The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-04-13

mark the various sediments which were
brought together by the action of the
waters. The coal beds contain manv
Impressions of plants and portions of
plants, so that biologists have been
able to determine the nature of the We
getation of that period. There are
great many MOSES and ferns, some of
the latter having thick, broad stems,
and long and heavy leaves; it is claimed
that there are one hundred and seventy
seven specimens of plants found in
single coal beds. There are, however,
no palms, grasses, nor Towering plants
to be found; and for this reason it is
considered that the coal beds we're
formed from plants of marshy growth
of MOSES etc.
The layers of peat, after being covered
by shales, sandstone and limestone,
were compressed beneath the enormous
weight of the over r-lying strata, and
while undergoing this compression,
there was sort of distillation and pu-
rifing process going on. In this way
the plants and peat, originally loosely
matted together, became more and
more compressed, and by means of the
heat and pressure were entirely decom-
posed. Ultimately the substance was
turned into what we now find it, and
coal was stored up for future ages.
The ancients had curious theories in
regard to the formation of coal, they
regarded it as streams of bitumen.
which had become petrifed, or had i'm
pregnated certain very porous: kinds
of rocks.
Another theory which they enter
tanned was, that forests had been car
BOMBED on the spot where they grew,
or had been transformed by streams of
sulphurous acid, which possesses the
property of hardening and carbonizing
wood. 1t is easy to attribute the origin
of coal to the agency of rivers of btu
men, and oil of vitriol; but it is not
easy to say where those rivers came
from.
The Chinese have theory that coal
is species of plant of which the seed
was deposited in the earth ages ago,
and that it grew and spread in different
parts of the empire where it is now
found, in order that the Chineseyof to-
day might have supply of fuel. They
attribute the streams of inflamable
gas, which they collect and utilize, to
the breathings of an immense monster
below the earth's surface, and in some
localities they call him "the first cousin
of the God of Fire." The God of Fire
is one of the Chinese deties, he occupies
a prominent place in their temples, and
is worshipped with great solemnity.
In other parts of the world these
streams of gas are worshipped, and in
localities along the coast of the Cas-
plan sea, streams of gas are constantly
rising, and their sources are known as
sacred wells, and are visited by thou
sands of devotees every year, and are
regarded with the greatest reverence.
Wells of similar character exist in
the United States, but they are mostly
of artificial origin. They are found in
the vicinity OF Oil Creek, and that
region of western Pennsylvania which
has been baptized as Petrolia. Thou
sands of devotees have and do worship
in the vicinity of these wells, and many
of them owe their fortunes to this mod
ern God of Fire; but it is doubtful if
many of them worship the wells from
the religious standpoint or with that
devotion and reverence which are
found among the fire worshippers of
the far east. w. H. ADAMS.