DESCRIPTION OF THE KITTANNING QUADRANGLE.

By Charles Butts.

GENERAL RELATIONS. teaus, the highest and most extensive of which lie nessee it is known as the Highland Plateau; in number is less, until on Kanawha River the regular along the southeastern margin. Kentucky it is called the Lexington Plain. The westward dip is interrupted by only one or two Location. The Kittanning quadrangle is located These plateaus are believed to be the remnants surface of this plateau slopes to the west, "but folds of small proportions. Close examination in the Allegheny Valley in the west-central part of a very old land surface which has been reduced throughout its eastern margin it has an altitude shows that west of the Allegheny Front each of Pennsylvania. It extends from latitude 40° 45' nearly to a plain by long-continued erosion, and of 1000 feet above sea. trough, as well as each arch, lies lower than the to 41° and from longitude 79° 30' to 79° 45', and could therefore properly be called a peneplain. The surface features of the Highland Plateau are one on the east, so that the rocks which are over includes one-sixteenth of a square degree of the This peneplain was first studied by Davis in variable, but there is not so much diversity as 2000 feet above sea at the Allegheny Front extend earth's surface, or about 226 square miles. The northwestern New Jersey, and was named by him in the Cumberland Plateau. In Kentucky and below sea level in the central part of the basin. larger part of the quadrangle is in Armstrong the Schooley peneplain because it is well developed Tennessee the Highland Plateau is preserved in Rocks of the Appalachian Province. County, but it includes a small portion of Clarion in the region of Schooley Mountain (Proc. Boston large areas as a nearly featureless plain, but in County on the northeast and a considerable strip Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 24, p. 377). The peneplain other States it was less perfectly developed and has PRE-CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS. of Butler County on the west. It takes its name has been deformed by differential elevation, and on suffered greatly from dissection since it was elevated. The oldest rocks of the Appalachian province from Kittanning, the most important town within account of its great age has, in most regions, been West of the Highland Plateau there is a third plain, are crystalline rocks, such as granite and gneiss, its boundaries. so completely dissected that its original character is which is developed in the Central Basin of Ten­ which outcrop along its eastern and northern Relation to the Appalachian province. In its not apparent. Its surface rises from a height of 500 nessee and in the western portions of Kentucky and margins and presumably underlie all the younger physiographic and geologic relations this quad­ feet above sea level in central Alabama to 1700 feet Indiana. rocks. Overlying the crystalline rocks is a great rangle forms a part of the Appalachian province, at Chattanooga, 2400 feet at Cumberland Gap, Geologic structure of the Allegheny Plateaus. mass of sandstone, limestone, and shale, mostly of which extends from the Atlantic Coastal Plain to 3500 feet at New River, and probably 4000 feet at The structure of the Allegheny Plateaus is gener­ marine origin. These comprise several systems, the Mississippi lowlands, and from central Alabama its culminating point in central West Virginia. ally simple. The strata lie nearly flat and their some of which are of great thickness. These rocks to Canada. From this point it descends to about 2800 feet on regularity is broken only by small faults and low, are exposed in the greatly folded and disturbed the southern line of Pennsylvania and 2200 to broad folds. The most pronounced fold is a low, region east of the Allegheny Front and around the . GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OP APPALACHIAN 2300 feet in the central part of the State. North broad arch known as the Cincinnati anticline. northern and western margin of the province, PROVINCE. of this point the peneplain is widely developed The major axis of this anticline enters the Alle­ within the belt of crystalline rocks, but in the The Appalachian province may be divided into in the northern counties of Pennsylvania and gheny Plateaus from the direction of Chicago, but interior, as well as in the deep synclines of the two nearly equal parts by a line which follows the throughout southern New York, and ranges in a minor fold from the western end of Lake Erie Anthracite and Broadtop regions of the Greater Allegheny Front throughout Pennsylvania, Mary­ altitude from 2000 to 2400 feet. joins the major axis near Cincinnati. From Cin­ Appalachian Valley, they are concealed beneath land, and West Virginia, and the eastern escarp­ The Schooley peneplain is best preserved over cinnati the axis of the anticline passes due south the younger rocks, which belong to the Carbon­ ment of the Cumberland Plateau across Virginia, an extensive area in Alabama and Tennessee, where to Lexington, Ky., and there curves to the south­ iferous system. Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. East of this it constitutes the Cumberland Plateau. North of east parallel with the Appalachian Valley as far as CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM. line the rocks are greatly disturbed by fault­ Tennessee it doubtless was once well developed, Nashville, Tenn. The anticline has its maximum ing and folding, and in many places are so meta­ but now is difficult to identify. In northern West development in the vicinity of Lexington, where This system is of especial interest because in it morphosed that their original character can be Virginia and northern Pennsylvania are a few the Trenton limestone is exposed at an altitude of are included the rocks of the Appalachian coal field, determined only with difficulty. West of this line areas of high, level land that appear to be rem­ 1000 feet above sea level. In Tennessee it again in the northern part of which the Kittanning quad­ the rocks are less disturbed; they lie nearly flat, nants of the original surface of the peneplain, swells out into a dome-like structure, which is rep­ rangle is located. and the few folds which break the regularity of which is generally so dissected that only the hill­ resented topographically by the Central Basin of Pocono formation. At the base of the Carbon­ the structure are so broad that they are scarcely tops mark its former position. Throughout most Tennessee. iferous system lies the Pocono formation, which noticeable. of the province knobs and ridges rise above the The Cincinnati anticline separates the Allegheny derives its name from the Pocono Mountains in The general topographic features of the northern surface of the peneplain, as is attested by the fact Plateaus into two structural basins, which are best the eastern part of Pennsylvania. In the Pocono part of the province are well illustrated by fig. 10 that they rise above the general level of the sur­ known from the coal fields which they contain. Mountains this consists largely of sandstone, is over (illustration sheet.) Immediately east of the Alle­ rounding hill tops. The western basin extends far beyond the limit of 1000 feet thick, and rests conformably upon the gheny Front are alternating ridges and valleys, The Cumberland Plateau slopes to the west, and the province and contains the Eastern Interior coal red rocks of the Catskill formation, the uppermost designated the Greater Appalachian Valley, and is generally separated from the next lower pla­ field of Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky. member of the Devonian system. Over a large still farther east iss a slightly dissected upland like teau, the Highland Plateau, by a more or less regu­ The eastern basin lies entirely within the limits of area in Pennsylvania its top is well marked by the Piedmont Plain of eastern North Carolina and lar westward-facing escarpment. This escarpment the Allegheny Plateaus, and is generally known as a calcareous and sandy stratum, known as the Virginia. West of the Allegheny Front are more is most pronounced in Tennessee, where it has a the Appalachian coal field. The Kittanning quad­ "siliceous limestone," but where this is absent the or less elevated plateaus which are broken by a height of 1000 feet. Toward the north it decreases rangle is situated entirely within the latter field top of the formation is not so well defined. The few ridges where minor folds have affected the in altitude to 500 feet in central Kentucky, and (see fig. 11, illustration sheet), the geologic features thickness of the Pocono on the Allegheny Front is rocks, and are greatly dissected by streams. In north of Ohio River it is so indistinctly developed of which will therefore be described in greater about 1030 feet. On the eastern margin of the contradistinction to the lowlands of the Mississippi that it has not been recognized. In southern detail. coal field sandstone predominates, but there are Valley on the west and the regularly alternating Pennsylvania it becomes more pronounced where The geologic structure of the Appalachian coal beds of gray sandy shale of considerable thickness, ridges and valleys of the Appalachian Valley on the hard rocks of Chestnut Ridge rise abruptly field is very simple, consisting, in a general way, of and occasionally beds of red shale, which, thougli the east, this part of the province has been called above the plain formed in the soft rOcks of the a broad, flat, canoe-shaped trough. This is particu­ generally thin, may be of considerable thickness by Powell the Allegheny Plateaus. (Nat. Geog. Monongahela Valley, but the surface of the upper­ larly true of the northern extremity, as may be locally. In the Kittanning quadrangle only the Mon. No. 3, pp. 65-100.) The Kittanning quad­ most plateau is so greatly dissected that the escarp­ seen in the illustration just referred to. The deep­ top of the formation is exposed in the deeper val­ rangle is entirely within the Allegheny Plateaus. ment can be recognized only with difficulty. Toward est part of this trough lies along a line extending leys, but it is penetrated in drilling deep wells for the central part of the State the plateau surfaces southwest from Pittsburg across West Virginia to oil and gas and possibly includes all the rocks Allegheny Plateaus. usually separated by this escarpment approach each Huntington on Ohio River. To the southeast of between the top of the Mountain sand and the The Allegheny Plateaus are characterized by other, and the escarpment is merged into a mass this line the rocks dip northwest and to the north­ bottom of the Hundred-foot sand. It contains distinct types of drainage, surface features, and. of irregular hills which represents all that remains west they dip southeast. About the canoe-shaped workable beds of coal of limited extent in the geologic structure, which are described below. of the higher plateau. northern end the rocks outcrop in a rudely semi­ southeastern part of the Appalachian field in Vir­ Drainage of the Allegheny Plateaus. The drain­ Bordering the Cumberland Plateau on the west circular belt and at all points dip toward the lowest ginia and West Virginia, and thin worthless beds age of the Allegheny Plateaus is almost entirely in Tennessee and Kentucky, arid extending north­ part of the trough. In Pennsylvania the deepest in parts of Pennsylvania. On account of the into Mississippi River, but in the northeastern ward over large portions of Ohio, Pennsylvania, part of the trough is in the southwest corner of presence of these coal beds and the occurrence of part it is either into the Great Lakes or into and New; York, are remnants of a second peneplain, the State, and the inclination of the rocks is gener­ fossil plants similar to those of the later coal-bear­ the Atlantic Ocean through Susquehanna, Dela­ younger than the Schooley peneplain. This sur­ ally toward that point. ing formations, the Pocono is assigned to the Car­ ware, or Hudson rivers. face has recently been studied by Campbell (Bull. Although in general the structure is simple the boniferous system. In the northern part of the province the arrange­ Geol. Soc. America, vol. 14, pp. 277-296), who has eastern limb of the trough is crumpled into a Mauch Chunk formation. This formation over­ ment of the drainage is largely due to former gla- called it the Harrisburg peneplain on account of number of parallel wrinkles or folds that make the lies the siliceous limestone on the Allegheny Front, ciation. Before the Glacial epoch all the streams its excellent development near Harrisburg, Pa., detailed structure somewhat complicated and break along Conemaugh River east of Blairsville, and north of central Kentucky probably flowed north­ where it is about 500 feet above the sea. North of up and conceal the regular westward dip. These along Chestnut Ridge in Fayette County. It takes west and discharged their waters through the St. Ohio River this peneplain was developed on harder undulations are similar to the great folds east of its name from Mauch Chunk, in the anthracite coal Lawrence system. The encroachment of the great rocks than in Tennessee and Kentucky and the the Allegheny Front, but are on a very much region, where it is over 2000 feet thick in the deep ice sheet closed this northern outlet, and new result is that the surface is less regular and its smaller scale and have not been broken by faults. synclines and is composed largely of red shale. drainage lines were established along the present exact position is more difficult to determine. It These minor folds are present along the southeast­ On the Allegheny Front it is about 180 feet thick courses of the streams. appears to rise from an altitude of 700 or 800 feet ern margin of the basin from central West Virginia and is composed of about 80 feet of heavy grayish In the southern half of the province the west­ in Indiana to 1000 feet in Tennessee, Kentucky, to southern New York. Across the northern to greenish sandstone overlain by 100 feet of soft ward-flowing streams not only drain the Allegheny and Ohio, 1200 to 1300 feet in southwestern Penn­ extremity of the basin the minor folds are devel­ red shale. It has this character along the Cone­ Plateaus, but many of them have their sources sylvania, and probably 1600 to 2100 feet through­ oped in large numbers and extend at least halfway maugh between South Fork and Johnstown, but upon the summits of the Blue Ridge and cross out northern Pennsylvania and southern New across Pennsylvania near its northern boundary. on Chestnut Ridge the sandstone beds disappear the Greater Appalachian Valley. York. In the southern part of the State there are only six and the formation is composed of red shale over­ Relief of the Allegheny Plateaus. This division The Harrisburg peneplain is best preserved in pronounced anticlines, two of these disappearing lying and underlying a bed of limestone in which of the province is composed of a number of pla­ portions of Tennessee and Kentucky. In Ten­ near the West Virginia line. Farther south the marine fossils are very abundant. The limestone represents the upper part of the great Carbonifer­ to the vicinity of Huntington, W. Va., and which counties, Pa., along a channel now utilized in part ourse, extend over the southeastefn half of the ous limestone of the Mississippi Valley. The includes considerable portions of Ohio and West by French and Conneaut creeks, and entered the quadrangle, which now stands in general at a con­ Mauch Chunk red shale occurs as a thin stratum Virginia adjacent to Ohio River. It is not present Erie basin just east of the Ohio-Pennsylvania State siderably lower altitude. Where the softer rocks in several wells drilled in the vicinity of Blairs- in the Kittanning quadrangle. line. The waters of the Clarion and lower Alle­ outcrop it probably would be nearly flat, but where ville in Westmoreland County, but north of that Dunkard formation. Above the Monongahela gheny, with its tributaries, followed the present harder rocks are present isolated knobs would stand place it has been detected in the records of only formation lie the highest rocks of the Carbonif­ course of Allegheny River to the mouth of Beaver above its general surface, as in the vicinity of Fos­ two or three wells and is not present where its erous system, having a thickness in the southwest River, where they apparently turned to the north ters Mills. horizon reaches the surface. It is probably entirely corner of Pennsylvania of about 800 feet. They and followed an old valley, occupied in part by The flat surfaces and the divides mentioned in absent below the surface of the Kittanning quad­ are mainly shale and sandstone, but include beds of Beaver and Grand rivers, to the Lake Erie basin. the preceding paragraph are believed to be rem­ rangle. coal and limestone. Some of the coals are locally nants of an ancient land surface which was pro­ Pottsville formation. This formation derived its workable, but they are generally worthless. This duced by subaerial erosion operating through a name from Pottsville, in the Southern Anthracite group of rocks was formerly known as the Upper very long period, during which the crust of the field. It is there 1200 feet thick and is composed Barren Measures, and later as the Dunkard forma­ earth in this region moved neither up nor down. mainly of a coarse heavy conglomerate which in tion, from Dunkard Creek in Greene County. In The result was a nearly horizontal surface, or pene­ part of the field carries several workable coal the forthcoming Waynesburg folio these rocks will plain, which was much nearer sea level than the seams. In the eastern part of the bituminous coal be divided into the Washington and Greene forma­ present general surface. Above the peneplain a field of Pennsylvania the formation consists of two tions. The Washington will include the rocks few small unreduced areas rose to a height of 100 sandstone members separated in general by a bed of between the Waynesburg coal and the upper Wash­ to 180 feet, and these still rise above the surface as shale, often carrying several thin coals. In places ington limestone, and the Greene will comprise all it is restored in imagination. These unreduced the shale contains a coal bed of workable thickness higher rocks. It is doubtful whether this division areas may be due in part to the presence of hard and in other places a bed of valuable fire clay. can be carried beyond the boundaries of Pennsyl­ sandstones, in part to their distance from the main A bed of limestone is also locally developed. These vania, so that in Ohio and West Virginia these drainage lines, and in part to their relation to geo­ beds are known as the Mercer coal, clay, and lime­ uppermost and youngest rocks of the Carboniferous logic structure. However, had the period during stone, respectively, because they are well developed system will be known simply as the Dunkard for­ which this portion of the earth's crust remained in Mercer County. Along the western border of mation. This group occupies an area in southwest­ stationary been long enough, even these compara­ Pennsylvania a third sandstone member occurs ern Pennsylvania and along both sides of Ohio tively slight eminences would have been reduced below the lower of the two just mentioned and is River in West Virginia and Ohio, of a shape similar to the common level. separated from it by another shale bed with a coal to that of the Monongahela formation, but of less Such a flat surface, or peneplain, may be pro­ seam which is locally of workable thickness. This extent. No rocks of this group occur in the Kit- duced by marine erosion along a sea coast, and is the Sharon coal, so called from its good develop­ tanning quadrangle. doubtless has been so produced in some parts of ment at Sharon, Mercer County. In most of the the world. There is, however, no evidence that bituminous coal fields of the State the thickness of GEOGRAPHY. the sea has covered this part of the United States the Pottsville formation will probably run from. Drainage. since Paleozoic time, so that this peneplain can not 125 to 200 feet. Since the Mauch Chunk forma­ be attributed to such an agency. Plains of con­ tion is not present in the Kittanning quadrangle Streams exercise an important influence on the FIG. 1. Sketch map showing the probable pre-Glacial drain­ siderable extent may, it is true, be formed by a the Pottsville lies uncouformably upon the Pocono. topography of an area and on its adaptability age of western Pennsylvania. The terminal moraine is stratum of horizontal sandstone or other resistant shown by a broken crossed line. Allegheny formation. The Allegheny formation to the uses of man. Towns and industries are rock, and in this quadrangle the peneplain surface (After Frank Leverett; with addition of terminal moraine.) overlies the Pottsville conformably. It receives its found upon the banks of the streams, and the on the ridges on both sides of the river above name from the Allegheny Valley, along which it is railroads follow the principal watercourses in While the streams within the Kittanning quad­ Rimer may have been controlled slightly by the typically developed and well exposed. It is rather this quadrangle as well as throughout western rangle have not changed their courses, their present presence of the Freeport sandstone, which is well more variable in character than the lower forma­ Pennsylvania. The relation of the streams of relation to the drainage of the continent is very developed in those localities. The high tract of tions of the Carboniferous system. It is especially this quadrangle to the topographic development different from what it was before the Glacial epoch. flat land on the arch of the Kellersburg anticline distinguished by the fact that in the Northern will be discussed in a later section. Furthermore, the present drainage basin of Alle­ between Cowans ville and Fosters Mills is also devel­ Bituminous field it contains a greater number of Allegheny River is the principal stream of the gheny River down to and including Redbank oped on the surface of the Freeport sandstone. workable coal seams than any of the lower forma­ quadrangle. It flows across the northeast and Creek is about four times the size of the area This tract stands considerably above the peneplain tions of the system in this region, and on that southeast corners and receives all the drainage drained by the lower Allegheny in pre-Glacial surface and is doubtless due to a combination of account it was originally called the Lower Produc­ of the quadrangle, but it is not navigable at time. conditions. The sandstone is particularly well ordinary stages. In the northeast corner of the developed here and is brought to the surface by tive Measures. Nearly all the coal mined in the Relief. State north of Pittsburg and east of Coniiellsville quadrangle the Allegheny is joined by Redbank the anticline. In the Bradys Bend syncline, west and Blairs ville is taken from it. In addition to its Creek, its most important tributary. This stream The surface of the quadrangle is hilly. The of the area just described, the Freeport sandstone, coal seams, it bears valuable beds of fire clay, lime­ is 75 miles in length and its drainage basin lies valleys are narrow, with precipitous sides and nar­ dipping westward from the crest of the anti­ stone, and iron ore. These members are separated almost wholly east of the quadrangle. Second in rows or no flood plains, so that they contain but cline, is 200 feet below the tops of the hills, the by beds of sandstone and shale. The clay and size, but more important so far as the drainage of little land suited to cultivation. This is particu­ overlying rocks being soft shales of the Cone­ shale beds form the basis of important industries this quadrangle is concerned, is Buffalo Creek, larly true of Allegheny Valley throughout most maugh formation. Notwithstanding the presence in several localities. The formation varies in thick­ which, with its tributaries, drains most of the of its course and of the valley of Buffalo Creek of these soft rocks, the general surface of the hills ness from about 270 feet on the Allegheny Front western half of the quadrangle and crosses its from Buffalo Mills southward. Considerable areas is less than 100 feet lower than that of the sand­ in Blair and Cambria counties, Pa., to about 370 southern border before joining Allegheny River. of flat or gently sloping land mark the more ele­ stone area on the axis of the anticline, yet, with feet in parts of the Allegheny Valley. Beaver Run in the northwest, Sugar Creek and vated portions of the quadrangle. Agricultural reference to main drainage lines, they are just as Conemaugh formation. The Conemaugh forma­ Huling Run on the north, Limestone Run on the pursuits are therefore chiefly confined to the favorably or even more favorably located for ero­ tion lies conformably upon the Allegheny forma­ east, and Glade Run between Allegheny River and uplands. sion. ' tion and includes all the rocks between the top of Buffalo Run, drain smaller areas and are of less Harrisburg peneplain. At first sight this hilly The 200 feet of soft rocks above the Freeport the Upper Freeport coal and the bottom of the Pitts­ importance. Allegheny River receives Cownas- surface appears to be wholly irregular and without sandstone in the Bradys Bend syncline have been burg coal. Its thickness varies from 600 to 700 hannock Creek from the east about 3 miles above any common element, but closer study of the area eroded from the crest of the Kellersburg anticline feet. It derives its name from Conemaugh River, Kittanning, and Garrett Run about 1 mile south, in connection with other parts of the Allegheny in the region described, and, in passing from the where it is well developed and exposed. The for­ but these are of minor importance in the drainage Plateaus shows that this is not true. Viewed syncline to the anticline, one crosses their beveled mation was formerly known as the Lower Barren of the quadrangle. from a distance the inequalities of the surface do edges. The accompanying ideal section, fig. 2, may Measures because it is generally destitute of work­ Drainage relations, present and past. Allegheny not appear and the upland presents a fairly even serve to make the foregoing discussion clear. River is the main headwater tributary of the Ohio sky line, as the higher hilltops reach an approxi­ able coals. In some parts of Pennsylvania, how­ KELLERSBURG ANTICLINE ever, it contains workable coals of limited extent, and drains an area of about 11,500 square miles, mately uniform height. BRADYS BEND SYNCUINE Caf sometimes accompanied by thin limestones. The of which 2000 square miles are in southwestern Northwest of a line running from the southwest Ccm great mass of the formation is composed of a suc­ New York and 9500 square miles in northwestern corner of the quadrangle through West Win- cession of shale and sandstone, the shale being com­ Pennsylvania. Some of its affluents in Cattarau- field, Buffalo Mills, Cowans ville, and French's monly, perhaps prevailingly, sandy. The sandstone gus and Chautauqua counties, N. Y., and Erie Corner are many gentle slopes, .flat hilltops, spurs, FIG. 2. Ideal section illustrating planation of folded rocks. strata are variable in thickness and occurrence. In County, Pa., have their sources on the southern and divides at altitudes ranging from 1340 feet Vertical scale and dips greatly exaggerated. some regions there are several beds; in others there slope of an elevated region which overlooks Lake above sea level on the southwest to 1460 feet on Along the axis of the Kellersburg anticline may be scarcely any sandstone. In the latter cases Erie at points only 7 to 15 miles distant from the the northeast. In the continuation of this belt of southwest of Fosters Mills the Freeport sandstone the formation is composed almost wholly of shale. lake, yet - they take a course directly away from country to the northeast in the Rural Valley quad­ dips beneath the surface, which remains at approx­ Monongahela formation. The Monongahela for­ the lake and form no part of the St. Lawrence rangle are extensive tracts of gently undulat­ imately the same altitude and is formed by suc­ mation conformably overlies the Conemaugh for­ drainage. ing uplands, in the vicinity of Kellersburg, at an cessively higher and softer rocks, until, in the mation in the southwestern part of the State and As shown many years ago by Carll (Second altitude of 1500 feet. In the vicinity of Fosters extreme southwest corner of the quadrangle, it extends from the bottom of the Pittsburg coal to Pennsylvania Geol. Surv., Rept. 13, 1880) and Mills are several hills which rise to altitudes of coincides with the top of the Saltsburg sandstone, the top of the Waynesburg coal. Its thickness later by Chamberlin and Leverett (Am. Jour. Sci., over 1500 feet, but these stand above the gen­ which lies at least 250 feet above the Freeport varies from 310 to 400 feet. It is so named 3d ser., vol. 47,1894, pp. 247-283), the apparently eral upland surface and must be classed as excep­ sandstone. because well exposed along Monongahela River. It anomalous course of Allegheny River is due to the tional topographic features. It is apparent that the old peneplain surface of contains several workable coal beds, of which the fact that it was formed by the union of a. number If the valleys in the northwestern half of the this quadrangle did not coincide with any particu­ Pittsburg is by far the most valuable and the best of independent streams, parts of which originally quadrangle were filled until the surface stood at larly resistant stratum, but was developed on all known. It is much less sandy and shaly than any flowed north into the basin of Lake Erie. As an altitude of about 1340 feet in the vicinity of kinds of rock, irrespective of structure or hardness. other Carboniferous formation, but contains far shown by the sketch map, fig: 1, the upper part West Winfield and of about 1460 feet in the north­ This leads to the conclusion that the peneplain was more limestone, more than one-third of its thick­ found an outlet to the northwest by Salamanca to east corner of the quadrangle there would result the result of long-continued erosion. ness in the State being composed of this rock. The Gowanda and thence down Cattaraugus Valley. a gently sloping and undulating surface that This peneplain has been called the Harrisburg formation extends over an oval-shaped area the The middle portion, from as far south as Emlen- would resemble a plain and hence could properly peneplain by Campbell, who has traced it over a longer diameter of which runs from Pittsburg, Pa., ton, flowed through Venango, Crawford, and Erie be called a peneplain. This peneplain would,' of large part of western and central Pennsylvania and into southern New York, and by comparing