, 1860-02-13

| R1sferA and Uts{ern Goals Comp4rfd Coal
Ff<fds or tbs -7tlff~ry Irsef-- Ihx Coal
| Trade and its Aefations to 0nr Future
Frospfrdfy.
] Written for The P1ess and T1lbune]
Illinois contains $4,000 square miles Of coal
lands, while the Kingdom Of Great Britain con-
tans only $4,000. But while Great Britain con-
sumes yearly 10000, 600 tons Of coal, we con-
sumo less than 1000. 900, more than oue-half Of
which is imported from other States.
Our coal fields are nearly all easr Of access By
Railroad or river and the coal strata are so near
tue suriace as to admit, in most cases, ofproGt-
able mining. We hare, in general, three work
able beds of coal within $50 feet Of the surface,
making total thickness Of 16 feet; so that in
many localities one shaft series for working
three beds ut the same time.
! However, most Of our Goals are derived at
present from the upper VEN, which is in all
countries Of the least value, being more OF less
1nixcd with impurities, while the lower reins
are more compact, free, and contain more cur
| bon.
The upper or surface rein, is exposed in
many places by ravincs. which cut down to it.,
or by the inclination Of the coal stratum, which
n,.s - 49, .,.e,.. -, :. 1oro.oa ou1, ,r;,,, !.
hin iaver If so;, or rock The ,o,cr veins can
in general, be reached only By stlafting, which
| is often attended by considerable expense, es-
nec;,]1v If fin coal has;o contains ou,ntitv oc
water. However, as the Stcam Engine was first
invented for, aud applied to The drainage Of
coal mines, it 1nny be hoped that some new in
yentiou or application will assist us in takipr
| possession of the great treasures which are uI-
] most within our reach.
It las oftcn been asserted that our Western
! cro1s ore ou;tn inCarior tn thoso of ohio and
| pennsv]yania, in many resnects-n remark re-
sn1t;nr mt on,r from too hastv comnnrson.
| but often from m unwil1;ncuess to award ~.
ncr;or;tv tn Western nrodncta or resources.
Chemical nna1ysis riyes to all bituu,iDous Goals
| the same general character. Local neculiari.
tie, or differences arc not to be considered.
| For instance q coal bank coutaiuiur 4 small
| norton of su1nhur and iron, occupyipr lev
! sounre rods. must not prejudice all the Goals Of
that region aud since it Is 50 small m item,
| t,csc minor differences arc never considered in
on,1rs;s, Besides. if wc mike yeanon of conn.,
nar;son LET us understand that it can t,ayo t,ro
e,ces 10 wall NJ one. and that the Eastern mil
Western coa1 svs,ems hare both pcculiar merits
and demer;ts M we'll as rood Qualities in
common
f,,,r stote c,nt,;ns rs,o nm mn TONS If coa1
Sunnos;nr nm cr1,;c rord IN ve;ch n TIM. and
when ve consider our nrcsent and future de-
ncndcnre nnon this arcat sonrce Of mower. the
oua,;tr or economy Of our Goals becomes a oucs-
finn of ,reat imnortance. We arc nreparea.
from q careful aualysis OF one hundred spcci-
mems taken from as mauv 1ccalities in the State.
IN s}ow that our coals comnare favorable with
.hose Of the Analachian coal system. In gen.
ara, ,be Western src r,chrr IN nil md ras tban
Eastern coa,s while tbc Eastern coa1s contain
1arrer quantity of carbon in coke. The iupuri-
t;es fonnd in Western coa1 dcposits are SULPHUR
comnounds and slate sed;uents-thc latter &C.
cusioned by the breaking down Of the roof Of
thu coa1 seam The sptnhur comnouuds are
oenc,a,,v those of lime uud iron. and occur
n localities affecting o,1v q small mart #
, ro,n or co,, sr,nhur denos;t of s;x
;n.hoa =, +h;ct.ass md cnn,o;,;r1 retr enuoro
49, ;s ,o-.1r c,,ad T. e,,o,, r,.ss ,ha s,,;,br-
.s,a 49,, ~ o..;,.. hro,.o, s-o,n ,,,o
- r. rEn4
T,,. .aa,. s ~ :. .-no ~ 49, aa1ae.s
.-,,:.,. .a.,s 49,, =. =. 49,, = 1;.,,o
49,. ~, .ha ,,rt ,c a.. z,;,.. x,;, sr,o .1, onr
. ~ r. r. 49,. - ~ t.a..
49,, .zs1...,,,. ~, Cs,,u;, =, H.. 49,, -
a, =, ,,:,..--.. 49,.
~ o.11e .1n'o :ae @'l' nA:'.-..s. s 49,
80 - TI 1ue en' ~ 49,. r.ss.ss
s ~, e .:, -.
."s -uss wv" >nohA wv se ~
s'a'e anu eoa'' anu "44otls .e"u, uen,s "
a'asnase LUZ iafss po1''oa - '"7 oo''''4A
"1'' ., t"e c9a'He'o n'oos '"' A'.u' az
se'e1al openfnes' OF osa.s, nca.s no'.1on'a',
maoe - tn' "ee.aoa - '0' .Aeo rou. "
'ne coal oas1n. An' 'e'n ~ 'out 'ee' IL @n.eA'
ness, ano NOTES 'fee aoo'e npu os'o"' ID
oses'a.a wan eaonet so4'' - eonta'A' ee"A's
oi eaToone'o " hne' cfosSios eA'n o'nei a'
near Fgot ans'e' aoo causing 'se eoa' 10 oieaA
'n'o 'Irege'"F euoes' 1's sa'P"ufe's a'e IN no'''
zon'al anu ser'eal layers, anu aFe easily sepa-
r4'ed. 1oo layers o' eoal a&c ouA ano o1'su'
assetha'els' II contains d PER cent. o' Volatile
ma"e.' % o' ca'ooa IL as oo.'' - VI as"es
4ns "no4e a,nouos u e..'oon - 70 pet .sA.'
"nlsn' - iA'ety 9''passeo ~ 1Iunue'n 4','ao'S
on sne uoe u .uo t'4tao's oeu"a' Na':foaa' "o
coa''Ae'us u1'e oee4 o4s'o,seu' sie'o'ns ~
aoa u pei eea'' u eA'oo"' AAe usn"' al1'an'
IS o. per cent
Coal n'lnsne' IN LUIS s'a'e' Is IN lis intane5'
we 10 no' even supply 'ne none demand. AT
he"auee. the shipments are s11 thousand tons
per month"; most o. "n'ea Is nsea in tue !oco'
motives on 'he eh'csso' oot''os'on ma quincy
Ra'lFoad' WHICH consume IL pfeseat t"ei'e nun
dFed tons per week. compared win wood 'oF
s?.ss rs1z sss,it;'as 70 ss. si;:s:.:. *se t ss!: