The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-04
The Dawning Of a Better
Day for Her Railroads
and Her Merchants,
Mechanics and -
Farmers.
Full Account Of Geological
Explorations, Resulting in
Finding a Valuable Bed
of BituminOuS Coal.
At the Depth Of Eighty
Eight Feet a Vein Of
Bitumin0us Coal Four
Feet Thick.
MINNESOTA COAL TO BE FLOAT
ED TO SAINT PAUL BY THE
FOURTH OF JULY
NEXT.


{. valuable discovery of coal had been made,
within easy access from this city, but have re-
Trained from publishing the fact SO that the
gentlemen whose enterprise and labor have
led to this grand result-destined, as we hope,
20 contribute vastly to accelerate the growth
and prosperity of our State-might have full
time and opportunity to profit by the knowl-
edge they had obtained. Understanding that
they have now secured what land they desire,
and that they have an associated capital sutt1-
Gent to inaugurate and carry on the business
Of coal mining on their lands, we are permitted
this morning to lay before our readers the full
particulars rs to the explorations on the Big
Cottonwood river, and the organization of
company which promises to deliver barge
load of coal, from their mines, at the levee in
st. Paul prior to the fourth day of July next.
ORIGIN OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
In February of 1868, Col. JOHN s. PRINCE,
of this city, being then in Vincennes, Indiana
became acquainted with the brothers EAMEs
biologists, who were engaged in prospecting
for coal in that vicinity, and, in conversation
with them. engaged to find for either one of
Them, that would visit st. Paul in the spring,
similar employment in Minnesota. In May
following, one of the brothers, Mr.. HENRY H.
EAMEs, wrote that he would come to this State
on the condition named by Col. PRINCE, and
me latter returned at once q favorable answer.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPANY.
Upon the arrival of Mr.. EAMEs in St. Paul,
Col PRINCE, Gen. SIBLEY and Messrs. STEELE
and CAKES associated themselves in the enter
prise, and each agreed to pay $3.50 towards the
expense of the proposed survey. 1t was agreed
that Mr.. GAMES should undertake geological
examination of portions of the State, having in
view practical result and the direct object,
COAL Lately these gentlemen have associated
with them Hon. HENRY NJ. RICE, Judge FLAN-
oRAU, and the Messrs ScHILLock, BENKE and
RUDOLPH, of New Ulm, the whole now FORM
ing the pioneer coal mining company of Min
nesota.
TnE GEOLOGIST.
Mr.. HENRY H. EAMEs is professional and
practical geologist, who has made that branch
of his science relating to coal and its indica-
tons his speciality for number of years. In
England he practiced his profession in the coal
counties. In Virginia, after coming to this
country, he engaged in an exploration OF its
coal region, and had profitable business until
the breaking out of the rebellion, when he
came west, to Indiana, and thence, as above
stated, to Minnesota.
THE EXTENT OF COUNTRY EXAMINED.
Mr.. EAMEs, shortly after his arrival at Saint
Paul, commenced geological examination OF
surface indications, with a view of determin-
ing whether the coal measures extended within
the limits of this State. In this examination,
he has since travelled over four thousand miles,
one half of which has been on foot, and along
the valleys of different streams and rivers of
the State. particularly those making from the
west into the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers
and their principal tributaries. Commencing
May 30, 1868, at the mouth OF the Grow river.
he explored the valley of that stream for
about thirty miles. Next he examined the
country around Carver, the valley of Buffalo
Creek. another part of the Crow River Valley,
and the vallies of all the streams making into
the Minnesota, from Carver to the mouth of
the Cottonwood, including the Blue Earth and
all its tributaries, and the Minnesota Valley to
Glencoe
His next starting point was from Red Wing
and on that trip he explored the valleys OF al
the tributaries of the Mississippi, to the Iowa
line, including the Cannon. Vermillion and
Zumbro The field of his explorations may be
outlined by line drawn from Grow river to
Carver. thence to Glencoe, thence to Lake She
TEX, thence to Red Wing thence to st. Paul.
and to Crow river again. In all this country he
found no trace Of the coal formation, but found
drift coal, mixed Ignite and camel,
in nearly every valley. This coal was in the
DRIFT clay, and was discovered in greatest guam
tity and largest pieces on the Blue Earth and
lie Sueur rivers. At the mouth OF the LIE
Sueur there was, at the time of Mr.. EAMEs
visit last season a sheet of coal in the drift.
While he does. not advance the opinion that
the true coal beds may not be found ON the
Blue Earth or its tributaries, he found no indi-
cations there sufficient to induce him to con-
tinue his explorations in that valley.