its rock floors of the rock shelves on opposite sides of By reference to the topographic map the altitude straight northeast-southwest course. I1 The Bradys altitude at various places he has shown that in the the river just south of the mouth of Redbank Creek of any outcrop can be ascertained and thus the Bend syncline was considered to lie to the south­ course of its elevation the once nearly horizontal is barely one-half mile, and the old valley floor height above sea for a corresponding point of the east, its axis following a straight course parallel to surface of the peneplain has undergone deformation, would scarcely have been wider, for the rock shelves reference surface can be determined. This is done that of the Millerstown anticline and passing near so that it now has the shape of an ellipsoidal dome are narrow. The extreme width south of Ford for hundreds of points along a very large number Nichola and Phillipston and beyond the quad­ whose surface on the southwestern side rises from City probably did not exceed 1^ miles. The width of sections taken in various directions. Points rangle in either direction. Still farther southeast an altitude of 1300 feet at Pittsburg to 2200 feet at of the present valley at the 1000-foot contours on which have the same altitude are then connected was the Bradys Bend anticline. Its axis was its culminating point in McKean and Potter coun­ opposite sides of the river one-half mile south of by a line, which gives the form of the reference mapped as passing in a straight line through ties in northern Pennsylvania. The northeast­ Rimer is hardly one-quarter of a mile, and of course surface at that elevation. Many such lines are West Winfield, Craigsville, the mouth of Redbank ward rise of the surface from 1340 feet at West the old valley floor could not have been so wide, drawn at regular vertical intervals. They are con­ Creek, and off the quadrangle to the northeast. Winfield to 1500 feet at Kellersburg, about 7 miles because the valley must have been somewhat tour lines, and as printed on the geologic structure Southeast of the Bradys Bend anticline the Law- east of Redbank Junction, is in harmony with the widened while the river was cutting from the sheet they show, first, the horizontal contour of sonham syncline was believed to extend from the general deformation of the surface as determined 1000-foot contour to its present level. It is prob­ the troughs and arches; second, the relative and head of Cornplanter Run to Lawsonham, on Red- by Campbell. able that in this part of its course the valley was also the actual dip of the beds; and, third, the bank Creek, and its axis was mapped as following Worthington peneplain. The part of the quad­ only a few times wider than the old river itself. height of the reference surface above the sea at any a straight course through Worthington and Cow- rangle southeast of the Kellersburg anticline, an The narrowness here was due to the hardness of point. The depth of the reference horizon may ansville. Next, to the southeast, the axis of the area north of Fenelton, and the region about the rocks through which the river had to cut its be determined by subtracting the ^levation. of the Kellersburg anticline was mapped and described as Bradys Bend and along Redbank Creek were way, while the greater width at Ford City is due reference horizon from that of the surface of the passing through Kellersburg and the mouth of reduced to a peneplain which was about 100 feet to the fact that the rocks are softer and more erodi- ground. Mahoning Creek, points a short distance east of the below the Harrisburg and is now represented by a ble in that locality. As a rule these structure contours are general­ quadrangle, to French's Corner and dying out near considerable number of divides, hills, and gentle The rock floor of the gravel-covered terrace ized and are only approximately correct. It is Limestone Run. Next, on the southeast, was slopes, ranging in altitude from approximately extending from east of Ford City to Manorville assumed that over small areas the rocks maintain a believed to lie the Fairmount syncline, its axis 1220 feet in the southern part of the quadrangle to stands at an altitude of about 940 feet above sea uniform thickness, hence the position of a contour following the river to the mouth of Garretts Run 1360 feet in the northern part. level and about 60 feet below the level of the more will be inaccurate by the amount by which the and thence pursuing a straight northeast course The reduction of these areas was due to two elevated remnants of the Parker strath. On the actual varies from the assumed thickness. Being through Fairmount, on Redbank Creek, and several conditions. The rocks are much more yielding west side of the river opposite Ford City is another measured from the altitude of observed outcrops, miles east of the quadrangle. than those underlying most of the unreduced areas terrace with rock floor at about 940 feet. At the position of the contour is uncertain to the The results of the present survey as regards and are much nearer the main drainage lines, where Applewold and at the mouth of the Cowanshan- degree that that altitude is approximate, and while structure differ materially from those described erosion was more active at the beginning of the nock are small and narrow gravel-covered rock in many instances altitudes are determined by above, as will be shown below. The structure new cycle. In the northwest corner of the quad­ shelves at the same elevation. These shelves spirit level, in most cases the elevation of a bed is will be described in detail, beginning at the north­ rangle the rocks are also yielding, but they are appear to be remnants of a valley floor of consider­ found by means of aneroid barometers. The ane­ west and proceeding to the southeast corner of farther from the main drainage lines. Toward the able breadth that had been eroded 40 to 60 feet roids are constantly checked against precise bench the quadrangle. northeast corner, where Allegheny River crosses below the level of the Parker strath, and probably marks, and the instrumental error is probably Structure of the northwest corner. The structure the Kellersburg anticline, the rocks are near the represent a substage in the erosion of the valley slight, but it may be appreciable. Finally, the here is not pronounced, and its determination is main drainage, but are generally resistant. Ero­ subsequent to the formation of that feature. The observations of structure at the surface can be based almost wholly on the position of the Van- sion was therefore retarded in these localities. location of the deepest part of this inner valley is extended to buried or eroded strata only in a gen­ port (Ferriferous) limestone as given in many This lower peneplain represents a secondary not certainly known, but there are evidences that eral way. The details probably escape determina­ well records. A low syncline apparently passes stage in the Tertiary erosion, and may probably be the rock floor is somewhat lower one-half mile east tion. These sources of error may combine or may through Chicora to Karns and connects with correlated with the 1100-foot level described in the of Ford City than in the brow of the bluff. This compensate one another, but in any case it is the Bradys Bend syncline in the northwest corner Masontown-Uniontown folio. It has been called indicates a rise of the lower valley floor toward the believed that the total error is probably less than of Sugarcreek Township, by a broad, shallow the Worthington peneplain, from the town of that present river and leads to the conclusion that the contour interval; that is to say, the altitude of depression around the northeastern end of the name on its western margin. the old channel lay to the east at Ford City. The the reference surface will not vary more than 50 Millerstown anticline. From the syncline passing Parker strath. At a number of points on both rock floors of the upper and lower terraces at the feet from that indicated by the contours; and the through Chicora and Karns the strata rise gently sides of the river are deposits of silts and gravels localities mentioned do not seem to be separated by relative altitudes for successive contours may be to the Martinsburg anticline on the northwest. the tops of which form well-marked terraces about any well-marked escarpment; there appears to be a taken as very nearly correct. The point of an anticline enters the northern part 250 feet above the river and about 1050 feet above gradual slope from the higher to the lower. Reference surface. In the determination of the of Bradys Bend Township and extends southwest- the sea. These deposits lie upon rock shelves that structure of the Kittanning quadrangle the Van- ward into the southeast corner of Fairview Town­ are about 200 to 250 feet above the river and from MAN'S EELATIONS TO THE TOPOGRAPHY. port ("Ferriferous") limestone has been used as a ship. No name has been applied to either syn­ 980 to 1000 feet above the sea (see fig. 3). They are Man's activities in a given region are largely key rock, and the structure is delineated on the map cline or anticline, since it seems better first to remnants of a former broad valley floor bounded by controlled by its topographic features. Farms are KITTANNING QUADRANGLE RURAL VALLEY QUADRANGLE on level or moderately sloping land; railroads, cities, and manufacturing industries are generally in the valleys, which are easily accessible to the sur­ rounding region. Where valleys are cut in strata containing valuable mineral deposits as coal FIG. 3. Ideal section across Allegheny Valley illustrating mines will be located on account of ease of mining the formation of terrace floors. and transportation. In the Kittanning quadran­ high steep walls. This broad floor was eroded by gle farming is mostly confined to the uplands and the river in consequence of its former low gradient manufacturing and mining to the valleys. The when it was flowing on rocks that are now about chief towns, Kittanning, Ford City, and East 250 feet above the bed. Such rock shelves occur Brady, are located on the river. The Allegheny along the river from Parker in northern Arm­ Valley Railroad has long been the main artery strong County to the mouth of Beaver River. of commerce and of communication with other At Parker their elevation is 1020 to 1040 feet, at parts of the country. More recently the Winfield Pittsburg 890 feet, and at Beaver 865 feet (Lev- Railroad has been built along Buffalo Creek to the erett, Mon. U. S. Geol. Survey, vol. 41), while at limestone and sandstone quarries at West Win- intermediate points they have intermediate eleva­ field. The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg rail­ tions which show a uniform but low grade between road crosses the quadrangle from east to west by Parker and Beaver for the old valley floor. way of Limestone and Buffalo runs. Another It has been customary to call such a broad val­ form of activity less dependent on topography has ley floor a gradation plain, but the propriety of been the production of oil and gas, one or the other using the word plain for so limited a feature is of which has been the basis of an important indus­ questionable, and on that account, as well as for the try and the source of great wealth in nearly every sake of brevity, the term strath is here introduced. township of the quadrangle. FlG. 4. Map of Kittanning and Rural Valley quadrangles showing the geologic structure by means of contour lines drawn This is a name used in Scotland for precisely such on the top of the Vanport (" Ferriferous ") limestone. Contour interval, 50 feet. 'a feature as that under discussion (Geikie, Scenery GEOLOGY. KA, Karns; OH, Chicora; F, Fenelton; C, Craigsville; WW, West Winfield; EB, East Brady; CV, Cowansville; S, Slate Lick; K, Kittanning; FC, Ford City; of Scotland, p. 165). The name Parker is adopted KB, Kellersburg; T, Templeton; P, Putneyville; E, Eddyville; G, Goheenville; M, Muff; BH, Blanket Hill; RV, Rural Valley; B, Blanco; A, Atwood. STRUCTURE. because the strath is well preserved at Parker, on and in fig. 4 by contours drawn upon the top of learn something more of them outside of the quad­ the Allegheny several miles above East Brady, Method of representing structure. In this folio that stratum at vertical intervals of 50 feet. rangle, where they may be better developed. where it is associated with an abandoned oxbow the method of representing structure by means of Former views of the structure. Before taking Millerstown anticline. The determination of the channel known as the Parker oxbow. structure contours has been used. These contour up the detailed description of the structure there position and extent of this anticline by the present In the Kittanning quadrangle remnants of the lines are determined as follows: The upper or will be given the description of the structure as survey agrees fully with the description given by Parker strath, though much obscured by the gravel lower surface of a particular stratum is selected as a made out by previous surveys, especially by the Chance (loc. cit.). Its axis crosses Buffalo Run deposits, are found along Allegheny River near the reference surface, the form of which is ascertained, Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. These about 2 miles southeast of Chicora and runs about northern border of the quadrangle, on the upland first, from the altitude of its outcrop, and second, results will be found fully stated in Platt's report N. 40° W. As shown in a number of wells, the just east of East Brady, on both sides of Allegheny from its depth beneath some higher exposed bed. on Armstrong County (Rept. H5, pp. xliv-xlvi, Vanport (Ferriferous) limestone on the axis is River south of the mouth of Redbank Creek, on In the first case the reference stratum outcrops; in with map, p. xxxvi) and in the report by Chance about 1050 feet above sea level near the margin of both sides of the mouth of Limestone Run, at the second case it is underground, but, the thick­ on northern Butler County (Kept. V, p. 10). In the quadrangle. That the rocks dip slightly from Kittanning, Weskit, Manorville, and Ford City, ness of rocks between the observed stratum and the these reports the structure of the quadrangle was the axis of this anticline northwest toward Chicora and on the point between Allegheny River and reference surface being known, the depth of that described as follows: is proved by the fact that the Upper Freeport coal Glade Run. surface can be calculated. In many cases the depth The northwest corner was thought to be crossed at Chicora is 1260 feet above sea, and as the lime­ The distance between the inner margins of the is measured directly in a deep well boring. by the Millerstown anticline, whose axis followed a stone lies- about 260 feet below the coal in the Kittanning. northwest corner of the Kittanning quadrangle, its north of the mouth of Redbank Creek. From this This anticline is very appropriately named the deviation of the anticlinal and synclinal axes from elevation at that point is about 1000 feet. The point the rocks were observed rising to the north Kellersburg anticline, since its axis passes through straight lines (see fig. 4). In general each axis is regular dip of the rock to the southeast toward the and south. North of the point the limestone was that place. composed of reversed curves. The failure to recog­ Bradys Bend syncline is shown by the position of not seen, but the Lower Kittanning coal could be Boggsville syncline. Platt mapped the Lawson­ nize these facts and the assumption that the folds the limestone in many wells along the axis of the traced for some distance, rising perceptibly. South­ ham syncline as extending from the head of Corn- follow definite northeast-southwest courses have led syncline. The Millerstown anticline is separated ward the strata rise also, and the limestone was planter Run in a straight line through Worthington to serious errors in previous attempts to determine from the anticline in Bradys Bend Township to observed north of the mouth of Redbank Creek at and Cowansville to Lawsonham. Evidence pre­ and map the structure and to no little confusion to the north by the shallow depression between the 1160 feet, while 1 mile up the creek it has an ele­ sented in describing the Kellersburg anticline shows those engaged in drilling for gas and oil. Bradys Bend syncline and the shallow syncline vation of 1200 feet. Still farther west, three- that, while there is a sag in the anticline north of STRATIGRAPHY. at Chicora, as shown in many wells by elevations quarters of a mile southwest of Lawsonham and Morrows Corner, the anticlinal structure so predom­ on the limestone of 1000 feet or a little less. just east of the quadrangle, the limestone was inates in the region that a syncline could not The rocks in this quadrangle comprise those not Bradys Bend syncline. Platt described the axis observed at 1150 feet. From this point the strata properly be regarded as crossing there. To the exposed at the surface and those that outcrop. of this syncline as crossing the boundary between rise to the southeast, but the exact position of the northeast in Madison Township there is, however, The former are revealed in deep wells sunk for Butler and Armstrong counties on Buffalo Creek axis is unknown, as the country to the north has a transverse buckle of a synclinal nature which gas or oil (see well-section sheet); the latter can be and extending in a straight line northeast through not been investigated. It seems probable, how­ passes in the direction of Lawsonham, and to the studied directly. Bradys Bend. Evidence now in hand, however, ever, that it passes a short distance north of Law­ southwest there is a distinct syncline which origi­ shows that this axis lies farther to the west. Many sonham. nates on the southeastern limb of the Kellersburg EOCKS NOT EXPOSED. oil wells on the Riley and Hickey farms northwest Kellersburg anticline. This is the principal anticline near Limestone Run south of Adrian and /Sources of knowledge. Information concerning of Fenelton show the Vanport limestone at an ele­ structural feature of the quadrangle. It corre­ becomes a well-developed structural feature near these rocks is derived entirely from the records vation of about 900 feet above the sea. From these sponds in part with Platt's Bradys Bend anticline the southern margin of the quadrangle. This syn­ of deep wells bored for gas or oil and is more or localities the limestone rises regularly to the axis and in part with his Kellersburg anticline. Its cline occupies in a general way the position of the less imperfect. In many cases records have been of the Millerstown anticline on the northwest, as axis very nearly coincides with that of the Bradys southern end of the Lawsonham syncline, but carelessly kept, important beds from a geologic shown by many wells. In the southeast corner Bend anticline as mapped by Platt from the south­ Platt located its axis too far west. The Vanport standpoint, such as bands of red rock or a bed of of Donegal Township, on the Goldlinger and west corner of the quadrangle to the southeast­ limestone outcrops at West Winfield at an altitude limestone, have been overlooked or not recorded, Malery farms, about 1^ miles west of the Hickey ern part of Sugarcreek Township, but from this of 1000 feet; near Boggsville it was noted in two and frequently only the oil or gas sands have been wells, three wells show that the elevation of the locality onward the location of the anticline by wells at altitudes of 680 and 733 feet, showing a noted, thus leaving great blanks in the logs. The limestone is 1050 feet. The axis of the syncline the present survey differs greatly from that given dip of 300 feet between the two places. This dip methods of measurement introduce some errors. then lies west of the latter locality, probably in by Platt. It is desirable, therefore, to give the is confirmed by the records of many wells between While measurements to the oil and gas sands are the vicinity of the Hickey farm. Another line of evidence upon which the determination here made the two places and also by the fact that the Upper mostly made by steel line and are accurate, the evidence also leads to the conclusion that the axis is based. Freeport coal, which has an altitude of 1240 feet at depth and thickness of other beds are generally lies considerably west of Platt's location. The The limestone on the axis of the Kellersburg West Winfield, dips southeastward to an altitude determined by counting the turns of the cable on Upper Freeport coal is near water level on the anticline rises very regularly from an elevation of of 920 feet near Boggsville. In the vicinity of the bull wheel shaft, and errors may easily occur. western margin of the quadrangle. Along Buffalo 950 feet in the southwestern part of the quadrangle Boggsville the strata probably begin to rise to the In very deep wells the stretching of the cable might Creek it rises constantly to the southeast, and one- to a point about 1 mile southeast of Fosters Mills, southeast, for wells just beyond the quadrangle be the cause of an error of considerable magnitude. half mile east of Fenelton is more than 100 feet where two wells reveal the limestone at altitudes south of Slate Lick show the limestone at an alti­ The difficulty of identifying rocks by the relative above the stream. About a mile southeast of Fen­ of 1310 and 1330 feet. Midway between Co-wans- tude of 750 feet above the sea. These facts indi­ ease with which the drill penetrates them or by the elton the Lower Kittanning coal is opened 40 to 50 ville and Browns Crossroads the Freeport sand­ cate that the axis of this syncline is near Boggsville, drillings brought up in the sand'pump is also prob­ feet above the creek, and at Nichola the limestone is stone is exposed on the road at an elevation of and it is therefore named the Boggsville syncline. ably a source of error, this being especially true about 50 feet above the creek. These facts show 1500 feet above sea, and since this stratum is about This syncline in the southern part of the quad­ of observers without scientific training. To this conclusively that the rocks rise eastward along 200 feet above the limestone the latter has an alti­ rangle is broad and flat bottomed and the position fact may be, and probably often are, due in part Buffalo Creek from the western margin of the tude of 1300 feet. From this place the strata dip of its axis is rather indefinite. Its location as the lithologic variations recorded in wells in con­ quadrangle and that the axis of the Brayds Bend to the north, west, and south, as shown by obser­ mapped is based upon an occasional well record tiguous territory. It may thus happen that impor­ syncline enters the quadrangle about 1 mile south­ vations on the limestone and coal beds. One-half and upon careful and thorough stratigraphic trac­ tant beds that are not recorded are not really absent west of Fenelton and passes thence in a nearly mile southeast of Browns Crossroads the altitude of ing in the region. In the vicinity of Walkchalk from the section, but have been overlooked. In straight line one-half mile west of Rattigan and the limestone is 1240 feet, as shown in a well; at the syncline narrows suddenly and its axis is well other cases a heavy sandstone in one well might enters Armstrong County in the northwestern Sherrett it is 1244 feet, and abundant observations determined by the opposing dips of the rocks to be change to a highly arenaceous shale or shaly sand­ corner of Sugarcreek Township, in the neighbor­ show a constant dip from this point to Phillipston observed there. Its course north of Walkchalk stone in an adjacent well and thus be recorded as hood of the Pontius and Reep farms, where the ele­ and a dip of nearly 100 feet to the mouth of was determined by observations on the Upper and slate or shale. At best, observations on rocks in vation of the limestone is 1000 feet above sea. Redbank Creek. From the southeastern part of Lower Freeport coals, by well records, and by deep-well sections must be confined almost wholly In the vicinity of Adams well records show the Sugarcreek Township to a point about midway observations upon the limestone in outcrop along to their lithologic character; only in very rare elevation of the limestone to be about 1100 feet, between Rimer and Morrows Corner, however, the Limestone Run. instances can anything be learned of their fossils, a and the stratigraphic evidence points to a regular limestone dips very gradually eastward until it McHaddon anticline. This is a low anticline knowledge of which is almost indispensable to the rise of the rocks in that direction from the north­ has an altitude of less than 1250 feet. This deter­ whose axis enters the quadrangle 2 miles south­ correct determination of the age and stratigraphic west corner of Sugarcreek Township. At the lat­ mination is based mainly on the evidence of coal west of North Buffalo village, runs in general position of the rocks. ter locality the axis bends sharply to the east and beds. The Upper Freeport coal, whose horizon nearly parallel to the axis of the Boggsville syn­ Thickness. The thickness of the rocks revealed passes through East Bradys, as is shown by the fact on the axis of the anticline in Sugarcreek Town­ cline, and dies out near the mouth of Limestone by the drill below the lowest horizon of exposed that the limestone at a number of points near the ship must be at least 1550 feet above the sea, since Run. In this vicinity the McHaddon anticline rocks in the quadrangle is about 3100 feet. The mouth of Holder and Sanders runs has an altitude it is at least 50 feet above the Freeport sandstone, merges with the Kellersburg anticline and ceases to deepest wells in this region, of which we possess of from 1020 to 1030 feet. From this locality it is present on the knobs at an altitude of 1500 feet be a separate feature. The name was applied a record (see sec. No. 7, well-section sheet), are rises on the north to 1050 feet at the mouth of in the vicinity of Peach Hill, thus showing a because the axis runs near McHaddon. the Robert Smith well in Winfield Township and Pine Bun, 1110 feet one-half mile up Pine Run, descent of 50 feet. Allowing an interval of 250 Fairmount syncline. Southeast of the McHad­ a well which was drilled by Joseph Simpson and 1100 feet one-half mile north of the village feet between the Upper Freeport coal and the don anticline the Kittanning quadrangle includes a just beyond the northern margin of the quad­ of Bradys Bend, just beyond the quadrangle; limestone, the latter would have an altitude of small portion of the Fairmount syncline, whose rangle, north of Bradys Bend village. The latter on the south it rises to 1050 feet in the apex of the 1250 feet near Peach Hill. North of this local­ axis follows Allegheny River from the southern well starts just above the Vanport limestone and river bend 1 mile below East Brady. Farther ity, at a point about 1 mile north of Rimer, the margin of the quadrangle to Garrett Run, where it is over 3500 feet deep, and, as the lowest horizon down the river, one-half mile west of Phillipston, Lower Kittanning coal was struck in a test well turns eastward, soon leaves the quadrangle, and of exposed rocks is about 400 feet below this lime­ two points on the limestone were noted at 1025 and at an elevation of 1230 feet, so that the elevation continues northeastward through the Rural Valley stone, this well extends about 3100 feet below any 1020 feet, which indicate a transverse wrinkle in of the limestone at that point is about 1200 feet. quadrangle, in which it is an important feature. rocks exposed in the quadrangle. The Smith the syncline running from East Brady toward Numerous observations on coal beds and on the From this axis the strata rise regularly eastward to well is also over 3500 feet deep, but does not pene­ Phillipston, and this may have influenced Platt in limestone show that its elevation in the northern the axis of the Greendale anticline in the Rural trate so deeply into the rocks, since it starts at a locating the axis near Phillipston. From this local­ parts of Washington and Madison townships is Valley quadrangle. higher horizon. The Kepple well (No. 12 of the ity southeastward numerous observations on the 1200 feet or less. Southward, in the vicinity of Dip of the rocks. The dips throughout these well-section sheet) extends 2800 feet below the limestone and other beds show a constant rise Morrows Corner, the Lower Kittanning coal is quadrangles are generally low. The highest are Vanport limestone and 2400 feet below the lowest toward the Kellersburg anticline. About one-half about 1170 feet above sea level, and this would found on the southeastern flank of the Kellersburg exposed rocks. There are a number of other wells mile northeast of Phillipston the elevation of the make the altitude of the limestone at tha.t point anticline and probably do not exceed 3 to 4 in the quadrangle that are nearly as deep. limestone, determined from an observation on the 1130 feet. One-half mile north of Adrian its ele­ degrees. General character. These unexposed rocks fall Lower Kittanning coal, is 1075 feet; almost due vation is about 1050 feet. The evidence presented Pitching axes. A noticeable feature of the anti­ naturally into three well-differentiated groups. In north of this point, on the bluff of the Allegheny, above clearly shows, it is believed, that the rocks clines and synclines of the region is the general general the following strata are encountered from it is 1055 feet; still west and north nearly one-half dip both north and south from a line passing nearly southwestern pitch of the axes. The axis of the the top downward; (1) 700 to 800 feet of gray shale mile it is 1075 feet. On the north side of the east and west through the above-mentioned point Bradys Bend syncline pitches from 1150 to 900 and sandstones; (2) 300 to 700 feet of strata char­ river north of East Brady and just beyond the between Rimer and Morrows Corner, and that that feet, that of the Kellersburg anticline from 1400 to acterized by the presence of more or less red rocks, quadrangle the elevation is 1095 feet, and in the line is therefore to be taken as the anticlinal axis 950 feet, that of the Fairmount syncline from presumably red shale; and (3) prevailingly dark bluff on the eastern side of the river just south of which connects the Bradys Bend and Kellersburg 1070 feet at Fairmount on Redbank Creek to 650 shale with thin sandstone layers and occasional the margin of the quadrangle the limestone is anticlines. About a half mile west of the river the feet on the southern margin of the quadrangle. thicker beds of sandstone to the bottom of the 1100 feet above sea. These observations locate the axis turns northward and can, by means of abun­ The pitch, however, is not always uniform. The wells.

