USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne county, Ohio, from the days of the pioneers and the first settlers to the present time > Part 10
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These mines are located in the highlands south of Newman's creek swamp and the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail- road.
Across this swamp, one-half mile north-west from Fairview, is the Todd coal mine, operated about twenty-five years ago by Hon. David Todd, ex-Governor of the State, and opened by him about the same time Mr. Spindler opened the bank on his farm previously described. The Todd mine is sometimes called the Becker coal mine, it being on the land now owned by D. Becker. The coal vein is four feet thick, and is reached by drift in the south side of the hill. The overlying strata is of the same character as that of the Spindler bank. This mine is about worked out.
The Neiswanger coal mine is located one-half mile north of Fairview, on the farm of Emanuel Neiswanger, deceased, and is entered by drift on the south side of the ridge. The coal vein was about four feet thick, the overlying strata being the same as that of the Todd bank. This mine was opened nearly twenty-five
119
GEOLOGY.
years ago, and was operated at one time by Hon. David Todd. It is now exhausted.
One-half mile north of Fairview, in the same ridge with the Todd and Neiswanger mines, is the Carroll mine, entered by drift from the south. The coal seam is four feet thick, and underlies the same character of strata as that of the Spindler bank.
South of Fairview half a mile is the coal mine operated by McElhenie & Stuck. This bank is owned by a company. The vein is about four feet thick, and underlies in descent from the surface earth, gray sandstone, black sand rock and black shale. The coal rests on black, hard sand rock, and is of the bituminous order, of good quality, and harder than that of the Burton or Wenger mines.
These constitute the number of mines in Baughman township, though it is evident that coal underlies other lands than those mentioned.
The coal measure of this township includes its entire territory except the south-west half of section 18, all of section 19, the south-west three-fourths of section 20, the south two-thirds of sec- tion 21 and all of the Newman's creek swamp, the outcrop of the coal appearing in the highlands on the north and south sides of the swamp, where it is readily reached by drift. The coal is de- posited in basins, and in several instances has been worked out; and mines have been abandoned by the seam diminishing to the south-east. This diminishment, or "thinning out," often is decep- tion, as the sand rock known as "horsebacks" frequently divides the coal strata.
East Union Township Coal Measure.
The coal measure of East Union township covers its entire area, except all of section 6, the west five-eighths of section 7, the north-west one-half of section 5, all of section 18, the south-west one-fifth of section 17, the north two-thirds of section 19 and about the west half of section 20. Little attention has been paid to this large coal basin from the fact that the thinness of the discovered
I20
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
coal strata would not justify the opening or the operation of the mines. However, on the Barnhart farm, in the north-west quarter of section 27, east of Applecreek Station, deep boring for oil re- vealed a stratum of coal, 7 feet in thickness, 70 feet below the surface. This coal vein evidently was without cover, as the drill passed down to the depth of 112 feet without encountering rock, though rock of considerable thickness exists in that vicinity. From the character of the strata overlying this coal, it seems that the drilling was made near the margin, if not, in fact, in a pre-glacial channel where the coal had been washed away and mingled with the materials which filled up the channel. Drilling in the high- lands on the margin of this channel, it is believed, will reach a stratum of coal such as is found in the Ream and Finley mines three miles south-west from Applecreek Station, in Saltcreek town- ship. In section 2, on the farm formerly owned by Mr. Jonah Crites, in the north-east quarter, boring was made to the depth of I IO feet without reaching rock or water, the strata passed through being sand, gravel, yellow and blue clay, the latter of the greatest thickness and of the consistency of mud, and was penetrated only 50 feet. In the south-east quarter of this section John Long, at the depth of three feet, struck a hard sand rock, from which a fountain of pure water flowed, at a depth of 50 feet, at the rate of ten gallons per minute. Mr. Long drilled into this rock to the depth of 137 feet. David Carr, on his farm in section 12, which joins Mr. Long's farm, has a constant flow of water from a drilling of 50 feet into this rock, the fountain being as strong as the other. Mr. Carr drilled to the depth of 150 feet and did not pass through the rock.
In section 12, on the lands owned by David Carr, Jacob Hus- selman and Isaac Martin, are outcrops of coal of fair quality. Veins of good fire-clay are found on the Martin and Husselman farms; on the McClure and Martin farms is also iron ore of good quality.
On the farm of Daniel W. Bair, in the north part of the south-
I2I
GEOLOGY.
west quarter of section 5, is an outcrop of bituminous coal, which underlies a carboniferous sandstone rock.
