The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-11-01
UPPER MONONGAHELA COAL.
The Large Veins which the Exc
tension of Slnckwater will
Open 10 u Market.

Correspondence Uniontown Standard. ]
NEw GENEVA, Pa, Oct. 90 1879
1t is reported that the Government
will appropriate the means to con
struct the second dam required to
extend slackwater to Morgantown,
West Va. For the purpose of reach
ing Morgantown three dams in all
are required above Geneva, the pres
ent terminus of slackwatcr naviga-
ton. OF these the upper dam is now
nearly finished, and the means are
provided by act of Congress to COM
plete it. As soon as the Government
begins No. s, the Navigation Com
pany is expected to commence work
at the third, or lowest of the three
dams. Several years ago it was in
the reports of the Navigation Com
pany that their two upper dams five
and six) had paid only tho expenses
of maintenance. II is asked why, IL
this be so, should other dams be pro-
posed farther up2 If all your read
ers were acquainted with the re-
sources Of West Virginia, which
could by means of this improvement
be made so easily tributary to the
city of Pittsburgh, the question would
never have been asked. Even among
the river men the idea is prevalent
that in ascending the river the quail
ty of the coal deteriorates. To some
extent this notion is well founded,
for it is fact that in the western
and southern markets, coal from pools
three and four does not sell for as
much as that from the lower pool,
though considered excellent for steam,
etc. In order Of merit. first stands
Youghiogheny coal, which is that up
to the third dam; then Monongahela
coal, or whatever it may be termed,
from the upper pool. The coke man.
ufactured by Bcall d Co, at Cats run,
two and half miles from Geneva,
proves to be equal in quality to the
Youghiogheny coke. Then follows
the Great Kanawha river coal, and
other tracts below the city Of Pitts
burgh, with which we are not here
concerned But besides the differ
ence,in quality of coal, the increased
tolls in bringing it from the upper
pools operate further against them.
1t is estimated that lockage amounts
to tax Of 500 per acre on coal
from pool No. l, and $500 per acre
tax on coal from No. 4, while the
towing adds still more to the differ
erence. But as an Offset to this IL
must be recollected that coal lands
are valued at say 5000 per acre in
pool No. /, while in the fourth pool
they are valued at only $l60 per acre.
In the end therefore, it is about as
profitable to work one pool as another
up to certain limits. Concerning
the quality of the coal higher up the
river, however, there is no longer
any doubt, for that mined near Nor
gantown and farther above is equal
in every respect to the best Youghio-
gheny, Wcstmoreland or Penn. coal.
Therefore the extension Of slackwa-
ter to Morgantown will pass over the
dry or poor spot" If there is any
along the beautiful Monongahela,
and open up new and better field.
Not only is this upper coal superior
in quality, but the thickness of the
vein is remarkable 1t runs from
eight to eleven feet in workable thick
ness, whereas on the lower Mononga-
hela the veins are only four to five
feet thick. There is thus twice as
much coal per acre above as below.
This West Virginia coal has been
shippe to different cities of the I'm
ion, and everywhere it is considered
as first rate quality of gas coal.
An experiment at Chicago several
years ago proved it was better for
steam than any of fifteen samples
that were tried. Among those ex-
perimented on was Pittsburgh coal.
The cost of coal lands in West Vir
ginia along the river is merely nomi
po1 CIV, f,uanfy IN eiyfy dollara nor