The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-04-21
Process of the Formation of An
thracite Coal.

The Shenandoah (Pa.) Herald says:
We have before us now on our table a
specimen which is one-half anthracite
coal and the other half a solidified sedi-
ment. For over four years there has
been in use in the Indian Ridge shaft of
the Philadelphia Coal and Iron Com
pany, this district, a wooden pipe, about
six inches in diameter, made of inch
boards nailed together, which served to
carry water from one of the rings in the
shaft to the lower level. The rings are
boxes around the sides of the shaft
which catch the water coming out of
the rock, slate, or coal, and are put in
to prevent the water from falling down
and making a regular shower bath of
the shaft. At the ring in question a
large spring in the slate, about thirty
feet below the primrose vein, had been
struck, the water from which is APP
parently as pure as crystal.
Some four months since it was found
that this wooden pipe had become so
clogged with the reddish brown sedi-
ment that is deposited by all mine water,
that the open space in it was not more
than two inches in diameter, and not
large enough to carry off the water from
the ring. Consequently a new pipe
was put in, and the old one, nearly
closed with the sediment adhering to its
sides, was left standing. The water
was then turned into the new pipe and
cut off from the old one, which b some
fifty feet or over IN length. On Friday
last, after remaining in the shaft with
out any water passing through it for
ove four months, the greater part of
this old pipe was taken out, and when
broken open the wonderful phenomenon
presented itself that the sediment was
gradually changing into what appeared
to be anthracite coal. About a half
inch of the inside of the sediment lining
the pipe had changed into coal, and the
remainder was also gradually changing,
the only portions of the sediment re-
naming quite soft, being that part de-
posted first and mex. the sides of the
pipe. A cross section of the pipe now
shows, commencing at the center, first
u circle of about half an inch in diam
eter surrounding the two-inch opening
remaining in the pipe, then q circle of
sediment partly turned into coal, and
then the sediment in its natural state
and the sides of the pipe. The surface
Of sediment which was exposed to the
action of the atmosphere has changed
first, and the same influences or chem
ical combination which had changed its
nature were gradually operating on the
rest of the sediment. The process of
formation is plainly seer in the sedi-
ment next that already turned into coal.
Samples of coal taken from the pipe
have been tried on the blacksmith fire
at the colliery, and it makes an exceed
ingly hot fire, but being of a softer ma
ture than the natural anthracite, it
clinkers badly. Fortunately there are
any quantity of samples of this wonder
full formation, and those who are UNI
willing to believe without themselves
seeing and touching, can be accommo-
dated. There is no Keely-motor bust
ness about this discovery. A section of
the pipe about sixteen feet long has
been left standing in the shaft, to see
what results will follow in the next six
months or year. Samples have also
been sent to Gen. Peasants at Pottsville
for examination, and We suppose the
public will soon have the opinion of
gentlemen qualified to Judge on this
surprising formation; but if anthracite
coal will form from sediment deposited
by mine water when exposed to the ac-
ton of the atmosphere under certain
conditions for a period as short as four
months, what becomes of all the pet
theories Of the biologists and mining
engineers on the subjectp How about
the great heat, the millions of years of
time, and tremendous pressure which,
according to the various theories of the
heretofore accepted authorities, were
necessary to account for our deposits of
the finest and best fuel vet foundp