, 1864-03-07
COAL In MINNESOTA.
Inr~c Beds or Camel Coal Found III
the minnesota Valley.



With great satisfaction we announce to our
readers this morning, the discovery Of large
beds Of coal on the Cottonwood river. near
New Ulm, in the Upper Minnesota Valley, d
fact that will call thrill Of pleasure to every
one who can appreciate the immense-the al
most calculable-benehtsto to hoW from such
an important discoyeEy-one TINT will create
in our State new sources Of wealth, and sup
p1y the only element which WAS lacking to
Complete tic wonderful basis Of natural re-
sources on which rests the future greatness
and prosperity OF this State.
Before further pursuing the subject Of the
immense value and importance Of the mines,
and their effect on the future destiny Of the
State. We will turn back and briefly sketch
the manner Of their discovery.
HOW THE COAL WAS DISCOVERED.
In the month of February-18Gj-John 8.
Prince, Esq, Of this city, Tas In Vincenncs,
Ind, On business, and one evening happened
IN store, when gentleman came in, and
throwing eoEn some iins lumps e1si Of coa! On ~
coal there ut fifty feet, and VIC struck it at
30.'' At this Mr.. Princes attention was
aroused, and he soon secured an Introduction
to the gentleman, who proved to be Mr. y.
Enmes, o wel1-kn0Wn geolos1st, VINO, III
company with his brother Of no less repute
IN England and the United States in cxplor-
ing for coal and directing mining operations,
and who has made it i Especially" with
great SUCCESS. -.. -,
Nr. Prince at once hai an interview with
Mr.. Eamcs, and told him that 1t was believed
that there must be large coal mines some
where in Minnesota, but no thorough geo.
graphical surrey by any experienced Teison
E.d Tet been made, aud there was no doubt
that If made, It Would result In finding coal
adding, that us soon as Mr.. Eamcs' engage
ments in that neighborhood would allow
him. he should be glad to SEQ him IN st.
Paul, where he would pledge him sufficient
sum of money to carry ont 4 thorough survey
Of the State. Mr.. Eames agreed to come out
in the following May, and accordingly during
that month made his appearance here
AIr. Prince ut once interested Gen. Slbley,
Col. C. Fl. Cakes. Frnnk Steele, ESQ, and
others In the project, and several Thousand
dollars were raised and placed in Mr. Eanes'
hands.
at once commenced. It began by rapid
and gcnernl exploration Of nearly tho entire
State, to ascertain where the best indications
of coal existed Starting from st. Paul on
Mos goth. Mr.. Eamcs first examined the ral-
Icy Of Grow River, and then went to Carver,
where he examined all the streams in that
county 1lowin. into the Minnesota, extending
his search through Mcleod county. Thence
he went to the Blue Earth river and examined
| the whole Of that stream and its tributaries to
the Iowa line. On all these streams DRIFT coal
was found in abundance and Of good quality
indicating that somewhere not far distant
there must exist coal formation, from which
these fragments had been torn BY the floods
| of the Difnyian period. Returning to St. Paul
| Mr.. Eamcs went to Red Wing, whence he
prosecuted his explorations along the valleys
Of the Cannon, Ver1nillion and zumbro, but
| with no greater success.
| The greatest cautiousness vas used d, ~ 1T.
| Fnrncs in his prospecting" but still it was
impossible to prevent persons from divining
the cause Of the survey. OF course he va:
importuned at every point By some town site
| speculators to be sure and lind coal in thci,
PARTICULAR locality, and offered handsome
bonuses in case he should succeed, and for d
share in whatever discoveries he might make
The entire summer was consumed in these
surveys, and several thousand dollars expcnd
| I'd, Other valuable mineral deposits weEt
| discovered during the survey, OF which We
cannot now speak.
| Ayuiling himself of the hints afforded b.