en ie TT tre OE 84. GS /4: 6uc 47 Bullictin No. 49 M. M. LEIGHTON Septenbor 10, 1922. COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANTA DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Janes Pf, Woodward, Secretary i BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHI@ AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY George H, Ashley, State Gaologist eee eee COAL BEDS IN, CLARION COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA By A a De Sisler Introduction Clarion County has twelve coal beds, four of which are now being worked for shipping coal; five others are mined for local fuel, and the remainder are of no commerecionl importance at present. In 1918 Clarion County ranked twelfth in’Pennsylvania as a bitu- minous coal producing county, In that year 1,607,641 tons were pro- duced, valued at’$4,598,365; of the total amount, 1,502,101 tons valued at $4,300,465-were loaded at the mines for shipment; 80,314 tons, valued at £180,867, were sold to’local trade and usec by employees; 25,226 tons, valued at $117,033, were used at the mines for steam and heat. None of the coal was made into eoke at the mines, Clarion County is bounded on the north and northeast by Forest County, on the east by Jefferson County, on the south anc southwest by Armstrong County, and on the northwest by Venango County, Its sren is 601 square miles; its greatest width is 26 miles,-‘and its greatest length 32.5 miles, Its population in 1920 was 36,170. The Pennsylvania Railroad follows Redbank Creck from the eastern county line to its mouth, and the east bank of Allegheny River from Red. Bank to Emlenton. A branch line runs between Lawsonham, Rimerss burg and Sligo, The Baltimore ané@ Ohio Railroad runs northcast from St. Petersburg to Shipponsville, ond thence to the northeast corner of the county. The New York Central Railroad crosses the county in a general northwest direction-from Sutton and entcors Venango County just east of Van. The Lake Erie, Franklin & Hamilton Railroad serves the section east of the county scat. ‘ ‘ihe Pe pad re y * mets ea thm vee cailetnegare th der genet head as gata 5. , or e 1 ’ i x * A tus 4 Mi . ' fe vir she P te ' " ve . . 1) A \ - ah se ’ i teed hye”: ‘ + v4 ye wbe sion we et Shes syed i ‘ < pan o é ‘ * ae a S< ~~ « ‘ ’ ‘ ‘ Cee 8 ' ; . ie Tad a. Te aS AVF r A ie aL wy MPN . 1 ae t ‘ an 7 ] » f 4 - ad ’ " Ped fy { et i . ¥: ~ ine ‘ \ b . 7 bas p : ‘ Bu, i By ple . eet Ven aw Y i La iinet, ; de: Wea el Ee x Ra am ' 4 , ‘ * x? F : - . Dir Y . { Tay . oe be bets \- n on i : x 4 ‘ ay + } Mena Pa WL ; x 5 j yy ati i j f ’ W ) ; Ni { : ' fi 5 ; ‘ ‘ it i “ ‘ - fe ‘ 7 ‘ é ‘ r * ” , Nia t ‘ ' ’ i i t i ie > q ‘ % ‘ ‘ i bd ¢ rr 5 2 ra 7 U rt if \ ie ‘ i i H 4 ri “3 { F ) 1 PP , i n rr a we : o ‘ fi 7 ; ¥ iN x ” . ” y fie ’ rane | ho : “4 ‘ ‘ é ~ i ” ' ® ihe , : htt \ ‘ oa ae | y vs cy ¢ v, 4 $c) 4 >) 5 vt 1) ode aha Practically all the highways are dirt, anc the main traveled ones are kept in good conditions Coal for’ local use is transported over the highways. The surface of Clarion County is very hilly and much dissected by streams, The larger streams flow in canyon-like gorges, with narrow flood plains and precipitous Barer ‘The valleys of the smaller streams are disproportionately wider, and have a very snall erodient near their headwaters. The more or ‘less uniform level of the higher hilltops represent the remnants of an old peneplain,. On