On the east half of the south-east quarter of section 5, on Henry Shellenbarger's farm, at the depth of 90 feet, a strata of coal one foot thick was reached by boring in the same ridge in which is the outcrop of coal in the Bair tract.
There is every indication of a body of coal on the farm of Mr. Bair. The ridge is the summit between Wooster and Massillon, it being 221 feet above Wooster, and 171 feet higher than Massil- lon, and of an altitude of 563 feet above Lake Erie.
Coal Mines of Paint Township.
The coal mines of this township are as follows :
The mine of Charles Brown, located about one mile west of Mt. Eaton, on the Chestnut ridge, has a vein three feet thick of fair quality of cannel coal, which immediately underlies a strata of gray limestone of about five feet in thickness. This coal is suc- cessfully used for steam purposes at the Maysville steam flouring mill, and proves to be a good fuel for domestic use.
About three-quarters of a mile south-west of Mt. Eaton is the Hunsinger coal bank. The coal is bituminous, the vein about 32 feet thick, and underlies gray limestone.
George Mathiot's mine is one-half mile north-east of Mt. Eaton. The coal is No. 6 of bituminous quality, the vein about two feet three inches thick, immediately underlying black shale two feet thick, above which is a sandy shale underlying earth. This coal is of good quality.
Near the north line of the township, and about one-fourth of a mile north from Mathiot's mine, is the coal bank of Dr. Roth of Mt. Eaton. The coal is bituminous, of good quality, the vein about 22 feet thick, and strata of the same character as that of Mathiot's mine overlies it.
About two miles south-east of Mt. Eaton is the mine of Peter Graber, located in section 24, in a ridge where coal and limestone
122
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
are found in considerable quantity. The coal is bituminous and of good quality.
The Flory coal mine is located 2} miles east of Mt. Eaton, in the base of a high hill, covered with sandstones, which give it a mountainous appearance. The coal vein is three feet thick, and of good grate coal. The roof of the mine is black shale, under- lying sand rock, on which rests a heavy body of earth.
The Mt. Eaton coal mine is located in the village of Mt. Eaton, in the hill on the south side of the New Philadelphia road. The vein is two feet thick, and is an outcrop of coal No. 7, with- out cover except earth, and is reached by drifting in the north side of the hill. This mine is not now operated, owing to its thin seam, and because coal has been found more readily reached in the neighborhood. This seems to be the only mine of No. 7 coal existing in the county, unless it be in the highlands of the Foster farm, about Iz miles east of Mt. Eaton, on the New Phila- delphia road. Coal 20 inches thick in connection with fire-clay 18 inches in thickness, crop out near the top of the hill on this farm ; the coal underlying a limestone rock four feet thick. Taking into account the south-easterly dip of the coal of the Mt. Eaton mine, the Foster coal would be in the locality of No. 7; but the general understanding is that it is No. 6, though its quality corresponds to No. 7.
It has been already noticed that the coal measure extends over the entire township, and from observation it is quite manifest that there are very extensive bodies of good quality coal underlying the greater portion of its surface ; and when the mines are opened, and facilities afforded for transporting it to market, this will be one of the most valuable coal districts of the State.
Coal Mines of Sugar Creek Township.
The first coal mine in this township was opened by drift on the west side of the hill, on the farm of Mr. Gochenour, one mile west of Dalton, about forty-five years ago. The strata was one and
123
GEOLOGY.
one-half feet thick, and, after yielding considerable coal, the mine was abandoned on account of a defective roof.
One-eighth of a mile west of Dalton, on the Peter Buchanan farm, a mine having a thin vein of good quality coal was opened several years ago. It is not now operated, owing to the clay roof of the mine rendering the taking out of the coal difficult and ex- pensive.
In section 25, about three miles south-east of Dalton, on the old Mock farm, now owned by R. C. Bashford, is located the Bashford coal mine. The strata is about three feet thick, and near the surface of the level ground on the south-east side of Chestnut ridge. The coal is good quality bituminous, and the mine has been operated about twelve years.
About one-half mile north of Dalton, on the farm of David Rudy, is an outcrop of coal, but the extent of the coal has not been ascertained.
On the Horst farm, one-half mile south of Dalton, is a vein of tolerably good quality coal about two and one-half feet thick.
A few years ago, in the sinking of a well on the farm now owned by John Heigerly, the north-west quarter of section 27, a vein of hard bituminous coal, about two feet thick, was passed through ; but no effort has been made since then to ascer- tain the extent of the coal, though it was reached at 30 feet from the surface.
