History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 82

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 967

USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 82
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 82
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 82

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The coal measures have been completely eroded from its top, leaving the great Seral Conglomerate ex- posed on its broad, even crest. The outcrop of Forma- tion XII is almost invariably marked by huge fragments and tall cliffs of massive sandstone, usually conglomeritic, but not always so, and its presence

above the surface is further indicated by a barren, un- tillable soil. In one vast sheet it stretches on a gentle dip down the western flank of the mountain, but becomes concealed by the gradual accumulation of the Lower Productive Coal Measures above. Hence in approaching the summit of the ridge from the westward, the slope is gradual, easy, and several miles in length.

The opposite flank of the mountain presents a striking and instructive contrast. Its escarpments are usually abrupt and precipitous, resulting from the sharp denudation of the soft clay rocks that are ex- posed along the eastern flank of the ridge.

At the extreme southern end of Somerset county, Negro mountain, the first of the subordinate anti- clinal axes of the First Basin, is about seven miles west of the Allegheny mountain. As far north as the Castleman river, the run of the axis is marked by a broad expanse of barren mountain land, the summit of which is scarcely inferior in hight to that of the Allegheny mountain. The rocks of the Lower Pro- ductive Coal Measures reach far up on either flank, but outcrop before reaching the top and cross the anticlinal arch in the air, uncovering the Seral Con- glomerate along the crest line.

The deep transverse gap of the Castleman river, extending completely through the mountain, is nearly seven miles in length, reaching from Garrett to Min- eral Point. In this gorge, the sides of which rise precipitously for eight hundred feet above the water, are exposed the rocks which comprise Formation XII, XI and a portion of X, the Seral Conglomerate, XII, measuring here fully two hundred and fifty feet thick.

Northeast of the Castleman the run of the axis through the county is rendered more obscure by a por- tion of the coal measures sweeping across its top and furnishing a tillable though shallow soil, a large part of which is now under cultivation. Moreover the ridge (by which name it is known north of the Castleman river) decreases somewhat in elevation in its course northeastward, and east of Somerset town its altitude above sea level does not exceed twenty-five hundred feet.

The line of axis passes near Fairview village, but here suffers a deflection in its course, which causes it to approach the Allegheny mountain and ultimately to coalesce with the latter mountain a short distance north of the Cambria county line, the force of the anticlinal dying out completely. It is seen, however, on the Bedford and Greensburg pike, near Union church, about three miles east of Stoystown, and in this vicinity is prominent and distinct. It can be further observed at the point where it crosses Shade creek near Shade Furnace, elevating above water level the rocks immediately below the coal measures. From thence it runs through the eastern portion of Paint township; the rapid convergence of the two mountains producing here a broad belt of barren, mountainous upland.

The course of the second anticlinal subaxis is

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mainly indicated by a line of low hills traversing the county in a northeast and southwest direction. For several miles north of the Maryland line the axis assumes the form of a high, bold mountain, and passes locally by the name of Winding Ridge. The summit of this ridge is not more than four miles west of Negro mountain, but this interval increases rapidly northeastward by the divergence of the two moun- tain3, until, in the latitude of Somerset town, they are full ten miles apart.

The northwestern limit of the Second Sub-basin are clearly defined throughout the greater part of Addison township by the run of this ridge. The several coal beds of the Lower Productive series shoot out into the air before reaching the summit of the axis, and the Great Conglomerate forms the center of the arch. But northeast of the Castleman river this distinction is rapidly lost, and all the coals of the lower series sweep over its top. The course of the axis carries it nearly parallel to Laurel Hill. It crosses White's creek near Waas' sawmill. The gorge made by this stream is exceedingly handsome, being a clean cut westward through the ridge. From thence it runs northeast across Negro Glade creek, and passes Castleman river below Pinkerton Point, elevating the Conglomerate above the river just below Shoo Fly tunnel. It further runs under the town of Lavans- ville to the west of Somerset, and crosses the Quema- honing creek at Morgan's mills. Its influence is also plainly felt in the vicinity of Davidsville, and the axis finally crosses Stony creek above the Red bridge, passing northeast into Cambria county.

