19 feet, the extreme thickness known in this 

quadrangle.

The limestone in general is characterized by its wealth of fossil mollusks and crinoid stems and its \\;avy, shriveled appearance on weathering, called "cone-in-cone" 

structure. It is very brittle, fractures irregularly, and often has a reddish tinge to 

its prevailing gray or blue color.

The limestone in this area varies greatly in thickness, owing to its occurrence in 

irregular lenses. It is therefore absent in many places, but in others has been 

observed to range from a few inches to 19 feet. When thick it is usually comprised 

of two or more layers a few feet thick separated by thinner beds of calcareous shale. 

Its areal distribution is limited to isolated outcrops along Ohio and Beaver rivers 

(see map), of which the thickest occurrences are at Fallston, Vanport, Merrill, and 

opposite Industry.

Being even more fragmental in occurrence than the limestone and having a position immediately over it, the "Buhrstone" iron ore, a few inches thick, rarely 

occurs. So far as observed within the quadrangle quantities sufficient for economic 

purposes are not present.

Between the base of the Aranport limestone and the first coal above is an interval 

of 35 to 80 feet, containing at the bottom dark and sandy shale and at the top, just 

underneath the Lower Kittanning clay, shaly to heavy sandstone. The variability 

of this interval and the rocks which it covers are graphically represented in sections 

235, 236, and 245, Pis. V and VI. In some cases, notably that shown in section 251, 

the lower sandstone, which may be called the Lower Kittanning sandstone, fills the 

entire interval. Elsewhere the sandstone gives way, at least in part, to nodular 

shale, as shown in sections 247 and 254, Pis. VI and VII.

Lower Kittanning coal and day. From characteristic stratigraphic associations 

there seems little doubt that this coal is the same as the Lower Kittanning of the 

type region on Allegheny River, as mentioned in the reports of the first and second 

Geological Surveys of Pennsylvania.

The Lower Kittanning coal, popularly known as the "sulphur vein" or "blacksmith vein," is usually It} to 2£ feet thick and very persistent. The fire clay beneath 

shows an equal persistence throughout the quadrangle and varies in thickness from 

2 to 11 feet, being usually 6 to 9 feet. As a whole, the clay everywhere is of a drabgray color when fresh and creamy white on long exposure. Locally the lower part

Bull. 286 06 2
12 ' ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

seems to grade insensibly into a sandy clay below, which may acquire a hard shaly 

character. The coal and accompanying clay are found throughout the quadrangle 

above and on both sides of Ohio and Beaver rivers. Their elevation above low water 

varies from about 180 feet at New Brighton to a few feet at Freedom, below which 

they disappear under the river; and from about 150 feet at the State line they undulate gently eastward, being 60 feet above the river at Phillis Island, 50 feet at Industry, 100 feet at Vanport, and 80 feet at Beaver. The coal is not, however, actually 

exposed throughout this whole extent, but is covered by broad, flat, gravel terraces 

at Rochester, northeast of New Brighton, at Beaver, at Monaca, west of Bellowsville,- 

east of Industry, at Shippingport, north of Phillis Island, and at Georgetown. 

Elsewhere it is exposed along the more precipitous banks of. the rivers and on some 

of their tributaries. Of the latter,. Brady Run, though not the largest tributary, 

uncovers the greatest extent about 4 miles along the stream. North Branch of 

Brady Run exposes this coal for an almost equal distance. Blockhouse Run, on the 

contrary, exposes the Lower Kittanning for only a mile east of New Brighton, while 

on Raccoon Creek this horizon, though covered at several points by stream gravels, . 

presumably remains above water level to the mouth of Fish pot Run, about 2£ miles 

from Ohio River. Near Georgetown the same horizon is further exposed for about a 

mile from the river on both Mill Creek and Little Mill Creek. On the opposite side of 

the Ohio the Lower Kittanning coal extends several miles up Little Beaver River; 

and on Island Run, a tributary, disappears just outside the western boundary of the 

quadrangle.

This interpretation of the coal on Island Run differs from that of the Second Sur-. 

vey of Pennsylvania, whose map indicates that it disappears under Island Run at the 

State line. Stratigraphic conditions at this locality are shown in sections 262, 263, 

and 264, PI. VII. The map of the Second Survey also shows the Lower Kittanning 

horizon disappearing at the Lisbon road on Twornile Run, whereas by the present 

survey it seems on this stream to disappear under the Beaver terrace about half a 

mile above Vanport.

Between the Lower Kittanning coal and the next higher seam invariably occur 

dark shales carrying iron nodules and having a thickness of 20 to 45 feet, averaging 

35 feet. This band is one of the most characteristic stratigraphic landmarks in this 

region, for these dark nodular shales always occur, at least to some extent if not 

throughout the interval, between the Lower Kittanning and Middle Kittanning 

coals. In a few cases, however (sections 209 and 210, PL IV), the upper part of the 

interval takes on a sandy character, becoming shaly sandstone or sandy gnarly clay. 

The interval seems to decrease to the east, for the minimum measurement of 20 feet 

was obtained on Mill and Little Mill creeks.

Middle Kittanning (Darlington?) coal. The first coal above this well-marked shale 

interval was correlated by the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania with a coal 

near Darlington in Beaver County from which it was locally named. It was also 

termed "Upper Kittanning," but later, when the Kittanning region became better 

known, it was considered the equivalent of the Middle Kittanning of that locality, 

and the latter name therefore has been retained in this report. This horizon, being 

a short distance above the Lower Kittanning, has practically the same geographic 

distribution in the quadrangle as the latter, and the coal, which is generally known 

at Smiths Ferry as the "block vein," together with the clay underneath, are very 

persistent throughout this region. The clay has an average thickness of nearly 

4 feet, but rarely reaches 10 or 15 feet. It is in general impure, becoming clouded 

on the weathered surface by iron oxides and in places containing more or less sand. 

In thickness the coal varies from 4 to 26 inches. In one or two instances, however 

(sections 224, 252, Pis. V and VII), this coal bed has been cut out by an overlying 

sandstone, in a manner similar to the instance cited under "Clarion coal" (p. 11). 

Section 252 shows at the proper position in the sandstone for the Darlington coal,
BOOKS EXPOSED. 13

bituminous layers interbedded \vitli sand. This condition seems to indicate a contemporaneous deposition of coal and sandstone. In the neighborhood of section 

224, however, the coal-making material either was not deposited or was deposited 

and subsequently eroded by a stream whose channel was later filled with sand.

On Brush Run the identification of this coal is questionable. The lowest seam 

there opened was apparently taken by I. C. White for the Lower Freeport and the 

bed 30 feet above it for the Upper Freeport." That tha latter identification is probably wrong is shown under " Upper Kittanning coal" below, and it follows for the 

same reasons that the former is also wrong. Though this coal can hardly be the 

Lower Freeport, but is doubtless some lower coal, it can not be definitely stated 

that it is the Middle Kittanning. It is at least 135 feet and at most 150 feet below 

the Upper Freeport, as identified by this survey. It would seem, therefore, to correspond to the Middle Kittanning, but for the fact that the Lower Kittanning has 

not been found in this valley. It may therefore possibly belong to the Lower 

Kittanning horizon, but its distance below the Upper Freeport is less than it is 

anywhere else in this quadrangle.

Upper Kittanrimg coal. The Upper Kittanning coal, which in this report is the name 

given to the "local" coal described by I. C. White, is the first coal above the Darlington and is separated from the latter by an interval of 13 to 30, and in a few cases 

perhaps 45, feet. As shown in Pis. IV to VII, this interval in every case where 

exposed is made up of shales, occasionally nodular, except in Dry Run (section 260), 

where a sandstone occupies the upper part of the interval. The coal, as seen from 

the sections, is in the majority of cases absent; when present, however, it has been 

seen not only to vary from 2 to 18 inches in thickness, but to present the peculiar 

feature of seldom carrying an underclay.

On Brush Run there is confusion regarding the position of this coal. A coal 

locally called the "dirt .vein" has been opened on several properties and seems to be 

the one taken by I. C. White for the Upper Freeporl.« It is uniformly reported 

4 feet thick, with a parting 6 to 12 inches thick. AVhite's identification does not seem 

correct, for adjoining this region and having all the stratigrapliic relations of the Upper 

Freeport is a coal bed which White himself called Upper Freeport and which corresponds to a coal lying about 110 feet above the "dirt vein." Indeed, this coal bed 

lies at an interval of not over 160 feet above the true Lower Kittanning on Brush 

Run just beyond the margin of the quadrangle, so that apparently this could not be 

a lower coal than the Upper Freeport. Moreover, 50 feet above the "dirt vein" is 

another coal with all the stratigraphic relations of the Lower Freeport coal. The 

"dirt vein," therefore, would seem to correspond to the Upper Kittanning coal, or, 

as we have seen under "Middle Kittanning coal" (p. 12), possibly to the latter.

Freeport sandstone. At about this horizon the prominent sandy part of the Allegheny formation first makes i.'s appearance as lenticular bodies of heavy sandstone. 

The lowest member, which has been named the Freeport sandstone, when massive, 

is usually a moderately coarse, micaceous gray rock, often exhibiting false bedding. 

A glance at the different sections shows the extreme variability .of the thickness and 

base of this sandstone. Its normal position is above the Upper Kitta-nning coal, from 

which it is separated by shales, or upon which it rests conformably, as in sections 249, 

251, 253, etc., Pis. Viand VII. It may in some instances replace the coal, and hence 

in places, as shown in sections 211, 259, 264, etc., Pis. IV, VI, and VII, its base lies 

immediately above or near the Darlington coal. It has indeed been observed to 

begin even below the Darlington coal, as shown in sections 224 and 252, Pis. V and 

VII. A study of the sections will show that, on the other hand, it is often absent 

altogether and replaced by shales. The edge of the lenticular bodies thus formed is 

exposed somewhat as follows: South and east of a line drawn from the forks of

« Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. Q, p. 242.
14 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

Blockhouse Run through New Brighton to Fallston, thence making a loop about 

Rochester and Monaca through Dam No. 5, and crossing the river opposite Beaver 

on a westward course through Vanport. From Vanport westward along the river it 

thickens, attaining just below Industry a maximum of 140 feet of unbroken sandstone. Thence it thins westward to the edge of the quadrangle, where it has a thickness of about 50 or 75 feet (sections 255-261, PL VII), while to the north, on Island 

Run, it has thinned still more (sections 262, 263, PI. VII). South of Vanport it 

thins between Bellowsville and Raccoon Creek (sections 212, 213, 215, PI. IV). . It 

soon thickens, however, as the creek is followed southward (sections 218, 21.9, 220, 

etc., PL IV) and disappears beneath water level not far above Gums Run.

The spur of another lens, coining in from the west, exposes its edge 2£ miles above 

Fallston, on Brady Run, and then taking a southeasterly course toward Fallston turns 

sharply to the south about half a mile west of the village.

As seen in the sections, especially those near Vanport, the lower part of the Upper 

Freeport sandstone is irregularly interbedded with shale, often for as much as 50 feet 

(sections 249, 251, PL VI).

Lower Freeport coal. The horizon of this coal is properly above the Freeport sandstone, when the latter is present. When the Freeport sandstone is absent, this horizon is separated from the Darlington coal by a shaly interval averaging 82 feet. This 

interval varies from 60 to 85 feet, as shown in sections 209, 241, etc.; Pis. IV and VI, 

and perhaps in two or three cases reaches 105 feet. The shales sometimes become 

sandy (section 251, PL VI), and infrequently carry iroia nodules (section 247, PL VI). 

The Lower Freeport coal is not persistent throughout the quadrangle, and so far as 

observed seems to be lacking in about 50 per cent of .the exposures. At Industry, 

where the Freeport sandstone attains its greatest thickness, this coal is reciprocally 

absent. The thick sandstone perhaps formed in the surrounding swamps, where coalmaking plants grew, an island whereon little or no carbonaceous material was deposited. Its absence in other cases is possibly due to erosion of the coal-producing vegetation by strong currents which deposited sand instead. The sand so laid down may 

therefore correspond to the Butler sandstone described on page 15. In still other 

cases the coal-making material was not entirely removed, and after a deposition of 

sand or mud carbonaceous material was again laid down. Thus partings from a few 

inches to several feet in thickness may split the coal seam into unminable proportions (sections 33, 91; figs. 17 and 18).

The Lower Freeport coal varies in thickness from a knife-edge to 34 inches, averaging 12 inches, and the fireclay beneath ranges up to 5 feet. The fire clay on weathered exposure is usually light colored and plastic, but in certain localities it contains 

iron, which gives it a streaked brownish appearance. Sometimes, as will be seen in 

the sections, a limestone occurs underlying the fire clay. The limestone is very 

impure, being usually a hard, fine-grained, nonfossiliferous rock of buff color. At 

times it is ferruginous. When present, a thickness of 1 to 9 feet was observed. The 

average thickness, however, is about 4 feet; but, like the coals, its occurrence is lenticular, and therefore it can not be regarded as a key rock for purposes of identifying 

the coal. Though in places somewhat stratified, it is practically a solid bed.

The horizon of this coal, being much above the Lower Kittanning, has therefore a 

somewhat more extended and sinuous crop line, but practically the same distribution. 

In addition, however, should be mentioned the valleys such as those of Brush and 

Bieler runs, which, heading in the north west corner of the quadrangle, though not 

uncovering the Lower Kittanning coal within its boundaries, do expose the Lower 

Freeport coal. Here indeed this coal and limestone show the best development.

An interval averaging 60 feet separates the Lower Freeport coal from the Upper 

Freeport coal, which forms the top of the Allegheny formation. This interval, 

whose extreme variation is from 38 to 85 feet, may in its typical form be said to consist of sandstone in the lower part and shale in the upper part.
HOOKS EXPOSED. 15

Sutler sandstone. The basal member, called the Butler sandstone, is, like the 

Freeport sandstone, lenticular in form, varying in thickness from a knife-edge to 

about 40 feet (sections 232, 233, 241, 244, 246, 257, 259, 261, 263, etc., Pis. V to VII). 

In character it is a very compact, coarse, yellowish-white rock which attains its 

most typical thickness along Beaver River arid Brady Run. On thinning it gives 

way to shales which, as shown in sections 207, 259, 261, 262, and 263, Pis. IV and 

VII, take up the whole lower part of the interval. Above the sandstone, when 

present, or in any case toward the middle of the interval, usually occur about 20 feet 

of dark shales bearing iron nodules. Above these lie generally drab caky shales. 

Either of these two kinds of shales may be absent or replaced by sandy members, as 

shown in sections 204, 207, 221, 233, 260, etc., Pis. IV, V, and VII.

Upper Freeport coal. This coal here lies about 177 feet above the Lower Kittanning coal, and its line of outcrop therefore occurs near the top of the irregular 

river bluffs and in general follows the undulations of the latter coal. For example, 

from an elevation of 350 feet above Beaver River, at Beaver Falls, it dips southward to 260 feet above the Ohio at Rochester and 190 feet at Crow Run, thence 

becoming lower toward Pittsburg. From 240 feet at Beaver it undulates westward, 

being 270 feet at Vanport, 250 at Merrill, 295 a mile below Merrill, 235 at Industry 

and Phillis Island, and rising to 290 feet at Stateline. Occurring at a greater elevation than the Lower Kittanning, the Upper Freeport hori/.on has also a correspondingly 

greater exposure on all the tributaries to the rivers. For example, it clips under 

Raccoon Creek near Independence, under Mill Creek near Hookstown, under Dry 

Run and Island Run near Ohioville, and under Brady Run about a mile east of 

Blackhawk (see map, PI. VIII).

The upper Freeport coal, with jts underlying fire clay and limestone, forms along 

Allegheny River, a most valuable deposit, but within the quadrangle the group 

shows extreme variability (see Pis. IV to VII), the coal being absent in about 

one-third of the exposures and the limestone absent in about one-half. The coal, 

varying in thickness from a knife-edge to something over 4 feet, with an average of 

about 2 feet, reaches its best development, as the geologic map (PI. VIII) shows, in 

GJreene and Raccoon and portions of Industry, Ohio, and South Beaver townships; 

^elsewhere, so far as observed, it assumes proportions which unfit it for profitable 

mining. This is due to unevenness of the fldor of the coal, irregularities in the roof, 

and unusually thick partings (sections 149, 153, fig. 30; 201, PI. IV) features noted 

under the head of "Lower Freeport coal" (p. 14).

While the coal is many times absent and often represented by papery layers of 

bituminous matter, the underlying clay is much more, persistent, it is generally 

present in thicknesses of 3 to 5 feet, and frequently is a clay of pale-bluish color and 

excellent appearance. In many places, however, it is pregnant with nodules of iron, 

which discolor it and render it of little value. The limestone is usually impure, 

being buff-colored and ferruginous, often brecciated, and generally nonfossiliferous. 

Occasionally, however, the bed occurs as a bluish rock of pure quality. Owing to 

its lenticular mode of occurrence, which is common with the limestones of this 

region, it may or may not be present at any one place. Wherever found, it averages 

4 feet in thickness, with extremes of 6 to 7 feet observed on branches of Brush and 

Dry runs, and, though in places somewhat stratified and rarely nodular, it is practically everywhere a solid bed.

The stratigraphie succession about the Upper Freeport coal is in most places sufficient for its identification, but in portions of South Beaver and Ohio townships 

exposures are poor and associations are abnormal. In this region there are often two 

limestones, one above and one below a lenticular coal, which is probably the Upper 

Freeport. In addition, the Mahoning sandstone, which forms the basal member of 

the overlying formation, has a va/iable development. It is evident, then, that in a 

section where the Mahoning sandstone is shaly and the coal absent the presence of a
16 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

limestone does not render much aid in identifying the position of the Upper Freeport horizon. This is the case on portions of Brady Run in South Beaver Township 

and along the Lisbon road in Ohio Township, where a limestone a foot or more thick 

outcrops at several points. The horizon of the Upper Freeport coal is a short 

distance above or below this limestone, but the coal may be absent.

The Second Survey of Pennsylvania mapped the Upper Freeport coal on Island 

Run as crossing the Ohioville-Blackhawk road, whereas in reality it goes under 

Island Run some distance west of the road. It has also mapped this coal as outcropping on Bieler Run almost in the town of Blackhawk, but the outcrop actually 

lies about 1 mile west of Blackhawk.

CONEMAUGH FORMATION.

Introduction. This formation was named by Rogers from. Conemaugh River, along 

which it is exposed in typical form. Originally the coal-bearing rocks of Pennsylvania were subdivided with reference to the coal-beds which they contained. Therefore, the rocks of this formation, lying between the Upper Freeport and Pittsburg 

coals and containing only a few small coals or other economic beds, were grouped 

together and variously named "Barren Measures," "Elk River series," etc. The 

distinction was based merely on noneconomic content, for between these rocks and 

the Allegheny formation below and' Monongahela formation above there is no 

lithologic, fossil, or other stratigraphic break.

The base of the formation, which rests upon the Upper,Freeport coal, follows the 

undulations of that bed, as described above. The river bluffs do not rise much 

above this line, and therefore catch only the lower portion of the Conemaugh formation, but, notwithstanding the fact that the rocks in general rise to the northwest, this formation forms all of the high'country within this quadrangle, except the 

few isolated areas of Pittsburg coal in the southeast corner.

The formation varies somewhat in thickness, but its range is not great, and 520 

feet may be regarded as the average. It is composed largely of shale, but carries 

two beds of sandstone the Mahoning near the base and the Morgantown above the 

middle of the formation. These in places are massive and have had some influence 

in shaping the topography of the region. The shales are somewhat variegated, but 

the prevailing tint is green or gray. The formation has infrequent limestones, three 

insignificant beds being known in this territory. The most important of these is the 

greenish fossiliferous bed known as the Ames limestone, which usually occurs 30 or 

40 feet below the Morgantown sandstone. Of coal there is here and there a small 

seam which attains workable proportions over very limited areas.

Owing to lack of good exposures, but few detailed measured sections, of any length 

can be given in this report. However, a very careful compilation of short sections 

throughout this formation put together in their natural order, and the whole thickness of the formation checked by level, gives the following somewhat generalized 

section:

Generalized section of Conemaugh formation.

Average 

(Pittsburg coal). Feet. feet.

1. Shale.............................................................................. 25

2. Limestone ........................................................................ -J 2

3. Shale.............................................................................. 15

4. Limestone ........................................................... ............ 0- 2

5. Shaly sandstone and shale ........................................................ 35

6. Eed shales ........................................................................ 40

7. Morgantown sandstone.................................................... ^,...... G5

8. Elk Lick coal.....:............................................................... 0-3

9. Variegated shale.................................................................. 40

230
BOCKS EXPOSED. 17

Average

Feet. feet.

10. Aines limestone, "Crinoidal," ...................'...................,............. i 0

11. Coal (Platt?) ...................................................................... 1

12. Red shale .......................................................................... SO

13. Green shale..... ...............................................^.................. 50

1.4. Red shale ........................................................................ 15

15. Bakerstown coal (caiinel)........................................................ *0- 7

10. Sandy shale and laminated sandstone.........'................................... 75

17. Brush Creek limestone, dark ..................................................... l 290

.18. Dark shale........................................................................ 20

19. Brush Creek coal ................................................................. 0- 1 .-J

20. Shale.............................................................................. 35

21. Yellow and red caky shale.:...................................................... 20

22. Sandy shale............................:........................................... 10

23. Mahoning sandstone (soraetiines containing ripper part a local limestone 1 to

8 feet thick).................................................................... 30-50

(Upper Frceport coal.)

Tliis section is believed to show as nearly as practicable the interrelation and 

thickness of the most important members, which are described in detail below.

Mahoning sandstone. This sandstone forms the basal member of the Conemaugh 

formation and overlies the. Upper Freeport coal of the Allegheny measures. It. is 

usually yellowish .to brown in color and coarse grained. Conglomeratic phases are 

common and are generally marked.by the presence of white quart/ pebbles (sections 

249; 251, 259, Pis. VI. and VII). This character seems rather persistent on the north 

side of Ohio River, from Phillis Island westward, in the vicinity of Dam No. 0, 

and east and north of the town of Freedom (sections 223, 226, PI. V). At Dam No. 6 

and near Freedom the pebbly sandstone contains at its base rounded nodules of clay 

and papery bituminous fragments representing the Upper Freeport coal. It usually 

is in direct contact with the coal, but occasionally the coal and sandstone are 

separated by a few feet and rarely as much as 15 feet of shale. These general relations may be more specifically studied in Pis. IV to VII.

Where the Mahoning sandstone lies immediately over the Upper Freeport coal the 

contact, as noted above,, is in many places very irregular and locally, as on Island 

Run, the sandstone and coal are interbedded. \7 ery often, too, as shown in many of 

the sections, the Mahoning sandstone rests directly upon the clay beneath the 

Upper Freeport coal, which then is absent. In some such instances fragments of 

bituminous matter and pebbles of clay, as noted above, are mingled with the coarse 

sand at the base of the Mahoning. These irregularities at the base of the sandstone 

include cases where not only the coal, but the clay also is absent. Notable instances 

.were observed on North Branch of Blockhouse Run, and perhaps on Raccoon Creek 

near Independence.

In general this sandstone caps the. river bluffs and walls many of the lateral 

streams; thus it follows up the course of Raccoon Creek and disappears at Independence, and forming the bluffs of Mill Creek it underlies the village of Hookstown as 

a heavy sandstone. The sandstone is not, however, everywhere persistent, being 

frequently replaced wholly or in part by softer material (sections 213, 222, 247, 255, 

Pis. IV to VII). Near the State line, for example, it changes from a massive rock 

near Smiths Ferry (sections 260, 261, PI. VII) to a shaly sandstone, becoming heavy 

toward the base, south of Ohioville; but it becomes thicker and more massive north 

of Ohioville, on Island (section 264, PI. VII) and Bieler runs. A similar variation 

is exhibited on Brady Run, while on Blockhouse Run and the east bank of Beaver 

River, it is more constant as a thin but coarse, heavy bed. Not only the character, 

therefore, but the thickness also varies greatly, ranging from a knife-edge to 50 feet.

Within the Mahoning sandstone member, and about 30 feet abov.e the Upper 

Freeport coal, not infrequently is found from 1 to 8 feet of limestone, as shown in
18 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY Otf BfiAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

section 225, PI. V. This limestone is extremely variable in occurrence, its habit 

being that of small lenses. It is locally developed east of Rochester, west of Monaca 

(section 210), perhaps on the Lisbon road 2 miles east of Blackhawk, and on the 

Smiths Ferry road just south of Ohioville. It has, indeed, been found, though somewhat thinner, on the north side of Brady Run, in South Beaver Township. The 

limestone at Monaca and along the Lisbon road is of light-blue color, 'but at Rochester 

it has buff, ferruginous phases and in most occurrences it seems to be more or less 

brecciated.

Brush Creek coal. The Mahoning sandstone grades at the top into shales, which 

continue upward about 55 feet to the Brush Creek coal. This horizon varies in its 

distance above the Upper Freeport from 75 feet on Brady Run to J10 feet at Hookstown, averaging 95 feet (sections 244, 252, 268, Pis. VI and VII). The lower part of 

this interval, above the Mahoning sandstone, is composed of yellow and red cakey 

shale, which is a very marked stratigraphic key rock in this quadrangle, and seems 

to be almost everywhere present at 50 to 60 feet above the Upper Freeport coal. It 

may thicken and extend almost to the Brush Creek horizon or be replaced by shale. 

The Brush Creek coal, usually being observed merely as a small blossom, is of small 

importance (sections 250,252, Pis. VI and VII). At only one place on Brady Run does 

it attain any considerable thickness. Here it reaches a maximum of 20 inches of 

coal, separated into two benches by a seam of slate. The horizon of the Brush Creek 

coal is better marked by 20 feet of dark shale, which is almost everywhere present 

and carries at the top very often the Brush Creek limestone, a black-blue fossiliferous 

rock about a foot thick. An interval, averaging 75 feet and containing sandy shales 

and laminated sandstones, separates the Brush Creek limestone from the Bakers!own 

coal.

Bakerstoivn coal. The horizon of this coal is 190 to 200 feet above the Upper Freeport. The coal derives its name from Bakerstown, Allegheny County, where it has 

been extensively mined, but in the Beaver quadrangle it occurs very irregularly. It 

is best developed in a reported 2 to 7 foot bed of cannel and bituminous coal in the 

river bank southeast of Georgetown, where it was mined about 1875 on the property of Mr. Peters. Here "the upper half is an impure cannel-, while the lower 

half approaches more nearly to semicannel."" It is reported that oil was made 

from this coal before the discovery of petroleum. When visited by the writer, 

the opening had caved in and no observations could be made. On the lower 

part of Little Service Run an old opening was observed on a coal about 60 feet below 

the Ames limestone, but no idea of its thickness could be obtained.. Near the head 

of Frames Run a similar cannel-like coal, about 40 feet befow'the Ames limestone 

horizon, has been opened. A ferruginous nonfossiliferous limestone occurs about 20 

feet above it. It is very probable that neither of these coals is an occurrence of the 

Bakerstown coal, as they are not low enough in the series. Aside from these localities the writer does not know that any coal which might he-mistaken for the Bakerstown seam has been opened in the Beaver quadrangle, and the only other evidences 

of its presence are infrequent coal blossoms at this horizon on the country roads. 

Along the Lisbon road, half a mile off the quadrangle, a slaty coal has been opened 

which measures 2 feet 6 inches. Its distance of about 150 feet above the Upper Freeport coal, however, gives it a position intermediate between the Brush Creek and the 

Bakerstown coal, and it is a question to which horizon it belongs. It probably does 

not belong to either, but represents one of the local coals common in the Conemaugh 

formation.

Variegated red and green shales of an argillaceous character, occasionally carrying iron nodules, extend for about 70 feet above the Bakerstown coal. The red band 

of the outcrop is a conspicuous feature on farms and along roads where it occurs,

a Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. K, p, 348.
HOOKS EXPOSED. 19

and generally throughout the southern part of the quadrangle it may be seen just 

below the outcrop of the Ames limestone.

Plait (?) coal. Above the shales and below the Ames limestone a thin coal bed is 

infrequently seen. It has been observed at only two or three places in the quadrangle, 

being best exposed along the hill road a mile and a half north of Hookstown. It 

seems, when present, generally to be quite pure, but unfortunately has an unworkable thickness of about 1 foot. On the whole, it is of no importance. I. C. White 

has tentatively correlated this coal with the Platt coal of Somerset County, and has 

therefore provisionally called it by that name in Beaver County. The name was 

taken by the Second Survey from the Platt mine, near Berlin, Somerset County, 

where the bed was 7 feet thick and locally known as the "Platt vein.""

Ames limestone. This limestone was named from Ames Township, Athens County, 

Ohio, by Andrews, who first described it at this locality in 1873. & In previous 

reports of Pennsylvania it has been called the Green Crinoidal or Berlin limestone. 

This stratum may be taken as the approximate middle of the Conemaugh formation, 

for in this district it averages 290 feet above the Upper Freeport coal and 230 feet 

below the Pittsburg seam. These intervals in reality vary from 20 to 25 feet in either 

direction. It is the most persistent member of the formation and is present not only 

throughout the southern half of the quadrangle, but in several counties in Pennsylvania and Ohio. It is also very constant in character and seems to retain its peculiar 

appearance wherever known. It has been described by Stevenson as a "dark, bluish 

or greenish-gray, tough" rock, breaking with a "granular surface, much resembling 

that of a coarse sandstone." 6 The weathered rock has a singularly rough aspect, 

due to small protuberances or crinoid stems, with which it is crowded, besides shells 

of brachiopods and gasteropods. The general effect, in fact, is far from the usual 

appearance of a limestone, and consequently it is a stratum which is easily recognized 

and therefore valuable as a key rock in determining the geologic structure.

North of Ohio Eiver in this quadrangle the Ames limestone is rare and occurrences 

are limited chiefly to the river hills west of Industry, but it also forms the cap of a 

small knob along the Lisbon road in Brighton Township. South of the Ohio suchisolated areas become larger and more numerous toward Service Creek, as at 

McCleary, Green Garden, and Bunker Hill, until finally, as it dips lower, it forms 

one continuous though irregular blanket over the southern third of the quadrangle. 

Its ordinary occurrence is that of a single bed, but in a few instances there seem to 

be two separate beds. This is notably so on the western edge of the quadrangle, 

opposite Hookstown, where the interval between the two beds is 31 to 35 feet. The 

persistent bed has a thickness varying from l£ to 6 feet, but averaging about 3 feet. 

Typical exposures may be seen at Harshaville, south of Green Garden, Bunker Hill, 

and north of Hookstown.

Elk Lick coed The Ames limestone is overlain by variegated shale and shaly sandstone extending upward about 40 feet to a thin coal seam which lies near the base of 

the Morgantowii sandstone. This is probably the Elk Lick coal, definitely located 

by Franklin Platt, at 30 or 40 feet above the Ames limestone/' The name Elk 

Lick was first used, by Lesley in 1840 for a coal in this stratigraphic position which 

was then opened on Elk Lick Creek, Somerset County, Pa.« This coal, like others 

of the Conemaugh formation is riot persistent and generally is of no importance. It 

is reported, however, to have been mined years ago at two localities in the Beaver 

quadrangle, namely, in the northwestern part of Independence Township, about 

half a mile south of Service Creek, and on the Georgetown-Shippingport road in 

Greene Township. At the former place it is said to have been 1 to 3 feet thick, and

xxxiii, GO.
20 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEB QCJADBAKGLE, PA.

of excellent quality for blacksmith's use, but unprofitable to mine on account of the 

variability in thickness.'* At the latter locality, the coal being only 2 feet thick, its 

exploitation was abandoned.'J Along this same road, due north of Hookstowu, it 

may still be seen as a 1-foot coal i'O feet above the Ames limestone. This interval 

expands to 32 feet on Tramp Mill Run, where the seam is a cannel 1 foot or more 

thick. Elsewhere in the quadrangle it infrequently shows as a mere blossom under 

the Morgantown sandstone. In some instances the MorgantOwn sandstone seems to 

lie very close to the Anies limestone, if not in direct contact with it. In -that case 

the coal and shale just described are absent, but in- the far southern part of the 

quadrangle sandstone debris conceals the exact manner of such occurrences.

Morgantown sandstone. This sandstone was named by Stevenson, in early reports, 

from Morgantown, W. Va., where it has a marked development and is extensively 

exploited for building purposes. It is generally found present in the southwestern 

part of Pennsylvania wherever its horizon is exposed and is probably the most persistent sandstone in the region. It has an average thickness of 65 feet within the 

quadrangle and its top is about 125 feet b'elow the Pittsburg coal. It varies in character from a coarse massive sandstone, which is, however, rather soft, to a thinbedded rock, and sometimes appears to be replaced by sandy shale; but it is massive 

over large areas and often has a decided effect on the topography of the region. The 

bed is perhaps of sufficient importance here to deserve mapping, but because of its 

proximity to the outcrop of the Ames limestone, it has not been represented on the 

geologic map. In the vicinity of Harshaville and toward the western edge of the. 

quadrangle it often attains a thickness of 100 feet. Though to the northwest it thins 

to 65 feet or less, it maintains a thickness of about 80 feet on the east side of Raccoon 

Creek, but farther south, in Allegheny County, it becomes a very thin-bedded or 

shaly sandstone.

For 90 feet above the Morgantown sandstone the rocks are poorly exposed and of 

great variability. In general, however, red shales grading upward into shaly sandstone and shales overlie the sandstone, but it was impossible to fill out the interval 

with quite so much definiteness as either White or Stevenson has done from a much 

larger territory.

Pittsburg limestones. Above the interval just mentioned lie the highest limestones 

of the Conemaugh formation, called the Pittsburg limestones by I. C. White. The 

first limestone, in ascending order, occurs about 40 feet below the Pittsburg coal. It 

is best exposed on the highways in the southeast corner of the quadrangle, but it is 

of little importance, not being observed more than 2 feet thick. .Separated from the 

horizon of this bed by an interval of about 15 feet of shale occurs a more persistent 

bed, 25 feet below the Pittsburg coal. This limestone was observed wherever the 

Pittsburg coal occurs in the southeastern part of the quadrangle, but is even thinner 

than the last and of no importance. Above it 25 feet of shale lib at the top of the 

Conemaugh formation.

MONONGAHELA FORMATION.

Introduction. The Monongahela formation overlies the Conemaugh conformably. 

It derives its name from Monongahela River,- where it is well exposed and contains 

most of the coal beds of the upper part of the series, including the Waynesburg coal 

at its top and the valuable and well-known Pittsburg seam at its base. Because of 

these and its other economic beds this formation w7 as early thought of as the counterpart of the '' Lower" Productive Measures'' and therefore was called the '' Upper Productive Measures.'' For this reason only has it been retained as a separate formation.

Pittsburg coal. Unfortunately only a few. hilltops in the southeast corner of the 

quadrangle are high enough to include the Pittsburg coal and some of the overlying 

sediments at the base of this formation. The coal is 5 to 6 feet thick and the overuSeconcl Geql. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. K, p. 338, &Idem, P- 346.
ROCKS EXPOSED 1

lying rocks little over 50 feet. The cropping^ of the latter disclose merely remnants 

of the Pittsburg sandstone, which is a yellowish-brown heavy or thin-bedded sandstone, grading downward perhaps into a shaly base.

Quaternary System.

The unconsolidated gravels of this region were largely deposited by streams during the Glacial epoch, when a huge ice sheet covered the northern part of North 

America and extended nearly to the Beaver quadrangle. Since that time no deposition but that of the present flood plains has taken place. The deposits of the Glacial 

epoch belong to the Pleistocene series and those since that time to the Recent series.

PLEISTOCENE SERIES.

The Pleistocene gravels occupy the high and low terraces of this region, which 

represent parts of old valley floors. These gravels are divided, according to age, 

into two classes (1) Kansan (?) deposits, occurring on the higher or Kansan terraces and (2) Wisconsin deposits, occurring on the lower or AVisconsin terraces.

KANSAN (?) DEPOSITS.

The.deposits of Kansan age include the Carmichaels formation described in other 

geologic literature on western Pennsylvania. They are differentiated from other 

deposits both in mode of occurrence and character. In this area such deposits occur 

on rock shelves bordering the larger streams and ranging in elevation from 920 to 

nearly 1,000 feet. The material varies in character according to its origin.

The deposits along the rivers were outwash from the ice sheet and consequently 

are characterized by pebbles of foreign origin, such as granite, gneiss, etc. They are 

distinguished from pebbles of 1 the Wisconsin deposits by being deeply weathered 

and decomposed. They are poorly assorted, ranging to nearly a foot in diameter, and 

 occur in a sandy or clayey matrix. In some' places, as at Rochester, Beaver, etc., 

the gravel is covered by 8 or 10 feet of red sandy clay. The whole may be capped 

by a pale-colored silt sprinkled with very small fragments of quartz and flinty 

materials. The best exposures at present are seen east of New Brighton, where the 

clay has been utilized in the manufacture of brick and plant pots. On the other terraces the filling appears to be of much the same character at the surface, but it is 

generally so soft that exposed sections are difficult to find.

The deposits at this elevation along the lateral streams are iargely if not entirely 

of location derivation and lie on rock shelves corresponding to those on the rivers 

carrying the material described in the preceding paragraph. No vertical section of 

these beds was open for study, and the following description is gathered mostly from 

surface appearances. The deposits are composed at the top chiefly of sand, in which 

are distributed waterworn pebbles of local rocks, generally sandstones. On some of 

the shelves a light-yellowish silt replaces part of the sand. On the New. Sheffield 

plain sand is particularly abundant and apparently deep, and here were observed 

the largest native pebbles, a few inches in diameter. It is reported that clay underlies the sand in this locality and it would, therefore, seem that the deposit is stratified, as it should naturally be. The thickness of the material at this point is 

estimated to average 20 or 30 feet, and probably the same depth covers another spur 

2 miles south of Bocktown. Elsewhere no good exposures showing the depth of 

the filling were seen. Of lateral streams showing such gravel terraces, Raccoon 

Creek and perhaps Brady Run are the most prominent examples, the former having 

the best marked terraces. Possibly the under portion of the gravel filling in small 

streams such as Mill Creek, Logtown Run, etc., may represent similar deposits which 

have not yet been terraced by the streams.
2'2 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

WISCONSIN DEPOSITS.

Deposits presumably of Wisconsin age cover the northern . portion of Beaver 

County, valleys and uplands, alike. The southern border of the upland deposits 

extends south westward across the county, crossing Beaver River 10 miles above its 

mouth and leaving the State just beyond the northwest corner of the Beaver quadrangle. South of this line other material of AVisconsin age within the county is 

practically limited to the valleys of Beaver and Ohio rivers and some of the lateral 

streams. The best examples are the broad, flat terraces along the rivers, such as 

those occupied by the towns of Beaver, Monaca, and New Brighton.

The mode of occurrence and character distinguish these deposits from those of 

Kansan age. Wells sunk through these terraces at Beaver, Shippingport, and 

Georgetown show that the rock bottom approaches water level toward the river 

front. They do not, therefore, occupy rock shelves like the Kansan gravels, but 

are built,on the present rock floor of the valleys. Along the rivers they reach a 

thickness of 70 to 1.50 feet (PI. Ill, B), but probably grow thinner back from the 

river as the rock floor rises. On lateral streams they approach water level toward 

the head, but wherever found are not above 800 feet in elevation.

In character they differ, like the Kansan gravels, according to their origin. The 

deposits along the rivers are glacial outwash and; consequently contain much foreign 

material. The pebbles and bowlders are well rounded, consist of granite, gneiss, 

diabase, quartzite, etc., varying in size up to 10 inches in diameter, and may be distinguished from the Kansan gravels by their fresh, undecomposed appearance. 

The material, according to reports from well diggings, is composed at the bottom of 

a very coarse mixture of sand and la.rge bowlders, becoming finer and more sandy* 

upward. On the Beaver terrace the sandy deposit is very even and thick and has 

been considerably used for building sand. At other localities the terraces appear to 

be of much the same character, but in general coarse material seems to grow more 

prominent to the east and north.

The deposits of this age along some of the smaller streams, most notably Raccoon 

Creek, are of local derivation-and may not be clearly distinct in character from the 

local Kansan deposits. But the difference in mode of occurrence and elevation is 

often sufficient to distinguish them.

These broad, flat terraces, affording a level but easily excavated surface with 

plenty of sand and bowlders for building purposes, form admirable sites for towns 

and-large plants. The porous character of the terrace material insures good drainage, but lessens its value for agricultural purposes.

ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS.

The large streams of this region are bordered in many places by narrow flood 

plains which are the work of the present streams. Some of the flood plains are 

above high-water level and represent the condition of the streams at a slightly 

earlier period of their history, but most of such material is reworked at every flood 

stage of the river and the plains are consequently in process of construction to-day. 

Along the rivers flood plains are not conspicuous except near Montgomery Island, at 

Bridgewater, and at the mouths of Blockhouse and Crow runs, but some of the 

smaller streams, notably Raccoon Creek, have developed plains larger in proportion 

,to their size than the river. These alluvial deposits may contain material of both 

glacial and local origin, but much of it, especially near the top, is a mixture of fine 

sand and silt. In some places pockets of Ted brick clay have been discovered and 

utilized to good advantage. Being frequently inundated, these plains furnish very 

productive farming land which is able to weather severe droughts.
METHOD OF EEPEESENTING STEDCTUEE. 23

STRUCTURE. 