The coal measure of this township contains extensive bodies of valuable fire-clay, considerable limestone, iron ore, and some min- eral paint, such as red and yellow ochre, in connection with the ore, though the economic value of these minerals has not, as yet, been satisfactorily ascertained. A specimen of the red ochre rock examined is of the consistency of red keil, and traces as well.
This township being literally covered by the coal measure, as reported by Professor M. C. Reed, and containing all the evi- dences of coal, there are, doubtless, large basins of it yet undiscov- ered within its boundaries. Its location between the Chippewa, Paint and Salt creek coal fields warrants this belief. Deep boring,
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
no doubt, will yet be made, and bring to light valuable veins of coal, where it has been heretofore unsought, as in Chippewa and Saltcreek.
Coal Mines of Saltcreek Township.
The Finley mine is located on the farm of Mrs. Delano Jeffries, in the south-east quarter of section 4, and was opened about three years ago by Frank Becker, who now operates it. The coal is in or near the base of a high, rocky ridge, and is reached, by drifting in the south-west side, about 100 feet from the entrance. The following section shows the various strata overlying the lower coal seam from the surface to the depth of 88 feet, to the top of the coal :
Clay, sand and gravel,
Fire-clay,
Shale, -
50 feet. 3 “ 15 inches. 30 feet.
Sand rock,
Blue limestone,
3 "
Bone coal,
2
Soapstone,
I foot.
Coal,
3 1/2 feet.
Clay shale,
Coal total,
5 1/2 "
Immediately underlying the coal is a hard sand rock 7 feet thick. The above section is taken from the register kept by Frank Becker in sinking the shaft at 100 feet from the entrance to the mine, near the south-western rim of the coal basin. The coal dips a little south of east at the rate of 4 inches per yard. The coal of this mine is of good quality, and is supposed to cover about 60 acres of the farm. The mine is extensively worked by Mr. Becker, the coal being drawn out by steam power.
The Daniel Ream mine is in the south-west quarter of section 4, a full description of which has been given by Professor M. C. Reed, in his Geological Survey of Ohio, a copy of which is set forth on a preceding page.
125
GEOLOGY.
These two mines are located in separate basins, a space of about three-quarters of a mile being between, in which is a ravine. There is, as will be observed, a difference in the strata above the coal in these two banks, and the coal of each is superior quality of No. 3.
Coal No. 6 crops out in the northern part of this township, and attains a thickness of 332 feet, underlying a coarse brown sandstone.
The E. Stutz coal mine is located in section 23. The vein is about 31/2 feet thick, and the coal is of a fair quality.
The Henning mine is located on Adam Henning's farm, in the north-east corner of the south-east quarter of section I. The vein is about 5 feet thick, and the coal of fair quality for domestic purposes, for which it is used.
There is considerable iron ore in this township, but not in such condition as to be worked profitably-the vein being thin, and fre- quently at considerable depth below the surface.
The coal measure extends over the entire area of this township, and it is reasonable to infer that there is much undiscovered coal within its limits. Its outcrop, at least, in connection with the present mines, goes far to show that this coal measure is by no means a barren one.
The Coal Mines of Franklin Township.
The most important mine of this township is that of William Harrison, located on the farm formerly owned by Jacob Mande- ville, one and a half miles south-west of Fredericksburg. The vein is 3 feet thick, of fair quality coal. The roof of the mine is a yellow sandstone. Under the coal is a thin stratum of fire-clay. The coal lies at the depth of 80 feet from the surface. The mine is operated by Joseph Bunn.
The Stephen Harrison coal mine is located one and a half miles west of Fredericksburg, in section 23. The coal is of fair quality, and the strata 3 feet in thickness. The roof is gray limestone,
126
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
and the floor of the mine fire-clay, and the coal taken out by drift. The coal lies fifty feet below the surface of the ground.
The James Finley coal mine is in section 22, two and a half miles west of Fredericksburg, and is operated by Asaph Rum- baugh. The coal vein is two and a half feet thick, and of tolera- bly good quality. The roof of the mine is gray limestone. Under the coal is a layer of fire-clay, and beneath that is sand rock. The depth from the surface of the ground to the top of the coal is 75 feet. The coal is reached by drifting into the hill.
Charles Story's coal mine is located two and a half miles west of Fredericksburg. The coal vein is three feet thick, and immedi- ately underlies a gray limestone rock of about five feet in thickness. Under the coal is a thin layer of fire-clay, which rests upon a sand rock. The coal is of fair quality, mined by drift. The depth to the top of the coal from the surface of the ground is 75 feet. This mine is operated by Cosper Barrett.
