Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-30
MINERAL RESOURCES
Discovered About Fickens, This state
sqssTg Coal, tnnds and Valuable CiayS'
-, -,rr.s,oudsnes OF tbs RsdtstsF.

sgssze Coal, D andS and Valuable CiayS'
Spse.at CorrvpOndsnes OF ths Rooster
WESTON. w. VA, October 2s.-In-
vestigGtlon about Randolph county
West Va, made by Mr.. Bruce, the
southern writer and geologist, discIoses
the following results:
The geological structure In TINS sec
ton around the thriving town OF PIcA-
ems. undou btedly belongs to the car
boniferous age, and IS unusually rlCh
in deposit Of what IS known as Inc
earthly minerals. Accompanying dla-
gram shows the measure OF the geo.
logical structure:
Coal measure proper
COuglomer&te lCarboniferouB
Red shCle
Vertlne sandstone
A slight discussion OF each Of the
various stratas OF this carboniferous
are will give a cursory but satisfactory
knowledge of what minerals are In thIs
section.
Below the soil Of the earth appears a
strata OF states, which lie above ana
below the coal measures proper. Ihere
are several formations Of this slate. In
sone instances IL is hard, close
grained substance, serving more or less
as a roofing for the coal In otherS'
below the coal, the slate has dlsinteg-
rated into a clay substance that renders
II admirable for the making of ire clay
brick, when used alone, and a presseu
brick OF wonderful texture When uSeu
with the ordinary clays ana shaies
around Plckens. This slaty clay Is the
same material that is used In England
for the manufacture of fire clay orlck'
standing a strong action OF heat, IN
most satisfactory manner. The free
dom Of this substance from all traces OF
lime and other impurities renders the
brick pon-fusible, giving material o!
wonderful durability. The quantity OF
this slaty clay below the coal measure
"a large. and lies In an unbroken lorna
ton almost. -.
The coal measure IN this section lie
NEXT 10 the upper states and the coal Is
! NJ n gaseous. bitumiuous nature, not un-
| like the coal OF the Kanawha group OF
a Ouinnimont measure, though lower III
| fixed carbon. The coal in this region
has not been opened to any extent as
vet. and is imbsdded the upper states
and slety clay in anticlinal ridges anu
cynclnal valleys,
As no openings have penetrated the
coal in this immediate vicinity tue
average thickness can not be properly
calcnlated. But that it is deposited In
some quantity there can be no doubt
since the exposed strata indicate tDe
fact. From samples taken from the
coal. from a break in measure, the
following result is fair analysis;
Fixed carbon. ........... o. ~
Vofh61 iB%ieSs OIL nxeI CARBON rem ders
it doubtful If this coal would be supe-
rior as 8 coking coal, but for domestic
purposes 1t would doubtless prove sat-
isfactory.
Below the coal measures and shalss
and clay there is an immense stratum Of
vespertine sandstone varying in forma-
| tions, graduating from quartz rock to
tho proper sandstone used for various
purposes. The granular quartz OF the
! rock Is the most refractory OF rocks. 1t
is used, therefore, for hearth-stonOs,
! for lining OF furnaces and for lime
kilns, and from test will bear almost
a 1900 degree Of heat. The sandstone
| proper could also DO proftably used fer
| cobbls.stOnes In paving.
But the most important use that the
granular quartz is put to is for the
manufacture OF glass, sand-paper and
the saving OF marble. In many places
around PicEsns this quartz occurs to
crumble 10 fine sand, aud is highly
useful for the manufacture OF flint
glass. The best grade of this granular
quartz is almost pure silica, free from
any faint Of iron. This purity Is ap-
parent in the clesrnesS OF me grain
uader the lens, or their white color.
This quartz closely resembles that OF
Berkshire county, Mass, and that in
Lanesboro, Mass. This granular quartz,
heated TO fusion, with the alkalai of
potash or soda, produces silicate OF
potash, or glass that may be said to
have the following results:
Slica............
PotAsA..........' 100
Lime"
Endeavoring to be perfectly safe as
to the quality of this quartz rock, sam
pies were taken 10 the Fairmont Glass
Company, and the following certificate,
after careful examination, was given
by the foreman Of the Glass Company:
"FAIRMONT, w. w, /
October 16, 1898. |
have examined sample Of sand eX-
hibited to me by Thomas Bruce, invss- T.
tiEating resources OF West Virginia, /
along the West Virginia and Pittsburg I.
railroad and other lines, aud said TO be |.
found at PickenS, West Virginia, and |
consider it good grade OF sand for |
manufacturing flint glass. This grade |
of sand is superior to the sanu used at I.
this point for manufacturing bottles, /
etc. (Signsd)
"GEo. W. PORTER, Foreman"
This sandstone, graduating from its |
granular, quartz TO coarsor material, /
for the reasons mentioned, is highly |
valuable and renders that section around |
PickenS an unusually valuable one.
Below the stratum Of quartz sand !
stone there is deposit of shales and |
clay. These materials make an excel |
lent quality OF pressed brick that has ,
much durability and smoothnsss Of /
texture equal to any pressed brick /
manufactured 10 America. The slaty /
shale imparts an ingredient to the brick |
that renders it capable Of standing a
high degree Of heat, and almost equal |
in durability to the IRE clay brick for
bearing heat in any form.
All these str&tas we have discussed |
have valuable earthly minerals and, al
though lying In close proximity, one
ruas to almost pure silica while another
is virtually free from that substance.
showing that between the formation OF
the various stratsS ages must have
passed, and oceanic waves interviewed
between these fornollons