THE LACKAWANNA REGION.-CARBONDALE DISTRICT.
The accompanying section, Fig. 23, shows the depth of the coal measures at Carbondale, the number of veins, and the thickness of coal which they contain. The figures represent feet ; those in the body of the column, the thickness of the intervening slates and sandstones, and those on the left, under the letters, the thickness of the respective veins opposite. The letters are chosen to distinguish the veins, instead of the names, which change with every locality. We shall thus be enabled to prevent confusion, and always represent the same bed by the same character wherever found. E is the fifth vein from the conglomerate, as a general rule, in every part of each anthracite field. There is but little variation from this rule, and none where the seams are regular and not divided.
At this point,—that is, near the eastern extremity of the Lackawanna region,—the lower veins do not de velop in workable dimensions, and D is, perhaps, the lowest workable bed developed. E is the great Carbon dale bed, seam, or vein, and is synonymous with the Scranton G vein, the Pittston 14 feet, the Baltimore vein at Wilkesbarre, and the Mammoth vein in the Schuylkill region.
Vein F is generally small in all the anthracite regions, varying from 3 to 6 feet.
We presume the sizes here given to be the maximum dimensions of the Carbondale seams. There is some
doubt of the existence of F in this portion of the region, and F here is what we have elsewhere given as G, or the Scranton E vein, which it nearly represents. The amount of workable coal in this section is about 20 feet. Lower down the Lacka wanna, at Archibald, Olyphant, and Providence, the veins are more nume . rous, and the measures deeper, but we do not find E at any point in this region larger than at Carbondale. This fact suggests the inference that veins E and D are here included in the 24 feet of vein E, as given. It is very difficult to commence the identity at this point, since the measures, which at Scranton are from 500 to 700 feet thick, are here only 150 to 200 feet in thickness; and consequently, the veins are thrown closer together. We may, therefore, be safe in stating that the veins which we give as E and F are identical with the Scranton veins locally named E, G, and H, and with those on our section of the Scranton district, named D, E, and G.
We give below the size and character of the Carbondale bed, with its bone, slate, and partings; premising, however, that we believe it to be a combination of our Mammoth and Skidmore, or veins D and E of our nomenclature, or perhaps F, E, D, and C.