Page:Report on the geology of the four counties, Union, Snyder, Mifflin and Juniata (IA reportongeologyo00dinv).pdf/81

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Oriskany sandstone No. VII.
F³. 53

205′ in thickness in the Lewistown section. (See Report F, p. 49.)

At the Juniata Sand Works, 3½ miles west of Lewistown, the sandstone is about 100′ thick and yields a high grade quality of glass-sand. The sandy shales underlying the sandstone are 200′ thick. At McVeytown the sandstone has increased to 140′–150′ in thickness, and is here again largely quarried for glass manufacture.

At the Enterprise Sand Works at Vineyard station on the Pennsylvania railroad 3½ miles east of Newton Hamilton, this rock is again splendidly developed and largely quarried. It seems to be about 125′ thick, although this measurement may be somewhat increased by including an impure sand bed not worked by the company.

In Wayne township, east of Newton Hamilton, the formation is spread over a wide area by reason of the flattening out of several anticlinal rolls, creating a large sand flat, out of which project small ridges made by the harder members of the series; but the sand does not seem as suitable for glass purposes here, as in the more steeply-tilted rocks along the south leg of the synclinal, from Lewistown west. At Mt. Union, on the north side of the Lewistown valley, the formation is about 100′ thick; but 150′-160′ in Long hollow, a few miles to the east.

Along the north flank of Shade mountain, east of Lewistown, the rock is not as persistent in character, nor so easily traced, as it dwindles down in thickness towards Union county, where, as already stated, it is only 30′ thick. Many places, no doubt, besides those enumerated in this county could furnish an excellent sand to the glassmakers, but lack of railroad facilities has retarded the search for and development of it. As it is, the quarrying, preparation and shipment of the quartz sand makes a most interesting and important industry, and one which is bound to develop and augment the county’s material wealth. The occurence and duplication of this remarkable deposit by rolls and basins is clearly set forth by color on the county map, and does not call for special mention here. The sandstone is usually very fossiliferous, and can be readily rec-