axis definitely along the neck between the two dant exposures of the limestones and openings on crests of the anticlines often are nearly level for GRAY SHALE AND SANDSTONES. limbs of the river east of Bradys Bend. From this the Lower Kittanning coal, be traced without diffi­ long distances, as along the Kellersburg anticline point eastward the position of the axis is more culty to and beyond Kellersburg in the Rural Val­ in the vicinity of Craigsville and of West Winfield. The gray shale and sandstones contain several obscure. Near the head of a ravine entering Red- ley quadrangle to the east. Instead, therefore, of In other cases they exhibit elevations like the members of sufficient importance to warrant sepa­ bank Creek about a mile above its mouth are old two anticlines with parallel straight axes as mapped Kellersburg anticline east of Fosters Mills. rate description. With the exception of these ore pits, and presumably the limestone, at an ele­ by Platt, there is but one anticline with a strongly Course of structure lines. Another noticeable members the group is composed mainly of gray vation of 1100 feet. This point is about a mile curving axis between Fosters Mills and the river. feature of the structure of the quadrangle is the sandy shale with occasional heavy sandstones. 5

Burgoon (Mountain) sandstone. At the top of Mauch Chunk, and Pottsville formations along sandstone and a soil that is almost pure sand indi­ with section A described in the foregoing pages, this group lies about 100 to 175 feet of heavy sand­ the Pennsylvania Railroad on the Allegheny cate the presence of the stratum close beneath the it is seen at once that the Burgoon sandstone can stone, which is the lower part of the Mountain or Front east of Bennington, in Blair County; B is surface. be recognized in them all. In the Heilman and Big Injun sand of the driller, the upper 225 feet of a deep well at Johnstown, 25 miles west of the Loyalhanna limestone. Immediately overlying Montgomery wells this sandstone is known as the of which is exposed in the Allegheny Valley on the Burgoon sandstone on the western side of the Mountain or Big Injun sand. It is interesting to the arch of the Kellersburg anticline. For reasons ravine at Allegrippus is a stratum of coarse cal­ note that the red shale immediately underlying the given below, it is proposed to use the geographic careous sandstone. This stratum is marked by base of the Burgoon sandstone in the wells C and name Burgoon sandstone for this stratum. strong cross-bedding and a surface pitted by differ­ D also occurs in the same position on the Alle­ Patton shale. In many wells a thin band of red ential erosion, and these features give it a very dis­ gheny Front, as shown in section A This has shale occurs just below the base of the Burgoon Edsh. tinctive appearance by which it is recognized at been described on a former page as the Patton shale. edsh. sandstone. This is a widely distributed stratum edsh. widely separated points in western Pennsylvania. In all these sections there is a uniform sequence and merits attention on account of its importance These characters serve to distinguish the stratum of rocks from the top of the Burgoon sandstone to as a horizon marker. This bed was first described sharply from the Burgoon sandstone below, and, the main red beds, as follows: (1) Burgoon sand­ by Richardson (Indiana folio) and was named by as before stated, the boundary between the two stone, 300 to 400 feet; (2) shale and sandstone, 600 him the Patton shale on the assumption that it is is plainly apparent 10 feet above the track at to 700 feet; (3) main thickness of red rocks. On the same as the red shale that outcrops at Patton the western end of the cut at Allegrippus station. the Allegheny Front the red rocks proper are station on Redbank Creek in Jefferson County. At the bottom of the cut on the west side of the about 2000 feet thick and belong to the Catskill Lower sands (Gas sands). In some of the well ravine at Allegrippus a few feet of this stratum formation; in the four wells the red rocks are from sections shown on the well-section sheet a sandstone edsh. appear, but its top descends below the roadbed 300 to 400 feet thick. Only the top of the red is noted about 150 feet below the Mountain sand­ edsh. about 100 feet west of the end of the cut. It is rocks is shown in the sections. In all these sec­ stone that is called the First sand, but it is by no rather more calcareous at this point than on the tions the Burgoon (Mountain) sandstone is univer­ means certain that the first sand of one well is the east side of the ravine, and this may indicate that sally assigned to the Pocono formation. In section same as the first sand of another. This sandstone it is more calcareous toward the top than lower A the shale and sandstone between the Burgoon is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of the Pit- down. It is closely overlain here by a few feet of sandstone and the red rocks- are also classed as redsh. redss. hole grit of Venango County and the Berea grit of redsn. rock composed of thin bands of red shale alter­ Pocono, and on the grounds of sequence, litho­ Ohio, but there is no conclusive evidence that these nating with layers of gray sandstone, and these logic identity, thickness, and apparent stratigraphic strata are represented in this region. The bottom beds are in turn overlain by a considerable thick- continuity it seems reasonable to conclude that the I of this group of gray shales and sandstones is pre­ ness of coarse, thick-bedded, gray1 sandstone of the shale and sandstone in the same position in the vailingly sandy and several beds are distinguished. Mauch Chunk formation. well sections are likewise to be classed as Pocono These are the Murrysville gas sand, about 300 At the top of the cut immediately east of Alle­ and that the underlying red rocks are to be Bfc ed/Sh feet below the Mountain sand, the Second or Hun­ grippus the thickness of the Loyalhanna limestone regarded as Catskill. From this it follows that dred-foot sand, about 450 feet below the Mountain n exposed was measured and found to be 40 feet. It the base of the Pocono, and therefore the bound­ sand, and the Thirty-foot sand, just below the Hun­ is uncertain, however, whether this is the full thick­ ary between the Carboniferous and Devonian FIG. 5. Columnar sections of the Mississippian and Potts­ ness of the stratum, since it could not be determined systems in the Heilman and Montgomery wells, dred-foot sand. The Second or Hundred-foot and ville rocks in western Pennsylvania. the Thirty-foot sands occur at the top of the A, Allegheny Front along the Pennsylvania Railroad east of Bennington whether its top is exposed at that point. Its thick­ lies at the top of the red beds not far below the Venango oil sands of the oil regions. (measured by the author); B, deep well at Johnstown; C, Waddle well, ness is probably not much over 40 feet. This bottom of the Hundred-foot sand; and, since the Conemaugh Township, Indiana County; D, Peter Heilman No. 2 well, Kittanning Township, Armstrong County; E, Montgomery No. 3 well, stratum is universally known in the region of its section 'of these wells may be regarded as typical, RED BEDS. Manor Township, Armstrong County. ' occurrence as the "Siliceous limestone," though this determination holds for the entire region. If, Below these gray rocks occur several hundred Allegheny Front; C is of the Waddle well near generally it is a rather calcareous sandstone. In as suggested above, the red beds are to be accepted feet of strata characterized by more or less of what Blairsville; D is of the Peter Heilman No. 2 well, deference to general usage it is here called a lime­ as belonging to the Catskill formation, the 1500 to the drillers call red rock, presumably red shale. near the southern margin of the Rural Valley stone, and the name Loyalhanna is proposed for it 2000 feet of gray sandstones and shales underlying The proportion of red rocks as well as the extent quadrangle; and E is of the Montgomery No. 3 because it is well developed along the gorge in them would naturally fall into the Chemung for­ of the interval in which they occur differs much, as well, near Ford City, in the Kittanning quadrangle. which that stream flows across Chestnut Ridge, in mation. can be seen on the well-section sheet. In some Westmorland County, and because it is extensively Another view of the question is, however, possi­ SECTION ON THE ALLEGHENY FRONT. records no red rocks are noted; in most, the part of exposed on that stream in the quarries at Long ble. During the present survey of Pennsylvania, the section through which they are noted is from Section A was measured by the writer and W. Bridge, between Latrobe and Ligonier. fossils were collected on the National Pike, in Fay- about 200 to 350 feet in thickness. In the Kep- C. Phalen in the summer of 1903. This is an The part of section No. 1 above the Loyalhanna ette County, about 50 feet below the base of the ple well (No. 12) they are noted at intervals important section for the correlation of the rocks limestone has no bearing on the present discussion Burgoon sandstone, which is there 300 feet thick. through an exceptional distance of 700 feet. The under discussion, for it was obtained at the nearest and will not be described here. In the western These fossils were identified by George H. Girty, total thickness and the distribution of these red point at which they outcrop. On that account a Pennsylvania folios already published, the top of who regards them as of Chemung age. beds vary greatly. In some wells (as in Nos. 7 brief description of it will be given here. the Loyalhanna limestone has been taken as the Professor Stevenson states (Am. Jour. Sci., 3d and 10) they occur as scattered beds of greater or The section begins at the curve where the rail­ top of the Pocono formation, and that usage is ser., vol. 15, 1878, pp. 423-430) that he found, less thickness separated by beds of dark shale and road turns into the gorge of Sugar Run from its accepted here. within 18 inches of the base of the Burgoon sand­ sandstones; in others (as in No. 9) they occur as course along the Allegheny Front south of Kittan­ Base of Pocono. There is uncertainty as to the stone, a number of species which were pronounced an unbroken mass 300 feet thick; in still others ning Point and extends to Bennington station, bottom of the Pocono. A few fossil plants, mainly by James Hall to be typical Chemung forms, (as Nos. 6 and 13) no red beds at all are noted. near the highest point on the railroad. The rocks Lepidodendra, were found in places down to a and on this ground Campbell (Masontown and It seems hardly credible that they are absent in are exposed nearly the whole distance, more than 2 point about midway between the top of the Loyal­ Uniontown folio) limited the Pocpno, of the region such wells; it is far more probable that they miles. The breaks that occur are noted below. hanna limestone and the top of the red shale at to the Burgoon sandstone and classed the underly­ occur as thin beds which were either not observed Red shale and gray shale and sandstone. At the the bottom of the section described above. These ing rocks as Devonian. These facts seem to show or not recorded. base of the section at the curve above mentioned are regarded by David White as of Pocono age. that in the south western part of the State the Oil sands. In the midst of the red beds in this are 50 feet of bright-red soft shale. Above this About 100 feet lower some fragments of a lamelli- Pocono is limited to the Burgoon sandstone and quadrangle lie the coarse oil-bearing sandstones shale are 180 feet of coarse sandstone, separated branch were found, and still lower, at semaphore that the underlying beds belong to the Chemung known as the Stray, Third, and Fourth oil sands, into two parts by a thin band of red shale 50 feet tower No. 237, several specimens of a Lingula formation. It is possible, however, that these fos­ with the overlying thin sandstones known as the from the bottom. Above this sandstone are about were found in a green clayey layer. These were sils, which are long-lived Devonian forms, survived Blue Monday and Boulder sands. 530 feet of alternating shale and sandstone, pre­ examined by George H. Girty, with indefinite in the open sea to the west until a considerable vailingly gray, but containing bands of red shale results. He expresses the opinion, however, that thickness of fresh-water Pocono rocks had been DARK SHALES AND THIN SANDSTONES. and sandstone and occasional beds of clay. At the they exhibit Devonian rather than Carboniferous deposited and then migrated eastward during a The remaining 1500 to 2000 feet of strata com­ top of this group of shales and sandstones and affinities. Associated, with the Lingula found at temporary incursion of salt water into the region prising the third group and extending to the bot­ included in it is a bed of red shale about 40 feet the semaphore tower were a number of species of where the fossils now occur; or it is possible that tom of the deepest well are composed mainly of thick which, as will be shown later, is of consider­ ferns which David White thinks may be either Car­ the fresh-water conditions under which the earlier gray shales interbedded with thin sandstone layers, able importance. The top of this red shale is at boniferous or Devonian. From this point to the POCODO rocks of the Allegheny Front were depos­ to which the drillers apply the name "slate and track level 3000 feet east of Allegrippus station. bottom of the section at the top of the red shale no ited did not extend at first so far west as later, when shells," the sandstone layers being the shells. Burgoon sandstone. Immediately overlying the fossils were found and it does not seem possible at the Burgoon sandstone was deposited, and that the Occasionally throughout this group thicker strata red shale are apparently 300 feet of coarse and present to fix, on paleontologic grounds, the bot­ Chemung species lived continuously in the Chest­ of sandstone occur, but these are rarely noted as very thick-bedded gray sandstone, which, with the tom of the Pocono with any degree of definiteness. nut Ridge region, and that their fossils occur in all reaching 50 feet in thickness. exception of a concealed interval of about 60 feet On lithologic grounds, however, there seems to be the underlying rocks. No Mississippian fossils Speechley and Tiona sands. In the midst of the in a ravine east of Allegrippus, is continuously but one place to draw the boundary between that mingling with the Chemung have been found in third group and from 500 to 700 feet below the exposed along the track for the 3000 feet between formation and the underlying Catskill formation, the region, but in southern New York the writer red beds occurs a group of these sands, the upper the top of the red shale at its base and Allegrippus. and that is at the top of the red shale shown at the (Rept.'New York State Pal., 1902, pp. 990-995) members of which are known as the Speechley and The concealed interval just mentioned may contain bottom of section A. The top of this shale lies found such a mingling of Chemung species with a the lower as the Tiona sands. The latter sands some shale, though it is probably filled with sand­ about 380 feet below the clay bed in which the few that are of distinctly Carboniferous aspect, and have not, however, been noted in this quadrangle. stone. The top of this sandstone is about 10 feet fossils occur, and descends below the level of the it seems not unlikely that, by careful search, a above the track at the east side of the ravine at railroad track at a point about 2000 feet east of similar merging of faunas will ultimately be found GENERAL CORRELATION. Allegrippus station, and it is very definitely limited the above-mentioned semaphore tower. From the in southwestern Pennsylvania. As will be shown in the discussion of exposed by the bottom of a calcareous stratum of highly top of this shale downward for 1600 to 2000 feet, As matters stand at present, then, the exact posi­ rocks, the Burgoon (Mountain) sandstone certainly characteristic appearance. This sandstone is a probably 80 per cent of the rocks are of a bright tion of the plane of division between the Carbon­ belongs to the Pocono formation, but the lower well-defined lithologic unit in this section, to which red color, which sharply distinguishes them from iferous and Devonian systems in this region must limit of the Pocono can not be determined with the name Burgoon is here applied because it is cut the overlying and underlying rocks. For that rea­ be regarded as uncertain. certainty. By comparison of the well sections on through by the valley of Burgoon Run above Kit- son the lower limit of the Pocono and the bound­ the well-section sheet with those of fig. 5, light may tanning point. No considerable exposures of the ary between the Carboniferous and the Devonian Carboniferous System. be thrown on the matter. Section A of fig. 5 sandstone were seen on the valley walls, but on the is placed at the top of the main body of red rocks. General statement. Most of the rocks exposed is a carefully measured section of the Pocono, southern side abundant bowlders of coarse siliceous By comparing well sections B to E of fig. 5 in this quadrangle belong to the Carboniferous Kittanning. 6 system. There are, however, certain old gravels of below the top of the limestone by the Homewood rangle, reaches an elevation of 260 feet above the of the interval between the Pocono and the lowest possible Tertiary age and certain deposits belong­ sandstone, which generally is massive in this region, river on the arch of the anticline, and then descends of the Mercer coals. ing to the Quaternary. The Carboniferous rocks but in this section is thin bedded and inconspic­ gradually to near water level near Phillipston, Mercer shale and coals. The Mercer coals are are divided into two series, the Mississippian series uous. This bed is underlain by about 65 feet of whence it continues, probably just above the river, thin; they generally have a thickness of a few below and the Pennsylvanian series above. The shale, which contains several small coal seams and to the northern margin of the quadrangle. The inches, rarely reaching a foot. One or more, most Mississippian series is best developed in the Mis­ carries a good Mercer flora. The strata underlying Pocono is above water along almost the whole often three, beds may occur in an interval of 20 sissippi Valley. As a general thing it is not coal the Mercer beds are more difficult to classify, but length of Redbank Creek within the quadrangle. feet, the rest of the interval being occupied by bearing, but in certain parts of the Appalachian the first sandstone (Nos. 15, 16, and 17), about 49 The top of the formation is about 150 feet above ihale and fire clay. The lowest bed is generally region it includes workable coal beds of limited feet in thickness, carries impressions of Pennsyl­ water at the mouth of the creek, and descends about 60 feet above the bottom of the Connoque­ extent. The Pennsylvanian series includes the vanian plant stems which show that it is to be nearly to water level at Lawsonharn, just off the nessing sandstone. The shale bed accompanying coal-bearing rocks or Coal Measures of the Appa­ included in the Pottsville formation, while its posi­ eastern edge of the quadrangle. the coals is very irregular in thickness. It may lachian coal fields, and is typically developed in tion shows that it is doubtless equivalent to a part extend 20 feet below the lowest coal and also MAUCH CHUNK FORMATION. Pennsylvania. Both series include a number of or the whole of the Connoquenessing sandstone. fill nearly the entire interval between the upper­ separate formations, which in turn include various Below the bed just described fossils are not In Rept. H5 of the Second Geological Survey most coal and the top of the formation. It is members of local importance. In this quadrangle abundant, and those which occur are generally of Pennsylvania, Platt refers certain dark shales usually dark gray and somewhat sandy. In sev­ the Mississippian series is represented by the poorly preserved, but, so far as observed, there are exposed in the midst of heavy sandstone in the eral wells in the southeast corner of the quadrangle Pocono formation, while the Pennsylvanian is rep­ no indications of Pottsville plants below the Con­ bluff above Templeton, in the Rural Valley quad­ a limestone is recorded 150 to 170 feet below the resented by the Pottsville, Allegheny, and Cone- noquenessing sandstone. Good Pocono plants rangle on the east, to the Mauch Chunk formation. Vanport limestone. This is probably the Mercer maugh formations. were found from the railroad up for a distance of These shales, however, present no resemblance to limestone, which is not known to outcrop in the 80 feet, but, on account of the scarcity of fossils, it the Mauch Chunk shales elsewhere, and to all quadrangle. POCONO FORMATION. is impossible to say with certainty to which series appearances they are lenticular beds of merely Homewood sandstone. The uppermost member General discussion. Considerable difference of the rocks between that horizon and the base of the local extent included in the Burgoon sandstone. of the Pottsville is the Homewood sandstone. opinion has been expressed regarding the existence Connoquenessing sandstone belong. The few Unconformity at base of Pottsville. The Mauch While it is locally a good, heavy or even massive of Pocono rocks at the surface along the Allegheny fossils found in the intermediate zone are too Chunk formation, which separates the Pocono and sandstone 40 feet thick, filling the interval between Valley south of Clarion River. In the final report poorly preserved to afford definite evidence, but Pottsville formations in other parts of the State, is the Mercer coals and the top of the Pottsville, it as of the First Geological Survey of Pennsylvania the they seem to partake of the characteristics of a absent from the Allegheny Valley. In southern often thins greatly or disappears entirely, its place lowest rocks exposed in the valley were included by Pocono rather than a Pottsville flora. Provision­ Indiana and northern Westmoreland counties it being occupied by the shale mentioned above. Rogers (Geol. of Pennsylvania, vol. 2, p. 585) in ally, then, the base of the Connoquenessing sand­ has been found in many well sections, and Distribution of Pottsville. The top of the Potts­ the Pottsville (Serai formation), but in Report Ho stone will be regarded as the base of the Pottsville ranges in thickness from a few to more than a ville, rising toward the McHaddon anticline, of the Second Geological Survey, W. G. Platt formation, and the rocks lying below will be hundred feet. It has a thickness of 150 feet in appears above the river in the vicinity of Wick- recognized not only the Pocono sandstone but the assigned to the Pocono formation. Packsaddle Gap near Bolivar, of 250 feet in north­ boro, above Kittanning, reaches a height of about Mauch Chunk shale as being exposed beneath the In the eastern part of Pennsylvania, where ern and eastern Fayette County, where it includes 100 feet three-quarters of a mile below the mouth Pottsville. This determination was based largely sedimentation apparently was uninterrupted from the Greenbrier limestone, of 180 feet along the of Cowanshannock Creek, and then, dipping north­ upon the occurrence at McCrea Furnace, on Devonian to late Carboniferous time, the Pocono Allegheny Front, of 1100 feet at Broadtop, and eastward, descends below water a short distance Mahoning Creek, of a bed of siliceous limestone formation consists of a great sandy series more than of 2200 feet at Mauch Chunk. Not only is the beyond the quadrangle boundary. The topmost which Platt correlated with the well-known bed 1000 feet in thickness. It is overlain by a great Mauch Chunk absent in this quadrangle, but the layers of the Homewood sandstone are of a rather of a similar character marking the top of the thickness of Mauch Chunk red shale, and this in absence of the Loyalhanna limestone shows that laminated character where they rise above the river Pocono formation in the Chestnut Ridge region. turn is overlain by the heavy conglomerates of the some of the upper part of the Pocono also is lack­ opposite Wickboro and in the bed of Cowanshan­ Lesley, however, was not willing to accept this Pottsville formation. In the Allegheny Valley ing. According to Platt (Second Geol. Surv. Penn­ nock Creek a short distance above its mouth. It determination of Platt's, and in a preface to the the Pocono becomes somewhat thinner; the Mauch sylvania, Rept. H5, p. 144), a fragment of this also outcrops at the mouth of Limestone Creek, same volume states that it is much more probable Chunk, separating the Pocono and Pottsville in the limestone is preserved at McCrea Furnace, on where it is coarse and thick bedded. The full that this limestone occurs at the Mercer horizon east, is probably absent; and from evidence pre­ Mahoning Creek above Eddyville, in the eastern thickness of the Pottsville in the quadrangle is than at that of the "siliceous limestone," and con­ sented in the discussion of the Pottsville formation part of Armstrong County. As shown in a pre­ shown along both sides of the gorge of Allegheny sequently that all of the rocks below this horizon it is shown that the interval occupied by the Mauch ceding paragraph, Platt's conclusion was strongly River in the northeast corner of the quadrangle exposed along Allegheny River are parts of the Chunk in the east is, in this region, represented by opposed by Lesley (Second Geol. Surv. Penn­ and along Redbank Creek. The bottom of the Pottsville formation, which, according to him, con­ an unconformity, and that the general absence of sylvania, Rept. H5, p. xv), who regarded the lime­ formation is 260 feet above the river on the axis of sists of three sandy members separated by two shale the Mauch Chunk formation, and probably of the stone in question as more probably representing the the Kellersburg anticline and at water level at intervals, as it does in the type locality of the upper part of the Pocono also, is due to their ero­ Mercer limestone, and more recently the writer has Phillipston. At the mouth of Sugar Creek, oppo­ Beaver Valley. The following section (fig. 6) sion before the deposition of the Pottsville rocks. reached the same conclusion, not only on strati- site East Brady, the Homewood sandstone has shows the character of the rocks under consider­ Character and distribution of Pocono. The graphic grounds, but also on the evidence of fossil changed to shale, below which is the Mercer shale ation as they are exposed at the River view mine, Pocono rocks exposed in this quadrangle are con­ plants collected from the sandstone which closely with two thin coal seams, and still lower the coarse 2 miles south of Redbank Junction. fined to the valleys of Allegheny River and Red- underlies the limestone and which was determined and heavy Connoquenessing sandstone, extending bank Creek. Since the Connoquenessing sandstone by David White to be of Pottsville age. Neither down to the creek. In a ravine on the north 4' Lower Kittanning coal. 29' rests unconformably upon the Pocono formation, is the siliceous limestone known west of Allegheny side of the river a half mile above the mouth of 3' Vanport limestone. it follows that the beds in actual contact are differ­ River, though two or three doubtful references to Sugar Creek the formation outcrops and shows 20' a limestone of similar character occur in some drill the same character as at the latter place. In the 5' fine dark shale. ent in different sections. The unconformity is so 10' sandy shale. slight, the exposures in general are so poor, and records of Butler County. vicinity of Craigsville the three members of the 31' the adjacent beds are so often sandstones of nearly These facts show that there is an unconformity formation are exposed. The Homewood sand-^ 5' fine dark shale. 