The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-04-04


THE ANTHRACITE COAL FIELDS
of Rockingham and Augusta counties are sit
uated along the eastern ranges of the .Shen-
andoah Tor Great North Mountain, bounded
on the east by Little North (or Narrow
Back Mountain, and on the west by the
Shenandoah Mountain. both of which are
members of the great Appalachian range,
which extends southernly from New York
through Pennsylvania and Virginia and into
Alabama. The Dora anthracite coal basin
is from three-quarters to one mile in width
aross the strike or course of the mines, and
extends from point seven miles south OF
North River Gap, westwardly 26 miles or
more, including tie Briery Branch Gap.
The coal belongs to the sub-carboniferou
formation, and is associated with the white
and gray sandstones, some of which are de-
cidedIy silicious, of the respective series, no.
X Of Rogers survey, Ohe latter formation
resting upon the Catskill red sandstone) and
No. TX Of Rogers survey. The Narrow
Back and Great North Mountains are of the
same formation as the outer -encircling
mountains in which are the anthracite coal
fields of Pennsylvania.
The veins on the eastern side of the Mar
row Back at the Dora mines have been in
verified or folded upon their eastern dips, in
manner similar to those in the southern
edge of the Pennsylvania anthracite coal
fields but to a much greater degree.
At North River Gap the eastern dip
pitches from to Is degrees east, and the
western Tor inverted) dip from 30 to so de-
grees east. The coal which has been mined
in such openings as have been made (Which
up to this time only extend few feet from
the outcrop, excepting the Scheffer Slope,
which is about 20 feet in) is undoubtedly an
anthracite, burning freely and leaving but
little, if any, residue more than the ash,
which is white.
During the late wa. some 800 tons of coal
from the Scheffer Slope was hauled to Staun-
ton, Woodstock and other places, and used
successfully for furnaces and cupolas it has
also been used in ordinary coal stoves and
given entire satisfaction. The vein in this
slope at the face is feet thick, divided into
two benches of about equal thickness the
top bench is composed of pure hard coal of
excellent quality, while the lower bench has
not as yet shown as compact seam as the
upper one.
About so feet south Of the above opening
there is another slope in the same vein which
is about feet thick, yielding much better
quality of coal in very large Jumps this
slope is about 30 feet deep, but was full OF
water at the time I was there. This is
very important opening and will doubtless
be vigorously worked as soon as it can be
cleared of water.
Further up the western slope of the Mar
row Back some 200 or 300 feet there is anoth-
er vein, which, though not yet developed,
shows,large outcrop. At Briery Branch Gap,
about seven miles northeast on the same
slope Of the mountain, some 100 feet above
the foot, there is shafting upon vein or
feet in thickness, which was also full of wa
ter the coal lying around at the top re-
sembles the Lykens Valley pennsylvania
anthracite. All the mines in this field that
have been explored have solid rock roofs
and floors, which is valuable feature, adj
ding much to cheapness in mining. The
situations of these mines geographically
are well suited fer cheap colliery improve
ment, and some six extensive colieries may
be worked here to advantage. The distance
from these mines to Fredericksburg ION tide
water) is, by the new railroad above men,
toned, l19 miles.
Messrs. Booth & Garrett of Philadelphia,
in their report of February %, 1877, adj
dressed to Mr.. S. D. Harms of that city,
President of the Royal Land Company OF
Virginia, say: 'We have often heard of
this and other Goals OF Virginia termed semi
bituminous, semi-anthi bituminous an
thracite, SC. In order to set the question at
rest, we here present three analyses of coal,
one IF the Lykens Valley (Pennsylvania)
from the Phillips & Shaffer miEe, of we'll
know character. and the others of two OF
your Goals, from openings on Briery Branch
and Little Coal Run, five miles apart:
VIOLA. Wa lash.
o@ m ma. r : .er. lo.-l.