INTRODUCTION.

The structure or lay of the beds of this quadrangle is very simple, consisting of 

many low folds. In describing these folds the upward-bending arch is called an anticline and the downward-bending trough a syncline. The axis of a fold is that line 

which at every point occupies the highest part of the anticline or the lowest part of 

the syncline, and from which the strata dip in an anticline and to which they clip in 

a ayncline.

METHOD OF REPRESENTING STRUCTURE.

The method of representing the basins and arches employed on the accompanying 

map (PI. VIII) is as follows: The upper or lower surface of a particular stratum of 

rock is selected as a reference surface. The form of the reference surface is ascertained, first, from the outcrop of the chosen stratum; second, from the depth of that 

stratum beneath beds above it; and third, from the height of that stratum above 

beds beneath .it. In the first case the stratum outcrops and is observed. In the second case it is underground and the outcrop of some higher bed is observed. The 

thickness of rocks between the two being known, the depth of the reference surface 

can be estimated. In many instances the depth is measured directly in a deep-well 

boring. In the third case the reference surface is in the air that is, the chosen 

stratum has been eroded and the outcrop of an underlying bed is observed. The 

thickness of the intervening rocks being known, the height of the reference surface 

can be determined.

By reference to the topographic map the altitude of any outcrop can be ascertained 

and thus the height above sea for a corresponding point of the reference surface can 

be determined. This is done for hundreds of points along a very large number of 

sections taken in various directions. Points which have the same altitude are then 

connected by a line, which gives the horizontal form of the reference surface at that 

elevation. Many such lines are drawn at regular vertical intervals. They are contour lines and as printed on the geologic map (PI. VIII) they show, first, the hori/ontaj contour of the troughs and arches; second, the relative and also the actual dip of 

the beds; and third, the height of the reference surface above the sea at any point. 

The depth of the reference horizon may be determined by subtracting the elevation 

of the reference horizon from that of the surface of the ground.

As a rule, these structure contours are generalized and only approximately correct. 

Where mines have been opened on the chosen stratum, as on the Upper Freeport 

coal which, however, in the Beavir quadrangle unfortunately has-wio large mines 

the contours may be drawn precisely and in detail, but in other cases they are liable 

to error from several conditions. Being estimated on the assumption that over 

small areas the rocks maintain a uniform thickness, the position of a contour will be 

out by the amount by which the actual thickness varies from the calculated thickness. Being measured from the altitude of observed outcrops, the position of the 

contour is uncertain to the degree that that altitude is approximate. While in many 

instances topographic altitudes are determined by spirit level, geologic observations 

are located by hand level or aneroid barometers. The aneroids are constantly 

checked against precise bench marks and the instrumental error is probably slight, 

but it may be appreciable. Most observations on . coal beds in the Beaver quadrangle were located by hand leveling to precise or temporary bench marks; but in 

the Ames limestone area, where bench marks are less numerous, leveling was in 

many cases confined to road intersections. Finally, the observations of structure at. 

che surface can. be extended to buried or eroded strata only in a general way. The 

details probably escape determination. These sources of error may combine or may 

'compensate one another, but in any case it is believed that their sum is probably 

less than one contour interval; that is to say, the absolute altitude of the reference sur-.
24 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

face will not vary from the estimated altitude more than 20 feet anywhere in the 

quadrangle; and the relative altitudes for successive contours may be taken as very 

closely approximating the facts. That a stratum many hundred feet below the reference surface, as an oil or gas bearing sandstone, has -exactly the same structure as 

the reference surface is doubtful. Stratigraphic irregularities, as already pointed 

out, may conspire to produce nonconformity between the structures of the two beds. 

A syncline or an anticline, in either the Upper Freeport coal or Ames limestone, 

may not exactly overlie similar folds in the Bereagrit. It is believed, however, that 

such discrepancies are not great, and that the axes of corresponding folds are in general not far removed from coincidence. Nevertheless, wherever the structure of a 

certain bed is desired, as in oil or gas regions, the better method is to contour that 

bed from accurate well logs; but where deep wells are .inadequately distributed over 

an area, as in this quadrangle, it is inadvisable if not impossible to do so.

DETAILED GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE.

In the Beaver quadrangle the reference stratum in the northern-half is the Upper 

Freeport coal and in the southern half the Ames limestone. The purpose of using 

two reference strata in different parts of the quadrangle is to*prevent the possible 

error referred to above, due to nonuniformity of thickness between two such strata. 

That is to say, the contours thus drawn on the Ames limestone probably give a more 

accurate representation of the structure than if these contours were made to represent the roof of the Upper Freeport coal by subtracting from each elevation on the 

limestone an arbitrary and, through nonuniformity, perhaps inaccurate interval. 

Where these two strata overlap near the middle of the quadrangle, parts of some of 

the contours south of the overlap have, however, been calculated on the assumption 

that the-interval between the two beds is uniformly*290 feet. It is believed, nevertheless, that the error introduced is small, for the reason that 290 feet is the average 

of five or six leveled measurements of the interval which were made along the overlap and which were used in the calculation of the contours in the central part of the 

quadrangle.

The contours most likely to be in error lie in regions such as parts of Ohio, Brighton, 

and Moon townships, where exposures of the reference strata are scanty. In the 

first two, recourse for structural indications was limited to blossoms of the variable 

Brush Creek coal, changeable sandstone beds, and a few deep wells. The evidence 

was thus meager-and the contouring necessarily generalized. Moon Township, 

though containing more reliable upper coals, was deficient in sandstones and deep 

wells. ( --)'

The geologic map (PL VIII) shows that there are no definitely marked anticlines 

or synclines of great extent in this quadrangle, but that the reference surfaces show 

rather smooth, fluted slopes breaking into small domes and basins. Perhaps these 

have favored the accumulation of oil and gas in certain parts of the quadrangle, such 

as the Shannopin, Hookstown, and Smiths Ferry oil fields and the New Sheffield gas 

pool.

The domes and basins are most numerous near a line drawn from the northeast 

corner of the quadrangle south westward near Ohio River to the vicinity of Hookstown. In this district the extreme relief from the pits of the basins to the peaks of 

the domes is rarely more than 60 feet, and generally much less. Their interrelation 

is so irregular as to defy intelligible description without the aid of the geologic map 

(PL VIII). Reference to this map shows a small ellipsoidal basin east of New 

Brighton, having a northeasterly trend. To the southeast of it, at the edge of the 

map, are shown traces of a dome which, is not complete within the boundaries of the 

quadrangle. Southwestward from these there is a gentle dip to McDonaldtown, 

where a small dome (too small to be represented on the map) rises at Dam No. 5, in 

sympathy with a more extended arch which crosses Moon and Poorhouse runs and
USE OF STRUCTURE CONTOURS. 25

has a basin on the north in the vicinity of Beaver. Near the month of Raccoon 

Creek this anticline splits into two small domes, one on either side of the river. 

The one on the north side rises northward in a gentle slope, while the one on the 

south heads a series of three small domes extending in a line toward Hookstown. 

The last of this series breaks off into a side dome near McCleary, but the strength of. 

the southwest axis is maintained in a small hook on the 920-foot contour. At Industry begins another basin, which, after following the flow of the river a short distance, 

splits, one fork extending toward Georgetown, the other toward Hookstown, and 

both inclosing a final dome on Mill Creek. This arch has a slight .northwest-southeast trend parallel with Mill Creek.

From this diagonal area of mingled domes and basins the strata, corrugated with 

small anticlines and synclines having a general northwest-southeast trend, dip away 

to the south in gentle slopes. The anticlines are usually spurs shot off from the 

domes, while the synclines lie between these spurs and sometimes coincide with the 

depressions between the domes. One of these spurs brings up the Upper Freeport 

coal on Service Creek. A marked syncline of the latter type develops near Gringo 

and extends to Raccoon Creek, where it forks; one branch extending westward south 

of Green. Garden fades into the McCleary dome, while the other branch, extending 

northwestward to Gums Run, again splits. One trough extends through Holt and 

crosses the domal ridge into the Industry Basin, while the other follows Raccoon 

Creek, turns the west flank of the Moon-Poorhouse anticline, and ends in the Beaver 

basin. In the extreme southeast corner of the quadrangle the general southeastward dip gives way to another dome lying in. Allegheny County. This dome, so far 

as can be made out on this map, has an east-west trend, while the syncline inclosing 

it is semicircular.

North of the domal region along Ohio River the rocks rise in fluted slopes northwestward to a rather well-marked anticline in the northwest corner of the quadrangle. 

This anticline, which has a northeast-southwest trend, seems to be the extension of 

the Fredericktown arch recognized by I.-C. White. The arch sends out a spur southward, which culminates in a small dome near Fairview, and one northward along 

Brush Run.

USE OP STRUCTURE COJST.I.'OUKS.

Structure contours are of value in determining, at any point, the depth to the key 

rock or other stratum whose distance below the surface has been accurately measured. Thus the distance a well must be driven to strike the well-known oil or gas sands 

may be determined. For instance, the collar of the J. H. and M. J. Brown well 

No. 1, half a mile northwest of Hookstown, has, according to the map, an elevation of 

1,015 feet above sea level. The Berea grit was reported found in this well at 967 

feet. Subtracting this from the elevation of the well head gives 48 feet as the elevation above sea level for the Berea grit at this point. The structure contours on the 

Upper Freeport coal show that this coal is about950 feet above sea level at the well. 

Subtracting the elevation- of the Berea grit just determined from the elevation of the 

Upper Freeport coal gives the interval between the two as about 900 feet. Now, with 

this fact determined, suppose that a well is to be driven to the Berea grit at the crossroads in Fair-view, at what depth will the Berea be struck? As shown on the topographic map, the elevation of the crossrpads is about 1,270 feet. The structure contours on the Upper Freeport coal show that its elevation immediately under the crossroads is about 1,080 feet, or 190 feet beneath the surface at this point. Adding to 190 

feet the 900 feet previously found to be the interval between the Upper Freeport coal 

and the Berea grit gives 1,090 feet as the probable depth at which the Berea grit will 

be struck in the proposed well. This calculation is, of course, subject to the errors 

mentioned above, but it is believed to be accurate within about 20 feet. A similar 

calculation may be made for any other stratum beneath the reference surface, after
26 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANG-LE, PA.

its distance above or below either reference stratum has once been determined. 

Structure contours are also convenient in operating mines.

Economic mining must always consider drainage and underground haulage. In 

disposing of these matters the principle of gravity should be employed wherever 

possible. Contours are eminently valuable in determining that location of a mine 

which will allow the greatest use of this principle, for they show the lay of the beds 

which coal or clay mines must follow. For example, suppose a mine on the Lower 

Kittanning clay is to be opened on Brady Run, 2£ miles above its mouth. From the 

structural map it is seen that the 1,100-foot contour on the Upper Freeport coal 

swings in toward the run near this point, and that to the north are the 1,120, 1,140, 

and 1,160 contours and to the south the 1,080, 1,060, 1,040, etc. This shows, therefore, that at this point the strata rise to the northwest and dip to the southeast. If, 

then, a mine is opened on the south side of Brady Run, a tunnel driven southeastward on the clay bed will accumulate water, necessitating a pumping plant or siphon 

to keep the mine dry. In addition the grade of -the tunnel will require haulage of 

outgoing loaded cars. On the other hand, if the mine is opened on the north side of 

the run, a tunnel driven to the north or northwest on the clay bed will rise inward 

and consequently not only drain out the water, but offer a down grade for loaded cars..

The use of structure contours as further aids in the development of oil and gas territory is discussed under "Petroleum and natural gas" (p. 76).

MINERAL RESOURCES. 

COAL.

INTRODUCTION.

In undertaking .the present geologic survey of a region so well known as western 

Pennsylvania, it was considered unnecessary to duplicate the work of former surveys 

except so far as to test, by modern methods, the results previously obtained. The 

aim, therefore, of the present survey was to devote more time to features which 

received least attention in previous reports. Under 'this general plan the geologic 

structure, or lay of the beds, and the detailed distribution of various kinds of rocks, 

including coal and clay, have been carefully studied in the field and, so far as practicable, recorded on maps. In a full discussion of the geology some detailed sections 

of coal beds and some other facts, which abound in former reports, have been incorporated in this bulletin. For this information special acknowledgment is due ( I. C. 

White and J. J. Stevenson.

Bituminous coal, next to clay and oil, is the most important mineral resource of 

the Beaver quadrangle. All the rocks occurring above the base of the Pottsville are 

coal-bearing, but the beds are much thicker and more abundant in certain parts of 

the'series than in others, and-in this region the Allegheny formation is in this respect 

the most important group of rocks. By analogy to areas where the Allegheny coals 

are well developed, the coals of the Beaver region might be supposed to equal those 

of such areas in value. That this is not the rule is shown by the detailed description 

below.

The most important coals of the Allegheny formation are the Lower Kittanning and 

Upper Freeport, separated, as we have seen, by an interval averaging 177 feet. The 

area of these coals within the quadrangle is shown on the geologic map (PI. VIII). 

No other coal beds are mined at present on a large scale, but there are a few which 

have some prospective value. These are the Brookville, Darlington, and Lower Freeport coals. The coals of the Conemaugh formation, such as the Brush Creek, Bakerstown, Platt, and Elk Lick beds, are at present of little value. The Pittsburg seam of 

the Monongahela formation has such a small area within the quadrangle and is so 

deeply weathered that it is not so valuable as farther south. Its extent within this 

quadrangle is indicated on the geologic map.
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FOEMATION. 27

The coals in this region, except the Pittsburg and possibly the Lower Kittanning 

seams, occur in irregular lenses. The lenses vary greatly in size for the different beds, 

hut they are generally the same in character. They are described in detail below for 

the various coals of. the Allegheny, Conemaugh, and Monongahela formations. For 

convenience in describing coal outcrops, the quadrangle is treated in four divisions, 

based largely on surface features, as follows: (1) The region north of Ohio River and 

east of Beaver River; (2) the region north of Ohio River and west of Beaver River; 

(3) the region south of Ohio River between Raccoon Creek and the eastern edge of 

the quadrangle, and (4) the region south of Ohio River and west of Raccoon Creek. 

These four divisions will be called the northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest regions, respectively, and this order will be followed in treating the areal distribution of each coal bed. In this description, as in that of the geologic formations, 

the oldest and lowest beds will be described first and the others taken up in sequence 

until all the coals of the quadrangle have been described. The section numbers refer 

to the accompanying text figures and also -to the map (PL VIII), on which they indicate the points where the sections were taken.

COAIS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 

BROOKVILLE COAL.

The Brookville coal bed is of little importance in the Beaver quadrangle. Generally its horizon is below Avater level, but in conformity with the northward rise of 

the strata it appears slightly above water level

in Beaver River north of Bolesville. From M°llth of Brady Run, Brady Run, No. 43. 

this place to the edge of the quadrangle, how- ' '

ever,- it is frequently covered by terrace deposits and for this reason does not outcrop on 

the east bank of the river, though its horizon B^BJcoai, siuty. 33 in. 

in the vicinity of New Brighton is slightly 

above the level of Beaver River for at least 

a mile. It does not, therefore, rise above the FlG 2.-Brookviiie (54) and clarion (43) 

Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, coal sections. 

but may be found by shafting to river level.

On the west side of the river, however, the Brookville coal is exposed near the mouth 

of Brady Run, where it measures 39 inches (section 54, fig. 2). The coal is very slaty 

and of little value, but it has been mined to some extent.. It was once opened also 

below the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Railroad track just south of the mouth of the 

run, but at the time of visit it was not open to measurement. From this elevation 

it rises to the north, but is hidden opposite Fallston by terrace deposits. It is 

exposed, however, at railroad level 1 mile above Fallston (section 236, PI. V). At 

this point it is 6 inches thick and 'separated from the top of the Pottsville by 10 

feet of chiefly gray shales. Thence northward, though buried below the Beaver 

Falls terrace, the coal may be reached by shafting 20 to 50 feet through loose gravels. 

On Brady Run its only occurrence is that already noted at its mouth, and thence its 

horizon soon passes beneath the run not to appear again. No other occurrence of 

the Brookville coal in the northwest region is exposed, to the knowledge of the 

writer. AVest of Ohioville, however, a few hundred feet above the mouth of Island 

Run, and at the proper distance below the Upper Freeport coal for the Brookville 

horizon, occurs a 6-inch coal in the bed of the stream. In the southeast and southwest regions this horizon is not exposed at -any locality and along the river west of 

Monaca is probably 90 to 100 feet below water level, growing deeper south of Monaca 

with the dip of the rocks. The bed may, however, if necessary, be exploited by 

shaft, but this method would probably necessitate some means of pumping to keep 

the mine dry.

Bull. 286 06 3
28 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

CLARION COAL.

This seam is of no commercial importance within the quadrangle, being very thin 

and in places shaly. Its position averages about 60 feet above the Brookville coal 

and its extent is somewhat greater than that of the latter. Still its exposures are 

limited to Beaver River above Rochester and to Brady Run below the forks.

In the northeast region it outcrops in two or three places on the east side of Beaver 

River, all of which are above the railroad track. On Blockhouse Run, just above 

Sherwood's pottery, it is a shaly coal but 6 inches thick; thence northward it is hidden 20 feet beneath the rear edge of the New Brighton terrace as far as the New 

Brighton and Beaver Falls wagon bridge. Here it emerges 1 foot thick and lies 

about 35 feet above the railroad. With a few minor rolls and a constant thickness 

it passes out of the quadrangle about 30 feet above the track. Though present on 

the west side of Beaver River, its horizon was uncovered at only one place, a few 

hundred feet below the railroad bridge at Beaver Falls, but the coal was absent. On 

Brady Run the clay underlying this coal was once opened back of the porcelain 

works, but here, too, the coal is reported to have been absent. Farther up Brady 

Run, however, a coal, probably the Clarion, is exposed on the western bank in two 

places, one a mile and the other a mile and a half above its mouth. Both localities 

show a thickness of 6 inches (section 43, fig. 2). The Clarion horizon disappears 

beneath Brady Run near the forks, and though its position must be but a few feet 

below the bed of the north fork for a mile and a half above its mouth, it does not 

appear again oh either fork.

In the southeast and southwest regions this coal is not above water level at any 

point. At Monaca and westward along the Ohio it is probably present 25 to 40 feet 

below river level.

. LOWER KITTANNING COAL.-

The Lower Kittanning is the most important horizon in this region, not so much 

because of the coal as of the excellent clay bed accompanying it; for this reason it is

Crow Run, No. 1. South of St. - West of McDonaldtown, South of Bolesville, 

Glair, No. 3. No. 5. No. 12.

Coal, 18 in. ^^^

Coal 26 in ^^^ICoal, sulphurous, 25 in. ^^ Coal, 28 in.

IClay, 7M to 8 ft.

Clay. 2 to 5 ft.

^ Clay. 7 to 8 ft.

North of Bolesville, East of New Brigh- East bank of 

No. 13. ton, No. 15. Beaver River,

mile off map, 

No. 28.

^^H

II

| |

Coal, 22 to 24 in. coal, 17 to 27 in.

Clay, 1 to 9 ft. 

FIG. 3. Lower Kittanning coal sections, northeast region.

outlined on the geologic map (PL VIII). Where the outcrop is hidden by terraces, 

as at Monaca, Beaver, and elsewhere along the rivers, it may be found by shafting 

through loose gravels to a depth of 30 to. 60 feet along the rear edge of the deposits. 

At present the coal is rarely worth removing by itself except for limited'local use, but 

it may be profitably taken out in conjunction with the underlying clay. Its value 

as a fuel depends, however, on its quality and thickness, which vary considerably.

Detailed description. In the northeast region the coal is fairly uniform in thickness. 

On Crow Run it is of excellent quality, and, though thin, is removed in conjunction
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 29

with the clay and used for steam purposes. It measured 8 inches thick at the Pennsylvania Clay Company's mine, where it is 37 feet beneath the surface and has been 

opened by a shaft. In the switch yard above Freedom it comes to the surface, above 

the railroad at this point, and at railroad level shows a thickness of 26 inches (section 3, fig. 3). Near the mouth of the run, which enters the river at Freedom, it is 

reported to be 1 \ feet thick. In the vicinity of the Miller brick works, just below 

Dam No. 5, it thickens to 25 inches (section 5, tig. 3), but is very sulphurous and unfit 

for use in the brick works. v

Above Rochester, on Beaver River, the coal is of good quality and is used in 

S. Barnes & Co.'s brick works. Here it shows 28 inches thick (section 12). Half 

a mile beyond, at the old Ingram fire-brick works, the coal preserves its good quality 

and exhibits a thickness of 22 to 24 inches (section 13, fig. 3). East of New Brighton, 

near Sherwood's pottery, it has a greater range 17 to 27 inches (section 15, fig. 3) 

but at this locality it is unfit for use. Near the American porcelain works also it 

shows the latter thickness, but on the road to the New Brighton Kansan terrace it 

outcrops merely as a small blossom near the top of the hill. It .has, therefore, risen 

in elevation from railroad level at the switch yard to 50 feet above at Paved Run and 

thence abruptly to 140 feet. Farthe'r north, while undulating slightly, it is hi.dden 

by the New Brighton Kansan terrace until it passes out of the quadrangle at about 

the same elevation above the track. Beyond the boundary, at McDonald's clay 

mine, it has a thickness of 20 inches (section 28, fig. 3).

East of New Brighton, on Blockhouse Run, the Lower Kittanning coal is mined in 

conjunction with clay at the mines of the Smith Brick Company and the Brighton 

Fire Brick Company. It is of good 

quality and the thickness varies but Blockhouse Run, Blockhouse Run, No. 22.

slightly 20 to 22 inches (section 19, fig. ^i ^J

4). It dips under Blockhouse Run near ^^1 ^^Humi, sulphurous, isin.

... 7 ,, -,-.. TTT i ,.. , ^^H Coal, 120 to 22 In. ^H| the American Sewer Pipe Works, but a ^^H ^Hl

few hundred feet above the works this ^^Ciay,5Mto9ft. l^ 2 ^ 1 ""-

company reaches the horizon by a 40-foot _, r .,. ' ....

., , , , . PIG. 4. Lower Kittaanmg coal sections, north- shaft and removes the coal and clay east region, 

together. The coal is rather sulphurous 

and of only fair quality, but still it is used. It is 18 inches thick (section 22, fig. 4).

In the northwest region this seam is well exposed in a ravine just below the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad station at Beaver Falls, where it measures 

24 inches (section 30, fig. 5). The quality of the coal is excellent and it has been 

mined here on the Jones and Paris properties. In a ravine half a mile below it has 

also been mined by Mr'. Watson and is 22 inches thick (section 44, fig. 5). The coal 

dips southward from 135 feet above the Fort Wayne tracks at Beaver Falls to 55 feet 

above the Pittsburg and Lake Erie tracks near Bridgewater, where it has been extensively mined on the Wolf property and is reported to be 24 to 36 inches thick.

On Brady Run and its forks the Lower Kittanning horizon lies above water for 

several miles and has been drifted on in many places. Very few of these country 

pits are now in operation, but the coal is generally of a very fine quality and was at 

one time very much sought for by smiths. Thus it received the name of "blacksmith's vein." Ascending the run the first opportunity for measurement is at the 

clay mine of the FallstonFire Clay Company, where it is 18 inches thick (section 51, 

fig. 5). On the opposite side of the run it is opened by the Standard Fire Brick 

Company and is 26 inches thick (section 47, fig. 5). A few miles beyond the coal is 

mined for home use along the high way and is reported, to be 36 inches thick. A 

mile above this, however, it shows only 14 inches in thickness (section 39, fig. 5). 

Within half a mile the horizon disappears beneath the South Branch of Brady Run 

and is reported to have been at one time stripped from the bed of the stream. On
30 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

North Branch the Lower Kittanning coal is uncovered for about 3 miles. About half 

a mile above the mouth of this fork the coal is mined by Mr. Watson and hoisted by 

steam about 100 feet to the Patterson Heights road. It has at this point a thickness 

of 30 inches ( section 32, fig. 5 ) , and half a mile farther north, on the east branch of the 

fork, it is reported to maintain the same thickness, including a 6-inch parting. On 

the West Branch, however, it shows a thickness of 18 inches (section 34, fig. 6), which 

is maintained half a mile beyond on the south side of the stream, but on the north

Beaver Falls, 

No. 30.

South of Beaver 

Falls, No. 44,

Brady Run, No. 51.

Brady Run, 

No. 39.

Coal, 14 in.

HGoal, 24 in. 

Clay, 5ft.+ 

Brady Run, No. 47.

I Coal, 26 in.

| Clay, 8<4 to 10 ft.

IClay, 7 ft.

Fie. 5. Lower Kittanning coal sections, northwest region.

side it is reduced to 12 inches on the Moore farm. The horizon probably continues 

above stream level to the edge of the quadrangle.

At Beaver the Lower Kittanning horizon is buried, at some points 50 feet, but 

generally not more than 25 feet, by terrace gravels. The coal and clay beneath may 

therefore be easily reached by a short shaft or incline. The horizon emerges from 

the terrace covering at Vanport, where it is reported 18 inches in thickness on 

the Latcham property (section 62, fig. 6). Half a mile down the river it is well

North Branch

Brady Run,

No. 32.

I Coal, 30 In. Clay, 7 ft.

North Branch of

Brady Run,

No. 34.

Coal, 18 in. 

Clay, C ft.

Vanport, No. 62.

Coal, reported, 18 in.

West of Vanport, 

No. 65.

al, poor, 28 i

West of Vanport, 

No. 66.

ICoal, slaty, 11 in.

 Coal, 12 in. 

IClay, 10 ft.

Mouth of Fourmile Run, 

No. 72.

I

Coal, impure. 30 in. 

Clay, 10 ft.

West of Vanport, No. 64.

ICoal, reported, 15 in. 

IClay, 9 to 10 ft.

t. 

Industry, No. 78.

Coal, slaty, 6 in.

Clay, 7 ft.

FIG. 6. Lower Kittanning coal sections, northwest region.

exposed in clay mines and a near-by ravine. In the Vanport Brick Company's 

mine it measures 15 inches (section 64, fig. 6), but thickens in the Miller-Hummel 

Clay Company's mine to 28 inches (section 65, fig. 6), while the adjoining ravine 

exposes. 23 inches of coal (section 66, fig. 6). At both mines the coal is very sulphurous and unfit for use and at the latter is said to be somewhat irregular, iu places 

becoming as thin as 4 inches. At the Gloninger mine it is reported 20 inches thick, 

and at the mouth of Fourmile Run, in Dando & McLain's mine, it measured 30 

inches (section 72, fig. 6). Here the coal, though not very good, is.used for steam
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 31

purposes in conjunction with imported fuel. A few hundred feet up Fourmile Run 

this coal thins to 12 inches and because of an unusually steep dip in this vicinity is 

64 feet higher than at the Dando mine.

For a mile west of Fourmile Run the Lower Kittanning coal horizon lies about 50 

feet above the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad and then is thinly covered by 10 to 

20 feet of terrace gravel to Sixmile Run. The horizon lies above Sixmile Run for 

perhaps half or three-fourths of a mile, but has been opened only at the highway 

bridge over the run, where it is reported 36 to 44 inches thick. It has also been 

opened below the forks of Wolf Run, but at the time of visit no pit was open for 

measurement and it was said that the lower half is usually cannel. In the first 

ravine below the town of Industry, 27 feet above the railroad, a detailed measurement (section 78, fig. 6) shows the coal interbedded with thin partings and aggregating 

24 inches in thickness. A mile to the west the Lower Kittanning coal is again 

hidden by 25 to 60 feet of terrace gravels, but opposite Georgetown Island it reappears about 50 feet above the railroad. From this point it gradually descends to 30 

feet above the railroad at Smiths Ferry and thence rises toward the State line. 

Though at one time opened at several places in this vicinity, no exposures were 

found for measurement. Near the forks of Dry Run, however, it passes under the 

stream with an exposed thickness of 12 inches. Though the Lower Kittanning horizon does not appear elsewhere in the northwest region, west of Ohioville on Island 

Run it has an outcrop line at least a mile in length, but no good exposures were seen. 

Off the northeast corner of the quadrangle it occurs on Brush Run, where it has a 

reported thickness of 18 to 22 inches.

Monaca, No. 124. Monaca, No. 126. . West of Monaca, Poorhouse Eun,

. . No. 129. No. 132.

!0a,, slaty, Hi,, J^^ partin,, x in. il^'^ 1011 " 

IClay, 8ft. ^^^Clay?

FIG. 7. Lower Kittanning coal sections, southeast region.

In the southeast region this coal is not up to its customary grade, being impure 

and slaty, and consequently is not of general importance as a fuel. The horizon of 

the coal, as may be seen on the economic map (PI. VIII), dips below river level near 

Hog Island. It does not come to the surface until it appears above the road bridge 

near the mouth of the small run emptying at the west side of Monaca. Thus far it 

is hidden by the Monaca terrace, and may be reached by shafting along the railroad. 

Moreover, a small anticline apparent in the overlying rocks probably brings it only 

. a few feet below the surface at the mouth of the small ravine east of Doctor Heights. 

But between this point and the first outcrop it descends to an extreme depth of 35 feet 

below railroad grade, and has been reached by the Pennsylvania Clay Company in its 

25-foot shaft to the underlying clay. At this point the coal measures 22 inches (section 

124, fig. 7), but it is impureand is not removed with the clay. Near the Pittsburg and 

Lake Erie Railroad bridge the Welsh Brick Company drifts on the underlying clay 

and exposes the coal 28 inches thick (section 126, fig. 7). The upper half is slaty and 

sulphurous, and consequently is not used. Thence westward the horizon is marked 

not only by frequent coal blossoms along the river road, but by several abandoned 

brickyards. At one of these the Reed property the coal is still sulphurous and 

20 inches in thickness (section 129, fig. 7). Within a mile to the west it passes beneath 

a gravel terrace, remaining covered to the mouth of Raccoon Creek. The horizon 

of the coal is usually less than 50 feet beneath the surface and may be found by 

shafting to this depth along the rear edge of the terrace. Rag and Poorhouse 

runs, however, cut down almost to this horizon, and where the road crosses the latter
32 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

Charles Deens has uncovered the Lower .Kittanning coal at about stream level. In 

the prospect the seam aggregates 24 inches in thickness (section 132, fig. 7), but the 

upper part is slaty and the lower part split by partings.

In the vicinity of Raccoon Creek bridge there are several old pits on the Potter 

and Sprenger farms, but no measurements could be obtained. Along the east side 

of the creek, though the horizon is above water level, the only exposure occurs about 

half a mile above the bridge, where a coal 12 inches thick outcrops 5 feet above lowwater level. This is very probably the Lower Kittanning coal, but not enough of the 

accompanying rocks are exposed to prove its stratigraphic position. It may therefore be th j Darlington coal. A few hundred feet to the south it passes beneath water 

level, but a coal, perhaps the same one, is uncovered again in the next bend of the 

creek. Its several occurrences on the west bank will, with others, be noticed in the 

folloAving paragraph, describing the southwest region.

The impure character of this coal to the east is continued into the southwest region 

and in places unfits it for use. It has been opened on the west bank of Raccoon 

Creek, but owing to the local westward dip of the beds its extent is less than on 

the east bank and a shorter column of accompanying rocks is exposed on the 

west bank. As a consequence the identification of the exposed coals, especially 

those south of Fishpot Run, is less certain. In this locality a sandstone, presumably 

the Freeport, lies near the outcropping seam, which, therefore, should normally 

belong to the Darlington horizon. The sandstone, on the other hand, may replace 

the Darlington coal, in which case the seam is referable to the Lower Kittanning.

Raccoon Creek, Raccoon Creek, No. 150. South of Phillis 

'No. 139. Island, No. 167.

Coal, slaty. 24 in. ^^gCoal, slaty, 12 to 18 i 

Coal, sulphurous, 6i ItParting, 2 in. 

^^^^_Coal, 6 in. Coal, exposed, 16 in. ^^^^^

 FIG. 8. Lower Kittanning coal sections, southwest region.

Excavations beneath these coals to show the presence or absence of the characteristic 

Lower Kittanning clay bed would prove their identity. Whether Lower Kittanning 

or Darlington, the last exposure known to the south is a mile above the bridge, 

and shows a slaty coal 24 inches thick (section 139, fig. 8). Opposite this point was 

measured section 220 (PI. IV), which shows no corresponding coal, and which 

therefore indicates that it has dipped beneath the creek in this short distance. To 

the south it passes under gravel terraces and does not appear again, but to the north 

it rises slightly, and at the mouth of Fishpot Run what is probably the same coal 

measures 34 to 40 inches (section 150, fig. 8). The upper part is inclined to be slaty, 

bony, and somewhat sulphurous. In the next bend the undoubted Lower Kittanning coal has been mined on the Braden farm and elsewhere, but at the time of visit 

was not open to measurement. It was reported as 36 inches thick and as overlying 

its characteristic clay bed. It occurs as a coal blossom on the highway to the north 

beyond which it disappears beneath the Bellowsville terrace, but it is not deeply 

covered, and probably within half a mile reappears along the rear edge of the terrace at an elevation of about 760 feet. Thus it possibly continues near terrace level 

for a mile, but in this distance it has not been opened. Where the terrace becomes 

narrow the horizon descends beneath the gravels arid remains just below the surface 

as far as Squirrel Run. Within this distance it is said to have been found on the 

Carpenter property and at the mouth of Squirrel Run, but no measurement of its 

thickness was obtainable. Beyond Squirrel Run the horizon lies above water level 

in the precipitous river bank, but is unexploitable on account of its unfavorable
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 33

position. It finally disappears beneath the Shippingport terrace, below which it 

may be found by shafting probably not more than GO feet. But, to judge from an 

exposure of the Darlington seam near Shippingport, the Lower Kittanning probably 

lies nearer the river front of this terrace than is supposed to be the case beneath 

other terraces of this kind. Nearly opposite Phillid Island the hori/on reappears 

about 40 feet above low-water level and bears a coal 31 inches thick (section 167, 

fig. 8). To the west of this point it is.not well exposed but is known on the Fergensen and Potts farms and the seam was reported 24 inches thick. After some 

distance it again disappears beneath a river terrace, gaining a depth of about 70 feet, 

but rising very near the surface and finally emerging on Mill Creek. Beyond Mill 

Creek on the river front the horizon is near the surface as far as Little Mill Creek 

and may be drifted on, through a thin covering of gravels. On both streams the 

horizon. continues above water level for nearly three-fourths of a mile, but was not 

Open to measurement at any point.

Summary. The Lower Kittanning coal is at present chiefly valuable when removed 

in conjunction with the overlying clay, but in the past it has been largely mined 

alone for local use. Its present use is restricted by its varying quality and thickness. 

In some localities it is a good steam coal, but in others it is dirty and sulphurous and 

can not be used. It was not observed less than 14 nor more than 30 inches thick 

except where separated by partings. The average thickness, however, is about 24 

inches, and this measurement is most uniform in the valleys of Beaver River, Brady 

and Blockhouse runs, and the north side of Ohio \iralley to Vanport. In these localities also the coal is singularly free from partings, though often rendered poor in 

quality by the presence of sulphur and other impurities. This is particularly true in 

certain areas east of Beaver River, where it is known as the "sulphur vein," while 

in Brady Run this coal was once so especially sought by smiths as to receive the 

appellation of '' blacksmith's vein.'' Elsewhere in the quadrangle the greatest variations both in thickness and partings occur. The partings consist of clay and slaty 

lenses, and seem confined to the upper portion. They are most prevalent on the 

north side of Ohio River west of Vanport, on the south side, and in Raccoon Creek, 

so that at places in this general region the Lower Kittanning seam has been abandoned for the Darlington coal above.

MIDDLE KITTANNING (DARLINGTON?) COAL.

The Middle Kittanning coal averages 35 feet above the Lower Kittannirig and consequently has nearly the same geographic distribution, but is not so deeply covered 

by terrace deposits. Though persistent throughout the quadrangle, it is on the whole 

of less importance than the Lower Kittanning, being more variable in thickness and 

underlain by a less valuable clay bed.'

Detailed description. In the northeast region this coal is generally thinner than the 

Lower Kittanning seam; consequently, it is of less importance in this section of the 

quadrangle and is seldom, if ever, used. On Crow Run, between the two shafts of 

the Pennsylvania Clay Company, it is°12 inches thick near stream level, but above 

the road east of the switch yard it is 14 to 20 inches thick (section 2, fig. 9), and 45 

feet above the Lower Kittanning seam. Except at Dam No. 5, where it shows as a 

thin coal, in places cut out by Freeport sandstone (section 224, PL V), the coal is 

not known as far as Bolesville, with possibly one exception. In the bed of the run, 

back of Rochester, a 6-inch coal outcrops which very probably represents the Darlington. At Bolesville it occurs 90 feet above the railroad track and is only 9 inches 

thick. Thence northward to the margin of the quadrangle it shows only as a blossom 

on the road back of Sherwood's pottery. Outside of the quadrangle, however, 35 

feet above McDonald's clay mine, already referred to, the section is 18 inches thick 

(section 27, fig. 9).
34 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADBANGLE, PA.

On Blockhouse Run east of New Brighton the Darlington horizon, being higher 

than the Lower Kittanning, has, of course, a greater extent, but here too it varies 

from a thin coal of 6 inches near the Brighton Fire Brick Company's works, to one 

with a reported thickness of 16 to 24 inches near the forks of the run. At the latter 

point, however, it measures only 14 inches (section 23, fig. 9) and beyond the boundaries of the quadrangle it shows 1 foot thick.

In the northwest region the Darlington seam in certain localities is well developed 

and becomes a valuable coal. On the west side of Beaver Eiver, at Beaver Falls, it 

occurs 30 feet above the Lower Kittanning coal on the Paris property, referred to 

above, where it is 14 inches thick (section 31, fig. 10). A mile south of this exposureSouth of St. Clair, East bank of Beaver River, i Blockhouse 

No. 2. mile out of quadrangle, Run, No. 23. No. 27.

Clay!

Coal, 14 to 2(1 in. 

^^^^ 

^^H

I IClay, 

ial, reported, 

reported 

18 

present. 

in. H

Fro. 9. Middle Kittanning coal sections, northeast region.

it thins to 12 inches, and at the foot of the bluff between Bridge water and Beaver it 

is 8 inches thick (section 56, fig. 10).

On Brady Eun it is present as a very thin coal, usually not exceeding 12 inches in 

thickness. Thus in the first ravine above the Fallston Fire Clay Company's mine it 

shows a thickness of 6 inches (section 50, fig. 10), and 2£ miles above this point,'on 

the north side of the run, it has thinned to 4 inches. On North Branch of Brady 

Eun it increases somewhat in thickness, being a slaty coal 16 inches thick on the 

Mahoney farm, near the head of the stream (section 35, fig. 10), and 12 inches thick a 

mile farther down.

On Ohio Eiver, at Beaver, the horizon of the Darlington coal occurs north of town 

at an elevation of about 800 feet, making it nearly on a level with the Beaver terrace. 

It remains at about this elevation as far as the ravine near the Miller-Hummel clay

Beaver Falls, Beaver, No. 56. Brady Run, North Branch 

NO-31. No. 50. Brady Run,

No. 35.

C

West of Van- Dam No. 6, Mouth of Fourmile Run, 

port, No. 67. No. 70. No. 71.

I Clay, poor, 18 to 20 in. 

*Clay. 5 ft. 

FIG. 10. Middle Kittanning coal sections, northwest region.

mines, where it is 4 inches thick (section 67, fig. 10). In the next ravine west, however, it is 20 feet higher and measures 23 inches (section 70, fig. 10). Near the 

mouth of Fourmile Eun Dando & Co. have uncovered the coal while exploiting its 

under clay, and though of poor quality it measures-18 to 20 inches (section 71, fig. 10). 

A few hundred feet up the run it follows the sudden rise of the Lower Kittanning 

coal and is represented by coal and bituminous.shale 12 inches thick. Thence to 

Sixmile Eun it is not well exposed, but may be seen on the Eun road as a large coal 

blossom. A short distance up a branch run toward Engle's coal mine it has been 

opened and shows a section with 30 inches of bituminous shale at the top and 18 

inches of coal at the base (section 77, fig. 11). The coal continues to descend west-
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FOBMAT10N. 35

ward, but is not exposed as far as Wolf Run. On the west fork of this run a few 

hundred feet above the mouth occurs a doubtful coal measuring 9 inches. It probably belongs to the Darlington horizon, but the accompanying rocks do not give 

sufficient data to prove its identity, and it may belong to the Upper Kittanning horizon. Just below Industry (section 252, PI. VII) this coal, as well as the Upper Kittanning, is cut out entirely by Freeport sandstone. It still dips steadily westward 

and near Cooks Ferry lies 25 feet above the Cleveland and Pittsburg tracks, being 

more or less slaty and 18 inches thick (section 80, fig. 11). A short distance west of 

the depot a coal is exposed at railroad level 14 inches thick (section 81, fig. 11), but 

at this point the evidence is not sufficient to determine to which horizon the coal 

belongs. The bed shown in section 80 seems certainly Darlington, with the coal 

bloom and clay of the Lower Kittanning 30 feet below and the Freeport sandstone a 

few feet above. The sandstone shown'above, section 81 is assumed to be the same 

and therefore, unless it has cut away the Darlington coal, as in section 252 (PI. VII), 

the coal exposed should belong to the Darlington horizon.