21'dark sandy shale. identical character, that it is impossible to trace the between the Pocono and Pottsville formations in stone, rather flaggy, occurs in a ledge by the creek 10' Homewood sandstone, thin bedded. contact between the two formations. As assumed this region, and this conclusion is further strength­ back of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg rail­ 15' in sec. E, fig. 5, the plane of division between ened by the fact that the Pottsville is here only road station;. the Connoquenessing sandstone 24' the two formations lies about 230 feet below the about 140 feet in thickness, and, like the Mauch shows at Craigsville and in a railroad cut just 18' fine dark shale, coal near top. Vanport limestone, and it will be assumed that it Chunk, thickens to the east and in the Southern above, near creek level, where it is white and thick 6' sandy shale. 22' irregularly bedded sandstone. holds approximately this position throughout the Anthracite basin of eastern Pennsylvania is 1200 bedded; the Mercer shale and the blossom of the 16' probably sandstone. quadrangle, and the Pocono formation has been feet thick. The thin bed of Pottsville in the west­ Mercer coal show between the two sandstones in 11' coarse sandstone. mapped and will be described on that basis. The ern part of the State was formerly believed to rep­ the road west of Craigsville. The same beds are 20' light-green sandy shale. top of the Pocono at the point where Allegheny resent the whole thickness of the formation in the exhibited on both sides of Patterson Creek on the 10' coarse sandstone. 22' (conglomerate, 4 feet, near middle). River crosses the axis of the Kellersburg anticline anthracite region, the difference being due to the road from Craigsville to Fosters Mills, but the 7' sandstone with coal stain. difference in the rate of sedimentation, but it is Homewood sandstone seems to have passed into 3' dark shale. would accordinglyO t/ lie at an elevation of about 1060 18' greenish sandy shale. feet, making a maximum thickness of 260 feet of now believed to represent only the upper part of shale at that locality. 10' dark shale, coal at top. 5' brownish sandstone and sandy fire clay. Pocono rocks exposed in the quadrangle. the Pottsville of the anthracite region. This varia­ ALLEGHENY FORMATION. 40' shale, somewhat greenish. So far as exposed in this quadrangle the Pocono tion will be explained under the heading "Geologic and geographic history." 15' coarse sandstone. formation is composed mainly of a heavy gray to General character and thickness. -This forma­ greenish sandstone, the Mountain or Big Injun tion, immediately overlying the Pottsville, consists Total 400' POTTSVILLE FORMATION. FIG. 6. Section at Riverview mine, 2 miles below Redbank sand of the driller, which for reasons already stated of sandstone, shale, coal beds, and thin limestones, Junction. is here called the Burgoon sandstone. While the General character. The Pottsville formation and varies from 340 to 360 feet in thickness. It On purely lithologic grounds it is extremely dif­ sandstone is prevailingly a heavy and nearly con­ overlies the Pocono sandstone unconformably and contains nearly all the valuable mineral deposits, ficult, if not impossible, to subdivide these rocks tinuous mass, in places it is broken by beds of ranges from 120 to 140 feet in thickness. It varies save oil and gas, that are found in the quadrangle. into formations and correlate them with divisions shale of greater or less extent and thickness. in character, but as a rule it is composed of two The Upper Freeport coal forms the top of the for­ recognized in other parts of the field, and the dif­ The preceding section (fig. 6) presents the latter sandy members, the Connoquenessing and Home- mation, and since this coal, as well as the top of the ferent interpretations that have been put upon phase of the formation, while the section at the wood sandstones, separated near the middle by a Pottsville formation below, can be traced with but them doubtless must be attributed to the absence of mouth of Redbank Creek, where the formation stratum of shale 20 feet or more in thickness, bear­ little difficulty, the limits of the formation have well-marked beds. consists of about 150 feet of coarse, thick-bedded ing one or more thin seams of coal (the Mercer been very definitely determined. It is the purpose The section at Riverview mine shown is fairly to massive sandstone, passing without a break into coal and shale.) to discuss at this place only the general stratigraphy representative of the rocks of this debatable inter­ the Connoquenessing sandstone above, presents the Connoquenessing sandstone. The lowest mem­ of the formation. A fuller description of the coal val and may be considered as typical of this region former and probably more common phase. On ber of the formation is the Connoquenessing sand­ and other economic beds will be found in a sub­ except that the Pocono part shows more shale than the bluff of the Allegheny above Mahoning two or stone, which immediately overlies the Pocono and sequent section. occurs in some other sections. three thin coal seams occur. occurs in a large area throughout western Pennsyl­ Distribution. The Allegheny formation is ex­ The section includes the Lower Kittanning coal In the Allegheny Valley the top of the forma­ vania. It is generally a coarse, gray, thick-bedded posed to a greater or less depth along the principal and the Vanport limestone, two of the best horizon tion, rising toward the axis of the Kellersburg anti­ sandstone, sometimes massive and conglomeratic, streams of the quadrangle and their tributaries. markers in the region. The top of the Pottsville cline, emerges from below water between Templeton and often flaggy or shaly in places. It averages Allegheny River cuts below the formation from a formation is clearly marked at a distance of 94 feet and Mahoning, a short distance east of the quad­ about 40 feet in thickness and generally fills most point a short distance above Kittanning to the east- ern margin of the quadrangle and also along its good illustration of the variable nature of Coal Although the limestone is generally persistent, place, then of course the limestone could not have course across the northeast corner. Redbank Measure stratigraphy. At West Winfield a heavy there are areas where it can not be found and is been removed without the previous removal of the Creek has cut through the formation the full sandstone extends from close below the Clarion probably wanting. It has not been found over a .ore, and any erosion theory becomes untenable. distance of its course within the quadrangle, and coal to water level. Its bottom is not exposed, considerable area east of Rimer, nor in the hills If, however, the ore is always the product of segre­ Buffalo Creek and Patterson Creek have cut below but it is at least 50 feet thick. At both the above along the south side of Allegheny River for 3 or 4 gation from the overlying shales and sandstones, a it in the vicinity of Craigsville where they cross localities the Clarion sandstone was identified by ' miles above the eastern margin of the quadrangle. theory which is commonly held, then the latter the axis of the Kellersburg anticline. Rough Run the geologists of the Second Geological Survey of It is absent also on the north side of the river objection would lose its force. cuts nearly through the formation at West Win- Pennsylvania as Pottsville (Rept. H5, p. 101; just west of Phillipston, north of the mouth of the The theory of subaqueous erosion by solution field. Glade Run, Garrett Run, Limestone Run, Rept. Q, p. 93). There appears to be nothing Cowanshannock, and on the west side of the river caused by marine currents bearing water differing Huling Run, and Sugar Creek with its tributaries upon which to base this identification except the nearly opposite Ewing. At other places the lime­ in character from that in which the limestone was cut well into the formation, and the last three cut coarse, massive character of the sandstone, and, on stone seems to be present, though very much thin­ deposited has been advanced, The irregular shape below it at their mouths. account of its relations to the Clarion coal and ner than usual. This is the case on the south side and apparent lack of any sort of linear arrange­ In addition to these valley exposures a large Vanport limestone, the writer prefers to regard it of the river opposite Phillipston and at other ment of the areas affected seem to be against this area of Allegheny rocks is exposed on the uplands as Clarion. The facts are best explained by places outside the quadrangle. Furthermore, the theory. along the Kellersburg anticline. This area begins assuming that sandy instead of clayey sediments ore may be present though the limestone is want­ It must be admitted that the problem is a diffi­ near Rough Run and Buffalo Creek on the south prevailed for a time in these localities. ing, as along the highway northwest of Phillipston, cult one and that there are not yet sufficient data and widens out northeastward to embrace most of Clarion fire clay. Under the Clarion coal near where hematite ore occurs at the base of a heavy at hand for a satisfactory solution. The writer the northeast corner of the quadrangle. Kittanning there is a good bed of fire clay, which sandstone. Similar conditions prevail opposite is rather inclined to the view that the variations of Brookville coal. Near the base of the formation supplies the clay for the brick works at Ewing and Ewing, where the limestone is reported wanting, thickness are due to the accidents of original depo­ lies the Brookville coal, separated from the underly­ Cowanshannock, and beneath the same coal at but, from the number of old pits which occur at sition. ing Pottsville by 10 to 20 feet of shale and fire West Winfield fire clay also occurs, 8 feet thick. this point just beneath a heavy sandstone, it is evi­ Kittanning sandstone. The interval between the clay. This coal is not known to be of minable Clarion coal. The horizon of this coal seam dent that the ore is present and was mined exten­ Lower Kittanning coal and the Vanport limestone thickness within the quadrangle, though, like many varies from 15 to 25 feet below the Vanport lime­ sively. is usually occupied by shale and a bed of fire clay other coal seams, it may become so locally. stone. It is generally poorly developed and worth­ The absence of the limestone may be attributed of varying thickness which underlies the coal and Craigsville coal. On Buffalo Creek about 2 less and may be entirely wanting in places. It to either of two causes original nondeposition of which at Kittanning affords a valuable clay for miles northwest of Craigsville a coal 3 feet thick, reaches minable thickness only at West Winfield. the calcareous sediment or its erosion after depo­ brick making. But at West Winfield, near the 50 feet below the Vanport limestone and about 40 With the exception of these coals and the sition. This erosion may have been either sub- mouth of. Cowanshannock Creek, and south of feet above the Brookville coal, has been recently Clarion sandstone the interval between the Potts­ aerial or subaqueous. Allegheny River opposite Rimer this interval is opened and worked. The Clarion coal at this place ville formation and the Vanport limestone is The evidence in favor of the assumption that occupied by a coarse, heavy sandstone, known as is 15 feet below the limestone. What appears to be nearly everywhere filled with shale. the limestone was not originally uniformly depos­ the Kittanning sandstone. One-half mile west of the same coal has been opened on the hill one-half Vanport limestone. From 90 to 100 feet above ited is the generally varied character of the Car­ West Winfield this sandstone is 40 or more feet mile north by west of Craigsville and is reported the top of the Pottsville lies the Vanport ("Ferrif­ boniferous strata of western Pennsylvania. Sand­ thick and occupies all or nearly all the interval 3^ feet thick. About 1 mile north of Craigsville, erous") limestone. It is a very persistent bed and stone and shale alternate in the most surprising between the coal and the limestone. The same is along the road from Craigsville to Fosters Mills, is invaluable as a reference stratum in working out fashion along the same stratigraphic plane. This true on the south side of the river opposite Rimer. the blossom of a coal shows 50 feet below the lime­ the structure of the region, as well as a key rock variation is hardly to be attributed to the ero­ On the Cowanshannock 1 mile above its mouth, in stone, and the Brookville coal has been opened for the identification of the other members of the sion of previously deposited sediment of one kind Rayburn Township, the sandstone is nearly as about 50 feet lower. At West Winfield streaks Allegheny formation. and its subsequent replacement by that of another, thick and is continuous with the Clarion sandstone and pockets of coal in a heavy sandstone 40 feet This limestone is universally known throughout but rather to the contemporaneous deposition of below. Along the west bank of the river from below the limestone and 25 feet below the Clarion western Pennsylvania as the Ferriferous limestone, sediments of different kinds in different places. opposite Ewing to beyond the margin of the quad­ coal may represent the same horizon as the coal in because of the iron ore contained in it. The pres­ The local replacement of the limestone by shale or rangle it is scarcely so thick, but forms in places a the vicinity of Craigsville. It seems certain, there­ ent name was first used by I. C. White (Second sandstone is only in harmony with the general bold ledge 15 to 20 feet thick and immediately < fore, that%here is a coal at these places between the Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. Q, pp. 60-68), character of the stratigraphy of the region. It overlies the limestone or the horizon of the latter Brookville and Clarion coals. So far as the writer because of the fine development of the limestone seems not improbable that conditions were locally where the limestone is absent. is aware the three coals in this relation have not at Vanport, on Ohio River in Beaver County. unfavorable to the growth of the marine organ­ Lower Kittanning coal. The Lower Kittan­ been observed elsewhere in the quadrangle. At The Vanport limestone is generally a grayish isms from whose shells the calcareous sediment of ning coal is from 30 to 40 feet above the Vanport present it seems best to regard the intermediate rock. It is of marine origin, as in places it con­ the limestone was derived, or unfavorable to the limestone in the greater portion of the quadrangle, coal as a local development, without attempting to tains abundant brachiopods and joints of crinoid transportation of such sediments from some source but may be as little as 15 to 20 feet in the north­ identify it with any previously described coal, and stems and occasionally eyatnophylloid corals, as removed a greater or less distance and their accu­ east corner. This coal is from 3 to 4 feet thick the name Craigsville is here applied to it on account well as pelecypods and gasteropods. It is nearly mulation in the places where the limestone is now wherever exposed to view, and probably underlies of its good development near that place. pure, running generally 95 per cent of carbonate absent. the entire quadrangle except in the limited areas Clarion sandstone. At the old mill on Cowan­ of lime. It contains very little magnesia. In On the other hand, the limestone has a wide where it has been eroded by the streams. shannock Creek 1 mile above its mouth and near thickness it varies from 0 to 20 feet, the latter extent in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio Middle Kittanning coal. Forty to 50 feet above the margin of the quadrangle, the following section thickness being reached at West Winfield, where it and the areas where it is known to be absent are the Lower Kittanning occurs the Middle Kittan­ is exposed. is extensively quarried. The average thickness for small and comparatively few. The extent and ning coal. The interval is usually occupied by

2'6" Lower Kittanning coal. the quadrangle is probably about 8 to 10 feet, persistence as well as the apparent purity of this shale, but at Adrian a heavy bed of sandstone 8' shale. though in most well records it is noted as about 20 bed over so large, an area seem to indicate practi­ occurs above the Lower Kittanning coal. feet thick. It is generally massive or thick bedded. cally uniform conditions during its deposition, and The blossom of the Middle Kittanning coal The limestone is notable from the fact that it point also to the fact that noncalcareous sediment shows at a number of places on Buffalo Creek and 45' heavy-bedded, coarse sandstone. is** bears upon its upper surface an iron ore that is was not at the same time being deposited over that its tributaries in the general vicinity of West Win- generally a hard, often siliceous layer of impure area. It therefore seems difficult to conceive of field, on the hills bordering Buffalo Creek west of hematite or limonite, ranging from a few inches to conditions which prevented the deposition of cal­ Craigsville, on Patterson Creek to above Fosters a foot or more in thickness. This is known in careous sediment in the apparently limited, irregu­ Mills, and on Long Run west of Cowansville. Near 20' sandstone. Pennsylvania as the "buhrstone ore" because it is lar, and patchy areas in which the limestone is now the highway 1 mile west of Cowansville post-office 3' shale with trace of coal. often underlain by cherty material (I. C. White, absent. Still, it is possible that the areas in which it is 2 feet thick where exposed by stripping. 20'± concealed. Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 65, p. 173). Some­ limestone does not occur were elevations of the old There are abundant indications of its presence in times the ore occurs as carbonate nodules in the sea bottom which stood near enough to the surface the region between Allegheny River and Sherrett, 20'± coarse, massive sandstone. first few feet of shales overlying the limestone. to be affected by the waves, and thus the accumu­ Morrows Corner, and Adrian. It is known in the

Total 120' 6" At Kittanning the ore is fossiliferous, containing lation of the limy sediment was prevented. ridge between Huling Run and Allegheny River. 7. Section at old mill on Cowanshannock Creek, a mile abundant impressions of shells, mainly brachio­ If the supposition that the limestone was It is well exposed as a thin bed in the bluff just above its mouth. pods. The same might be found elsewhere if removed by subaerial erosion be accepted it must north of Applewold, and is present as a shaly In this section the thicknesses of the concealed careful search were made. be assumed that after the epoch of general lime­ bed in the ravines on the east side of Allegheny interval, No. 7, and the sandstone No. 8 were esti­ The limestone rises above the river just below stone deposition the small areas free from limestone River just south of Kittanning. Its blossom was mated and may be considerably in error. The Kittanning and remains above water level up the were elevated somewhat above water level, where observed north of Redbank Creek in the northeast sandstone No. 8 shows in the bed of the creek Allegheny to the northern margin of the quad­ they probably remained for a considerable time. corner of the quadrangle, about three-quarters and in a ledge washed by the water, whence have rangle and along Redbank Creek from the mouth In that case some of the ordinary evidence of shore of a mile northwest of Phillipston on the road to come the great bowlders of coarse white sand­ of the stream to the eastern margin of the quad­ accumulation should be found on the margin of East Brady, on the roads leading down to Cowans­ stone that fill the channel at the old mill. Near rangle. It outcrops along the valley of Limestone such areas. Such evidence, so far as the writer is hannock Creek in Rayburn Township near the the mouth of ,the creek the Vanport limestone is Creek to above Adrian, on Sugar Creek nearly to aware, has never been found. Furthermore, the eastern margin of the quadrangle, and at North about 50 feet below the Lower Kittanning coal. Kaylor, and up Huling Run to the vicinity of Sher- limestone is not always absent, but often remains Buffalo near the mouth of Glade Run. In the section above no trace of the limestone was rett. On Buffalo Creek the limestone is above water as a thin bed, up to a foot or more in thickness Upper Kittanning coal. Above the Middle Kit- detected, and its place is apparently occupied by level for a mile north of the junction of Rough Run. (see Rept. V, pp. 142-144). It seems hardly tanning coal is an interval of from 40 to 50 feet the shale No. 4. The shale with traces of coal, Along Rough Run it rises about 50 feet above the probable that erosion would have proceeded in mostly filled with shale, at the top of which lies No. 6, probably represents the Clarion coal, and stream at West Winfield, on the axis of the Kel­ such cases just far enough to have removed all but the Upper Kittanning coal. This coal is usually the sandstone No. 8, which may occupy most of lersburg anticline, then dips westward, and goes the thin layer of limestone remaining. Besides, a mere streak, but becomes of minable thickness the concealed interval also, is probably the Clarion under water about three-quarters of a mile farther the ore often occurs and has been mined in places locally in the northern part of the quadrangle in sandstone described in the report on Armstrong up the creek. It rises above Buffalo Creek again where no limestone is known to exist. the vicinity of Sherrett and Peach Hill, at Somer- County. Its bottom would lie at least 60 feet about 2 miles below Buffalo Mills and is about 250 The continuity and bedded character of the ore ville, at Kaylor, and possibly also on Cove Run, below the Vanport limestone, and its thickness feet above water on the axis of the Kellersburg throughout most of its extent, and the presence of where a thick bed is reported at what seems to be may reach 40 feet. An interesting feature of this anticline in the vicinity of Craigsville. It then fossils in places, suggest that the ore was deposited that horizon. It is present in the vicinity of Mor­ section is the fact that the entire interval of over drops to water level on Little Buffalo Run about as a calcareous layer immediately on top of the rows Corner, Adrian, French's Corner, Cowansville, 100 feet below the Lower Kittanning coal is nearly three-quarters of a mile west of Nichola and on limestone or in the same stratigraphic position and on Long Run. Its blossom shows along the filled with coarse, heavy sandstone, and this is a Patterson Creek near Fosters Mills. where the limestone is wanting. If this took valley of Buffalo Creek west of Craigsville, along Kittanning. the tributary valley from Nichola to Rattigan, on ' Butler sandstone of I. C.'White:(Second Geol. Surv. may indicate that it is not of organic origin. Pos­ of sandstone at Bens Creek is thicker and fills the Buffalo Creek 1^ miles southwest of Buffalo Mills, Pennsylvania, Rept. Q, p. 47). At Walkchalk this sibly it was precipitated from waters charged with whole of the interval here occupied by the beds near the head of Long Run, in the southeast sandstone lies on the Lower Freeport coal and carbonate of lime in solution. Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive. In this section the corner of Clearfield Township, near the southeast nearly or quite fills the interval between the two Freeport fire clay. The fire clay is generally a Mahoning lies in the interval between the Upper corner of West Franklin, and near the forks coals, which probably does not exceed 30 feet and plastic clay from 3 to 5 feet thick, but south of Freeport and Gallitzin coals, and it would seem to of Rough Run in Winfield. It is known by its may be less. It overlies the Lower Freeport coal Chicora there is a considerable area of flint clay at be judicious to limit the application of the name to blossom along Glade Run from a point 1 mile on both branches of Buffalo Creek in the southeast­ this horizon, ranging from 8 to 10 feet in thickness. sandstone falling within these limits. The sand­ south of Walkchalk to the mouth of the run, and ern part of Donegal Township, occurs on Buffalo At Bradys Bend a thick layer of clay with iron stone may occur as a double bed nearly filling that shows as a thin streak or as small pockets associated Creek north of Boggsville, and is well developed at nodules occurs beneath as well as above the lime­ interval or as a single bed almost anywhere in the with sandstone in the bluffs on both sides of Alle­ Bradys Bend, though thin bedded, as described stone. interval; it may be thin and inconspicuous or gheny River in the vicinity of Kittanning. Along below. Upper Freeport coal. From 30 to 40 feet above the Cowanshannock in eastern Rayburn Township The interval between the Upper and Lower Free- the Lower Freeport occurs the Upper Freeport coal. 12' soil and fire clay. it gives a good blossom. port coals, however, is usually occupied mainly Next to the Lower Kittanning coal this is the most The Upper Kittanning coal is known as the "pot by shale. The Freeport fire clay immediately valuable deposit in the quadrangle. It underlies vein," from its habit of thickening suddenly into a underlies the Upper Freeport coal. This clay is large areas, and over most of them yields from 3 to pot-like deposit of bituminous coal and cannel interbedded with shale and contains iron nodules. 3|- feet of good coal. Locally it becomes thin, shale. These deposits are rare and of small extent. Below the fire clay the Freeport limestone occurs shaly, and worthless. The latter character is The deposit at Somerville is a good example. At over considerable tracts, and below the limestone reported in the vicinity of French's Corner and in this place the coal and cannel shale reach a thick­ a bed of iron ore is known to exist over small the eastern part of Donegal Township. Along 7' 3" fire clay. ness of 13 feet, but no trace of these was observed areas. The following section (taken from Rept. Sipes Run it could not be found. It is probably 6' 3" sandstone with shale partings. in a bluff less than half a mile distant, where the H5, Second Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, p. 215) wanting there and seems to be thin in the vicinity 10' shale. bed should outcrop. shows the relation of these beds. of Boggsville. Along Cornplanter Run it is occa­ Freeport sandstone. Between the Upper Kittan­ sionally of good thickness, but is liable to be cut ning and Lower Freeport coals there is generally out by the heavy Mahoning sandstone. Along the 66' sandstone. present the Freeport sandstone. This is lami­ river bluff west of Ford City it is only a thin layer nated or flaggy and rather fine grained, as at T Upper Freeport coal. where exposed. The poor development of the Weskit, or coarse, massive, and conglomeratic, as in Upper Freeport coal at these places forms probably the vicinity of Worthington, where it seems to attain only local exceptions to its generally valuable 2' 9" shale. its maximum development. It is at least 50 feet character. Its blossom shows on some of the 8' fire clay and shale with iron nodules. 24' 5" sandstone with shale partings. thick in this locality, and probably replaces the hills, and the coal is probably present in some Lower Freeport and Upper Kittanning coals. It thickness on all the hilltops along the axis of the 4' shale with 1' 1" coal (Gallitzin). is best developed along Buffalo Creek from below Kellersburg anticline from the southwest corner 9' fire clay. the mouth of Marrowbone Run, where it shows in 5- Freeport limestone. of West Franklin Township to the vicinity of 17' 6" sandstone with shale partings.

