Statistical Account of Scotland - Barony Parish - Minerals

written about 1791-1798, published 1799 - Transcribed by Linda Nisbet, New Zealand

Mineral Springs, and Minerals.

There are chalybeate springs in different parts of the parish, particularly on the side of the river Clyde, above Rutherglen bridge. At Anderston there is a spring which contains one grain of mineral alkali or soda in the pint of water. And at Northwoodside, there is a sulphureous spring upon the side of the river Kelvin, which formerly was often used, it is said, with success, in scorbutic disorders. But for a considerable time past no attention has been paid to it, and the water of the river now runs into it. This parish abounds with coal of an excellent quality, and sold at a very reasonable price, being laid down in the city of Glasgow, at the rate of 3s. 9d, the cart of 12 cwt. This cheapness of fuel is of the utmost importance to the comfort of the inhabitants, and the thriving of manufactures: And as the fields of coal in the neighbourhood are immense, it is to be hoped the price will always continue so moderate as to preserve to Glasgow the superiority she at present enjoys above most places. Indeed, were the price of fuel to be raised so high as to injure the manufactures, the coal-owners themselves would equally suffer. The value of the coal produced from the different mines may amount to about 30,000 l. annually. Those belonging to James McNair, Esq. of Shettleston, produce from 5000 l. to 6000 l. Sterling annually. *

* On his colliery, the first steam-engine for drawing off the water from the coal-pits, was erected, in the year 1764. Since that time near 20 steam-engines have been set up in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. There are several strata or seams of coal of different thicknesses, and at different distances from one another. These all lie nearly parallel to each other, but not parallel to the surface of the earth, having their dip, as it is termed by the colliers, or their declination towards the river Clyde, and rising, as you retire from the river, nearer to the surface of the earth till they crop out. And what is very remarkable, the seams of coal on the other side of Clyde, also have their dip towards its bed; so that the strata on the different sides of the river, instead of lying in the same plane, are inclined to each other at a certain angle. In some pits, the strata of coal are of the following thicknesses: 1st, The upper coal from 4 to 4½ feet thick: 2d, Ell-coal from 2½ to 3 feet: And 3d, Main coal from 4½ to 5½ feet. These are the only seams that have as yet been wrought. Above the coal there lies a thin but very rich stratum of iron-stone. Till within these few years that the Clyde iron-works were erected on the borders of this parish, the whole iron-stone in this part of the country was disregarded, and sometimes proved a great incumbrance. Now, it a source of wealth, and gives employment to several hands in this parish. Besides coal and iron-stone, there are beds of very good free-stone, particularly at Possit, much used in the city of Glasgow for building and flagging the sides of the streets. And on the east side of the fir park adjoining to the city, there is a large whinstone quarry, whence all the stones used for paving the streets have been brought.

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