From this point westward it is covered by a gravel terrace as far as the vicinity of 

Georgetown Island. It may be found by shafting through not more than 35 feet of 

loose gravels at the rear edge of the terrace, and may, indeed, be drifted on where 

streams have incised the terrace to 75 feet above railroad level. From Georgetown

Sixmilc Run, No. 77.

" Bituminous 

j shale, 30In.

I Goal, 18 in.

West of Industry, 

No. 80.

ICoal, slaty, 18 in. 

ICliiy, 3 ft.+

Cooks Ferry, 

No. 81.

ICoal, 14 in.

Smiths Ferry, Dry Run, off Little Beaver Island Run, off 

off map, No. 84. map, No. 85. Creek, off map, map, No. 93.

No. 80.

FIG. 11. Middle Kittanning coal sections, northwest region. - 

Island to Smiths Ferry, though the horizon lies above the railroad. in the precipitous river bank, it was exposed for measurement only on the Smiths Ferry and 

Ohioville road, where it shows a thickness of 14 inches (section 84, fig. 11). At this 

point it is 60 feet above railroad level, while about half a m.ile up Dry Run, where it 

has been mined on the Thompson property, it is higher and measures 18 inches 

(section 85, fig. 11).

No other occurrences of the Darlington coal are known to the writer in this portion of the quadrangle; but on Little Beaver Creek, beyond the boundary, it has 

been opened on the Jesse Smith property, and measures 30 inches (section 86, fig. 

11). The same seam was at one time extensively exploited back of Glasgow, and is 

reported both of excellent quality and of unusual thickness 28 to 30 inches. In 

this locality especially it is known, presumably from the characteristic shape of the 

mined product, as the "block vein." Two other occurrences of this horizon in 

Island Run, though outside the quadrangle, may be mentioned here. One on the 

north side of and 100 feet above the run, near the Ohio State line, measures 26 inches 

(section 93, fig. 11); the other, in the bed of the run to the east, is 18 inches thick.

In the southeast region the Middle Kittanning horizon is 35 to 45 feet above the 

Lower Kittanning coal, and hence remains above river level throughout the region,
36 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

but it is commonly too thin to mine. To begin at Hog Island, it first appears in an 

old pit along the road at the mouth of the run south of Stobo, but was not exposed 

for measurement. The next occurrence is at the mouth of Moon Run, where it 

measures 16 inches (section 118, fig. 12); but a short distance above this point, at 

the mouth of Elkhorn Run, it thiris to 6 inches (section 117, fig. 12). A few feet 

beyond, with the same thickness, it passes beneath the stream. From. Moon Run, 

where it is about 20 feet below railroad level, it steadily rises to nearly track level 

at Colonial, but from this point northwestward it follows the rise and fall of the Lower 

Kittanning coal, and in general is above or near railroad grade to the railroad bridge 

over the Ohio. At the Welsh brick works the coal lies 35 feet above the Lower 

Kittanning, and still retains its thin character,'measuring 9 inches (section 125 

fig. 12). For some distance beyond it maintains the same thickness, and at the Reed

Mouth of Moon Mouth of Elk- Monaca, No. 125. Opposite Beaver, Mouth of RacRun, No. 118. horn Run, No. 128. coon Creek,

No. 117. No. 133.

Coal, 6 in. CoaUHn. B^IConl, G in. 

6in. aay)2ft+ ^ci^ ghaie^ ft P^Ola^various

Clay! .

FIG. 12. Middle Kittanning coal sections, southeast region.

brick yard it is reduced to 6 inches (section 128, fig. 12). West of this point the 

horizon lies above road level until it disappears beneath the Bellowsville' terrace. 

The terrace material has been removed in the ravine south of Bellowsville and the 

Darlington horizon uncovered at an elevation of 777 feet. The coal h;|s been opened 

here, but when visited the prospects were caved in. Both Rag Run and Poorhouse 

Run also cut below the horizon, but at no place was the coal exposed for measurement. Thence westward it is hidden by terrace deposits nearly to the bridge over 

Raccoon Creek. . At this point it probably lies above the gravels, but it was not seen 

except in a ravine south of the. bridge, where it shows a thickness of 18 inches (section 133, fig. 12). Along Raccoon Creek it is not exposed, unless the outcrops noted 

under the Lower Kittanning (p. 32) belong to this.horizon.

In the southwest region the Darlington seam has been little opened except in the 

western portion, where .it is of excellent quality. jQn Raccoon Creek no other

South of Phillis Mouth of Mill Creek, No. 170. Mill Creek 

Island, No. 166. No. 171.

^^H , 12 ir ___ ____

^^__ ^a^^Coal, 24 in. 

C ay, r> ft. ^^H r,oal) rep0rte(|, go to 36 in.

IClay, 7 ft. 

FIG. 13. Middle Kittanning coal sections, southwest region.

exposures than those described above as possibly belonging to the Lower Kittanning 

horizon are known. Though the Darlington coal in this region lies 20 to 30 feet 

above the Lower Kittanning and westward along the river as far as Industry Ferry 

is uncovered by terraces, no exposures nor openings \vere seen in this distance. It 

lies not more than 30 feet beneath the Shippingport terrace, and is uncovered by 

Haden and Peggs runs. On the former it occurs as an 8-inch coal in the bed of the 

stream at the township line, with the Freeport sandstone beginning 10 feet above it; 

and on the latter stream, at the rear of the terrace, it has the same thickness, with 

the Freeport sandstone in a similar position. It leaves the terrace deposits near 

Phillis Island, where it is exposed 12 inches thick (section 166, fig. 13). From this 

locality to Georgetown terrace it is not known. No doubt it follows the Lower Kittanning coal and lies beneath terrace deposits east of Georgetown, but west of town
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 87

it should leave the terrace and rise to an elevation of 770 feet, in accordance with 

the interval between it and the Lower Kittanning. This interval indeed has 

decreased from 30 feet at Phillis Island to 20 feet on Mill Creek, where the coal has 

been extensively mined. In this locality, as on the opposite side of the river, it is 

known as the " block vein," and openings near the mouth of Mill Creek on the Lake 

and Spence farms are said to have shown 26 to 36 inches of excellent coal (section 

170, fig. 13). Farther up the creek it was being mined at the time of visit by Hoalcroft& Jones, who removed 24 inches of block coal for local use (section 171, fig. 13). 

Beyond this point it continues at about the same elevation, but grows thinner, and 

near the school house was only 12 inches thick. A short distance beyond it passes 

beneath the creek.

Summary. Though persistent throughout the quadrangle, the Darlington seam is 

on the whole of less importance than the Lower Kittanning because it is more variable in thickness, the limits being 4 to 36 inches, and because it is underlain by a less 

valuable clay bed. There are, however, restricted areas in which the coal itself 

equals or surpasses in quality the Lower Kittanning of the same area. One area 

includes the Ohio Valley west of Darn No. 6. In this general region the usual thickness of the .coal is between 14 and 30 inches, free from partings and apparently 

increasing in quality and thickness toward the west, so that on both sides of the 

river in the vicinity of Georgetown it is 24 to 30 inches thick. Here it is an excellent block coal (the "block vein"), which has in the past been largely opened for 

local consumption.

Another area in which the coal is somewhat uniform in thickness, of fair quality, 

and free from partings, lies east of Beaver and Ohio rivers. In this locality it ranges 

generally from 14 to 20 inches, but it is likely to be cut out by the Freeport sandstone, and it is not at present of commercial importance.

The exposures in the remainder of the quadrangle seldom reveal a thickness greater 

than 6 to 9 inches.

UPPER KITTANNING COAL.

This seam is of no importance within the quadrangle, except possibly in one locality on Brush Run. Elsewhere it is very thin, usually impure, and in 50 per cent of 

the exposures of this horizon is absent altogether.

In the northeast region it has not been observed thicker than 12 inches at any 

locality, and it is generally much thinner. Just below Bolesville it is 6 inches thick, 

and near the Brighton Fire Brick Company's mine, on Blockhouse Run, it measures 

12 inches (section 21, fig. 14). Here it is 13 feet above the Darlington seam. Outside of the quadrangle, but near the boundary, is a coal about 38 feet below the 

Lower Freeport, which may here be mentioned. It is 38 inches in thickness (section 

231, PI. V), but seems too high in the series to be the Upper Kittanning. About 20 

feet above the Darlington coal, at McDonald's clay mine, occurs a 5-foot bed of cannel 

coal, which presumably belongs to the Upper Kittanning horizon. Though at one 

time mined for the local market, it is not now exploited (section 233, PI. V).

In the northwest region this seam seldom reaches a thickness greater than 1 foot, 

and exhibits its usual poor quality over most of the area. On the west side of Beaver River, for example, the horizon, though present a few feet above the Darlington 

coal, was not coal bearing where exposed and often was concealed. On Brady Run, 

however, the coal is present as a thin seam rarely reaching 12 inches in thickness. 

This thickness is shown on the northeast side of the run, a mile above Fallston, and 

also on South Branch a mile above the forks (sections 41 and 46, fig. 14). In a ravine 

a few hundred feet to the northwest of the latter point, however, it thins to 6 inches 

and a mile to the west measures 10 inches (section 40, fig. 14). Another occurrence 

a mile still farther west shows a 6-inch slaty coal, and along the road half a mile 

beyond, the extreme thickness 12 inches recurs (section 38, fig. 14).
38 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

Along the north bank of Ohio River the horizon, though seldom coal bearing, 

in some instances carries an augmented seam, for example, in a ravine near the 

Gloninger .clay mines it is exposed 18 inches thick (section 68, fig. 14), but is slaty. 

Near the same place, on the road leading up the ravine, it measures 12 inches, while 

the next exposure, in a ravine just east of Cooks Ferry station, it is not over 2 inches 

thick (section 79, fig. 15). No other exposures were observed as far as Dry Run, 

where on both forks it is not known over 8 or 10 inches in thickness (sections 87, 89, 

fig. 15). Outside of the quadrangle, on Island Run, it become's still thinner, and was 

not found over 6 inches thick (section 95, fig. 15).

In the extreme northwest corner of the quadrangle, however, a coal at probably 

this horizon is well represented on Brush Run. It has been opened on the Tinnis,

Blockhouse South Branch of . Brady Run, South Branch of

Run, No. 21 Brady Run, No. 46. Brady Run,

No. 41. No. 40.

 Coal. 12in. HlCoal, 12 in. ^^ Coal, 12 in. I^Hcoal, 10 in.

South Branch of West of Vanport, 

Brady Run.No. 38. No. 68.

Coal, 12 in. + MB Goal, slaty. 18 in.

FIG. 14. Upper Kittanning coal sections, northeast and northwest regions.

Blagg, and other properties, showing a uniform thickness of 48 inches with 6 to 12 

inches of parting (section 108, fig. 15). In this vicinity it is known as the "dirt 

vein" and seems to have been correlated with the Upper Freeport seam by the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania.

In the southeast and southwest regions the Upper Kittanning seam is extremely 

thin and poorly exposed. East of Raccoon Creek it was observed only in a ravine 

south of Bellowsville, where it is 2 inches thick. On the west bank of Raccoon 

Creek it is not known and seems to be cut out by the Freeport sandstone, while along

West of Indus- Dry Run, Dry Run, off Island Run, off Brush Run, No. 108. 

try, No. 79. No. 89. map, No. 87. map, No. 95.

Jcoal, 2 in. ^^^ __. ... I l_l I w _ n L.J lu^coal!(. in.

 Coal, 8 in. 

11Clay, 3 ft. ^^__

^^^"Coal, with partings, 48 in.

FIG. 15. Upper Kittanning coal sections, northwest region.

the Ohio it first shows near Phillis Island (section 254, PL VII) as a thin coal ranging up to 6 inches in thickness and occurring 40 feet above the Middle Kittanning. 

No other exposure is known except on Little Mill Creek outside of the quadrangle, 

where it was seen 2 inches thick.

LOWER FREEPORT COAL.

The Lower, Freeport seam is in places of some value in this territory, but on the 

whole it probably ranks below the Darlington coal. Its position averages 60 feet 

below the Upper Freeport coal, whose crop line is shown on the map. It therefore 

lies high up on the sides of the river valleys and extends considerable distances up 

the lateral streams.
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 39

Detailed description. This seam is rather well developed in the northeast region, 

but the coal is of very inferior quality. Along the hill road east of St. Clair a slaty 

coal outcrops 24 inches thick (section 4, fig. 16), whose stratigraphic position is 

doubtful. It seems too far above the Lower Kittanning (165 feet) to be Lower 

Freeport, but. has neither the elevation nor the stratigraphic associations of the 

Upper Freeport (section 223, PI. V). About a mile north of this locality, however, 

on the edge of the quadrangle, the true horizon is recognizable and shows 1.2 inches 

of coal. East of Rochester, near the bed of the run which flows back of town, this 

coal is 24 inches thick (section 10, fig. 16). On an eastern fork of the same run is a 

slaty coal 4 feet thick which has been mined to some extent. Both its position 

about 80 feet below the Upper Freeport, which is at least 20 feet lower than the 

usual position of the Lower Freeport coal and its character make its identification 

uncertain. It may be another of the isolated cannel-like deposits, common in the 

Beaver quadrangle. On the property of Mott Muller, on McKinley Run, the Lower 

Freeport coal is exposed 18 inches thick (section 9, fig. 16). Thence northward to 

New Brighton the coal does not show, but it is known in Smith's quarry, on the 

hill east of New Brighton, where it is said to lie beneath the sandstone of the 

quarry and to have a thickness of 16 inches. On Blockhouse Run, back of the 

American Sewer Pipe Works, it is reported 10 inches thick, and near by measures 14 

inches. On the opposite side of the run it is still thicker 20 inches (section 20,

' Freedom, No. 4. East of Rochester, No. 10. McKinley Run,

No. 9.

I Coal, slmly, 6 in. 

] Shale, 4 in. Bituminous

shale and coal, 2i in. (Coal, Hin. ____

B^,

Clay, 5 ft.

Blockhouse Run, Blockhouse Run, 

No.20. No. 26.

ICoal, 15 in. 

Iday. 3ft.+ 

FIG. .16. Lower Freeport coal sections, northeast region.

fig. 16). Though the horizon, is present elsewhere on Blockhouse Run, the coal 

was not observed to outcrop except on the north fork, just beyond the boundary of 

the quadrangle, where it is 15 inches thick (section 26, fig. 16).

These are all the occurrences of this coal which have been observed in this part 

of the quadrangle, but beyond the boundary, near the highway on the bluff above 

McDonald's clay mine, it has a thickness of 1 foot.

In the northwest region this coal is in general thicker than the Upper Kittanning, 

and in a few localities much thicker than any other coal so far described. On the 

west side of Beaver River it maintains a medium thickness of not more than 18 

inches. Between West Bridgewater and Beaver, for example, where the coal is 

exposed on the .river bluff 80 to 100 feet above the road, it is scarcely more than 12 

inches thick and of very inferior quality, being slaty 'and bony. The next deep 

ravine to the north exposes this coal at about the same elevation, but with an 

increased thickness of 18 inches (section 55, fig. 17). Thence to the dam opposite 

New Brighton the Lower Freeport horizon rises.about 100 feet, and at this point 

measures 16 inches (section 45, fig. 17).

On Brady Run, owing to'the elevation of this coal, it is found high up on the 

sides of the valley. An occurrence on the west side of the run a mile from its 

mouth was partly concealed, but the exposed section was shaly and 16 inches 

thick (section 49, fig. 17). In the same ravine, 25 feet below this coal, is a 6-inch
40 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

coal which can not be identified with any horizon, being too near the Lower Freeport horizon to be called the Upper Kittanning. At other exposures a mile farther 

west on Brady Run the coal is still impure and only 12 inches thick (section 42, 

fig. 17). Thence westward the horizon continues to rise and probably disappears 

beneath Brady Run just over the line in South Beaver Township. This statement 

can not be proved on the ground, because the Butler and Freeport sandstones are 

here so well developed that debris from them conceals the horizon. The fact may

West Bridgewater, 

No. 55.

I Coal, slaty, 18 in.

EastofPatterson 

Heights, No. 45.

Brady Run, 

No. 49.

H

HBCoal, 4 in. HBl 

Coal, 16 In. ^^S hale,6in. 

 Coal, 6 in.+' I 

Clay, 4 ft. ~IClay, 5 ft.

South Branch of Brady 

Run, No. 42.

 Coal, impure, 12 in. 

|Clay, 24 in.

North Branch of Brady 

Run, No. 33.

I Coal, slaty, 12 in.

I Concealed, 8 ft. 

jSanastone, 8 ft. 

I Bituminous shale, 4 in. 

|Clay, 2 ft.

TwomileRun,No.58.

B

Twomile Run, 

No. 60.

.

Coal, with 12 in. 

parting, 27 in.

, ! ft.

FIG. 17. Lower Freeport coal sections, northwest region.

be fairly well established, however, by correlating the Upper Freeport coal, which 

is better exposed, and subtracting from its elevation the average interval to the 

Lower Freeport coal.

On North Branch of Brady Run the horizon begins high above stream level and 

holds this relation till it passes out of the quadrangle; but exposures are scarce, and 

one locality near the forks of North Branch shows the seam split into two thin

East of Smiths Ferry, 

No. 83.

Dry Run, No. 90. Island Run, off 

map, No. 91.

Island Run,' off 

map, No. 96.

 ft

Bituminous shale 

with coal seams, 

48 in.

ICoal. reported, 34 in. Coal, 30 in.

Clay, 3 t.

Clay, 3 ft. ^mm Coal, 3 in.

Clay, 2 ft.

Brush Run, No. 107. Northwest cor- 

. ner of quadrangle, No. 105.

 ill ' 'Clay, 3ft. 

FIG. 18. Lower Freeport coal sections, northwest region.

"benches 16 feet apart, with some sandstone between (section 33, fig. 17). It is a 

question here whether the coal or the bituminous shale represents the Lower Freeport, and perhaps it is a "split vein," like section 91 (fig. 18) above.

Along the north side of Ohio River this coal shows great variability at several 

points in the vicinity of Twomile Run. For example, back of Beaver the coal is 

about 75 feet above the Beaver terrace and 9 inches thick, while on Twomile Run it 

has been opened on the Bolland property with a thickness of 27 inches (section 58,
COALS OF ALLEGHENT FORMATION. 41

West of Hog 

Island, No. 113.

Moon Hun, No. 116.

Coal ami bituinllous shale, 24 in.

Clay!

FIG. 19. Lower Freeport coal sections, 

southeast region.

fig. 17). This is not all clear coal, however, being separated by a 12-inch parting. 

On the Morgan property, a mile to the north, the coal thins to 17 inches (section 60. 

fig. 17).

Westward along the river, to Georgetown Island, the Freeport sandstone, as we 

have seen, is exceptionally developed and the Lower Freeport coal reciprocally 

absent. Opposite Georgetown Island the sandstone thins and the coal begins to 

reappear as a bituminous shale with coal seams, the whole being 48 inches thick 

(section 83, fig. 18). Midway between this point and Smiths Ferry it becomes a 

shaly coal 12 inches thick, and this character 

and thickness are generally maintained north 

of Smiths Ferry throughout the valley of Dry 

Run (section 90, fig. 18).

West of Ohioville, on Island Run, half a 

mile beyond the edge of the quadrangle, the 

Lower Freeport is exposed for measurement 

at several points. One near its mouth shows 

an impure coal 12 inches thick, while of two 

others half a mile upstream, one shows 17 inches of coal separated by a seam of clay 

(section 91, fig. 18) and the other 18 inches of solid coal (section 96, fig. 18).

The streams to the north, such as JBieler and Pine runs, uncover this horizon 60 

feet below the Upper Freeport, but the coal for some reason is not now exploited. 

In the northwest corner of the quadrangle a coal correlated with this searn has been 

opened on Brush Run, but the pits are fallen in and the reported thickness is 34 

inches (section 107, fig. 18). To the west of Brush Run this coal is locally well 

developed. For example, just beyond the edge of the quadrangle it is exposed 30 

inches thick in a ravine on the Elton property (section 105, fig. 18). On the west 

branch of Brush Run; however, it. is unknown unless a 12-inch searn on the north 

side belongs to this horizon.

In the southeast region the Lower Freeport horizon averages 75 feet above the 

Darlington coal, and as a rule is a few inches thicker. West from Hog Island it is 

first exposed as a blossom along the river road at an elevation of about 850 feet. 

From this point it ascends slightly to the northwest, and is exposed at an elevation 

of about 860 feet in the run south of Stobo, where, it measures something over 12

South of Monaca, No. 121.

Bituminous shale, 12 in. 

Clay, I ft.

South of Mon'aca, 

No. 122.

I Coal, slaty, 14 In 

IClay!

Monaca, No. 123. Bellowsville, No. 130.

Bellowsville, No. 131. Raccoon Creek, 

No. 136.

(Coal, 7 In.

I Coal, slaty, 7 in.

Clay shale. 5 ft.

Raccoon Creek, 

No. 138.

Bituminous shale 

and coal. 12 in.

Clayt

Coal, 12 in. 

Clay, 5 ft.

Coal, 14 in. 

Clay. 5 ft.

ICoal. slaty, 6 in. 

JSlmle, 6 In. 

|Coal,4in. 

IClay?

FIG. 20. Lower Freeport coal sections, southeast region.

inches (section 113, fig. 19). At this point a slaty coal of doubtful horizon and 

perhaps 18 inches thick occurs about 65 feet lower, in the bottom of the run. It 

may be the true Lower Freeport, but in this region, where the interval between the 

Lower and Upper Freeport is about 35 feet (section 203, PI. IV), it seems too low.

No other outcrops of the Lower Freeport are known in either this run or Elkhorn 

Run. On Moon Run, however, it is exposed on the south fork and measures 24 

inches (section 116, fig. 19). ' Here it is partly a bituminous shale and consequently 

of little value. The same character continues along the river front to Monaca and
42 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADEANGLE, PA.

even beyond, in Avhich distance the coal seldom reaches a thickness greater than 12 

inches (sections 121, 122, 123, 130, fig. 20.) Greater dimensions, however, are 

assumed in a ravine south of Bellowsville, where the seam, though still very slaty, 

is 16 inches thick (section 131, fig. 20). Outcrops on Rag and Poorhouse runs are 

rare, and the only one observed was a mile above the mouth of the latter, where the 

coal had thinned to 4 inches.

The Lower Freeport horizon lies about 75 to 100 feet above the Bellowsville terrace, but is not exposed along the river front. On the east bluff of Raccoon Creek, 

however, several sections of coal, were measured which increase in thickness toward 

the south. The first, in a ravine above the bridge and about 165 feet above the 

creek, shows an impure coal 6 inches thick, while the second, a mile beyond and at 

about the same elevation, measures 12 inches (section 136, fig. 20), and the third, 

still farther up stream and somewhat lower, is 14 inches thick (section 138, fig. 20). 

No other exposures of this coal were seen to the south except scattering blossoms 

along the highways, and the -horizon finally dips beneath Raccoon Creek about 3 

miles above Gums Run. This seam is inclined to be slaty and promises little good 

coal in this section of the quadrangle.

In the ravine just mentioned, where section 136 was measured, and about 80 feet 

lower, occurs a shaly coal of doubtful horizon with a thickness of 36 inches (section 

221, PI. V). It may be the Lower Freeport overlying the Freeport sandstone, in 

which case the seam shown in section 136 is equivalent to the Upper Freeport or a 

local coal, instead of Lower Freeport. Or'it possibly represents the Upper KittanRaccoon Creek, PishpotRun, West of Phillis Island, 

No. 141. No. 148. No. 168.

Bituminous'shale, with 

coal seams, 36 in.

PIG. 21. Lower Freeport coal sections, southwest region.

ning, but this seems rather unlikely. At any rate a stray coal appears along Raccoon 

Creek, which, when the Lower Kittanning horizon is covered, makes the-other coals 

diflicult of identification (section 220, PL IV).

The Lower Freeport coal is seen at only three localities in the southwest region, 

and the thicknesses observed are not encouraging. On Raccoon Creek it is exposed 

near the mouth of Gums Run, where it occurs at an elevation of about 800 feet and 

with a thickness of nearly 12 inches (section 141, fig. 21). On Fishpot Run, in 

accordance with the northward rise of the rocks, it is somewhat higher 900 feet 

and here the coal is of better quality and reaches a thickness of 18 inches (section 

148, fig. 21). The third occurrence, which is below Phillis Island on the river, is 

still thicker 36 inches but consists of bituminous shale with thin coal seams (section 168, fig. 21). At the first two localities the interval between the Upper and 

Lower Freeport is 30 feet, but at the last it is 55 feet. Elsewhere in the region, 

therefore, the Lower Freeport may be looked for within 30 to 55 feet below the 

Upper Freeport coal.

Summary. The Lower Freeport coal probably ranks in value below the Darlington, for the reason that it is very irregular in occurrence. Of localities where the 

horizon was exposed, 50 per cent showed no coal, while of the coal-bearing exposures 

observed half were inclined to be slaty, even becoming merely bituminous shale with 

thin coal seams. Locally, however, it clears up to good coal, ranging from 12 to 30 

inches in thickness, but averaging 15 inches. Such areas are restricted to Blockhouse, McKinley, Brady, and Twomile runs, Raccoon Creek, Island Run, afld. Biush
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FOEMATION. 43

Eun. Even where good, the coal is often separated by clay or shale partings into 

two main benches, which destroys its value. Moreover, as stated above, it is likely 

to thin out or be absent over considerable areas. From one or two croppings, therefore, no conclusions can be drawn as to its quality, regularity, or character.

UPPER PEEEPORT COAL.

Of seams valuable for their coal alone, the Upper Freeport is the most important 

in the Allegheny measures. The horizon of the coal, therefore, and the localities in 

which it is presumably of a workable thickness, are indicated on the map (PL VIII). 

Its mode of occurrence is lenticular, like many of the coals of this region, and this 

habit, as already stated, seems to have some relation to the overlying sandstone.

Detailed description^ In the northeast region this is the highest workable coal, but 

it has .been opened in only a few places. It is well exposed at two localities between 

Freedom and Rochester, about 225 feet above the railroad track, where it measures 

18 to 22 inches thick (section 6, fig. 22). Section 225, PI. V, -shows the relations at 

this point. It also outcrops as a large blossom on the hill road above McDonaldtown, and a mile to the northeast, near the crossroads at the edge of the quadrangle, 

it is exposed in the run 8 to 10 inches thick (section 7, fig. 22). Thirty-seven feet 

above this seam, a few hundred feet to the east, in the bed of a branch run, occurs

Freedom, No. 6. East of Rochester East of Roches- Blockhouse 

No. 7. ter, No. 8. Run, No. 14.

____Coal, 8 to 10 ill. ^^__ ^^^Mr 

Coal, slaty, 18 to 22 in. |~~ Irinv q ft ^^Hcoal, 22 in. ^^ °a ' Clay, 3 ft.

and calcareous 

nodules, 4 ft.

Blockhouse Blockhouse Run, No. 25. 

Run, No. 24.

Mcoal, 8 in. 

com, 5 in. 

Clay, 3 ft. 

I Clay, 3 ft.

FIG. 22. Upper Freeport coal sections, northeast region.

another coal 18 inches thick, which very probably is not the same bed, but a local 

coal of the Conemaugh formation. Along the highway, half a mile east of Rochester, 

there are openings on the Upper Freeport seam in which the coal measures 22 inches 

thick (section 8, fig. 22). To the north, on McKinley Run, it thins to 6 inches on 

the farm of Mott Muller, while near the Rochester and New Brighton road, opposite 

Bolesville, it has an exposure of 12 inches and has been stripped out of'the run. 

From this point the horizon continues along the hills above the road, sometimes 

showing as a small blossom, but at the old Fish quarries the coal seems to be entirely 

absent. At the head of a run to the southeast, however, it reappears and measures 

16 inches (section 14, fig. 22). On the opposite side of Blockhouse Run it is reported 

12 inches thick on the McClellari farm, while half a mile to the east it outcrops in 

the bed of Blockhouse Run and measures 18 inches (section 24, fig. 22). Elsewhere 

on Blockhouse Run within the quadrangle no coal was observed, even where its 

horizon was well exposed; but on the north fork at the edge of the quadrangle it is 

present 14 inches thick (section 25, fig. 22). In this locality, therefore, the Upper 

Freeport coal varies greatly in thickness, and, though hardly of commercial value, it 

is, whenever present, of good quality.

In the northwest division of the quadrangle the Upper Freeport coal is of little 

value except in portions of South Beaver, Ohio, and Industry townships. On the 

west side of Beaver River it is not so well developed as on the east side. Its horizon 

Bull. 286 06 4
44 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

is present, however, but being at an elevation of 300 feet or more above the river it 

outcrops high in the hills, and is, therefore, likely to covered by d6bris. The only 

measurement secured on this bank of the river was in the ravine above West Bridgewater (section 247, PI. VI), where it is 6 inches thick. From this point northward 

the horizon rises, crosses the Fallston and Patterson Heights road at an elevation of 

1,009 feet, follows the top of the river bluff, and outcrops as a coal blossom, at an 

elevation of 1,077 feet, on the Beaver Falls and Patterson Heights road.

On Brady Run also exposures are scarce. A thickness of 4 to 20 inches (section 

52, fig. 23) was reported on the property of the Fallston Fire Clay Company, where 

the clay beneath has been mined, but its extreme irregularity renders it of no practical value. Half a mile west of this point it thins to 12 inches (section 48, fig. 23), 

and thence westward along Brady Run, though its horizon may be detected on 

highways by infrequent coal blossoms, the exposures at the heads of ravines are 

generally covered. The small size and scarcity, of the coal blossoms, together with 

the fact that no coal of any size has been found in prospects, leads to the belief that 

the Upper Freeport coal is either a very thin seam or absent altogether, at least as

Brady Run, No. 52. Brady Run, Head of South Branch Brush Run, No. 107a. 

No. 48. of Brady Run, 

No. 36

C<$ll r|Ported, ^Hcoal, 12 in. ^SCoal, slaty, 18 In,

16 to 20 in. . [Shale 4 ft- 

|Clay. reported, ' ay> | l(Cannel?)

^^^^Coal, reported, 56 in.

Northwest corner Northwest cor- Off northwest corof quadrangle, ner of quad- ner of quadNo. 101. rangle, No. 102. rangle, No. 103.

I

^^1 Coal, 81 in. 

ICoal, 45 in.

|Clay, 2 ft.+ 

FIG. 23. Upper Freeport coal sections, northwest region.

far as the eastern part of South Beaver township. In this locality, including the head 

streams of Brady Run, the horizon itself becomes rather dubious because of the 

appearance of local cannel seams and stray limestones, as explained elsewhere. 

Here a stray seam of slaty coal or'cannel, which might ordinarily be taken for the 

Upper Freeport, though apparently 25 feet below its true horizon, measured 18 

inches (section 36, fig. 23). Toward the western part of South Beaver Township, 

however, the horizon becomes recognizable and the coal grows more valuable. For 

instance, at the head of the stream northeast of McElroy Run the coal has been 

opened on the Thompson farm and a thickness of 36 inches is reported. Across the 

divide between this stream and Brush Creek the same thickness is reported on the 

Calvin farm. Here it has been opened, but when visited could not be measured. 

To the west, on Brush Run, a coal referable to this horizon has also been mined, 

but the opening had caved in when visited; the thickness is reported as 56 inches 

(section 107a, fig. 23). It is said, however, to be unprofitable to mine because it is 

so frequently cut out by " horsebacks." Several other openings have been made on 

Brush Run at about this horizon, but they show nothing but a black cannel-like
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 45

slate. A mile south of this point, on a Avest branch of Brush Run, the coal is 

reported 36 inches thick in an old opening on the Blatter property, but where the 

highway crosses the head of this branch the coal is absent beneath the Mahoning 

sandstone. It reappears, however, on the McCloy, Smith, and Moore farms, half a 

mile to the north, where the coal is opened and measures 45 inches (section 101, fig. 

23). The coal in this vicinity is of excellent quality and furnishes the neighborhood 

with fuel. On the Freeborn farm to the west it is somewhat thinner 31 inches 

(section 102, fig. 23); but on the neighboring farms of Brown and Wilson it increases 

to 40 inches (section 103, fig. 23), which is about the thickness found on the Cowan 

(section 106, fig. 24) and the Elton (section 104, fig. 24) properties. It has been 

opened on other farms in this vicinity, but measurements could not be obtained, and 

their location in many cases is outside of the quadrangle. The coal may be seen, 

however, on the Fredericktown road as a blossom at an elevation of about 1,030 feetFarther south, near the head of Pine Run, it is reported 36 inches thick, but for some 

reason is not mined.

On the upper portion of Bieler Run, however, the Upper Freeport seam is opened on 

the Welk and Moore farms and a thickness of .24 to 47 inches is removed (section 98,

Northwest cor- Off northwest corner Bieler Run, No. 98. Bieler Run, Island Run, off

ner of quad- of quadrangle, No. 99. map, No. 94.

rangle, No. 100. No. 104.

Island Run, off Island Run, off 

map, No. 97. map, No. 92.

|coal, 42 in. ^^ Coal, 46 in.

(Clay, 7 £t. 

FIG. 24. Upper Freeport coal sections, northwest region.

fig. 24). Where the road crosses the run a mile above this locality the coal is also 

present, showing in outcrop 30 inches thick and being mined 51 inches thick by 

R. L. Guyaux (section 99, fig. 24), but it seems to be either very thin or entirely 

absent between these two points, as well as on the lower course of the north branch. 

Near the head of the branch, however, a thin seam has been opened.

The coal on Bieler Run and in South Beaver Township is usually of good quality, 

but irregularities are common and the coal in many cases thins to a feather-edge. 

This is generally so when, as on the Welk, Moore, Brown, Wilson, and Freeborn 

farms, it has a heavy sandstone roof, which in a few hundred feet often cuts out the 

coal entirely or reduces it to an unminable thickness. On many of the other farms 

noted in this part of the quadrangle the coal supports a shale roof, which on the 

whole is much more to be desired, as the coal beneath is more likely to remain of 

uniform thickness.

A few hundred feet west of "Five Points," on Island Run, the Upper Freeport 

horizon is marked by interbedded layers of coal and sandstone, each a few inches 

thick, but the whole aggregating 10 feet. To the west this phenomenon disappears, 

for beyond the boundary of the quadrangle a thickness of 43 inches is removed in
46 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BE AVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

the Davis mine (section 94, fig. 24). The coal is of fine quality and has been opened 

at several other places on Island Run, some of which show similar dimensions (sections 97 and 92, fig. 24). On the north fork of Dry Run the Upper Freeport seam is 

reported 48 inches thick* on the Davison farm, but to the south near the road forks it 

seems to be absent and at the mouth of McLoughlin Run is represented by merely a 

few inches of bituminous shale. Elsewhere on the main run it is probably absent 

(section 260, PL VII), and on a western branch it measures less than 2 inches thick 

(section 88, fig. 26; 261, PL VII). From Smiths Ferry to Cooks Ferry this horizon 

lies high in the river bluffs, averaging 250 feet above the river, but the coal is either 

absent or represented by a smail blossom not more than 12 inches thick. For example, in the ravine immediately west of Cooks Ferry the coal is about a foot thick, 

while a short distance to the east Mr. Zuerner has tried in vain to find it and in the 

next ravine it outcrops as a small blossom. On the hill road west of Industry, however, it thickens, it is said, to 48 inches and has been mined on the Russell property. 

It has also been exploited on Wolf Run and many openings were once in operation, 

but most of them .are now closed. The thickness is generally reported as 48 inches 

on the Potter and Popp farms, a mile and a half from Industry, and in an opening 

at run level a partially exposed section measured 36 inches (section 82, fig. 25), but 

on the north side of the valley the coal perhaps thins out, as no evidence of it was 

seen. On the east fork of the run, however, half a mile from Industry, it was once 

opened on the Wallace property, and is reported 36 inches thick, but this lens also 

is probably of small extent to the north, as no blossoms were seen on the roads in

Wolf Run, No. 82. Sixmile Run, No. 76. Sixmile Run, Sixinile Run, No. 74. Sixmile Run,

No. 75. No. 73.

I Coal, 36in.+ 

Clay! ;ciay» ____ ^^^M I I ____

Clay. 1 ft.+

FIG. 25. Upper Freeport coal sections, northwest region.

that direction. Between this point and Engle's coal mine to the east the Upper Freeport horizon is more or less concealed by debris and little is known of it. At Engle's 

mine, however, the coal is present in considerable thickness 38 to 50 inches (section 76, fig. 25) and is overlain by 9 or 10 feet of shale which makes an extremely 

good roof. Up Sixmile Run the coal in places maintains a minable thickness, 

especially in the vicinity of the schoolhouse at the road forks, where McGaffic's 

mine enters on a thickness of 38 inches (section 75, fig. 25). McGaffic's pit shows 

a shale roof 1 foot thick, but farther up the run, on the Swager property, the shale 

is sometimes absent, and the coal consequently varies from 20 to 42 inches (section 

74, fig. 25'). At neighboring points it is thinner and perhaps disappears to the 

north. On the east fork of Sixmile Run, however, an old pit near the mouth revealed 

a thickness of 31 inches (section 73, fig. 25). Farther up the fork the Upper Freeport 

horizon rises suddenly, while the coal thins to 24 inches and finally disappears near 

the road crossing. Down Sixmile Run the coal was once opened on the east bank, on. 

the Boyd Jack farm, at an elevation of about 940 feet. It was reported to run into 

slate and to be unprofitable digging. From this point eastward nearly to Vanport 

the horizon may be identified at several.places, but it is practically barren (sections 

249, 251, PL VI) and the coal seems to be cut out by the Mahoning sandstone. A 

mile below Vanport the coal reappears with a thickness of 9 inches (section 69, fig. 

26), and thence eastward it is generally present and somewhat thicker, but to the 

north it remains thin and is often absent. For example, three-fourths of a mile
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION.

northwest of Vanport it is no more than 12 inches thick (section 63, fig. 26) and 

near the head of the run which empties at Vanport the coal, impure and slaty, is 

but 6 inches thick on the Sutherland property. On the upper course of Twomile 

Kun also it is apparently absent. To the east, on the other hand, it is reported 27 

inches (section 61, fig. 26) on the Owen property, between Vanport and Twomile 

Run, while on the lower portion of the run it is reported 14 to 16 inches thick (section 59, fig. 26) on the Boland farm. To the southeast of a line connecting these two 

properties tlie coal becomes thinner, for beneath the Mahoning sandstone of Wilson's

Dry Run, off map, 

No. 88.

Coal, 0 to" 2 in.

Dam No. C, 

No. 69.

(

Coal, 9 in. 

Clay!

Northeast of 

Vanport, No. 03.

, IClay?

"\7anport-Beaver, 

No. 61.

I Coal, with partings, 27 in.

Twomile Run, No. 59. Beaver, No. 57.

MCoal, 14 to 1C in. M IHHCoal, 9 In. 

|Clay. 3 ft.

FIG. 26. Upper Freeport coal sections, northwest region.

quarry on the Lisbon road it is said to be only 6 inches thick, whereas opposite the 

Boland pit on the east side of Twomile Kun it measures 12 inches and back of Beaver 

9 inches (section 57, fig. 26).

The Upper Freeport coal is very irregular in the southeast region, but in certain 

places it is well developed and of considerable value. The greater elevation of its 

horizon gives it a broader area of exposure than any other seam so far described. It 

is, for example, the only coal of this series exposed on Logtown Run within the 

quadrangle. On the lower course of the run it is very thin, measuring at the margin 

of the quadrangle, immediately under a massive sandstone, only 2 inches. Half a 

mile above this, however, it thickens greatly and was once opened on the Snyder

Logtown Run, 

No. 110.

I

Logtown Run, 

No. 109.

oal, 18 in.

Coal, reported. 

« to 80 in. '

West of Hog Island, 

No. 112.

Elkhorn Run, 

' No. 111.

Elkhorn Run, No. 114. Moon Run, No. 119. 

Bituminous shale, 2 in.

South of Monaca, 

No. 120.

Clay and limestone! I Coal, 0 to 6 in. 

Clay, & ft.

SCoal, slaty, 12 in. 

(Clay, 5 ft. 

FIG. 27. Upper Freeport coal sections,csoutheast region.

farm with a reported thickness of 24 to 30 inches (section 110, fig. 27).° Some distance to the west, on the New Sheffield road, it becomes somewhat slaty and measures over 18 inches (section 109, fig. 27). At Aliquippa it is reported 30 inches 

thick, but within the quadrangle, in the run south of Stobo, it is much thinner. 

For example, near the head of the run the thickness is 18 inches (section 112, fig. 27), 

while near its mouth the Mahoning sandstone cuts the coal down to 4 inches or less 

(section 204, PL IV). On Elkhorn Run it is also of unminable proportions, being 8 

inches thick (section 111, fig. 27) where it disappears beneath the run, 12 inches a
48 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

few hundred feet farther downstream, even with 1 foot of shale between it and the 

Mahoning sandstone, and 2 inches still farther down (section 114, fig. 27). From 

this point to the mouth of the run the coal is no doubt very thin or absent, for 

opposite the mouth on Moon Run the Mahoning sandstone cuts it down from 6 

inches to a feather-edge (section 119, fig. 27). No minable proportions are known 

on Moon Kun, except on the south fork, where, though the coal thickens to 35 

inches, it is too slaty to be of much value (section 115, fig. 28).