Coal has been found on the Miller farm in section 34, but the vein is too thin to justify the working of the mine.
There is a thin vein of coal on the Jacob and Israel Franks farm, in section 35, in connection with a stratum of fire-clay of about five feet in thickness. The coal has no covering but earth, and the vein is too thin to be worked. The fire-clay is of excel- lent quality and extensively used. Samuel Routson & Bro. use this fire-clay exclusively at their extensive pottery in Wooster. It is entirely free from iron, the pottery made being of a light yel- low color. A number of years ago fire-clay brick were made of this clay.
The coal measure of this township covers parts of sections 2, 3, 4, 33, 12, 8, 9, 17 and 21, and all of sections 10, II, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23 and 24. The prospecting for coal in this township has been limited, no deep borings having as yet been made. The coal is below the gray limestone, and where that is absent it is without roof, except a thin strata of black shale and earth.
Thin veins of iron ore are found in many localities in this town-
127
GEOLOGY.
ship. One and a half miles west of Fredericksburg, on James Dobbins' farm, the ore vein is four feet thick.
Clinton, Canaan and Wooster Townships Coal Measure.
The coal measure of Clinton and Canaan townships is limited, and chiefly consists of extensions of the carboniferous sand rock usually overlying the coal strata-continuations of which are also found in the eastern and southern portions of Wooster and the north-east corner of Congress townships, resting upon the Waverly.
Though the coal measure extends into Wooster township, coal is entirely absent, the coal measure sand rock only appearing in the highlands east and south of Wooster, resting upon the Waverly. Coal does not seem to exist in this county west of Wooster, except an outcrop of a thin vein of impure bituminous coal in section 14, Plain township, where many years ago it was, to a limited extent, taken out of the side of a ravine on the David Dodd and Nathan Smith farms. The coal was near the surface and covered with earth.
The absence of coal in Wooster and the western townships of Wayne county is readily accounted for when the character of the coal basin and dip of the coal measure is properly considered. A western extension of the coal strata of the eastern coal mines of this county would rise high above the highlands west of Wooster. Taking the coal measure sand rock east and south of Wooster as a guide, it will readily appear that coal need not be looked for west of Wooster.
THE ROCKS.
The rocks of this county consist of several grades of sand stones, shales, and two orders of limestone. Prof. M. C. Reed, in his geological report of this county, gives a section, showing the various strata from coal No. 7 at Mt. Eaton, including the Waverly, to the bed of Salt creek, at Fredericksburg, a copy of which is here produced as Fig. 2. This section gives a general idea not only of the coal measure, but of the rock structure of the county. The location of this section is well selected, as in it is
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Coal No. 7.
18
Coal No. 6.
25
3-5
Gray limestone.
22 to 75
Coal, local. Blue limestone. Coal.
40
Sandstone.
0-3 IO
00
OC
Impure limestone. Shale with iron ore. Coal with conglomerate.
150
Waverly to bed of stream.
-
Fig. 2.
included the highest and lowest coal veins. Coal No. I is shown resting upon the conglomerate, which overlies the Waverly.
A sort distance north of the limits of the city of Wooster, at the Reddick stone quarry, about 25 feet of vertical thickness of the Waverly sandstone is exposed. It is here, as well as in many other places in the county, the surface rock, especially in the townships west of Wooster. As a general rule it is a sandy shale of a gray color, and not well adapted to building purposes, owing to its shaly character. It is exposed in the banks of the
129
GEOLOGY.
main streams, and crops out in the highway south of Wooster, on Robinson Hill, where a patch of conglomerate intervenes between the Waverly and the coal measure sandstone.
The Waverly exists in all the hills east of the city of Wooster, to the summit ridge between Wooster and Massillon. It is exposed along the line of the railroad, the Alfred J. Thomas farm and the Smithville Summit; and in the hills east of Apple creek to the base of the summit ridge, near the Daniel W. Bair tract. In this summit ridge is a thin outcrop of conglomerate underlying the supposed coal on the Bair farm. Under the conglomerate is the Waverly sandstone. Above the conglomerate and coal seam is the coal sand rock, which is fine-grained, and an excellent build- ing stone. West of Wooster, on the John A. Lawrence farm, the Waverly comes to the surface in the highway. North of this, on the Warner farm, it appears in the cliffs skirting the small stream, in considerable mass. It is exposed in the banks of the Clear creek, Christmas run, Little Killbuck, and in the Big Killbuck, from the Eicher farm, west of Wooster, at the crossing, to Bur- bank. At the latter place it is more sandy and massive, and has been used for building purposes with some success.
