The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-01-20


any other district can make moro eco
oomicsl showing. This il greatly below
the ordinary expense in assessing state
and county taxes II Home journal.
Ths Osigss 81 Csas on.
from tn, Alton Telegraph
have been reading interesting skatis-
ties Of the quantity Of coal oil obtained
and shipped from the oil wells in Eastern
Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
Il occurs 10 NE, that, perhaps. there
are many Of your country readers, (of
course your scientific city readers are con-
versant with ell the facts shall state,
they can turn to the political phase Of
your paper tor information and con.olida
tion,) who are not familiar with the his
tory Of the origin and existence Of that
vast reservoir of oil
The operations Of nature, when CON-
prehe ndtd by man. (which ia rarely the
case, are invariably the most interesting
themes that can be presented TO the con.
1 templative mind; and in this exhibition
We have one Of these comprehensive, far
reaching results characteristic Of the ope-
ration Of those exsenied sad general lass
instituted by the Creator
Man in his operations, is laborious,
minute, and partial. The Creator is CON
preheusive and general. not laboriousiy
J creating individuals, but by ensctment Of
. general chemical laws, creating or altering
species or orders--speakirg into existent
classes or geners; then BY d IL laamusabe
Altering aud 70 arranging PARTICLES in the
production of distinctly dissimisr sub
stances. Ia the contemplation Of this
. subject We have presented to Us, origine,
and results calculated to awaken the most
profound reverence: the loftiest adnira-
tion, the deepest gratitude. Who can re-
aiizs that beneath the surface OF the TEEN
ling earth lies spFead out An ocean Of
invaluable oil. and not vecegnix. the fact
that Mightier than man provides and
aecumulstes for man-pot alone for his
necessities. but for his pleasures, his re-
inement. and his elevation?
In The mind Of the unfinished. the ques-
l,ion is iavoluntarily sprung. Whence
this vast accumulation OF oIesginous mat
teri Why bis disposition NJ this par,ic-
alar poinly The answer comes back
there is nothing here whence it could
have originated -thero 10 no psrceptible
reason, why il shoald have aseumaiated
at this, 10 preference TO another point;
but investigation Envelopes facts, and
though the reason is not apparen. TO the
casual observer, there are tacts. wAich,
hen taken in connection with fsciS, pre-
} scented 1T other and distant points, are
suffi eisnt, satisfactorily, to account for the
accumulation in this locality. To End the
origin and kun,ain head of this rysteri.
Gus deposit, We must travel, perhaps. nlore
than an hundred mIles-we must scale
the towering Al'tghenies, aud descending
their eastern slope, deive into the bowsia
OF the earth, there 10 philosophize.
We find accumulated there an almost
imitless field of Anthracite coal. On
comparison Of this coal With the coke
which results from the artificial sBauufsc.
ture of oil from btumenous coal ue end
the Two substances idenlicsliy one. the
latter differing from the former only 10
| the fact Of beiog light and poraas, while
the former is compsct and h}asy-the
result OF great pressure while in heated
condition.
4 There was period in the history Of
the world. when these mountains did not
exit, but in their stead there vas ia Oh
4 probability deep basin in the earth. and
the earth was covered By II sea; and Tor
/ age upon age the currents OF the water &C
cumulated and deposited here the veges..
bic mstter from which was formed this
bed of coal.
i From internal disturbances the molten
mass forming the interior portion VI the
earth was put 10 such violent motion az
to upheave these mountains. I, myself
while travelling in these mountains, 7havs
Isees, where man had cnt dowa and r..
moved transverse section Of then the
strata of rock bent and folded % one
might bend and fold number q sheets
OF writing paper placed upon another
indicating the mighty force which gave
| origin to them. The great pressure, aai
great heat, brought to bear upon the bed
OF coal. liberated the oil. Up 10 that % j
lriqd the cosl had been bitums.one and
NOT anshracite. Y
| The general inclination Of Tie ssoees.
sire strdfxm IT the earth from this eoel.
i vest b. soatb: and the I'll foliowins
this inolinssion. aossd usseVsr6 4 asfil II
met ! basf3sr from he strue1 0l de eatsh
taking diGefcns iaeIinalios. spd lhere
i eccumulatcds and there - fAd IL.
70 desn0eSefate that the sisais u the
/ enrth haxa fkfa sua~6ae,neS ~ d. Il. III z