the lower part of Clarion River and on Allegheny River the Slopes are broken by terraces, most of which are betwegn 200 and 210 feet above the present strean "levels, These terraces‘cut in sand- Stone, and are covered with a layer of glacial gravel, in places over 100 féet thick. STRUCTURE. All the structural features of Clarion County, with the exception of the Fairmount synclinc, are! not well defined, and form a part or an irregular monocline, rising gently northwest. Fairmount syncline lies in the southeast corner of the county, just west of Hawthorne and Shannondales The greatest dips in the county are on the flanks of this basin, the‘rocks on the southeastern flank dipping from 100 to 150 feet per “mile, and on the northwestern rio ns from 100 to 175 feet per mile. The axis rises gradually north- €aste Kellersburg anticline, lying nor thwe st of Fairmount syncline, crosses Redbank Creek one mile west of Climax, extends northeast near Frogtown and leaves the county 2 few miles nor th of Corsicn The southeastern flank of the anticline arpa: 75 to) 275 feet per “mile; the northwest flank dips 50 to 125 feet per mile. The axis is well defined, and rises regula wr ly northeast. Bradys Bend syncline crosses Redbank Creck about two miles cast is Lawsonhan, follows 2 direct northeast course to Rockville, turns harply to's direction a little enst of north, and dise appears near eran The dips on the fiank of this syncline are 25 to 75 feet per mile; the axis gradually rises northeast, Rimersburg anticline is a low fold oxtending from Rimersburg to Sharpsburg Church. It seems to be « limb of Kellersburg anticline that is nearly cut off by Bradys Bend syncline, The fold is best caabbgilades near Rimersburg, but dies out 2 short distance west of that place, Northwest of Kellersburg anticline in the northern part of the county is a broad shallow basin, with the rocks rising gradually northwest to the axis of 2 minor anticlinol fold. eu ee CALE TUE RS { , i i ! } : . 4 : : . ? * 5 - . ‘ , ’ « Lok r. Ope ae ee ye : 4 } e 74 7 : 4 : i ree aoe ' w , r 5 ¥ P ; o ’ N \ { . . My 1 | # om * i he et . " ) \ ‘ > ‘ I ‘“ "W } ' A % ; ' ‘ i ; t ; ’ ’ > i M . ‘ ¥ j ' 1. 7 6 ‘ { ‘ " ‘ i Fi , i ; oo” . i i ' ely | or “ , ‘ » ‘ my } A fe ‘ *, ’ t f F C + x & * t ' i re bye : . he ' ¥ F me 5 ‘ itm ; ! : : y 4 a’ ‘ J » ¢ . 4 ye | ‘ , ‘- 1 Nas Bs . . oll Disk ds lad | FOC Moe Vatu aA pe bi ET Ra SRN. tt am Ai ci eteie aa ‘golklindtmn:4 ei kee iawn it ate S Lie: ith | J gee ay i raakgiens: 3 * t ‘ fk fr, ile See it y af, ag dé The rocks in’the western part of the county rise gradually northwest in an anticlinal fold, with irregular dips where local minor structures disturb it. STRATIGRAPHY, The consolidated rocks exposed in Clarion County belong to the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian series of the Carboniferous system, The unconsolidated stream gravels along stream valley are of Quaternary age. . The Conenaugh formation has been almost entirely eroded in Clarion County, only 2 maximum thickness of 230 feet remaining in the hills in the southern part, It is composed of massive sandstone, Shales, limestones, and thin coal beds. The upper part of the Allegheny formation has been much eroded in Clarion County, remaining intact only in a few hills in the Southern part of the county. The lower part is widespread in all but Farmington township, The formation is composed of