The lower cannel, or C, is the most extensive, and the seam generally productive of cannel coal in the West. We have named it "Gamma" in the anthracite regions.
In figures 76 and 118 will be found an identification, nearly, of the anthracite beds with the bituminous seams of the Alleghany coal-field. The size of E, as given in figure 118, is larger than given by Rogers, Lesley, or most of our geologists who have written on the bituminous coal fields. But it appears evident from the State Survey, and the facts which may be gathered concerning this seam, as the "Elk Lick coal" in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, the great bed at Karthause and Clearfield, Penn sylvania, and the great upper coal-bed on the Kanawha and Coal Rivers in West Virginia, that E is equally as large as G. In fact, this bed is frequently larger than the Pittsburg seam, and as good and pure, but it is not quite so regular. The same may be said of the Mammoth in the anthracite regions; though the Primrose bears no comparison to it there.
There can be no doubt of the fact that the great Cumberland bed is identical with E, or the Mammoth. It has been mistaken for the Pitts burg bed; but a careful examination of its position, character, and accompanying seams and strata will convince any practical man of this identity. From the efforts to identify this great bed with the Pittsburg bed much confusion has arisen. This has led many to suppose the Mam moth and the Pittsburg bed synonymous ; and from this error in the starting-point has arisen all or most of the difficulty in the identification of the seams.
Prof. Rogers has also made errors in his sections at Wilkesbarre and Pittston, which, we observe, has led Prof. Lesquereux, of Columbus, Ohio, into some confusion in his Western sections; and in this respect Prof. Lesley seems also, for once, to have been led into error.
We do not, however, make these remarks with invidious intention, since these distinguished geologists are entitled to our admiration for their eminent services; but we wish to point out the necessity of starting right and the importance of correct data.
We think Prof. Lesquereux has the data for a complete identification of Western coals. We notice the facts which he has established by his palm ontological researches, or a comparison of the fossil flora and organic remains accompanying the respective seams; but we notice, also, that he has placed too much reliance on imperfect sections, and, while he accepts imperfect data for fact, it will be impossible to arrive at any general and definite conclusion. We must acknowledge, however, that we owe much to Lesquereux and Lesley for the conclusions we have arrived at; but, in order to make their data available, we have spent much patient labor and made many arduous personal investigations of doubtful points and locali ties in order to justify and connect the facts they have elucidated with developments set forth in the preceding pages in reference to the identifi cation of the seams.
Lesquereux says, "From all the local sections of the Pennsylvania sur vey, two ascertained data are especially worth mentioning. 1st. The reliability of our Curlew limestone, which in Pennsylvania is called Free port limestone, and is generally placed 6 to 15 feet above our No. 3 coal. 2d. The consistency of the ferriferous limestone between No. 1, B, and No. 2, in the place occupied by our coal C. It lies, as in Kentucky, 10 to 40 feet above No. 1, B, and is generally accompanied by calcareous ores." It thus appears that the "Curlew limestone" lies below E and between E and D; and Lesquereux denominates E as No. 4, and he finds by palx ontological evidence that No. 4 of Western Kentucky is also in the vicinity of the Baltimore bed at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania; and, since we have identified the Baltimore bed beyond a doubt.with the Mammoth of Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, this fact is thoroughly established, and there can be no room for doubt that the Mammoth is identical with the Freeport beds or the seams of that group.
Lesquereux also identifies B of our nomenclature with B No. 1 in 'Western Kentucky; but he falls into error by calling B, or the Buck Moun tain, "the Mammoth." But this error evidently arises from the confusion of the 'Wyoming sections made in the State Report; and this simple mis nomer cannot invalidate the facts set forth in the foregoing quotation from Lesquereux's paleontological report in the Kentucky survey.
From this and other errors arising from incorrect data, we think this emi nent professor of paleontology has faller; into the mistake of placing all the coal-seams of the anthracite regions of Pennsylvania beneath the Pittsburg bed, or even below the Mahoning sandstone; whereas all the evidence goes to prove that the highest coal at Pottsville is at least cotemporaneous with the "Anvil Rock," the counterpart of which may be found over our K, or the Tracys. It is not only the hardest rock in the coal measures, but to all appearance, except in thickness, it is the perfect counterpart of the Anvil Rock of Kentucky.
In treating of the lower coal,—viz.: our white-ash coal of the anthra cite regions, —Prof J. P. Lesley, in his "Manual of Coal," agrees precisely with us in their distribution and character.