Laurel Hill mountain has already been alluded to as the northwest limit of the First Great Bituminous Coal Basin of Pennsylvania. The prominence of the axis throughout Somerset county renders unnecessary any detailed description of its course. It passes through the extreme southeast corner of Fayette county, touching the Somerset border at the Youghio- gheny Gap, west of Confluence, and from thence northeastward, its crest line divides Somerset county from Westmoreland on the west. Throughout this portion of its run, its top is almost everywhere crowned by the Seral Conglomerate, the coal meas- ures at no time spanning the arch. About ten miles northeast of the Maryland line, the Youghiogheny river breaks through the ridge, cutting it to its base and leaving steep hills nearly twelve hundred feet high exposed on either side of the stream.

The anticlinal arch of Laurel Hill is entirely symmetrical and of wide sweep. The gap of the Youghiogheny through the broad massive mountain is full five miles in length, representing nearly the width of the ridge from base to base.

The importance of these anticlinal axes in re- peatedly elevating the coal rocks above water level will be apparent without further elaboration, and need not be dwelt upon.

The basins enclosed by these ridges are drained by important water courses, the most of which flow northeast and southwest along the synclinal axes

or central lines of the basins. These streams have hollowed out deep valleys and have thus given ac- cess to large areas of coal, which would otherwise have remained concealed beneath vast piles of rock. In this particular, perhaps the most important stream in the county is Castleman river, which crosses over from Maryland and flows as far as Meyersdale on a northeast course, draining the im- portant coal basin included between the Allegheny and Negro mountains. At Meyersdale it turns sharply northwest, cuts Negro mountain and flows through the Second Sub-basin and a portion of the Third Sub-basin besides, joining with the Youghio- gheny river and Laurel Hill creek at Confluence to form the famous Turkey-Foot. In nearly all this distance the high hills bordering the river hold coal-bearing rocks, in which are included also valu- able deposits of limestone, fireclay, and perhaps iron ore. The Youghiogheny river, marking the south western limits of Somerset county, flows like- wise through a deep valley, but the lofty hills which shut in the river are almost destitute of coal. But at Smythfield, in the same valley, and about seven miles above Confluence, the entire Freeport group shows above water level for some distance, disappearing beneath the bed of the river before it reaches Conflu- ence. At this place the rocks belong to the group of Barren Measures, of which certainly as much as four hundred feet are here represented, but the highest knolls fail to include the great Pittsburgh seam. Re- peated investigations have further failed to reveal in all this pile of rock any coal beds of workable dimensions, showing at least that the Berlin group of coals are not persistent in thickness, though their representatives may be presented thereabouts.

Laurel Hill creek, however, descending south- westward nearly along the central line of the Third Sub-basin, has turned up large belts of coal territory confined entirely in the beds of the lower series. But a large portion of the country still remains in an al- most undeveloped state.

The valleys of Buffalo creek and Coxe's creek, in the First and Second Sub-basins respectively, are like- wise of importance. In Buffalo valley, near Berlin, are found some of the most important coal beds of Somerset county, while along Coxe's creek the entire group of the Lower Productive coals has been opened.

An examination of the county map will show that a line drawn nearly westward from the Allegheny mountain through the center of the county marks a second watershed, which forms an unbroken divide between the Castleman river on the south and the Conemaugh on the north. The northern half of the county is drained by several large streams, all of which are tributary to Stony creek, which heads near Berlin, close to the western base of the Allegheny mountain. The creek forces a passage through the ridges of the first and second subaxes and finally leaves the county below the Red bridge in the Third Sub-basin. The course of this stream from Shanks- ville to Johnstown, in Cambria county, is everywhere

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marked by hills which include the lower series of coal. In places, as at Hooversville, for instance, the entire group of coal rocks from the Seral Conglomer- ate to the Mahoning sandstone is present above water level, and in positions, too, not unfavorable to cheap and easy mining.

And it may also be stated in this connection that near the latter village some of the most promising indications of carbonate iron ore in the county have been observed.