the creek bed, northward along the axis of the Browns Crossroads, where these hilltops have not 8' 6" fireclay. Kellersburg anticline to Buffalo Mills, Worthing­ been eroded below its horizon. 10' 6" shale. ton, and Craigsville, where it yields large blocks 1' 2" sandstone. CONEMAUGH FORMATION. 7' shale. 13' fire clay with iron nodules near the middle. that cover the surface of the hillsides, and still 12' fire clay. farther northward to Fosters Mills and Browns General character. In this quadrangle this is Crossroads. West of Fosters Mills it outcrops in essentially a shaly formation. In the southern conspicuous ledges along the hillsides, and east and part of the quadrangle one or two thin coal seams 40' sandstone. northeast forms the surface of the flat land in the occur locally from 40 to 70 feet above the bottom. 2' to 4' Freeport iron ore. southern part of Sugarcreek Township. It shows In the southwest corner a heavy sandstone 160 4' Upper Freeport coal. in good strength at Somerville and in the southern to 230 feet above the bottom comes in under the FIG. 8. Section of Upper Freeport coal and associated clay FIG. 9. Section of Cresson mine shaft, Cresson, Pa. part of Donegal Township. It also is well devel­ and iron ore at Bradys Bend. plateaus south of Rough Run and west of Buffalo oped on the high knobs east of Allegheny River Creek. A thin coal seam occurs 150 feet above absent altogether. In this quadrangle about 70 and south of Redbank Creek, forms the ledges This section shows a considerable deposit of fire the bottom, and near the tops of some of the higher feet above the Upper Freeport coal occurs the near the mouth of Garrett Run, and is well exposed clay below the Freeport limestone, containing iron hills in the southern part of the quadrangle a thin Brush Creek coal, which corresponds closely in and extensively quarried as a coarse conglomeratic nodules and underlain by the Freeport iron ore. limestone occurs about 300 feet above the bottom position and character with the Gallitzin coal, and sandstone along Allegheny River between the Below this ore bed about 2 feet more of fire clay of the formation. The more important members which, therefore, may be fairly correlated with southern margin of the quadrangle and Kellys with iron nodules occurs, followed by 30 feet of of this formation are individually described below. that seam. For this reason it is proposed to confine station. thin-bedded sandstone, below which is the Lower General distribution and thickness. Fully one- the use of the name Mahoning in this quadrangle Lower Freeport limestone. This bed is generally Freeport coal, from 1 foot 6 inches to 4 feet thick. half or more of the Conemaugh formation has been to sandstones lying between the Upper Freeport inconspicuous or absent throughout the quadrangle. Freeport iron ore. The Freeport iron ore is eroded from most of the southern part of the and Brush Creek coals. It is described by I. C. White (Second Geol. Surv. known only in the vicinity of Bradys Bend. It is quadrangle; nearly all of it has been removed* The Mahoning usually lies at the base of the Pennsylvania, Rept. Q, p. 94) as an impure ferru­ described as a solid, compact, very argillaceous along the axis of the Kellersburg anticline from Conemaugh formation and closely overlies the ginous bed 5 feet thick on Rough Run, and it shows layer, running about 2 feet thick, but occasionally west of Buffalo Mills to the eastern boundary of Upper Freeport coal. It may, however, occupy a in the cut along the highway just north of Garrett reaching a thickness of 4 feet and having a layer the quadrangle, and only about 150 to 200 feet higher position and be separated from the coal by Run, where it is about 2 feet thick and is appar­ of nodules below. remain in the deepest part of the Bradys Bend a greater or less thickness of shale. It is generally ently of the same character as on Rough Run. Freeport limestone. The Freeport limestone is syncline. In the northeastern part of the quad­ well developed in the southern part of the Kittan­ Lower Freeport iron ore. According to White best developed in the southeast corner of the quad­ rangle only a few thin patches remain on the high­ ning quadrangle. It varies from a medium-grained, (Second Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. Q, p. 94), rangle, in Manor and North Buffalo townships. est hills. The greatest thickness of the formation flaggy, or even'shaly, to a coarse and heavy-bedded this occurs as a bed of limonite and carbonate mixed, It is well exhibited along the bluff back of Manor- remaining in the Kittanning quadrangle is about sandstone, and runs from 10 to 40 feet thick. On lying just above the Lower Freeport limestone. It ville and Ford City where cut by the highways, 400 feet. This is found in the high knob about the hills immediately southeast of Kittanning it is is developed, so far as known, only on Rough Run along Garrett Run and its tributaries, along the one-half mile north of Sistersville. flaggy to shaly and 30 feet thick, and at Ford City and in the western part of West Franklin Town­ run east of Ford City to the eastern margin of Mahoning sandstone. Near the base of the for­ and eastward it is flaiggy and rather coarse. At ship just north of the Butler Pike. the quadrangle, and in the ravines running down mation is a heavy sandstone usually called the the quarry west of Allegheny River nearly oppo­ Lower Freeport coal. The horizon of this coal to the west side of Allegheny River opposite Ford Mahoning sandstone. Much confusion exists as to site Ford City it is 40 feet thick, coarse, heavy is from 40 to 50 feet above the Upper Kittanning City. In the ravine of Fort Run near Manorville what beds should be included under this name. bedded, and sometimes conglomeratic. It exhibits coal. It is a variable bed, and over the larger part it is reported to be 28 feet thick and to contain So far as the writer can discover, the name was this heavy-bedded character at numerous exposures of the quadrangle is probably too thin to be of several beds of rather distinctive character (Second first used by Lesley (Manual of Coal and its Topog­ in the southeastern part of North Buffalo Town­ value. At Kittanning it is reported to vary within Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. H5, p. 256). raphy, 1856, p. 97) for a sandstone composed of ship and along Qlade Run nearly to Walkchalk, a short distance from nothing to 13 feet in thick­ West of Allegheny River at Ford City it is 18 to 20 two beds 35 feet thick, separated by 25 feet of where it yields bowlders of coarse white sandstone ness: In the latter case the bed is double, sev­ feet thick. These thicknesses are exceptional and shale. I. C. White (Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey that probably mingle on the slopes with those of eral feet of shale dividing it. At Cowansville and attained only in this locality. On Garrett Run and No. 65, p. 95) describes it in almost identical similar character from the Butler sandstone, which southward along Glade Run and Limestone Run east of Ford City it runs from 8 to 10 feet; west­ terms, but makes the sandstone members 40 to 50 is also heavy at this locality. North and east of it is 4 feet thick. In southern Donegal Township ward from the river it becomes thinner and on feet in thickness, with a bed of shale between, the Walkchalk it becomes more flaggy and to the west it is thick enough to warrant opening in several Marrowbone Run and at Beatty's mill is about whole varying in thickness from 100 to 150 feet. seems to disappear entirely. Along the little run places. In the vicinity of Peach Hill it has a 5 feet thick. On Buffalo Creek one-half mile In an earlier work (Second Geol. Surv. Pennsyl­ entering Glade Run from the north at North Buf­ thickness of 4 feet. It makes a good showing at above Boggsville it is 2 feet thick. It could not vania, Rept. Q., p. 36) the same writer restricted falo post-office it is coarse and heavy. It shows the head of Rough Run in southern Clearfield be found on Sipes Run nor westward in the town­ the name to the lowest member of the triple group. again near the mouth of Marrowbone Run and Township and along the ridge southwest of Buffalo ships of Butler County included in the quadrangle, One difficulty in determining the usage to be along Buffalo Creek a short distance to the north Mills. On Buffalo Creek opposite the mouth of except that it was noted as a probably thin layer adopted arises from the fact that the type locality of as a rather coarse, flaggy rock. It exhibits the Sipes Run it is a mere thread in the sandstone. in the road about 1 mile southeast of Chicora. It the sandstone is not known. In a cut on the Penn­ same character on Sipes Run about a mile above Its blossom was seen on the hills west of the occurs at the top of the knob one-half mile north­ sylvania Railroad at Bens Creek, Cambria County, its mouth, and becomes rather coarse and heavier Cowanshannock in Rayburn Township. It gives west of Fosters Mills and is well developed in the and also in a mine shaft at Cresson in the same on Cornplanter Run west of Boggsville, where it a good blossom in the vicinity of Weskit, and hills in the neighborhood of Bradys Bend. county, the section immediately above the Upper immediately overlies the Upper Freeport coal and about 1^ miles northwest of that place on the road As a general thing this limestone is bluish and Freeport coal agrees almost exactly with the descrip­ often cuts out that seam. On the east fork of Buf­ to Cowansville is 3 to 4 feet thick. Little is known rather thick bedded. It is generally nonfossilifer- tion of the Mahoning sandstone given by Lesley. falo Creek about 2 miles north of Rattigan it of it elsewhere in the quadrangle. ous. A few minute gasteropods have been reported The section in the mine shaft is given in fig. 9. is coarse and conglomeratic. Along the western Sutler sandstone. At places a coarse, heavy, con­ from various places. It seems to be entirely desti­ The section in the railroad cut at Bens Creek margin of the Kittanning quadrangle, from west of glomeratic sandstone occurs in the interval between tute of marine fossils and is possibly of fresh-water between the Gallitzin and Upper Freeport coals is Fenelton northward to Karns, the Upper Freeport the Upper and Lower Freeport coals. This is the origin. The extreme paucity of organic remains the same as the above except that the upper bed coal seems to be immediately overlain by about 20 9 feet of shale, above which there is a greater or less road, 1|- miles north of the latter area, the Bakers- origin are widely distributed over a large part of of excavating the gravel. The highest one stands thickness, though scarcely exceeding 20 feet, of town coal occurs in the midst of shale, but the southwestern Pennsylvania. They are differenti­ near the 1020-foot contour and is preserved in sev­ sandstone, generally thin bedded and flaggy, but sandstone both above and below the coal has prac­ ated from the terrace deposits along Allegheny eral broad remnants and also in narrow strips along sometimes coarse, which probably represents the tically disappeared from the section. River by the absence of material of glacial deriva­ the valley from where the river enters the east Mahoning. In the northeast quarter of the Kit- Red shale. In the'vicinity of Sistersville, close tion. In the last respect they agree with the Car- edge of the quadrangle down to Kittanning. A tanning quadrangle it seems to be only locally beneath the Ames limestone and about 300 feet michaels clay along Monongahela River described lower one, well displayed back of Ford City, present. above the Upper. Freeport coal lies a thin bed of by Campbell (Geologic Atlas, folios 82 and 94). barely rises above the 960-foot contour, thus fall­ Thin coal. At the intersection of the roads one- red shale which was not noted elsewhere in the They are also contemporaneous in accumulation ing short of the upper limit of glacial gravel on its eighth of a mile east of Beatty's mill, which is on quadrangle. The interval between the red shale with the Carmichaels clay. On these grounds the borders by about 80 feet. The terrace back of Buffalo Creek about one-half mile north of the and the horizon of the Saltsburg sandstone is name Carmichaels can be appropriately applied Manorville stands just below the 1000-foot con­ mouth of Marrowbone Run, there is a good coal largely filled with sandy shale and interbedded to the deposits under consideration as well as to tour and apparently has a continuation in a nar­ bloom about 40 feet above the Upper Freeport coal thin sandstone. deposits of like nature in other parts of the State, row terrace on the east edge of the valley farther and just above the Mahoning sandstone. This coal Ames limestone. On a few high knobs in North but since Carmichaels clay would not be appro­ south. It will be observed that the highest of was noted in several places northward for I4r miles Buffalo Township, north of Slate Lick and Sisters- priate in this connection, Carmichaels formation these terraces lacks 20 feet of reaching the level of along the road toward Worthington. It is accom­ ville, a thin limestone occurs. It has a grayish or will be used instead. It must not, however, be the gravel deposits found on the border of the val­ panied in a number of places by a thin limestone. greenish color and is often full of fossils, among inferred from the name that the character, thick­ ley at the south edge of the quadrangle, and also South of the intersection above mentioned the coal which fragments of crinoid stems are most plen­ ness, and mode of accumulation of the formation at points several miles up the valley. Were the was not seen, but its limestone was traced for a mile tiful. Its exact thickness is not known, but prob­ in the Kittanning quadrangle are the same as in deposits on the slopes above the terraces only along the road to Slate Lick. This coal was not ably does not exceed 2 feet. It has been noted the type locality. sand or silt they might perhaps be considered the observed elsewhere and is probably a local bed. by the present survey at two points. One of these flood deposits of a stream which had the highest GLACIAL GRAVELS. Brush Creek coal. Throughout the southern is the top of the knob east of the road one-half terrace as its bed; but being composed of coarse third of the quadrangle there is a persistent bed of mile south of the head of Marrowbone Run and 1^ By FRANK LKVERETT. material such as would only be carried along the black shale running about 70 feet above the Upper miles slightly northeast of Slate Lick. The other THE DRIFT BORDER. river bed, they seem to indicate an original filling Freeport coal and often containing a thin seam of is the knob one-half mile northeast of Sistersville. On the uplands bordering Allegheny River the to their upper limit. coal. The shale is generally about 5 feet thick, It is known only by fragments on the surface, and glacial drift ceases to be a well-defined or easily Thickness. Originally this deposit must have but in a few places thickens to 20 feet. The latter these would indicate a thickness of about 1 foot. traced deposit about 25 miles above the point extended from the lowest level of the rock floor of thickness is well shown at the crossroads by the In the former locality the distribution of the frag­ where the river enters the Kittanning quadrangle. the Parker strath, say 150 feet above the river, to church about \\ miles southeast of Worthington. ments would indicate that the limestone occurs in Occasional bowlders and pebbles of glacial deriva­ the level of the upper limit of pebbles 260 to 280 The coal varies from a few inches to 2 feet in thick­ two beds separated by almost 20 feet of shale, the tion are found several miles outside the well-defined feet thus giving a thickness of 110 to 130 feet. ness. It can be seen along the road between Weskit lower being about 315 and the upper about 335 sheets of drift, and perhaps they may be found There are few if any places where it is preserved and Walkchalk, in the road on the hilltop west of feet above the Upper Freeport coal; the horizon of within the limits of this quadrangle. E. H. Wil­ in its full thickness. Opposite Templeton, in the Weskit, on the ridge road 1^ miles north of North this limestone passes through several other knobs liams, jr., has expressed the opinion that the ice part of the valley that is east of this quadrangle, Buffalo, about one-half mile east of Beatty's mill in the southwest corner of the quadrangle, and it sheet extended down the Allegheny to the mouth there appear to be 90 feet of gravel, the base of on the road between Beatty's mill and Weskit, may occur on them. Platt (Second Geol. Surv. of Redbank Creek, but the writer has not found the deposit being 160 feet and the top 250 feet by along the road from Beatty's mill to Worthington, Pennsylvania, Rept. H5, p. 287) reports it on a satisfactory evidence of glaciation so far down the aneroid above river level. Back of Manorville a along the road over the hill between the head of high knob about 1 mile northwest of Slate Lick. valley. Whether the scattered erratics on the well dug by William Piper passed through 50 feet , Sipes Hun and Buffalo Creek, in the road west­ The Ames limestone has been traced pretty con­ uplands were deposited by the ice or have been of gravel, and as the well mouth is about 15 feet ward over the hill from Sipes Run, and in a ravine tinuously across southern Butler County by I. C. carried by human agencies beyond the glacial lower than the top of the terrace the thickness may near the road one-quarter of a mile northeast of White (Second Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. Q), boundary remains to be determined. reach 70 feet. In the terrace cut by the Buffalo, Boggsville. This coal occurs at the same horizon and found to be the same as the Crinoidal lime­ The Allegheny Valley was the main line of dis­ Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad east of the and is undoubtedly the same as the Brush Creek stone of Beaver County, with which it agrees in charge for the water from a large part of the ice mouth of Limestone Run the deposit has a thick­ coal described by I. C. White in southern Butler its fossiliferous character and in its stratigraphic border in western New York and northwestern ness of about 75 feet, as shown by gullies on the County. position, which ranges from about 290 feet above Pennsylvania not only while the ice was at its border of the terrace. The railroad cuts into it Bakerstown coal. About 75 feet above the Brush the Upper Freeport -coal in the Beaver quadrangle extreme limits but also before and after it had nearly 50 feet. There is probably fully as thick a Creek coal and 150 feet above the Upper Freeport to about 330 feet above the coal in the Kittanning reached its maximum development, and not only deposit on the terrace west of the mouth of Lime­ coal another small and probably worthless coal quadrangle. This limestone is generally known in the first but also in the last stage of glaciation, stone Run, and there may be a similar thickness occurs. Its blossom has been observed at a few as the "Crinoidal limestone" throughout western and possibly in intermediate, stages. As a conse­ back of Ewing. Aside from the places mentioned points in western North Buffalo Township, South Pennsylvania, but the geographic name Ames has quence, glacial material has filled it to a marked the deposit has been reduced apparently to a thick­ Buffalo Township, Winfield Township, and about been substituted for the descriptive name Crinoidal. degree throughout its entire length and extends a ness of 15 to 35 feet or less. In the part of the 1^- miles southwest of Coyleville in Clearfield This name was first used by Andrews (Ohio Geol. long distance down Ohio River. ' valley traversing the northeast corner of the quad­ Township. This coal seems to be undoubtedly Surv., vol. 1, pt. 1, pp. 235, 296). The tributaries of the Allegheny within this rangle no places were noted where it exceeds 25 the same as the Bakerstown coal described by On the high knob north of Sistersville are about quadrangle have not been found to carry glacial feet, and its thickness there is usually only 10 to 15 White in southern Butler County (Second Geol. 70 feet of rocks above the Ames limestone, and a material, though the search, perhaps, has not been feet, Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. Q). It is not of suf­ less thickness occurs on a few other knobs that exhaustive. Constitution and characteristics. This deposit is ficient importance to warrant further description. extend above the horizon of the limestone near the often called the high-level gravel. The greater part OLDEST GLACIAL GRAVEL (KANSAN OR PRE KANSAN). Salisbury sandstone. Associated with this coal axis of the Boggsville syncline in the southern part of it is medium to fine gravel with which there is both above and below is a massive coarse-grained of the quadrangle. The rocks forming the top of Probable age. The high-level gravel deposits more or less sand. An occasional glacial bowlder sandstone whose limits are somewhat indefinite, the knob at Sistersville, 1432 feet above the sea, which are so conspicuous along the lower Alle­ or 'large local rock appears in it, and stones but which is so prominent a feature in the south­ occupy the highest stratigraphic horizon of the gheny Valley are known to be of Glacial age 6 inches in diameter are not rare. In places western part of the quadrangle that it has been, quadrangle. They are mostly shale and not of because they contain erratics of various kinds where the current was weak the deposit is clayey mapped as the Saltsburg member of the Cone- sufficient interest to warrant further description. which were brought into the drainage of the Alle­ with only occasional stones scattered through it. maugh formation. The thickness of this member Quaternary Deposits. gheny by the ice sheet. The deposit of glacial Such is the case in the terrace opposite Kittanning, is variable. There are from 40 to 50 feet of drift from which the gravel was derived is among where the gullies and wells show little else than sandstone below the coal and from 60 to 80 feet PRE-GLACIAL DEPOSITS. the oldest yet recognized on this continent. Its play to a depth of 30 feet. The stones, whether of above. The flat-lying land in the southwestern OLDER ALLUVIUM. weathered surface and the great amount of erosion local or of glacial derivation, are generally well part of Winfield Township is formed by the upper Above the upper limits of the well-defined gla­ which it has undergone indicate that it is at least rounded, as if they had been rolled for some dis­ sandstone. These two sandstones are separated in cial deposits there has been noted at a few points as old as the Kansan drift of the interior, and it tance along the stream bed. The abrasion by places by a thin bed of shale containing the gravel of apparently earlier age composed of may prove to be of pre-Kansan age. In weather­ stream action has been so great that striated faces Bakerstown coal and fire clay. It is possible that country rock, in some cases associated with soil ing and erosion these gravel deposits as well as the of the glacial pebbles are very rarely found. this separation could be made throughout the part resembling alluvium. Such deposits occur on the drift sheets from which they are derived bear evi­ The proportion of glacial pebbles in the gravel of the quadrangle in which the sandstones occur if high point in the angle between Redbank Creek dence of great age. varies greatly from place to place. In some pits exposures were good, but under present condi­ and Allegheny River and on both sides of the Distribution. The gravel is best displayed on they are so common as to attract attention while in tions it is impossible to trace such a separating river at East Brady at altitudes above 1100 feet; the broad rock shelves of the outer valley of the others prolonged search is necessary to discover a bed. The sandstone below the coal is clearly the and over 100 feet above the Parker strath. It Allegheny, such as appear in the southeastern part single one. They probably constitute, on the aver­ same as the Buffalo sandstone of White (Second seems possible that these deposits are the remnants; of the Kittanning quadrangle, but it is found in age, only a fraction of 1 per cent of the deposit. Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. Q, p. 33), and the of old river gravels and silts laid down when the small remnants along the narrower parts of the The most conspicuous and widely prevalent pebbles upper occupies the position of the Saltsburg sand­ river flowed over beds which are 350 to 400 feet valley, and is present in greater or less degree of glacial derivation are of Medina sandstone from stone of Lesley (Stevenson, Second Geol. Surv. higher in the geologic series than the rocks over along nearly every mile of the entire length of the western New York and the neighboring part of Pennsylvania, Rept. K3, p. 22). It is believed, which it now flows. They may therefore be of valley, from the border of the well-defined drift Canada. The various kinds of granite, greenstone, however, that the sandstone mass as a whole cor­ late Tertiary age. So much doubt and obscurity near Kennerdell down to Pittsburg and also to and quartzite are present, and also flagstones and responds best with the Saltsburg sandstone in its hang over these deposits, however, that but little a considerable distance down Ohio River. In sandstones which have their outcrops farther north type locality, and that name has been adopted. importance should be attached to this suggestion the northern part of the quadrangle the glacial than the drainage basin of the Allegheny. In this quadrangle the upper sandstone is the as to age. gravel occurs up to about 1100 feet above tide, The state of decay of the pebbles is on the whole thicker and more conspicuous of the two. It at the mouth of Redbank Creek at 1080 feet, and very advanced, many pebbles being so rotten that CARMICHABLS FORMATION. occurs over all the area south of Rough Run and at the south edge of the quadrangle at 1040 feet, they can be crumbled or crushed by the hand. caps the high hill between Buffalo Creek and Sipes Two small terrace areas, each with rock floor at thus showing a marked descent, in harmony with The Medina sandstone and some of the quartzites Run. The quarries on the hilltops at West Win- the 1000-foot contour the level of the Parker the grade of the present stream, in passing through are, however, usually in a good state of preserva­ field are in this sandstone, which is here rather strath and covered with alluvium of local origin the quadrangle. tion. The granites and greenstones are so altered coarse and thick bedded. Besides its occurrence and probably of both pre-Kansan and Kansan age, The flat-top gravel terraces so well displayed in at the surface that one can seldom make a certain south of Rough Run the lower or Buffalo sand­ have been mapped. These areas are small and the southeast part of the quadrangle are below the identification without breaking them open. In stone, of White occurs over the area mapped along their mapping would hardly be warranted were it upper limit of the gravel and seem to mark two or many of the granite pebbles the decay extends to the West Winfield-Fenelton road. Along this not for the fact that deposits of the same kind and more levels occupied by the stream in the process the center. In the fine-textured greenstones the Kittanning. 