massive sandstone, Shale, clay beds, limestone, and several important coal beds. The Pottsville formation is composed of two massive sandstones, With a Shale, clay, and codl interval between them. It is exposed in the northern part of the cgunty, and along Clarion River and Piney Creck,- As the Mauch Chunk formation is lacking, the Pottsville forma- tion lies unconformably on 'the Burgoon sandstone. The Pocono formation is the lowest that outcrops in Clarion County, Its principal exposure is on Clarion River above Clarion. It is composed of shales and Sandstone, and is not cool bearing. Ma ee Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2022 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates httos://archive.org/details/coalbedsinclario0Osisl_ 0 COAL BEDS, The following table shows the stratigraphic relation and the range in thickness of the coal beds. Coal beds in Clarion County, Range in Average thickness aks Name of coal bed interval of coal beds. SQN ES Lh BSE AT fs SI ERG Pa Pa pop og A Oh GRA on ao Gt pe On Mahoning - ~---+-*%--e84e+e-+-+-+-6 SSP) tse eh eae interval fio Lo ASEM Ap Maley rial LS ipig Va aie aa AE ea Se Pe Gopinae « ( interval 40! -( Lower Freeport CTIA LAD! Liat Ta oc Toate ike 97 ~~ = O' - A OG" ( nterval 55! ( Upper Kittanning/("0'") ~-.---+-+--- Oe raat ig interval 60! ( Middle Kittennirig ("G") ----+--+--- ep ae ae sh Be interval 5B! Allegheny { Lower Kittonning ("B") ---+----+--+-- naire ae Sida SEO! ( ; nterval 60! ee ALIN Piet nn eo as (ie mem Gh Bo acen ( interval ros ED MAY Tu CWI tes flee etd ee a elie oe emf SENN Hap tee ( ‘interval 25' ( Brookville ("A") or"Craigsville"- - - - - - OS, ate 5 ' interval 40' a hci) Sat aN Ral ae ae gee ee Ta a oe me ORS rea Oe Mercer Coal or Coals. The shales lying between the Homewood and Connoquenessing sandstones of the Pottsville formation contain one or more coal beds that are impure and never are more than a few inches thick. Drillers often report black shale at this horizon, Brookville ("A") Coal, This coal, lying a few feet above the Homewood sandstone’, is a very irregular but persistent bed in Clarion County. It is locally 4 fect 6 inches thick along Clarion River in the eastern part of the county, but is rather dirty and high in Sulphur, Two miles southeast of Madison schoolhouse it is 2 feet 9 inches thick, including a 7-inch porting of shale and pyrite in the middle, It is mined east of Kingsville and west of Sutton and it is opened two miles west of Willinmsburg, where it is 2 feet 4 inches thick. .At Sligo and northeast of New Bethlehem it is locally % feet thick, but impure, and high in sulphur. ante eee ht thaw » 5 K . nee hh bly ae ae i aS f Sees : ‘ * ‘a, BS fF Ned ’ . i % < “ * ”v , 4 my t ; og i ¢ " ‘ i Ly . dione don ‘ , \ ~ ee . anti be nae aT , i ‘ ooky Mf . ” rl 1 6 4 1 ; ' (a ~s Ad ‘ . - ~ onthe ~ * et a — «i ’ vo uk . » ¥y ; o > a) . > : “ . e : ' 4 an ‘ ~ + > . ae & - be * i ‘ ’ 5 a ' eh . ret li . . J Wy rae & ? ri ai. 5 “f ’ 5 / f Me ss x A tity be r if J f é ‘ < 7 t wo he A , 4 —" | a ‘ & pd ire i.’ is is i Ve u ‘ e Ae f , ‘4 ie A y f '® a ae 7] On p nye «aA : } & ! ; Meth Acie Bead nati ite ney ier ® | ¥ ‘ a oe Ode ae “a or nv » iN ro * ’ 4 we r ‘ : - o i Te ' My Cy oh pee - In the vicinity of Knox the Brookville bed is divided into Severnl benches by thick shale partings, the distance from the top of the highest bench to the bottom of the lowest being 15 