Finally, nearly all the tributary streams of this creek flow through coal producing areas, and have rendered accessible the larger portion of the mineral lands in the northern half of the county. The waters of Shade creek flow in the Seral Conglomerate nearly all the way from the head springs of the stream to its mouth, and the hills bordering the creek are for many miles of sufficient hight to in- clude all the rocks of the Lower Productive Coal Measures, All along the valley of Quemahoning creek coal and limestone are found in abundance, and such as is needed for home consumption is mined at various points by the farmers. These coal beds like- wise belong to the Lower Productive series.

The deep synclinal trough included between the Allegheny and Negro mountains is of great and im- mediate importance economically. Within a limited area, bounded on the north and east by the Castle- man river, on the south by the county border, and on the west for a considerable distance by Elk Lick creek, not only do the Lower Productive coals pass beneath water level, but a sufficient amount of the Barren Measures besides, to allow the great Pittsburgh coal seam to appear near the hilltops.

Everywhere in the basin, the bed is wholly undis- turbed, rising very gently in almost every direction, besides having all the advantage of the dead lay of the stratification. It possesses a firm roof of tough clay slate, which forms an efficient barrier to percolat- ing waters. . More favorable conditions than these for easy mining can scarcely be conceived.

Moreover, the bed exists here in a state of remark- able purity and excellence, but the process of debitu- minization has been carried so far that the seam no longer yields a gas coal, but rather a strictly steam coal, closely allied to that yielded by the big bed on George's creek in the Cumberland basin.

For better comprehension it may be stated that the great bed of the Salisbury and Meyersdale region is identical with the famous Connellsville coal, and with that mined at Irwin's station on the Pennsyl- vania railroad, and also with that from George's creek. The exhaustive tests of Prof. Walter R. John- son have clearly shown that the Cumberland coal is deserving of the first place among American coals for steam-generating powers.

Besides the great bed, the Upper Productive Meas- ures, as developed in Somerset county, include two higher coal seams, but these are small, slaty and un- important. In addition, the rocks also hold valuable deposits of limestone, which furnish an excellent fer-

tilizer. The development of the group is here, how- ever, wholly abnormal, the intervals between the several strata being much reduced from the thick- nesses as known further west. Moreover, the width of these intervals becomes gradually more and more reduced in going south west from Meyersdale until at the Maryland line the several strata approach each other closely, and shoot into the air. Nor can any portion of the groups be found in the high land northeast of the Castleman river. This is due in great part to the rapid rise of the whole basin in that direction.

But in this high upland composed solely of Barren Measure rocks, several important coal beds are found in a narrow belt of country along the center of the basin. This middle group, asit may be called, stretches as far as Berlin and outcrops in the broad flat to the northeast of the latter town. These beds are not known to occur elsewhere in the county, although the other basins are sufficiently deep in many places to include them. Their equivalents are perhaps present at other points, but unrecognizable. Two of. the beds of this group can, however, be identified near the synclinal axis of the Third Sub-basin, a few miles northeast of Jennerville, but all of the Berlin series cannot here be located.

With these exceptions the coals elsewhere de- veloped in Somerset county may be said to belong to the Lower Productive series, and the same verti- cal section of these coals applies with slight modifi- cations throughout the entire basin. These coals and the rocks inclosing them can be studied along almost all the principal streams of the county, but it must be remembered that coal beds, like strata of rock and limestone, undergo vast changes, both in point of width and general character, over extended .areas. For this reason, in the following brief descrip- tion of the principal features by which the different coal beds of the lower series are characterized, a few localities, selected at random from a large number, will be indicated where these characteristic features may best be observed.

The lowest workable bed of the Lower Productive series, bed A, comes into the measures a few feet above the Seral Conglomerate, and is usually about three feet thick from roof to floor. Generally speak- ing, the bed yields a slaty, pyritous coal, and is there- fore almost invariably condemned as worthless. It is not infrequently underlaid by a stratum of impure fireclay. The bed is just above water level at the town of Hooversville.