10 whitening usually extends only one-fourth to one- Extending westward from the latter region to the nating strata and layers of the formation. From coarse, porous rocks in which they have been found half inch from the surface, but there is more or less vicinity of Lake Superior was the southern shore time to time or at different localities a quantity of and were held there by the more or less impervious alteration to the center. The local sandstones are of a vast land area, now occupied by the crystal­ coarser material would be brought in and assorted covering of overlying rocks. This accumulation usually in a very advanced state of decay. If any line rocks of Canada. The rocks of the two by waves and currents, forming a coarse sandstone took place between the deposition of the containing limestone pebbles were brought in by the glacial regions last mentioned are of the same age as lens or a bed of conglomerate of greater or less strata and the time when the drill tapped those waters with the Medina sandstone and other Paleo­ those of the Blue Ridge. Thus in earliest geo­ extent. At times the accumulation of clays or reservoirs and the oil and gas began to flow out, zoic rocks, they have been dissolved so completely logic time the eastern United States had a rudely sands was rapid enough to extinguish locally the but when the process began and ended, and that none were found after prolonged search at V-shaped form, inclosing within its arms a body of organisms of the sea floor; at other times the con­ whether it has yet ceased, are questions that no several points. water known to geologists as the Interior Paleozoic ditions of life continued favorable for a long time man can answer. sea. Into this sea discharged rivers bearing the and they lived on, generation after generation, POCONO DEPOSITION. LATER GLACIAL DEPOSITS. sediments of which the sedimentary rocks of the their shells accumulating and, mixed with sand, The Illinoian and lowan drift sheets are not Appalachian province are composed. The earliest forming extensive beds of impure limestone. Following the deposition of the Catskill red exposed in the region drained by the Allegheny of these sediments were laid down along the rocks, fresh-water conditions probably prevailed and may not reach the northern limits of its water­ ancient shore line and constitute the oldest sedi­ CATSKILL DEPOSITION. generally throughout the northern end of the shed. Nothing has been noted in the Allegheny mentary rocks of the province. In the rocks of Before the beginning of Chemung deposition, Appalachian Gulf, but there was a decided change Valley, either within or above the Kittanning this early age remains of living beings become, for indeed soon after the close of Hamilton time, the in the character of the material brought in. It is quadrangle, that indicates an out wash into it from the first time in the history of the earth, fairly Catskill phase of sedimentation was begun in the prevailingly gray instead of red. In the part of an ice sheet between the early one that furnished abundant and varied. From this time forward northeastern extremity of the Appalachian Gulf Pennsylvania in which the Kittanning quadrangle the high-level gravel and the Wisconsin which the filling up of the interior sea progressed stead­ in eastern New York with the deposition of the is situated the heavy sandstones known as the contributed material found in the bottom of the ily from the shores of the ancient land toward the Oneonta beds. From this time onward the depo­ Hundred-foot and Butler gas sands were among trench. center. At times the surrounding land from which sition of these rocks continued, being contempo­ the first strata deposited. These were followed by Wisconsin drift border. As shown by the sketch sediments were derived stood higher, the rivers raneous at first with the marine Portage, later gray shales with occasional beds of red shale of local map, fig. 1, the Wisconsin drift border lies along were swifter and the sediments coarser, and thus with the Chemung, and at the top probably with extent and sporadic sandstone lenses. During the or very near Allegheny River from its source the materials of great strata of sandstone were the bottom of the Mississippian deposits. In the latter part of Pocono time vast quantities of coarse down to Warren County, Pa., and crosses its main brought in and spread out along the shores and beginning the accumulation of these sediments was sand were brought into the Appalachian Gulf and western tributaries a few miles back from the river over the adjacent sea floor; at other times the lands restricted to a more or less landlocked bay in east­ spread widely over the sea bottom, forming the as far down as Sandy Creek, which enters the river apparently were worn down or sank lower^ the ern New York and northern Pennsylvania (Clarke, coarse Burgoon (Mountain or Big Injun) sand­ 40 miles above the northern limits of the Kittan­ rivers became sluggish, and the finer sediments, of New York State Museum, Mem. 6, p. 205 et seq.) stone. As the deposition of this coarse sandy ning quadrangle. Farther down, the terminal which widely extended strata of shale are com­ in which fresh water prevailed, as shown by the material was drawing to a close a large quantity moraine passes west of the border of the Allegheny posed, were deposited; and at other times, or at great presence of fossils of what were probably fresh­ of carbonate of lime was deposited with the sand, watershed. The position of the Wisconsin drift distances from the shores, clear waters prevailed or water shells and fish. As time went on the Cats- making the Loyalhanna siliceous limestone, which border is such that the Allegheny received a large but small quantities of sediments were laid down kill sediments spread farther and farther westward is a widely extended and highly characteristic amount of outwash at frequent intervals along and strata of limestone, often hundreds of feet in and southwestward, and toward the end the finer stratum at the top of the Pocono throughout more than half its length, and this material was thickness, accumulated. While these rocks to the sediments extended into western New York and southwestern Pennsylvania. There seems to be gradually transported down the valley through the thickness of many thousand feet were being depos­ Pennsylvania, where they at present constitute beds but one source from which this limestone could Kittanning quadrangle and on into Ohio River. ited, living beings became more and more abun­ of soft red shale of irregular thickness and extent, have been derived the great limestone deposits Character of the outwash. The outwash is a dant, new forms made their appearance from time interbedded with green and gray shales and sand­ of the Mississippi Valley, the deposition of which coarse gravel or cobble in the vicinity of the Wis­ to time, and the earlier forms became extinct. stones bearing Chemung fossils mingled with a few was probably contemporaneous in part with that consin drift border, with a comparatively small The earlier organisms were chiefly animals or the of Carboniferous type (Rept. New York State Pal., of the Pocono formation in the Appalachian admixture of sand and silt. Upon passing down lower forms of plants, such as sea weeds. Later, 1902, pp. 990-995). trough. One of the most striking and persistent the valleys the fine material gradually increases land plants made their appearance and the condi­ It happened, thus, that the Catskill rocks, reach­ features of the Loyalhanna limestone is its cross- until it forms the bulk of the deposit. This is tions began which eventually resulted in the for­ ing a probable thickness of several thousand feet in bedding, which shows that the limestone is of clastic especially true of the surface portion. There are mation of the coal beds of the province. After the Catskill Mountain region where sedimentation origin and was distributed by powerful currents. places as far down as the mouth of Allegheny a great thickness of sediments had been accumu­ was continuous from the beginning, thin from the The carbonate of lime in suspension may reason­ River where the river bed is gravelly. In the Kit- lated an uplift occurred, the axis of which extended bottom upward until they are represented in west­ ably be assumed to have been carried from its tanning quadrangle there is a deposit of sand and from the Great Lakes to western Tennessee. This is ern Pennsylvania and New York by only the few source by oceanic currents sweeping up from the silt which seems to have been built up to a level known as the Cincinnati uplift. The movement hundred feet of rocks characterized by beds of red southwest into the probably very shallow waters about 50 feet above the river but which is now may have been great enough to raise the sea bot­ shale. of the Appalachian Gulf. It may afterwards have preserved at that level only in a few places on the tom along the axis in whole or in part into dry The red rocks of the Catskill formation in the been worked over by wave action or by tidal cur­ inner curve of the river bends. The material is so land. Whether the uplift reached this extent or Kittanning quadrangle occur near the top of the rents and the cross-bedding developed. One of fine within the limits of this quadrangle that the not, it was sufficient to form a barrier still more formation, and, judging from their character at the most interesting and significant phases of river has cut it away rapidly and remnants at the completely inclosing the interior sea, which now their western margin in western New York, they Pocono history was the accumulation of coal seams original level of filling are far less extensive than had the form of a narrow embayment extending are probably soft, fine shale resulting from the of considerable extent and thickness in Virginia at points up the valley where coarse deposits occur. from Alabama to eastern New York, and which consolidation of the finer material that was borne and West Virginia. These coal seams herald the It is probable that the river has cut away and may appropriately be called the Appalachian Gulf. by the water farthest from the eastern shores of approach of the biologic and physiographic condi­ redeposited much of this fine material several times This uplift, however, is not the only movement the Appalachian Gulf where it was discharged by tions under which the great deposits of coal in the since the Wisconsin stage of glaciation. It has recorded by the rocks during their formation. the rivers of the bordering lands. The red rocks later formations were accumulated. become, therefore, a part of the Recent or post- Many beds show unmistakable evidence that they of the western margin of the formation appear to Glacial alluvium and is so mapped. were deposited in shallow water and near the shore. lie in detached beds or lenses of greater or less MAUCH CHUNK DEPOSITION. As it is manifestly impossible for thousands of feet extent and thickness in the midst of gray shales The deposition of the prevailingly gray Pocono ALLUVIUM. of rocks to accumulate in shallow water without and sandstones that possibly had a different was succeeded by a second deposition of a great The present streams of the quadrangle are bor­ constant subsidence, by which the strata are carried source. This mode of occurrence indicates .that mass of red beds composing the Mauch Chunk for­ dered in places by deposits of alluvium which has downward, while other strata are deposited above the extreme western marginal deposits of red mation. The change in the kind of sediments was been laid down by the streams at times of overflow them, it is evident that such downward movement rocks were transported intermittently at times of probably gradual, for in the region of the Alle­ and thus constitutes true flood plains. These most was in progress during the deposition of the rocks flood, when the supply of sediment was greater, gheny Front the bottom beds of the Mauch Chunk recent deposits of the quadrangle are generally in the interior sea. The axis of this subsidence or at times of great storms, when stronger currents are sandstone very much like the top sandstone of narrow along Allegheny River and the lower lay along the center of the Appalachian trough bore the sediments farther westward. At times the Pocono. The great mass of the formation, courses of the tributaries. Nearer the headwaters from eastern New York to Alabama. After the toward the close of the deposition of the red rocks however, is red shale, which in eastern Pennsyl­ of the tributaries they are broader, a fact that has subsidence mentioned above had been going on great beds of coarse gray sandstones that form vania reaches a thickness of over 2000 feet, a fact been explained elsewhere. for a very great time, after thousands of feet of the reservoirs for oil and gas in this part of west­ which indicates continued subsidence along the axis strata had accumulated, and probably after the ern Pennsylvania accumulated. The coarseness of the Appalachian1 Gulf. During the deposition GEOLOGIC AND GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY. Cincinnati uplift, the earliest rocks known in the of these sandstones may indicate that the neigh­ of the Mauch Chunk conditions seem to have The geologic and geographic development of the quadrangle were deposited. boring land from which they .were derived was been unfavorable for life, as the formation con­ Appalachian province in its earlier stages, as gen­ uplifted, or that they were carried by stronger tains no coal beds and shows little evidence of the erally understood by geologists, will first be out­ CHEMUNG DEPOSITION. coastal currents from a more distant source and presence of either plants or animals. Soon after lined, and then the history of the northern end As shown in the discussion of the rocks revealed assorted in the transportation. the beginning of the Mauch Chunk deposition of the bituminous basin in which the Kittanning in drilling oil and gas wells, the lowest strata pene­ there was an extension of salt-water conditions into ACCUMULATION OF GAS AND OIL. quadrangle is situated will be given in greater trated by the drill are probably to be assigned to southwestern Pennsylvania, where along Chestnut detail. the Chemung formation. In regions where rocks Gas and oil are probably the result of the dis­ Ridge the Greenbrier limestone, of marine origin of this formation come to the surface they are com­ tillation of animal and plant remains which were and very full of marine fossils, was deposited after PRE-CHEMUNG DEPOSITION. posed largely of rapidly alternating beds of shale, entombed in rocks in which decomposition of the the deposition of about 50 feet of Maueh Chunk The oldest rocks known in the province are the sandstone, and impure shell limestone, the shale organic matter was prevented by the presence of sediments. crystalline rocks of the Blue Ridge and of the Pied­ predominating. There are many evidences also of water. All through the time of deposition of PRE-POTTSVILLE EROSION INTERVAL. mont Plateau on the east. These are believed to shallow-water accumulations, and the abundance the marine sedimentary rocks of the Appalachian have formed the oldest land of which there is any of fossils indicates that the conditions were favora­ province the sea swarmed with living beings whose The thickness of the Mauch Chunk formation record on this continent. The western shore of ble to life and that the sea floor swarmed with remains were buried at the bottom o£ the sea and is over 2000 feet in northeastern Pennsylvania, this land area lay in the present position of the living beings. The observed facts indicate a broad thus preserved from decay. From these organic and diminishes in thickness westward. On the western flank of the Blue Ridge, and the land expanse of comparatively shallow water which was remains, both plant and animal, the gas and oil Allegheny Front west of Altoona it is 180 feet. extended to an unknown distance eastward, pos­ receiving sediments from the adjacent lands, some­ were derived. These substances were probably at At Blairsville, as recorded in deep wells, it is about sibly far beyond the present shore of the Atlantic. times finer, sometimes coarser, now in abundance, first disseminated throughout the rocks containing 50 feet. On Allegheny River in Armstrong County To the northeast, in the Adirondack Mountain now more sparsely, the kind and rate of sedimenta­ the organic remains, but in the coarse of time they and farther west the Mauch Chunk is absent. region, lay another area of crystalline rocks. tion varying rapidly and producing the rapidly alter­ were gradually concentrated into the reservoirs of These facts indicate an uplift that raised above 11 water a large land area extending from" southern marshy conditions resulted over a large area. Upon to mark the last recurrence of marine conditions in end of Cretaceous time at least, for in New Jersey New York at least to the region of the Kittanning" this marshy land the remains of many generations the Appalachian basin. Throughout much of the and Alabama it is found extending beneath depos­ quadrangle and as far east probably as the Alle­ of plants formed an extensive peat bog. From area over which the Conemaugh formation extends its of Cretaceous age. gheny Front. From this land area in the Kittan­ time to time different parts of this marsh were the conditions were favorable to the accumulation Harrisburg peneplain. After the reduction of ning region and westward the Mauch Chunk and flooded and thin layers of sediments deposited, of thick deposits of coarse sand, from which the the Appalachian province to form the Schooley pen­ possibly the upper part of the Pocono were eroded which form the partings or binders of the resulting Mahoning, Saltsburg, Morgantown, and Connells- eplain an uplift occurred and erosion once more before the deposition of the overlying Pottsville. coal bed. In the case under consideration there ville sandstones were formed. In the Kittanning became active. Later the uplift ceased and exten­ Just when this uplift occurred can not be definitely was so little vegetal matter that the resulting quadrangle most of the Conemaugh deposits were sive areas were again reduced to an approximately determined, but it presumably took place during coal bed is generally thin. In places there was materials that subsequently hardened into shale. flat surface, which has already been described as the latter part or at the close of Mauch Chunk more vegetal matter and a coal bed of workable the Harrisburg peneplain. It is believed that the MONONGAHELA DEPOSITION. time. thickness was formed. After a long period of formation of this peneplain occurred in early comparative quiescence the region was depressed, The beginning of the Monongahela deposition Tertiary time. During this period of erosion the POTTSVILLE DEPOSITION. sedimentation was resumed, the vegetal matter was was marked by another great period of coal forma­ softer rocks of the Greater Appalachian Valley The Pottsville is one of the most important and buried and, under the pressure of the rocks subse­ tion that of the Pittsburg coal. With the accu­ were worn away, leaving the harder rocks to form interesting epochs in the history of the province, quently deposited, was compressed and hardened mulation of this coal bed the vegetation which the ridges. All of the Schooley peneplain sur­ since in it the accumulation of coal began on a into the coal seam now known as the Brookville was the characteristic feature of the Carboniferous face was removed from the Kittanning region, large scale. Assuming that the movements of the coal. The subsidence which led to the formation period reached its culmination. The peculiar con­ but the surface of the quadrangle was not per­ earth's crust indicated in the preceding paragraph of the Brookville coal was accompanied by a depo­ ditions requisite for the growth and accumulation fectly reduced to a plain. took place, there would exist at the beginning of sition of shale and in places of the Clarion sand­ of the vegetal matter of this great coal bed were The meandering courses of Redbank and Mahon­ Pottsville deposition a deep trough in eastern stone. By this filling or by reelevation the bottom long continued and widespread, as is indicated by ing creeks seem to have been established toward Pennsylvania and southward, bordered by land on was again raised to water level, coal-forming condi­ its thickness and great extent. While the Pitts­ the close of this stage of erosion. These streams both sides around the northern end and on the tions were restored, and the material of the Clarion burg coal is not found in the Kittanning quad­ are of considerable magnitude and they had prob­ southeast. From these border lands, which were coal bed was laid down. The deposition of this rangle, it is present a few miles to the southeast in ably eroded a broad valley with a floor of low probably high on the southeast, the rapid streams coal bed was followed by another subsidence, appar­ the Elders Ridge quadrangle, and in a geologic sense gradient, over which they flowed in meandering brought in immense quantities of coarse material, ently of considerable extent, which admitted sea has probably but recently been removed from the courses, as is the habit of streams under such con­ including a large proportion of quartz pebbles, water to a large area, over which the Vanport lime­ Kittanning quadrangle. Its position, if it were ditions. With subsequent uplift of the region which form the thick and extensive beds of coarse stone was deposited. This limestone is known to restored, would be about 200 feet above the high­ these streams intrenched themselves in their mean­ conglomerate of the Pottsville formation. It is have been laid down in salt water, as it contains est hills along the southern margin of the quad­ dering courses and have persisted in them ever believed that the Pottsville sediments were largely fossil shells or the solid parts of other animals that rangle. The formation of the Pittsburg coal was since. The more direct courses of the smaller derived from the southeastern side of the trough, live only in salt water, and it is probably composed followed by a series of events similar to those out­ streams, such as the Cowanshannock, may be due because there is no nearby source of quartz pebbles almost entirely of carbonate of lime derived from lined in the history of the Allegheny formation to the fact that, on account of their smaller size, on the other side. This deposition of coarse mate­ such sources. This subsidence was apparently of and the minor coal beds of the Monongahela for­ they had not, before the beginning of the reeleva­ rial went on until 1000 feet of strata were accumu­ considerable extent, for the limestone seems to have mation and the Redstone, Sewickley, Uniontown, tion of the region, reduced their beds to a suffi­ lated in the Southern Anthracite field. At times been deposited in water of considerable depth and and Waynesburg coal beds were accumulated. ciently low gradient to cause the establishment of conditions were favorable to a luxuriant growth of at some distance from shore, as its purity indicates Between the formation of the Sewickley and meanders. The meandering courses of the above- plants, and thick, extensive, and valuable beds of that it received no admixture of sediments from the Waynesburg coals the great Ben wood limestone of mentioned streams are additional proof of the coal were accumulated, parts of which are now pre­ surrounding land. Whatever may have been the the Monongahela formation was deposited. This existence of the 'Harrisburg peneplain. served in the Southern Anthracite field. case, the bottom was raised to water level again, limestone shows little or no evidence of organic The development of the Harrisburg peneplain Still farther south, along Kanawha River and in partly at least by sedimentation and probably also origin and its origin is hard to account for. It was arrested by an uplift that was probably slight other parts of West Virginia, a still greater thick­ by elevation, another period of coal-making began, seems certainly to be a fresh-water deposit, and in southwestern Pennsylvania, but progressively ness of Pottsville rocks was deposited. These and the Lower Kittanning coal accumulated. By may have accumulated through the agency of rhiz- greater from the Kittanning region northward, so rocks include the coal beds of the Pocahontas, New a repetition of such periods of oscillation and opods or microscopic plants, of which no evidence that the once nearly horizontal plain underwent a

River,7 and Kanawha coal fields,' which rank among;o repose the Middle Kittanning, Upper Kittanning, has been as yet discovered. deformation, which is indicated by the fact that its, the most valuable deposits of coal in the United Lower Freeport, and Upper Freeport' coal beds present elevation is 1250 feet in the southern part of States. with their under clays and the intervening beds of DUNKARD DEPOSITION. the State, over 1400 feet in the Kittanning region, While 800 or 900 feet of sediments accumulated sandstone, shale, and limestone were formed. After the deposition of the Monongahela the an-d 2100 feet in southern New York (Campbell, in the Southern Anthracite field, the land surface While the strata may have been elevated at times shales, sandstones, limestones, and thin coals of the Bull. Geol. Soc. America, vol. 14, pp. 277-296). on the west had probably been worn down nearly during the deposition of the Allegheny formation, Dunkard group were laid down. The luxuriant WortMngton peneplain. As the elevation men­ to sea level and then submerged by a subsidence, the prevailing movement was evidently one of sub­ vegetation, so characteristic of the Carboniferous tioned in the preceding paragraph proceeded the so that toward the close of Pottsville time sedimen­ sidence, for each coal seam was formed at the surface period, gradually diminished and finally became streams'renewed their activity and the former flat tation was resumed over the former land area, and then buried. extinct, and this great period, so important in the surface was soon furrowed by valleys. When the The submergence of the old land surface west of Certain practical deductions are derivable from history of the earth, came to an end. land had risen about 100 feet above its former posi­ the Kittanning region preceded by considerable an understanding of the formation of the coal tion the upward movement seems to have halted time that of the Kittanning quadrangle, for there seams. It is rather current belief in western Penn­ THE APPALACHIAN UPLIFT. for a period of'time, during which the Worthington accumulated along the western boundary of Penn­ sylvania that the thickness of a coal seam is pro­ With the close of the Dunkard epoch, sedimen­ peneplain was developed. This probably occurred sylvania a bed of sandstone and a bed of coal the portionate to the size of the hill containing it. tation in the northern end of the Appalachian in the latter part of Tertiary time. Sharon conglomerate and coal that underlie the Another belief widely held is that a bad streak trough came to a close and a long-continued series Parker strath. Another uplift soon occurred lowest Pottsville rocks of the Allegheny Valley. or area in a coal seam is in some way related to an of events of a totally different kind began. From and the streams of the region cut deep valleys Thus it happened that the Connoquenessing sand­ adjacent valley and that better conditions would the beginning of sedimentation in the interior sea below the Worthington peneplain. The upward stone, the lowest Pottsville stratum of the Kittan­ be encountered on the opposite side. The fallacy intermittent subsidence had been going on and movement ,then ceased and the larger streams, ning quadrangle, was deposited upon the surface of such ideas is at once apparent when it is under­ water had covered the surface in which the sedi­ especially Mahoning Creek and the Allegheny, of the Burgoon (Mountain) sandstone at the top of stood that the thickness, quality, and condition of ments from the surrounding land were deposited which then consisted only of Clarion River and the Pocono formation. After the deposition of the a coal seam were determined ages before the hills until tens of thousands of feet of rocks had accu­ that part of the present Allegheny below its Connoquenessing there was a change to more quiet and valleys were formed. mulated. From the close of the Carboniferous mouth, excavated valleys of considerable width. conditions and the Mercer shale, limestone, clay, deposition until the present the reverse movement, This period of repose was probably of consider­ and coal were deposited. This period was followed CONEMAUGH DEPOSITION. elevation, has prevailed and dry land has existed. able duration, for the Clarion-Allegheny, though by one of more active sedimentation and the At the close of the Allegheny deposition a The period of elevation was inaugurated by an a small stream, succeeded in eroding a valley in Homewood sandstone was laid down, this marking marked change in the conditions of vegetation and epoch of mountain making and the sedimentary places 1|- miles wide with a floor of very low the last episode in Pottsville history in western deposition continued during the laying down of rocks of the Appalachian province were, in the gradient. For a stream of such size to attain Pennsylvania. the 600 feet or more of the sediments of the Cone- Greater Appalachian Valley, folded into a series of such a condition requires a very, long time. The maugh formation. Marine conditions seem to high anticlines and deep synclines, and, west of altitude above sea at which the Clarion-Alle­ ALLEGHENY DEPOSITION. have prevailed locally after the formation of the the Allegheny Front, folded into the low anti­ gheny reached this stage is a debatable question. The Allegheny epoch was marked by very rapidly Upper Freeport coal seam, for salt-water fossils are clines and shallow synclines of the bituminous coal Leverett, for reasons which will appear later, alternating conditions, the most important of which occasionally found in the roof shales of that bed. fields. believes that this altitude was but little if any was the formation of the coal seams. The origin In the Kittanning region coal-forming conditions Selwoley peneplain. With the emergence of dry below the present level of the preserved portions of the coal and the method of its accumulation in were reestablished for a brief time after about 70 land degradation began. In the meantime the of the Parker strath, or in other words, not much seams of great area! extent are subjects that have feet of sands and clays had been deposited. At orogenic forces gradually died out, the elevation of if any below 1000 feet above sea level in this provoked much discussion. That coal is of vege­ this time the Brush Creek coal was formed. In the province was arrested, a long period of quies­ quadrangle. The writer, on the other hand, is tal origin hardly any one at the present day other parts of the bituminous coal field, particu­ cence ensued, and it is believed that the surface inclined to believe that at an altitude of 1000 feet would venture to question. As to the method of larly in Somerset County, coal-forming conditions of the Appalachian province was eroded approxi­ the Clarion-Allegheny could not have formed accumulation of the vegetal matter there is greater were repeated at several horizons in the Conemaugh mately to a horizontal plain near to sea level. such a valley as it occupied. At that altitude, difference of opinion. It seems safe to say that in formation, and several beds of coal of considerable This is called the Schooley peneplain because rem­ lightly loaded as it must have been, it probably the main the coal seams of the Appalachian prov­ extent and value accumulated. In the Kittanning nants of the same are well preserved in the would have been eroding its bed deeper instead of ince were formed in marshes near sea level and region thin beds of black limestone with an abun­ Schooley Mountains of New Jersey. The Cum­ cutting so wide a valley. For this reason it is often extended over thousands of square miles. dance of marine fossils from 100 to 150 feet above berland Plateau preserves a part of this old pene­ believed that the elevation of the Parker strath, at The sequence of events during the deposition of the Upper Freeport coal indicate another incur­ plain. No portion of it is preserved in the Kit- the time of its completion and for some time later, the Allegheny formation in the Kittanning and sion of sea water for a short period. Over a large tanning quadrangle. The level crests of many of was considerably less than 1000 feet above sea. surrounding regions was ' somewhat as follows: part of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio the ridges of the Greater Appalachian Valley, of Late in the development of this strath an uplift of The deposition of the Homewood sandstone was the presence of the Ames (Crinoidal) limestone, 250 which those just east of the Allegheny Front in small extent appears to have occurred, which is followed by a slight subsidence and the accumula­ to 300 feet above the Upper Freeport coal and Blair County are good examples, may approxi­ marked by the substage previously described, dur­ tion of 10 to 30 feet of clayey sediments. The sea full of marine fossils, shows that the sea once more mately represent the surface of the Schooley pene­ ing which the lower valley floor preserved at Ford bottom was raised approximately to water level and spread over a large area*. This limestone is said plain. This peneplain was completed before the City and Manorville was eroded. The formation Kittanning. 