In the river bluffs along the Monaca terrace, where the coal occurs 150 to 175 feet 

above the railroad, the only section obtained gave 12 inches of slaty coal (section 

120, fig. 27). But in the bluffs opposite Beaver the coal becomes thicker than usual 

in the southeast region, measuring 31 inches (section 127, fig. 28). At this point the 

coal lies at nearly the same elevation as the exposure at Monaca and continues so to 

Bellowsville, in which distance its horizon, is concealed by sandstone debris. On 

Poorhouse Run, however, the horizon may be recognized beneath the Mahoning 

sandstone and where it passes beneath the run it bears a coal 12 inches thick (section 134, fig. 28). Elsewhere along the stream, though extensively prospected, the 

horizon is barren, being represented only by papery bituminous leaves at the top of 

a clay bed. The same is true on Rag Run and this character not only prevails on 

the river bluffs above the Bellowsville terrace, where the horizon occurs at an elevaSouth Branch of Moon Run, Opposite Beaver, Poorhouse Run, Raccoon Creek, 

No. 115. No. 127. No. 134. No. 135.

|Clay, 5 l!t.d

Raccoon Creek, Raccoon Creek, 

No. 137. No. 143.

^^ C al, 24 in.±

FIG. 28. Upper Freeport coal sections, southeast region.

tion of 920 feet, but continues on the lower portion of Raccoon Creek. A coal lens, 

whose edge is 12 inches thick (section 135, fig. 28), appears a mile above the lower 

bridge over Raccoon Creek, and in a short distance increases to 24 inches (section 

137, fig. 28). On the hill road east of the second bridge the seam was once opened 

at an elevation of nearly 860 feet and reported 22 inches thick. From this point 

southward to the third ford no exposures were visible and the coal possibly thins 

out, but near the road forks at the ford.it reappears as a large coal blossom, which 

has been opened.by drifts along the north side of the creek on the Shaffer, Steen, 

and Ziminerly properties. In. this vicinity the coal has a shale roof, and though 

reported to average 30 inches in thickness, it measured at one pit 26 inches (section 

143, fig. 28). To the south it outcrops on the creek road at a few points and finally, 

on the John Zimmerly farm, disappears, but whether beneath terrace deposits or 

talus float the absence of exposures renders it impossible to determine. According 

to the elevation of the Ames limestone, however, the coal should appear above the 

terrace, and on this evidence it has been provisionally so mapped. The horizon 

seems to reappear at the mouth of Trampmill Run, for coal is said to have been taken 

from the bed of Raccoon Creek at this point, but it is soon lost beneath terrace 

deposit and debris. In this locality the Mahoning sandstone has become greatly 

attenuated, being merely a shaly laminated sandstone. The spur opposite the mouth 

of Frames Run, as shown in section 201, PI. IV, exhibits a series of thin coals and
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 49

black shales, having no heavy sandstones above. It seems, considering the shaly 

condition of the Mahoning in this locality, that this coal series may represent the 

Upper Freeport horizon. From this point these coals pass beneath the flood plain 

and it is reported that good coal has been stripped from the creek bed half a mile 

above on the Figley farm. This was probably the Upper Freeport seam.

This seam is better developed in the southwest region than any other so far 

described, and it has been opened at many places. Where it first appears above 

Raccoon Creek, however, it is thin and the horizon is somewhat indefinite, owing to 

irregularities of the Mahoning sandstone and the tendency of the seam to split in 

this locality (section 201, PI. IV). Near the bridge at Independence no coal was 

observed, and the first occurrence, near the point where the Upper Freeport coal is 

.said to have been taken from the creek bed, is an 8-inch seam (section 147, fig. 29), 

exposed about 10 feet above creek level. This may be one of the thin seams which 

represent the Upper Freeport coal in section 201, but whether so or not the Upper 

Freeport horizon must approach water level toward Service Creek and lie beneath 

the flood plain, since the Mahoning sandstone occurs in the bed of that stream. In 

this position the horizon probably continues till beyond Frames faun, where it begins 

to rise, near the bridge over Raccoon Creek, occurring a few feet above the road as 

a thin seam 6 inches thick (section 146, fig. 29). At this point the Mahoning sandindependence, Raccoon Creek, Raccoon Creek, Raccoon Creek, 

No. 147. No. 146. No. 145. No. 144.

Hcoal.Sin. iBdcou.,6tn. b^ yd 

I Clay! ^H coal,25in. ^M

Raccoon Creek, Raccoon Creek, East of Squirrel 

No. 142. No. 140. Run, No. 154.

Coal, 27 in.

|

coal,33in. ^H Coal,30in. ^H 

Clay.lft.+ ^IClay!

Coal, 18 in. 

Clay?

FIG. 29. Upper Freeport coal sections, southwest region.

stone is reduced to sandy shale, but to the north it grows more prominent and gradually rises with the Upper Freeport horizon, which reaches 250 feet above creek 

level at Fishpot Run. At the bridge a few-hundred feet beyond the outcrop near 

Frames Run the under clay and limestone are present, but the coal is absent, while 

a short distance below the bridge the coal reappears, and openings on the Todd farm 

show a good seam 25 inches thick (section 145, fig. 29). This thickness is maintained 

or increased northward on this side of Raccoon Creek, for openings on the Penny, 

Kennedy, and Smith farms show 27 inches of good coal (section 144, fig. 29). Some 

distance farther down the creek it thickens to 33 inches (section 142, fig 29), and is 

mined, but a near-by ravine shows 28 inches. As far as the mouth of Gums Run the 

coal continues generally present, as shown by coal blossoms and prospects. Prospects on the east side of the run show coal 30 inches thick (section 140, fig. 29). At 

the head of Gums Run, however, the coal seems to have pinched out, but along the 

west bank of Raccoon Creek it is present, and on the Tucker farm measures 24 inches, 

with a shale roof. North of this point the coal is not known, except on the upper 

portion of Fishpot Run, where a rather thick lens appears. Near the eastern limit 

of this lens (section 149, fig. 30) the coal is interbedded with sandstone, but the 

upper bench is 36 inches thick. This fact adds more evidence to that already found 

at the head of Island Run bearing on the contemporaneous deposition of coal and
50 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QtfAiXRAtfGLE, PA.

sandstone at various localities in this quadrangle. Where the road crosses Fishpot 

Run the same coal occurs as a solid seam, and openings show a thickness of 33 inches 

(section 151, fig. 30). From this thickness the coal thins in the next run north of 

Fishpot to a few bituminous leaves at the top of the Upper Freeport clay bed, and 

this condition continues nearly to Squirrel Run, where the horizon lies about 300 

feet above the Ohio. In this vicinity an old pit on the Carpenter farm reveals a 

thickness of 18 inches of coal (section 154, fig. 29). At the Emerick bank near by 

the seam was split into thin benches by shale and clay partings (section 153, fig. 30), 

resembling the exposure opposite the rnouth of Frames Run (section 201, PI. IV).

At the head of Squirrel Run both forks expose the coal, and the partings have 

grown much thinner (sees. 152, 156, fig. 30), but the coal is not very minable, the 

whole seam ranging somewhat over 36 inches. To the west the same thickness is 

maintained, the partings tending to disappear, and opposite Industry one opening 

shows 36 inches of coal with oneivery thin parting (section 155, fig. 30).

Coal seems to be continuously present westward to Haden Run, and maintains 

about the same elevation, 100 feet above Shippingport terrace. It has been opened

Fishpot Run, No. 151. Fishpot Run, No. 149.

Coal, lower part 

slaty, 33 In. I

Coal. 30 in.

Sandstone,-48 in.

I Coal, impure, Cin. 

Clay, 3 ft.

Coal, 20 in.

' Shale, 20 in.

Squirrel Run, No. 152.

Coal and shale, exposed, 36 in.

Clay, with limestone 

nodules, 10 ft.

Coal, 19 in.

Squirrel Run, No. 156.

| Bituminous shale, with 

coal seams, 12 in. -j

Coal, 14 in. '

Shale, 6 to 8 in. 

I Coal, exposed, 3 to i in. 

I Clay, 5 ft.

West of Squirrel Run, Haden Run, No. 157. 

No. 155.

B

Coal, with parting, 36 in.

Coal, 15 in. 

Parting, i in.

Coal, 23 to 25 in.

FIG. 30. Upper Freeport coal section, southwest region.

in this stretch, but all workings are now abandoned. On Haden Run also many old 

pits scar the hillsides, but among them are some that are still active. Of those 

closed down a number on the Clear and Hendricks farms, along the east side of the 

run, are said to contain coal 42 to 44 inches thick (section 157, fig. 30), separated 

into two benches by a thin parting. Beyond the church, however, an abandoned 

pit is reported to have been opened on a good thickness of coal, which was shortly 

cut out by "hogbacks." On the west fork of the run the coal is more even and is 

now mined at several places, among which the Green pit shows a thickness of 33 

inches (section 158, fig. 31). In this locality the coal is 50 feet higher than on the 

river bluff east of liaden Run, while on the bluff to the west one or two abandoned 

pits mark the Upper Freeport horizon a few.feet lower, but no measurements could 

be secured. Toward Peggs Run the horizon descends about 30 feet, and though on 

either fork it rises again 10 or 20 feet it does not attain its elevation on Haden Run. 

Peggs Run, like Haden Run, lies in a locality where a lens of the Upper Freeport 

coal is well developed? On the east fork the Jake pit near the junction is in 44 inches
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FOEMATION. 51

of coal (section 159, fig. 31). The coal is of excellent quality, and has for many years 

furnished the fuel of the neighborhood. The Bird and Calhoun properties also show 

a good thickness 38 inches (section 161, fig. 31); and on the opposite side of the 

run the Kennedy coal bank enters on 44 to 46 inches of coal, with a thin parting 

near the base (section 160, fig. 32). This seam has been opened on many other 

properties, of which some still produce good coal. These properties were visited, 

but do not add any information to that already given. On the west fork of Peggs 

Kun mining, though once extensive, is not now so active as on the east fork. Many 

old pits were caved in at the time of visit, but an outcrop in a ravine measured 44 

inches (section 162, fig. 32). The upper 10 inches were bony and slaty, and the 

base of the seam was concealed. In another ravine on the west side the coal measured only 16 inches (section 164, fig. 31), but probably the whole section was not 

exposed, for near this point, along the road, a working pit is in 60 to 70 inches of 

coal (section 163, fig. 32). Rather extensive operations were once carried on farther 

 up the run, but at the time of visit the mines were idle, in poor repair, and apparently abandoned.

In the river bluffs the Upper Freeport coal, with the accompanying clay and 

limestone, may be seen as a blossom on the hill road to Hookstown, and some disHaden Run, No. 158. East Branch of East Branch of Peggs Hun, Peggs Run, 

Peggs Run, No. 161. No. 164. 

No. 159.

I Coal, with partings, 33 in. ^^H KB Uoal ami partings, 38 in. 

. Coal, 44 in.

=

Coal, 5 In. 

Clay, 1 in. 

Coal,101n.

Service Creek, Service Creek, 

No. 175. No. 174.

 ::"" "

Coal, 12 in. 

Clay!

FIG. 31. Upper Preeport coal sections, southwest region.

tance beyond in a ravine opposite Phillis Island, at an elevation of about 910 feet, 

it measures 42 inches (section 165, fig. 32). Within a mile to the west the lens of 

coal which occupies Peggs and Haden runs and extends to Phillis Island thins out 

to a few bituminous leaves above the Upper Freeport clay. The Beaver County 

Coal. Company was an unfortunate victim of its irregularity, for though at the mouth 

of the mine the seam measured 38 to 47 inches (section 169, fig. 32), at the end of a 

200-foot drift the coal had pinched to 8 inches and could not be found of greater 

thickness. This example shows the infeasibility of beginning extensive mining 

operations on the Upper Freeport seam before the property to be exploited has been 

thoroughly tested by diamond-drill borings for the purpose of locating lenses of this 

illusive bed. A short distance beyond this mine the seam was years ago extensively 

opened at several points on the Simpson, Calhoun, and Brown farms, but no measurements could be obtained. The coal is uniformly reported, however, to be 48 

inches thick. Beyond these openings and above Georgetown terrace little is known 

of the coal. It is probably absent or very thin, for the Mahoning sandstone becomes 

coarse and on Smiths Run cuts the coal down to a few inches. This condition 

apparently continues for a mile along the east side of Mill Creek, but beyond this 

on the west bank and to the south the seam thickens to minable proportions. The
52 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

seam rises southward, so that toward Hookstown it becomes 40 to 60 feet higher than 

at Georgetown. On the lower course of the creek the coal was once opened on the 

Bryan property on the west bank, where it is reported to be 48 inches thick, and 

half a mile above this, on the east bank, 24 inches of coal were uncovered in a small 

ravine, but the Swerngan pit along the road halfway to Hookstown shows both 

thicknesses (section 172, fig. 32). In some old pits on the Wright and Swerngan 

farms, a short distance beyond, 36 inches of coal were seen, but in a ravine on the 

west side opposite the Stewart 'mine the coal varies from a feather-edge to 2 feet. 

In fact, the coal on the west bank seems much less regular than on the east bank 

and possibly indicates.a thinning of the lens toward the west. Stewart's mine, on 

the east side of the creek, enter^ on 44 inches of coal (section 173, fig. 32) and Mr. 

Stewart reports that the coal vairies in general from 41 to 48 inches in thickness. 

The coal from this mine is of excellent quality, and for many years has supplied the 

local market. This is the largest and best developed coal mine known in the quadrangle. Opposite the mine on the west side of Mill Creek the coal is not so thick, 

but the horizon continues up the creek a third of a mile beyond the mine and then

East Branch of Peggs Peggs Run, No. 162. Peggs Run, No. 163. South of Phillis 

Run, No. 160. Island, No. 165.

Coal, bony,5in. Eggi Coal, bony,5in. 

I Clay, 5 in. | I Slate, 5 in.

| Coal, 34 to 36 in. ^^^

^^^| Coal, 34 in. ^^^^

_____ Coal, 39 to 50 in. 

I Clay, 3 ft.

Slate, 6 in. ^^^ ^^^

Coal, 4 to 5 In. ^^ _ , .. ^M P | Clay,4 ft.

| Clay, % in. 

Coal, 10 in.

River East of George- Mill Creek, No. 172. Mill Creek, No. 173. 

town.No. 169.

Coal and partings, 

24 to 33 in. ^^H Coal, 17 to 41 in. ^^H Coal, 37 in.

Parting. 3 in. ^^^3 ljarting,3in.

Coal. 4 in, ^^ 1 Coal, 4 in.

I Clay, 5 ft. I I Clay, 14 ft.

FIG. 32. Upper Freeport coal sections, southwest region.

disappears beneath the stream. At Hookstown a shaft was sunk 40 feet through 

massive Mahoning sandstone in the hope of striking this seam. The horizon seems 

to have been found, but reports are dubious as to the thickness and quality of the 

coal. Operations, moreover, have been suspended and probably the-coal.found was 

of little value.

The Mill Creek lens of coal, as suggested above, evidently thins westward; for on 

Little Mill Creek outside of the quadrangle it averages 12 inches, but ranges between 

a knife-edge and 24 inches.

The only other occurrence of the Upper Freeport coal in the southwest region is 

on Service Creek, 4 miles from Raccoon Creek. In this locality an anticlinal arch 

brings the coal a few feet above the bed of the stream for a distance of half a mile. 

Good exposures were difficult to find, but on the south side of the creek one section 

exhibited 26 inches of coal (section 175, fig. 31). The same thickness is reported 

nearly opposite this point, below the road on the north side of the creek, and to the 

west near the mill, where it disappears beneath the stream, but to the east it 

becomes slaty and the good coal thinner. Near the point where it disappears on 

the east it measures only 12 inches (section 174, fig. 31).
COALS OF ALLEGHENY FOEMATI01ST. 53

Summary. The Upper Freeport coal occurs in numerous irregular lenses, some of 

which are thick enough to be of considerable value. As a rule, applicable to this 

seam in particular, the coal is more likely to maintain a uniform thickness when it 

supports a shale roof than when the roof is a coarse sandstone. In the latter case 

coal several feet thick may thin out to a few inches or to a knife-edge within two 

hundred feet, as at the Beaver Coal Company's mine. For this reason calculations 

on the amount of coal in a given area are valueless except aa a maximum, unless the 

area is thoroughly prospected by test holes.

North of the Ohio, in the northeast region and eastern part of the northwest 

region, this coal is of no commercial importance at present. The observed croppings 

range in thickness from a few inches to 27 inches, averaging about 17 inches, and in 

many instances the coal is entirely absent beneath the Mahoning sandstone. Moreover, the seam is more or less slaty and parted. The western portion of the area, 

however, including the valleys of Brush and Sixmile runs and all runs west of the 

latter, contains more or less restricted patches of excellent coal. It is still true that 

the patchy occurrence of the coal is due to irregularities in the Mahoning sandstone 

roof and that for this reason conclusions as to the extent of minable coal in this 

region are of little value; nevertheless, this area includes several irregular lenses of 

coal ranging between 30 and 53 inches in their thicker parts and thinning marginally to a few inches and in places to a knife-edge. The coal in these localities is 

usually pure ar d free from partings and is an excellent fuel.

South of the Ohio, in the southeast region, this seam is in places considerably 

thicker than in the northeast region, but less uniform. In this area it ranges from 

a feather-edge or 2 inches of bituminous shale to 35 inches of coal and partings 

together. Obviously this variation greatly destroys the value of the coal in this area. 

In general, however, the thin and irregular coal is restricted to the river front and 

to the lower courses of Logtown, Elkhorn, and Moon runs. In these localities the 

Mahoning sandstone is well developed and often lies upon the coal, thus affording 

an example of the irregularity of coals having a sandstone roof. But near the heads 

of these streams and along Raccoon Creek it averages about 26 inches and has been 

worked by country banks for years. In general the quality of the coal is good, but 

it may at times run shaly at the top or bottom, or disappear altogether.

In the southwest region the lenses of this coal seem more extensive than usual, 

but the coal is not so clear as north of the river. Along the river and its small laterals this seam is much broken by partings and slaty coal. The benches of coal, 

however, are generally sufficiently thick to overcome this disadvantage. In this 

district the observed exposures range from 16 to 70 inches, including partings. On 

Raccoon Creek and its western tributaries, on the other hand, the coal is thinner 

and free from partings. In this basin the thicker portion averages 24 inches, but 

where observed it varies from 6 to 33 inches.

In the southwest region, as a whole, the Upper Freeport coal, when of minable 

dimensions, is of excellent quality and rarely inclined to be slaty. It has, therefore, 

been worked for many years for local consumption. Mill Creek is the only locality, 

however, where a regular mine is operated throughout the year.

As shown in the sections from Squirrel and Fishpot runs (sections 49, 1.53), near 

the mouth of Service Creek (section 201), on Island Run, and elsewhere, the partings in some instances become thick enough to produce a " split vein." This phenomenon leads to the belief that deposition of the coal-making material of this period 

was locally interrupted for a considerable time, during which sandstone, shale, or 

clay was deposited. Thus a single coal seam may split, the benches becoming 

widely separated, but both still belonging to the same geologic horizon.
54 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA. 

COALS OF CONEMATJGH FORMATION.

The coals of the Conemaugh formation, except perhaps the Brush Creek coal, have 

already been given as much space as their importance deserves. They are, within 

the quadrangle, thin, impure, and extremely variable in thickness.

BRUSH CREEK COAL.

This seam is of no general importance, but it has been opened in two or three 

instances, and other local pockets may be found in which it is thick enough to serve 

a very limited demand. The occurrence 5 miles up Brady Run has already been

mentioned. Here the seam lies about 

South Branch of Brady Biackimwk, No. ioo. 75 feet above the Upper Freeport coal

Run, No. 37. . , . . . . ^ . ;,

.__i and consists, it is said, of 20 inches of 

coai reported,oin. ^jf coal-split by a parting near the top

Parting? . ^M Coal,reported, 18 in. ^ J oo\ ^H (section 37, fig. 33).

Coal, Uln. v . T> . ' , i ,1 I | At Jolacknawk, a coal in the same 

FIG. 83.-Brush Creek coal sections. stratigraphic position, has been opened

west of the blacksmith shop. The pit

was caved in at the time of visit, but the coal is reported 18 inches thick (section 

100, fig. 33). This exposure is about 90 feet above the Upper Freeport horizon, but 

the interval shortens near Industry, where the coal measures scarcely 6 inches (section 252, PI. VII). The same interval and thickness are also maintained on Rag 

Run, while on Sixmile Run the coal measures 12 inches (section 250, PL VI) and 

occurs only 65 feet, by aneroid, above the Upper Freeport. Besides these exposures, 

the Brush Creek horizon is frequently marked on highways by a blossom, which 

probably is as often due to the accompanying black shale as to the coal itself.

COALS OF MONONGAHELA FORMATION. 1 mile southwest of

Frankfort Springs, 

PITTSBURG COAL. off map, No. 171.

This is the only coal seam of the Monongahela formation which j^|| coai, s in. 

occurs in the Beaver quadrangle. About a dozen hilltops in the , , 01 , 1 & I 1 Shale, 12in.

southeastern part of the quadrangle show this coal and it has been

opened in all of them, but at the time of visit none of the pits was

open for measurement. The coal is reported, however, to be 5 or 6

feet thick, including shale partings, but owing to the fact that the ^^^

rock covering is too thin to shield it from the deteriorating action

of surface waters, it is deeply weathered and generally considered of

poor grade. To the south, however, as the seam becomes more

deeply covered by overlying rock, the coal improves in quality. A

measured section taken just outside of the quadrangle, a mile west IG ' '~ ltts "

of Frankfort Springs, may be offered to show the relation of the two tion

benches so characteristic of this coal (section 171, fig. 34).

ANALYSES OF COALS.

No new analyses of coals from this region are available. Old analyses, therefore, which were made by A. S. McCreath for the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania and which, perhaps, will be of some value, are here appended. Most of 

the mines named below have changed hands and, if indeed they are in operation at 

all, are not now known by these names.
OLAY. 55

Analyses of coals from Beaver qwidrangle.

Ash............................

Coke .......:..................

Wnfi^r

Volatile matter... 

Fixed carbon.....

Ash...............

Total........

Coke .:............

Lower 

Kittanning 

coke 

(lower 

bench).

8.

0.010 

0.633 

84. 727 

1.994 

12. 63(i

100.000

Lower Kittanning coal (upper bench).

1.

1. 850 

41. 260 

43. 263 

4.177 

9.450

100. 000 

56.89

2.

2.080 

39. 250 

48. 818 

1.927 

7.925

100. 000 

53.67

3.

2.200 

39. 440 

50. 705 

.825 

6.830

100. 000 

58.36

Darlington coal.

9.

2.680 

36. 205 

53. 804 

2.391 

4.920

100. 000 

61. 115

10.

1.770 

38. 628 

56.333 

.717 

2.560

100. 008 

59. 610

11.

2.090 

35. 700 

59. 685 

.580 

1. 945

100. 000 

62. 210

Lower Kittanning coal (lower bench).

4.

2.270 

38. 870 

50. 173 

2.322 

6. 365

100. 000 

58.860

5.

2. 370 

36. 470 

51. 845 

1. 770 

7.545

100. 000 

61.36

6.

2.400 

38. 110 

54. 619 

.791 

4.080

100.000 

59. 490

7.

2. 160 

40.885 

49. 488 

1. 767 

5.700

100. 000. 

56. 955

Upper Freeport coal.

12.

1.660 

37. 065 

51. 351 

2.709

7.215

100. 000 

61.275

13.

2.080 

39. 520 

54. 691 

. 1. 249 

2. 460

100. 000 

58. 400

14.

1.500 

39. 870 

46. 960 

4.595 

7.075

100. 000 

58. 630

15.

1.530 

41. 380 

49. 798 

2.467 

4.825

100. 000 

57. 090

1 and 4. P.ulaski Township, near New Brighton; Mendenhall & Chamberlin's mines.

2 and 5. Pulaski Township, near New Brighton; Couch's mine.

3 and 6. Patterson Township, near Beaver Falls; Hulmes's mine.

7. Pulaski Township, Blockhouse Run; Fish's mine.

8. Patterson Township, Beaver Falls; Hulmes's coke ovens.

9. Bracly Hun, 1 mile west of New Brighton; Middleton mine. 

10 and 11. Georgetown; Diehl's and Bryan's banks, respectively. 

12. Raccoon Township, Service Creek; Cotter's bank.

13 and 14. Greene Township, Mill Creek, near Hookstown; Sweadngen's and Todd's banks, 

respectively. . ' x 

15. Near Shippingport; Wilson's bank.

CXAY.

INTRODUCTION.

The clay industries of this region, as well as of this particular, part of the State, are 

at present practically confined to the valleys of Ohio and Beaver rivers. For the 

purpose of comparing the clays of this locality with others in the western part of the 

State, analyses and notes of clays in other districts have been included. The mining 

and working of clay ranks as the foremost industry in this region, but it is placed 

after coal in this report in order that advantage might be taken of the discussion of 

that product, since the clay horizons are practically the same as those of the coals.

In the following discussion of the occurrence of these clays there is some repetition 

of the matter given under coals, but, if any description of the extent of the clays is 

to be given, this can not be avoided, since the two are so closely associated. On the 

other hand, it is not desirable to repeat the detailed method of discussion followed 

in the section on coals for the reason that definite measurements of clay outcrops 

are difficult to obtain, except in or near mines. Approximate thicknesses were generally obtained near coal outcrops and in ravine sections, to wjiich references will be 

made in order to show detailed dimensions and to indicate on the map (PI. VIII) 

the exact position of such measurements; but prospecting is the best method of determining the thickness as well as the quality of clay.
56 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA. 

ORIGIN AND GENEEAL COMPOSITION.

Clay is commonly understood to originate chiefly from rocks of the granitic and 

gneissic varieties which contain minerals made up largely of alumina and silica, such as 

the feldspars and allied minerals, the amphiboles, micas, etc. On the disintegration 

of such rocks the minerals decompose and the resulting products, together with fragments of the minerals themselves, are in many cases washed away, sorted by water, 

and deposited in favorable places much after the manner of river silts. In other 

cases these materials remain near the original rocks from which they are derived, 

consequently are not sorted, and are subject only to the deteriorating action of percolating waters. Since kaolin is a common decomposition product of many aluminasilica rocks, it seems that it should be present in most clays, and formerly kaolin was 

supposed to form the basis of all clays. But now it seems that the presence of kaolin 

depends on the absence of alkalies, with which it usually combines to form other 

minerals, chiefly mica. Thus clays overlain by coal seams are said to show much 

kaolin present, owing to removal of alkalies by vegetation, while in clays not overlain by coal no kaolin was recognized.« On the other hand, some clays, such as 

china clay and the like, are composed almost entirely of kaolin. Besides varying 

amounts of kaolin, minute flakes and grains of the original minerals may be present, 

such as feldspar, quartz, mica, etc.

KINDS OF CLAY.

Nearly all the clays mined in the Ohio Valley in this State are of sedimentary origin. This includes the regularly-bedded deposits, such as usually occur in association with beds of coal. These have received the general designation of fire clays, 

though they vary greatly in their refractoriness that is, in their ability to withstand intense heat. The less pure and uniformly graded deposits in the present and 

abandoned channels of the streams,^especially Ohio and Beaver rivers, are also sedimentary clay, which locally bears the name of "terrace clay." Similar deposits 

were formed in temporary lakes of the Glacial epoch and are sometimes designated 

"basin clay." The fire clays of the quadrangle have experienced in their present 

situation a vastly longer and more eventful history than either the terrace or the 

basin clays. They have been' exposed to the leaching action of waters and often 

to the absorbent action of a dense vegetation which grew upon them and now 

remains as coal seams. As a result of these conditions fire clay is poorer in alkalies 

and iron than most terrace or basin clays. In addition fire clay has "been subjected 

to various other influences. It has become covered with hundreds of feet of other 

deposits and the dynamic forces which consolidated them into hard sandstones and 

shales perhaps effected a similar change in the clay. This clay, therefore, in point of 

structure and hardness is likely to differ from the terrace and basin clays, which are 

yet in a primitive state.

The residual clays are found in the uplands, back from the rivers, but are not 

common in this region. Small quantities, however, are sometimes present on the 

outcrop of limestone and certain shale beds, but since the upland rocks are of a generally sandy character, such clay is of little commercial importance and has never 

been utilized.

In age all the clays within the quadrangle are either Carboniferous or Quaternary. 

To the former belong the fire clays, occurring chiefly in the Allegheny formation, 

and to the latter the terrace, basin, and other clays.

« Hutchings, W. M., Geol. Mag., new ser., decade 3, vol. 8,1891, pp. 164et seq.; idem, decade4, vol. 1, 

1894, pp. 36 et seq.
CLAY. 57 

 CLAYS OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION.

The workable bedded clays or fire clays are largely confined to the Allegheny formation, and the infrequent clay beds of the Conemaugh formation will be discussed 

under "Shale" (p. 65). ' In the Allegheny measures clays occur at several horizons, 

which are usually the same as those of the coals whose names they bear. The relative position of the beds is represented in the section on page 10, and the same order 

will be followed in this discussion.

BROOKVJ LLB CLAY.

Within the quadrangle the deposit of clay underlying the Brookville coal, being 

the lowest clay bed exposed, is known only on the west side of Beaver River; but 

elsewhere it can, like the coal, often be reached by shafting or drifting short distances through unconsolidated gravels. The horizon first comes to the surface near 

the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Kailroad bridge over Brady Run and is again exposed 

farther up the river (section 236, PI. V), but in most places it is covered by river 

deposits. Where seen it ranges from 3 to 5 feet in thickness. So far as known, however, nothing has been done toward exploiting the Brookville clay in this county, 

nor are analyses of the clay from this vicinity available, but an analysis from a near-by 

locality is here appended.

Analysis of Brookville day. u

Si02 ............................................................................................... 62.05

AloOs.............................................................................................. 27.71

FCoO;,.................................-............................................................ 0

FeO............................................................................................... .00

MnOo.............................................................................................. 0

CaO............................................................................................... .15

MgO .............................................................................................. .20

Alkalies...............................................................................^........... 2.40

H20, organic ...................................................................................... 6.67

99.78

At Haydenville this clay is used in manufacturing paving bricks, fireproofing, and 

sewer pipe. The Brookville clay has been mined for thirty-five years in Indiana 

County, where it is a plastic clay of good quality, varying in thickness from 3 to 11 

feet. It contains, however, many iron balls and has to be hand picked. & In Fayette 

County, also, where it is a flint clay of excellent quality, it has been extensively used 

for refractory materials. c At the typical locality of the overlying coal (Brookville, 

Jefferson County), the clay beneath is 15 feet thick, but only the upper 6 feet are 

used. rf It seems, therefore, that the Brookville horizon in Beaver County may yet 

become a producer of workable clay where the bed can be profitably mined.

 CLARION CLAY.

This bed underlies the Clarion coal, which it follows throughout the quadrangle. 

It disappears beneath river level nearly opposite S. Barnes's brick works and beneath 

Brady Run near the forks, but even where above water (sections 234, 237, PI. V) it is 

generally covered by terraces and stream deposits. As to its character, it is reported 

to be in many respects superior to the Lower Kittanning clay. It contains, says Mr. 

Hice, who has worked this clay in the past, a smaller percentage of iron and probably 

of alkalies, than the Lower Kittanning, and-certainly stands more firing, burning to 

a much whiter color than any other clay in the quadrangle. It resists weathering, 

however, much more than the Lower Kittanning, which, clay workers believe, renaFrorn Haydenville Mining and Manufacturing Company, Haydenville, Ohio. Geol. Survey. Ohio, 

vol. 7, 1893, p. 139. E. M. Reed, analyst, 

fellies, H.. Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 11,1903, p. 218. 

c Campbell, M. R., Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 82, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1902, p. 20. 

a Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Rept. H, p. 225.
58 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

ders it less adaptable to the manufacture of stoneware. On account of the unfavorable position of the outcrop, except in small areas along Beaver River and Brady 

Eun, it can not be so easily nor cheaply mined as higher clays. It has been opened, 

however, on Brady Kun, back of the porcelain works, and was once used, together 

with Lower Kittanning clay, by the Fallston Pottery.Company (now out of business) . In a drift 150 feet long the clay is said to maintain a uniform character and 

thickness, but has been variously reported 6, 10, and 12 feet thick, with no coal 

above. Only contradictory reports in regard to its quality at this point could be 

obtained. It is said, however, to make fine brick. Though it comes to the surface 

wherever the coal is exposed, it has never been opened elsewhere in this region, and 

few observations were obtained as to its thickness. Among these are sections 234, 

236, and 237, where it is 4 to.5 feet, with the coal in places absent. No analysis 

of this clay is available, but it has been used with good results at Bolivar, Pa. The 

thickness of the Clarion clay at three localities in Pennsylvania is here given.« '

Thickness of Clarion clay in Pennsylvania.

Ft. in. 

Johnstown, Cambria County...................................................................... 3 6

Bens Run, Cambria County....................................................................... 6 0

Pinkerton Point, Somerset County................................................................ 6 0

LOWER KITTANNING CLAY.

The Lower Kittanning is the most valuable clay horizon of this region. It is the 

source of practically all the clay mined along Ohio River in Pennsylvania and Ohio, 

as well as in West Virginia, where I. C. White says it attains its maximum thickness.

As the Lower Kittanning lies considerably above the clays last mentioned, it has 

accordingly a larger area of exposure above river level. It is, in short, to be found 

throughout this region above and on both sides of Ohio and Beaver rivers, immediately underlying the Lower Kittanning coal, represented on the map (PI. VIII). It 

is not, however, actually exposed throughout this whole extent, but is covered for 

half the distance by broad, flat gravel terraces. Where thus covered, it may be 

reached by excavations through loose' gravels to depths varying for the different terraces, as previously discussed'under Lower Kittanning coal (pp. 28-33). Elsewhere 

it is exposed usually 7 to 10 feet thick, in the same manner as the coal along the 

more precipitous banks of the rivers and on some of their tributaries. Of the latter 

Blockhouse Run, in the northeast region, ranks first, not in the extent of outcrop, 

which covers only a mile and a half, but in the number of operating plants which 

use this clay. This run has, indeed, been the site of clay-mining operations ever 

since the infancy of the industry. The clay bed in this vicinity (sections 15, 19, and 

22, figs. 3 and 4) varies in thickness from 2 to 10 feet. At McDonald's clay mine, 

outside the quadrangle, it is also 7 feet thick. This, as seen from the tables on page 

72, is the average thickness of good clay found in the mines on Blockhouse Run, but 

it varies a few feet at different points. As a whole, the clay everywhere is of a drabgray color when fresh and creamy white on long exposure. The lowser part at 

times seems to grade insensibly into a sandy, siliceous clay below, which may acquire 

a hard, shaly character, while the upper part remaims a purer clay of more plastic 

quality. Different thicknesses are therefore mined, according to the purpose for 

which the material is to be used. For instance, Sherwood Brothers remove only the 

upper 6 feet, because below this depth the bed is too siliceous for stoneware. The 

other companies on Blockhouse Run mine a greater thickness, varying from 8 to 10 

feet, according to the results desired. In the mine of the American Sewer Pipe 

Company the clay proper sometimes thins to 1 or 2 feet, but the impure material 

underneath, mixed with some good clay, is suitable for the company's requirements, 

and hence a greater thickness is removed.

aRies, H., Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 11, 1903, p. 222.
.CLAY. 59

Southward along the river many other companies are exploiting the same clay 

seam and the various thicknesses used are indicated in the accompanying table (p. 

72). The clay at the Ingram mine, for example, is most plastic at the top, being 

hard and sandy toward the bottom, while the base for 2 feet is mixed with iron and 

is not removed. At the S. Barnes Company's mine, on the contrary, the soft clay 

occurs both at the top and bottom, the toughest clay being in the middle. At both 

mines, however, the whole bed is used after thorough'mixing. At the Miller brick 

works and the Pennsylvania Clay Company's mine, on Crow Run, the clay displays 

the same characteristics. At the former place the upper 7 feet are good plastic clay, 

while the rest is sandy and shaly. For colored paving brick the lower part is used' 

and for white fire brick only the upper, plastic portion. Practically the same is true 

of the Pennsylvania Company, for the upper, plastic clay, which varies from 2 to 5 

feet, is used for fire brick, while for paving brick, where iron is needed for colors 

and silica for strength, a mixture of the upper and lower parts is necessary.

The northwest region also is noted for its many clay plants. Here Brady Run 

might be made the counterpart of Blockhouse Run,' for it exposes an extent of clay 

six times that of the latter. In addition, Brady Run is a straight stream of the lowgrade, open-valley type, with its mouth near a railroad, and offers exceptional facilities for the manufacture of clay products. Moreover, mining here may be carried on 

by drifts instead of shafts. Nevertheless, as seen from the table, but three companies 

operate on this run, as against six on Blockhouse Run. These have opened the clay 

near Fallston and use its full thickness, together with some of the sandy clay shales 

at the base. For instance, the upper 8 feet at the Standard fire-clay mine and 6 feet, 

more or less, at the Fallston fire-clay works, show the thickness of the plastic clay. 

Below this, as at other places, the clay is sandy, but is, nevertheless, removed and 

mixed with the upper part for most, purposes. The Pennsylvania mine here takes 

out the greatest thickness, the lower part being added, it is said, to aid in fluxing.

Elsewhere on Brady Run no good opportunities for measurement were found, 

but the clay was noted present wherever the overlying coal was observed (sections 239, 241, 243, 245, PI. VI) and measurements of the best exposures, which in cases 

approximate the truth, show, the thickness to vary from 6 to 7 feet or more (sections 

32, 34, figs. 5 and 6). On the west bank of Beaver River, though the clay is generally present, full exposures are still less frequent and the greatest thickness seen 

was 5 feet (section 235, PI. V).

Along the Ohio the horizon follows the undulations of the Lower Kittanning coal 

and is exploited at several places in the vicinity of \^anport. As shown in the table 

(p. 72) thicknesses varying from 7 to 12 feet are removed, but the latter amount no 

doubt includes not only the lower, siliceous layer, but also 2 or 3 feet of basal shales. 

The Spear Clay Manufacturing Company, for instance, used an average of 1 foot of 

basal shales, which is mixed with other clay for paving brick. Of the other plants 

only Giloninger & Co. use exclusively what is probably the plastic part of the clay. 

West of Fourmile Run (section 251, PL VI) this seam has not been opened, and its 

thickness and quality are judged from'a single exposure near Industry (section 252, 

PI. VII), where 7 feet of good clay were uncovered in a ravine. Blossoms of the clay 

were seen at many points farther west, and it is safe to assume that it may be found 

wherever the Lower Kittanning coal comes to the surface. It extends several miles 

up Little Beaver River and its tributaries, which for the most part lie in Ohio, but 

some of the eastern branches, as Island Run and Little Beaver Creek, head in Beaver 

County, Pa. So far as known, this clay has not been opened on these streams, but 

at Darlington it has been reported 10 feet thick.«

South of the Ohio this seam has been exploited only in the vicinity of Monaca.

"Second Geol. Survey Perm., Kept..Q., p. 232. 

Bull. 286 06 5
60 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

It might, nevertheless, be uncovered at many points south of town until it reaches 

water level near Hog Island. The Pennsylvania Clay Company, at Monaca, in the 

manufacture of paving brick, utilizes the whole thickness of clay, to which is added 

some shale, while the Welch Fire Brick Company, at the west end of town, is 

endeavoring to use only the upper' 7 feet of the seam. This, being the plastic portion 

of the clay, is said by this company to be best for fire brick, but for paving brick the 

lower, sandier portion is generally added.

Westward along the river the horizon lies near the road and is marked by two old 

brickyards. One owned by Mr. Reed shows clay from 5 to 8 feet thick (section 129, 

fig. 7). These works are now inactive, it is said, for the lack of transportation facilities. The Bellowsville terrace covers the horizon to Raccoon Creek, and the dubious 

extent of the Lower Kittanning on this stream has already been discussed under 

"Coal" (p. 32). Shallow excavation, however, at the rear of the terrace, may uncover 

the clay, as the Deens pit, on Poorhouse Run, definitely proves; while near the bridge 

over Raccoon Creek (section 215, PI. IV) no excavation is necessary. Nevertheless, it is probable that not until avenues of transportation have been perfected can 

operations on clay seams south of the river be profitably carried on. Owing to 

breadth of flood plain, conditions on the west side of Raccoon are more favorable to 

exploitation; furthermore, facing Ohio River the horizon lies above terrace level for 

at least a mile. No exposures, however, were seen as far as Phillis Island, and 

within this distance opportunities for mining the clay vary extremely. Between 

Squirrel Run and Industry Ferry, for example, river cliffs prevent all access to the 

bed, whereas the Shippingport terrace, like the Bellowsville and Georgetown terraces, offers admirable sites for plants. Opposite Phillis Island the clay was seen 

over 5 feet thick (section 254, PL VII), but here, too, as well as westward to the 

Georgetown terrace, though the horizon is uncovered in several ravines, the river 

does not allow room for large brickyards.

Analyses of Lower Kittanning clays.

c\r\

A12 03 ......... ............................

FeO.... ..................................

TiO.,. .....................................

MgO .....................................

Oi/~k

A1203 ...... ..............................

FeO .....................................

Tio2 . :................ ...................

CaO .....................................

MgO.....................................

ELO ( combined ).........................

l.