At an interval varying from forty to sixty feet above bed A, coal-bed B appears. In this interval small streaks of coal, sometimes as much as one foot thick, occur, but these need not here be noticed. Bed B is perhaps the most valuable bed of all in the lower series. It is this bed that yields the famous Sonman and Bennington coal further north, and it also exists in great purity throughout a large portion of Clearfield county. It varies from four to six feet in thickness, and in the First Basin is almost every-

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where parted near the floor by a persistent band of slate, that occasionally increases to one foot in width. An excellent quality of fireclay has in places been taken out from beneath this seam, but of this clay little is known.

Bed B has not yet been extensively developed in Somerset county, but it is mined on the property of Mr. Zimmerman in Milford township, a few miles east-southeast of Somerset. It has further been opened on Coxe's creek to the south of Somerset by Mr. A. Stutzman, and can also be seen near Listonville. The next higher bed, coal C, is almost invariably of minor importance in Somerset and Cambria counties. It is frequently underlaid by a mass of fireclay, holding " balls" of carbonate iron ore. The coal seam occupies a position about thirty feet above bed B. The next coal in ascending or- der, bed D, or Lower Freeport coal, establishes a marked and unmistakable horizon in the Lower Productive Coal Measures as developed in Somerset county. It is usually present about seventy-five feet above bed C, and in this region it everywhere appears associated with a thick band of ferriferous limestone.

In the southern portion of the county the bed is invariably parted by a layer of impure fireclay shale, which ranges near the center of the seam. But to the north, this parting becomes indistinct and ulti- mately disappears. The bed varies from three to seven feet thick and yields a strong steam coal, but is sometimes heavily loaded with injurious impurities, and is totally unfit for iron-making purposes. But the limestone underlying is a valuable adjunct to the bed. This limestone band undergoes marked and sometimes rapid changes in. character, and in places carries too much alumina and iron in composition to be of use for agricultural purposes.

But in the main it calcines easily, and yields a good, strong fertilizer. This coal and limestone are mined throughout the entire county, but the following expo- sures are typical of the bed: Faust mills on Shade creek ; Jno. Beam's farm near Jenner X roads; and, for the southern portion of the county, Castleman's station on the Pittsburgh division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. It is this same coal bed that is mined on Stony creek, opposite Johnstown, by the Cambria Iron Company.

The Middle Freeport coal, or bed DI, occurs on an average about forty feet still higher in the measures. Along the Castleman river this interval is much greater, and at Ursina amounts to one hundred feet ; but for the first basin, this distance is irregular and wholly abnormal.

The bed runs about two feet thick, yielding, usually but not always, a slaty, worthless coal.

It likewise appears in the measures associated with a band of impure limestone about two and a half feet in width. The limestone, from which the coal is separated by an intervening stratum of fireclay, is not always present. The Middle Freeport bed is sel- dom mined in Somerset county, and is but little

known. The coal is worked at the Treforest mine, one mile northeast of Garrett, and the bed can be again seen on Mr. S. Baer's property, near Fairview village, in Milford township.

The Upper Freeport coal (E), one of the most per- sistent and best known beds of the lower productive series, does not appear to advantage throughout the lower portion of the first basin. Its average position in the measures is about seventy feet above the Mid- dle Freeport bed (DI). In thickness the coal ranges from two to seven feet. But throughout this region the coal from this bed everywhere carries too much sulphur and slate to entitle it to a high rank, while further north in the same basin, along the line of the Pennsylvania railroad, the bed is large enough to be mined with profit, and yields a marketable coal. In Somerset county it is exposed on Dr. Covode's land in Jenner township, and also on the property of the Pittsburgh Coal, Coke and Iron Company, near Ursina. At this latter place it shows nearly seven feet thick.

This seam, the uppermost coal bed of the Freeport trio, ends the lower series. At a short interval above, the Mahoning sandstone enters the measures, and closes the group of the Lower Productive Coal Meas- ures.

Carbonate iron ore, as segregated masses or " balls" imbedded in shale, is known to occur all through the coal-bearing rocks. But such deposits cannot be relied upon for a regular and constant supply, and are therefore of small importance economically.

