Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-11-21
POTOMAC COAL.
,,rrop OF TIE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.

,r rprroR OF TIE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
Tho paragraph in your paper OF the lsth inst
ting the Coal beds of the Potomac, seems
'sovs attracted some attention. With desire
""a, the extent of the riches of the upper Pc
" 'Ho ;, this remarkable article, send you for
"I nIe,,ion an extract from the documents &C
p'u,nsnying Mr.. MERGERS report to the House
Locomotives, April IL, 1884, being letter
Alfred Cruger, accompanying "a Report
p "a estimate for navgable feeder up the North
$.b from Cumberland, to the mouth of Sa-
rage River A..
-, Including the documents) has been ex-
F.;rsIv circulated, yet from its voluminous
's.,cter am inclined to think it has been but
'.I, ra,d, even in our own town, which has so
49, - m interest in the matters therein con-
tanned.
,.,c,s from this interesting public document,
g, sA whole of which is worthy an attentive pc
',,r and none can rise from the examination
~, wi,hout admiration of the great research,
W.. ing industry, and extended views of its au-
49,. wbo will, in future time, be acknowledged
,ho benefactor of the upper regions of the Po-
.om,c and, indeed, ofthe country at large.
~na'' A.
,c,,l which constitutes the great source of
iii of this region, may be said to be mex
r'bIe The vast anG increasing Importance
S,h;, mineral, as a necessary article OF fuel, as
I'll ,s from its peculiar application to manu-
s.,ras renders its use Indispensable, and
sg,.s il desirable that every facility should be
n;yso to lis distribution.
S.Rr an inspection Ofthe accompanying maps,
:, riIi ne perceived that Savage river, forcing
",S.are through Savage mountain, unites itself
plrih The North Branch; after having formed
,5is junction, and receiving Georges creek, they
effectively force their way through Dams
.,onotain. II is where these descriptions of the
unonntans have occurred, that coal is observa.
%o o. their faces. With the mouth of Savage
a. \ centre, and a radius of or miles. cir
40 could be described, comprising what may be
,,rmed the heart of the coal district. The sides
=, tho mountain, in several instances, present
S.cErir, so abrupt, that coal may, by the in
tsrmeJate use Of a slide, be thrown directly
from the bed, into the boats lying in the canal
or river.
aFrom the base, to the summit of these moun-
,ains distinct and separate veins of coal are
observable, OF letl III lHShcS, y ICct, iCSt anu
from 10 to IA feet respectively, increasing in
thickness as they ascend; the highest is $50 feet
above the mouth Of Savage and 1879 above
Cumberland This upper vein has been open
ed in several instances on the different noun
tans, and discovers itself in numerous others,
where torrents have removed the superStTatum
orearth; these various indications on the oppo.
ste ridges prove that the vein is on one and the
same level The coal is pure, ustrous, and rich,
and, fIom the peculiar advantages attending its
situation, can be furnished for ! to l cent, per
bushel, at the bed The large vein is supposed
10 oe the same as that opened near FroStburg,
and il is thought by those who are conversant
With ITS formation. To increase in depth as il pro-
crosses southwardly. In addition 10 coal, iron
90 is found in quantities. Timber for ordinary
purposes, with valuable ship timber, abounds
throughout this district; white pine for masts
and spars il is said, exists in large quantities.
The surrounding country, including the glades,
isbetter adapted to raising sheep, than perhaps
any portion Of the United States.
'NorE-The present charge or toll to the pro-
pretor ofthe mine, is one cent. But four mines
have been worked at all in this district. Tween
" or thirty yards drumming horizontally in the
hill being the greatest depth. From these mines 1t
issaid man can pick, shovel and wheel, 100 to
80 bushels per day. The demand is now very
limited. When the business shall be extensively
carried on, it is highly probable the toll, to the
owner Of the mine, will be reduced and the
quantity per man he much increased; so that
the whole cost, delivered at the mouth Of the
mine, will not exceed one, or one and half
cents per bushel.