01. 970 

22.940 

1.818 

1.975 

.440 

.522 

1.750 

1.480 

7. 370

100. 265

7.

57. 670 

27. 520 

1.494 

2.540 

.380 

.122 

.619 

9.680

100. 025

2.

61. 750 

23. 660 

1.9SO 

1.780 

.455 

.353 

2.418 

.680 

7.200

100. 226

8.

60. 190 

24. 230 

2.097 

2.345 

.850 

.036 

1.669 

9.015

100. 432

3.

62. 890 

21. 490 

1.818 

1.825 

.380 

.569 

2. 525 

L160 

7.580

100. 237

9.

61.980 

23. 880 

1. 395 

1. 830 

.040 

.281 

 2.677 

7. 820

99. 903

4.

62. 260 

23. 890 

1.408 

1.780 

.470 

,309 

1.977

| 7. 640

99. 734

10.

68. 920 

22. 380 

.980

.190 

.172

6. 140

98. 782

5.

66. 610 

18. 390 

1.964 

2.810 

.490 

.547 

1.079

7. 495

99. 385

11.

56.37 

29. 62 

a 1.14

.45 

.14 

1.08 

1.92

8.71

99.43

6.

56, 670 

26. 560 

2.106 

1.790 

.260 

.277 

3.790

8.360

99.813

12.

61.86 

26.02 

.63

.19 

1.26 

.31

| 9.98

100. 25

13.

67. 50 

25.70 

3.76

.60 

1.55

Loss . 35

99.46

a As sesquioxide.
e . CLAY. ' 61

1 to 4. From Elvcraon & Sherwood's mines, near NewBrighton, Beaver County, being, respectively, 

first, second, and third grades of clay and the raw clay. Analyses by D. McCreath. Second Geol. 

Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. MM, p. 262.

5. Mendenhall & Chamberlin. mines, near New Brighton, Beaver County. Analysis by D.McCreath. 

Ibid.

6. Coale's clay, near New Brighton, Beaver County. Analysis by D. McCreath. Ibid.

7. Couch's clay, New Brighton, Beaver County. Analysis by D. McCreath. Ibid.

8. Severn's clay mines, near Vanport, Beaver County. Analysis by JD. McCreath. Ibid.

9. S. Barnes & Co.'s clay, Bridgewater, one mile north of Rochester, Beaver County. Analysis by 

D. McCreath. Ibid.

10. Brady Run Fire Brick Company, Beaver County. Analysis by F. G. Frick. Mineral Resources 

U. S. for 1896; Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 5 (continued), 1897, p. 1155.

11. Flint clay from Mineral Point. Analysis by N. VV. Lord. Geol. Survey Ohio, vol. 7, 1893,p.221.

12. Haydenville. Ohio. Analysis by E. M. Reed. Geol. Survey Ohio, vol. 7, p. 139.

13. Average of six analyses made for Vanport Brick Company, Vanport. Analyses by Hunt & Clapp, 

Pittsburg Testing Laboratory.-

A comparison, of the analyses of Beaver County clays with those of clays of the 

same horizon in Ohio makes evident their similarity. The Lower Kittanning bed 

in Ohio is used by the finer pottery manufactories for saggers, also in part for the 

manufacture of yellow and Buckingham ware, and even for stoneware, besides sewer 

pipe and fire, building, and paving brick.« (

In a similar manner the Lower Kittanning clay of Beaver County supplies all the 

potteries and the hollow ware,'fire, building, and paving brick factories at New 

Brighton and the brickyards south Of that place on Beaver and Ohio rivers.

MIDDLE KITTANNING (DARLINGTON?) CLAY..

The Middle Kittanning clay bed is persistent throughout the region, with a thickness generally of 5 to 7 feet, and occurs immediately under the Darlington coal. It 

therefore has the same extent and lies covered or uncovered in the same manner as 

the coal which has been described on page 33. The clay, however, is rarely worked, 

containing, it is said, too many iron nodules for most wares. The iron on weathering clouds the clay a rusty brown, and seems more evenly distributed through it 

than is the case with the Lower Kittanning, which carries most iron in its lower 

part. No analyses are available, nor does the clay seem to be in general use; its 

quality therefore can only be inferred. In 1902, however, it was being opened by 

the American Sewer Pipe Company and by A. F. Smith, but the latter has discontinued 

prospecting on it. No good section for measurement was exposed in the northeast 

region, but it was generally present as a blossom wherever the Darlington coal was 

seen (sections 227, 232, 233, PI. V).

In the northwest region the clay, though scarcely developed by workings, is much 

better exposed than in the northeast region. For instance, along Beaver River and 

on Brady Run it is well shown (sections 237, 239, 240, 242, 243, and 247, Pis. V and

VI). In these sections it is seen to attain 5 feet in thickness, and possibly in one 

case 10 feet (section 239). In section 240 the clay outcrop is distinctly ferruginous. 

Along the Ohio measurements of several exposures were obtained, all. of which are 

comparable to those given above (sections 249, 251, 253, 259, 260, Pis. VI and

VII). In these the range is from 3 to 6 feet (sections 56, 71, 85, figs. 10 and 11). 

At one point, near Merrill, where the clay was once opened by Geo. Daudo & Co., 

it measured 5 feet, but was of an impure, ferruginous character.

South of the river no openings are known on this seam; a few sections, however, 

are well exposed in ravines, of which the best in the southeast region may be seen 

opposite Beaver (section 128, fig. 12). Here the clay is 15 feet thick, but not all of 

good appearance, and it is a significant fact that it has never been used in the neighboring clay yards. Elsewhere clay is always present where the Darlington coal is 

exposed, but full measurements are not uncovered. For instance, thicknesses of 2 

feet were observed on Moon Run (section 117, fig. 12), and near the Welch Brick 

Works (section 125, fig. 12). In the southwest region it is well shown at only two 

places, and here, too, as well as east of Raccoon Creek, has never been opened. In 

a ravine south ofPhillis Island it may be seen 5 feet thick (section 166, fig. 13), and 

on Mill Creek, outside the quadrangle, 7 feet (section 257, PL VII).

"Orton, Geol. Survey Ohio, vol. 7,1893, p. 47.
62 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEK QUADRANGLE, PA..

LOWER FREEPORT CLAY.

The clay underlying the Lower Freeport coal has the same crop line as the coal 

and is equally variable in occurrence. In the outcrop it is a light-colored plastic clay 

of good appearance, but it has not been exploited to any extent within the quadrangle, perhaps because it contains, as it is'said, too much iron to be of high grade. 

Its usual thickness is 3 to 5 feet, though at one place on Blockhouse Run, where it 

has been developed for sewer pipe, it is reported to be locally 12 to 14 feet thick, but 

this may include some of the basal shales. Exposures in two or three ravines in the 

northeast region display typical sections. One back of Rochester (section 10, fig. 16) 

uncovers a thickness of 5 feet, while in another, on the north fork of Blockhouse 

Run, only 3 feet of clay are exposed.

Similar dimensions were also observed generally throughout the northwest region, 

but in the river bluff opposite New Brighton it reaches the maximum of 4 feet (section 45, fig. 17). On Brady Run, however, it exhibits a thickness of only 2 feet 

(sections 33, 42, fig. 17,) in its usual position under the Upper Freeport coal, but in 

some places a clay occurs under the Lower Freeport limestone, as at section 42, where 

10 feet of clay shale was found. A similar manner of occurrence is represented in 

section 241, PL VI, where 7 feet of clay underlie the limestone. Except a blossom 

1 foot thick on Twomile Run (section 60, fig. 17), no good showing was seen as far 

as Georgetown Island. From this locality northward on Dry and Island runs and 

on the Elton farm, off the northeast corner of the quadrangle (sections 83, 91, 105, 

fig. 18, and section 260, PL VII), the observed thickness varies from 2 to 3 feet.

Although in the southeast region the clay shows more prominently in the outcrop, 

it can not, without prospecting, be said to maintain a thickness greater than actually 

exists north of the Ohio. It is in general present, at least as a blossom, wherever 

the coal is seen, and near Monaca (sections 121, 123, fig. 20) was uncovered for 4 to 

5 feet. The east bank of Raccoon Creek shows the next best outcrops. Near the 

bridge the clay is 3 feet thick, while farther south (sections 136, 138, fig. 20) 5 feet 

were observed.

In .the southwest region exposures are very poor and scarcely any data on the 

thickness of the clay were obtained. In fact, in some places where the Freeport 

sandstone was abnormally developed both coal and clay were absent. An infrequent 

blossom, however, was seen, and a single outcrop on Fishpot Run measures 5 feet 

(section 148, fig. 21).

UPPER FREEPORT CLAY.

The Upper Freeport clay, averaging 177 feet above the Lower Kittanning coal, 

underlies the Upper Freeport coal and has, therefore, a very irregular and extended 

crop line near the top of the river bluffs and along all lateral streams. Since the 

horizon of the Upper Freeport coal may, for all practical purposes, be considered 

that of the clay, reference to the geologic map (PI. VIII) will show more in detail 

its extent. It will be found, for example, to disappear finally under Raccoon Creek 

near Independence, under Mill Creek at Hookstown, under Dry Run and Island 

Run near Ohioville, and under Brady Run near Blackhawk. Its extent on smaller 

streams can be similarly traced.

Along the rivers, where transportation is established, both the Upper and Lower 

Freeport clays are at a disadvantage, not only because of their high elevation but 

because the Lower Kittanning seam, a clay commonly of greater thickness and 

superior quality, is much more accessible.

The Upper Freeport clay is more persistent than the overlying coal, which in 

places is present simply as thin, papery layers of bituminous matter. Generally in 

such sections the clay is of a pale-blue .color and excellent appearance. In many 

places, however, the clay holds nodules of iron ore which stain it considerably and 

which must be removed before using. Usually the clay shows in outcrop 3 to 5 feet
CLAY. 63

thick, but a detailed description will give approximate thicknesses in specific 

localities.

In the northeast region exposures are well distributed. The easternmost outcrops 

(sections 7, 24, 25, fig. 22) are uniformly 3 feet thick, except one (section 6) which 

is 4 feet and pregnant with calcareous nodules. The other exposures (sections 226, 

229, PI. V) range from 5 to 6 feet, and the last has in addition a 5-foot bed of clay 

underlying the limestone.

The northwest region is not proportionately so rich in good outcrops, but exposures display a greater range in observed thickness. This region is also marked by 

the only opening on this clay known in the quadrangle, the Fallston Fire Clay Company having drifted on the seam in the hillsides directly above its works (section 

52, fig. 23). It is said to be inferior as a brick clay when used alone, but since its 

plasticity renders it an excellent bond clay, and its ferruginous character makes it a 

suitable ingredient when colors are desired, it is here mixed with clay from the 

Lower Kittanning seam for building brick. It is reported to be locally 22 feet 

thick and the mouth of the tunnel cuts about 10 feet. In a near-by ravine (section 

245, PI. VI) this thickness is confirmed by 20 feet of variegated clay shale. In the 

next ravine west, however (section 48, fig. 23), the section has thinned to 4 feet and 

is occupied by a more slialy member, while a 5-foot bed of clay occurs below the 

limestone. No other good croppings were seen in the valley of Brady Run, but 

along Ohio River representative sections are well scattered between Beaver and 

Georgetown. They do not, however, reach the thicknesses of the Brady Run beds. 

At Beaver, for example, 3 feet were uncovered (section 57, fig. 26), while on Twomile Run (Sutherland farm) and Fourmile Run (section 251), it reaches 4 and 5 

feet. On Sixmile Run only 1 to 3 feet (sections 74, 75, fig. 25) were seen, but north 

of Georgetown Island 10 feet of drab clayey shale represent the horizon on the 

Bryan property. On Little Beaver Creek it is 7 feet thick, with limestone fragments, 

while'to the north, near the corner of the quadrangle, only blossoms measuring 1% 

to 2 feet were found.

South of the Ohio similar croppings appear on Elkhorn Run (sections 111, 114, fig. 

27), but in the immediate vicinity the thickness increases to 5 feet (sections 203, 204, 

205, PI. IV). Westward to Bellowsville there are no good exposures, but between 

that place and Raccoon Creek several partial sections of clay, also ranging from 2 to 

5 feet (sections 212, 213, 214, 215, 221, Pis. IV and V) were seen. Generally on the 

west side of this creek only blossoms of clay (sections 140,-142, 146, fig. 29) are 

exposed, but Fishpot Run uncovers from 3 to 5 feet (section 149) and section 216, 

PI. IV, shows a like amount. Aside from small showings, Squirrel Run next displays an encouraging thickness of 5 feet (section 156, fig. 30), and perhaps the upper 

part of the nodular clay at this point might be available. Westward no good croppings are in evidence as far as Peggs Run. In this valley and along the river to 

Georgetown the clay seems to thicken from 3 feet on Peggs Run (section 162, fig. 32) 

to 7 feet at the mine of the Beaver Coal Company (sections 165,' 169, fig. 32), reaching a reported maximum of 14 feet near the mouth of Mill Creek (section 257, PL 

VII). Near the Stewart mine the same extreme thickness exists, but a mile below 

(near section 172) and also on Little Mill Creek (section 258, PL VII), the bed has 

apparently thinned to its usual thickness of 4 or 5 feet. On Service Creek, however, 

merely blossoms of the clay are uncovered.

Except the tunnel of the Fallston Fire Clay Company the Upper Freeport clay has 

not been exploited, so far as known, along Ohio or Beaver rivers in this county, but 

in Big Beaver Township it has been extensively mined for fire brick. There it 

ranges in thickness from 2 to 10 feet, though in places it may be replaced by limestone and iron ore, as at Adams. a

aKies, H., Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 11,1903, p. 230. 
64 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADEANGLE, PA.

No analysis of the Upper Freeport clay from Beaver County is available, but 

analyses from other places follow:

Analyses of Upper Freeport and Bolivar day.

Qin

A.\£>& ... .........................................................

Ti02 . ................................................. .-.--......

FeO.... .........................................................

cao.. ...............:...........................................

MgO. ...........................................................

1.

57.80

25.64

2.51

.25

.61

2.69

8.351

2.25J

100.00

2.

57.64

27.86

1.22

.37

.12

.06

12.97

100. 24

3. - .

50 840

30. 745

1.260

3.213

.160

.288

.541

13. 050

100. 097

4.

59. 830

24. 680

1. 170

1.655

.280

.872

3. 114

7.830

99. 331

1. East Palestine, Ohio. Paving-brick cluy, Upper Freeport horizon, N. W. Lord, analyst. Geol. 

Survey Ohio, vol. 7, 1893, p. 137.

2. Summit Cut, Big Beaver Township, Beaver County, Pa., Professor Wuth, analyst. Second Geol. 

Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. Q, 3878. p. 4fi.

3 and 4. Bolivar, Indiana County, Pa., Bolivar clay, McCreath, analyst. Second Geol. Survey 

Pennsylvania, Kept. H 4,1877, p. 90. No. 3, is hard clay; No. 4, plastic clay.

BOLIVAK CLAY.

The Upper Freeport clay in Beaver County, lying immediately under the Upper 

Freeport coal, is no? at the horizon of the famous Bolivar clay. The latter horizon 

is in fact beneath the limestone which usually occurs just under the Upper Freeport 

clay, but in general on Ohio and Beaver rivers it seems occupied by a less refractory 

shale. Logtown, Brady, and Blockhouse runs furnish a few exceptions, and south of 

Phillis Island a clay occurs at the Bolivar horizon (sections 229, 244, 254, etc., Pis. 

V-VII). It ranges from 2 to 5 feet thick, and in some places it would make, practical men believe, a fairly good fire brick, perhaps superior to that made from the 

Lower Kittanning clay. When the liuiestone is absent, moreover, both clays may lie 

together, as at Salina, AVestmoreland County, without a distinct line of demarcation.

QUATERNARY CLAYS.

Within the quadrangle Quaternary clays are largely confined to the stream terraces. Of these the highest, or Kansan terraces, and lowest, or alluvial plains, bear 

clays which, being generally impure, highly ferruginous, and frequently sandy, are 

adapted chiefly to the manufacture of common brick, though when the clays are fine 

and homogeneous, pressed brick and even crude pottery are made from them. Often 

they are mixed with shale, producing excellent results. Of the flood plains, those 

carrying clay are unknown outside of the river valleys, though it is possible that 

others may be found in tributary streams. But the Kansan terraces carry clay on 

both rivers and lateral streams. For instance, the abandoned channel of Raccoon 

Creek, in which New Sheffield is situated, is said to carry considerable clay, but its 

character on burning, is unknown. The spurs bordering the creek at this, level, 

which are the extension of this old channel, may also possibly carry clay, but they 

are of small extent. Moreover, exploitation at this point is hindered by lack of 

transportation facilities.

For many years an important deposit has been worked on the Kansan terrace 

near New Brighton and Rochester, At the former place the deposit, which was 

used for terra cotta and, by mixing with Lower Kittanning clay, for flower pots, 

shows the following composition:
SHALES OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION.

Analyses of terrace clays.

65

SiOn.......... '....... ..........~....... ..............................................

A1208 ...............................................................................

Feo03 ..............................................................................

TiO2 . ......................................................... . '. ......................

CaO................................................................................

MgO ..................:....... ...................................... . ...........

Alkalies. ............................................................................

Water.l..................................................................

1. '

46 160

26. 976

7.214

.740

2.210

1. 520

3.24C

99. 280

2.

67. 780

16. 290

4.670

.780

.600

-.727

2.001

99. 088

1. From the pit o£ the old Mendenhall <fe Chamberlin works. 2. Elverson & Sherwood works. 

Both analyses from Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. MM, p. 257. A. S. McCreath, analyst.

At present clays from the Parker strath are used only by the Elverson pottery 

near New Brighton; while those from the flood plain were, until recently, utilized at 

the Agner brickyards near Rochester in the manufacture of red building brick. A 

similar deposit, it is said, was also once used near Vanport.

So far as known, clays of value have not yet been discovered on the intermediate 

terraces of Wisconsin age.

Across the northern part of Beaver County lies the great terminal moraine of the 

Glacial epoch, within or near the margin of which the Second Geological Survey 

reports irregular beds of impure clay, but so far as known none have yet been found 

in Beaver County. The irregular lenses in the morainal deposits may vary greatly 

in character and are apt to be strong, while the "basin deposits" formed in local 

lakes are likely to be finer and more homogeneous. Such clays must, from their 

origin, be mixed with more or less extraneous matter, but screening and washing 

often produce a good quality of clay for-red bricks, flower pots, and, if mixed with 

other- clays, even for terra cotta.

SHAOL/E.

INTRODUCTION.

As has already been intimated, clays, through different degrees of induration, pass 

insensibly into clay shale and shale. It has been found that a mixture of shale and 

clay gives a better brick, when great strength and lasting qualities are desired, as 

in paving brick, than fire clay alone. Accordingly, the shale overlying and underlying the clay beds is used considerably in the brick industry of this region.

SHALES OF ALLEGHENY FORMATION.

Generally the shales most extensively employed in this region are those nearest 

the Lower Kittanning clay. For example, the Fallston Fire Clay Company uses the 

shale between the Lower Kittanning clay and the Clarion coal; the Vanport Brick 

Company uses the same shale and also that between the Darlington and Lower Freeport coals. Analyses from near-by localities show, with little doubt, that still higher 

shales might also be utilized if necessary. The drab shales, for instance, sometimes 

present under the Upper Freeport clay, appear to be worth prospecting. But it is a 

recognized fact that from shales alone of the Allegheny formation no good colored 

brick are made.
60 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

Analyses of shale and clay. a

SiOo ( total )..........................................

AloOa.................................................

FeoOa .................................................

CaO ..................................................

MgO..................................................

K20 ..................................................

NaoO .................................................

1.

58.20

22.47

5.63

.62

.98

3.08

.42

6.15

1.65

99. 20

2.

49. 30

24.00

8.40

.56

1.60

3..91

.19

9.40

1.20

98.56

3.

57.45

21.06

7.54

.29

1.22

3.27

.39

J 5.90

1.90

99. 02

4.

55.60

24.34

. 6.JL1

.43

.77

3.00

09

6.75

2 65

99.74

5.

57.15

20.26

7.54

.90

1.62

3.05

.58

5.50

2.70

99.30

nOrton, Geol. Survey Ohio, vol. 7, pt. 1, 1893, pp. 133, 134.

1. Shales and fire clays mixed, from the T. B. Townsend Brick Company, Zanesville, Ohio; Freeport shales and Kittanning fire clay. N. W. Lord, analyst.

2. Shale from Waynesburg Brick and Clay Manufacturing Company; Middle Kittanning (Darlington?) horizon. N. W. Lord, analyst.

3. Shale from the Ohio Paving Company, Columbus, Ohio, mined at Darlington, Ohio; Lower Kittanning horizon. Average sample. N. W. Lord, analyst.

4. Shale and fire-clay mixture, from the A.O.Jones Company, Zanesville, Ohio; Kittanning horizon. 

N. W. Lord, analyst.

5. Shales used by Bucyrus Brick and Terra Gotta Company, mined at Glouster, Ohio; horizon of 

Cambridge [near Ames] limestone. Average sample. N. W. Lord, analyst.

SHALES OF CONEMATTGH FORMATION.

The Conemaugh formation caps all of. the high country back from the rivers and 

accordingly forms the heads of .most ravines where slopes are gentle and debris accumulates, so that clean exposures are rare. Few if any beds of fire clay, therefore, such 

as were described in the Allegheny formation, were observed. Many of the conspicuous residual clays and variegated shales, however, may be found valuable for brick 

purposes. The most common varieties are yellowish, drab, or bluish gray, and all 

show evidence of more or less iron, ferrous in fresh shale and ferric in weathered. 

Red shales are not very abundant and where occurring have generally disintegrated 

on the outcrop to red residual clay. Analyses of many such shales compare favorably with those of high-grade clays; indeed, the yellowish clay shales so persistent 

throughout this region above the Mahoning sandstone were formerly used on Blockhouse Run for sewer pipe. Clays and shales of this formation have also been used 

in Ohio; at Glouster they are made into paving brick and terra-cotta ware, and at 

Bellaire 20 feet of shale just under the Pittsburg coal are used for sewer pipe and 

paving brick. Building brick have recently been manufactured from shales by M. 

Lantz & Sons, of Pittsburgh In fact, nearly all the shales except the very sandy 

types may be adapted to the manufacture of colored brick. Of the fifty-seven clay 

yards mentioned in Hopkins's report, & over two-thirds use shale wholly or in part, 

making chiefly red brick, but also paving and pressed brick.

CLAY INDUSTRIES.

INTRODUCTION.

The clay industries along Ohio and Beaver rivers may, for convenience of description, be classed according to products as follows: Pottery, refractory materials, tubular 

ware, building materials, and paving materials. In all these, except some kinds of 

pottery, refractory clays are utilized, at least to some extent. The chief source of

a Ries, H., Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 11, 1903. p. 233.

i> Hopkins, T. C., Clays and Clay Industries of Pennsylvania Clays of Western Pennsylvania, 

Appendix to Ann. Kept. Pennsylvania State College for 1897,1898.
CLAY INDUSTRIES. 67

supply is the .Lower Kittanning clay seam. With this are sometimes mixed, in 

varying quantities, accompanying shales, and rarely clay from other hori/ons, such 

as the Darlington, Lower or Upper Freeport, or perhaps imported clays.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT. 

POTTERY.

The first attempt at pottery making in the Beaver Valley, so far as can be ascertained, was about the year 1834, when Thomas Jackson started a small pottery at 

New Brighton. The panic of 1837, so disastrous to the commercial interests of the 

country, caused Mr. Jackson to suspend business. Perhaps the next venture was by 

Hamilton Brothers, at West Bridgewater, but the exact date of their operations is 

not known. They obtained clay on the west side of Brady Bun near its confluence 

with Beaver River. Their chief products were crocks and jugs. Mackenzie Brothers, 

at possibly the same date, manufactured pottery at Vanport and procured their clay 

from the Beaver Valley:"

The present large pottery and kindred industries at New Brighton date from 1862, 

when Thomas Elverson began making Rockingham and yellow ware in a little pottery on the hillside above the present site of the old New Brighton Pottery, now 

owned by Sherwood Brothers. This little pottery, which was the nucleus of all the 

large works now in the valley, continued operations until 1890, when it was absorbed 

by the Pittsburg Clay Manufacturing Company. During this time, as the business 

expanded, it held various names, such as Elverson & Son, Elverson & Sherwood, 

Elverson, Sherwood & Barker. Under the last firm new buildings were erected, 

which later became factories of other companies. For example, when the American 

Sewer Pipe Company was formed from the Pittsburg Clay Manufacturing Company 

in 1899, it bought from the latter two of its present factories; and next year the 

stoneware factory (called New Brighton Pottery), Avas sold to Sherwood Brothers, 

who had also been long established. Then W. H. Elverson secured the flower-pottery portion of the works and removed to his present location.. Twenty years prior 

to this dissolution in 1880, Mr. "Mayer had begun operations under the present name, 

Mayer Pottery Company (Limited), and a little earlier, about 1877, Sherwood Brothers 

laid the foundation of the present large pottery on Blockhouse Run. They started 

with one kiln and one small building, enlarging their facilities from time to time, as 

indicated above by the purchase of the New Brighton Pottery. Since that time the 

Enterprise Pottery, Fallston Pottery Company, Keystone Pottery, and American 

Porcelain Company have been established, though all but the last have discontinued 

business in recent years.

Data concerning the potteries still in business are given in the table (p. 72). The 

kinds of clay used for pottery are almost infinite in variety, according to the grade 

of ware desired. Earthenware is often made from very impure clay, which is sometimes glazed to conceal, imperfections, and at other times, as in flower pots, is not. 

Such material consists of fire clays, shales, or glacial clays. Sherwood Brothers, for 

instance, manufacture preserving jars from the upper part of the Lower Kittanning 

seam, the lower part being too siliceous and hard, while W. H. Elverson uses for 

flower pots instead of fire clay, terrace clays which do hot contain much sand. Porcelain and china ware, however, require white clays, such as are not found in Beaver 

County. Small quantities of fire clay, however, may be mixed with them to aid in 

obtaining the proper degree of plasticity. The American Porcelain Company uses a 

mixture of Lower Kittanning and imported clays. The latter in part is blue Jersey 

clay, added in very small quantities to regulate shrinkage, which is also modified by 

certain quantities of burnt clay, perhaps as much in weight as raw clay. In addition 

another clay which is suitable for the white outer coating is imported from Florida.

aHopkins, T. C., op. cit., p. 87.
68 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

The Mayer Pottery uses no domestic materials, even saggers being made chiefly of 

clays from Woodbridge, N. J., and Akron, Ohio. The materials used in'the ware 

are, for plasticity, ball clays from England and Tennessee; and for body, kaolin from 

England and North Carolina; flint (ground sand) from Wilmington, III.; and feldspar 

from Brandywine Summit, Pa., and Canada. The usual proportions of these constituents for underglazed printed ware are as follows: Ball clay, 16 per cent; kaolin, 

34 per cent; flint, 35 per cent; feldspar, 15 per cent. A minute proportion of cobalt 

oxide is added to secure a blue-white color. The Keystone Pottery, which has 

resumed operations under new management, also uses imported clays from England, 

Delaware, Florida, and Kentucky.

REFRACTORY MATERIALS.

These consist chiefly of fire brick, but limited quantities of flue linings, mill brick, 

and mortared and raw clay are included. Fire brick were first made in this region 

by S. Barnes & Co., now known as The S. Barnes Company, on Beaver River, a mile 

above Rochester, as early as 1840, and this is said to be one of the oldest brick works 

in the State. Mr. Smith, the father of A. F. Smith, of the present A. F. Smith 

Company, followed soon after, in 1845, with the manufacture of fire and paving 

brick.« Two years later fire brick were produced opposite Beaver on the south 

side of Ohio River, where the abandoned works of the Stahl Fire Brick Company 

are situated. & Twenty years later the works of the present Vanport Brick Company 

were established and made some fire brick in connection with other kinds of brick, c 

Of these old-established plants all but the Stahl works are still active, and since 1867 

the other companies now manufacturing fire brick have been organized, as will be 

seen in the table (p. 72). Mill brick is a refractory brick, used in rolling mills and 

similar factories, and for convenience may be classed as fire brick. Flue linings are 

not made to any great extent except by the American Sewer Pipe Company, but 

several plants which make fire brick produce also mortared clay and, rarely, raw clay.

Refractory materials require a high-grade clay in point of fusibility. Such a clay, 

suitable for ordinary refractory products, as common' fire brick, mill brick, and flue 

linings, is found in the Lower Kittanning clay bed. from which fire clay is almost 

exclusively drawn in this region. The upper, more plastic, part of the bed is generally utilized for this purpose, the lower part being, it is said, too sandy. The 

Lower Kittanning clay, while of excellent refractory quality, can not, however, be 

used alone for the finer refractory products. To supply this need flint clay from 

within and without the State is imported. For example, the S. Barnes Company, 

which is the only importing company of its kind within the quadrangle, uses indurated clay from both Clarion County, Pa., and Tygart Valley, Kentucky. These 

imported clays bear the various namesof "Hahn," "Shoop," "Kein," "W. & W.," 

"Huefner," "Lander," "Katterbach," etc. The Lower Kittanning is mixed with 

these flint clays to serve as a bond that is, to introduce that plasticity which is 

required for molding, and which flint clays themselves do not have as an inherent 

quality. The proportions of flint to native clay are, of course, varied, according to 

the grade of refractory product (in this case fire brick) desired. As a result, this 

company obtains a high quality of fire brick in three grades, said to be the best 

refractory brick in the valley.

TUBULAR WARE.

This class includes sewer pipe, drain tile, and some kinds of flue linings. Of 

these, sewer pipe is extensively manufactured in this region. The industry was 

started, it is said, about August, 1887, by the Pittsburg Sewer Pipe Company (Lim-

"Hopkins, T. C., Clays and Clay Industries of Pennsylvania. Appendix to Ann. Kept. Pennsylvania State College for 1897,1898, p. 66. 

b Idem, p. 67. 

cldem, p. 69.
CLAY INDUSTEIES. 69

ited). Its works were situated on Blockhouse Eun, and, though subsequently passing 

through several hands, as shown in the table on page 72, this site continues to be 

the present seat of the industry under the American Sewer Pipe Company. The 

pioneer company reorganized after two years and adopted the name of Pittsburg 

Sewer Pipe and Fire Clay Company. The next year this company consolidated with 

Elverson, Sherwood & Barker, already mentioned, into the Pittsburg Clay Manufacturing Company, which made extensive alterations in the plant. But when the 

American Sewer Pipe Company was organized in 1900 it bought of the Pittsburg 

Clay Manufacturing Company the two sewer-pipe works now running. While the 

present company is almost the exclusive manufacturer of sewer pipe and drain tile 

in the quadrangle, other companies put out small amounts of tubular ware. Among 

these is the A. F. Smith Company, which has recently taken up the making of 

hollow tile.

Sewer pipe and drain tile require an impure, siliceous clay, much like that used 

for paving brick and vitrified building: brick. This is obtained chiefly from the 

Lower Kittarming clay bed, by means of a 40-foot shaft, which is located a short 

distance east of the works. Additional clay is taken from a drift said to be about 15 

feet above water, on the south branch of Blockhouse Run. The opening has been 

made since the field work in this region Avas completed, but it seems to be at the 

elevation of the Darlington clay bed. Clay from this drift is mixed with that from 

the shaft in proportions of about 1 to 6 for ordinary sewer pipe. Similar material is 

generally used for flue linings, but these, unlike sewer pipe, are not salt glazed.

The Darlington seam was opened in this locality by a former-company, but proved 

too impure for the. purposes intended. The Lower Freeport clay bed, however, 

enjoyed better fame, for over ten years ago it was mined for a number of years back 

of the works. It was then used, it is said, chiefly for paving brick, of which small 

amounts were at that time burned.

BUILDING MATERIALS.

 These materials include chiefly building brick of various styles and qualities, but 

also considerable amounts of roofing tile, decorative tile, and flue linings. The last 

have been noticed above under "Refractory materials" and "Tubular ware." Historically the building-brick industry made two products red brick, manufactured 

from terrace clays, and variegated brick, from fire clays. When the manufacture of 

red brick first began is not definitely recorded, but it is known that A. F. Smith & 

Son operated red-brick works on the terrace east of New Brighton as early as 1852, 

which continued active until about 1892.« In the meantime A. Dewhirst & Bro.j 

, Levi Fish & Sons, and others, had established red-brick works on the same terrace, 

but all are now abandoned.

A brickyard owned by Mr. Agner. and situated between the railroad and Ohio 

River, a short distance above the Monaca-Rochester bridge, produced, until 1902, red 

brick from the alluvium of the river bank. The brick was burned here, as is said to 

have been the case at all the other abandoned yards, in the ordinary open-top updraft 

kilns used in this industry. The Agner works also are at present shut down, and 

no red brick from terrace clay alone is now made within the quadrangle.

It is not known when the manufacture of building brick from fire clay in this 

region began, but the industry is much younger than that of red brick. Among the 

earliest manufacturers were probably Welch, Gloninger & Co. and the predecessors 

of the present Vanpbrt Brick Company, at Vanport. These companies seem at first 

to have manufactured fire brick chiefly, if not exclusively, and building brick incidentally. Later building brick became the most important product at these works, 

and since then new companies have been organized for the purpose of carrying on

aHopkins, T. C., Clays and Clay Industries of Pennsylvania, vol. 1,1898, p. 120.
70 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEK QUADRANGLE, PA.

this industry chiefly, as in the case of the Fallston and Beaver Valley companies, or 

in connection with paving, and other materials, as the Standard Fire Clay Company, 

Miller-Hummel Company, and A. F. Smith Company have done. On the whole, 

therefore, while during the last decade the fire-brick industry has nearly held its 

own, the manufacture of building brick has begun to approach it in both amount and 

value.

The Lower Kittanning fire clay is now used as the basis of all the commercial 

grades of building brick made in this region. The clay alone produces brick of various colors, depending on the amount of iron contained and the duration of firing. 

The iron, however, should not be present in large grains, as it then renders the brick 

blotchy and rough. A wider variety of color and quality is obtained by mixing 

other materials with the clay. The most .common ingredient added is shale, which 

is used to a greater or less extent by practically all the plants. The shale commonly 

employed is, for economic reasons, that lying immediately above or below the Lower 

Kittanning clay bed, though higher shales have been used to equal advantage, as 

noted on page 65. Other more natural ingredients in the shape of clays are used for 

similar purposes. Terrace clay, which, as is well known, contains a large percentage 

of iron, has been employed at Vanport and elsewhere to produce red colors in the 

fired product. Similar results are obtained by the addition of fireclay from horizons 

other than the Lower Kittanning, such as the Darlington and Upper Freeport beds. 

The Fallston Fire Clay Company, for example, has the latter bed well opened, and is 

the only plant within the quadrangle now exploiting this horizon for brickmaking.

The building tile made in this region may be classed as decorative or plain. No 

decorative ware of this kind is known to be manufactured within the quadrangle, 

but at Beaver Falls the industry has long been established The Beaver Falls Art 

Tile Company, which began operations in 1887, makes chiefly decorative and plain 

glazed tile, noted for its great variety in size and color. Imported kaolin and ball 

clays from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee are used exclusively for 

the ware, which is all burned in saggars made from New Jersey and Ohio clays.

The manufacture of plain tile is perhaps of more recent inauguration in this region. 

It is not, however, made exclusively by any plant, but is produced incidentally with 

other products. In this manner the American Sewer Pipe Company and the Beaver 

Valley Roofing Tile, Brick, and Terra Cotta Company are the chief producers of 

plain tile within the quadrangle.

PAVING MATERIALS.

This class of clay products is here restricted to paving brick or blocks. The manufacture of these materials is a younger industry than that of fire brick. It grew to 

recognizable proportions along with the building-brick industry, in connection with 

which it is commonly carried on. Only one plant within the quadrangle manufactures paving blocks exclusively, namely, the Pennsylvania Clay Company, which 

was among the earliest to introduce into this region the manufacture of paving 

materials. It includes three separate plants on Crow Run, on Brady Run, and 

at Monaca, respectively of which the last two formerly belonged to the Park Fire 

Clay Company, but in 1897 consolidated into the present concern. The other companies producing paving brick, together with building or fire brick, are the Miller 

Brick Company, Speer Clay Manufacturing Company, and Standard Fire Clay Company. Though younger than any other brick industry in this region, the output of 

paving materials is nearly a third greater than that of fire brick.

Paving brick requires a clay similar to that used in vitrified building brick and 

sewer pipe. It must thoroughly vitrify without melting out of shape, must be plastic for molding, and may contain iron for colors. All the plants just mentioned use 

clay from the Lower Kittanning horizon, mixed with more or less shale. In every 

case the clay is mined by drifting on the outcrop, except at the Monaca and Crow
OLAY IKDUSTKIES. 71

Eun works of the Pennsylvania Clay Company. At these mines the clay bed lies 

25 feet below the Monaca terrace and about 40 feet beneath Crow Run, and consequently is exploited by means of a shaft.

SUMMARY.

It is seen that for all clay products made in this region, except some grades of pottery and tile, the source of the essential material is the Lower Kittanning clay bed. 

To this various materials, usually domestic1 , such as other fire clays, shale, or terrace clay, are added to produce certain effects of color'and quality in the finished 

product. For pottery the Lower Kittanning hori/on is used alone by the Sherwood 

Brothers Company, and is mixed with imported clays by the American Porcelain 

Company, while the W. H. Elverson Pottery Company employs only terrace clay, and 

the Mayer Pottery Company and perhaps others use no domestic clays in either the 

completed product or the saggers in which it is burned.

PRODUCTION.

In the clay industry of the United States Ohio ranks first, producing nearly 19 per 

cent of the total product, valued at over $28,000,000. Pennsylvania ranks second, 

with a product of over $19,000,000, which is nearly 13 per cent of. the total.

Pennsylvania holds first place in the United States in the manufacture of fire brick, 

making almost one-half of the total product, and second place in the total output of 

the building-brick industry, producing over one-ninth. Ohio holds the second place 

in the former, and New York the first place in the latter. The preeminence of 

Pennsylvania in the fire-brick industry is probably due to the extraordinary demand 

for refractory materials within the State itself, as it is the chief metallurgical center 

of the United States. Enormous quantities of fire brick, fire-clay cement, and other 

refractory products are used as linings for blast furnaces, crucibles, and other articles 

in the metallurgical processes, and also as linings for coking ovens and house furnaces.

Of the total Pennsylvania production, Beaver County supplies an appreciable part. 

In 1905 it produced $420,500 worth of pottery, or 31 per cent of the State's product, 

all within a radius of a mile and a half from New Brighton; $103,603 worth, or nearly 

14 percent, of its paving brick, and $8,699 worth, or nearly 23 per cent, of its fancy 

or ornamental brick. Of the fire brick made in Pennsylvania, $228,413 worth, or 

nearly 4 per cent, come from Beaver County, which produces about half the same 

proportion of sewer pipe. But of building brick this county supplies somewrmt 

more $365,256 worth, or over 4 per cent, of the total amount manufactured in the 

State. Of the total clay products of the State, Beaver County furnishes about 7 per 

cent. This is a small percentage of what the county could produce if its clay deposits 

were developed in proportion to those in Ohio, where the geologic conditions are 

practically the same as in Beaver County. Further development, however, is greatly 

impeded by lack of transportation facilities.
Details of the clay industry in the Beaver quadrang

Company. 

American Sewer Pipe Co ....

American Porcelain Co .....

W. H. Elverson Pottery Co . .

Beaver Valley Roofing Tile, 

Brick, and Terra Cotta Co.

The Mayer Pottery Co. (Ltd. ) .

Fallston Fire Clay Co ....... 

Welch-Bright Co ............

Miller-Hummel Clay Product Co.

Number of 

mine on 

map.

f 22 

{ 22A 

19

17 

16 

15 

18

13

I W 

I 12A

11

5

Not on map 

124 

53

Not on map 

(Works) 29 

47 

r 51 

1 52 

126 

64

Location.

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

Bolesville ..................

[Between Bolesville and 

f Rochester.

.....do ......................

l....do..i. ..................

Between Vanport and Merrill.

 

Material used.

.....do...... ...................

Fire clay (and shale occasionally).

Fire clav

Imported clay from England, 

Delaware, Florida, and Kentucky.

Fire clay .......... v ...........

Fire clay and imported ........

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

.....do ..........................
ing Co.

65

66

72

11 A

.....do ......

.....do ......

.....do ......

.....do......

.....do ......

.....do......................

.....do......................

Merrill .....................

.....do......................

.....do..........................

and Germany.

from Florida, Georgia, North 

Carolina, and Tennessee; sagger clays from New Jersey 

and Ohio.

.....do...............'..... .....
Details of the clay industry in Beaver quadrangle and v

Company.

American Sewer Pipe Co....

W. H. Elverson Pottery Co..

The S. Barnes Co. ...........

Brick, and Terra Gotta Co. 

The Miller Brick Co .........

Pennsylvania Clay Co. ......

Standard Fire Clay Co ......

Approximate capacity.

100 tons of finished ware per day. ....

tons raw clay per month.

12,000-20,000 pieces per day. ..........

10,000 brick per dav ..................

20,000 hrick per day and 700 tons

mortared clay per year.

18,000 brick per day ..................

150,000 brick per day .................

3125,000 worth per year). 

20,000 brick per dav ..................

Kind of product.