feet. The bed is similarly parted at Shippensville, but toward the south the part- ings become thinner .né disappear. Work during 1921 demonstrated what has lone been suspected that the "Craigsville" coal of the Foxburg-Clarion fclio is the equivalent of the Brookville conl at Brodkville, and that corls locally mapped ©&S Brookville are at the Mcrcet horizon. Due t> this error confusion will cxist in this area until the survey of the county is reviscd, The intervals given in the columnar sections have becn revised. Clarion Lower Coal, This bed, lying about 40 feet above the Brookville, is the second most important bed in Clarion County. It is the most important coal in the southwest part of the county where it iS persistent, anc from 2 to 7 fect thick. It contains a large quantity of iron pyrite and is called the "sulphur vein." It averages 4 fect thick on Allegheny River in Richland towmship, and is mined for Shipping coal. It is parted 10 inches from the bottom by 16 inches of bony coale The Clarion Lower coal is mined near West Monterey, averages 5 feet thick, and has a persistent l-inch band of pyrite 9 inches from the bottom. It is mined near Clarion and has a maxinun thickness of 6 feet, averaging 5 feet, It carries a 2-inch pyrite band @ feet 5 inches from the top, 7 inches of bony cool, 17 inches from the bottom, and is locally bony at the top. The Lower Clarion coal is of little value in the southeastern part of the county, where it averages a little over 2 feet thick. The Lower Clarion coal ranges from 37 tc 39 per cent volatile matter, averaging 38 per cent; 46 to 82 per-cant fixed carbon, averaging 48 per cent; 6 to 11 per cent ash, averaging 9 per cent; 3 to 6 per cent Sulphur, averaging 4.5 per cent. The coal is ; generally hard anc blocky, although locally it is soft and friable, and slacks when mined, Clarion Upper Coal. This bed, lying from 10 to 20 feet above the Clarion Lower coal, seems to be split from that bed, It is extremely irregular, varying within a few feet from 2 few inches to 4 feet thick. Between Parkers Eanding and St. Petersburg the coal is nearly 5 feet thick in places, and has been mined for shipment. Lower Kittanning ("B") Coal. This bed, lying about 100 feet above the Brookville, is the most persistent and important producing bed in Clarion County. The Lower Kittenning is persistent and uniform in thickness, averaging about 3 fect thick. No regular partings occur eo cool, and local partings are thin, few of them over $ inch ick, The Lower Kittanning is 4 feet 6 inches thick at St. Petersburg, ond carries a 2-inch bone parting, twelve inches from the botton, The lower bench is dirty. It is 3 fect 9 inches thick at Parker, and carries two l-inch sulphur ane bone*coal partings, one 7 inches above Ve ie srs " Va aa f ade) eb D ie & A , A ; Z a] {ti Rie: ‘ \ ‘nee \ ~ ' i (ay ia : hie t eam wor sh unalone ) eo Aes se By. ri has f Siw WS Ra ke teks a Oe! sta ' i on ety 88 A MiP ove, ‘ j ey “ Dy Pe 7 Ne e : : ee 455 ‘2 Me Poh gt ra 3 me ‘ ‘ h ‘ : » | PR i a eds } ’ ” : a ‘ 7% ey k : f ya j . rt * j . ~ eek et, 2 os f ¥s 2 ee f ding 4 ; 7 rh ped ip. ¢ ae ee Bd et all or’ fy , aa a d 4 o' ah, i / be ap og Rp ye 7 ay 4 y Ce el * ayy 4 | bi n0 Pet MT Me BB Na ant (atts ‘ id yy 5 " % : 4 the bottom, and the other 12 inches below the top; The bed is 3 feet thick at Upper Hillville, ond carries no partings, but numerous lenses of pyrite. At Catfish