The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-01-17
THE BLACK DIAMOND.
WHERE AND now 1T Is MINED INTEREST
IN0I.Y TOLD.
One Of the Most Excellent Coal Beds In the
World Lies In Jefferson County.

World Lies In Jefferson County.
Coal Trade Journall
The Goals from the Reynoldsville re-
gion of jefferson county are so well and
favorably known, and have been for
the last quarter Of century, by those
engaged in the coal trade that they
need nc commendation.
The ready sale and the steady in
crease in production of these celebrated
Goals are ample proof of their merits.
IL is admitted by intelligent coal men
that they are hardly excelled by any Of
for steam generating purposes and for
manufacture Of gas and coke, although
| in the manufacture OF coke, OF course,
an exception is made in the Connells-
vile coking coal. The seam from which
these Goals are taken is known as bed
d or Lower Freeport seam. This seam
covers u large area both in jefferson
and Clearfield counties. which has been
developed very extensively in the old
| Clearfield district and around Dubois
and Punxsutawney. but we shall on this
occasion write only OF the Rcynoldsvile
field.
Aside from the Dubois and Punxsu-
tawney regions, aud the Clearlield dis
trict of the past, 1t Is here we find this
excellent coalbed in its best condition
as to quality, thickness and freedom
from local disturbances, such as clay
veins. rock rolls and dislocations;
however faults are not entirely wanting
here. AT some points in this region
this seam has been found to meas
ure nine feet in thickness. 1t is
divided into three benches. About
nine inches from the floor Of the seam
there is slate parting or seam about
one inch thick, then the main bench is
about five feet three inches; these two
benches are merchantable coal: then
there is the "top coal" which runs from
nine inches to as high as three feet In
thickness. but owing TO its lmpurity II
is left up, which makes a good roof "a
the mine where il is of the extreme
thickness mentioned. The Goals from
this seam are much purer than those
taken from its companion, the Upper
Freeport. It's lustre is not as bright as
that of the Upper Freeport. but IL Il
more friable The coal has columnar
structure, which is not the case with
the upper seam, which is located only
fifty to sixty feet above it, thus show
ing, no doubt. that the agency at work
during its formation period must have
been much more intense and the nat
ural forces somewhat differently di
rected.
Wherever this seam has been devel
oped outside the regions mentioned
with exceptional places Of small area IL
Western Pennsylvania it has proven Il
be almost worthless from an enconomi,
point OF view. II has been found TO b,
very unreliable, irregular in thickness,
and much disturbed. This seam has ,
varying dip to the southeast, which will
average about two per cent. 1t crop
out TO the surface, hence the mines her,
are all drift openings. The seam il
easy of access. it can be opened and de
veloped at a trifling expense. Ther'
are seven mines in operation abou
Reynoldsville, having Il daily produc
tion OF about 1000 short tons, run-of
mine coal, and 1000 to l,600 person
are employed in and about them. Fiv,
Of these mines are operated by tn,
Jefferson & Clearfeld' Coal & Iron com
pany. Knowing ones inform me tha
these five mines are the property OF th
heavy stockholders Of the b., r. & p
railroad. This coal company control
in fee simple 5000 or 1000 acres Of tn
best coal territory in the neighborhood
and l am informed that the coal right
were bought at an extremely low figure
The mines are reached by the Reynolds
, vile & Falls Creek railroad.
1t is in this region that we find one O
the largest mines In the bituminous re
gions Of Pennsylvania, known as Soldie
Run. 1t is operated by the Jefferson
Clearfeld Coal g. Iron company. w
have no doubt that a million short ton
of run-of-mine coal will be produce,
from this mine this year. 1t has a
average daily production OF 1920 ton
and there are employed in and about |
over one thousand persons. The Who'll
plant has been conveniently arranged
substantially constructed and all bull
with the view TO an economic produC
tion of the coal, which has been real
| led no doubt