The rocks underlying the exposed Waverly on the Eicher farm, have been well ascertained by the deep boring for oil by the Wooster Oil Company, to the depth of 509 feet, as is shown by section Fig. 3, which is a copy of the register kept by William McIntire, who superintended the drilling. The strata of this section seems to vary from the general order of structure, the Berea grit sandrock being separated by a coarse gray sand and shaly rock, and the shale, underlying the Berea grit rock, is in two sections.
Coal Measure Sandstone.
This formation, known as the carboniferous sand rock of the coal measure, is, in many instances, massive, and frequently found occupying the place of the coal strata in mass, and in horseback protrusions. It is co-extensive with the coal measure of Wayne
9
130
1
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Thickness in feet.
Stratum.
Kind of Stratum,
Drift.
8
Clay. Gravel. Sand.
12
Fine grain sand rock.
20
Dark gray fine grain sand rock.
104
Gray sand shale rock-gas issue.
20
Hard gray shale, strong of gas.
35
Fine grain sandstone.
15
Light gray hard sand rock-grit.
I8
Light gray sandstone-Berea grit.
16
Shaly sandstone, one layer flinty hard.
25
Coarse gray sandstone-Oil rock.
14
Gray sand rock-Berea grit.
28
Light black shale.
II7
Black shale. Salt water and oil at depth of 45 feet.
25
Coarse gray sandstone-Oil rock.
46
Brown slate. Forty-six feet drill in this strata did not pass drill through it. Whole depth, 50 feet.
Fig. 3. Section of Oil Well Strata.
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GEOLOGY.
county, its outcrop extending westward of the coal strata into Canaan, Wayne, Clinton, Plain, Chester, and Congress townships. The building stone of the Kauke, Coe and Wallace quarries east of the city of Wooster, are of this formation, which varies in thick- ness, very materially thinning out to the westward in the hills east of Wooster. In Chippewa township it is 56 feet thick ; in East Union even more massive ; also in Baughman, near Marshallville ; while at the Burton mine, near Fairview, it is only ten feet in thickness.
Shales.
The shales of the coal measure of this county are not uniform, in many instances very thin, and frequently entirely absent. In sections Figs. 2 and 3 the respective positions of the shales are shown. Coal No. I is overlaid by a stratum of black shale, which varies from a few inches to 15 feet in thickness. In some instan- ces a thin vein of iron ore intervenes between it and the sandstone. Coal No. 2 is limited in this county, and of no economic value when present, the seam being only a few inches in thickness, the sandstone generally cutting it out. A striking example of this is witnessed in the massive sand rock near Massillon, which ranges in thickness from 40 to 100 feet, and is noted as a superior building stone throughout the county. Shales usually accompany all the coal seams, though coal No. 3 is often found overlaid by the blue limestone. Coal No. 6 is roofed by black shale, and coal No. 7 is covered by a thin layer of shale, but which is of no consequence as a roof support.
Limestones.
The limestones of this county are confined to Sugarcreek, East Union, Paint, Saltcreek, Franklin and Plain townships. There are three orders of limestone: The impure sandy shale rock, found above coal No. I, underlying the coal sand rock; the blue, above coal No. 3 ; and the gray, below coal No. 6, and also above it, as at Charles Brown's mine, where the coal is directly overlaid by the gray limestone.
132
HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
The gray limestone comes to the surface in numerous places in Sugarcreek, Paint, Saltcreek and Franklin townships ; and it also, to a limited extent, exists as a surface rock in Plain township, on the Espy farm. It makes a good quick-lime when burnt, and is burnt in all the townships where located, except in Plain. It proves valuable for building purposes and for enriching the soil.
Sandstone Rocks.
There is, in several localities of the county, a very valuable building sandstone, found in the ridges of Chippewa, Sugarcreek, Paint and Saltcreek townships, of which that of Paint is the most noted. About two miles east of Mt. Eaton are high ridges liter- ally covered with rocks of fine-grained white sand, some of which are very massive, especially those on Popolat ridge, so named on account of an Indian having fixed his habitation there under one of the rocks, before the advent of the white settlers. Some of these rocks are most singularly located, and appear as if dropped on the side of the ridge, where they rest upon the surface. Oth- ers are buried in sand of the same character of which they are composed. The larger rocks have marked evidences of the action of water. Some seem to have been moved since they were depos- ited, and now remain ing a tilted position, retaining their angles well preserved, whilst others are much water-worn. They present the appearance of an upheaved broken strata, yet the sand rock in the base of the ridge is unbroken and in a horizontal position.
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