Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-07-23
Original Department

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From the Mronongaiia Mirrsr'
GEOLOGY Of WESTERN VIRGINIA.
NO. 2.
MR. Eplros- :.
According to promise we will
continue our G Biological Excursion. Com.
men cling at the mouth Of Cheat river
where we stopped las, week, and ascend
ing thai river we find the main coal bed
with the oliphant one, as We generally
call it, running in the hill on both sides
Of the river upto the Monongalia Iron
Works, and cropping out at this point at
a height Of some $50 or 400 feet above
the liver. The space between the crop
ping Of this, coal and the river is made VI
Of one considerable bed Of sand rock, va
Iious beds Of limestone, and four small
beds Of coal interspersed between variou:
grades Of shale portion Of this shale II
foss;llerous. so n3i "
The Lsurel Hill, at The chea, cut, ID
abou, 1000 feet high; and from Ices Fer
~ up 10 the centre Of the cut developers
about 1900 feet Of the crest, forming al
mos, q perfect arch. Ftom the mouth Of
Cheat river 10 The foot of the Laurel Hill
we find great many fine water powers,
several of them occupied with grist and
saw mills; and in the fertile valley at
the foot of the Laurel Hill is situated the
Monongalia Iron Works, where great
Quantities Of iron and nails have been
manufactured from the ore. This is a
fine water power. About II miles above
this, at the mouth Of Quarry Run, there
lisa much greater 2ower-the river being
rery narrow, its banks rock, with con-
siderable fall; every facility for building
dam; the best Of building rock on both
eides al the spot, sufficient for building
without Limitation; this being the point
where the great conglOmers,e rock, with
the three beds Of iron ore. dips 10 the
river. ~
A, the upper location Of the Mononsa'
La Works We find The new steam furnace
located on the top Of the heavy bed oil
sand rock tha, divides the two coal groups;
il rising a, this poin. tsay Ices Ferry,l
from under the river; directly under this
rock lays the main coal bed Of the lower
group. This bed Of coal rises from under
the bed Of the river precisely at lees
Ferry, and rises on the roll Of the Laurel
Hill, with The other strata, at 8 or9 de-
erees and crops out about half way W
che Laurel Hill. This is a working seam
OF coal, from a to S feet thick. From s
10 II feet under this bed Of coal we fnd
working seam Of lion ore. Ascending
the river abou, half a mile We see the
great conglomerate sand rock rising ma
iestically from under the river. The
space between this great rock and the
working bed Of coal above spoken Of, say
about 400 feet, is composed Of intersper.
s.d sand rocks, small coal beds, shale, and
interspersed iron ore. Ole NUN working
bed Of ore lying nearly on The top Of the
conglomera,e sand rock. This great rock
rises from 10 to le degrees to- the top oil
The Laurel Hill, and is SO thrown up as 10
stand in detached parcels over this great
and uniform roll. In the space Of 80 feet
under this great rock we find thee dis.
tinct fine working beds Of iron ore, from
which large quantities have been taken
and worked at number Of furnaces along
the Laurel Hill, and although SO much
has been taken out Of those ore beds OF
the Laurel Hill, i, has made bu, q marx
upon its trace. Ascending the river about
half a mile further we sec bed of lime
stone rising from under tho river. a por-
lion Of this bed Of limestone is Of very
superior quality, and is about 100 feet
thick, with the interspersion OFF, little
limestone shale. The space between the
conglomerale rock and this heavy bed Of
limestone is some $50 feet, which is com.
posed Of various colors Of shale, consld-
etable portion red; interspersed sand
stone with The three working beds Of ore
above spoken of. Under this bed Of lime.
stone in Chea, river, cut in the centre oil
the Laurel Hill roll, there is about 500 #,
of various strata, considerable portion Of
which is Ssd shale. lcannot say for cer'
tain whether or no, we can reach the fos
sill ore that is found neur Cumberland, AL
lsgheny county, Md. We have tried
samples Of The ore at the river shore
which mus, have fallen out Of tile bill.
Cheat river has probably taken its name
from the deception in the appearance Of
its depth, caused by its peculiar color
There are various opinions as to the cau'e
OF The dark OF rather purple color Of The
water. | believe the general opinion il
tina, the coloring is produced BY the guam
n