New-York tribune., 1874-03-09
oHIO'S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

TON SIMILAR TO PENNSYLVANIA AS A CoAN-
PRODUCING STATE
70 iAs Bditor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The work of the new geological sur
vey OF Ohio by Dr. Newberry and assistants begun
IN Spring OF 1869 has advanced so iar 'n"V o
are able 10 take view OF the plan pursueu' anu i"
notice some OF the results obtained inis 20 o ' ~
desirable sevenal other States, inciuuing t"o "u
OF Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as wen nc ao"0 "
New England are now considering the question Oh re-
.u,vev ~ their territory and point TO the work
An Ohio as I'm many respects a model OF what such
survey should be- This state was one OF the earnest 10
understand the importance OF thorough geologca
.nrvev for the development OF ts mineral wealth. and
,uoh a work commenced IN 1887 by the late froi
n.ther aided by Messrs. Locke Hildreth, Whttlesey
and Foster which gave great promise OF usefulness;
put after two years OF labor, and the publication OF
report Of much value. 1T from pecunary consdera
tons discontinued by the State. In the thirty years
which followed. much was done by private nvesti-
rators but so!many questions both OF practical and
theoretical interest known to be there awaiting
solution that geo0gsts heard with great pleasure the
news Of resuryey OF the State. The Chef Geoogst 70
whom this work was committed, and several OF his
assistants had already b. many years OF study become
familiar with the geology Of ONO, and hence nave oeeh
enabled in a comparatively short time. and with small
expenditure OF money, give us publications OF great
and permanent value
have before the two reports OF progress FOR 1863
and 1870 containing together aoout 75O pages ocaNo'
the first with preliminary geological map; ana, IN al
dtion 20 these, volumes OF the hnal report pup
shed IN 1873 OF these, one IS devoted to general III
PRODUCTION 20 the geology Of the State, followed by
moro detailed description the geology Of certain eoun
ties which taken up separately. The other volume
occupied with description OF the organic remains vi
the rocks. paROntolosy. second volume on the
local geology complete this portion Of the work. ana
a volume on the economic geology are, believe now
in the course prutng and these, with second vol
and
and botany will II is understood, complete the series
The published volume of descriptive geology contains
email colored maps occupying each single page, anu
representing considerable scale the geological Tor
nations of one or countes-an arrangement very
convenient for the local studentbeSde which we have
An atlas OF geological sections already published and
promise Of a complete geological map The general
style OF these publications regards paper and printing
isvery good.
The plan pursued by DR.. Newberry in the work Of the
survey deserving of notice and Of imitation In some
eases we have seen with regret the director Of such
great work appTOpratng with but scanty acknoWleds
,Dents the abors Of his accomplished asstauts but Dr.
Newberry has allowed 20 each the responsibility and
the credit of his abors Thus in the first volume Of
the report lie has discussed the physical geography
State aud its general geological features in an
Introduction which makes about onefOurth OF the vol
ne while Of the descriptions Of 81 counties which fol-
tow, but two are by himself the other being published
under the names OF Profs. Andrews and Orton, and
Messrs Read, Gilbert and n. II. Winchell In the
paleontoogy the description OF the molusks has been
nonhded 70 Mr. Meek while Dr. Negberry describes the
fishes and the fossil plants
The forthcoming volume on Economic Geology will be
looked for with great interest the the
valuable information contained in the reports of pro-
eross, embracing the labors of Profs Andrews and
wormiey the coal and iron ores of the state, wall
there he embodied IN connected form than was
possible during the progress Of the Investigations The
OF Prof Wormey, the chemist OF the survey
which appeared in the report 1870 great
and industry, and important in relation TO the
economic minerals Of the State His results since that
publication are less important and will
he Anxiously awaited In addition may expect the
results Of Mr. Newtons very careful studies of the iron
os the State
In attempting 70 give notion Of some Of the in
tresng results OF the survey already apparent 1t is
not easy 10 say from what point Of view it should DE
nrst considered Many important conclusions 10
The physical geography and the general relations of the
rckormatons invite attention, not less than the re-
tnarkabe additions made 10 our knowledge OF their or
ganio remains. Perhaps we may do well in ths per
piexity, 70 follow the example of the Director who,
knowing she higher parts Of the geological series,
bracnS the measures OF the greatest economic i'm
portanee and the most immediate interest has turned
hs first attention 70 them aud devoted the greater
portion OF the two reports OF progress, and his
own abors with those OF Profs Andrews and Wormley
regards her coal and interests, Ohio holds place
among me States Union second only that of
Pennsylvania place which IL due not only 20 the IN
trnsic OF her coal aud deposits but 10 her
geographical position. In the eastern and southeastern
counties found the northwestern border of the great
Appalachian coaheld, and this portion OF 1t is more
over characterized by the presence of Goals OF excep
tionai excellence. The coal from the lowest in the
formation. underlying parts Of Mahouing Columbana,
and some adjacent counties in the northeast part OF
Ohio is known Throughout the West the Briar Hill
coal and greatly priced not only for all ordinary
uses but furnace coal for smelling IRON is this
single seam OF cJa which has been the foundation of
the great industry that portion OF the state. In
the MahOnlng Valley alone there in 1871 q blast
furnaces producing 100000 tons OF iron with the
aid Of this coal II may here be explained that while
the bituninous coal Of other requires 10
undergo preliminary process of coking before ii is fl
for the blast furnace the Hill COAL from the
that soften by heat, Is used in its state
like anthracite aud from its purity moreover, yields,
with good irOnlOf high grade. large part Of
the rich iron Of Lake Superior is brought TO
Cleveland to be either smelted with tins coal
carried directly into the coahed itself This coal is,
beside shipped in large quantities Chicago Detroit,
lake ports. The studies OF DR. Newberry in
the report for 1870. recently those by Mr..
Read the final report have added much knOwl-
edge OF this valuable coal and, while pointing ts
probable extension beyond the limits hitherto supposed
have shown that the supply is, after all,
limited one, from the numerous Interruptions and
in parts from the thinness OF the deposit;
white 70 the souhward IL disappears at least IS
DO longer recognized by us peculiar qualities.
Fortunately for the State. however, the geological
vey in the southern part the existence
of second OF free-burRng furnace coal similar
10 that OF the north and much exceeding il thickness
and In the facilities Tor mining. Little was known Of
his Natle H