The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-03-15
Cambria County,
CHAPTER III.
General Description.

soil along the streams is unproduetive;
and elsewhere rugged and cold" The re-
verse of this is actually the case. a large
portion of our upland is equal to that of
the valley Of the Juniata, producing
wheat, corn, and particularly buckwheat,
oats, and potatoes, in the greatest abun-
dance while the vicinity of the streams
Is wet and cold, being much better adap-
ted for pasturage than for grain. The
agricultural productions Of the county do
not supply its inhabitants, though in some
particular articles, such as potatoes and
butter, the supply exceeds the demand
The storms of winter, which are here ex-
perienced in the greatest violence, strip
the fields Of their coat Of snow, and expose
the wheat to the action Of the frost and
this important grain is, to use familiar
term, ''froZen out"
The best wheat-growing portions Of the
county are the '.Omish" and "Goughnour"
hills in Conemaugh, the table lands on
both sides Of the Conemaugh creek in
Summerhill, the dividing ridge between
Conemaugh and Chest IN Cambria and
Allegheny townships, the Chest Hill in
Clearfeld township, and the ''Glasgo" set
tlement in White township. Thebest corn
is produced in the Southern portion Of the
county The other productions are equally
abundant wherever the soil has been equal
ly tested.
The CLIMATE Of Cambria countyis much
more severe than that Of the counties East
or West in the same degree Of latitude
Vegetation IS at least two weeks later than
in the neighborhood Of Hollidaysburg,
twenty miles further East The winter
season usually sets in about the middle Of
November, and continues with almost un-
abated fury till the middle Of March. Du-
ring this season the aspect Of the country
is dreary and unprePossessing but the
merry jingle of the sleigh-bells, and the
shouts Of the mountain ''sIeddcrs," while
they take advantage Of the snow to get
their produce or lumber to market, give
evidence that business and pleasure are
not neglected during this unacceptable
season.
But if the winter is rugged, the summer
season is healthy and inviSorating in an
eminent degree; indeed, such is the rep
utation Of our mountain climate, that in
valids from our Eastern and Western
metropolis, in large numbers, spend a
portion Of the summer season in our midst.
That interval peculiar to American sea-
sons, known as "Indian summer is of
peculiar grandeur and beauty, as well as a
period Of great interest to our producers,
being used by them in collecting their
crops and preparing the winter provision.
The principal MINERAL resources of the
county consist in bituminous coal, iron
and limestone.
Immense veins Of bituminous coal are
to be found in almost every portion Of the
county. 1t abounds in Conemaugh, Wash
ington, Allegheny, Summerhill, Cambria
Carroll and Blackick. Along the line ol
public Improvements, and principally il
Washington township, it is worked very
extensively, and exported to the Eastern
markets. The coal mined in this neigh
| borhood is of hard and firm texture
That mined in the Western portion of the
county more nearly resembles the Pitts
burg COAL containing more bitumen thar
that found nearer the summit Of the
mountain. The coal found near Ebens
burg is not quite so pure as either of tn,
other varieties, but partakes of the nature
of both.
\ very extensive bed of what is believed
to be camel coal has been discovered OF
the land of Joseph Burkhart, seven mile.
West of Ebensburg. Should this prove
to be the case, a new vein of minera
wealth has been opened, of great impor
tance to the community.
Iron ore has been found in large quan
titles in Conemaugh, Allegheny, and Black
lick, and perhaps in other townships
1t has been worked very extensively il
Conemaugh township, where quite mum
Der of furnaces has been erected, whicl
shall be described more particularly unde
the head OF ConemauSh township. TIL