Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-11-03
From the Pennsylvania Inquirer

j
from one of the most instructive explorations in
which it has ever been my fortune to participate.
This is intensely interesting region, fruitful in
suggestions, not less to the manufacturer and man
Of business than to the geo!ogi5t. The town at
which writing is situated Oh the national turn
pike road eleven miles west of Cumberland, and on
ridge of the Allegheny mountains twenty-five
hundred feet above tide-water The prospect from
the terrace of the hotel is highly picturesque,
handing a view of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
Virginia 1t is eleven TO twelve hundred feet above
Cumberland, requiring grade Of upwards OF one
hundred feet to the mile. It's name was not, as
many suppose derived from its bleak atmosphere in
winter, but from Mr.. Frost, OF the early set
tiers and land pruprleOrs. 1t is place Of avorlte
resort by the corched denizens OF the Atlantic cities
bCi0c; and ON referring to the different hotel regis
tiers discovered that it had been visited during the
past summer months by families from Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and in
Vulnerable other places at all points OF the compass.
The occasion is here indeed, | am informed,
when night can be passed comfortably without the
aid of a blanket We have fires now morning and
evening, and the crowded state of the hotels by
highly respectable gentlemen and their families from
the East and West proves that temperature requr-
ing them even in summer is preferred to the burning
heat of the great cities. Aside from the peasurabe
emotions which such change never fails to pro-
duce, a cogent reason for the preference may be
found in the healthy and invigorated appearance Of
all soioumers.
the place without ltS historical associations.
1t is through these mountains that the celebrated
military road Of the English was made in colonial
times, the traces of which are still quite evident.
! 1t was this spot that the youthful Washington
halted with the British army during the French and
| Indian war; and Just before the lamenLahe defeat of
| Gen BraddocS. But the subject oil greatest interest
at present is the socalled . Cumberland or Frost
! burg coal BASIN " The northeastern outcrOp or
termination of this coal field is found in Pennsyl
vania about fifteen miles southwest of Bedford Its
eastern termination is about eight miles west Of
| umbcrland.-Passng entirely through Maryland
in southwesterly direction, it crosses the Potomac,
and extends into Virginia. Its length is about thir-
ty miles and width about four. The town Of Frost
burg is within few hundred yards Of the centre of
the basin. The portion lying in the State Of Mary
land, STYLED the Cumberland Frostburg coal basin
is computed at hundred and fifty square miles
The great ven which is alone worked to any extent
is found in Pennsylvania to be thirteen feet thick ;
in Maryland at Frostburg, fifteen feet; and
at Westenport, the Potomac, seventeen feet
There several other strata, which together have
been variously estimated capable OF yielding from
sixty to one hundred thousand tons per acre. The
coal is all mined horizontally, and in instance
have miners been yet compelled to resort to shaftng
except for ventilation. The dip is Just sufficient
for water drainage and to afford convenient incna-
ton of the roadway, enabling one horse to bring out
four 'miners cars" containing about two tons each
with ease and entire safety.
This coal contains about SGrenty3f0lr parts of
fixed carbon and thirteen parts of bltumen, whereas
the Newcastle coal of England containeS but fifty
four partS of fixed carbon and h2ty-Sir partS Of
bitumen. For the sake of comparison, and the bet
ter enable to define the relative pecularities
of the Cumberland or Scnlj-bt'UliHouS, the New
castle highly JUlDlltOUS and the anthracite
Goals, it is proper To remark that the Ldckawana
and other anthracite Goals contain according to the
analysis of Professor Walter Il. johnson, made and
published by order of Congress, and from which |
derive the foregoing facts, about eiShyejght parts of
fixed carbon, and but about t0IV parts of bitumen.
From these details it will be perceived how the title
of SenrbHtonjnOus coal is derived 1t may be
added that to the same pecuaries is ascrlbable the
Incompatible value OF the Cumberland coal for GER
tain purposes.
With view of imparting a better idea of the
character of this region ana its future influence on
and participation in the coal trade OF the country it
will not be deemed inappropriate, in this connection,
to transcrbe portions of the published opinions of
several scientific gentlemen, whose names entitle
what they utter to entire confidence
Professor Forrest Sheppard, OF New Haven, i'll
speaking of the Cumberland coal field, remarks that
here may be what believe is earth Nth
out a paraltel what one would imagine the vast
treasures of coal and iron scattered the wide
spread regions of the West, profusey heaped up and
confined to mountain walls within the narrow limits
of a few miles. Besides the extraordinary coal
seams and the altogether ineXhaustble beds of iron
ore two prominent features of this coal formation
marlIable regularity and uniformity of the various
STRATA which include the coal and ore beds.
Not a dyke, fault, diSi0cdtiOR is discoverabe
through its whole extent" The Professor states
that his estimates give to every nearly one
hundred thousand tons of coal, remarkable for its
purity and excellence"
Professor Charles w. Sheppard, of the University
of South Carolina, remarks that " the greatest adj
vantage connected with the position of the Goals of
this region undoubtedly arises from their being level
free; i. from their requiring no mechanical power
to effect their drainage. The expenses involved in
the ventilation and drainage of a single mine in
England often amount to 100000, the whole of
which vast expenditure will be rendered completely
superluous in this highly favored district" The
Professor adds: Z" But it is well known that the At
lantic towns already beginning to direct their
expectations to this district for the supply of bet
ter fuel than they now possess or can reasonably
hope for from any other quarter. l would not be
undersoodas wishing to dsparage the excellent fuel
we already have in the Pennsylvania anthracite.
For many purposes is quite unrivaled, such for
burning in close furnaces and for certain kinds of
smith-worS. But the difficulty of kindling the
comfortable intensity with which its combustion
goes forward when it is lit, the strong draught
it requires in chimneys, and the consequent liability
of frequent returns of unwhoesome gas across the
fuel into the apartment, combine to render it far less
desirable for open crate than dry burning btu
mnous fuel, like that afforded by the Allegheny
| coal-iield."
Mr. Mushet, OF Worcestershire, well known as
| the most eminent and experienced iron master in
Great Britain, says of this coal, in his report, spe-
cmen sent is the UeIy best bttialn0uS coal haze
erer met 1cih. | should consider it well adapted to
iron making. 1t contains and will form as much
weight of coke from given quantity of coal as the
best South Wales furnace Goals"
| DIR. IRE, OF England, in his report says: "Your
specimen, tclich comes from near the surface, re-
sembes closely in external appearance, Goals of the
Monkland and Calder districts field near Glasgow,