Date: 1841
Nearly all the upper beds of ore can be got by open quar rying, and is a great advantage, besides which, millions of tons of some of the richest ores, could be picked up by hand from the surface, and all the other parts of the ore and coal can be got by level, as it all lies above the surface of Fifteen Mile creek, and the Potomac.  No engine will be required to pump water, or wind up minerals, &c. and wherever timber is wanted to prop with underground, abundance of fine oak and other trees blown down by the winds, lie scattered about in all directions, and rot ting for want of use.  The ore, charcoal, and anthracite, could nearly all be sent down hill to the furnaces for smelling, and the utmost distance that would ever be required, would only be four miles.