Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-02-06
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Many of the manufacturing eStaDllShmentS in the South are sadly in need of coal, aud are embarrassed for the want of it. Gas works in the cities of the Mississippi valley depended, heretofore, on their supply of coal from the 1 Ohio river, but as this avenue Is blocked up, ! they mast find another. In the expectation that the Arkansas river will rise ere long, and give us navigation for several months, It may be important to call attention to the coal to be procured above this point.
 1 In Perry county, the coal is easily obtained in several places, as it crops out at the base ot mountain or hill. This is a semi-bituminous coal containing abont one-fourth of volatile matter to three fourths of coke. The propor- ton Of gas in it is about seventeen parts in hundred. In Pope county, there is coal of & like quality, south Of Dover, but 1t IS at some distance from the river. These coals arc said to be excellent for manufacturing purposes.
 The coal at Spadra, in Johnson county, and which is found for miles back is a semi-anthra>. cite containing very little combustible gases and eighty.fve per cent. of carbon. Messrs. Slaughter, the proprietors of the gas works in this city, tried 1t at their establishment but it was found to be deficient in gaseous proper, ties. It has been tried in this city and else- where in furnaces and stoves, and as fuel, it is unsurpassed. Dr. Owen, the geologist, gives us comparison of the heating properties of this, compared with the Pittsburg coal, and says that the Spadra coal will generate 9.46 pounds of steam, while the Pittsbarg coal will only generate 6.2 pounds, and while a cubic foot of the latter will generate 384 pounds of steam, a cubic foot of the Spadra ccal will generate 459 pounds. For heating purposes stoves, furnaces, rolling mills and the like, this coal Is surpassed by none in either contederacy. l The breadth of the coal field and its nearness to the surface. show that 1t can be easily work el and will afford immense quantities. On the other side of tho river, in Johnson and Yell couIties, coal is found ill large quantities, and with proper facilities for mining and transport, ing it to tue bank of the river, can be made profitable. V
 In Sebastian county, on Long Prairie, the coal known as the Jenny Lind coal, is found six feet from the surface, and the bed Is some- times five feet thick. II swells up q great deal in coking and gives of twelve per cent. of gas, which burns with a strong flame. This coal is semi b,tuminous, burns freely in grates, gnites readily, and is said, by Dr. Owen, to be one of the most valuable kinds that can be offered in the market, especially for manufacturing pur poses. This bed of coal is within eight miles of the Arkansas river, and there are other points where coal can be obtained much nearer. We suppose the supply IS ample for centuries to come and as the demand increases for 1t, sys~ tematc mining will render it's procurement cheaper and easier. The Sebastian county coal wll no doubt, answer for making gas, but there are other beds where 1t is still more hitu minous.
 Ia Franklin and Crawford counties, both Of which border on the river, coal is found in large quantities, and supplies can be obtained there from.
 We have made some inquiries ss to the cost of procuring the coal at tBs mines CT openings, and or the bank of the river. The estimates of the cost at the mine, or place where t Is dug out, varies from three to five cents bushel.- It will cost from one 10 two cents a mile for each bushel, to deliver il on the river bank, mak
 ing it cost at the landing, fifteen or twenty cents bushel.
 While this vast source of undeveloped wealth lies within one hundred and fifty miles of US, 1t s practically out of our reach half the time for the want of river navigation or railroads. As 1 railroads are out of the question during the present difficulties, We must depend upon float ing 1t down tle river Ii the character of the coal was known over the South, and especially in the lower valley of the Mississippi, and how easily and plentiiuily it can be obtained, ! de n,and would spring up, that would command the means Of getting it to market. If the blockade is raised and our ports opened, All the steamboats in out waters will have more busi- ness than they can possibly do. We must re- member that the greater number of large boats are above Cairo; and the carrying trade vii! be done by comparatively few boats. Planters will send their cotton, farmers their produce, and steamboats will be freighted with cotton and produce while our rivers remain up. In that event, If the coal IS brought to market, IL must be done in keel and fiat boats If our ports remain closed, and our steam boats have very little to do, they might tow barges and keelboats laden with coal, to various points on the different rivers. These fire matters for the consideration of those who engage in the en- terprise, in which vast fortunes will yet be made The great coal beds are there, accessible, easily worked. and it may yet become necessity to have this great wealth spread among the peo pie ot the South.
 TIE GOLD MEDALS AGAIN.-Mr. ". W. Mat tison, of Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, writes to us that Mrs. Sally Bang, widow, has wover, since the lst of September, los yards of jeans Il IL J-.ust