12 of this strath probably marked the close of Tertiary It is admitted that this increased volume was a does not exist one or more workable seams of coal, scale. Its mines are located near Kaylor. The time, for its further development was arrested by factor in producing the result, but, for reasons pre­ and these barren areas are small and belong without coal is also largely mined for use at the Kittanning the events of the Glacial epoch, which are described sented in part on a former page, the writer thinks exception to the Allegheny formation. Clay Manufacturing Company's brick works at in the succeeding paragraphs. that elevation was the greater factor. Leverett Detailed sections of the various coal seams are Kittanning. In addition to these larger opera­ admits the possibility of some differential ele­ given on the coal-section sheet, and a number of tions there are many country banks distributed KANSAS OB, PBE-KANSAN DEPOSITION. vation, but he believes it better to hold to certain analyses of the coals are given in the table at the over the quadrangle from which considerable The further development of the Parker strath causes rather than to introduce the more hypothet­ end of the text. quantities of coal are taken, or were formerly was arrested probably at the beginning of the Glacial ical one of uplift. The writer believes that at Brookville coal. This coal lies near the base of taken, for local use. epoch by the invasion of the ice sheet of the earliest the time of the completion of the Parker strath the Allegheny formation. It is at present nowhere Middle Kittanning coal. A number of aban­ stage of glaciation known to have affected this the old Clarion-Allegheny had reduced its bed to worked, nor is it known to be worth working doned openings were observed in what is appar­ region. This ice sheet, moving from the north, a gradient so low that down-cutting was practically anywhere in the quadrangle. It is reported by ently this seam in the region between Allegheny transported great quantities of rock debris from at a standstill, and erosion was confined mainly to Platt to have been opened at one time on the River and Sherrett, Morrows Corner, and Adrian, the region over which it passed and deposited much a widening of the valley. It is believed that such Nickels farm nearly opposite the mouth of Long but as these are now all closed nothing could be of the same as gravel, sand, and silt over the glaci­ a condition would have been reached only when Run, in West Franklin Township, where the seam learned concerning the coal. On the ridge between ated area. This constitutes the Kansan or pre- the stream beds stood at a level much lower than is 3 feet 2 inches thick, but so much broken by Huling Run and the river, about 1 mile south of Kansan drift sheet. This drift sheet covered an 1000 feet above the sea the present altitude of the shale as to be worthless (see sec. 1 of coal-section Wattersonville, a bank in the Middle Kittanning area in northwestern Pennsylvania extending to a Parker strath. If this contention is correct, the sheet). is now open and shows the relations illustrated line roughly drawn from the point where Beaver region must have been elevated to bring the grada­ What appears to be this coal was observed par­ by sec. 24 of the coal-section sheet. River intersects the northern boundary of Beaver tion plain to its present elevation and thus give tially exposed in the bed of Limestone Run near In the bluff of the river north of Applewold this County through Kennerdell, Oil City, Tionesta, the Allegheny, after removing the glacial deposits, its mouth and may be there 2 feet thick. coal has a thickness of 15 inches. So far as the and Warren, following thus the north side of the an opportunity to intrench itself in the underlying Craigsville coal. On a former page this name is writer's knowledge goes, this coal is nowhere else Allegheny from Oil City northeastward. (See rock. The second argument is that an uplift at adopted for a coal apparently of small extent in open for observation and measurement, and its fig. 1.) From this drift sheet great quantities of this time would have been in harmony with the the vicinity of Craigsville. It was observed north value is entirely conjectural, though probably it is material were washed down the Allegheny and history of the region since the close of Paleozoic of Buffalo Creek, where it lies about 50 feet below slight. deposited by the overloaded waters upon the Parker time. The successive uplifts preceding the forma­ the Vanport (Ferriferous) limestone. There is an Upper Kittanning coal. This coal is usually a strath. The deposition of this material continued tion of the Schooley, Harrisburg, and Kittanning opening in this coal about 2 miles northwest of mere streak, only a few inches thick, but swells until 100 to 130 feet had accumulated in the val­ peneplains, and that preceding the formation of the Craigsville and just north of Buffalo Creek, where locally to minable thickness. At Somerville, where leys, as is indicated by the fact that stream-borne Parker strath, are generally admitted. Why, then, the coal is 3 feet thick (see sec. 2). It was opened it probably is best known and most extensively pebbles are now in some cases found on the hill­ should the assumption of an uplift preceding the on the hill three-quarters of a mile northwest of worked, it is described as a bituminous coal of fair sides 130 feet above the strath. inter-Glacial down-cutting of the Allegheny Valley Craigsville, where it is reported 2|- feet thick. quality, occurring as a seam 2 feet thick at the out­ Drainage modifications. With the advent of meet with strenuous objection? The third argu­ The blossom of this coal was observed in the road crop and thickening rapidly to 5 feet within the warmer climatic conditions the ice sheet receded, ment for uplift in this region is the well-known 1^ miles north of Craigsville, and small pockets mine, where the bottom of the seam remains about leaving the surface covered with drift and all the fact that uplift throughout northeastern United were seen in a heavy sandstone at West Winfield, horizontal. The coal is underlain by a bed of old valleys filled to great depths. This valley States in Glacial time is a well-established fact, and where the coal is 40 feet below the Vanport lime­ cannel shale of no value, which thickens downward filling was so great in many cases that the streams is admitted by Leverett to have affected south­ stone and 25 feet below the Clarion coal. Noth­ from the outcrop even more rapidly than the coal were deflected from their pre-Glacial courses and western New York. It does not seem improbable ing is known of a coal in this position elsewhere until it attains a thickness of 7 feet, thus making the new drainage relations, described on a former that it extended to the lower Allegheny also. ' in the quadrangle, and the coal at Craigsville is the total thickness of coal and cannel shale 12 feet page, were established. probably a local development of possible value (Second Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. H5, p. WISCONSIN DEPOSITION. only in that vicinity. 222.) The coal and shale thus occupy a depres­ INTEB-GLACIAL VALLEY EROSION. Between the earliest stage of glaciation already Clarion coal. This coal is workable only at sion in the underlying shale. This mode of occur­ After the drainage changes at the close of this described and the latest or Wisconsin stage were two West Winfield, where there is a bank from which rence of the seam where it becomes minable seems earliest stage of glaciation the Allegheny, now the intermediate stages the Illinoian and the lowan. coal is obtained for use by the company engaged to be typical of the Upper Kittanning coal in this lower Allegheny, enlarged to four times its orig­ No drift belonging to either of these stages is cer­ in quarrying at that place. It is there 3 feet 8 region and has earned for it the name "pot vein." inal volume, was flowing upon its bed of glacial tainly recognized in western Pennsylvania, and it inches thick (see sec. 4). The Clarion coal is There is a working bank on this coal at Kaylor debris. This material was attacked by the river is presumed that the ice did not reach the region. reported 2 feet thick about 2 miles northwest of and another in Washington Township near the and mostly removed, leaving only those portions During the Wisconsin stage the ice again invaded Craigsville, in the same section in which the Craigs­ top of the north side of a hill about 1^ miles due which have been described as covering the rem­ northwestern Pennsylvania and deposited its load ville coal is shown. It is 15 feet below the Van- northeast of Morrows Corner. There are a num­ nants of the Parker strath. The work of the river of drift over approximately the area covered by the port limestone at this place. At Buffalo Mills it is ber of abandoned openings in the vicinity of Sher­ did not end, however, with the removal of these earlier drift. Its margin lay nearly parallel to the a worthless shaly bed 25 feet below the limestone, rett and Adrian and in the region between those deposits; it continued until a trench over 200 feet margin of the older drift, but not quite so far to and at the base of the bluff just north of Apple- places and Allegheny River. It was formerly deep had been excavated in the rock below the the southwest. The outwash from this drift con­ wold it is a variable bed of no value 25 feet below mined in the vicinity of 'Cowansville and on Long level of the strath. sisted of coarse pebbles and bowlders near the the limestone (see sees. 3 to 7 of coal-section sheet). Run in West Franklin Township, and sections of Causes of down cutting. Leverett holds that margin, but farther south, within the limits of the Platt reports the Clarion coal 1 foot thick on the seam at those places, taken from Platt's Report the increased volume of the river resulting from Kittanning quadrangle, it was composed mainly Whiskey Run in Bradys Bend (Second Geol. Surv. H5, together with sections from other localities, are the enlargement of its drainage basin, combined of fine silt, which covered the bottom of the Alle­ Pennsylvania, Rept. H5, p. 224), and a mere given on the coal-section sheet (sees. 25 to 31.) with the accession of waters from the melting gheny Valley to a depth of about 50 feet. Since streak on Limestone Run (Rept. H5, p. 275). The sections should probably be regarded as good ice, which had dropped their load of sediments, that time the river has Been eroding its present Lower Kittanning coal. This is the most per­ only for the immediate locality from which each was mainly responsible for the trenching of the channel in these deposits and probably reworking sistent and probably the most valuable deposit in one was obtained. They seem to indicate, how­ strath described above. His views are expressed them to a greater or less extent. the quadrangle. Wherever found it is of minable ever, the probability of deposits of considerable in the following paragraphs. thickness. Owing to its low position in the Alle­ value in parts of Washington and Sugarcreek town­ COMPARATIVE LENGTH OF GLACIAL AND POST­ gheny formation, it underlies nearly the whole ships and in the northern parts of East Franklin The deepenirig of the Allegheny in inter-Glacial times GLACIAL TIME. quadrangle, being absent only where it has been and West Franklin townships. The only other has probably been caused in part by the enlargement of This can be estimated by comparing the amount eroded in the deeper valleys. Such areas are locality known to the writer where this coal has its drainage area and by the accession of glacial waters of work accomplished by the Allegheny during the small, however, and mostly confined to the north­ been opened, is just west of the county line in which have dropped their burden of detritus near the eastern part of the quadrangle. Buffalo Creek and Donegal Township, near the road eastward from continental divide. In addition to this the upper Alle­ two epochs. During Glacial time over 100 feet gheny region has been raised in recent times to a higher of glacial detritus was deposited in the valley; this its tributaries, Long Run and Patterson Creek, Rattigan. There is an old opening here that altitude compared to the country to the west, and possi­ material was then removed and a trench cut 200 have cut below and removed considerable areas of appears to be in the Upper Kittanning coal. bly this uplift also covers the middle and lower Alle­ feet into the solid rock, after which the 50 feet of the Lower Kittanning coal 011 the axis of the Kel- Lower Freeport coal. So far as known this coal gheny regions. In that case the streams have been Wisconsin silts were deposited. Since the end of lersburg anticline from Fosters Mills southward to is workable only in comparatively small areas. given a better gradient for eroding their channels than Glacial time the river has merely trenched the soft 2 miles below Buffalo Mills and from the head of The largest of these extends along Glade Run from prevailed before these trenches were cut. The precise Long Run westward to Nichola. Buffalo Creek the southern border of East Franklin to Cowans­ influence of each of these factors has not been deter­ Wisconsin material to a depth of 40 to 50 feet. mined. The enlargement of the watershed to four times These facts indicate that the Glacial epoch was and Rough Run both cut below the coal for a dis­ ville, and thence possibly through the hilltops to its former area would quadruple the erosive power. An many times longer than post-Glacial time. tance of about 2 miles above their junction. Peach Hill, where it is of good thickness over a increase in gradient sufficient to double the fall of the The Lower Kittanning coal is rarely less than small area near the top of the hill. It makes a stream would multiply the erosive power about eight RECENT DEPOSITION. 2J feet thick; it generally runs nearer 3^ feet, and good showing in the road near the top of a narrow times, it being a fair working rule that the power of a During post-Glacial time the alluvium form­ even reaches 4 feet occasionally. It is often much ridge in the western part of Sugarcreek Township, stream to erode varies as the cube of its slope or the broken by shale partings, which impair its purity, 1|- miles slightly northwest of Sherrett. It is about sixth power of its velocity. From this it will be ing the modern flood plains was deposited by the readily understood how the trenching of the Allegheny streams as they overflowed their banks from time while iron pyrites in many places detracts from its 5 feet thick in the tunnel 1 mile southwest of has been brought about. to time, just as they may be observed to do at the value as a fuel. Sees. 8 to 23 of the coal-section Cowansville and about 4 feet in the cut midway The similar trenching of the lower courses of the present day. sheet exhibit fairly well the thickness and charac­ between Cowansville and Adrian. It was formerly Monongahela, Youghiogheny, and Conemaugh rivers ter of the seam as developed in the various parts mined in the vicinity of Kittanning, but its thick­ (see Campbell, Masontown-Uniontown, Brownsville- MINERAL RESOURCES. of the quadrangle. ness there is too uncertain to justify attempts at Connellsville, and Latrobe folios) and Mahoning Creek The Lower Kittanning coal is at present mined mining on a large scale. There is a considerable is due to the adjustment of these tributaries to the bed of the master stream, the Allegheny-Ohio, for there is In the preparation of this chapter the reports of on a commercial scale within the quadrangle only area in southern Donegal and northern Clearfield no evidence that there has been any increase in the the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, at the Riverview mine at Riverview or Cosmus, at townships, where the Lower Freeport is probably volume of these streams since early Glacial times. particularly Report H5, by W. G. Platt, have been the Monarch mine north of Allegheny River, workable. It is of interest to note in this connection that the freely drawn upon. about 1 mile above the mouth of Redbank Creek, The Lower Freeport coal is mined on a commer­ headwaters of tributaries of the Allegheny are still and at the Keystone mine on the south side of cial scale only at Cowansville, where the Cowans­ flowing on the old straths, because more time is needed Coal. Allegheny River above Phillipston. The Great ville Mining Company is operating. There is a to effect complete adjustments to the Allegheny trench. For the same reason the Allegheny trench is still narrow, Coal is to-day the most important mineral Lakes Coal Company has taken up a large tract of bank at Walkchalk, another 1 mile south of Walk- the time having been insufficient for the breaking down resource of the Kittanning quadrangle. There are land in the northern part of the quadrangle, and chalk on Glade Run, and two more on a western of the bluffs by weathering. but few areas within the quadrangle where there is making preparations to mine the coal on a large branch of Glade Run in the southwest corner 13

of East Franklin Township. In addition to these ravine at the eastern margin of the quadrangle 1^ began in search of gas itself. These operations gomery No. 3 wells, both near the eastern margin working banks there are a number along Glade Run miles east of Ford City. Between these two points were highly successful in many localities heretofore of the quadrangle, the Murrysville sand seems to that are now abandoned. There is a bank on Buf­ along the eastern margin of the quadrangle the described; larger reservoirs of gas were tapped by be almost immediately on the top of the Hun­ falo Creek at Fenelton, and a number of aban­ coal has been opened at several places and is prob­ the drill and much wealth has been derived from dred-foot sand at the top of the Venango "group" doned banks on a western branch of Buffalo Run ably of good thickness all along. In a ravine in this source. The limits of these large reservoirs or to be separated from the latter by only a few in southern Donegal Township, about 1 to 2 miles the west side of the river opposite Ford City the have been fairly well ascertained, and, in spite of feet of shale, a condition that is noted in many northwest of Rattigan. Sees. 32 to 39 of the coal- coal is only 6 inches thick and is probably cut out the fact that many wells have been drilled in other wells farther east in the adjoining quadrangle. In section sheet show the thickness and character of locally, though to what extent is not known. parts of the gas-bearing portions of the quadrangle, 52 wells selected from the various parts of the the seam in those parts of the quadrangle in On the whole the Upper Freeport coal must be no new reservoirs of equal extent and productive­ quadrangle the average interval between the Van- which it is known. ranked as one of the most valuable resources of the ness have been discovered. A number of wells port limestone and the Murrysville sand is 862 Upper Freeport coal. While this seam is, quadrangle. The thickness and character of the have been drilled to the Speechley sand within feet, in 47 wells the average interval between the except the Lower Kittanning, the best developed seam are indicated in sees. 40 to 55 of the coal- the last two years and some notable strikes have top of the Murrysville sand and the top of the and most valuable coal of the quadrangle, it is section sheet, while some knowledge of its compo­ been made, especially at Slate Lick and Worth­ Hundred-foot sand, or top of the Venango group, worked on a commercial scale only at Karns. sition and fuel value is given by the appended ington. The Kerr well at Worthington, drilled is 147 feet. It was, however, formerly extensively mined in analyses (p. 15.) The value of the Upper Freeport in October, 1902, is a good example of the pos­ Thickness. The Murrysville sand varies as the vicinity of East Brady, by the Bradys Bend coal is enhanced by the fact that it makes coke of sibilities of the Speechley sand. This well started greatly in thickness as the intervals above Iron Company, and has been worked out over a fairly good quality. It was once largely used for off at an estimated flow of from 22,000,000 to described. In some wells it is a thin layer, in considerable area southeast of Kittanning. Aside that purpose at Bradys Bend and Kittanning. 30,000,000 cubic feet in twenty-four hours. As others it may reach a thickness of 100 feet, in from the operation at Karns, it is at present mined Analyses of coals. In the table (p. 15) below are late as June, 1903, however, no other well larger others it was not found at all, and in still others it only at country banks for local use. There are a number of analyses of samples from the various than 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 cubic feet in twenty- seems to be broken into two benches by a bed of two banks working about 1^ miles south of Chi- coal seams of the quadrangle. With two excep­ four hours had been struck in the Speechley sand, shale of varying thickness. cora and two near Fenelton. There are several tions these samples were collected in the quad­ and wells have been drilled into it in many parts Extent. So far as records at hand show, the banks either working or abandoned south and rangle. Several of the analyses were made by A. of the quadrangle. While, therefore, a big well Murrysville sand can not be identified even as a southeast of Rattigan, toward Nichola. From Rat­ S. McCreath, of the Second Geological Survey of like the Kerr well may be found occasionally in gas-bearing horizon in the oil regions north of the tigan to the western margin of the quadrangle, and Pennsylvania, and published in Report H5, on the deeper sands and smaller ones in the upper quadrangle, though gas is occasionally noted in also along Buffalo Creek north of Rattigan, surface Armstrong County. The remainder of the anal­ sands in territory that has not been thoroughly the rocks above the Venango sands. South and indications as well as reports indicate that the coal yses were made by various chemists of the United drilled, it seems improbable that any more large east it persists as an important gas-producing rock is poor. Near the top of the hill south of Rough States Geological Survey. These latter analyses and highly productive reservoirs will be discovered; as far as Murrysville, in Westmoreland County. Run and 2 miles due west of West Winfield the present considerable differences from those made so the production of natural gas is bound to become Variations. It is much to be doubted whether coal is worked and is of good thickness and qual­ by McCreath. They are higher in fixed carbon a much less important source of wealth than in the the Murrysville sand as noted in the various wells ity. There are banks and abandoned workings and much higher in ash and sulphur. On the past. at such varying depths below the Vanport lime­ between this locality and West Winfield, as well as other hand they run much lower in volatile hydro­ stone is really one and the same continuous in hills 1 to 2 miles northwest of that place. Near carbons. The fuel ratio is also much higher. DESCRIPTION OF THE OIL- AND GAS-BEARING ROCKS. stratum. It seems very certain that the sands Boggsville and on Cornplanter Run it has been These differences may be accounted for in part on The oil-producing territory of the quadrangle occur as discontinuous lenses. It may even be opened in a number of places and found poor, and the assumption that the two sets of samples were lies north and west of a curving line roughly doubted whether these lenses occupy the same geo­ it is not at present worked in those localities. On selected differently. The United States Geological drawn through East Brady, the northwestern part logic plane and are even approximately contem­ Cornplanter Run it is immediately overlain by Survey samples were taken by stripping a section of Sugarcreek Township, southward to 1 mile poraneous deposits and that the varying depth heavy sandstones, by which it is locally cut out, so from the face of the seam about 1 inch deep and southeast of Coyleville, and thence to the margin below the limestone is due to greater thickness of that mining is too uncertain to be profitable. 2 inches wide, then thoroughly pulverizing and of the quadrangle where it is crossed by Rough the intervening strata in some places than in About three-quarters of a mile above the mouth dividing the samples into quarters and rejecting Run. The remainder of the territory may be others. The actual condition seems to be that of Marrowbone Run there is a working bank. At opposite quarters. This process was repeated until regarded as gas bearing to a greater or less extent. in the 200 feet of strata immediately overlying the Beatty's mill, 1 mile north of the bank just men­ the sample was reduced to a convenient quantity. The oil of the quadrangle is mostly obtained "Venango oil group," beds of gas-bearing sand­ tioned, the coal shows in the bluff of the creek. It In taking the section such partings were rejected from the Third and Fourth oil sands included in stone occur at various levels, the higher generally is about 3 feet thick, but slaty and worthless. At as are rejected in mining, so that the samples fairly the Venango oil group, and the gas from the Mur- lying to the north and the lower to the south, and Worthington, judging from indications and reports, represent the character of the seam. rysville sand, the Hundred-foot sand, and the that the first of these gas-bearing sands encountered it is thin and of little value. In the vicinity of Petroleum and Natural Gas. latter's lower bench, the Thirty-foot sand. In a in drilling a well has been called the Murrysville Adams the same seems to be true. Along the axis number of wells, however, more or less gas is sand. of the Kellersburg anticline from West Winfield to HISTORICAL STATEMENT. obtained from the Third sand and from the Fifth VENANGO OIL SANDS. Browns Crossroads the horizon of the coal passes Development of the petroleum industry. For the sand below the oil sands. Recently a few good beneath many of the hilltops. Its blossom shows last thirty years petroleum has been a most impor­ gas wells have been struck in the Speechley sand, The oil produced in the quadrangle comes from in some, but it has never been opened up and tant source of wealth in the western and north­ several hundred feet below the Fifth sand. a group of coarse sandstones, frequently interbedded nothing is known of its value. In the extreme western part of the quadrangle, while natural gas In the discussion of this subject the Vanport with red shale and sandstone, which are believed to southwest corner of Sugarcreek Township there has been scarcely less important in other parts (Ferriferous) limestone, which has always been a lie near the top of the Catskill formation. In are several old workings and the coal is probably during the last twenty years. The first oil wells guide to the drillers of the region, is used as a descending order these sands are known as the good. It has been worked near the top of a num­ in the quadrangle were drilled in 1873 at Karns. reference stratum. Stray, Third, and Fourth sands, and with several ber of hills in northeastern Sugarcreek and north­ Development proceeded rapidly and by 1875 the overlying non-oil-bearing sands constitute the ern Washington townships and is probably of most productive parts of the quadrangle had been MURRYSVILLB GAS SAND. "Venango oil sand group" (Carll, Second Geol. good thickness, though the areas of it are small discovered and drilled over. Over much of the At a varying interval below the Pocono, and Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. 