Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-10-31
MIDDLE CREEK RAILROAD.
Iron Manufacture I'm Central
PENNSYLVANIA.


r. II. on the Manufacture of iron in thi
region, we ought to be satisfied that "!
have very large body of iron-ore. l asl
attention first to the scientific testimony
on this point:
Formation 5, North West Of Lee0isto'0"'
"The formation at Browns gap, "hGFt
the KishacOquillas creek passes tiir rous Ii u :
deep notch in Jacks mountain, II ""o"
q mile and three quarters "iue; ~ 'iii ~ u
the northwest side Of Fergus0n's EalieN
and extending half way up tne slope o.
the mountain. IIns helt oi !"riiiatlol .
| i traversed by the first anticlinal axis oi
nur enumeration, which lifts to the sur
face the fOssitiferOus ore about two miles
southwest of the gap. The existence Ot
the ore is indicated by a ridge extending
along the north west side of FergusOn's
Valley, and which consists of the grey
sandstone stratum of formation ), inlDle-
Tiatcty supporting the ore, the anticlinal
axis running along the centre of this little
rilge of sandstone, the fOssiliferous ore is
brought up on q dOubLe line Of Out-crOp,
me portion resting Oa each tank. The
ridge extends south west between five and
six miles "-IHdge 6S, Rogers Report Of
lS4l.
Iron Ore IN Formation s.
CThe Hills Immediately North and North
West of Lewistown.)
"The discovery of the true nature and
exact position of the iron-Ore connected
with this formation, furnishes an interest
ing illustration of the utility of geological
researches Systematically prosecuted. The
ore having been previously dug at the out
crop only. at remote and scattered points,
no general clue to its position applicable
in practice had been detected, nor was ii
probable that any could be, until the order
: haI Lonv, +al, nj
meth0dicaIly studied. NOsooner was this
done, however, than we perceived, THAT
ALL THE OUT-CROPS OF THE ORE ACCI-
DENTALIY DISCOVERED IN THE FORMA-
TIOS, BELONGED TO ONE SOLID & EXTEN-
SIVE BAND, REGULARLY INTERSTRATI-
FLED IN THE LOWER PART OF THESE
STATES accompanied by such well mark
eel features in the adjoining rocks rs to
render the tracing OF its course, with
proper skill and knowledge, matter of
EASE and CERTAINTY. From the descrip-
ton above given of the several belts of for
nation s, in the long ard wide Valley Of
Lewistown, some idea can be had of THE
TRULY PRODIGIOUs body of this ore which
remains yet undevelOped. The stratum
O{ ore varies in thickness from three or
four feet to ten or fifteen feet. The stra-
tum remote from its outcrOp, consists of
bands of pORderOu8 blush grey or Jedd
cOIored dDrOtO-cdrbOa0te ofirOR, sometimes
breaking into square masses, and some
times of a more Slaty or laminated struC-
ture. The analysis, Chap. 6, will display
the usual composition of the ore. " p. 81 81.
Description.
Compact; nOdular; color blush grey,
occurs as REGULAR STRATUM in the
lower beds of formation in various pla-
ces.
Composition in 100 parts:
Silica and insOluble matter, 100
Alumiua, $50
ProtoXide of Iron, 5000
q CarbOnic Acid, 3O5
Water, 90
10005
This specimen contains 3S.S per cent.
metallic iron. This UdLuubieore has never
been worked, though it is obviously rich
ea0ttyh and sufficiently pure. The guam
tity of it in many of the synclinial basins
of formation s, where it often forms
regular seam is INEXHAUSTIBLE.n p. l6S.
These are the opinions of Professor
Henry d. Rogers, State GeOlogist Of Pa.
one Of the first scientific men of the day,
and he is sustained by Professor J. P. Les
ly of Philadelphia, and other of the most
eminent of our geologists. We here have
ottbCSAi ASlf IANhN III 4 SuSoll dllEN lIitGG
is Ridge which is " saddled" by a seam
of fOssiliferOus iron ore" the fOssiliferous
ore is brought up in double line of out
crop, one portion resting on each flanlln
-" The ridge extends southwest between
five and six miles " Our practical work
ings prove the truth of these statements.
Any one can visit and examine the Ora
ham Bank" in Ferguson s. Valley, b
miles from Lewistown; the ore is opened
Nnh faY l. e 4
crfully timbcred drifts, one of which is
$50 feet in length; and 2! miles southwest
of Graham's, at the Cupples' bank, and
twe miles southwest of Cupples' at Now
rvs bank, the same heavy seam was
opened in the same ridge. This ore-ridge
stands out boldly for six miles on the
northwest border of Ferguson's Valley,
and is cut by small streams from the
mountain to its very base about every half
mile, giving double points of attack on
each side. 1t is the very best mining
ground | have ever seen. The ore is cal
careous and fossiliferous, and yields about
40 per cent. metallic iron; it is neither
sandy nor sulphurous. The~breasting of
solid ore on the Graham bank is more
than lZ0 feet in height The same rich
stratum of ore is brought to the surface
oy series or low ridges near the Penn
sylEanla Canal, six miles west of I,ewis-
town, and is now mined there for the
Glamorgan Furnace. 1t is also mined
along the south flank of Jacks Mountain
near Mt. Union, and vast beds of it have
been opened in Snyder county near Bea-
TYGrtown, and in Perry, Huntingdon and
Plalt counties, and it must range through
Juniata county. So far therefore as the
fossil iron ore is concerned. scientific and
practical testimony demonstrate it to be
present In Central Pennsylvania in mex
haustbie quantity, the quality of the
ore Is admirable and the mining cheap.
In regard to the hematite or per oxide,
or more correctly the sesquoxide of iron
L ask particular attention to the words OF
Rogers. He declares that in the long and
wide valley of Lewistown the hoS,r ~
this ore undeveloped is "prodiqiols, land
tnat the seams of ore are from 9 to 8 aad