Se^er pipe, drain tile, building tile, flue linings.

tile, raw clay, mortared 

clay.

enameled ware.

preserving packages. 

Flower pots .................

tile, mortared clay.

.....do.......................

Paving brick and blocks ....

cially underglazed printed ware.

brick, mortared clay.

Date o

m

1887a

1897-9

1845 b 

1894

1877

Severa

fore 

1902

1S82-S

1840

1903

-\ QQA

f!886-

1886-

I......

1880

1902
0 Miller-Hummel Clav Prod- 

» uct Co.

"

a 

71 Gloninger & Co..............

Beaver Falls Art Tile Co. ....

Darlington Brick and Mining Co.

30,000 brick per dav ..................

25,000 brick per day ..................

1,000 pots for year, 1,000 tons of blocks.

.....do................................

Fancy colored building 

brick, chimney blocks, 

paving brick.

Paving brick, building brick.

Building, Roman-, and mill 

brick.

Impervious building brick . . 

Mill brick ...................

Glass melting pots, bench 

clay, and furnace blocks.

Wall tiles, plain enamel, 

embossed and decorated 

tile.

Paving and building brick . .

Face building brick, paving 

brick.

.....do.......................

1891

1880

About 

About 

1886

1900

1887

1902

1893

1889

1890

1903

iHopkins, T. C., Clay and Clay Industries of Pennsylvania, vol. 1,1898, p. 41. 
76 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS.

PETROLEUM.

INTRODUCTION.

Oil has been produced in the Beaver quadrangle for about forty-five years, during 

which period several pools have been opened and practically drained. The most 

important of these are in the Smiths Ferry, Shannopin, and Hookstown fields. 

Few large oil wells have been struck in this region recently and the production is 

now on the wane. Though not all the wells drilled for oil are represented on the 

map (PI. VIII), a large proportion of them enough at least to show something of 

the number drilled and to outline the pools are shown.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT.

Smiths Ferry field. The first pool discovered, only a part of which is within the 

quadrangle, is known as the "Smiths Ferry field" and lies between Ohioville and 

Smiths Ferry, extending westward into Ohio. Long before any borings were made, 

oil is said to have oozed out on Ohio River, where it was collected in cloths and 

called "Seneca oil." The first well, put down by Patterson & Flinwell in December, 

1860, struck some oil at 180 feet.

In the following February, says I. C. White, the Excelsior Company struck a 

heavy oil in the Piedmont sandstone at a depth of 72 feet, only a few feet below the 

level of Ohio River. This well produced 400 barrels of "29° oil, when it became 

completely exhausted. The ensuing excitement rapidly developed this field. Wells 

were drilled on every hand. It soon became known that a more productive oil 

rock was to be sought about 700 feet below the Lower Kittanning coal. Out of 

the hundreds of wells that have been drilled here the records of only two are 

known the Ohioville well (PI. II) and the one given below. The latter begins 

100 feet below the Lower Kittanning coal, or immediately upon the Pottsville 

sandstone.

Log of oil well in Smiths Ferry field.

Ft. in.

1. Conductor..................................................................................... 5 0

2. White sandstone (.Homewood) (some oil) .................................................... 15

3. Black slate .......................................... t .................................... t .... 2 4

4. Gray sandstone (oil show) .................................................................... 4

5. Black slate (gas).............................................................................. l 3

6. Fire clay ....................................................................................... 2 3

7. Gray and white sandstone ..................................................................... 25 6

8. Black rock, hard.............................................................................. 15

9. Fire clay and shales ...................................:...................................... 5

10. Black slate (gas).................................................................."............ 6

11. Shale (gas and oil)............................................................................ 13

12. .Coal.............:............'.......................................................... ...... 1

13. Fire clay ...................................................................................... 10

14. Slate and shale. ................^..........................................^.................^. 25

15. Hard, white sandstone........................................................................ 61

16. Black shale..........................................77........................................ 10

17. Fine-grained sandstone............................'...................; ........................ 19

18. Shaly sandstone....................... ........................................................ 49

19. Hard, white sandstone........................................................................ 16

20. Shale................:...........................,............................................. 2

21. Hard sandstone ......................................................:........................ 8

22. Shales......................................................................................... 17

23. Hard, white sandstone........................................................................ 6

24. Shales (salt water and oil).................................................................... 40

25. Hard sandstone ............................................................................... 5

26. Slate .......................................................................................... 7

27. Sandstone (salt water and oil)................................................................ 23
PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS. 77

Ft. in.

28. Slate (oil)..................................................................................... 28

29. Sand ......................................................................................... 5

30. Shale.'.........................................._............................................ 2

31. Hard sandstone (strong salt water)........................................................... 20

82. Slate ....................................I..................................................... 17

33. Sand (much gas and salt)..................................................................... 6

34. Hard sand rock ............................................................................... 7

No. 15 is probably the bottom of the Pottsville formation, while No. 2 is the, top.«

This record, White says, does not extend down to the main oil-bearing rock, but 

when plotted and compared with records of the Ohioville, Hamilton, and Poe wells 

(Pis. I and II), it appears to have reached both members of the Berea group. In 

the Ohioville well-the oil seems to have corne from the lower member. As to lower 

sands, White says that some wells were drilled 500 feet below the Berea grit, but no 

oil was obtained, as the lower oil sands of Butler County were in this locality mere 

shales or fine-grained sandstone, incapable of holding any oil.

'The wells of this field were all small at first, none exceeding 25 barrels a day until 

March, 1877, when a 50-barrel well was struck on the Smith farm near Ohioville. 

The wells, whatever their initial production, soon ran out to 1 or 2 barrels a day.b In 

1876 there were about 200 wells in this district from which oil was obtained, many of 

them yielding only 4 or 5 barrels a month. They were not generally pumped, as the 

accompanying gas was sufficient to force up the oil. Some, however, were pumped 

a few minutes a day. Previous to the strike of the 50-barrel well the production of 

this district was estimated at about 100 barrels per day and the annual production at 

35,000 barrels, e

Other reports give'the production of this field in 1869 as 250 barrels per day and 

state that in 1875 most of the wells were along the Smiths Ferry and Ohioville road, 

averaging 25 to 90 barrels a week. Reports of the same year differ as to the quality 

of the oil, variously stating 27° to 52° gravity, but all agree that it was'of a light 

yellowish-amber color. Nearly all the oil was at first refined at Smiths Ferry, but 

the advent of the trans-State pipe lines, leading the oil to the great refineries on the 

coast, broke up this industry, and now all the crude oil leaves the field through these 

pipes.

In 1889 the field was still furnishing now and then a good well on its borders and 

some .of the first wells in this district notably on Island and Dry runs are to this 

day pumping a little oil, but most of them have been abandoned and a broken bull 

wheel lies in nearly every fence corner. In recent years this field has been extended 

eastward to the head of Wolf Run, and many profitable though not large wells have 

been found.

Sliannopin field. This field lies near Shannopin, on Ohio River, and extends westward across the southeast corner of the Beaver quadrangle. The pool within the 

quadrangle is perhaps one of several more or less isolated pools of this field. The 

first well which led to the opening of this pool was, it is reported, drilled about 1883 

by the Arbuckles of Pittsburg on the Langfitt farm, but the result is unknown. It 

is probable, however, that a little oil was obtained. From that time to 1886 apparently little was done in the way of test wells, but in the latter year a well was put 

down on the John Macurame farm and a trifle more oil than before was obtained. 

In the same year Sam Neil and others drilled farther west on the Agnes McCoy farm 

and found a good well, which gave impetus to further drilling. In August, 188.6, a 400- 

barrel well was struck on the Marks farm and two wells on the A. P. Morrow farm, 

one producing 90 barrels an hour and the other 45 barrels. As a result in this year 

the Shannopin field increased its production over that of 1885 by 3,000 barrels, and 

on January 1, 1887, it showed a total yield of 483,000 barrels. The field has been a

a Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. Q, p. 270. *>Idem, p. 271. cidem, p, 272.
78 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

prolific one, but the production began to wane as early as 1889. At present considerable oil is being pumped from old wells, but few new ones are being drilled.

The first companies to operate in this field, it is reported, were the Raccoon and 

Shannopin oil companies. The latter, it seems, ceased to operate in this district and 

the former was absorbed by the Forest Oil Company, a branch of the Standard Oil, 

which now owns most of the present producing wells.

Records of the Johnston, McElhany. Chambers, and Nelson wells (PL I) seem to 

show the oil-bearing stratum in this field to be the "Hundred-foot sand," which is 

locally named the "Shannopin" sand and which is the same stratum as that producing the New Sheffield gas pool. This bed, occurring about 200 or 300 feet below 

the Berea grit, is visually 10 to 25 feet thick and composed of two parts a cap of 

hard, siliceous, impervious rock, a few inches thick, and a lower portion of an open, 

mealy sandstone, containing many white, pink, and yellow pebbles.

Hookstown field. This field lies between Hookstown and the State line and has a 

southern extension to the head of Tomlinson Run. It was discovered and first 

opened in 1889, the year in which the Shannopin field began to wane. Several wells, 

however, had been drilled before this date on the edge of the pool, in the vicinity of 

Georgetown, but with little success. Information concerning the first producing 

wells in the Hookstown field, drilled in May, 1889, was not obtainable, but it is 

known that during June of the following summer two wells were put down on the 

Milton Calhoun farm by the Forest Oil Company, one of which produced 150 barrels 

in the first twenty-four hours, the other only 10 barrels. In August a 120-barrel 

well was struck on the William Glenn farm. During the rest of the year many 

small wells were drilled which produced 10 to 30 barrels a day, while the William 

Glenn No. 4, drilled in September, came in at 100 barrels. The following year many 

more small wells of 15 to 50 barrels were struck and also a 106-barrel well on the 

Taylor farm. Very little accurate information was obtained concerning operations 

immediately after this period, though some scattered drilling is known to have taken 

place. In 1901 some excitement was aroused by a few 50-barrel wells alleged to 

have been struck along the hill road between Georgetown and Hookstown.

Though the Forest Oil Company is the largest company operating in the Hookstown district, many private operators own a considerable number of wells and have 

reaped a fair reward. The oil of this pool is found in the Berea grit, which has borrowed the name of Smiths Ferry sand from the near-by pool of that name. This 

stratum varies from 10 to 30 feet in thickness and the "pay," which is usually found 

from 5 to 10 feet below the top, is a white or gray, open, mealy rock. Where the 

entire stratum is close and compact it is barren.

Scattered wells. Many wells have been drilled for oil elsewhere in the quadrangle, 

some of which are noted under "Natural gas" (p. 79), but so far no valuable wells 

outside of the fields already mentioned have come to light. Of the unsuccessful 

efforts near the Hookstown field, those near Georgetown are interesting. One of 

these wells, for example, on the edge of the Georgetown terrace, flowed 50 barrels 

the first day and the next day scarcely a barrel. Another early well, on the S. M. 

Boyd farm, was drilled in March, 1886, but struck nothing and was abandoned. 

The skeleton record of this well, reported by Carll,« seems to show that the drill 

was sunk not only through the Berea grit, but through underlying red beds and the 

Hundred-foot sand. Several other dry holes have been drilled within recent years 

east of Georgetown along the river.

PRODUCTION.

Since the boundaries of the quadrangle divide the Shannopin and Hookstown 

pools, no idea of the production of this area can be given. The yield of Beaver 

County, however, is generally calculated as a unit and for 1904 is given as nearly 

395,000 barrels.

a Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. 15,1890, p. 233.
PETEOLBUM AND NATUKAL GAS. 79

NATURAL GAS.

INTRODUCTION.

In the Beaver quadrangle gas has been produced in considerable quantities for 

about twenty years and the wells have included several of exceptional volume and 

pressure. For information concerning the early wells special acknowledgment is 

due to Mr. R R. Hice, of Beaver. The most productive field lies in the vicinity of 

New Sheffield, extending south westward through Independence and Hanover townships. Some scattering wells have also been drilled elsewhere, especially along Ohio 

and Beaver rivers.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT.

New Sheffield pool. The New Sheffield pool, with its south westward extension, is 

the largest and most important district, but at the present time it is practically abandoned and few if any wells are being put down. It is about 8 miles long within the 

quadrangle and covers a considerable area beyond the border. Unsuccessful drilling 

had been clone in this field before 1884, but the first producing well was drilled in 

July of that year on the John Zimmerly farm. Its depth is 1,257 feet, reaching the 

gas-bearing sand at 1,250 feet. The first reports of which we have record give the 

minute pressure of this well as 320 pounds and the rock pressure as 480 pounds, but 

as the early wells were not at first gaged its initial rock pressure was presumably 

much higher. It is still producing some gas. During the next three years most of 

the wells of this district were drilled and in 1886 there were something like 110 wells 

in all, some much more productive than even the John Zimmerly well. One well 

on the Hugh Morrow farm, near Independence, gave a flow of 15,000,000 to 18,000,000 

cubic feet. The following table shows a number of' the early wells, with their 

pressures:

Early gas wells in Beaver quadrangle.

No. of 

well on 

map 

(PI. 

VIII).

57...... 

60......

51......

62......

47......

54......

53......

56......

48......

58......

Farm.

fJohnZimmerly(Bridge- 

\ water, No. ]).

Arthur White. .........

W. L. Ca'vert ..........

J. F. Cooper, No. 1.....

W. W. Irons............

R. L. Sterling..........

Date drilled.

}jiily , 1884 

Oct. 5, 1884

Oct. 24,1884

Feb. 28,1885

July -30,1885

Aug. 4,1885

Nov. 7, 1885

Nov. 15,1885

Mav 4, 1880

Spring,1887(?)

Date pressure 

taken.

(Unknown date . 

(Dec. 7,1880 ..... 

(")

| Apr. 7, 1885 .....

[Oct. 23, 1886 .... 

Apr. 8, 1886 .....

(Aug., 1885.......

|Jan. 27, 1887....

fEarly. ..........

JDec. 7, 1880.....

(sept., 1887......

(Early...........

[Dec. 7, 1880.....

(Early...........

lOct. 23, 1880 ....

Minute pressure.-

Pounds. 

320 

265

215

60 on casing

220 on 2" tubing 

270

276

420

372

320

260

155

420

420

Rock 

pressure.

Pounds. 

480 

350

OKA

}.........

575

525

400

480

398

540

450

600

550

600

Depth.

Feet. 

[ 1,257 

1,187

1 206

1, 218

1,442

'

"Small well.
80 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OP BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

Many other wells were drilled about Independence and elsewhere in Independence and Hanover townships, but most of them are now abandoned and their locations are not distinguishable.

The gas in this district comes from the Venango oil group, and particularly from 

the Hundred-foot sand (see table, p. 95), which is also the productive stratum of the 

Shannopin oil field to the southeast. The gas was of excellent quality, but very oily 

near the southeastern edge, where it bordered the oil pool.

The Bridgewater Gas Company was the first to operate in this field, but it later 

became consolidated with the Fort Pitt Gas Company, and is now the Manufacturers' 

Light and Heat Company. It piped Sheffield gas to the towns of the Beaver Valley 

and later to East Liverpool and Wellsville, Ohio, and New Cumberland, W. Va. 

The Standard Oil people soon after entered the field, drilled about Independence 

and farther east, and laid a 10-inch pipe to Youngstown, Ohio. The Ohio Valley 

Gas Company followed and drilled many of the wells in the vicinity of the HanoverIndependence township line, piping the product to East Liverpool and vicinity. It 

was at this time that the Gringo oil field was opened and the gas pressure reduced 

by drawing out the oil. This event, together with the increased consumption and 

the numerous new pipe lines from the field, caused the gas pressure to fail rapidly 

and the wells were soon abandoned. So rapidly did the pressure decrease that the 

R. L. Sterling well, though having an initial pressure of 600 pounds, had only 100 to 

200 pounds some months later, when attached to the pipe line.

Scattered wetls. Many scattered wells have been drilled for gas or oil at several 

localities in the quadrangle. Those put down to the Berea at Georgetown and to the 

east have been mentioned. At Industry an old well, near the mouth of Wolf Run, 

in operation in 1876 but now abandoned, struck a large flow of salt water 310 feet 

feet down and a show of oil and gas in the Berea. The water was utilized for its 

salt. At the mouth of Brady Run the Deens heirs' well gave 5 barrels of oil from 

the Hundred-foot sand, while a few others gave less. Wells at Monaca and Rochester, 

most of which were put down in 1886, produced small amounts of oil. The Tumbler 

Works well, for example, produced in 1874 chiefly salt water, a little oil, and gas 

enough to aid in firing the furnaces. Wells near the mouth of Brady Run furnished 

a little gas, with a trace of oil, but the chief product was salt water. Other wells at 

Beaver Falls, drilled in the early years of inexperience, were not properly cased to 

keep out the water; otherwise they might have given a fair flow of gas. A number 

of years later they were cleaned and put in shape and then, together with some new 

holes, furnished gas to the Beaver Falls Cutlery Works for forging and tempering. 

The small values in the wells at Monaca and to the north along Beaver River seemed 

in general to accompany the salt water and to enter at several horizons. From the 

meager accounts it is difficult to say which sand produced the greatest values. It 

seems, however, that they came chiefly from both Berea and Hundred-foot. Still 

other wells east of New Brighton have been put down within the last ten years with 

small results. -The operators themselves can not give very satisfactory information 

concerning them. A few wells north of Traverse Creek in the Hundred-foot and 

some near Brush Run in the Berea were, so far as known, at least unprofitable and 

probably dry.

PRODUCTION.

As is the case with oil, the production of gas can not be calculated for so limited 

an area as a quadrangle. In fact, statistical reports give only the gas production of 

the State as a whole.
PETROLEUM AND NATUKAL GAS. 81 

CONCLUSIONS. 

GENERAL.

In order that the above data may be of economic value conclusions should be 

drawn therefrom and applied to new fields. The conclusions may not go further 

than to establish the fact that well-known geologic principles apply to this region as 

well as to others, but even this is of value as showing that the Beaver region is not 

an exception to the general rule. The above facts concerning the oil and gas fields 

of this area, studied both by themselves and in relation to geographic distribution, 

show that productive pools once tapped begin to wane after a few years of constant 

production and finally become abandoned, except by a few pumping wells. This is 

apparently due both to the exhaustion of supply and to the resulting loss of pressure. 

In regard to the " pay " sands, it is seen that the same stratum is not productive in 

all fields, the Berea group being valuable in the northwestern part of the quadrangle 

and the Hundred-foot in the southern part. Several causes may be brought forward 

to explain this: The sands are no doubt more or less lenticular and may therefore be 

present in some localities but absent in others; or when present they may be too 

fine and compact to contain oil or gas in paying quantities; or, though coarse 

and open, these products may never have reached them or remained in them, as 

will be noted below. This brings us to the discussion of a third conclusion a 

marked relation between the distribution of oil and gas and the structure of the 

rocks.

RELATION TO STRUCTURE.

A study of the structural map with regard to the position of the oil and gas fields 

of this quadrangle shows that the Hookstown field lies on the sides of the arch near 

Mill Creek; the Smiths Ferry pool on the flanks of the Fairview dome, with the 

unproductive wells at Georgetown and Industry in a trough; and the Shannopin 

field for the most part near the bottom of a shallow syncline, with the New Sheffield 

gas pool above it on the steep side of a flat anticline. Relations like those at Smiths 

Ferry and Hookstown were early recognized by operators and geologists and have 

become formulated into what is generally known as the anticlinal theory regarding 

the occurrence of oil and gas. Salt water is often associated with oil and gas in a 

single area and these three products are known to have a definite relation of occurrence. That relation seems to depend on their respective densities, according to 

which they apparently arrange themselves in the containing stratum. On the flank 

of a syncline or anticline, therefore, salt water should occur lowest of the three, then 

oil, then gas at the top. Oil probably rests upon the surface of a denser liquid salt 

water when present, and gas upon the oil. Gas no doubt expands and fills the 

space above the oil in the inclosing stratum except where the closeness of the sand 

or a bend in the rock forbids further expansion. Thus it seems that gas does not 

become separated from oil by an interval of barren sand, depending on the height 

of salt water and the height to which gas may ascend, as might be supposed. 

The height of the salt water and the consequent position of the oil on the flank of 

an anticline is said to depend on the amount of water present. If the sand holds 

much water oil should occur high on the flank; if little water, low on the flank; if 

none, near the bottom of the syncline. The last postulate would explain the condition in the Shannopin field.

It therefore follows, that if a well is driven for oil and salt water is struck the well 

should have been drilled structurally higher up. Also if gas is found oil may be 

struck by drilling structurally lower down. And finally, all things being equal, gas 

is most likely to occur in the summits of domes and anticlines. That oil follows the 

water line in this region has not been definitely proved. In some sands it is believed
82 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

that it does, but in others this fact is not clear from the information at hand. In the 

case of the Berea, oil probably follows the water line, but in the Hundred-foot little 

or no water seems to be present in this area. By bearing in mind these general relations between structure and product and between the different products themselves, 

which have been worked out in detail by I. C. White, Orton, Griswold, and others, 

not only may intelligent prospecting for gas and oil be carried on, but new fields 

may be discovered.

POSSIBLE NEW FIELDS.

The notes under this heading are merely suggestions based on the above facts considered in their relation to the structure worked out in this quadrangle. The localities here indicated for testing are, therefore, only those which the writer believes to 

be the most promising, if tests are to be made anywhere.

With regard to oil in the Berea, it appears that most of the wells of the Smiths 

Ferry pool lie between the 940 and 1,040-foot structure contours, and that its modern 

extension eastward lies chiefly between the same boundaries, or perhaps, because of 

the dome at Fairview, slightly higher. The area between these boundaries, as we 

have seen, has been prospected with little success in the vicinity of Fallston. But so 

far as known to the writer no wells have been sunk within these limits either between 

the Smiths Ferry extension and Fallston or at the edge of the quadrangle northeast 

of New Brighton. While it is not believed that large wells would be struck in these 

districts, it appears that if oil is to be sought at any place north of the river these are 

promising areas. The most productive locality may possibly be the east and west 

flanks, near the 980-foot structure contour of the southward-pointing anticline just 

east of Sixmile Run. The boundaries above set by structure, con tours 940 and 1,040 

are not meant, however, to include the dome on the south side of the river, inclosed 

by the 940-foot contour. In regard to the possible extension of the Hookstown 

field, what might be suggested from the structure has already been anticipated and 

accomplished by the drilling of wells in the vicinity of the 920-foot contour along the 

hill road beween Hookstown and Georgetown. The writer, however, with some 

hesitation, suggests a possible new field in the vicinity of the structural terrace a mile 

and a half east of south from Hookstown. The flanks of this terrace, near or below 

the 1,180-foot structure contour and extending half a mile from the west edge of 

the quadrangle along Service Creek, may be worth prospecting, but successful drilling may possibly be carried as far down as the 1,120-foot contour in the vicinity of 

Little Service Eun.

Concerning the extension of the Shannopin field in the Hundred-foot sand little of 

value can be said. Its extension westward between the 980-foot and 1,020-foot contours may possibly be found in the synclines near the mouths of Little Traverse and 

Little Service runs. Some drilling has already been done on the intermediate anticline, but unfortunately with little success. Possibly some of the other synclines of 

the area contain oil in the Hundred-foot sand.

As to gas, the wells near the mouth of Raccoon Creek and at Monaca do not encourage prospecting in the dome-basin region. The Hookstown dome has also been 

prospected with little success as regards gas. However, since a show of oil and gas, 

with salt water, was found near Monaca, prospect wells on the summits of the domes 

might, nevertheless, yield good results.

In addition some prospecting of the anticlines radiating from the domes, especially 

those from the McCleary dome toward the New Sheffield gas pool, might be worth 

while. If gas is found in the domes or radiating spurs, judicious drilling along the 

deeper troughs radiating from the domes might also tap small oil pools. If the wellmarked basins, such as those at Industry, Beaver, and east of New Brighton, contain 

salt water, possibly small oil wells, such as the former 5-barrel well on the Deens 

farm near Dam No. 6, may be found on the sides of the basins. It is doubtful, how-
LIMESTONE. 83

ever, if the dome at Fairview would yield any gas of value, for the surrounding wella 

are not encouraging. But so far as known no wells have been drilled on the axis of 

the Fredericktown anticline, and hence the summit of this arch, extending northwestward.' through South Beaver and Chippewa townships, gives good opportunity 

for prospecting.

Eeference to the geologic map (PI. VIII) shows that the cross-like shape of the 

New Sheffield gas pool is closely related to the structure. .The gas wells have followed the northeast flank of the Raccoon Creek syncline and also the slight bulge 

between Gringo and New Sheffield. This produces the short axis of the cross, while 

the main axis has followed the more general strike of the rocks in a northeastsouthwest direction. The largest and most numerous wells in this district seem to 

have been found between or near the 1,080-foot and 1,140-foot structure contours, 

and the structural terrace south of Hookstown may likewise yield gas in the 

Hundred-foot sand.

In general, if salt water be found in any well, oil may perhaps be found structurally higher that is, above the salt-water level, and gas still higher up and above 

the oil line. When the salt-water limit has been established it should in general be 

followed at nearly the same structural elevation in the same basin unless it has been 

disturbed by the condition of the sand. The above suggestions, however, are of no 

value if the sand supposed to contain oil or gas is barren or of such a character as to 

^preclude theLr presence. These facts, unfortunately, can be ascertained only by 

sinking the drill.

LIST OP GAS AND OIL WELLS. «

A list of oil and gas wells in and near the quadrangle, together with such data in 

regard to them as are available and seem of importance, will be found on pao;es 95-123.

LIMESTONE.

INTRODUCTION.

Limestone is not very abundant in Ihis region, nor is much of it favorably located 

for working. The Allegheny formation carries the largest beds, and since this formation is overlain by the Conemaugh rocks, limestone may be said to be most abundant in valleys of the deeper streams which incise the Allegheny. Since many of the 

limestones occur near the coal seama from which they are named, references here, 

as under "Clay," are made to coal-section and ravine-section numbers in order to 

show on the map (PL VIII) localities where observations were taken.

VANPORT LIMESTONE.

The position of the Vanport limestone bed, as shown in the detailed sections 

(Pis. IV to VII) averages 65 feet below the Lower Kittanning coal, consequently its 

occurrences are limited to the deeper valleys of the quadrangle (Ohio, Beaver, and 

Brady valleys), where it is often covered still more deeply than the Lower Kittanning coal by gravel terraces. It is the thickest and most largely exploited bed of 

limestone in the quadrangle, but because of its lenticular occurrence, which is common with all the limestones of this region, it is not every where sufficiently thick for 

working. At only three points is it known to measure 8 feet or over.

In the northeast region in the upper Beaver Valley this limestone is very thin. 

North of New Brighton, .along the railroad, it may be seen 1 foot thick about 45 to 50 

feet above the track (section 231, PI. V), and in New Brighton it shows the same 

thickness on the road at the foot of the southern .spur of the Kansan terrace. Farther 

south it thickens and back of the Sherwood pottery reaches 2 feet 6 inches! Near
84 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

this place, says White, it was once quarried and burned for cement, which was used 

in building the locks on the Pittsburg and Erie Canal. It seerns to be sandy and 

rather impure, but filled with fossils. In Paved Bun the following*section is exposed:

Section of Vanport limestone in Paved Run.

J * Ft. in. 

Limestone ....................................................................................... 3 0

Calcareous shale ................................................................................. 1 6

Limestone ......................................................................................... 1 C

The limestone part of this section is a very compact, hard, bluish-gray rock. I. C. 

White reports it also present at the mouth of Whistlers Eun, where it weathers to a 

peculiarly shriveled and wavy appearance. Farther down the river, at Bolesville, it 

is 4 feet thick, is rather impure, and carries its usual fossils. All of these occurrences 

lie above the railroad level, but below this point it is not known.

In the northwest region the variations are still more remarkable." Near Beaver 

Falls, above the terrace, it varies from 3 inches to 1£ feet (section 236 and the ravine 

opposite the lower wagon bridge) and in some instances seems to be altogether absent, 

while at the road forks in Fallston it shows as a 10-foot bedded limestone (section 246, 

PI. VI), but it thins to the south, and on the Wolf property in West Bridgewater, 

where it is at railroad grade (section 247, PI. VI), it is only 3 feet thick. On Brady 

Eun it is still thinner; indeed, it thins from 10 feet in Fallston to 1 foot 6 inches at 

the Fallston Clay Company's works. A quarter of a mile above this .point the sarnie 

thickness is maintained (section 245, PI. VI), but farther upstream it is not known 

on Brady Eun, except on North Branch, where it lies in the stream bed 1 foot thick 

(section 240). Here it shows the "cone-in-cone" structure seen in the Beaver Falls 

exposures and found so commonly in this limestone.

On the north side of the Ohio the horizon is covered by the Beaver terrace, but 

Sixmile Eun cuts through it and uncovers at Vanport, in the following section, the 

type exposure from which it is named:

Type section of Vanport limestone at Vanport.

Ft. in. 

Blue limestone............................................................................:....... .4 0

Shale ............................................................................................. 4

Blue limestone..................................................................................... 8 0

Shale ............................................................................................. 6

Limestone........................................................................................ 6

'Shale ...................... J...................................................................... 2 2

Hard ferruginous limestone...................................................................... 1 0

Shale............................................................................................. 6

Fossilif erous limestone ........................................................................... 2 0

This section was measured almost beneath the road bridge at Vanport. The beds 

of limestone differ very much both in color and quality. For the first 9 inches it is 

too impure to burn, and is therefore stripped off and thrown away. The 3-foot bed 

corning next is a bluish-gray rock, extremely brittle, and is burned for lime, together 

with the 8-foot layer below the shale parting so persistent in all the quarries here. 

The top layer, says White, is of the proper quality for fluxing iron, and was once 

shipped to the Pittsburg and Mingo furnaces. The 8-foot layer, light gray or blue in 

color, is the purest and most compact linestone in the section, burning to a very good 

white lime. The other thin beds of the section are not used for lime, being good, it is 

said, only for cement. The 1-foot layer is a very impure, hard, ferruginous limestone, 

but all the rest of the section is richly fossiliferous. In this vicinity the upper part is 

now quarried and burned in the Courley and Dunn kilns. In general, the Vanport 

limestone is characterized by its wealth of fossils; by its brittleness, breaking with 

irregular fractures; by often having a reddish tinge to its prevailing gray or blue color, 

and, when thin, by the '' cone-in-cone'' structure.
LIMESTONE. 85

The two strata which are used for burning were analyzed by the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, as shown below. The specimen for analysis from the 

upper bed (No. 1) was taken from the old Severn quarry, half a mile below Vanport, and the sample from the lower bed (No. 2) came from the old Powers quarry.

Analyses of Vanport limestone. a 

[Analyst, A. S. McCreath.]

s

CaC03 . ............................... ...............................................

MgCOj.. .............. :......................................................... ..;...

S.. .....................................................................................

/ P:. ............................... .....................................................

i.

93. 482

1. 544

1. S23

.030

.047

2. 770

99. COG

2.

91.C07

1. 566

1. 29.1.

.290

.030

4.780

99. 564

« Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. Q, 1878, p. 283.

The next occurrence north of the river is below the Gloninger clay works, where 

the limestone shows as a 5-foot bed just above the railroad. Above it occur less than 

3 inches of iron ore. At the mouth of Fourmile Run a greater thickness of limestone 

is exposed, as follows (section 251):

Section of Vanport limestone at mouth of Fourmile Run.

. Feet. 

Hard limestone..................................................................................... 3

Shale .............................................................................................. 1

Limestone .......................................................................................... 4

A few hundred feet west it begins to dip beneath the track, exposing only 2 or 3 

feet of its entire thickness.

' South of the Ohio it is rarely observed. Above Monaca it is not exposed, nor is it 

seen north of town, where it probably lies beneath the river level (section 209). To 

the west along the Ohio it first appears opposite Montgomery Island, where it is 16 

feet thick and lies near river level. At this point it measures 222 feet below the 

Upper Freeport coal. 'A short distance below it is said to become shaly and arenaceous, and finally to thin to 1 foot. Stevenson reports that 6 inches of iron ore rest 

uniformly upon the limestone in this vicinity. To the west of this outcrop no other 

occurrences were observed by the writer, owing to the fact that its low-lying horizon 

is covered by terrace deposits or talus. At one locality, however, south of Phillis 

Island (section 254, PI. VII), the horizon is exposed, but the limestone is absent or 

nodular.

LOWER ' FREEPORT LIMESTONE.

The Lower Freeport is the next higher limestone which is of any value within the 

quadrangle, but compared with the Vanport limestone it is very impure, being 

usually a hard, fine-grained, buff-colored rock, in places carrying iron ore. Its 

horizon is a few feet below the coal from which it is named. In the greater part of 

this region it is of little value, owing not only to its unfavorable location and thick 

covering, but to its occurrence in isolated lenses. Indeed within this area only three 

lenses of workable dimensions (3 to 9 feet) were found.

In the northeast region this limestone is not abundant; at least it is not exposed 

in many places. On the Muller property, in McKinley Run, it is 1 foot thick (section 9), while farther north, just outside the quadrangle, it thickens to 6 feet on the 

east bank of Beaver River (section 246). At other points it shows as a few fragments.
86 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADKANGLE, PA.

In the northwest region it is more prevalent, and in places thicker. Near Beaver 

Falls it measures 3 feet (sections 45, 237), while on Brady Run it ranges from 4 to 8 

feet (sections 241, 244, 245, PI. VI), the maximum thickness occurring in the first 

ravine above section 241. On North Branch of Brady Run it is unknown.

In the extreme northwest corner of the quadrangle, on a branch of Brush Run, 

the Lower Freeport limestone attains the greatest thickness, known in this region 

9 feet (section 105). In the bottom of the same branch it outcrops near the schoolhouse, and is said to have been burned at one time for fertilizer, producing /lime of 

fairly good quality. To the south, on Bieler and Island runs, this limestone is 

unknown within the quadrangle, but beyond the boundary it is exposed on the 

latter stream 4 to 5 -feet thick (sections 262, 263, PL VII). Toward the river it grows 

less frequent, showing on Dry Run merely, as a thin bed or a few fragments, and on 

the river front, though the horizon is often exposed, no limestone "was observed as 

far as Fallston.

South of the Ohio, in both the southeast and southwest regions, it is of no impor-. 

tance, except possibly at one locality east of Hog Island. Here it is 5 feet thick (section 204) and has the appearance of a pure blue limestone. Elsewhere it is represented by a few fragments or a thin bed a few inches thick, as on Poorhouse Run.

UPPER FKEEPOKT LIMESTONE.

The Upper Freeport limestone, which, as already stated, varies in thickness from 

a feather-edge to 7 feet, occurs a few feet below the Upper Freeport coal. It is 

usually impure, being buff colored and often brecciated. The buff color is due to 

the presence of iron, which, indeed, is sometimes so abundant as to constitute an 

ore. This ore in some counties has been of commercial value, but within the Beaver 

quadrangle it does not occur in sufficient quantity for exploitation. Occasionally, 

however, the limestone occurs as a purer rock of bluish color. Though often attaining a thickness of 3 feet or more, at only.one locality in this region namely, in South 

Beaver Township do its thickness and location favor quarrying. This is due to the 

fact that at this point the horizon attains its greatest elevation and therefore has the 

thinnest covering. Dry Run also uncovers, near its head, a considerable thickness 

of this rock.

A more detailed description will bring out the specific thicknesses of this bed at 

different localities. In the northeast region it is of very little importance, occurring, 

with three or four exceptions, only as a few nodules at the bottom of the Upper 

Freeport clay. Sometimes it is difficult in such instances to tell the exact thicknesa 

of the limestone, for the reason that a considerable part of it may have been reduced 

by weathering to residual clay containing the nodules mentioned. This is particularly the case in McKinley Run (section 226) and to the north; but near the eastern 

edge of the quadrangle, on the Hayes heirs' farm, the limestone occurs in two solid 

beds 3 and 2 feet thick, respectively, separated by 2 feet of clay and nodular limestone. On Blockhouse Run also the limestone shows a development of 2 to 3 feet at 

points near the head of the south fork (sections 24, 228) and on the north fork near 

the quadrangle boundary (sections 229, 230, 233.).

On the west side of Beaver. River, in the northwest region, it is of no importance 

(sections 52, 247), and in the valley of Brady Run, including North Branch, the only 

occurrences of note are a mile above Fallston (sections 48, 244), where the limestone 

is '3 feet thick. Elsewhere in this valley, though the horizon was seen at many 

places, no limestone was observed, except the dubious occurrence (section 36) near 

the eastern margin of South Beaver Township. To the northwest, in the same township, limestone is reported present on the Calvin and Blatter farms, and partial sections Avere seen on the Elton, McCloy, Smith, Moore, and Brown & Shively farms, 

but no good measurement was obtained. Mr. Elton, who has burned some of this
LIMESTONE. 87

limestone, reports the product to be a strong lime of good quality. It is probably well 

developed in this locality; for near the schoolhouse, on Brush Eun, it is 4 feet thick 

(sections 107, 265), and below the Cowan pit (section 106) 6 + feet thick. Southward 

to Dry Eun very little is known of this horizon, since it is represented only by occasional fragments along highways and streams. South of Ohioville, on Dry Eun, however, limestone 2 to 7 feet thick occurs near the coal pits, but farther down the run, 

as shown in sections 260 and 261 (PI. VII), it is absent altogether. On the river 

and. lateral streams it is very thin or absent, showing 1 foot thick at section 259, as a 

few fragments on Sixmile Eun, and reported though not seen on Wolf Eun.

In the southeast region it reaches a thickness of 5 feet, but generally it is much 

thinner. On Logtown Euii, while this bed is present,"it is probably not more than 

1 foot thick, but east of Hog Island and on Elkhorn Euii it measures 2 to 3 feet (sections 112, 203), though it is often absent or represented by a very impure bed. On 

the river front it attains a thickness of 5 feet above the Monaca terrace (sections 120, 

205), but opposite Beaver only a few fragments-were observed, and the only other 

occurrence, one on Poorhouse Eun and another on Eaccoon Creek (section 215), 

measure 1 foot each.

In the southwest region, while it is 4 feet thick near the mouth of Eaccoon Creek 

(section 216), it is represented on Fishpot Eun and near the mouth of Gums Eun by 

only a few fragments, and the same condition prevails southward to Independence 

(section 202). On the river front the limestone is represented on Squirrel Eun by 

considerable clay mixed with calcareous nodules, but westward to Peggs Eun, including Haden Eun, no limestone is known, though on Peggs Eun and on the river to 

Georgetown (sections 254, 256, PI. VII) it is in places present in small amounts. In 

the valleys of Mill Creek, Little Mill Creek, and Service Creek this limestone is 

unknown.

LOCAL LIMESTONE.

The limestone occurring 30 feet, more or less, above the Upper Freeport coal will 

be described here, since it is locally developed to a valuable thickness. This bed, 

usually of a bluish-gray color, has the appearance of a fairly pure limestone. A lentil 

of it is best developed east of Eochester, where it is 5 to 8 feet thick and has been 

quarried to some extent. In the ravines to the south it is 2 to 4 feet thick (sections 

224, 225, PI. V). Its stratigraphic relations at this point are clear, and indicate that 

it is a lentil in the Mahoning sandstone. The pure character of this rock is here preserved only in its upper portion, while the lower part becomes a yellow ferruginous 

impure lime, resembling that underlying the Upper Freeport coal. On the hillsides 

and highways in this vicinity it may be seen as fragments of blue limestone 20 to 30 

feet above the Upper Freeport coal blossom.

In several other places fragments of it may be seen along the country roads and 

prospecting may expose workable thicknesses. In South Beaver Township, for 

example, it is quite prevalent, being seen 28 feet above the Upper Freeport coal in 

the northeast corner of the township; about a mile and a half northeast of Blackhawk on the Thompson farm; on the Lisbon road east of Blackhawk; and on other 

roads to the northwest.

South of the river fragmental outcrops were noted on the terrace road west of' 

Monaca (near section 220), at Bellowsville (section 223), and near Phillis Island 

(section 287).

AMES LIMESTONE.

The characteristics and distribution of this limestone have already been described 

(p. 19), together with localities showing typical exposures. A.s it is a persistent 

characteristic stratum throughout the southern portion of the quadrangle, it is outlined on the map (PI. VIII) as a key rock to the structure. It varies greatly in
88 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

thickness, but .its limits are 2 and 6 feet, and 3 feet may be taken as an average. It 

has been quarried for fertilizer at various localities on the northern branches of 

Traverse Creek, but it is reported not to burn well because of excessive impurities 

which it contains. Picked fragments containing numerous crinoid stems make, it is 

said, a good quality of cement for limited household purposes. It can be most easily 

stripped for use near streams of gentle grade, which have incised it for long distances. 

Among such localities the best are Flaugherty, Raredon, and Little Service runs, 

the head of Big Traverse Creek, Little Traverse Run, etc. Other areas where the 

limestone occurs near the surface, and may therefore be easily uncovered, are at 

McCleary, Green Garden, and Bunker Hill.

SANDSTONE.

INTRODUCTION.