13, p. 130). and in some places the cover is thin. It has been territory the production of individual wells ranged separated from it in most of the wells generally by Thickness and depth below limestone. The dis­ opened near the top of the hill in Madison Town­ from 100 to 2000 barrels per day. One well near shale, lies the Murrysville gas sand. This sand is tance from the top of the Venango oil sands to the ship, Armstrong County, near the eastern boundary Chicora, though possibly not in the quadrangle, is generally known in this region as the Butler gas Vanport limestone varies from 920 feet in the' of the quadrangle, and also has been worked in reported to have produced 150,000 barrels of oil in sand, but to avoid confusion with the Butler sand­ northwestern part of the quadrangle to 1090 feet Madison Township, Clarion County, near the nineteen months. The wells flowed at first; as the stone, described as a member of the Allegheny for­ in the southern part. The former interval is northern margin of the quadrangle. It has been flow decreased, they were pumped; and as pro­ mation, the name Murrysville gas sand will be shown in the Hazel wood and Evans wells near opened in the ravine near the eastern margin of the duction diminished still further, torpedoing was used here, since this is probably the same sand as Karns, just north of the quadrangle, and the latter, quadrangle three-quarters of a mile due south of resorted to in order to keep up the production. that from which gas is obtained at Murrysville, in which is very extreme, in the Rayburn well near French's Corner, but the opening is now closed. Since these early days the production has steadily Westmoreland County, and which is widely known Slate Lick. The average of 61 wells gives the At Cowansville and Cowansville station it is too diminished, until now it is but a small part of what as the Murrysville sand. In many wells this sand interval at 985 feet. The bottom of the Fourth thin to be of value, but southward along Glade it originally was. Many of the wells drilled in is an important source of gas; in others it is of sand, which seems to be the lowest oil-producing Run to its mouth it has been opened in a number those early days, however, are still pumping small much less importance than some of the underlying rock, is here taken as the bottom of the "group." of places and is of good thickness. There are no quantities of oil. In the meantime, additional sands of the oil group, especially the Hundred-foot It varies from 1250 feet below the limestone in the workings at present along Glade Run except at small pools have been developed, and between the sand at the top of that group. 'northwest corner of the quadrangle, as shown in one point about 1 mile north of North Buffalo. main pools many wells have been recently drilled Depth below limestone. So far as available the Hazelwood and Evans wells, to the extreme At the tunnel 1 mile southwest of Cowansville the which would not have been profitable in the early records show, the Murrysville sand was first noted of 1490 feet in the Lewis Baker well near Slate coal is worked, and there are several openings in days, but which, with cheaper methods of drilling as gas bearing in some of the oil wells near the Lick. Owing to the difficulty of identifying this the ravines within a mile and a half south of this and production and careful management, yield fair border of the gas-bearing territory. It is prob­ sand outside the oil-producing territory, there may point, indicating that the coal is of good thickness. returns. Possibly there is more such territory in ably represented in wells about Petrolia and Karns be a mistake in the latter case and a lower sand On Nicholson Run and along the little stream the quadrangle still awaiting development, and, by what the drillers call the "1000-foot shells." taken as the Fourth. However that may be, the running into Allegheny River between that run while the palmy days of the oil industry have Northward it probably has no representative. In depth of the bottom of the Fourth sand, and there­ and Glade Run the coal is now open at a number passed, oil will long continue to be an important these wells the top of the sand varies from 760 to fore the depth of the bottom of the "group," of places and is of good thickness. The fact that though constantly diminishing source of wealth. 825 feet below the Vanport limestone and from increases from north to south just as the depths to the Upper Freeport coal is good around so much The relation of the Kittanning quadrangle to the 125 to 160 feet above the top of the Venango oil the Murrysville sand and the top of the Venango of the margin of the Boggsville syncline, and the oil and gas producing areas of the northern Appa­ sands. In the southern part of the quadrangle the sands increase. Thirty-four wells give an average fact that it is noted in numbers of wells in that lachians is shown in fig. 12 on the illustration sheet. former interval may reach 930 feet and the latter interval of 1347 feet between the limestone and the area, indicate that it is probably of minable thick­ Development of the natural-gas industry. Since as little as 60 feet. Assuming that the sands bottom of the Fourth sand, and an average thick­ ness over most of the area of that syncline. This the eighties the production of natural gas has been noted as the Murrysville sand in the different ness for the group of 363 feet. coal has been opened in several of the ravines an important industry in the quadrangle. Gas parts of the quadrangle are really the same a Character of the sand. The Venango oil sands along the western side of Allegheny River from was first encountered in drilling for oil, and allowed doubtful assumption there seems to be a gradual form a very well-defined group which has large Limestone Run;.to a point west of Manorville, but to go to waste, but as soon as its value for fuel and increase in its depth below the limestone from extent in western Pennsylvania. It is composed it is not worked to any extent. There is a work­ power and its suitability for use in various lines of north to south and southeast and a gradual predominantly of a series of sandstone beds of ing bank in Rayburn Township 1^ miles north­ manufacturing came to be appreciated, and methods approach to the top of the Venango oil sands. In varying shape and extent, rarely exceeding 50 feet west of Kittanning, and the coal is stripped in a of handling it were developed, active operations the Allegheny Furnace No. 3 and in the Mont­ in thickness, separated by thicker or thinner beds Kittanning. 14 of shale. The occurrence of bands of red shale 2080 feet in the Amos Steele well in Bradys Bend paying wells have been drilled to the Speechley this seam becomes a flint clay, 10 feet or more and red sandstone is very characteristic of the Township to 2320 feet in the Rayburn well near sand in the bottom of the Boggsville syncline. A thick, which apparently has an extent of several group. These are nearly always thin and may Slate Lick. In ten wells the average interval is number of good wells were obtained in the Mur­ square miles. Wnile nothing is known of its occur in any position. 2200 feet. Within the quadrangle this sand has rysville sand at Ford City near the axis of the qualities, the thickness and extent of the bed and Second or Hundred-foot sand. At the top of yielded gas in important quantities in only a few Fairmount syncline. The general rule, however, its proximity to the railroad would seem to war­ the group lies a sandstone which is called the wells near Slate Lick and Worthington. It has is that the most extensive and most productive gas rant an investigation on the part of investors. It Second sand in the oil region of northern Butler been pierced in a number of other places, both in territory occurs well up on the flanks or along the might become the basis of a profitable industry at County, and the Hundred-foot sand throughout this quadrangle and in the Rural Valley quad­ crests of the anticlines. Chicora. the gas-bearing territory of Armstrong County. It rangle to the east, without very satisfactory results. Conclusions. So far as this quadrangle is con­ It is hardly to be doubted that these beds of fire is regarded by Mr. Carll as the equivalent of the In some cases, as in the Amos Steele well, where cerned, a study of the relation of the distribution clay and shale will be found available in other First sand of Venango County, the change being the interval below the limestone is smaller than of oil and gas to structure seems to warrant the parts of the quadrangle as facilities for shipment due to a mistake in the identification of sands usual, it seems possible that the true Speechley following conclusions: are developed. (1) Where both oil and gas occur in the same when drilling began in northern Butler County. was not reached, but that the sand identified as Iron Ore. It may be an unbroken bed 100 feet thick or it such is a higher one. In other cases, however, basin, as in the region west and north of the crest may be broken by thin bands of shale into three as in well No. 21, on the Bradys Bend tract, and of the Kellersburg anticline, they are distributed Buhrstone ore. This ore lies at the top of the members, which in descending order are called the No. 13 of the well-section sheet, just north of the according to their densities, the oil occurring in Vanport (Ferriferous) limestone and was formerly Second or Hundred-foot sand, Fifty-foot sand, and quadrangle, and in the Robert Smith well in Win- the lower and the gas in the higher portions of the extensively mined along both sides of Allegheny Thirty-foot sand. So far as the writer is aware field Township, the drill penetrated more than a dipping strata. River north of Kittanning and in the northeast this bed never produces oil in this quadrangle, but thousand feet below what was regarded as the (2) Oil and gas both occur in the synclines, along corner of the quadrangle, in both Clarion and it is one of the most important gas-producing rocks Speechley sand, but neither oil nor gas was the pitching axes, where the rocks are descending Armstrong counties, in Bradys Bend Township, and of Armstrong County. reported in these deeper beds. toward the deeper parts of the synclines. along Buffalo Creek and Rough Run. The ore Blue Monday and Boulder sands. Near the (3) Where gas alone occurs, as south and east of occurs either as a compact layer averaging 8 inches center of the group two thin sands are noted in STEATIGRAPHIC RELATIONS OF THE OIL AND GAS the Kellersburg anticline, it may be found in the thick at the top of the limestone or as nodules in many wells, known as the Blue Monday and SANDS. lower parts of the folds as well as in the parts the immediately overlying shales. In the former Boulder sands, the former above the latter. Under the heading "Rocks not exposed" it has usually occupied by gas in areas where both oil case it may be carbonate, limonite, or impure hem­ Stray, Third, and Fourth sands. The oil-bear­ been shown that the Murrysville and Hundred- and gas occur. atite, according to locality; in the Jatter case it is ing beds are found near the bottom of the group. foot sands probably occur in the lower part of the (4) Structure is not the only condition deter­ carbonate. In its unaltered condition, where it has When drilling began in that part of Butler County Pocono formation, the bottom of which is prob­ mining the occurrence of ..gas or oil. The structure not been changed by weathering, it is probably in and adjacent to this quadrangle, the first oil- ably close below the bottom of the Hundred-foot may be favorable, yet neither oil nor gas occur. always a carbonate. The ore was mined along bearing sand was called the Third sand and was sand. The oil-bearing sands proper which occur The chief condition other than structure is the the outcrop by stripping off the overlying disin­ supposed to be the equivalent of the Venango in the midst of the red beds are assigned to the existence of rock of such character as to act as a tegrated material, and in some cases, as along Third sand. Later a lower oil-bearing sand was Catskill formation. reservoir. Redbank Creek, where the ore could no longer discovered, which was called the Fourth sand. Mr. (5) 'Itas manifestly futile to attempt to follow a be obtained by this method, it was obtained by Carll (Report 13) believes, with good reason, that DISTRIBUTION OF OIL AND GAS. gas or oil pool along a 30° or 45° line or along a drifting beneath the surface. Miles of these old the correlation of the Butler County and Venango Oil pools. By examining the structure map it straight line at any other angle, since the struc­ strippings can be followed around the hillsides Third sands is a mistake, that the Butler Third is can be seen that the oil and gas are not distributed ture lines are curves and not straight lines for any in the northeast corner of the quadrangle, in the equivalent of the Venango Second sand, and uniformly throughout the beds in which they considerable distance. Madison Township, in both Armstrong and Clar­ that the Butler Fourth sand really represents the occur. In the first place, the portions of the ion counties. This ore was mined also on Buf­ Clay and shale. Venango Third sand. However that may be, the quadrangle yielding the two substances are rather falo Creek at Buffalo Mills and Craigsville. It names originally adopted for the sands in this sharply separated, the oil-producing territory being At Kittanning fire clay and shale associated with seems likely that about all the ore that could be region will be used here. These names have been confined to the western side, to the northwest cor­ the Lower Kittanning coal are utilized largely in obtained in close proximity to the various furnaces applied to the various oil-producing sands of the ner, and to the northern margin west of Allegheny the manufacture of brick and tile, especially the by this comparatively inexpensive method had region according as the drillers believed that they River. Throughout the remainder of the quad­ former. The relationship and thickness of the been exhausted about the time that the higher could identify them as the one or the other, so the rangle only gas occurs. different beds as they are developed at the quarry grade and less expensively mined ores of the Lake oil-producing territory has been divided into Third- Within the oil-producing portion of the quad­ of the Kittanning Clay Manufacturing Company Superior region came into use. These two cir­ sand pools, Fourth-sand pools, etc., and where the rangle the drill has revealed the fact that in are shown in the following section: cumstances, combined with the superior quality of sand could not be referred to either of these two certain rather well-defined areas the oil has accu­ the iron from the lake ores, put an end to the Section at Kittanning. sands the name Stray sand was adopted, mak­ mulated in much greater quantities than in the sur­ production of iron from the ores of this region. Feet. ing here and there a Stray sand pool. The Stray rounding territory. These very productive areas Dark clay shale...... 25 The carbonate ores unroasted contained 33 to 38 sand is regarded as occupying a higher posi­ are generally elongated and comparatively narrow Lower Kittanning coal...... 3+ per cent of metallic iron, tl\e other ores often as Kittanning fire clay...... 12 tion than the Third sand. Outside of the type and are called belts or pools. What is true of the Sandy shale...... 10 much as 50 per cent. The most damaging impu­ region, near the northwest corner of the quadran­ accumulation of oil is also true of the accumulation Buhrstone ore...... 1 rities in the iron from these ores was phosphorus Vanport (Ferriferous) limestone..... 9 gle, where both the Third and the Fourth sands of gas. The mapping of the oil pools is based upon Dark sandy shale or shaly sandstone 10 and silica, and their presence was due, it is believed, occur, one above the other, it is doubtful whether the grouping of producing wells at the present day Shale or slate...... 20 to imperfect methods of smelting and to the use of these sands can be identified with any degree of and probably does not fully represent the pools as Little or no coal...... the Ferriferous limestone as flux, which communi­ 10. Clarion fire clay ...... 8 to 10 certainty or that the Third sand of one locality is they existed previous to the drilling of the terri­ cated so much phosphorus to the metal that it was the same as the Third sand of another locality, and tory. Many more large wells were probably drilled Shale. From No. 1 is made a fine vitrified brick unsuited for making Bessemer steel but not for the so forth. The Third sand yields a little gas in a in the region between Chicora and Karns than now for building fronts; from No. 4 are made a vitri­ ordinary uses of mill iron (Second Geol. Surv. few wells in the southern part of the quadrangle. remain, and that region probably constituted one fied brick and building brick; from No. 7 is made Pennsylvania, Rept. H5, pp. Ivii-lxiii). Variations. The remarks concerning the varia­ of the most important belts of the quadrangle. a building brick. No. 8 will be utilized for buff Lower Freeport ore. This occurs in the south­ tions in the Murrysville sand apply equally well Relation to structure. It will be seen by the fire brick and for sewer pipe. western part of the quadrangle, in Winfield and to the various Venango sands. The Venango map that in the western part of the quadrangle the Kittanning fire clay. This is a plastic clay. It West Franklin townships. It was mined for use sands are not persistent but fugitive beds. They longer axes of the oil pools run in a northeast- is extensively used by the Kittanning Clay Manu­ at the Buffalo furnace near the top of a hill one- appear, thicken, thin out, disappear, and their southwest direction and that the Fourth-sand pool facturing Company for buff brick. In places in half mile north of the Butler pike, just east of the places are taken by other beds of the same char­ along the northern margin and the Kaylor pool the clay at this quarry occur thin streaks of coal county line. The ore at this place was regarded, acter at a little higher or a little lower horizon, or near Kaylor have a general east-west direction. containing much sulphur, which seriously impairs by Platt (Second Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, Rept. farther on at the same horizon. Thin bands of In both regions the pools, as a general thing, the quality of the clay. H5) as the Upper Freeport, and apparently by sandstone may be separated by thin bands of shale. lie low on the flanks of the anticlines and are At Daugherty Brothers' Brick Works, also at I. C. White (Second Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, The shale bands disappear and thick beds of sand­ arranged with their long axes approximately par­ Kittanning, the Kittanning fire clay is 7 feet thick Rept. A, p. 94) as the Lower Freeport ore. The stone take their places, or vice versa. Thus there allel to the structure lines and to the axes of the and the underlying shale 12 feet thick. Both are writer's observations seem to bear out White's are endless variations, such as may be seen to occur anticlines and synclines, in accordance with the used for brick. At West Winfield the Kittanning opinion, for the ore in question probably lies from under similar conditions where the beds can be anticlinal theory of the accumulation of oil and fire clay has been opened by the Duquesne Fire- 50 to 60 feet below the Upper Freeport coal, and traced at the surface. About the most that can be gas. The east-west extension of the Fourth-sand Proofing Company, which has established a large about 180 to 200 feet above the Vanport limestone, safely said is that in some localities one or more of pool along the northern margin of the quadrangle plant for the manufacture of clay products. The which is opened on the hillside below the old ore the sandstone beds occurring toward the bottom of was once believed to be at variance with the anti­ clay is 11^ feet thick, but more suitable for tile strippings. The ore at this point could not be the group bear oil in paying quantities. clinal theory, but at that time the Bradys Bend than for brick, since it does not make an article of observed, but it is associated with an impure lime­ The Fifth sand is recorded in various wells from anticline was believed to follow a straight north­ uniform color. stone and coal, for debris of both were noted at the 50 to 100 feet below the oil sands. It is generally east-southwest course. With the determination of Clarion fire clay. At Kittanning the Clarion diggings. On Rough Run the ore is described by thin. It is an important source of gas in a number the true structure of the region the facts and the fire clay is beneath the surface, but it.rises rapidly White, in the report referred to above, as occurring of wells in the southwestern part of the quadrangle. theory are found to be in perfect accord. northward, and at Ewing, as well as at the mouth about 70 feet below the Upper Freeport coal and The accumulation of gas in the quadrangle seems of Cowanshannock, it is about 140 feet above Alle­ 130 feet above the Lower Kittanning coal. It is SPEECHLEY SAXD. to be also largely controlled by structure. The gheny River. This is also a plastic clay and from a mixture of blue carbonate and limonite, running In nine wells at an average depth of 830 feet main reservoirs of gas have been found across the it is obtained the material used in the brick works from 1|- to 6 feet in thickness. White expressed below the Venango group occurs a sand 20 to 40 southern end of the Kellersburg anticline and at Neale and Cowanshannock. At the former the opinion that the ore would probably yield 35 feet thick which recently has been found to bear along the axis of the McHaddon anticline. Many place a buff and gray building brick is made and to 50 per cent of iron. This ore largely supplied gas in paying quantities at a number of places good wells have been struck on both flanks of the at the latter the ordinary fire brick. At West the old Winfield furnace. within the quadrangle. This is regarded by the Kellersburg anticline, and such wells on the west­ Winfield, according to the report of the superin­ Upper Freeport ore. This ore was most exten­ drillers and gas producers as representing the ern flank are located east of the oil-bearing terri­ tendent, the Duquesne Fire-Proofing Company is sively mined at Bradys Bend. Like the Buhr­ Speechley sand of Venango and Forest counties. tory and higher on the anticline. The gas wells using this clay for sewer-pipe. stone ore, it was mined mainly by stripping, but to That name will be provisionally adopted here. extend lower on the eastern flank of the Kellers­ Freeport fire clay. The Freeport fire clay some extent by drifting. The old strippings may Depth below limestone. The Speechley sand burg anticline, where oil does not occur, than on becomes thick in places and may be profitably be seen at the present day in both sides of Holders varies in depth below the Vanport limestone from the west, and in the vicinity of Slate Lick a few used in the future. Immediately south of Chicora Run and on the ridge, between Harts Run and 15

Allegheny River. The workings in West Frank­ crushed for road metal and railroad ballast and to of the quadrangle, and these are drawn upon to to the West Winfield Railroad for shipment. lin and Winfield were of very small extent. Out­ some extent also for lime. At this place the lime­ some extent for use as a fertilizer. It was once On the east bank of the river about three-fourths side of these localities it is not known. stone is 21 feet thick. It is not quarried, but quarried at Manor and vicinity and shipped to of a mile south of the Cowanshannock a sand­ The Freeport ore is described as a solid, com­ mined in the same way that coal is mined. This Pittsburg for use as flux (Second Geol. Surv. stone, probably the Clarion, has been quarried pact, very argillaceous layer 2 to 4 feet thick, 26 limestone is also quarried incidentally by the Kit- Pennsylvania, Kept. H5, p. 255), but the industry to a considerable extent for the same kind of feet below the Upper Freeport coal. It is a car­ tanning Clay Manufacturing Company for lime has been discontinued, probably because the use of stone, and the same is true of the Freeport sand­ bonate ore yielding a little over 30 per cent of and for flux in the furnace located near by. It the Freeport limestone for flux, like that of the stone in the west bluff of the river just south of metallic iron. The iron is disposed to be red was formerly much used for flux in the blast Vanport, has been supplanted by the use of lime­ Applewold. short and would be improved by a mixture of one- furnaces of the region, but it has been superseded stone from other regions better adapted for the Sand. quarter magnetic or red hematite ores (Second for that purpose by purer limestone from other purpose. Geol. Surv. Pennsylvania, E,ept. H5, p. 220). parts of the country. In many parts of the quad­ Building Stone. At West Winfield the Saltsburg and Clarion While the Freeport ore probably can not be rangle the limestone is quarried and burned into sandstones are being ground into sand. In the regarded as an important source of future supply lime for fertilizer. It is generally hauled by the On the hills southwest of West Winfield the vicinity of Kittanning large quantities of sand are of iron, it is evident that in the Buhrstone ore there farmers to their farms and burned in the fields Saltsburg sandstone is extensively quarried. This dredged from the river and used for grinding plate exists an almost unlimited store of medium-grade where it is to be applied. This practice is facil­ sandstone practically forms the surface of the flat glass at the Kittanning Plate Glass Works. It is ore which may become an important source of sup­ itated by the abundant supply of coal which many hilltops here and can be reached by a minimum also used to a less extent for mortar. The Mahon- ply when the more productive and profitable farmers have at hand. There are ample supplies amount of stripping. The quarry already extends ing sandstone is extensively quarried on the west deposits are exhausted. of limestone easily accessible for this purpose, and over a large space to a depth of from 10 to 15 side of the river opposite Ford City by the Pitts­ it would seem that such use might be greatly feet. The rock is a coarse-grained sandstone burg Plate Glass Company. It is reduced to sand, Limestone. extended with profit. in layers of such thickness that it is easily which is use for grinding glass at Ford City. Vanport ("Ferriferous") limestone. At West Freeport limestone. There are abundant sup­ worked. It is suitable for coarse masonry only. Winfield this limestone is extensively quarried and plies of this limestone in the southeast corner The quarried blocks are let down by an incline November, 1903.

Analyses of coals of Kittanning quadrangle.

Volatilehydro­ Cokecent.per Fixedcarhon. Phosphorus. Characterof carbons. Colorofash. Fuelratio. Analyst. Collector. Moisture. Sulphur. Name of seam. Locality. Owner. coke. 3o 4 EH

West Winfleld...... E. C. Sullivan, U. S. G. S. 50.83 36.19 2.20 10.78 *3.35 100.00 Slightly 1 : 1.44 red. porous. 2. Lower Kittanning . . A. S. McCreath (H5, p. 232) 49.686 42.55 1.18 4.585 1.999 .0061 100.00 Pinkish 56.27 1:1.17 gray. 3...... Do...... A. S. McCreath (H5, p. 282) 48.742 42 72 1.16 5.065 2.313 100.00 Reddish 56.12 1:1.14 gray. 4...... Do...... KittanniugClay Man'f'g.Co. Geo. Steiger, U. S. G. S...... J. S. Burrows 53.59 35.09 1.61 9.71 *4.62 100.00 1:1.52 5...... Do...... do...... do ...... 49.19 32.93 3.19 14.69 *7.32 100.00 1:1.49 6...... Do...... ( ""* 1*11 1 O*C! VI 1 1 A ...... do ...... do ...... 02.97 37.06 1.89 8.08 *4.41 100.00 1 1 42 7. Lower Freeport ..... W. F. Schaller, U. S. G. S. . . r>3.34 :31.73 2.97 11.96 *3.51 100.00 Good. 1:1.67 8. Upper Freeport ..... Stewartson Furnace, off quadrangle...... A. S. McCreath, (H5, p. 171) 55.545 35.52 1.47 6.63 .835 .0684 100.00 63.01 1:1.56 gray. 9...... Do...... A. S. McCreath, (H5, p. 262) 50.206 39.835 1.43 5.71 2.819 100.00 Cream. 58.735 1:1.26 10...... Do...... One mile east of Ewing...... Geo. Steiger, U. S. G. S...... J. S. Burrows 49.78 31.65 2.72 15.85 *4.06 100.00 1:1.57 11...... Do...... do...... do ...... 51.37 29.00 2 17 17.46 *2.58 100.00 1:1.77

*Sulphur determined separately. Kittanning.