Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-03
COPPER WILL BE KING.
And 1t is Said to Exist in Robinson
Township in Paying Volume.
1T is NOT A SILVER MINE STORY.
The Metal Assayed, and Old Residents
Remember the Result.
FUTURE USE OF COPPER IMMENSE

Nature seems to have stored her gifts gen.
erously in Robinson township. There are
coal, petroleum and natural gas there, and
now they are talking about iron and copper.
learned that the knowledge of the existence
of copper as nature left it,is notexactly new,
but had excited considerable interest rather
more than generation ago. Mr.. Shafer re-
marked that we were only apparently, at
least, beginning to find out what is in West
ern Pennsylvania. A hundred years ago
the State in its patents reserved one-ffth Of
the gold and silver, to be delivered at the.
pit mouth. Apparently the geologists of
that day did not know that these metals
were four miles under ground in this sec
ton. Had they reserved share of the
coal, petroleum and natural gas, our State
debt would not now exist.
OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE.
Copper has been, as far back as history
extends, an important metal. Job speaks
of it, and it is probable that Tubal Cain
worked it. The aborigines of this country
worked it from time immemorlal; but to-day
its use is extending at a pace that promises
to make it equal to iron in Importance. The
great copper syndicate that lately attempted
to corner the production of the world
caught on to its importance. but began ope-
rations too soon. and, after sending the price
of Calumet and Hecla stock to about 400,
the crash came and sent it down again to
about half these figures. There seems to be
no doubt now that electricity will soon dis
place steam largely as a motive power, and
copper is the handmaiden of electricity.
Mr. Shafer stated that before the late war
mining experts examined the lay of the
land in the vicinity of Gibson station. P. &
L. R. R., Robinson township, and finally
prosecuted researches for some time, but
subsequently, got into financial straits, and
the enterprise fell through and has been al
most forgotten, except by few old resi-
dents.
HE THOUGHT IT GOLD.
Squire Ferree states that q man named
Louis Baelz found nugget of copper on
the farm of Adam Gibson and thought it
was gold 1t was given to Mr.. Seaton, pro-
prietor CT the Seaton House, celebrated |
hostelry of the olden time in the Pittsburg |
Diamond. Mr.. Seaton had the nugget as |
sayed, and it proved to be pure copper. |
This led to the leasing of ground in Robin |
son township. No one seen seemed to know |
exactly why the original mining venture |
was allowed to fall through, and two men
to be posted could not be found |
yesterday. The earth in that part of Robin
son township, in fact in all OF it,
and part of Moon, appears to |
have gone through great contortions in pre-
historic times, and it is possible that copper
may be come-atable with comparatively lit
tie exertion. There are weird traditions of
The existence of precious metals in that sec
ton. Up Montour run there is tradition
that the Indians, when they left for the
Land of the Setting Sun, buried lot of
gold not far from where Ewing's mills now
ire; but why they buried it is not ex-
planned. A genius who once run the coke
,vens of the Imperial Coal Company some
years ago attempted to make the world be-
ieve that he had discovered silver mine;
out his pretensions withered when the rays
If geological lore beamed on them. But the
heory that copper may be found seems to be
enable.
IT IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED.
Copper is found in many strata. 1t is
ound in the crystalline schists of the ezoic
)n Lake Superior it is found in series OF
andstones and conglomerates, interstratifed
With contemporaneous bedded trappean
ocks which rest on the crystalline Huronian
chists, and as these are overlaid with the
upper Cambrian rocks of the New York Is
ystem, they are regarded as of the lower
Jambrian age. Copper is also found in the
and mesozoio ages.
Anyone, scientist or otherwise, who ex-
mines what can be seen in Robinson town.
hip from the level of the river bed to the
ummit of the heights along the Steuben-
lille pike will agree that earth in its in
ancy in that section was sufficiently con-
orted to make pretty general distribution
# copper and several other metals in the
trata of those rock-ribbed hills.
1t Is suggested that the Historical Society
# Coraopolis might take up the subject
With profit to itself and this section gem
rally, and find it more interesting than the
tories of time B. c., for unless the Rosetta
tone give US considerably more light on .
ncient affairs than yet thrown, their histo-
les of the rise and fall of dynasties are of
nut passing interest. People, not kings, are
ow interesting studies. 1t is also pertinent
o remark that while our astronomers skip
rom world to world and address each as a
amiliar acquaintance, they yet know but
title of our own home, little even of its
rust, though it is to the average man more
than the starry host.
j. G. Young, ESQ.,, is inclined to be skep-
ical on the subject of copper being found in
aging quantities in the section; but he says
e knows nothing of the geological structure
{ the earth there; that is, he hasn't re-
arded the subject from that standpoint.
here is nc doubt that there are conglom-
rate rocks scattered around there. Mr.,
'oung says that when boys he and his
rother spent many days searching tor the
OF of gold said to be buried in the vicinity
the mouth of Halls run. :