Except sandstone hardly any rock suitable for building is found in this territory, 

and while sandstone is abundant, not all the beds can be used for this purpose. As 

a rule, Coal Measures sandstones are suitable only for rough masonry and very few 

are regular enough in their bedding to supply dimension stone. The only beds 

which have been quarried in a commercial way are those of the Allegheny and 

Conemaugh formations. These two formations contain the following well-marked 

sandstones: Morgantown, Mahoning, Butler, and Freeport. A study of Pis. IV to 

VII shows the thickness and variability of the last three strata. The Kittanning 

sandstone, lying beneath the Lower Kittanning coal, while generally of no impor-. 

tance, has a considerable development at the mouth of Raccoon Creek, on Sixmile 

Run, and at Smiths Ferry. At Industry it attains a maximum thickness of 50 feet. 

But so far as known it has never been used for building purposes within the quadrangle, though, apparently, its character seems not to warrant this neglect.

FREEPORT SANDSTONE.

The character and distribution of the Freeport sandstone have already been 

described, and Pis. IV to VII show these facts graphically. When massive it is 

usually a moderately coarse, micaceous, gray rock, often exhibiting false bedding. 

Its best development is below Industry, where it has been largely quarried for railroad purposes. This is .the only place within the quadrangle where this bed has 

been worked, for owing to its hard and micaceous character, which makes dressing 

in certain directions difficult, it is seldom used for dimension stone.

BUTLER SANDSTONE.

The Butler sandstone, which is also represented in Pis. IV to VII, is a very compact, coarse, yellowish-white rock, and makes a fine .building stone. It has .been 

somewhat extensively exploited along the rivers in the eastern part of the quadrangle, 

but in the western part it becomes shaly, or merges into the Freeport sandstone. 

East of New Brighton it is being quarried by Mr. Smith, and many old quarries 

opened by Mr. Fish still remain as scars on the hillsides in this vicinity and on 

Blockhouse Run. On the west bank of the Beaver it was formerly mined just below 

the mouth of Brady Run and also above Beaver Falls, but neither of these quarries 

was active at the time of visit.

MAHONING SANDSTONE.

The Mahoning sandstone has been more extensively worked within the quadrangle than any other. It resembles very closely the Butler sandstone, being coarse 

grained, and yellowish to brown in color, but, unlike the latter, it frequently contains 

small pebbles of quartz. It was once highly prized as a building stone, and for that
TRANSPORTATION. 89

purpose was largely quarried in the eastern part of the quadrangle. But unfortunately for this industry the greater cheapness and convenience of concrete, combined 

with an equal durability, have caused it to supplant sandstone for many building 

purposes. In the western part of the quadrangle, along Ohio River, the Mahoning 

sandstone is conglomeratic and perhaps for this reason, together with its unfavorable 

position, has never been much worked.

Many remains of old quarries on this bed may be seen on the river bluffs west and 

south of Monaca and north and south of Rochester. North of Rochester one or two 

quarries were at the time of visit still removing stone, but most of them were idle. 

Blockhouse Run was also at one time a site of this industry, but few if any quarries 

are now actively worked. On the west side of Beaver River and on the Ohio west 

of Beaver this bed has scarcely been opened. I. C. White reports that the Mahoning sandstone was once worked in the Walton quarry on Sixmile Run, a mile above 

McGaffic's coal pit.«

MOBGANTOWN SANDSTONE.

The Morgantown sandstone is present only in the southern part of the quadrangle, 

where in places it has a large development. At some localities in Pennsylvania it is 

a very durable stone, but in this region its friability increases on exposure and, 

probably for this reason and the lack of transportation facilities, it is not exploited. 

It is possible, however, that on prospecting compact portions of this stratum might 

be discovered; in this case it would make a good building stone, for it has the requisite color, grain, and quarrying qualities.

SAND.

A systematic search made on the Kansan and Wisconsin terraces of this quadrangle 

might reveal pockets of sand which would be of considerable value for the manufacture of glass. Such sand is worked on the river terraces of Monongahela River near 

Belle Vernon. In this locality the upper bed of the Pottsville formation is also 

crushed for glass sand, and though it could hardly be so used within the Beaver 

quadrangle, still farther to the north it may be found pure enough for the purpose.

AGRICULTURE.

With the exception of flood plains and the lower line of terraces, the farming 

districts in this quadrangle are restricted to the uplands,. Avhich, as we have seen, 

are capped by the Conemaugh formation, containing chiefly shales and sandstones. Limestone beds are particularly scarce, and, except the Ames and the '' local" 

limestones, practically no beds of thickness and extent sufficient for fertilizing, are 

known. The soils of this district, being either clayey or sandy, are thus essentially 

without a natural fertilizer. Moreover, under present conditions the land receives 

the least of what it most lacks; for very little lime is either burned or applied as a 

dressing. On page 83 is given a description of limestone. beds which might be used 

to some extent for this worthy purpose. Soil of such a character does not naturally 

lend itself to heavy crops and seems most suitable for stock raising.

TRANSPORTATION.

Ohio River is the only navigable stream in the quadrangle, and even this, being 

dependent on heavy precipitation for a boating stage, can be used as a rule during 

only the spring and fall months. The dams across the river, now in process of construction by the Government, will furnish a permanent boating stage, which will be 

very advantageous to the industries of the Ohio and Beaver valleys. Then steamboats and coal barges will make the passage from Pittsburg to the Mississippi

a Second Geol. Survey Pennsylvania, Kept. Q, p. 258.
90 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

throughout the year, except when prevented by ice. The entire system of dams 

will not be completed for many years, but the construction of dams from Pittsburg 

to the State line will render that portion of the river at once navigable.

Beaver River, not in itself navigable, is paralleled by the Pittsburg and Erie Canal 

which formerly furnished transportation facilities throughout Beaver Valley, but 

since the introduction of railroads it has been allowed to fall into disuse. Along the 

rivers the quadrangle is rather well provided with railroads, but not in such a 

manner as to allow the advantages of competitive rates. The Buffalo, Rochester 

and Pittsburg Railroad occupies within the quadrangle the west bank of both Beaver 

and Ohio rivers, while the Pennsylvania lines follow not only the east bank of both 

rivers, but the north bank of the Ohio. The south bank of the latter, however,

though rich in latent resources, is 

yet untouched by any railroad line. 

But both sides of the river will in 

time, when the Government dams 

are completed, enjoy not only transportation by water but competition 

in rates.

Smiths

 Weir

SDickson.

FIG. 35. Triangulation stations controlling Beaver 

quadrangle..

WATER POWER.

The narrow, declivitous valleys of 

this region are usually occupied by 

streams of steep grade which are 

capable of furnishing considerable 

water power. A practical example 

of such utilization of streams is given 

by the dams on Beaver River. Other 

streams which have a flow of water 

throughout the year, such as Brady

Run and Raccoon Creek, may also be made to furnish water power for mills, electric

lighting, and other purposes.

APPENDIX. 

TRIANGUXATION POINTS.

The exact location of this quadrangle with reference to latitude and longitude is 

determined from certain points whose positions have been ascertained accurately by 

triangulation. Eight triangulation stations three within the quadrangle and five 

outside, but near its boundaries control the survey of this area. Each station is 

marked by a square sandstone post about 3 feet long, of which all but 2 inches is set 

in the ground. In the center of the top of the post is cemented a bronze tablet 

marked "U. S. Geological Survey Pennsylvania." For the convenience of engineers, locations of these stations, together with the triangulation data from which 

their positions have been determined, are given below.

DAWSON, BEAVER COUNTY.«

Seventy yards west of a brick schoolhouse, on a cleared knob in the western part 

of Brighton Township, 5 miles west of Beaver, near the forks of the road, on land 

owned by G. W. Dawson, of Beaver.

a Wilson, Renshawe, Douglas, and Goode, Results of primary triangulation and primary traverse, 

1900-1901; Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 181,1901, p. 119.
TKIANGULATION POINTS. 91

Triangulation data, Dawson station.

[Latitude 40° 42' 16.02". Longitude 80° 24' 11.53".]

To station 

Gilliland .....:............................................

Big Knob................................ ..................

Azimuth.

o ' / // 

3 49 22.4

201 49 67.4.

263 47 05.7

317 39 11.8

Back azimuth.

0 ' II

183 49 00.5

21 51 14.9

83 55 01.0

137 42 41.5

Log. 

distance.

Meters.

1 (V7QQQ10

3.8743981

4. 2355940

4. 0500887

M'CLEARY, BEAVER COUNTY.«

On a hill in Raccoon Township, 1 rnile southwest of McCleary post-office, on land 

owned by A. L. Moore. Summit of hill has a few trees on its western side.

 . ' Triangulation data, McCleary .station.

[Latitude 40° 35' 52.99". Longitude 80° 24' 45.11".]

To station Azimuth.

o 

183 

247 

315

49 

07 

41

00 

52 

54

5 

4 

9

Back azimuth.

o 

3 

67 

135

49 

11 

46

n 

22.4 

43.7 

56.7

Log. 

distance.

Meters. 

4. 0733912 

3. 9571732 

4. 1945450

BUNKER HILL, BEAVER COUNTY. &

On the highest point of a cleared hill in Moon Township, one-half mile south of 

Shaffer post-office and 6 miles south of Beaver, 200 yards south of Bunker Hill 

schoolhouse, on land-owned by the Misses Good.

Triangulation data, Bunker Hill station. 

[Latitude 40° 37' 47.00". Longitude 80° 18' 49.87".]

To station 

Weir

Azimuth.

0 / II

67 11 43.7

137 42 41.4

223 16 22.2

290 47 55. 1 '

350 06 53.6

Back azimuth.

0 I II

247 07 52.4

317 39 11.8

43 20 47.5

110 53 26.0

170 08 04.4

Log. 

distance.

Meters. 

3. 9571732

4.0500887

4. 1441156

4. 1068604

4.1745591

GILLILAND, BEAVER COUNTY. «

On a cleared hill 4 miles west of Beaver Falls, on land owned by Sarah J. Gilliland. Theodolite elevated 33 feet.

"Idem, p. 120. 

Bull. 286 06 7

b idem, p. 117. cldem., p. 118.
92 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF EEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

Triangulation data, Gilliland station. 

[Latitude 40° 46' 01.35". Longitude 80° 22' 12.78".]

To station Azimuth.

0 / //

21 51 14.9

289 35 24.5

Back azimuth.

0 / //

201 49 57.4

109 42 02. G

Log. 

distance.

Meters. 

' 3. 8743981

4.1816755

WEIR, ALLEGHENY COUNTY.«

On a hill in Sewickley Township about 3 miles north of Sewickley depot and 3 

miles southeast of Economy, northwest of point of road called the "Three-mile post," 

at the head of Turkey Eun, on land owned by James F. Weir, 10 feet south of an 

east-west fence.

Triangulation data, Weir station. 

[Latitude 40° 35'19.45". Longitude 80° 10'21.45".]

To station- Azimuth.

0 / //

42 46 12.4

110 53 26.0

Back azimuth.

O 1 II

222 41~ 52.7

290 47 55.1

Log. distance.

Meters. 

4. 1415223

4 1068604

BIG KNOB, BEAVER COUNTY, b

Near the north end of summit and about 40 feet south of an east-west rail fence, on 

a prominent, partly timbered hill known locally as the "Big Knob," in Sewickley 

Township, on land owned by Joseph Powell, who lives at the south end of the knob, 

4 miles northeast of Freedom, 6 miles east of Rochester, and 1\ miles east of Beaver 

court-house. Theodolite elevated 30 feet.

Triangulation data, Big Knob station. 

[Latitude 40° 43' 15.73". Longitude 80° 12' 02.87".]

To statior. 

Weir

Gilliland ..................................................

Azimuth .

O 1 II

350 46 41.6

43 20 47. 5

83 55 01. 0

109 42 02.6

Back azimuth.

O / II

170 47 47. 7

223 16 22.2

263 47 05. 7

289 35 24.5

Log. distance.

Meters. 

4.1726934

4. 1441156

4.2355940

. 4.1816755

DICKSON, ALLEGHENY COUNTY. c

On a hill in Findley Township, 1 mile northeast of Clinton, on land owned by 

Prof. James Dickson.

a Idem, p. 112. 6 Idem, p. 113. o Idem, p. 115.
BENCH MARKS. 93

Triangulation data, Dickson station.

[Latitude-409 29' 49.59". Longitude 80° 17' 00.90".]

To stationBun ker H ill ...............................................

Weir.......................................................

Azimuth.

o 

135 

170 

222

<I6 

OS 

41.

n 

50.7 

04. 4 

52. 7

Back azimuth.

o

315

350 

42

41 

00 

40

ii 

54.9 

53. (i 

12.4

Log. d istancc.

Metcrx. 

4. 1945450 

4.1 74 5591 

4.1415223

SMITHS J?J3KKY, BEAVER COUNTY."

An astronomic station of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, situated on 

the north bank of Ohio River, in front of the hotel at Smiths Ferry.

Triangulation data, Smiths Ferry station.

[Latitude 40° 38' -18.07". Longitude 80° 30' Oo.OG".]

To station Azimuth.

0 / //

1 00 27.20

59 02 52.20

Back azimuth.

0 / //

181 00 20.70

239 01 44.40

Log. distance.

Meters. 

3. 0124143

3. 4552858

BENCH MAKKS.

The topography of the quadrangle is controlled by lines of levels, having mean 

tide level at Sandy Hook as datum, extending over the main highways of the region. 

These levels are of two kinds, according to the accuracy sought primary or precise 

levels and secondary or flying levels. The primary levels are run within a limiting 

error of nearly one-third of a foot for every 50-mile circuit, i. e., the limit of error in 

feet should not exceed 0.05v/distance in miles. Permanent and temporary bench 

marks are set along the line of traverse at convenient intervals. Secondary'level 

lines are extended more hastily on either side of the primary level line, and elevations are marked in white paint at frequent points along the road. For the use of 

engineers a description is given here of the permanent and temporary bench marks 

of the primary levels on the Beaver quadrangle. &

BEAVER FALLS, PA.

Elevation

(feet).

Beaver Falls: B. M. No. 1596, Pittsburg, .Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, precise levels... 789.3GO 

Beaver Falls: Pittsburg, Fort VVaync and Chicago Railroad bridge over Eleventh street, 

west end of south abutment of, in coping stone; aluminum tablet marked "789.8 Pittsburg, 1901" ................................................................................. 789.479

BRAVER, PA., ALONG HIGHWAYS WEST, VIA BAWSON TIUANGULATFON STATION, TO BLACK.HA.WK; 

I THENCE SOUTH, VIA PAIKVIEW, TO INDUSTRY, PA.

Elevation

(feet).

Beaver,' U. S. Eng. B. M. "25 C," Pittsburg and Lake Eric Railroad bridge over Ohio River, 

land pier on right shore of river, 3 inches below top of nineteenth course of stone 

from top of pier and 3 feet cast of west side of pier; seat on southwest end of hind pier 

marked "U.S. B. M." ...................................................................... CSC. 444

West Bridgewater, Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad west-bound truck at station; top of 

north rail........................................................................ .......... 708. 7

"Idem, p. 121.

ftGannett, S. S., and Baldwin, D. H., Results of spirit leveling in Pennsylvania, 1899-1905: Bull. U. 

S. Geol. Survey No. 288, 1906, p. 49. Final adjustment, 1903.
94 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEK QUADKANGLE, PA.

Elevation

(feet). 

West Bridgewater, opposite Piersel's Academy, on curb corner.............................. 704.12

Beaver, court-house, in foundation stone of east entrance to; aluminum tablet marked

"798 Pittsburg" ............................................................................ 797.654

Beaver, 0.25 mile west of; iron bridge over Twomile Run, floor of........................... 769.

Beaver, 1 mile west of, 300 feet below stone quarry, on sandstone east of road; projection

made with chisel........................................................................... 893.93

Beaver, 3 miles west of, on south side, of road; large oak, nail in projecting knot........... ],167.U4

Beaver, 4 miles west of, in road 1,000 feet east of Scott's house, on rock ..................... 1,192.12

Beaver, 5 miles west of, near Dasvson triangnlation station; white oak, nail in projecting

knot........................................................................................ 1,297.04

Blackhawk, 2 miles cast of, on south side of road opposite watering trough; nail in stump. 1,152.8.1 

Esther, 2 miles south of; white oak ut road intersection, nail in root of....................... '],107.01

Blackhawk, at Crossroads, at corner of bam, on large rock; aluminum tablet marked

" 1,169.3 Pittsburg" ................................................................:..:.....!, 169.013

Blackhawk, 0.5 mile south of, 200 feet north of road intersection, on left of road; oak tree,

nail in ..............'..........,.............................................. '.............. 1,182.00

Blackhawk, 1 mile south of, 150 feet north of bridge, in field left of road; locust stump,

nail in ...................................................................................... 1,103.40

Smiths Ferry, 3 miles northeast of, 100 feet north of oil derrick in woods, at left of road;

stump, nail in-.............................................................................. 1,220.90

Industry, 2.5 miles north of, at right of road above bend; locust root, nail in................ 1,163.08

industry, 1.5 miles north of, opposite coal bank; elm, nail in root of ........................ 937.10

Industry, Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad bridge No. 117 over State road, south end of

west abutment of, in end of second stone from top; bronze tablet marked "690 Pittsburg". 096.060 

Industry, U. S Eng. B. M. " 32 B," 600 feet above landing, 400 feet above Safe Harbor ferry

landing, on left shore of river, on large rock under bank; seat cut ......................./ 073.344

INDUSTRY, SOUTH ALONG HIGHWAYS, VIA HOOKSTOWN, TO KENDALL; THENCE EASTERLY TO PATTON'S 

BRIDGE, AND NORTHEASTERLY, VIA NEW SHEFFIELD, TO WOODLAWN.

Elevation

(feet.) 

Industry, 3 miles south of, Minnesinger Hill, left of road; locust tree, nail in............... 935.18

Hookstown, stone bridge on Washington road over small stream, on southwest corner of 

(corner by the Robertson House); aluminum tablet marked " 988.6 Pittsburg " ........... 988.220

Hookstown, 1 mile south of, OOO'feet south of fair grounds, right of road; White oak, nail in. 1,032.18 

Kendall, 200 feet north of post-office, road fork to Harshaville, northeast corner of, on leaning rock...................................................................................... 1,220.78

Kendair, 1 mile east of (about 5 miles southeast of Hookstown), on Big Traverse Creek, red 

brick house of James Buchanan, in foundation stone; aluminum tablet marked " 1,069.7 

Pittsburg".................................................................................. 1,069.360

Kendall, 2.5 miles east of, at road intersection, on rock...................................... 998.66

Frankfort Springs, 2 miles north of, at road fork; Keifer's bridge ........................... 923.33

Frankfort Springs, 2 miles north of; Keifer's bridge, flo.or ................................... 924

Clinton, 4 miles north of (6 miles east of Frankfort Springs) Patton's bridge over Raccoon 

Creek, in south end of west abutment of; aluminum tablet marked " 848 Pittsburg "...... 847.022

Bocktown, 1.5 miles south of, near bridge over Longs Run; tree, nail in .................... 820.30

Bocktown, near old fair grounds, at road fork; ground ..................................... 811

Bocktown, 0.5 mile north of; small bridge at road to east, nail in ........................... 826.70

New Sheffield, Jbhiiston's mill, in northeast corner of; aluminum tablet marked "943.7 

Pittsburg ".................................................................................. 943.666

New Sheffield, 0.5mile northeast of, on left of road; nail in stump.......................... 921.76

Woodlawn, U. S. Eng. B. M. "18 B," Pittsburg and Lake Erie Railroad culvert over Logstown Run, on northeast coping stone of; chiseled square.................................. 715.793
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver quadr

BEAVER COUNTY.

Map number. 1

' xName.

McCormick lots, No. 1.

Bock, No. 3........... 

Bock, No. 4...........

Township.

. l...do.« ........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do...........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

dc

.....do..........

Farm.

McCormick lots . .

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Owner.

Fort Pi tt Gas Co.

Gas Co.

Armstrong.

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

........

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

Hundred-foot 

f Burgoon .......

[Berea..... .....

j....do .........

.....do.........

1... .do.... .....

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

a Outside of quadrangle. 
Gas and oil ^vells in and near Beaver quadrang

BEAVER COUNT V Continued.

Map number.

Name.

Bock, No. 9...........

Bock, No. 12..........

Bradford, Thos., No.6 .

Bradford, Thos., No.8 .

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

...-.do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do. ...........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.... .do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

Name of oil 

and gas sands

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........-

.....do........

.....do........

.....do.........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do.......

.....do'.......

.....do.......

.....do.......
Braatord,Thos.,No.l2.

Bradford.Thos.,No.l3.

Bradford,Thos.,No.l4.

Bradford,Thos.,No.l5.

Bradford, Thos.,No.l6.

Bradford,Thos.,No.l7.

Bradford,Thos.,No.l8.

Bradford, Thos.,No.l9.

Bradford,Thos.,No.20.

Brown, Morton, No. 1 .

No. 1.

Church, Rehoboth, 

No. 2.

Economy, No. 1 ......

Economy, No. 4 ......

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

....'do. .........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........'

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do .......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do...........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

. ....do. ...........

.....do............

Morton Brown . . . 

f£ mile north of

\ Baden. 

R. Church........

.....do............

Economy ......... 

. ....do...... ......

. ....do...... ......

. ....do...... ...... 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do...:......

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

P. M. Shannon . 

.....do..........

.....do....:.....

.....do ........... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.. ...... ..

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

f. ...do... ........

Hundred-foot... 

JBerea......!....

{Hundred-foot... 

Gordon (?)......

.....do.......... 

f Hundred-foot . . .

[Fourth (?)......

Hundred-foot. . . 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.....;....

.....do..........

1,475

1,405

1,370

a 1,270

1,451

1,624

1,532 

1,120

1,349 

1,613

1,625 

1,470

1 79*

1,558 

1,526

1,693

1,544 

1,670

1,518

a Estimate.
Gas and oil 'wells in and near Beaver quadrang

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

Name.

Economy, No. 15 .....

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

...*.do.. ........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

.....do.. ..!.......

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

....TAO. ...........

.....do. ........... 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....d<t...... ......

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......:..

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

APproximate 

elevation.

Feet.

Name of oi

and gas sand

.....do......

.....do......

f... .do. .....

{Fourth (?)..

f Hundred-foo

[Fourth (?)..

Hundred-foo

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

....'.do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.'.... do. .....

.....do......

.....do......
Economy, No. 25 .....

Economy, No. 26 .....

Economy, No. 28 .....

Economy, No. 31 .....

Economy, No. 36 .....

Economy, No. 40. .....

Economy, No. 47 ......

Hartline. Jno. F. .....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

..:.. do..... .......

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do. ...........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

John F. Hartliner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

:....do.... ......

.....do..........

.....do.....'.....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co...

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

 

.....do.........

.....do.........

/....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

[Hundred-foot 

Hundred-foot(?

1 Berea (?) ......

Hundred-foot 

Hundred-foot 

Hundred-foot 
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver quadrang

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

45

3?

28

38

89

30

Name.

Wilson heirs, No. 8 . . .

Blackledge,W.C.,No.l

Boyd, S. M ...........

Brown, J. H. & M. J..

No. 1.

Township.

.....do..........

.....do....!.....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

Hoeni heirs

Reed heirs

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

W. C. Blackledge.

At Georgetown . . .

.....do.............

.....do.............

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

S. M. Boyd .....

*

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

1,120

1,015

1,120

1,045

Name of oi

and gas sand

J.. ...do.. ....

.....do.......

.....do.......

Fourth (?)...

j.....do......

 Berea

.....do.......

.....do.......
and'jane M.,No. 1.

No. 3. 

Glenn.Wm.andThos.,

No. 4.

No. 5.

No. 6.

Hamilton, No. 1. . .....

No. 1.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Mrs. Hamilton....

lin.

.....do..........

.....do...:......

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do!.........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Puritan Oil Co..

1,060

1,245

1 144

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

iBerea..... .....

.....do.........

.....do.........

a Bottom. 
Gas and oil ^veUs in and near Beaver quadrang

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

b 

0

p

B 

0

&

r£

31 

42

Name.

Loughlin, T. S.,No.l. 

Mackall,B.,No. 1 ....

Montgomery, John, 

No. 1.

Montgomery, John, 

No. 1.

Montgomery, John, 

No. 2.

Montgomery, J. and 

N. J., No. 3.

Nickel, Mathew, No. 1 . 

Nickel, Mathew, No. 2. 

Nickel, Mathew, No. 3. 

Nickel, Mathew, No. 4. 

Nickel, Mathew, No. 5. 

Nickel, Mathew, No. 6. 

Nickel, 'Mathew, No. 7. 

Nickel, Mathew, No.S.

Nickel, Mathew, No.10

Nickel, Mathew, No. 11 

Poe,-'- ..............

Spence, No. 1 .........

Township.

Greene ......... 

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..'........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

T. S. Loughlin.... 

Mackall ..........

John Montgomery 

John Montgomery

J. and N. J. Montgomery.

Mathew Nickel... 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Spence ...........

Owner.

Forest Oil Co . . '. 

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

Duff Bros.......

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.....:....

.....do..."...'....

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

'Feet.

1,128

Name of oi

and gas sand

Berea .......

.....do......

.....do......

fBurgoon....

.....do.......

.....do.......

.... .do .......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.'....&o.. .....

.....do.. .....

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Hundred-foo

Berea........
Stewart, Jas. R..NO. 1. 

i

Stewart, Robt., No. 2. .

Taylor, Win., No. 2 ...

Taylor, Wm.,No. 8 ... 

Taylor, Wm.,No. 9 ...

Coolev. \V. B-.No. 1 ..

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do......... '

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.....'.....

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

Jas. R. Stewart....

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do.!..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

W.B. Coolev......

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do.:;.];!...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do......:...

.....do..........

.....do..........

........

1 Berea

.....do........'..

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

..:.. do.. ........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

... .do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do....:.....

.....do..........

.....do..........

Berea 

{

CM^ '

.....do..........

a Bottom.
104 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVER QUADRANGLE, PA.

G 

O

O

Remarks.

inter- Driller's 

pretation.

 it! ££- 73 0

 SS8 ' ssH "

-iJ

D. 

o 

P

Name ofil

nnd san. gas 

< ?£# *

^1Hft" OJ 

Owner.

Farm.

Township.

Name.

 j9qranudT3];\[

' o

'C -0

GO

«s 12 £ lx '-.

0 0 

 0 T3

§8 S 00 Ibarrels firstday. 10 first day. barrels 6

0 0 

 O T3

-3< iO

 * TI<

o o

a

0 0

-o -o

iC 1-1

o o 1~ 1>

0 0 

73 73

8 S iO 0

feet coal(Lower at 3905.

Kittanning).

Coal 430(Lower at Kittanning). (H.H.

Mills.)

' tH

O>

Si

 a

. CO

o CT> to

*,_ rH rn rHrtrH rH rH _

.iO O

J 

to *

1° 12

« -a" 

i i i i

oo -*

O iO 

GO t^

CO ^H

e-i 10

(M rH

o to

to CO

T»< IO

1^ CO tn to

CN O

oo 10

CO iO

O ' 

10 1^

B S

^.Hrt^^rt^M,-, _ ^ ,_ rt

g . . . . ....

Hundrec 

.....do. O O 

T3 "O

O 0 O -oo o o -c O O O -0 s s 1 ^<

 o> : w

$ :.::::::: : : : :

o ; o 1

o :

"^ O

d) 'Ul

fH '

EH :

>> a I

8 i

" 0

B ^

O O

-c -o

o o

-O T3

O O 

73 T3

 ^

: o

. o

. tH : °

0 H-j 

 0 eg

: o

; a;'

'C o 6

: s^

 -*i

! i-'

 o

 2 

o 3

ll

o o c -o

G. Cerrow .

Gorsuch G. M

.do....... 

Oil CorestOil Dorpst. .

 r* fS

 H 

: ^

: «

 c

1 ^ o 

0 So C

 o s o -o ;^w! ^

-

Is

cS .

IM CO

0 0

£; ^

ffl K

G; S'

0 0 

0 0 

O O

0 0

 c -a

 * iC

0 0 

!<5 J5

« «

?» 1? 

a> Q

o o

0 0

O O

0 0 O -o

 (N

50 o

O X

X T

r i-5 

W «J3

5; ^

0 S

o S

0 S

o o

0 0

 c -o

CO

6 '&

1-3

«3

^ 1 

J2 t."

O 0)

2 5 5 S

CO

o

TH

o o o <o

0*

6 °

K- S 

f o

0 3

(H (H

0) O

O O

8 §

rH rH

o o o

13-0 13

Hundred-foot

,H 

g

rH

lsho\v ' oilfat 640.

Injun fBig... | Thirty-foot ..

iO

s

. ' 

[Hundred-foot [Big Injun..[Sand ........ Hundred-foot

5feetcoalat530(Lower . Kittanning?). (H.H.

Mills).

Smiths Ferry

S

CO 

CO

-rtH -J1

r-T i-T

-9" O ' rH 1-- O 

rH 00 rH IO rH

CN

TJ( 

1^

r-i

Hundred-foo

o o

iO O

oo *

I-l

^~

f 

Burgoon.... Hundred-foo

CM iO

O> rH 10 oo

T 1

[Gordon (?). [Burgoon....

iO CO w -31

i-T rH"

[Berea....... Hundred-foo

1

i-T

Berea.. .........

: i : : :

Ohio Vallev Gas.

Co.

heirs Hunter ....

If

0

 o

Gorsuch, G. M........ .. John andAlice, Hoge, .. 

No. 1.

John andAlice, Hoge, .. 

No. 2.

heirs Hunter.........

o 13

Keifer .........;.

o a

PH

P* 

3 

CO

PH

tn" 

O> '53

w

/. ' i;

Oil. South Penn.

Co.

OhioValley Gas .

Co.

4

q.

<

C c

C 

^

a

a

McConnell heirs.

o o

McConnell heirs......

Oil ForestCo...

MathewcDole.

o

McDole, No. 1.........
164

161

162

No. 1. 

Strouse, John, No. 1 . .

No. 1.

Echel & Ritchie, No. 4.

Echel & Ritchie, No. 6 . 

Echel & Ritchie, No. 8. 

Echel & Ritchie, No. 10

Economy Tract, No. 12

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

John Strouse .....

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............. 

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Economy Tract. . .

Ohio Valley Gas

Co.

ural Gas Co. 

Forest Oil Co ...

(Jo.

.....do..........

Co.

,... .do. .........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

EacheKt Ritchie

1,180

Berea

Hundred-foot . .

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do ..........

1 (?)

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

(....do..........

Hundred-foot . . 

.....do..........

a Outside of quadrangle.
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver quadrangle C

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

v\

82

85

69

84

81

83

.68

Name.

Frederick, L., No. 3 ...

Calvert, W. M., No. 2.

Cartney, Robt. M.,

No. 1. 

Cartney, Robt. M.,

No. 2. 

Cartney, Robt. M.,

No. 3. 

Cartney, Robt: M.,

No. 4. 

Cartney, Robt. M.,

No. 5.

No. 6. 

Cartney, Robt. M.,

No. 7.

Townsbip.

low Butler). 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

......do..........

.....do^.. .......

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Robt. M. Cartney.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

 ... do. ...........

Owner.

Bros. 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

......do..........

.....do ..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

Qf\7

1,100

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

jBerea (?).......

[Hundred-foot . . 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

fBurgoon........

JHundred-f oot . . 

..V..do. .........

.....do..........

.....do......:...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

1 

1 
 63

J 62

65

49

CQ

73 

52

98 

100

86

87

No. 8.

Hood, No. 2. ..........

Hood No. 4 ...........

Irons No. 1 ...........

Kirlr >Jr\ 0

No. 1.

No. 2.

No. 3.

McAllister, Mary, 

(No. 5) ?.

Morrow, A. P., No. 2.. 

Morrow, A. P., No. 3..

Morrow. A. P.. No. 6..

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.....;....

.....do..........

.....do..........

..x... do.... ...... 

......do..........

.....do..........

.....do.........."

.....do..........

.....do...........

.....do........... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Hood .............

.....do..... ......

.....do............

.....do............

J. D. Irons........ 

Kirk..............

.....do.............

.....do............

Mary McAllister. .

.....do............ 

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Citizens Gas Co.

\ Gas Co.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

1, 123

1,138

1 *>3fl

1,170

1,027

\ 1,050

770

}.......

1,105

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

(Hundred-foot .. 

.....do..........

Hundred-foot .. 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

[Hundred-foot ..

{Hundred-foot .. 

.....do....-.-...

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........
Gas and oil ^vells in and near Beaver quadrangle C

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

79

Qfl

70

1fi7

90

W

91

75

71

78

SR

,S<1

94

95

fiO

Name.

Morrow, A. P., No. 13. 

Morrow, A. P., No. 14.

Morrow, A. P., No. 17.

Stevenson No. 2 ......

Stevenson No. 3 ......

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do......:...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do... ....

.....do..........

Farm.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

....Ldo.... ........

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Owner.

.....do....:.....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........'

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

i os;o

1,120

1,260

1,070

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

..:.. do. .........

.....do..........

..'...do..........

.....do.....-..--

.....do..........

.....do-........- 

.....do........-- 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.... .do. .........

.....do.:........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

D
104

106

108

101

102

103

105

61

51

50

119

114

112

117

118

146

147

Thompson No. 3 ......

Thompson No. 4. .....

Thompson No. 5. .....

Thompson No. 6......

Thompson No. 7. .....

Thompson No. 8. . . . . -

Thompson, W. P., No.

12.

No. 1. 

Zimmerly, Henr-y ....

Bruce, Jane, No. 1. ...

Beegel, S., No. 3......

Connell. Frank. No. 3.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hopewell-Moon

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do ............

.....do............

.....do............

W. P. Thompson..

Rev. J.R.Wallace.

Henrv Zimmerlv .

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

S. Beegel .........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..!.......

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.... .do ..........

.....lo ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

770

920

....do..........

....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.;..:do..........

.....do..........

.....do...........

.....do..........

.....do.........

.....do..........

.....do.........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.........

.....do..........
Gas and oil ivells in and near Beaver quadrangle 

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

157

156

T90

127

133

1?4

134

19q

130

1?6

111

J4S

Name.

Connell, S., No. 2.....

McConnell,J.B.,No.l

McConnell,J.B.,No.2

McConnell,J.B.,No.2

McConnell, J. B. , No. 5

McConnell, J. P., No. 1

McConnell, J. P.,No.l2

McCov, Robt. , No. 3 ...

McCov, Robt., No. 4...

Marks,J.A.&W.,No.

1. 

Marks, J. A. & W.G.,

No. 3.

No. 1.

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do...........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.... .do ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

J. P. McConnell..

.....do............

.....do............

Robt. McCov .....

.....do............

.....do............

J. A.& W.Marks..

J. A. & W.G.Marks

.las. Miller ........

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

P.M. Shannon..

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

1,190

QQH

990

1,140

1,100

980

Name of oil 

aim gas sands.

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do..........

{Hundred-foot 

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do..........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do:........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do..'.......

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........
150

154

158

159

125

120

139

140

138

137

145

142

144

141

143

No. 2.

No. 3. 

Miller, Jas., No.l, well

No. 5.

No. 6.

No. 4.

No. 7.

No. 8.

No. 1.

Morrow, Wm., No. 2. . .'

Potts, Noah, No. 2 .....

Potts, Noah, No. 6 .....

Potts, Noah, No. S .... .

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.!.. .do. .........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.... .do. ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Win. Morrow '..... 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

....do............

.....do............

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.'......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

. ... .do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

1,"100

1,160

990

895

1,135

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do...... 1....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

a To oil.
Gas and oil wells in and near Bearer quadrangle 

BEA\7ER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

116

115

122

131

1?8

1?1

93

76

no

74

135

136

109

99

Name.

Purdv, No. 4 ..........

1.

2.

Wallace, Jos. .No. 2 ...

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do...........

Independence

and Hopewell 

.....do..........

] 

Farm.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

A. P. Morrow .....

.....do............

.....do............

Rachel Stone.....

.....do............

Trotter ...........

.....do............

Jos. Wallace ......

.....do............

Owner.

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.-

Feet.

1,240

1,010

1,150

.. ....

1,129

1,170

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hundred-foot(?)

IBurgoon..... ...

JBerea...... .....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........
107

25

57

27

168

Wallace, Jos., No. 3 ...

Popp .................

Baker, Geo. ...........

Deens, Chas ..........

Meany, John ... A .... 

Baker heirs, No. 1 .....

Baker heirs, No. 2. ....

Baker heirs, No. 3 .....

Barto, Jno. & Wm.,

No. 1.

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.... ......

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Moon ...........

....'.do. .........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

New Sewickleva

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do......../...

.....do............

.....do............

Marks ............

Geo. Baker .......

Chas. Deens ......

John Meany ...... 

Baker heirs.......

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Co.

Gas Co.

Oak Oil Co......

Forest Oil Co ... 

Fort Pi tt Gas Co.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

1,105

1,1£0

800

1,019

.....do....:....

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

[Hundred-foot 

Hundred-foot . 

Hundred-foot . 

.....do...'......

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

foot).

a Outside of quadrangle.
114 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF BEAVEE QUADRANGLE, PA.

 8

§

' +3 

O

O

M I 1

§ s

i a

I 5i s I

<u

Remarks.

Driller's interpretation.

iff

Is

.£ 

ft 

O

oilf Namesands. ad gas 

4!li

Owner.

Farm.

Township.

Name.

 jaqranu dupj

o "g <5 "d "d~ & g ts B §

3 Is " 1 l«-^i is %.%'

+J j> jj ' eg M E C-. r I i~<O

 > G O ' - iQ'^ccG.-oo^ cj . .. ..

_c ^ 'C co '^ ^^ te i-1 co '""^T^JJ co b' co co T3 it CJ rH fl> -1^ , < t> H - MO "j - « _r

c o« *» £* 21 3«~3 2 ^^J* g ^ £ "

* .-S ? B8 ' ^«. *§og * g.9 « dg d d 

cj C' C"u a? ' 3 ft ^cS J'-n Oi-fl g gcoB-g^a-SS 

OftftPn W o^.OO wOOO

S i8 Si 8 i i 8 i §

"v ,H **r "v "v "« "^ "d .S"d "dtJ "dj >(d "d S *d a) cj <P o>3 cn5 c5BD

C^-3 C "2 O'S'JC'^'-'^C 1"'^ >c 

3 O 3 g B$2BSS'33.6pB ,

.OCOOCOO O 1C 1C CO rHV

^S S S 8 gg S S S 5 S 9

^« . - __^_

^S l^§S|-SS: S g 10 8 5!

»

.O COO (NCOCOiOOT-iOOrHCQO O"^ OO

. fc, . _ ^

Hundred -foot.

"s i

^ i

For PiGasCo. tt.....do ........

Dan Black........ John T51ink.......

eo

New Sewic .do........ 

"So : o

«"" « <2 S

e "d 'd I >d

o 2 2 . c ^ £ c

s is'g^^^'s^

3 3 fe B S 0 § C

C

C

5

0

C

 c

: *! :

* : :

5

« o 03 0

o 0,5 o

 -^ bo -*-> c

0) 'd c3 QJ ^

i i . g

 i i*

o ' PQ

S a "

§ S "« C

W "o B ^

w Wo ° S ft

: i i

0 O O <

"S u fl t? C ^ ^ 

0 S S 5 3

fa pq W as B

FortPittGasCo. .....do .

Elizabeth Dunlap Dnnln.n. .....

O C

 d 'c

0 C d t

Graham Dunlap .

c 

 c

c c

Hundred-foot .....do........ .....do........

O rH r-l 

CO CO CO

r-T rH r-T

O CO 

CO CO

CM CN S

Hundred-foot . .....do......... .....do.........

Eachel&Ritchie Forest Oil Co... ....do .........

John Eckhert ....

o o o o o o

i r-i i : <N CO 6 O ft £ £ ""1 N.

= ?a" i I; I §r « 4 11 ll 51 cS 2 8 2S 8f<H o0 

S | ^ tn a "S "2 ^ ^ ^ 1 * ^ ? 5

gc w CG'§ '3 * "S 'S 'S '3'S '3'SSS

 ^ ^ D Q cj c3 ^ d £3 dc3oo

pqpqpqp^Q Q ^ Q Q Qfi flfi^^&^
Eckhert, John (?).....

Phillips, Wm., No. 2...

Phillips, Wm., No. 3 (4)

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do (?).......

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....dD..........

.....do..........

.....do.......:..

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Wm. Phillips.....

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do..........

i 

.....do. .........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

FortPittGasCo.

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

FortPittGasCo.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do..........

(Hundred-foot 

1 (black).

I (white).

/ Hundred-foot 

1 (black).

[Hundred-foot 

I (white).

Hundred-foot .

Fifth (?).......

.....do.........

1 

Hundred-foot 

(black).

Hundred-foot 

(white).

Hundred-foot(?)

1 

Hundred-foot 

(black).

Hundred-fooJ 

(white).

Hundred-foot(?)

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver-quadrangle 

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

4

Name.

Teats, Geo., No. 2......

Teats, Geo., No. 3 .....

Teats, Geo., No. 4 .....

Wagner, Christ., No. 2.

Wagner, Christ., No. 3.

Zeigler,J.B.,No.8....

Zeigler,J.B.,No.9....

Anderson. Geo. .......

Township.

New Sewicklev

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Ohio............

Farm.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

J. B.Zeigler ......

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Geo. Anderson. . . .

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

FortPittGasCo.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

1,162

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

(black).

Hundred-foot 

(white).

.....do.........

[Hundred-foot .

fBerea(?).......

(Hundred-foot .

Hundred-foot(?

.....do.........

.....do.........

1 

Hundred -foot 

(white).