Persistent bands of carbonate iron ore, of suffi- cient width to be of value, have, however, been dis- covered in Somerset county, in the Lower Productive coal rocks. The ore deposit, worked for many years at Shade furnace on Shade creek, rests on the Seral Conglomerate. A similar deposit was also seen in Addison township near the village of Listonville. Moreover, one of the most promising ore outerops yet opened up in Somerset county, exists near Hoo- versville, in the interval between coal beds A and B, and was accidentally discovered.

These deposits do not, perhaps, extend over large areas, but are nevertheless of sufficient thickness to justify further development.

The now famous ore-band worked by the Cambria Iron Company, near Johnstown, is supported by the Mahoning Sandstone, and occurs seventy feet above the l'pper Freeport coal bed (E). Indications of this ore deposit have been observed on Stony creek in Somerset county, but the ore does not here seem to be present in paying quantities.

The southern half of Somerset county is already liberally supplied with railroad facilities.

The Pittsburgh division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad (formerly Pittsburgh & Connellsville railroad) traverses the county crosswise, following mainly the waters of the Castleman river, and crossing the Alle- gheny mountain a few miles east of Meyersdale.

This railroad, fully equipped and in excellent con- dition, connects Pittsburgh with the Atlantic sea- board, and furnishes the minerals, etc., of the lower

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portion of Somerset county with a direct outlet to the eastern and western markets.

A short line of railroad, designed as an outlet to the steam coal of the Salisbury basin, is in process of building, and a portion of the road has already been completed. It ascends the Castleman river on an easy grade, and joins the Baltimore & Ohio railroad a short distance west of Meyersdale. This latter point, from whence all the steam coal of the Salisbury and Meyersdale basin will be shipped, is two hundred and twenty-seven miles from Baltimore, and one hundred and thirteen miles from Pittsburgh.

From Garrett & railroad ascends Buffalo creek to Berlin, thus opening up an important region of country, and paving the way for future developments. The Somerset & Mineral Point railroad has also placed the Coxe's creek coals and fireclays in direct line of communication with the large cities east and west. But these coals are of somewhat inferior quality, and lack significance at present.

A line of railroad has, however, been projected along the valley of Stony creek, and the necessary surveys have been made. The road when completed will open up & vast tract of country as yet almost wholly un- developed, and connect it with the great trunk line of the Pennsylvania railroad.

As shown in chapter fifteen-"Internal Im- provements"-the projected railway mentioned at the conclusion of Prof. Platt's report is com- pleted ; and, connected with the Somerset Min- eral Point road, is now known as the Cambria branch of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.

The South Pennsylvania railroad is now in process of construction through this county.

The county of Somerset has long been noted for its superior dairy products. Large quanti- ties of maple sugar are also produced. Its pure, cool atmosphere proves attractive in the sum- mer months for those who dwell in the hot, smoke-ladened cities. Many visitors from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and other points are found within its borders each sum- mer, and the popularity of the county in this respect rapidly increases year by year.

In past years considerable quantities of iron were manufactured in Somerset county. About seventy-five years ago two men from New Jer- sey established a furnace, and a few years later a forge, in Shade township, where they made a fine 'quality of bar iron. In Jenner township the Jackson Furnace served as a landmark for many years. Hon. Charles Ogle operated it for some time, but he was not its builder. Gen. Robert Philson, of Berlin, about seventy years ago, built and operated a forge at Markle-

ton, near where the pulp mills are now located, and about sixty-five years have passed since Matthias Scott built a forge on Laurel Hill creek in Jefferson township.

STATISTICS.

The population of the county in 1860 was twenty-six thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight. In 1870 the inhabitants num- bered twenty-eight thousand two hundred and twenty-six, and in 1880 thirty-three thousand one hundred and ten, enumerated by townships and boroughs as follows :

Addison township. 1,582 | New Baltimore borough .. 150

Allegheny township. 1,201

Northampton township ... 842

Berlin borough .. 728

Paint township ..

1,286

Brother's Valley township 1,654

Quemahoning township .. 1,859 Salisbury borough. 621 ..

Confluence borough 430 Shade township ... 1,287

Elk Lick township 1,501

Somerset borough 1.197

Greenville township. 557

Somerset township ... .. 8.276

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History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 82

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 967

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 967