THE BLOSSBURG BASIN.
This, as before observed, is nearly west of the Barclay and Ralston, and is the northwestern extremity of the third Alleghany basin. The coal here contains more bitumen than the Barclay, but still is classed among the dry, free-burning, bituminous, or steam coals.
The Blossburg mines are located in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and are about 40 miles east of Corning, on the York & Erie Railroad, with which they are connected by rail. The location of this, the third basin, is about ten miles northwest of the second basin at Ralston.
Like all other detached basins of the Alleghany coal-field, this is an assemblage of coal deposits, separated from each other by deep erosions, but forming part and parcel of the great original coal-field which once existed unbroken throughout this vast region, now broken into detached basins and elevated plateaus by the denuding action of water. The area occupied by this portion of the third basin is probably about 50 square miles, of which one-half may contain the lower seams.
During our last visit to the Blossburg mines, by the invitation of Dr. Morris, of the Blossburg Company, we spent a day with much pleasure in going through the mines and examining the works. The Morris bed was the only one worked at that time by the company. It is the upper part of the lower seam B, according to our judgment, and makes a bench of beautiful and pure coal. The location of the mines was a serious error, since the gangways are confined to a limited area, on account of the dip of the seam, which is from the gangways on the lower side. Instead of open ing the coal on the west face of the mountain, or the Blossburg side, the opening was made on the southeast side, or, rather, towards the top of the plateau. This error not only led to a great expense in building the rail road up the mountain, a distance of several miles, but also located the mines to the rise of the coal, or towards the outcrops ; while a location on the front face would have been much more available not only for the drainage of the mine, but much more economical for mining and shipping.
We understand some of these difficulties have since been removed. We merely make these remarks, as we have done on several occasions, to call attention to these often-repeated errors of location which arise from the want of a little geological and mining experience.
The gentlemen in charge of the Blossburg mines at the time of our visit were not, however, responsible for the errors, since they had been com mitted before their administration. We shall not soon forget our ramble through these mines, or the exertions we made to keep up with Mr. Young during a long walk on "all-fours" through the intricate avenues of a three feet flat seam. But the pleasure derived from seeing for once in this country the "long wall" advancing practically in use, compensated for our labor.
The coal from this small seam was mined about as cheaply as the coal from our 30-feet Mammoth seam in some localities. The miners had always one "loose end," and the breasts, or chambers, were carried wide. The bogies, or small cars, had broad, flat flanges, and would run with as much ease on the hard bottom-rock of the seam as on the rails : therefore these small cars were taken direct to the coal, and a single handling only was required.
There is at least one-half difference in the cost of mining the same coal. That is, the best mode is one-half less expensive than the worst mode : the best is the long wall, or the " board and wall ;" and the worst, the narrow chambers and parallel pillars. The most expensive mode is more frequently practised in this country than the most economical.
Below will be found the statistics of coal shipment from the Blossburg m ines.*