Hundred -foot 

(black).

Berea..........
, 9

11

10

12

18

17

23

19

20

7

5

T\Q Tpcrm \V \Ar ^Tr* Q

Eliott.No.l...........

Eliott, L.,No.2........

Ferf?uson ^o 4 o '

Perguson, Jno., No. 13.

Laufirhlin. Jas. ........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do/.'........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do......./..

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

James Lausrhlin . .

.....do..........

.....do.(?) ......

Willson.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

F.R.Anson&Co

Puritan Oil Co..

1,190

1,130

1,120

1,130

1,070

1.060

1,060

1,130

1,230

1,226

1,140

1,090

1,240 

1,110

1,139

1,130

-

1,245

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

J$(*r68.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do........;.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver quadrangle 

BEAVER COUNTY Continued.

Map number,

Name.

McLaughlin, W. H.,

No. 1. 

McLaughlin, W. H.,

No. 2. 

McLaughlin, W. H.,

No. 4.

McCulloueh. No. 1 ....

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

......do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

'.....do..........

.....do..........

:... .do. .........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do.'.........

.....do..........

Raccoon ........

Farm. .

W. H. McLaughlin

.....do.............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do. .......[...

.....do.'......'.....

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

McCullouerh ......

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

S. E.Dufl .......

Forest Oil Co ...

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

1,086

,

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hundred-foot(?)
Co., No. 1.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Ohio line.

.....do. .........

.....do..........

Near 

{

river bank

at Rochester. 

.....do............

.....do........;...

Rochester Brewing Co.

bier Co.

.....do..........

Co.

Co. 

.....do..........

}" "

1,142

1,020

 1, 020

1,150

|.Hundred-foot .. 

.....do..........

jBurgoon........

Berea.

.....do..........

.....do..........

ALLEGHENY COUNTY.

No. 1.

No. 2.

No. 3.

No. 4.

Fiiidleyft.......

.....do..........

.....do..........

Moon. 

.....do..........

Findlev ........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Co.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do....:.....

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

o 

a Bottom. b Partly outside of quadrangle. 
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver quadrangle 

ALLEGHENY COUNTY Continued.

Map number.

-IKO

1 RA

 Name.

No. 5.

.....do..:.............

Brown. H.. No. 1 .....

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

.....do............

.....do.."..........

.....do ............

.....do............

.....do ............

H. Brown ........

Owner.

Forest Oil Co ...

.....do ..........

Co. 

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

Co.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

1,COO

960

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

.....do..........

Berea(?). .......

.....do..........

.....do..........

'/? 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hundred-foot 

{

..

(Fourth?). 

[Hundred-foot ..
Cooper, Win., No. 1...

Cooper, Wm., No. 3(?)

Getty, M.,No. I......

Getty, M., No. 3...... 

Getty, M., No. 4......

Gettv, M., No. 5 ......

Getty, M., No. 6 ......

Glenn, Margaretta, 

No. 5.

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Wm. Cooper ...... 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do.............

M. Getty..........

M. Getty.......... 

.....do. ...........

.....do............

.....do............

Margaretta Glenn

ural Gas Co. 

Forest Oil Co ...........

.....do..................

.....do........:.........

.....do......... ........

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

:....dO..................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

a Chiefly outside of

Hundred-foot ..

Fifth ...........

.....do..........

....do..........

JFourth .........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

f....do.... ......

.....do..........

Fifth ...........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do.......... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hundred-foot . .

quadrangle.
Gas and oil wells in and near Beaver quadrangle 

ALLEGHENY COUNTY Continued.

Map n umber.

Name.

Kerr heirs, No. 1 ......

No. 4. 

. No. 5.

McClinton,M.E.,No.2.

McClinton,M.E.,No.3.

Markle, C., No. 1 .....

ATppVc "Vf\ 1

ISleeks B No 2

Township.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do ..........

.....do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do......'....

.... .do ..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Farm.

.....do............

.....do ............

Kerr heirs ........

.....do............

.....do............

heirs.

.....do............

C.Markle.........

B Aleeks

.....do.............

......do............

.....do............

Owner.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.-...do.........:

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Approximate 

elevation.

Feet.

Name of oil 

and gas sands.

Gordon........

.....do.........

.....do.........

Fourth). 

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

f....do.........

[Fourth ........

[Fourth ........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........

.....do.........
GAS AND OIL WELLS. 123

78 bo 8L7

<N~ rH" IN <N (N <N j^-

CO m

d I

3S o5g,2 sS 03 B <a ja es « & $ S * 73 g g § 73 

r^tCr-tfem 'Z!'3r35 cP3 aS -«P'573 3 -* ;S <e ^ « O

So o b b o p b 6 3 o

0 O 

73 73

03

- ^

: i ; i : ; ; : : : : o oil!!!!

. o o ......

::::: :: :::§73 73::::::

: ogooo o'5 : oo'c| |§5§5 : o

7373^737373 73t^ 737373M^fa^ 73 HrO tH'C)73

q 1 U, ; p 0 M ; bo a fl a ^ ^ ^ -^ C

w jo : : : S MO :SWcoWofa.oSco

1 $ a .S fa p: fa

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73 73

S

O OeNiOCQH ^ OS Tjl a> * CO IN * * <)> rH CO CO CO »O r- >* COCOON Oi CO i I iQCnl^ rHi l O O O 7) O i i OOO 00 rH rH Co t~- !"* 

IN" of CN" oT N" r-T <N" <N" r-T CN* c<f i-T CN CN r-T

CM O 00 CO O O 00 C5 OS CO IN O O CN OS l> t> OS CO CO

rH i-H rHrHrHrH rHrH i-H'flli-HrH CN'rH

CO 00 l^Tj'CO'^'^OO OOO lOt^OlOOtOtNOrHlO^tOlN 

1^ 00 COCOCOCO-^1^ t^.-^ TfOlOCOOOlOCSlOCOCysiOrH 

O O OOOCJSOO OrH O>Ool"**iOOOOOOrHOOOto

IN" CN" CNCNCNiHCNCN" CNCN rHCNlN rHrH.rHIN-INININiN"n

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T: T:

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73 73 73 73 73 73 73

: : : : : : ^L,

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73 73 73 73 73 73 7!

M ..... t.

o :%>>:% % " : 5 s ; S s

.8 » "3 3 c

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^J 73 73 << 

«;««;< ^

iz; : p-i co : r^ ^

O O O 0 O O C 

73 73 73 73 73 73 7^

: i : c 73 s^, 73 

5 § o o |8fl« g

I lllSlgll fa o : : « W fa K' o

o . o o c

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S S

S3 >

^ £ fc

® S S a *> O fl QL 

J CO CO ^

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co <J IS cr

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T: 73 73 T:

... CO CN 

rHIN^^J^^ rH I ^ ^

5 '556666 5 * * ^

1 * A KK*K A, rH £ " | 

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2 fe tt w BO <*i -J < . .? i -: P

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fa

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s -g s -g 1 & *= O O O O 3 3 

fa O ^ O K PH

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0 TS

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c$ ta -C " c 

S g, «5 «

is 1 £

......do.......... Rob- andMoon 

inson.

Robinson .......

^ i 

; -1 i

o

73

a.

-*t

rH

t"

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CO

C

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c:

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0)0) <1> O'OOOQJO

.: lS

a £

Bull. 286 06 9

INDEX.

A. Page.

Acknowledgments to those aiding .......... 1

A. F. Smith Company. See Smith (A. F.)

Company. 

Agner, , brick made by............... 69

Agriculture, description of................. 89

Alexander (James) wells, data on ......... 109

Aliquippa, coal at.......................... 47

Allegheny County, wells in, data on...... 119-123

Allegheny formation, clays of.............. 57-64

coals'of.........................'... 9-16,27-53

limestones in........................... 83-87

occurrence and description of........... 9-16

sandstones of.......................... .88

section of............................... 10

sections of, plates showing ............. 10

shale of................................. 65-66

analyses of......................... 66

Allegheny River series. See Allegheny formation. 

Alluvial deposits, clay in................... 64-65

occurrence and description of........... 22

American Porcelain Company, pottery of .. 67 

American Sewer Pipe Company, clay of.... 58,61

clay manufactured by.................. 68,69

Ames limestone, occurrence and description

of..............:............ 19,87-88

relative position of gas and oil sands to- 8,24 

Anderson (George) well, data on .......... 116

Arbuckles, . oil-well drilling by....... 77

Armor (J. R.) well, data on................ 103

Aten (H. A.) well, data on................. 120

Aten (.i. S.) well, data on.................. 119

Aten wells, data on.........'................ 120

B.

Baker heirs well, data on................... 113

Baker (George) well, data on .............. 113

Bakerstown coal, description of............ 18

occurrence of...................'........ 18

Barnes (S.) Company, brick of............. 68

clay of.................................. 59

Barren measures. See Conemaugh formation.

Barton (John and William) well, data on.. 113 

Basin clays, character of................... 56

Beaver, clay at and near................... 61,63

clay industry near...................... 68

coal at and near.................... 30,34,40

sections at, figures showing...... 34,47,48

Beaver Coal Company, clay of............. 63

Page.

Beaver County, clay industry in ........... 71

wells in, data on....................... 95-119

sections of, plates showing......... 6

Beaver Falls, coal at and near.............. 29,34

coal at and near, analyses of........... 55

section of, figure showing........... 30,34

limestone near.......................... 84,80

sandstone at.................'........... 88

tile manufacture at.'.................... 70

wells at................................. 80

rocks in............................. 4

Beaver Falls Art Tile Company, tiles of.... 70

Beaver quadrangle, agriculture in.......... 89

divisions of............................. 27

economic geology of, map showing.... Pocket.

geography of........................... 1-3

geology of.............................. 3-26

location of.............................. 1

map showing....................... 2

mineral resources of...-.....:........... 26-89

transportation in....................... 89-90

water power of.... I.................... 90

Beaver River, clay from, use of............ 67

clay on................................. 59,61

coal on............................ 29,34,43-44

section of, figure showing........... 28,34

dam on, view of ........................ 8

drainage of............................. 2

gas wells on............................ 80

limestone on............................ 85

rocks on................................ 9

sandstone on........................... 88

water power on......................... 90

Beegel (S.) wells, data on................... 109

Bellaire, Ohio, shale at..................... 66

Belle Vernon, sand near.................... 89

Bellowsville, coal at, sections of, figures

showing........................ 41

limestone at............................ 87

Bench marks, character and description of.. 93-94

Bens Run, clay at.......................... 58

Be'rea sandstone, depth of.................. 8

gas in .................................. 80

occurrence and description of........... 6-7

oil in.............................. 1.. 77,78,82

Berlin limestone. See Ames limestone'.

Bieler Run, coal on......:....'....'.......... 45

section of, figure showing...:........... 45

drainage of............'................. 2

limestone on............................ 86

Big Injun sand. See Burgoon sandstone.

125
126 INDEX.

Page. 

Big Knob, triangulation station at........ 92

Blackhawk, coal at......................... 54

section of, figure showing....... 54

Blackledge (W. C.) well, data on............ 100

Blacksmith vein. See Lower Kittanningcoal. 

Black (Daniel) well, data on...........;... 114

Blink (John) well, data on................. 114

Blinn (Adam) well, data on........... 114

Blockhouse Run, clay industry on......... 67,69

clay on.............................. 58,62,64

coal on...................... 28,29,34,37,39,43

analysis of.......'................... 55

sections of, figures showing......... 29,

34,38,39,43 

limestone on............................ 86

sandstone on........................... 88

Blue Monday sand. See Fourth sandstone. 

Bock wells, data on........................ 95-96

Bolesville, coal near..................... 33,37,43

coal near, sections of, figures showing.. 28 

limestone at............................ 84

Bolivar, clay at, analyses of................ 64

Bolivar clay, analyses of................... 64

occurrence and description of.......... 64

Bowlder sand. See Fourth sandstone.

Boyd (S. M.) well, data on................. 100

Boyle (David) well, data on................ 95

Bradford (Thomas) well, data on.......... 96-97

Bradshaw (Thomas) well, data on......... 119

Brady Run, clay from, use of .............. 67,70

clay on..................... 57,59,61,62,63,64

coal on and near...... 27-29,34,37,39-40,44,54

sections of, figures showing......... 27,

30,34,38,40,44,54 

gas well on............................. 80

limestone on............................. 84,86

sandstone on...............:........... 88

water power on......................... 90

Brick, manufacture of...................... 68

Bridgewater, clay at, analysis of........... 60-61

well at, data on.'........................ 113

rocks in.....^....................... 4

section of, figure showing........... 6

Bridgewater Gas Company, development

 by.......:....:........................ so

Brookville clay, analysis of................. 57

occurrence and description of........... 57

Brookville coal, description of.............. 10

occurrence of......................... 4,10,27

section of, figure showing............... 27

Brown (H.) well, data on.................. 120

Brown (J. H. and M. J.) well, data on..... 100

Brown (Morton) well, data on............. 97

Bruce (Jane) well, data on................. 109

Brunton (J. P.) well, data on.............. 103

Brush Creek coal, description of............ 18,54

occurrence of........................... 18,54

sections of, figures showing............. 54

Brush Run, coal on.......... 31,37,38,41,44-45,53

coal on, section of, figure showing... 38,40,44

drainage of............................. 2

limestone on............................ 86

Bryant well, data on....................... 97

Buhrstone iron ore, occurrence of.......... 11

Building materials, manufacture of........ 69-70

Page. 

Bunker Hill, limestone at.................. 88

triangulation station at................ 91

Bunzo (H.) well, data on.................... 114

B urgoon sandstone member, depth of....... 8

occurrence and description of........... 5-6

Burrill Oil Company well, data on ......... 117'

Butler gas sand, correlation of............. 6

Butler sandstone, occurrence and description of........'.................. 15,88

C.

Calhoun (Milton) wells, data on.......... 100-101

rocks in................................. 6,7

sections of, figures showing............. 6

Calvert (W. M.), well of.................... 106

Campbell (J. Y.) wells, data on ........... 101

Campbell (M. R.), aid of ................... 1

Captain Calhoun well, data on............. 100

Carboniferous rocks, descriptions of........ 3-21

occurrence of...................... .->>... 3

Carson well, data on........................ 103

Cartney (R. M.) wells, data on........... 106-107

Catskill rocks. See Pocono-Catskill rocks. 

Chambers well, data on.................... 121

Chancy (John), data on.................... 117

Church, Rehoboth, wells of, data on ....... 97

Clapp (F. G.), work of ..................... 1,4

Clarion clay, occurrence and .description of. 57-58 

thickness of............................. 58

Clarion coal, description of................. 10-11

occurrence of........................ 10-11,28

section of, figure showing............... 27

Clay industries, classification of............ 66-67

firms engaged in....... ^............... 72-75

history and development of............ 67-75

production of........................... 71-75

Clays, analyses of.................... 57,60,64,66

composition of.......................... 56

occurrence and description of.......... 55-65

origin of................................ 56

section of............................... 58

varieties of............................. 56

Clutter well, rocks in....................... 6

section of, figure showing............... 6

Coals, analyses of ........................... 54-55

occurrences and descriptions of......... 27-54

See also particular coals. 

Collegeboro well, data on................... 95

Colonial, coal at............................ 36

Conemaugh formation, coals of.......... 16-20,54

occurrence and description of........... 16-20

sandstones of........................... 88-89

section of............................... 16-17

shales of................................ 66

Connell (Frank) wells, data on............. 109

Connell (M.) well, data on................. 110

Connell (S.) well, data on................. 110

Connoquenessing member, occurrence of.. 3-5 

Contours, structure, error of.............. 23-24

explanation of......................... 23-24

use of.................................. 25-26

Cooks Ferry, coal near................. 35,38,46

coal near, section of, figure snowing... 35 

Cookson well, data on...................... 114
INDEX. 127

Cookson well, rocks in ..................... 6,7

section of, figure showing.............. C

Cooley (Joe), wells, data on............... 103

Coolcy (W. B.), wells, data on.......... 103-104

Cool heirs well, data on.................... 110

Cooper (William) wells, data on........... 121

Cready (E. R. & J. M.) well, data on. '..... 101

Crooks (J. & W.) wells, data on........... 104

Crow Run, clay from, utilization of.......' 70

clay on................................ 59

coal on.............................. 28-29, 33

section of, figure showing.......... 28

Curry heirs wells, data on................. 121

D.

Dam No. 6, coal at, sections at, figures

showing ..............._....... 34,47

Daniels Brothers wells, data on........... 114

Darlington, Ohio, clay at................... 59

shale at, analysis of................... 66

Darlington coal, analyses of............... 55

See also Middle Kittanning coal. 

Darlington well, data on.................. 95

section of, figure showing.............. 6

Davidson (L. R.) well, data oh........... 117

Dawson, triangulation station at......... 90-91

Dawson (S.) well, data on................. 117

Deens (Charles) well, data on............. 113

rocks in................................ 4

section of, figure showing.............. 6

Devonian rocks, occurrence of............. 5

Dickson, triangulation station at......... 92-93

Dirt vein, correlation of................... 13

Downey, John, well of, data on........... 97

Drainage, description of................... 2

Dry Run, clay on.......................... 62

coal on........................ 31,35,38,41,46

sections of, figures showing.. 35,38,40,47

limestone on........................... 86,87

oil wells on............................ 77

Dunlap heirs well, data on................ 119

Dunlap (E. & O.) wells, data on.......... 114

Dunlap (Graham) wells, data on.......... 114

E.

Eacher (Charles) wells, data on........... 107

East Palestine, Ohio, clay at, analysis of.. 64 

Echel & Ritchie wells, data on............ .105

Eckhert (John) wells, data on............. 114

Economic geology. See Geology, economic. 

Economy well (Beaver Falls Township),

data on........................ 95

section of, figure showing.............. 0

Economy wells (Economy Township),

data on........................ 97-99

rocks in................................ 6

Economy wells (Harmony Township),

data on........................ 105

Ehrhardt (P.) wells, data on.............. 121

Elder (William) well, data on............. 104

Elevations, height of...................... 2

Elkhorn Run, clay on..................... 63

coal on........................... 36,47-48,53

section of, figure showing.......... 36,47

Page. 

Elkhorn Run, limestone on................ 87

Elk Lick coal, description of.............. 19-20

occurrence of.......................... 19-20

Elk River series. See Conemaugh formation. 

Elliott (L.) wells, data on................. 117

Elton, , on Upper Frceport limestone - 86-87 

Elverson, Thomas, clay industry of....... 67

Elverson, W. H., clay industry qf......... 67

Excelsior Company, oil development by... 76

Fallston, clay near........................ 59,63

coal near............................... 38

limestone in........................... 84

Fallston Fire Clay Company, clay of...... 63,70

shale of................................ 65

Fcrguson wells, data, on................... 117

Ferriferous limestone. See Vanport limestone. 

Field work, character of..:................ 1

Fireclays, occurrence of................... 56

First oil sand, correlation of.............. 7

Fishpot Run, clay on...................... 62,63

coals on and near................ 32,42,49,53

sections of, figures showing........ 42,50

limestone on........................... 87

Flaugherty Run, limestone on............ 88

Forest Oil Co., wells of..................... 78

Fourmile Run, clay near................... 59,63

coal on and near .................^..... 31,34

section of, figure showing........... 30,34

limestone on, section of................. 85

Fourth sandstone, depth of................ 8

occurrence and description of........... 7,8

Frames Run, coal near.................. 48-49,50

Frankfort Springs, coal on, section of, figure

showing........................ 54

Frederick (L.) wells, data on............... 106

Freedom, coal at and near.................. 43

coal at and near, sections of, figures

showing........................ 39,43

Freeport sandstone, occurrence and description of....................... 13-14,88

G.

Galley (Silas) wells, data on.......... 101,113,117

Gantz sand, correlation of.................. 8

Garver (J. H.) well, data on................ 115

rocks in................................. 7

section of, figure showing............... 6

Gas, conclusions concerning................ 81-83

development at......................... 79-80

occurrence of........................... 79

possible new fields for.................. 82-83

production of .......................... 80

structure and, relations of............. 81-82

wells of, data on....................... 95-123

Geology, economic, account of.............. 26-89

map showing........................ Pocket.

Geology, description of..................... 3-26

Georgetown, coal near...................... 36,37

coal near, analysis of.................... 55

section of, figure showing........... 52
128 INDEX.

Georgetown, gas and oil wells near ........ 78,80

gas and oil wells near, sections of, figures

showing........................ 6

Georgetown Island, clay near.............. 63

coal near............................. 31,35,41

Gerrow (G. C.) well, data on............... 104

Getty (M.) wells, data on.............;.... 121

Gilliland, triangulation station at.......... 91-92

Glacial deposits, description of............. 21-22

Glasgow, coal near......................... 35

Glass rock. See Burgoom sandstone.

Glass sand, occurrence of................... 89

Glass (D. K.) well, data on................. 101

Glenn (Josephine) well, data on............ 101

Glenn (Margaretta) well, data on.......... 121

Glenn (William and Thomas) wells, data on. 101 

Gloninger & Co., clay of.................... 59

Glouster, Ohio, shale at.................... 66

shale at, analysis of.....,............... 66

Goehring (C. A.) well, data on............. 115

Goehring (C. H.) well, data on............. 115

Goehring (Zeno) wells, data on............. 115

Goldman, M. I., work of.................... 1

Gordon (G. G.) wells, data on.............. 122>

Gordon sandstone, depth of................ 8

occurrence and description of........... 7-8

Gorsuch (G. M.) wells, data on............. 104

Graham (William) wells, data on........ 117,119

Green Crinoidal limestone. See Amcs limestone. 

Green Garden, limestone at................ 88

Gringo oil field, development of, effect of.... 80

Gross wells, data on........................ 119

Gross (William) wells, data on............. 99

Grosscost (Isaac) well, data on............. 119

Gums Run, coal near....................... 42,49

limestone on............................ 87

H. 

Had en Run, coal on........................ 50

sections of, figures showing............. 50,51

Hamilton Brothers,'pottery development

by.............................. 66

Hamilton well, data on..................... 101

section of, figure showing............... 6

Hartling, J. F., well of, data on............ 99

Haydenville, clay at........................ 57

clay at, analysis of..................... 60-61

Hays (R. and E.) well, data on............ 101

Heinman well, data on..................... 113

Hice, R. R., acknowledgments to.......... 1

on Clarion clay......................... 57

on gas wells............................ 79

Hoenig heirs well, data on.................. 100

Hog Island, coal near...................... 41

coal near, sections of, figures showing... 41,47

limestone near.......................... 86,87

Hoge (John and Alice) wells, data on ...... 104

Homewood member, description of......... 9

occurrence of......................... 3-5,8-9

Hood wells, data on........................ 107

Hookstown, coal at........................ 52

Hookstown oil field, development of........ 78

Hugh & Moore well, data on............... 106

Hundred-foot sandstone, depth of......... 8

gas from................................ 80,82

occurrence and description of........... 7,8

oil in.................................... 78,82

Page. 

Hunter heirs well, data on................. 104

Hunter (S.) well, data on.................. 117

Hunter (T. B.) well, data on............... 95

section of, figure .showing .............. 6

I.

Imperial Coal Company, data on........... 119

well of, data on......................... 123

Independence, coal at...................... 49

coal at, section at, figure showing...... 49

gas wells, near........................... 79-80

limestone at.............................. 87

Industry, clay near............. '............ 59

coal at and near..................... 31,35,46

section of, figure showing..:..... 30,35,38

gas wells near.......................... 80

Ingram mine,, clay of ...................... 58

Irons well, data on......................... 107

Island Run, clay on........................ 62

coal on and near............ 35,38,41,45-46,53

section of, figure showing........ 38,40,45

drainage of............................. 2

limestone on............................ 86

oil wells on............................. 77

J.

Jackson, Thomas, pottery development by. 66

Jenkins (W. and R.) wells, data on ........ 119

Johnston (James) well, data on............ 107

rocks in................................. 4,7

section of, figure showing............... 6

Johnstown, clay at ........................ 58

Kansan deposits, clay of................... G4-65

occurrence and description of........... 21

Kaolin, occurrence of....................... 56

Keifer (R. S. and W. F.) well, data on ..... 104

Kerr heirs wells, data on .................... 122

Keystone pottery, work of................. 68

Kirk well, data on.......................... 107

Kirk (James) wells, data on.............. ll'S, 117

Kittanning sandstone, occurrence and description of..................... 88

,° L.

Laughlin (Francis) well, data on........... 101

Laughlin (James) well, data on............. 117

Lee well, data on........................... 104

rocks in................................ 4,6

section of, figure showing............... 6

Limestones, descriptions of................. 83-88

occurrence of........................... 83

Linton well, data on........................ 119

Little Beaver Creek, clay on................ 63

coal on.................................. 35

section of, figure showing........... 35

Little Beaver River, clays on............... 59

drainage of............................. 2,59

rocks on................................ 9

Little Mill Creek, clay on................... 63

coal on.................................. 38

well on, section of, figure showing...... 6

Little Service Run, limestone on........... 88

Little Traverse Run, limestone on ......... 88
INDEX. 129

Page

Logtown Hun, clay on..................... 64

coal on.................................. 47,53

sections of, figure showing.......... 47

limestone on............................ 87

Loughlin (T. S.) well, data on.............. 102

Lower Freeportclay, occurrence and description of.......................... 02

utilization of........................... 07,69

Lower Freeport coal, description of..... 14,42-43

occurrence of........................ 14,38-42

sections of, figures showing....... 39,40,41,42

Lower Freeport limestone, occurrence and

description of................... 85-80

Lower Kittanning clay, analyses of ........ 60-61

occurrence and description of........... 58-61

utilization of..................... 67,68,69,71

Lower Kittanning coal, analyses of......... 55

coke from, analysis of.................. 55

description of........................ 11-12,33

occurrence of..................... 11-12,28-33

relative position of gas and oil sands to. 6,8 

sections of, figures showing.... 28,29,30,31,32

Lower Kittanning sandstone, occurrence of. 11

Lower Productive Measures. See Allegheny 

formation.

Loyalhanna limestone, oecurrence of....... 5

M.

Mackall (B.) well, data on.................. 102

McAllistcr (David) wells, data on.......... 107

McCleary, limestone at...................... 88

triangulation station at................ 91

McClinton well, data on...................... 122

iv-cClinton (M. E.) wells, data on........... 122

McConnell heirs well, data on.............. 104

McConnell (J. B.) wells, data on............ 110

McCormick well (Beaver Falls Township),

data on......................... 95

McCormick wells (Hopewell Township),

data on......................... 107

McCoy (Robert) wells, data on............. 110

McCreath, analyses by............... 54-55,64,85

McCullough well, data on................... 118

McCutchcon (James) wells, data on...... 119-120

McDole well, data on....................... 104

McDonald, coal near, section of, figure showing.............................. 28

McDonald's mine, clay at................... 58

McDoualdtown, coal near .................. 43

McElhaney well, data on................... 107

rocks in ................................ 4,7

section of, figure showing............... 6

McElroy Hun, coal on...................... 44

McFadden well, data on.................... 120

McGeorge well, data on..................... 95

McKee well, data on........................ 107

McKenzie Brothers, pottery making by ... 67 

McKinley Run, coal on..................... 39,43

coal on, section of, figure showing ..... 39

limestone on ........................... 85,86

McLaughin (W. I-I.) wells, data on......... 118

McLoughlin Run, coal on .................. 46

McMinn (George) well, data on ............ 120

Mahoning sandstone, limestone lentil in.... 87

occurrence and description of.. 15,17-18,88-89 |

Page. 

Manufacturers' Light and Heat Company,

development by ................ 80

Map showing economic geology .......... Pocket.

showing position of quadrangle........ 2

Markle (C.) well, data on .................. 122

Marks well, data on........................ 113

Marks (J. A. & W.) wells, data on......... 110

Martin heirs well, data on.................. 105

Mattox (J. H ) wells, data on.............. 118

Mauch Chunk formation, occurrence and

description of................... 5

Mayor Pottery Company, clay of........... 66,71

pottery of.............................. 67,68

Meany (John) well, data on................ 113

Meeks well, data on........................ 122

Mercer group, occurrence of................. 3

Merrill, clay at.............................. 61

Middle Kittanning clay, occurrence and description of .......*............ 61

shale from, analysis of.................. 66

utilization of........................... 67,69

Middle Kittanning coal, description of.. 12-13,37 

occurrence of..................... 12-13,33-33

sections of ; figures showing.......... 34,35,36

Mill Creek, clay on.......................... 61,63

coal on......................... 33,37,51,52,53

analysis of.......................... 55

sections of, figures showing......... 36,52

Miller (James) wells, data on............. 110-111

Mineral Point, clay at, analysis of.......... 60-61

Mineral resources, descriptions of........... 26-89

map showing ........................ Pocket.

Mississippian rocks, descriptions of........ 3-8

occurrence of........................... 3

Monaca, clay near.......................... 62

clay near, utilization of................. 70

coal at and near.................. 36,41-42.48

sections of, figures showing... 31,36,41,47 

gas wells at............................. 80

limestone at and near.................. 87

sandstone near......................... 89

Monongahela formation, coals of........... 54

occurrence and description of........... 20-21

section of, figure showing............... 54

Montgomery Island, limestone near........ 85

Montgomery (John) wells, data on......... 102

Moon Run, clay on......................... 31

coal on............................ 36,41,48,53

sections of, figures showing...... 36,41,47

Moore (C.) well, data on.................... 118

Morgantown sandstone, occurrence and description of..................... 20,89

Morgan (W. J.) wells, data on............. 115

Morrow (A.) well, data on................. Ill

Morrow (A. P.) wells, data on........... 107-108

Morrow (William) wells, data on........... 111

Mountain sand. See Burgoon sandstone. 

Murdockville sand See Burgoon sandstone.

N.

Nceley heirs wells, data on............... 122-123

Neeley sisters' wells, data on............... 123

Neeley (J. H.) wells, data on............... 123

Neil Sam, oil well put down by............ 77

Nelson well, data on........................ 105

rocks in................................. 4
130 INDEX.

Page.

Nelson well, section of, figure showing. .... 6

Now Brighton, clay industry at............ 67

clay near............................... 64-65

clay near, analyses of............. 60-61,62,65

coal near......................... ^..... 29,39

analyses of......................... 55

section of, figure showing........... 28

dam at, view of......................... 8

limestone in and near................... 83

sandstone near......................... 88

terrace at, view of...................... 8

New Jersey, clay industry in............... 71

New Sheffield gas pool, history of.......... 79-80

wells in................................. 79

Nickel (Mathew) wells, data on............ 102

0. 

Ohio, clay industry in......................... 71

Ohio River, clay os. ................... .... 59-60

drainage of............................. 2

rocks on................................ .9

sandstone on........................... 89

transportation by...................... 89-90

well on, section of, figure showing...... 6

 Ohio Valley Gas Company, development by. . 80 

Ohioville well, data on.................... 77,118

section of, figure showing.............. 6

P.

Patterson & Flinwell, oil well bored by.... 76

Pauerson Heights, coal near, section of, 

figure showing............................ 40

Patterson (Jases) well, data on.............. 105

Patton shale, correlation of................ 7

Paved Run, limestone on, section of....... 84

Paving materials, manufacture of.......... 70-71

Peggs Run, clay on......................... 03

coal on.................................. 50-51

section of, figure showing........... 51,52

limestone on............................ 87

Pennsylvania, clay industry in............. 71

Pennsylvania Clay Company, brick of ..... 70 

clay of.................................. 59,00

Pennsylvanian rocks, description of........ 8J21

sandstones of........................... 88

Petroleum, conclusions concerning......... 81-83

history and development of............ 76-78

occurrence of........................... 76

possible new fields for.................. 82

production of........................... 78

structure and, relations of............. 81-82

wells of, data on....................... 95-123

Phillips (William) wells, data on........... 115

Phillis Island, clay near................. 60,61,64

coal on................................. 33,38

sections of, figures showing... 32,36,42,52 

limestone near..........................

Piedmont sandstone, oil in.................

Pine Run, coal on..........................

Pinkerton Point, clay at...................

Pittsburg and Erie Canal, transportation 

by....:.........................

Pittsburg Clay Manufacturing Company, 

works of................................

Pittsburg coal, description of..............

occurrence of........................... 20-21

relative position of gas and oil sands to. 8

Pittsburg coal, section of, figure showing.. 54 

Pittsburg limestones, occurrence and description of..................... 20

Pittsburg Sewer Pipe arid Fire Clay Company, clay development by..... 69

Pittsburg Server Pipe Company, clay industry by .......................... 68-69

Platt coal, description of................... 19

occurrence of ............................ 19

Pleistocene deposits, description of......... 21-22

Pocono-Catskill rocks, occurrence and description of..................... 5-8

Poe well, data on........................... 102

rocks in................................. 7

section of, figure showing............... 6

Poorhouse Run, clay on.................... 60

coal on........................... 31-32,42,48

sections of, figures showing........ 31,48

limestone on............................ 86,87

Popp well, data on......................... 113

section of, figure showing............... X>

Popp (J. H.) wells, data on................ 118

Pottery, making of.'........................ 67

making of, materials for................ 68

Potts (Noah) wells, data on......'........ 111-112

Pottsville formation, occurrence and description of................... 3-5,8-9

sand from.............................. 89

subdivisions of......................... 3

Purdy (Archibald) well, data on........... 112

Purdy (George) wells, data on............. 120

Purdy (William) wells, data on............ 112

Puritan well, data on....................... 118

QQuaternary clays, analyses of.............. 65

occurrence and description of.......;... 64-65

Quaternary deposits, descriptions of....... 21-22

R.

Raccoon Creek, clay on and near.. 60,61,62,63,64 

coal on and near ............. 36,38,42,48,49,53

sections of, figures showing......... 32,

36,41,42,48,49 

drainage of............................. 2

gas wells on............................ 83

limestone on............................ 87

sandstone on.......................'.... 88

water power on......................... 90

well on, section of, figure showing...... 6

Rag Run, coal on........................... 54

Railroads, distribution of.................. 90

Raredon Run, limestone on................ 88

Red Bird Oil Company well, data on ...... 118

Red shale member, occurrence and description of.......................... 7

Reed (Hugh) well, data on................. ICO

Reed (J. Q.) well, data on.................. 119

Reed (R. A. &' T. G.) well, data on......... 105

Refractory materials, manufacture of...... 68

Relief, description of....................... 2-3

Residual clays, occurrence of............... 56

Rochester, clay industry near.............. 68

clay near............................... 62,64

coalnear............................. 29,33,39

sections of, figures showing......... 39,43

limestone near.......................... 87
INDEX. 131

Page. 

Rochester, sandstone near................. 89

Rochester Brewing Company well, data on. 119 

Rochester Tumbler Company well, data on. 119 

Rouser (J. A.) wells, data on............... 123

S.

St. Clair, coal near.......................... 39

coal near, section of, figure showing.... 28,34

Salina, clays at............................. 64

Sand, occurrence of......................... 89

Sandstones, descriptions of................. 88-89

S. Barnes Co. See Barncs (S.) Company. 

Schaffer (H.) well, data on..'............... 115

Seneca oil, occurrence of.................... 76

Service Creek, clay on...................... 63

coal on.................................. 52,53

analysis of.......................... 55

sections of, figures showing......... 51

gas and oil field, on..................... 82

well on, section of, figure showing...... 6

Shale, occurrence and description of........ 65-66

Shannopin oil field, development at........ 77-78

production of ............................ 77

Shannopin sand. See Hundred-foot sandstone. 

Sharon coal, occurrence of.................. 3

Sharon member, occurrence of............... 3-5

Sherwood Brothers, clay of................ 58,71

pottery of.............................. 67

Sliippingport, coal at, analysis of.......... .55

Silicious limestone, occurrence of........... 5

Sixmile Run, clay on....................... 63

coal on......................... 31,34,46,53,54

sections of, figures showing......... 46

limestone on............................ 87

sandstone at............................ 88

Smith (A. F.) Company, clay manufactured 

by ....:................................... 68,69

Smiths Ferry, coal at....................... 35,46

coal near, section of; figure showing.... 40

sandstone at............................ 88

triangulation station at................. 93

Smiths Ferry oil field, development in...... 76-77

production of........................... 77

well in, lay of........................... 76-77

Smiths Ferry sandstone, correlation of..... 6', 78

Smiths Run, coal on........................ 51

Snowhite well, data on..................... 123

Snowhite (A. W.) well, data on............ 123

Snowhite, (W. A.) well, data on............. 123

Soils, description of......................... 89

Solar wells, data on........................ 112

Spear Clay Manufacturing Co., clay of...... 59

Spruce wells, data on..................... 102-103

Springer (George) well, data on............ 120

Springer (William) well, data on.. 1........ ,120

Squirrel Run, coal on................. 32-33,50,53

coal on, sections of, figures showing.... 49,50

limestone on............................ 87

Standard Oil Company, development by.... 80

Stevenson, J. J., on Ames limestone........ 19

on iron ore.............................. 85

work of................................. 26

Stephenson (W. H.) well, data on.......... 105

Stevenson wells, data on................... 108

Stewart mine, clay in....................... 63

Stewart (Frank) well, data on.............. 103

Stewart (J. R.) well, data on............... 103

Stewart (Robert) wells, data on..'......... 103

Stobo, coal near..............'........... 36,41,47

Stone, R. W., work of...................... 8

Stone (Rachel) wells, data on .............. 112

Stoops Ferry well, data on................. 123

Stratigraphy, description of................ 3-23

Strouse (John) well, data on............... 105

Structure, description of................... 23-26

relation of, to occurrence of oil and gas.. 81 

representation of, method of........... 23-24

Sulphur vein. See Lower Kittanning coal. 

Summit Cut, clay at, analysis of........... 64

Swearengen (W. H.) well, data on.......... 105

T.

Taylor (William) well, data on............. 103

Teats (George) wells, data on............... 116

Tepker (E.) well, data on................... 123

Terrace clays, analyses of.................. 65

character of......................:... 56,64-65

utilization of...........'................ 71

Terraces, occurrence and .description of.... 22

Terra cotta, clay for........................ 65

Third sand. See Fourth sandstone.

Thompson (Eleanor) well, data on......... 103

Thompson (W. P.) well, data on........... 109

Thompson (W. R.) well, data on........... 113

Thompson wells, data on................... 109

Trampmill Run, coal on ..................... 48

Transportation, account of................. 89-90

Traverse Creek, gas wells near.............. 80

limestone on............................ 88

Triangulation stations, location and description of.................... 90-93

location and description of, figure showing.............................. 90

Trotter well, data on....................... 112

Tubular ware, manufacture of.............. 68-69

TwomileRun, clay on...................... 62,63

coal on and near..................... 40-41,47

sections of, figures showing......... 40,47

U.

Upper Freeport clay, analyses of........... 64

occurrence and description of........... 62-64

utilization of........................... 67

Uppei1 Freeport coal, analyses of........... 55

description of...........'............. 15,43,53

occurrence of..................... 15-lb, 43-52-

relative position of gas and oil sands to. 8,24 

sections of, figures showing............. 43,

44,45,46,47,48,49,50, .'.1,52

Upper Freeport limestone, occurrence and

description of................... 86-87

Upper Kittanning coal, description of...... 13,37

occurrence of........................ 13,37-38

section of, figure showing............... 38

Upper Productive Measures. See Monongahela formation.
132 INDEX.

V.

Vandergrif t well, data on.................. 112

rocks in................................. 4

section of, figure showing............... 6

Vanport, clay industry at.................. 67

clay near............................... 65

analyses of ......................... 60-61

coal at and near.................. 30-31,4(5-47

sections of, figures showing... 30,34,38,47 

limestone at............................ 84

section of........................... 84

Vanport Brick Company, 'brick of.......... 68,69

shale of................................. 65

Vanport limestone, analyses of............. 85

occurrence and description of........ 11,83-85

sections of.............................. 84,85

Venango group, gas from................... 80

W.

Wagner (Christopher) wells, data on....... 116

Wallace (Cynthia) wells, data on........... 112

Wallace (Joseph) wells, data on.......... 112-113

Wallace (Rev. J. N.) well, data on......... 109

Water power, occurrence of................ 9D

Weeks (B.) well, data on.................... 123

Weir, triangulation station at.............. 92

Welch, Gloninger & Co., brick of........... 69

Wells, gas and oil, list of.................. 95-123

possible locations for................... 82-83

sections of, plates showing............. 6

Page.

Welsh Fire Brick Company, clay of ........ 60,6f

West Bridgewater, clay industry at........ 67

coal at.................................. 44

section of, figure showing........... 40

Whistlers Run, limestone on............... 84

White, C. I., on Freeport coal.............. 13

on limestones........:.................. 84

on Lower Kittanning clay.............. 58

on oil wells............................. 76-77

on Pottsville formation................. 4

work of................................. 26

Wilson heirs wells, data on................. 100

Wilson well (Moon Township), data on.... 123

Wilson wells (Ohio Township), data on.... 118

Wisconsin deposits, description of......... 22

occurrence of ........................... 22

terrace of, view of...................... 8

Wolf Run, coal on.......................... 31,35

coal on, section of, figure showing...... 46

gas well on............................. 80

Woolsey, L. H , work of.................... 1,4

Work (W. S.) wells, data on................ 123

Wretzel (JTraok) -well, data on.............. 100

Z.

Zanesville, Ohio, clay and shale from, analyses of.......................... 66

Zeigler (J. B.) wells, data on............... 116

Zimmerly (Henry) well, data on............ 109