Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-04-01

| q most faithful man, and thoroughly acqualn-
| ted with the working of this Ore. gave
close attention TO his description of the work
ing Of the Watson Bank, and found that
there was, if he were not mistaken, an inver-
| ton in the strata near the Ore, or at least
marked extraordinary change. This descrip-
ton was SO evidently truthful, that we made
renewed search for any leader, and found
faint traces of the bog oxide in fields adjoin-
ing the Shaw lands, but further from the
ridge, and spring there also showed strong
marks Of the iron. We resolved to abandon
the work on Shaw's land which mainly lies
on the S. W. slope ofthe gap, and sunk Sc
ries of small trial shafts on the second bench,
going step by step toicards the Oriskany out
crop. Being deeply interested in the solu-
| ton Of problem which / knew tt be of i'm
mense Importance, | carefully recalled the
descriptions of this region given in Rogers
Report, satisfied that / had omitted to note
| some condition in the formation on which the
| position and the discovery of the Ore depend
| ed. While anxiously rejecting ON the sub
| Ject it flashed across my mind, that there
| was a trough fa the tOacer layers Of formation
8, and hastily turning to Rogers description
Of this very ridge in 1910, read in page 50.
Another sandstone ridge, the most south
eastern of the series, seen Immediately north
west Of Lewistown, extends for several miles
along the Huntingdon turnpike until it ter
inmates about half mile north of Strodes'
Mill. This belt of sandstone, like most 9th
ers, supports narrow strip OF formation
oIoBy is summit, protected from denudation
by occupying the middle Of a trough IN the
strata. Here was the key of the region-the
difficulties all vanished, the problem was
solved, the ore was hidden in q narrow, deep
trough lying along the summit mot the crest
of the outcropping sandstone, which like
rugged but faithful guardian, held within its
embrace and protected from destruction, this
mineral treasure. Professor Rogers Justly
characteristics ii as q beautiful provision for
the protection and distribution Of the Ore"
1t is another among the innumerable instan-
of the wisdom and benefcence of the Al |
mighty Architect of the Earth and the Hea-
yens. That your readers may understand |
clearly the position Of the ore bearing por
tlon of this formation, it must be remember |
ed that geological and geographical height |
are entirely different from each other, and |
that the various layers, strata, or plates of !
rocks, clays, &c., of this formation were orig /
inally laid down horizontally, and that the |
ground between the first Limestone ridge n. |
". of Lewistown and the Sandstone ridge |
parallel with and next to it is completely fill |
led by basin or syuclinal axis Of Formation /
over the other in regular succession, bend /
them upward at each end, thus you have .
Synclinal axis, the ends are synclinal ridges. |
the centre is occupied by the higher and the I
sides by the lower layers, although they ap-
Psar to be the highesi; now mark along the +
sides near the edges trough running paral- /
lei with them, and YOU have the position of /
the Ore in a synclinal axis; Il Is acihin this /
trough and no tcheTe else but in the hills of I
the opposite or anticlnal structure the black
slate and the ore occupy-a narrow valley,
with the coarse sandstone of on one side,
and hills of the grey sandstone and olive slate
on the other; cut slip through the upturned
edges, shaped like the letter Y, with long
sloping side to represent the right bank If
the Kishacoquillas, at the gap at Shaw's you
will see at glance how the trough is cut
away by the creek. On visiting the new shaft
which was started on Klne's land adjoining
Shaws, ] found that it showed the black
slate dipping steeply, not from, but topdrd the
ridge Another small shaft ten feet nearer
the ridge brought us to thin seams Of cement
and small fragments of oxdised ore. We
were rapidly approaching the Ore beyond
doubt We moved yet nearer the ridge and
on Saturday after working all day in the
sand which had washed down from the sides
Of the ridge, We were sure of the prize if we
had bat daylight sufficient to work. On
Monday morning, very early. the work was
renewed, and about eight o'ceck the Ore was
struck-an ample compensation for all the
difficulties which we had encountered. 1t
lies undisturbed in the deep, well guarded
channel prepared for its protection, q regular,
heavy band Of the proto carbonate of iron,
oxidised at its outcrop, precisely similar in
chemical composition with the nodular and
plate ores of the coal measures" tRogers
Report, 1910 easily mined and smelling with
great ease the carbonate of the coal measures
Yields when smelted alone one of the finest
metals in the world" Lesley, Manual of
Coal, and there is no reason why this Ore
will not give similar yield, for il is exactly
similar in character. There is not doubt of its
presence IN great force for miles along the
summit Of the second ridge ~ ". Of Leafs
to,cn and among tie other parallel sandstone
ridges, cchererer this trough remains an posi-
tion. The application of a single, well ascer-
tanned fact in practical geology has cleared
away all difficulty in finding this valuable
mineral, and there Is no more guess work or
mystery about it. ] forbear any comment on
the importance of this discovery further than
to say that every rejecting and intelligent
man will see in it the real basis of the future
prosperity of this dlstrict-a future not dis
tant if we would but appreciate the undeyel-
oped wealth that surrounds us.
In another paper | will present some con.
sideratiOns in regard to the management of
this Ore in furnace, which trust may prove
interesting to your readers.
Very respectfully yours,
March 30, 1858. WM. II. IRWIN.