it is 4 feet thick, including 6‘inches of bony cool at the top; at Philipstowmn 3 feet 10 inches thick, including 2 $-inch pyrite band two feet above the bottom, and 3 inches of bony cool at the top, It is 4 feet 4 inches thick at Red Bank, including 6 inches of bony coal at the top. The Lower Kittanning’is mined extensively on the Sligo branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, pnd averages 3 feet 6 inches thick at Lawsonham, Rimersburg and Sligo, It invariably carries about 4 inches of bony top coal. The bed thins to an average of 2 fect 8 inches in the southeastern part of the county. The Lower Kittanning averages 2 feet 10 inches thick in the vicinity of Clarion, including 3 inches of bone coal at the top, anda bone binder 5 inches below the bony coal. It seems to thin north and west. in the vicinity of Wentlings Corners the bed is 3 feet 2 inches thick, is unusually free from sulphur, and has been used as a black- snithing coal. The bed thins westward, One mile southwest of Zion Hill the Lower Kittanning is separated into two benches by a shale parting 13 feet thick. The upper bench is 3 feet 3 inches thick, and the lower one 15 inches thick. Both benches are good clean coal, The Lower Kittanning coal varies from 35 to 40 per cent ‘volatile matter, 49 to 53 per cent fixed carbon, 5 to 10 per cent’ash, and fron 0.8 to 4 per cent sulphur, It is 2 stick and block coal, brilliant in lustre, and mines out in fair sized lumps, Middle Kittanning ("C") Coals, These two coals, which lie about 60 and 75 feet above the Lower Kittanning, are very irregular, but . Locally reach 2 maximum thickness of 2 feet 6 inches. North of Clarion River the Midéle Kittanning is very thin, and entirely lacking in large areas, South of Clarion River the bed averages 16 inches thick, but is not persistent, At Mount Airy the bed is separated into two benches by 18 inches of shale; the lower bench is 43 inches thick, ond the upper one 21 inches thick. On Redbank Creek it is locnlly 2 feet 6 inches thick, and is mined by farmers. Upper Kittanning ("C™) Coal, The Upper Kittanning coal, lying about 110 feet above the Lower Kittanning, is so variable in thickness that it is called the "Pot vein." North of Clarion River it is thin, locally reaching mineable thickness two miles north of St. Petersbure. South of Clarion River the Upper Kittanning varies from 2 few inches to 4 feet in thickness‘within 2 few yards. It may be mineable one mile east of West Freedom, where it is 21 inches thick, including a 2-inch shale parting near the midéle of the bed, It reaches a local maxinum thickness of 3 feet 5 inches one mile northeast of New Athens, and is good clean eoal. Near New Bethlehem the Upper Kittanning is many yee r f Ww aU. e ; \ ¢ ‘ A ; gee as. is ‘ pt a ha — oan ie , iv te tea: ew : : ‘ ‘ < a " Re ae Oe ; ¢ if wre ‘ ? ft a a, o.. ae oe iy ox me Piet "s a ae wh et ie 7 : 4 4 " f A ota vies Fl oN ws va Tone ro a ii “A + ’ A mY a, wee ¥ ew sat «paul nr + * eres Ge adbA ha & ; A wart iz ‘wire Nee? | rh ; Ws ‘ a a *; : a 4 te ‘ ve Ay: ‘ ant v A , foe FY . os , J r * ; ‘ ay * » phar »/ oe) 3 * v * a ea * Li ry Nad ay @ al ; \ , “ aos h wr ’ % - em , “ ’ . ' r rie “ , * 4 uN aT P i aw dou ; ’ ‘ . iy 9 r ahi gy Hy r gt ; e 4 } 45 Vea % a ; ' t tA >> . y ape y : a a . : A we s Ci ‘} ¢ xi _ <>, tan + ade + + q 4 he 4 5 bed, eM ae ‘om: y > ; ) . ‘ yor : : f TG sh . a > a A. 4 f 4¥ \ ee ; d . ¢ aS | : I : Ce clic deamakalrne Soetenpeerery > Spokes eoeel P 1 ed ; ot ie ad - Lf ’ tA wo OF), s anP, Shu. {) Pry, | ae , hy mn ee ik | “oil i A Ay i x * aa ae f Peay AY See oe Ubiee a f ‘ si ¥ ff oa y oe ton wn i Oy ish | of * Va . j ’ Bie ba 7 ’ ; ince th 0-18 gn oo OF) Aileen 4 Ei fh 3 eed At n : “ Bh a ‘he rn ae P ee , ‘ued ee Cee j i A de) i fe das hae hea Se i y t / ‘ } =~ a A > cd we 4 de NTN vl wi Dm! be 174) “a ‘ ; i ie he 4 x ie ae } due ® ee Ld <* ¢ 4 ¢ ye, i } i of f ty 1 : . bt 4 * a PAL | Ve ; beh a) OA ; £ . My o'r * : , ' p ate! we iy “Ow fh : 4 ih res opis sy 2 ae “ eT pa Ae 2 MB nha AN ate ee - ¥ , fi ihe eT) fe > Lt se > ae ! hy ory on & ite nee) ¥ — st it dy We dae 7 ps ie ij on Ft he e as ene i ci aot aN i : ; afl pares : 6\\f i % [ t : oe 3 on ee { of Fi3 : 4 ; ra Hah) “Ata Pot Petal ag i a tet Be int ote uf 4 ’ alts} sate}. ‘ ne ee ee ee ee eau ee? AE en ee ee oa drat MAb ate hE " we oP at ey ty. p { 4 f Ae + ; sir » ’ . < 4 i Sy bie on a aes thy AST neh 6 WA S ; ; i by es . HF | ae ea 0 a r re wits ” ' i Pg f ) ' he A Paes Ao 7 »% bie rp ae < wets ad it " tn , + * ‘ f Ya e es . & , ’ ' ¥ { een ee 8 , yutzy > . Latte ara) 4%) Be 7 . ni iwee hed er Ge Ae t i : yer SBN Cota ia ; 1 . ae Po a aan ee ’ A 7 An BN ey. f u ' rf? : > es f %| weg oe wiz. vee (fo J ; % ‘ ee ia bat ‘ ; } 7 my era eR 5 cs va BE a wae 3 ™“ from 3 to 4 feet thick in 2 considerable eren, Lower Freevort ("D") Coal. This bed lies about 165 feet above the Lower Kittanning. It is probably entirely eroded north of Clarion River and is contained only in the highlands south of that river, Its area is greater, and its thickness more regular than the Upper Freeport, but it is thin and carries numerous partings. Between Parkers Landing and Rimersburg the Lower Freeport is separated by a shale parting 1 to 2 feet thick, ints two benches, each ranging from 1 to 3 feet thick. The bed is’from 3 feet 6 inches to 7 feet thick in the vicinity of New Bethlehem, but is nearly worked out. Upper Freeport ("E") Coal. The Upper Freeport coal lics about 200 feet above the Lower Kittanning ond 40 feet above the Lower Free- port. Its area is confined to some 50 hilltops along the southern border of the county, It ranges from 18 inches to 6 feet 3 inches Lan a not including persistent bony benches above and below the good al. Next to the Lower Kittanning and Clarion coal, it ranks third e importance in the county, and is persistent and mineable in practically its entire area, : One mile northeast of Dutch Hill the Upper Freeport is 2 feet 10 inches thick, including two thin shele partings; 2 miles northeast of Eagle Mine it is 2 feet 7 inches thick, and has no distinct impurities. One mile northwest’of Kissi neers Mill it varies from 14 inches to 3 feet 4 inches thick, ond is clean coal; 1$ miles northwest of Rimersburg it is 5 feet thick, including sreall bony benches at the top and bottom of the bed, Probably the greatest thickness of the bec is 1 mile southwest of Maple Grove where it is 6 feet 3 inches thick, including thick benches of bony coal at the top and bottom, One-half mile northeast of New Athens the bed is 4 feet 6 inches thick, but very bony. At Sandy Hollow the bed is 3 feet 1 inch thick, and the ‘coal is clean. Conemaugh Coals, The Bana Brush Sani and Bakerstowm coals average about 6 inches thick, and are not mineable. Se ae as Bip: (a SAN HIMIVEDerY Ae Ht mine Hime ana . 0776406 0636