Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-15
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
Extent of Coal, Gas and Oil Fields in
Greene County

New information regarding the coal, gas
and oil fields of western Pennsylvania
which was obtained last summer by the
United States geological survey, through
MI. r. w. Stone, in cooperation with the
state of Pennsylvania, is soon to be made
public by the government In the form of a
new geologic map which will form a part
OF the Waynesburg geologic folio. The TO-
Ito will include. also. descriptive text The
map will embrace a section thirteen by sew
enteen miles in eastern Greene county, and
will be based upon Topographic map pre-
viouSly issued by the same survey show
ing in detail the surface features of the re-
gion. The geologic map will be of special
Importance in showing the outcrops of the
workable coal beds of the QUADRANGLE. The
entire Monongahela formation or Upper
productive measures, and the lower half of
the Dunkard forma ton, or Upper Barrens
are found in this section. The most impor-
tant members of the former are the Pitts
burg and Mapletown Goals, the great lime
stone, and the Waynesburg coal. The Pitts
burg coal appears in a seven-foot layer Just
above water level at the mouth Of Tenmile
creek. The Mapletown has been opened be-
tween GAINESVILLE and the Monongahela
river. and in several places on Dunkard
creek below Meadow run. The Waynes-
burg coal outcrops in the hills about
GAINESVILLE and has been opened at fire.
quent intervals along Tenmile. Whitley and
CTtehS. his seam generally car
ries from to feet of coal. but. owing to
lack of railroad facilities and to the abund-
ance of natural gas, 1t Is not extensively
worked. In the Dunkard formation the
Waynesburg sandstone and the Washing
ton coal are of some economic imports nee ;
the former furnishes a fairly good building
stone and the latter yields fuel Of varia-
bic quality and amount. The benches OF
the coal do not exceed two feet in thick
ness. and therefore the bed Is not worked
In this quadrangle. The various forma tfous
as well as the members Of economic I'M
portance. will be shown on the map in col
ors.
One OF the most prominent features of
the new map will be the representation of
the geologic structure of the region by
Pittsburg coal. These contours show that
the strata have been thrown into broad
folds which cross the territory in a north
east-southwest direction. Since the accu-
mutation Of oil and gas Is directly infu-
enced by such structures, their accurst ia
representa- ton IL of the greatest Importance
to operators searching for productive ter
ritory. The most important fold In the
quadrangle is known as tho Waynesburg
anticiine. Upon the crest and western flank
OF this arch is located the Waynesburg gas
field. which Is one OF the most important
producers in western Pennsylvania. Al
though this field has been tested rather
thoroughly the mapping Of the anticline
may furnish evidence upon which the field
can be extended along the direction Of the
fold.
Future demands for bituminous coal will
probably cause shafts to be sunk to the
Pittsburg Eeam In many parts of this terri
tory, In which case ths structural features
as shown on this map Will be OF great value
in determining the location of such shafts
| and in indicating the depth below the sur
face at which the coal Will probably BIZ
found.