The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-02-10
ILLINOIS COAL

4 =
of per relative to the inexlaustible beds o
= superior coal in Illinois, is equally applica
;. Bile to this end Of the route. The coal o
Bureau county, Immediately on the route
Is ofthe Rock Island and Chicago Railroad
is said to be almost, if not quite, equal to
: anthracite. As several of our citizens are
a extensively interested in these coal beds
I we expect, so soon as the Road is complet-
: ed to this point, the supply will be suffi-
!. cient to meet the demand at moderate
rates, Of all the manufacturing establish :
ments that can be here erected
We were shown, yesterday, specimen
Of coal from Sheffield, Bureau county
From its appearance We should Judge it
was far superior to the best Erie, with
which We compared it. We learn that for
number Of years, blacksmiths have been
accustomed to coma to Sheffield from the
distance Of a hundred miles north TO pro-
cure this coal, and esteem it far better than
any other they have ever used. The bed
from which the specimen before US was
taken, is four feet eight inches to five feet
thick, and extends for a considerable dis
tance along the banks Of Coal creek. 1t
lies horizontally several feet above the bed
Of the stream, and hence can be worked
with very little expense. What renders
this matter OF special interest to our
city, is the additional fact that the Rock Is-
land Railroad runs directly through this ex-
/ II e.
will, in effect, bring its treasures to our
own doors. Cars can be loaded in the
mine and run directly to this city without
breaking bulk
This has much wider significance, and
is much more intimately connected with
The prosperity of our city, than might at
first be supposed. That it will render fuel
for ordinary consumption always cheap, is
much the smalles, part OF the influence it is
destined to exert. 1t will supply one Of
the essential elements that will soon make
Chicago one Of the largest manufacturing
cities in the Union.
But perhaps this is making too much Of q
single coal-bed, although from the informa-
ltion we have, this alone would be sufficient
to supply all the wants Of our city for gen.
eratons to come. The Rock Island Rail-
road alone penetrates a large number Of
equally rich coal beds, while the Illinois
Central Railroad will run directly across
the mos, extensive coal field that has yet
been discovered in any part of the world.
Nearly every county in the State, south Of
Cook, contains coal in abundance. This
will soon be brough, to Chicago at a very
trtling expense above the bare cost Of
transportation. We have been accustom.
ed to speculate only upon the vast amount
of agricultural productions and trade of all
kinds, which our railroads penetrating to
the south and south west, would pour into
the lap of Chicago, and the immense in
crease Of business that would be the nat
uraI result Bat the cheapening of fuel
for manufacturing as well as all other par-
poses, will if possible be matter Of still
greater Importance to the growth and
permanent prosperity Of our city Here the
coal from the great Illinois coal field, will
meet the iron and copper from the mineral
regions Of Lake Superior, and Chicago
will in few years become as distinguished
for her manufactures as she is for her i'm
mense trade in merchandise and 10 beef,
and all the productions 0! ou. rich, fertile
praries.
Hitherto Illinois coal has reached US In
small quantities, from few mines along
the Illinois river, and much Of what was
brought to this market has been Of an in.
ferior quality; but our railroads will soon
supply US, at a very cheap rate, with q
ho
able to consume. Let, therefore, the
workers in brass and iron in every part of
the world; let manufacturers of wool and
every article of productive industry, If they
want 10 make fortune within the next
ten ears, make their home in Chicago;
and industry, economy, perseverance, will
be sure to crown their efforts with success.
Some years ago benevolent and veal
thy quaker gentleman of the city Of Phila-
dephia, by the name Of josiah WHITE,
died, leaving in his will a bequest of $40,-
900 to be applied to the purchase Of two
sections OF laud-one in the Miami Reser-
vation in Indiana, and the other n Iowa
Tor the purpose Of the establishment Of
manual labor schools, to be under the direc-
,ion of the Quaker church, but free to
children Of all classes.
We learn that within the last few days
GEo EvANs, OF Henry county, as the agent
of Indiana Yearly Meeting Of Friends, pur-
chased of an Indian chief in the Reserve
about two miles from Wabashtown-a Sec
,ion ofland for the purpose Of carrying out
the design of the testator. II is no, de-
signed, we believe, to Immediately pro-
ceed to establish tha school but merely
to secure the land in favorable location